www.mississippilink.com VOL. 25, NO. 5 NOVEMBER 22 - 28, 2018 50¢ FROM THE MISSISSIPPI LINK ACLU extends a “front-seat” Ward 3 sponsors Thanksgiving invitation to Cindy Hyde Smith Luncheon at community library Councilman Kenneth I. Stokes, host of Thanksgiving dinner By Jackie Hampton Publisher Councilman Kenneth Stokes of Ward 3 said giving back to the community is very important to him as he vividly recalled a time when he was in the fi rst grade Jeff Robinson, ACLU deputy legal director PHOTO BY ANITA YOUNG A front row seat reserved for Cindy Hyde-Smith and was heard crying by the garbage pick-up man in his community. When asked why was he crying the By Ken White It offered insight into the state’s and periodically, Robinson de- better than those statements, but man, known simply as the ‘garbage man,’ was told that Contributing writer history of slavery, slave patrols, ferred to the empty seat. Though unfortunately Mississippi is suf- Stokes was crying because he did not have lunch mon- Against the backdrop of ra- lynchings, black codes, Jim Crow her seat was empty, hundreds of fering from some policies, that ey, and learning this, he gave Stokes money for lunch. cially charged comments made and modern-day mass incarcera- people fi lled the seats around hers. were built, that have institutional- The Councilman said, “I will never forget it; you must by interim U.S. Senator Cindy tion. The conversation was held “You may have noticed that ized racism in Mississippi.” always help others and that is what I have been trying to Hyde-Smith, Jeff Robinson, dep- the night before the only debate there is a reserved seat in the front One of the most poignant mo- do over the years.” uty legal director at the American between candidates for U.S. Sen- row; we cordially invited sitting ments of the evening was when Stokes, along with his administrative assistant Ethel Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), ate in the special runoff election. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, as Robinson showed a video with Mangum, were the hosts of the annual Thanksgiving lead a conversation on the his- The event took audience mem- we believed that this could be a African Americans singing the Community dinner held Monday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. tory of racism in Mississippi and bers through a historic explora- moment of education and oppor- third stanza of the National Ath- at the Jackson Medgar Evers Library located at 4215 America Monday, November 19, tion of racial terrorism on a local tunity for a dually appointed U.S. em with their hands over their Medgar Evers Blvd. Children as well as adults poured at the Jackson Convention Com- and national level. Senator to show sincere regret,” hearts. The Mississippi Link will into the library until it was fi lled to capacity. Stokes plex Theatre. Playing off Hyde-Smith’s ra- Jennifer Riley Collins, executive explore this part of the conversa- welcomed the guests and assured them there was plenty The ACLU of Mississippi pro- cially charged comments, the director of the ACLU of Missis- tion next week. of food. Mangum said over 200 people were fed. duced this real life history les- ACLU of Mississippi saved her a sippi, told a crowd of people. We Mississippians will return to the Attendees included residents from the community as son, titled “A Front Row Seat.” front row seat at this conversation believe that Mississippi is much polls Tuesday. well as guests from the Kids University, Global Day Care and AnCor Adult Day Care Center. Prior to lunch being served, Darryle Smith, a mem- ber of the Mississippi Mass Choir, sang “I Won’t Com- plain.” His singing invoked a church-like atompshere where listeners echoed the lyrics with Smith, others Mississippi senate race may be defi ning shouted ‘sing it babe,’ while others waved their hands in the air. James Johnson from Camden, Mississippi said he heard about the luncheon and stopped by prior to head- moment for black voters Nov. 27 ing to an appointment. He said “This is really nice.” The meal was prepared by Kazzy Ferninand, a well- By Khalil Abdullah known chef from the Fairview Inn in Jackson. TriceEdneyWire.com As you entered the library the aroma of meat on large grills set up outside mingled with dishes being served Mississippi Senator Cindy inside to include traditional thanksgiving dressing. Hyde-Smith’s remark to a col- Mary Brown and Betty Bryant both said they truly en- league that “If he invited me to a joyed the dinner and agreed this was an excellent pre- public hanging, I’d be on the front Thanksgiving activity for the entire community. They row” now puts the Magnolia State at center stage for black voters in the 2018 mid-term elections as the Mississippi run-offs are held Nov. 