sfltimes.com “Elevating the Dialogue” SERVING MIAMI-DADE, BROWARD, PALM BEACH AND MONROE COUNTIES MAY 14 — 20, 2015 | 50¢ IN THIS ISSUE MIAMI-DADE PALM BEACH Hampton House rekindled Davis inducted, civil rights SOFLO LIVE/4C HARRIS FAULKNER DAVIS SR. Hall Rising star at By KYOTO WALKER Special to South Florida Times Fox News RIVIERA BEACH — The great-grandfather of Riviera Beach councilman Terence “T.D.” Davis was chosen by Gov. Rick Scott to be inducted into the Florida Civil Rights Hall of Fame. Council- man Davis traveled to Tallahassee to be present Wednesday, May 13, for the induction ceremony of his great-grandfather, the late Edward Daniel Davis Sr., who was a civil rights activist, an au- KHARY BRUYNING/FOR SOUTH FLORIDA TIMES thor, an educator and businessman. He helped HAMPTON HOUSE: Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez congratulates Enid Pinkney for her dedication to desegregate the University of Florida (UF), raise restore the Hampton House in the presence of Miami-Dade Commissioners (L to R) Dennis Moss, Barbara the salary of African-American teachers and Jordan, Audrey Edmonson, and Larry Capp (rear), on May 8, 2015. force UF’s law school to enroll minority students, OPINION/4A according to a statement released by the city of DEAN TRANTALIS Riviera Beach. Other inductees included former Embolden the future by restoring the past governor, the late Ruben O’Donovan Askew and Body cameras for former teacher and civil rights activist, the late police. Is it time? By MICHELLE HOLLINGER The community turned out original chairperson of the Sallye B. Mathis, who was also the first African- Special to South Florida Times in big numbers last week to Historic Hampton House Trust, American woman to sit on the Jacksonville city welcome a refurbished Hamp- Enid Pinkney appeared to bask council, who were chosen from a list of 10 nomi- MIAMI — In her remarks, ton House and to imagine what in an attitude of triumph, reluc- nees by the Florida Commission on Human Re- Commissioner Audrey Edmon- might be said if only these walls tant to boast but determined to lations for making significant contributions to son referenced Sankofa, which could talk. The standing room celebrate what many consid- the improvement of life for minorities and all means “to look back and get it.” only crowd of dignitaries and ered an impossible task. citizens of Florida. The newly renovated Historic common folk brought together “We have a lot of naysay- Councilman Davis said his great-grandfather Hampton House offers a fitting former Commissioners Barbara ers. The naysayers said some endured and lived through tremendous harass- example of this African phrase Carey Schuler and Betty Fergu- 15 years ago ‘this would not ment, a fire bombing and an attempted assas- as it rekindles warm memories son with current commissioners happen,’’ said Dottie Johnson, sination. “After they killed (civil rights activist of its glorious past. That past Barbara Jordan, Jean Mones- chairperson of the Historic William T.) Moore, they tried to bomb his house includes “the greatest” heavy- time, Dennis Moss, and Edmon- Hampton House Community as well,” he said. “But he was very fortunate to weight boxing champ being son, who represents the district Trust. actually find the bomb under his home before BUSINESS/7A photographed by a powerful in which the Hampton House is The original Hampton House it went off.” JESSE JACKSON civil rights legend, and reports located and who assisted the Motel owners’ children (sons Davis said his great-grandfather often that a famous speech about a initiative with obtaining funding Bob, 74, and Jerry, 66) were in spoke of how important it was to participate in Pressures Silicon King’s dream soaked into these for the restoration. attendance, reminiscing about the voting process and education. “He was a Valley to diversify walls before its famous 1963 Called a “modern day Ne- delivery in Washington, D.C. hemiah,” by Rev. Gaston Smith, PLEASE TURN TO HAMPTON/2A PLEASE TURN TO INDUCTION/2A NATION PALM BEACH Palm Beach makes By KYOTO WALKER Smithsonian’s black history Special to South Florida Times historic selection PALM BEACH — County commissioners made history museum showcases its collection Tuesday, May 12, by selecting the first African American and “Through the African first woman county adminis- American Lens,” offers trator. Verdenia C. Baker was selections from the mu- among six finalist for the posi- seum's 40,000 objects. It tion and was chosen because opens to the public Friday of her many years of experi- in a gallery at the National ence, according to one county Museum of American His- commissioner. Baker will re- tory. place current county adminis- The exhibit includes trator, Robert Weismann, who artifacts from slavery, the retires in August. Civil War and personal Baker has been working items from abolitionist with the county for nearly