WWW.KCCALL.COM Frank White: Kansas City ‘I Am Fighting For THECALL What Is Right’ Southwest’s leading weekly Est. 1919 VOL. 98 NO. 25 KANSAS CITY, MO. WEEK OF FEBRUARY 23, 2018 - MARCH 1, 2018 $1.00 Black History Month African American Heroes Of The War In Vietnam JACKSON COUNTY EXECUTIVE FRANK WHITE By Frank White right for our community. This Jackson County Executive is why I wanted to hold this po- In my 67 years, I’ve learned sition – to improve the quality you can’t escape challenges. of life for the people who live You can ignore them, give in and work in this great County. or give up. But that’s not who Over the last few months, I am. As a young man picking I have issued several vetoes cotton in Mississippi, I learned of ordinances passed by the to fight my way to success by Legislature. Why? Our legal taking advantage of every op- counsel determined the ordi- portunity I was given. Road- nances violate state law and blocks tried to stop, discour- the Jackson County Charter. age and discredit me along the The Charter is the will of the way, but here I am now, the people. Voters approved the first African American to serve Charter because it is how they as Jackson County Executive. want to see their County func- My ancestors would be tion. It calls for the separation proud of my accomplishments and fearlessness to stand up in Continued on page 4 the face of adversity for what’s Area Clergy Blast Councilman Reed CAPTAIN LEROY PITTS PFC JAMES ANDERSON JR. Over Liquor License Ordinance Editor’s Note: This week THE CALL in Wichita prior to joining the Army. While enemy lines until he was killed in the mid- To Councilman Reed: soring this ordinance. Let us is featuring two African American heroes he was with Boeing, he married his wife, dle of gunfire. As a collective group of lo- address your puzzling reason- of the Vietnam War, as part of this year’s Eula and the couple had two children, Sta- On December 10, 1968, President John- cal Clergy and concerned com- ing. Black History Month theme set forth by cie and Mark. Pitts enlisted in the Army in son presented the Congressional Medal of munity residents who live, The article said that, “One of the Association for the Study of Afro- 1960 and was later commission as an of- Honor to Pitts’s wife, Eula, and his chil- serve and/or work within the the Churches near 18th & Vine American Life and History (ASALH). ficer. In December 1966, he was sent to dren. His parents also attended the pre- 3rd District, we would like to refuses to approve any liquor This week, Leroy Pitts and James An- fight in Vietnam. sentation ceremony. In his speech, Presi- respond to your recent sub- application that’s preventing derson Jr., both Medal of Honor recipients, Pitts first served as an information offi- dent Johnson said, “What this man did in mission of an ordinance that progress in the entertainment are featured. cer when he arrived in Vietnam. He was an hour of incredible courage will live in would keep churches and district.” Our question is sim- Black soldiers accouted for 12.5 percent later transferred to the combat unit, C the story of America as long as America schools from having an impact ply when does good family ori- of deaths in Vietnam, a time when the per- Company “Wolfhounds,” 2d Battalion, 27th endures, as he will live in the hearts and on liquor sales in Kansas City ented entertainment depend centage of blacks of military age was 13.5 Infantry Regiment, and served as C Com- memories of those who loved him. He and specifically within the 18th on liquor sales to increase percent of the total population. pany commander. On October 31, 1967, was a brave man and a leader of men. No and Vine Jazz District. “progress” in an area that al- •••• only a month prior to his scheduled return greater thing could be said of any man.” Because you are the elected ready has a number of liquor Capt. Riley Pitts home, Pitts’s unit was ordered to reinforce Pitts was buried at the Hillcrest Memory representative for the 3rd dis- establishments? Riley Leroy Pitts was a United States another company in Ap Dong, Vietnam. Gardens in Spencer, Oklahoma. trict, we are astonished by The article also said, “Coun- Army Captain and the first African Ameri- Against strong Viet Cong forces, Pitts led There are several naming dedications in your stance on this issue. As Continued on page 4 can officer to receive the Congressional an assault and overran the enemy’s posi- honor of Pitts, including a classroom at his you know, there are many Continued on page 4 Medal of Honor. President Lyndon B. tion. When ordered to move further north, alma mater, Douglass High School, a firing churches located in your Dis- Johnson presented the medal posthu- the unit faced even more heavy fire from range at the U.S. Army base in Fort Sill, trict who were instrumental in mously in 1968 for his exceptional heroism three directions. He threw a grenade tak- Oklahoma, and the main street at the U.S. your election. To now say that during the Vietnam War. en from a captured Viet Cong soldier’s gear Army base in Mannheim, Germany. Cap- they should not continue in the Pitts was born on October 15, 1937 towards an enemy bunker, but it hit the tain Pitts’s son, Mark became active with role they now play on thispg. 