Kwanzaa, Another Chance to Give Thanks
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University of South Florida Scholar Commons Newspaper collection The Weekly Challenger 2011-01-06 The Weekly Challenger : 2011 : 01 : 06 The Weekly Challenger, et al Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/challenger Recommended Citation The Weekly Challenger, et al, "The Weekly Challenger : 2011 : 01 : 06" (2011). Newspaper collection. 158. https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/challenger/158 This is brought to you for free and open access by the The Weekly Challenger at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Newspaper collection by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Presort Std U.S. Postage PAID Permit #2271 St. Petersburg, FL OPINION COMMUNITY NEWS COMMUNITY NEWS SPORTS Ben Jealous on An Urgent Movement For Justice 2 Jordan Park Projects Nostalgia Assn. 4 Robert Lee Anders Obituary 7 Improved Buccaneers Eye Bright Future 8 50¢ We Value Diversity. We Value Education. We Value History. St. Petersburg • Clearwater • Largo • Tarpon Springs • Bradenton VOLUME 43 NUMBER 19 JANUARY 6 - JANUARY 12, 2011 ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA Residents Mark 25th Anniversary Kwanzaa, Another Of King Holiday By Serving Others BY JEANIEChance BLUE To Give Thanks SPECIAL TO THE Attendees of the 25th Annual Leadership CHALLENGER Awards Breakfast established to honor King’s legacy encouraged to volunteer For the Motherland of civi- as part of National Day of Service lization. For the ancestors and their indomitable spirit. For the elders from whom we can learn much. For our youth who represent the promise for tomorrow. For our people the original people. For our struggle and in remembrance of those who have struggled on our behalf. For Umoja the principle of unit which should guide us in all that we do. For the creator who provides all things great and small. This is the libation statement that is often read at annual Kwanzaa celebrations beginning Dec. 26 until Jan. 1. Kwanzaa, an African American Holy Day celebration was established in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, a California State University Professor of Africana Studies. Dr. Karenga used the basic principle from Kwanza celebrations held in Africa to design Kwanzaa. On the continent of Africa the people would gather to give thanks for the first fruits from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. the harvest. Many people attended these celebrations and ST. PETERSBURG - The On, Not A Day Off” by serving conducted rituals all designed to National Council of Negro others. Residents are encour- give thanks and prepare to Women, St. Petersburg aged to visit www.mlkday.gov gather the bountiful harvest. Metropolitan Section will to find opportunities to serve. African Kwanza holiday is Left, Fatima Talbird and Malik Cobb, and drummers, right. encourage St. Petersburg This year marks the 25th spelled with with one letter “a” residents to honor Dr. Martin anniversary of the Martin at the end, whereas Dr. Karenga they include: Umoja (unity), Kwanzaa a candle is lit repre- chance to participate together. Luther King’s legacy by Luther King Jr. Leadership distinguished the American Kujichagulia (self-determina- senting the principle of the day. "I first came to Kwanzaa working together to tackle Awards Breakfast. The NCNW holiday Kwanzaa with an tion), Ujima (collective work This ritual is mainly conducted with my relatives when I was area problems. NCNW will see the milestone as a extra “a.” and responsibility), Ujamaa in private homes, but some around three-years old and I join hundreds of thousands of Seven basic daily living (cooperative economics), Nia events are held at local busi- Americans across the country KING principles are honored for the (purpose), Kuumba (creativity) nesses and community centers KWANZAA in making the holiday “A Day continued on pg. 9 seven days of Kwanzaa and and Imani (faith). Each day of so that the general public gets a continued on pg. 6 How Does The School System Reach Boys In And Out Of The Hood? Opinion ...........................2 BY RONALD W. HOLMES, In our community, we inter- average of 53 hours a week bardment of negative and PH.D. nalized this expression to be using Facebook, Twitter, derogatory messages. real and embraced the message Myspace, cell phones and video Our African-American in persevering until things got games. Thus, if a child hears boys’ poor decision-making Community News .......3-7 better. In a later era, Rapper DJ inflammatory messages from skills contribute to the over-rep- Khaled coined the lyrics to a the social entertainment and resentation of their being placed song “I’m so hood” which internalizes the information to in special education programs, Black History...................7 implied that everything bad be real, then that becomes a part expelled from school and cited about my behavior is good of his or her environment; espe- for