Harriet Tubman, as well three decades. She is current- as items marking Afri- ly serving as deputy county can-Americans’ achieve- administrator and beat out ments in sports and Assistant County Administra- PHOTO COURTESY OF NMAAHC.SI.EDU entertainment. The mu- tor Shannon R. LaRoque for HISTORY: Photographer Zack Brown shooting dapper men in seum also holds the din- the highly coveted county ad- ing room table where the Harlem, c. 1937, now part of the Eliot Elisofon Collection in the ministrator position. Brown family gathered Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Commissioner Priscilla with NAACP lawyers to Taylor, who was the first Afri- Culture. plan the landmark Brown can American and first female By BRETT ZONGKER the Smithsonian’s National v. Board of Education mayor of Palm Beach County, Associated Press Museum of African Ameri- case in 1954 for equal ac- said that Baker’s knowledge can History and Culture is cess in schools. of the county and experience WASHINGTON — offering a look at its grow- The exhibit will be helped with the decision to While its new building is ing collection. open until the new mu- PHOTO COURTESY OF PALM BEACH COUNTY still under construction, A new exhibit, seum opens in late 2016. PLEASE TURN TO BAKER/7A Verdenia Baker NATION US investigates Baltimore police By ERIC TUCKER last year. Since then, the death of 25-year- Associated Press old Freddie Gray and the days of rioting that followed exposed a “serious erosion WASHINGTON — The Justice Depart- of public trust,” Lynch said, and showed ment waded anew Friday into fraught, big that community concerns about the po- city police-community relations, with new lice were more pervasive than initially un- Attorney General Loretta Lynch declar- derstood and that a broader investigation ing the subject “one of the most challeng- was warranted. ing issues of our time.” She announced “It was clear to a number of people a wide-ranging investigation into Balti- looking at this situation that the commu- more's police. nity's rather frayed trust - to use an un- The federal civil rights investigation, derstatement - was even worse and has, PHOTO COURTESY OF NPR.ORG which city officials sought following the in effect, been severed in terms of the JUSTICE: Attorney General Loretta Lynch, seen here with Baltimore police Commissioner Anthony death last month of a man in police custo- relationship with the police department,” Batts. dy, will search for discriminatory policing Lynch said. practices and examine allegations that The announcement indicated that vividly last summer following the shooting violations, the investigations typically Baltimore officers too often use excessive Lynch, who was sworn in recently as the death of an unarmed black 18-year-old by result in court-enforceable agreements force and make unconstitutional searches successor to Eric Holder, is likely to keep a Ferguson, Missouri, police officer. between the federal government and and arrests. the Justice Department engaged in a na- The federal department has undertaken the local community that serve as The investigation is to build upon the tional dialogue about race relations and dozens of other city police investigations, blueprints for change and are overseen government's voluntary and collaborative law enforcement. That issue consumed the including more than 20 during Holder's review of the Baltimore police that began final year of Holder's tenure and flared most tenure. If they find systemic civil rights PLEASE TURN TO INVESTIGATION/7A SOUTH FLORIDA TIMES IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL 3A NATION | 4A OPINION | 6A CARIBBEAN/HEALTH | 7A BUSINESS | 8A SPORTS | 2B AROUND SOUTH FLORIDA | 3B CLASSIFIEDS/OBITUARIES | 4B PRAYERFUL LIVING | 1C SOFLO LIVE SOUTH FLORIDA TIMES ©2015 • VOL. 25 ISSUE NO. 20 • A BEATTY MEDIA, LLC PUBLICATION 2A | MAY 14 — 20, 2015 | SOUTH FLORIDA TIMES | SFLTIMES.COM Enid Pinkney,” with whom he worked to help restore the historic venue. Also in attendance was the first wife A civil rights of boxing great, Muhammad Ali, who was a regular visitor, one of his most prominent visits occurring after he de- legend in Florida feated Sonny Liston. “Cassius Clay was born in Louis- ville, Kentucky. Muhammad Ali is a INDUCTION, FROM 1A Riviera Beach. “Seeing product of Miami, Florida,” said Larry the work of his great- Capp as he introduced Khalilah Cama- strong advocate on grandson, Council- cho Ali. education,” man Terence Davis, “When I came here, I was only 18 Councilman Da- just confirms that old and a young mother trying to guide a vis said. “He really adage that apples big man. This is history, y’all, this is his- fought for teachers. I don’t fall too far from tory,” said Ali, who pledged that pro- (pursued) a degree in the tree,” he said. “His ceeds from an upcoming book will be education because of great-grandson is liv- donated to the Hampton House.