11 is- in Fallis, Oklahoma. He attended Dou- jungle foliage and bounced back. Imme- the organization “Sons and Daughters In sue is appalling! glass High School in Oklahoma City. He diately, Pitts threw himself on top of the Touch” (SDIT), an support organization In an article dated February earned a bachelor’s degree in Journalism grenade in an effort to protect his unit, but for children of the fallen soldiers of the 9 to February 15 2018, in THE from Wichita State University in 1960 and fortunately it failed to explode. He then WWW.KCCALL.COM Continued on page 4 CALL newspaper, it talked worked briefly for the Boeing Corporation continued to lead his unit forward towards about your reasoning for spon- Week End Businesswoman City Kansas Congressman Emanuel Cleaver Est. 1919 Leading Weekly Southwest’s Forecast To Receive Harry S. Truman Inez Wesley Dies; pg. 3 THE CALL Good Neighbor Award May 4 Services To Be 30-JUNE 5, 2008 60 CENTS MO. WEEK OF MAY VOL. 88 NO. 44 KANSAS CITY, Emanuel Cleaver, member church in Kansas City, the Held On March 3 Week-End of Congress and a two-term public life of Congressman for nearly 55 years. The busi- Mayor of Kansas City, will Emanuel Cleaver reflects his ness was one of the city’s old- Forecast receive the 2018 Harry S. Tru- sincere desire to engage in est African American owned man Good Neighbor Award. civil and respectful debate businesses. in Kansas City. Friday Before his election to the with women and men of all Ms. Wesley was born Febru- U.S. House of Representa- political opinions,” said Karl ary 28, 1932 in Lucy, Tennessee tives, Congressman Cleaver Zobrist, president of the Tru- to the union of Julius Joyce Sr. served for 12 years on the man Good Neighbor Award (deceased), and Blanche Mae Kansas City Council. Foundation. “We are proud to Joyce (deceased). She had two He was elected the city’s honor Rev. Cleaver who con- brothers, James B. Joyce Sr. first African American mayor tinues to promote President (deceased), and Julius Joyce in 1991, serving until 1999. Truman’s policies that sup- Jr. Mayor Cleaver attracted a ported education, civil rights, The family moved to Kan- 43˚ Mostly Cloudy number of major corpora- racial equality, and democrat- sas City where she attended tions to the city, oversaw the ic institutions.” Saturday REP. EMANUEL public schools and graduated reconstruction and beautifi- Congressman Cleaver will CLEAVER II INEZ WESLEY from R.T. Coles High school. cation of Brush Creek, and receive the Harry S. Truman Elected to Congress from A Celebration of Life Memo- She also attended Longview led the effort to complete the Good Neighbor Award on Missouri’s Fifth District in rial Service will be held Satur- and Penn Valley Community Bruce R. Watkins Drive that Friday, May 4, at the Truman 2004, Congressman Cleaver day, March 3, at 11 a.m., at the colleges. links downtown with south Foundation’s annual lun- serves on the House Finan- St. James United Methodist She married Willie J. Love Kansas City. cheon in the Imperial Ball- cial Services Committee and church located at 5540 Wayne and the couple had two daugh- He spearheaded the devel- room of the Downtown Mar- is the Ranking Member of the for Mrs. Inez Wesley, 85, re- ters: Ella and Della (deceased). opment of the 18th and Vine riott, Muehlebach Tower at Housing and Insurance Sub- tired long-time influential area Her first marriage ended in di- District, which features the 12th Street and Wyandotte. 49˚ Thundershowers committee. business owner and a former vorce and she married Hosea Negro Leagues Baseball Mu- Every year the Truman He co-authored the president of the Missouri State C. Gunnels (deceased). seum, the restored Gem The- Foundation brings the com- Sunday 2016 Housing Opportunity Board of Cosmetology, died Ms. Wesley continued her ed- ater, and the American Jazz munity together to celebrate Through Modernization Act, peacefully Sunday morning, ucation and attended Madam Museum.