San Antonio Branch SAN ANTONIO BRANCH NAACP SPECIAL NAACP Newsletter POINTS OF INTEREST: VOLUME 7, ISSUE 2 JUNE 2009 • Highlights of Recent Meet- ings (see insert) • Next Branch Digital TV Conversion Help Meeting is June 11, at 5:45 PM, Barbara Jordan Digital television If you have an older converter box. Assistance Center (DTV) is a way of trans- television and use rabbit in getting the coupons, • Op/Ed: Where mitting television signals ears or a rooftop an- information on selecting Do We Go? (see to give a sharper picture, equipment (converter insert) better sound quality, and boxes and antennas), and more channels. Congress help setting up the equip- has ordered that on June ment is available at the 12, 2009 all television San Antonio Branch stations must switch NAACP, 224-7636. their transmissions to There will be sessions to digital instead of analog, discuss all of these issues the previous standard. on June 9, 2009, at 11:00 The coupon backlog prob- Viewers receiving their AM and again at 2:00 lem has been resolved. INSIDE television signal on cable PM, at the Barbara Jor- THIS ISSUE: or satellite, or who have dan Community Center, purchased a new televi- tenna, you will need a 2803 E. Commerce The New 2 sion in the last few years, “digital-to-analog” con- Street. Call for an ap- Civil Rights will be able to receive verter box. Coupons val- pointment or to reserve a Challenge the new digital program- ued at $40 are available spot in the training ses- Dates to 2 ming. to apply to the cost of the sion. Remember House District 120, will be Where Are 2 Freedom Fund Dinner Scheduled honored with an individual They Now? Image Award. The corporate Image Award will be pre- Centennial 3 This year the annual This year the NAACP Quilt sented to CPS Energy under San Antonio Branch is celebrating 100 years the leadership of Mr. Milton Freedom Fund Dinner nationally and 91 years WIN Mother 3 Lee. will be held on October locally. The souvenir of the Year The Planning Committee is 23, 2009, at the La Vil- journal will highlight the co-chaired by Dr. Dianna ACT-SO 3 lita Assembly Hall, at history and the accom- Burns-Banks and Mr. Michael Medalists 7:00 PM. The Freedom plishments of African Banks. The theme this year Fund Dinner is the Americans in the growth will be “Bold Dreams. Big Tribute to 4 Branch’s most important of San Antonio into a Claude Black Victories,” an acknowledge- fundraiser, providing the large and influential city. ment of the new possibilities majority of operating Representative Ruth in this first year of the historic funds. Jones McClendon, Texas Obama administration. PAGE 2 The Civil Rights Challenge For This Generation Benjamin Jealous, Presi- most need an organiza- servative Manhattan dent and CEO of the Na- tion like the NAACP to Institute says that a tional NAACP, in a recent look out for them, are dysfunctional black article (The American Pros- facing problems of vio- culture, not racism, is pect, March 2009) identified lence, drugs, AIDS, the issue, and it can mass incarceration as the and unequal education. only be addressed in- civil rights challenge of this Many civil rights ternally. “The proper generation. Addressing it, he activists, and even their thing for a civil rights says, requires more than just critics, agree with Jeal- organization to do to- Benjamin Todd changing draconian drug ous that this is the big- day is to go into ser- Jealous, National laws; it also requires con- gest civil rights issue vices,” McWhorter NAACP President fronting poverty and a fail- of the modern era. says. and CEO ing public-education system. They just disagree on Young black folks, particu- how to attack it. John larly the urban poor who McWhorter of the con- Continued on page 3 rates the day in 1865 that Dates to Remember slaves in Texas finally learned that President Lin- is affiliated with Harbour Branch Hosts Speaker coln had signed the Emanci- Hospice of Bexar on Hospice pation Proclamation years County. earlier and they were free. Jossh Carmen will speak at the regular Branch Juneteeth Celebration New Branch Meeting Time meeting on June 11, at 5:45 PM. Mr. Carmen, June 20: A Juneteenth June 11: NAACP Branch M.A. Chaplain, will dis- Parade and Celebration nd meetings are held on the 2 cuss how hospice care will begin at the MLK Thursday of the month at the can be a valuable support Statue and continue to Barbara Jordan Center, 2803 to families and loved Davis Scott YMCA at S. E. Commerce Street. The ones facing end-of-life New Braunfels and Iowa. new time is 5:45 PM. care issues. Mr. Carmen Juneteenth commemo- on “New Growth Me- Where Are They Now? dia,” which served as ACT-SO. After the catalyst for starting Robin Laverne