27. Hyde-Smith’s explanation that her phrase “was an ‘exaggerated expression of regard’ drew out- rage from many, including Maya R. Cummings, president and CEO Espy of Global Policy Solutions, veteran Capitol Hill staffer and former vice sissippi had the highest number of Clinton administration Secretary of As a Trump-endorsed candidate, president of research and programs lynchings in the United States be- Agriculture. Hyde-Smith is in lockstep with the at the Congressional Black Caucus tween 1882 and 1968, according to The two will now face each oth- president’s agenda, one Cummings Foundation. NAACP records. er in a runoff special election Nov. fi nds polarizing. According to ini- “[It] shows how little regard her In the Nov. 6 mid-terms, Hyde- 27. Hyde-Smith was appointed by tial Pew Research data, in the 2018 forebearers had for blacks they Smith fi nished in a dead heat in a Mississippi’s governor to fi ll the mid-terms, African Americans murdered and mutilated and how four-way race with former Mis- remaining two years of the Senate voted at 90 percent for Democratic their atrocities are still accepted in sissippi congressman Mike Espy, seat when Thad Cochran vacated it her culture,” Cummings said. Mis- an African American who was the due to illness. Black Voters Luncheon Continued on page 13 Continued on page 3 U.S. Senator Kamala Invisible Share this issue with a friend Harris Campaigns for by mailing it to: U.S. Senate Candidate Inside Mike Espy Page 16 Page 19 LOCAL 2 • THE MISSISSIPPI LINK NOVEMBER 22 - 28, 2018 www.mississippilink.com Hinds CC crowns Miss Hinds Community College 2019 Hinds President Clyde Muse, 2nd runner-up Alexis Spiller, Miss Hinds CC 2019 Derykah Watts, 1st runner-up Courtney Buffi ngon, pageant coordinator Angela Hite Miss Hinds CC 2018 Charity Lockridge crowns Derykah Watts Miss Hinds CC 2019 Mississippi Link Newswire sippi pageant in Vicksburg. The talent was dance and her platform was infection control in education- platform was Embrace Your Self- study leading to seamless univer- Derykah Watts, of Jackson, pageant is an offi cial preliminary was breast cancer awareness. al settings. Worth. sity transfer and career and tech- was named Miss Hinds Commu- pageant of the Miss America Pag- First runner-up was Courtney Second runner-up was Alexis As Mississippi’s largest com- nical programs teaching job-ready nity College in the annual pageant eant program. Buffi ngton, 19, of Brandon. She Spiller, 19, of Vicksburg. She is a munity college, Hinds Commu- skills. With six locations in central Nov. 15. Watts, 20, is a sophomore is a sophomore studying nursing sophomore studying accounting nity College is a comprehensive Mississippi, Hinds enrolls about As Miss Hinds Community studying biology at the Raymond at the Raymond Campus. She is a on the Raymond Campus. She is a institution offering quality, af- 12,000 students each fall semester. College, Watts will participate Campus. She is a Mount Salus Pisgah High School graduate. Her Warren Central High School grad- fordable educational opportuni- To learn more, visit www.hind- next summer in the Miss Missis- Christian School graduate. Her talent was voice and her platform uate. Her talent was dance and her ties with academic programs of scc.edu or call 1.800.HindsCC www.mississippilink.com NOVEMBER 22 - 28, 2018 THE MISSISSIPPI LINK • 3 Luncheon Continued from page 1 Betty Bryant and Mary Brown PHOTOS BY JACKIE HAMPTON Darryle Smith prepares to sing “I Won’t Complain.” Fairview Inn Chef Kazzy Ferninand both attend the AnCor Adult Day Care Center on Robinson Road Ext. The adults at the center regularly attend events at the Medgar Evers Library. Bryant said the Medgar Evers Library is so special to the community and especially to the children who come to study and use the computers at any time. She said, “I just thank God that this library is in this community and I hope it stays.” Brown said she was looking forward to having dinner on Thanksgiving Day at her daughter’s home while Bryant said she will be spending Thanksgiving with her sister. Stokes acknowledged his appreciation for Anne Sanders, branch librarian of the Medgar Evers location, for allowing Ward 3 to host the Thanksgiving lunch at this community library. Sanders along with library staff member Charlinda Guice said they really enjoyed this activity. Both ladies were volunteer servers. Also assisting with the event was library volunteer Kevin Edmondson. Stokes, the longest serving African American elected in Jackson City Government, said he was very pleased so many came out and enjoyed this community event. MANY CONDITIONS LIKE DIABETES AND HYPERTENSION, ONCE CONSIDERED “INCURABLE”, ARE NOW BEING REVERSED WITH PROPER LIFESTYLE CHANGES. These results are being experienced with Dr.