criminal offenses compared because I am from the hood. In cially when the messages are to their white counterparts. In today’s generation, some heard repeatedly by the child fact, the Schott’s Report on Sports...............................8 children have internalized this without adult supervision. Public Education notes “the rate expression to be real and Realizing the impact the at which black males are being embraced the message in glori- media has on children, African- pushed out of school and into fying being a gangster, and par- American boys are facing tough the pipeline to prison far State/Natl. News.............9 ticularly, wearing their pants times in and out of the hood exceeds the rate at which they below their waist as pronounced across the nation. They are are graduating and reaching in the song. making inappropriate decisions high levels of academic Church Directory....10, 11 (TEWire) - During an era of More than ever, the culture regardless of their home envi- achievement.” For example, the inequality of schools and jobs, of this era does not have ronments or socioeconomic Schott’s Report cites that only Reverend Jesse Jackson coined anything to do with where a status. Even African-American 37 percent of African-American the phrase “keep hope alive” person lives because of the boys who are being raised by Church News ................11 which implied that everything is information age and social two parents, raised in suburban going to be all right by staying media. Children between the communities or affluent parents BOYS optimistic. ages eight and 18 spend an are being plagued by the bom- continued on pg. 9 How To Reach Us: News: [email protected] • Advertising: [email protected] • Phone: (727) 896-2922 • Fax: (727) 823-2568 2 THE WEEKLY CHALLENGER, THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 2011 The Weekly Challenger Newspaper The Weekly Challenger Ethel L. Johnson . CEO/Publisher Emeritus L. Dianne Speights . Publisher/General Manager We Value Diversity. We Value Education. We Value History. Lorrie Bellinger . Art Director • A knowledge of history brings a feeling of fellowship that runs through the ages — be it a territory, a village, a district, or a nation. • To live without history is likened to living without a form of memory. The Weekly Challenger Office: • To be without history is to live without roots or a past, with the present having no real foundation, and very little meaning for the future. • To know the events of our past (can help us) to know what future events can be. 2500 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Street South St. Petersburg, FL 33705 • The Weekly Challenger is committed to featuring articles of all ethnic cultures for the reading enjoyment of both the young and old generations. (727) 896-2922 Fax (727) 823-2568 Email: [email protected] OPINION www.theweeklychallenger.com Readership: 100,000 monthly Blacks In The White House: THE BLACK PRESS believes that America can best lead the world from racial antagonism when it accords to every man, regardless of race, creed or color, his human They Came Before Obama and legal rights. Hating no man, fearing no man... the Black Press strives to help every man in the firm belief BY GARY L. people within the most celebrated despite historic omissions and found and was offered her that all men are hurt as long as anyone is held back. FLOWERS house in the United States of falsehoods in the teaching of freedom, if she would return to NNPA COLUMNIST America. Dr. Lusane, aside from American history in classrooms, bondage. She simply replied, “I his formal scholarship, is no enslaved black people were am already free”, and did not On January 20, stranger to the black community. forcibly worked for free within the return. 2009, Barack Obama was sworn in Either directly or indirectly, Dr. home of a sitting president. Many. In another case, Hercules as the first black president of the Lusane has worked with many Two in particular, an African- an enslaved African-American United States of America. Upon Member Organizations of the American lady named Oney Judd man, emancipated himself by waving farewell to George Bush Black Leadership Forum, Inc, and a man named Hercules are escaping the bondage of George and former First Lady Laura Bush, among them the TransAfrica featured in the book. According to Washington on a trip from President Obama and First Lady Forum and the Joint Center for Dr. Lusane, President George Philadelphia to the Mount Vernon, Michelle Obama moved their Political and Economic Studies. Washington words and deeds Virginia private plantation of family into the White House. For Prior to 1600 Pennsylvania did not match on the subject George Washington. many Americans, the history of Avenue, NW in Washington, of slavery. While President Both cases are featured in The The Weekly Challenger African-Americans in the White D.C. being the White House Washington spoke of his opposi- Black History in the White House began in 2009.