Wil- graduating from her production com- son – New Jersey Judson High School, pany. She has worked she attended Rutgers for other producers and Robin Laverne University, graduating has also done editing. Wilson is a former Magna Cum Laude in She is actively pursu- Youth Council mem- 2008. For her Rutgers ing a career in film- ber and officer who Honors Program Wil- making, media produc- also participated in son wrote her thesis tion and entertainment. SAN ANTONIO BRANCH VOLUME 7, ISSUE 2 PAGE 3 tinctive quilt square for WIN Mother of the dedicated to en- Centennial Quilt inclusion in the National hancing the lead- NAACP Centennial Quilt. Year: Katie M. Jones ership role of She selected the symbol- women, and ad- Mrs. Katie M. Jones ism of the Monkey vocating for is- was honored at the 7th sues effecting Wrench. If slaves dis- Annual WIN Mother’s women and chil- played a quilt sewn in the Day Coffee at Tommy dren. A local Monkey Wrench pattern, Moore’s Café. Mrs. Jones WIN outreach it was a signal. It told oth- was recognized as the program will in- Mother of the Year for ers it was time to gather clude working her years of service to the with young moth- the tools they needed for community in education. their journey. These tools ers at the Seton The local WIN (Women Home to support The Branch thanked might be real tools. They in the NAACP) program them in seeking a Mrs. Darceil Mitchell Wil- might also be tools like is headed by Mrs. new path in life. liams for preparing a dis- courage and awareness. Patricia Bratcher and is ACT-SO Gold Medalists Headed for NY were: Janise Jackson (Essay); Denise Sapp (Essay); Kerri Thomas (Essay); The local ACT-SO (Sculpture); and Selena Selena Mitchell (Musical Instrument Competition was held on Mitchell Classical); Kevin Davison (Musical Saturday, March 14th at the (Entrepreneurship). New Instrumental Contemporary); Edwin Barbara Jordan Center, York City will be the host Bates (Music Vocal Classical); Robert Second Baptist Church, for the National ACT-SO “Tre” Young (Music Vocal Contem- and Carver Branch Li- Competition on July 8-12, porary); Akil Dudley (Drawing); and brary. The gold medal 2009. Gold medalists will Shelby Ford (Painting). winning students were: receive enrichments and The bronze medalists were: Janise Darian Thomas (Poetry assistance from their Jackson (Poetry); Daizia McGhee and Essay); Edwin Bates coaches and mentors prior (Poetry); Keith Hamilton (Essay); Mil- (Music Vocal Contempo- to traveling to the Nation- ton Hamilton (Essay); and Kevin rary); Akil Dudley als. Davison (Music Instrumental Classi- (Painting); Shelby Ford The silver medalists cal). Benjamin Todd Jealous Continued from page 2 NAACP’s role, he argues. against for 100 years. best. But our goal “Some people would like What we’ve been fighting is a fully function- to see us as an alternative for is for the government ing democracy.” Jealous, however, ar- government infrastructure that we already have to Jealous is ap- gues that the NAACP for black people,” says respond to the needs of all proaching the new needs to stick to its Jealous. “I understand people. Our focus is on the political landscape roots—advocating for bet- where that comes from; needs of black America; with energy and ter public policy. Provid- the reality is that’s what that’s what we do best; optimism. ing services isn’t the we’ve been fighting that’s where we’re known San Antonio Branch NAACP 2803 E. Commerce Street San Antonio, TX 78203 Phone: (210) 224-7636 Fax: (210) 476-0989 E-mail: [email protected] Fighting to Advance Social Justice www.naacp-sanantonio.org five decades, and made the church a partner to civil rights causes and advocacy organizations. These ac- Tribute to Claude Black tions made him the target of racial persistently seeking and finally slurs, drive-by shootings, and an Reverend Claude William Black Jr., earning a seat on the city council, arson attempt on his church. He re- pastor, community leader, and civil later becoming San Antonio’s ceived innumerable awards and rec- rights activist passed away on March ognitions in his lifetime. Just this 13, 2009, ending a life dedicated to year Rev. Black was honored with serving the San Antonio community at the Testament of Hope Award by many levels. He gained prominence as the MLK Realizing the Dream a powerful advocate for the minority Foundation in Washington during community and opposed forces of injus- Inauguration Week along with Sena- tice his entire life. He was hailed as a tor Ted Kennedy, Congressman “man of vision and action,” and admired John Lewis (Georgia) and Activist for his generosity, humility, and wis- Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San dom.