www.mississippilink.com VOL. 23, NO. 17 FEBRUARY 16 - 22, 2017 50¢ N.Y. Mets star Granderson stressed education at JSU COFO Fences panel discussion By Stephanie R. Jones son State University baseball degree,” said Granderson, a League Baseball at the Fannie Contributing Writer players and others that his big- graduate of the University of Il- Lou Hamer Institute @ COFO, Curtis Granderson made it gest accomplishment was getting linois at Chicago. where the crowd spilled out of to “the show,” playing Major a college education. Granderson spoke Thursday the auditorium. He was joined by League Baseball. Yet the New “The number one thing I’m at the panel discussion Fences: MLB player Curtis Granderson and the JSU baseball team York Mets outfielder told Jack- proud of is getting my college African Americans in Major COFO Continued on page 3 Debate on Sessions R & B 2017 festival unveils partial nomination explodes over roster of artists Coretta Scott King letter King Sessions By Jackie Hampton By Lauren Victoria Burke iting senators from ‘Impugn- date and frighten elderly black of the audience. Thunderous ap- NNPA Newswire Contributor Publisher LACK ing’ other senators – known as voters. For this reprehensible plause and screams were heard The United States Senate B “rule 19.” conduct he should not be re- The 2017 Jackson Rhythm and throughout the theater room of debate over Attorney General Warren was then ordered to warded with a federal judge- Blues Festival is set to celebrate the complex as the names were nominee Sen. Jeff Sessions (D- stop reading and take her seat ship.” Jackson’s culture and rich musical unveiled. Ala.) boiled over into confu- on the Senate floor. The Senate The chairman of the Con- heritage August 18 and 19. Artists announced so far in- sion and accusations February then voted to effectively cen- gressional Black Caucus re- Festival organizers released the clude Jasmine Sullivan, Eric first round of artists Wednesday at Benet, Ro James, Dreezy, Calvin 7 as Senate Democrats carried M H sure Warren for the remainder leased a blistering statement their opposition into an all- O NT of the debate on the Sessions on the incident on the Senate a press conference at the Jackson Richardson, Angela Walls, Doug night long protest. nomination by a vote of 49-43. floor hours later. Convention Complex, but advised E. Fresh, Eric Roberson, Jarekus But at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday, History The Senate voted February “Republican senators’ deci- the crowd that headliners would Singleton, Eddie Cotton, Jason February 7, as Sen. Elizabeth Rights Era villain and unre- 8 to confirm Sessions to se- sion tonight to silence Coretta be announced in the near future. Turner Band, Los Brown and AJC Warren (D-Mass.) recited the pentant racist Bull Connor. cede Attorney General Loretta Scott King from the grave is The roster of artists was quite impressive, based on the reaction Festival words of a letter authored by Republican Sen. Jim Risch Lynch as the nation’s top cop disgusting and disgraceful,” Continued on page 3 Coretta Scott King, the late (R-Idaho) objected to War- under the Trump Administra- said Rep. Cedric Richmond, widow of Dr. Martin Luther ren’s reading of a 1986 letter tion. the chairman of the CBC, in a King Jr., that’s been in the Sen- by King’s widow, because it King wrote the letter in 1986 statement. ate record for over 20 years, was critical of Sessions when urging a Republican-controlled “Mrs. King’s characteriza- the drama hit an all-new level. he was a prosecutor. Senate Senate Judiciary Committee to tion of then U.S. Attorney Byram Middle School The Senate floor fiasco Majority Leader Mitch McCo- reject then U.S. Attorney Ses- Senator Sessions was accurate would lead to the Congres- nnell (R-Ky.) became the face sions’ nomination for a district in 1986 and it is accurate now. sional Black Caucus (CBC) of Risch’s objection, and rose court judgeship. Coretta Scott He is as much of a friend to presents Anti-Bullying releasing a blistering state- to object to Warren’s reading King’s letter in part read that, the black community and civil ment late in the evening call- of the Coretta Scott King letter. “Mr. Sessions has used the rights as Bull Connor and the ing the episode “disgusting” McConnell asserted the letter awesome powers of his office Awareness Day and evoking the name of Civil violated a Senate rule prohib- in a shabby attempt to intimi- King Continued on page 3 W.K. Kellogg Foundation Program Manager Greg Johnson headlines CSLC annual banquet This year marks an increase in the number of scholarship essay contestants Kenneth Bryant, Community Relations – Hinds County Sheriff’s De- partment, encourages students to make the right choices to avoid The Mississippi Link Newswire manager for the W.K. Kellogg Reflecting on the banquet’s tition when it comes to an op- negative consequences. LEXINGTON, Miss. – Foundation, who is also an at- theme, Education Empowers, portunity to do better. I am so Small town folks are always torney, returned as keynote Johnson stated, “You have to proud of them. They are all By Janice K. Neal-Vincent director of Fight Crime: Invest Contributing Writer excited when one of their speaker and supercharged the expose yourself to different winners just for trying in my in Kids, said social networks are hometown boys grow up, do scholarship candidates and the things to acquire the many dif- opinion.” Community partners joined ideal tools for various kinds of well, and return to give back audience to go after their goals ferent experiential degrees of Speaking of the winners, first-time Principal Ben Lundy bullying. He discussed the social to his community. That was with vigor. “I need you to un- knowledge needed to make de- each of them were thrilled to of Byram Middle School to networks which included cyber exactly the case for a packed derstand, young people, that in cisions to be successful in this learn they had placed in the rally against bullying during it’s bullying, digital fingerprints, and audience of mostly Holmes America, education provides life.” scholarship’s essay competi- Anti-Bullying Awareness Day, cyber stalking. Countians at the Commu- the knowledge; politics pro- This year, there were 11 tion. “I felt very enthusiastic February 9. During three differ- Cloy mentioned that many nity Students Learning Cen- vides the franchise; economic contestants, as compared to after being informed that I had ent sessions from 10:30 a.m. – children become victims because ter’s (CSLC) Seventh Annual provides the capital; and that nine last year. “This is why we won first place.” said Shania 3:40 p.m. the anti-bullying team messages are sent to intimidate Scholarship Awards Banquet, we have to mix those values are so excited about this year’s Clay. “With this scholarship, I raised the level of consciousness or threaten them. He said many held January 28 in the Holmes with mutual and self-respect scholarship banquet,” com- plan to cover some of my book of boys in grades 6-8. The oc- children commit suicide because County Central High School so that all of us can achieve mented CSLC Executive Di- expenses.” casion’s theme was Stop Bully- they believe they are being con- gynasium in Lexington. that great American Dream of rector and Co-Founder Beulah Second place winner, Vanet- ing – Together We Can Be Bully trolled by online bullying. He ap- Holmes County native life, liberty, and the pursuit of Greer. “Our young people are Free. Gregory Johnson, program happiness,” Johnson said. not shying away from compe- Kellogg Juan Cloy, Mississippi project Byram Continued on page 3 Continued on page 3 Jackson Public It’s time to Film Review Share this issue with a friend Schools must and start meeting John Wick: by mailing it to: will succeed with real black Chapter 2 Inside Republicans Page 6 Page 13 Page 18 2 • THE MISSISSIPPI LINK FEBRUARY 16 - 22, 2017 www.mississippilink.com CSLC 7th Annual Scholarship Banquet January 28, 2017 • Lexington, Miss. PHOTOS BY GAIL BROWN www.mississippilink.com FEBRUARY 16 - 22, 2017 THE MISSISSIPPI LINK • 3 Byram Kellogg Continued from page 1 Continued from page 1 pealed to the boys to stand up against ta Brownlow, said she could not put bullying by “standing up against peo- into words how overjoyed she felt ple who bully.” knowing she had won second place. O’nae Chatman, nationally re- “I am deeply honored and grateful,” nowned speaker and founder of Chat- she said. “Being a part of this competi- man International LLC, cautioned the tion meant a lot to me. It allowed me students to be more than bystanders to compete against some of the most by adhering to the tools of character, intelligent, driven seniors within my leadership, commitment, and self- es- class. Thank you again, CSLC, for teem. “If we have more people speak- the recognition and generous scholar- ing against bullying, the less people ship.” we will have who are pro bullying,” “It was very eye opening and en- said the speaker. Chatman then sug- lightening to participate in this com- petition,” said third-place winner, gested that the boys be game chang- Juan Cloy, Mississippi project director/Fight Crime: Invest in John Neal, Ed.S. associate superintendent of Community JaLesia Garvis. “After the results were ers. “You can change the game. Kids tells 6th graders to stand up against bullying. Relations and Ben Lundy, principal, Byram Middle School You’re powerful. Be the change. revealed, I was amazed because I was Think before you speak.