www.mississippilink.com VOL. 24, NO. 40 JULY 26 - AUGUST 1, 2018 50¢ The Mississippi Link salutes Dr. David Marion on this milestone achievement. Congratulations on becoming the 41st Grand Basileus of Omega Psi Phi. General Missionary Baptist State Convention 2018 Termination hearing in Jackson, MS underway for ousted By Dr. Jerry Domatob Contributing Writer Mississippi’s Missionary Baptist Church leaders and members joy- superintendent in Canton fully converged at the Jackson Mar- riott Hotel, where they celebrated By Othor Cain Editor their 129th anniversary, July 16-20. Prayers, meetings, music, net- Blistering testimony began last week working, sermons and fellowship in the termination hearing for Cassandra marked the event. Against the back- Williams, the former superintendent of drop of the theme, “Envisioning the Canton Public School District, who the Future with High Expectation board offi cials say was fi red because of in Jesus Christ,” members engaged her lack of professionalism and discrimi- in educational refl ections, social natory accusations. interaction, networking as well as For two days the school board, repre- worship, fellowship leadership and sented by Attorney Lisa Ross, presented management strategies. teachers, administrators and other dis- Under the leadership of President Dr. Jerry Young (L), president, NBC trict employees that gave scathing tes- Rev. Isiac Jackson Jr., Executive and Rev. Isiac Jackson (R), president, timony about Williams’ management Secretary Rev. Otis L. Davis and GMBSC style. Some even presented secretly re- Treasurer Rev. Melvin Montgom- corded audio from meetings Williams ery participants came from diverse as “The Father of Negro Baptists held, in an attempt to paint her as an congregations throughout the state in Mississippi.” One of their early overbearing leader. for the well attended annual con- accomplishments was the found- Beverly Luckett, the school district’s vention. ing and operation of Natchez Col- public relations director, said she was Jackson in his opening homily lege, present day Jackson State afraid Williams would run her over with thanked God for empowering the University, where pastors and other her car. “I was sitting in a meeting and association to survive and grow church leaders were educated. The Williams, who had been known to say over the decades. He saluted offi - convention also established schools derogatory things about my husband… cers, members, pastors, preachers, and seminaries for blacks in an era one day said I was so mad with him messengers and friends. when many were excluded from [Dwight Luckett] that I could have run Jackson said in the future the con- mainstream establishments. Al- him over with my car,” Luckett said. “A gregation will focus on developing though the organization wrestled short time later, I was in the parking lot the Natchez property where Jack- with problems during its 129 year walking to my car and Mrs. Williams son State University was founded, history, they also bequeathed last- drove past me and I was afraid that she improving the Mississippi Baptist ing legacies in other arenas. would run me over…all I could think seminary and tackling social justice Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar about was what she had said in a previ- Williams issues. Lumumba welcomed participants ous meeting.” The General Baptist Association to the event. He noted that, “Over At one point during Luckett’s testi- changes and had never been given a be presented to the Mississippi Depart- came into being in 1872 under the the decades, this outstanding orga- mony, she became extremely emotional substantial raise since starting with the ment of Education (MDE) July 31. leadership of the celebrated Co- nization has served the citizens of and began crying almost uncontrolla- district in 2014. “I had one or two cost of Lovie J. Chesser, a former teacher in lumbus minister, Rev. Jesse Free- our city through the promotion of bly. “Mrs. Williams is a mastermind of living increases but nothing comparable the district, testifi ed that she was accused man Boulden. In 1890, a historic Christian education, evangelism, manipulative behavior…she has a way to what public relations directors make.” of sabotage. “I didn’t come to work for merger was orchestrated between social services and profound minis- of pretending to be someone that she Sources say Luckett’s husband Mrs. Williams. I came to work for the the General Baptist Association try. We must continue to support ef- is not,” Luckett said as she wiped tears Dwight, who is the current interim super- students and that should have been clear and the General Convention. A vet- forts that cultivate the spiritual and away. intendent for the school district recently by my work record,” Chesser said. “So, eran ex-slave preacher Rev. Ran- educational needs of our citizens.” Luckett, who has worked under four presented to the board a salary increase no, I was not trying to sabotage Mrs. dall Pollard emerged as the pio- superintendents during her tenure with of $10K for her. The board approved. neer leader whom many described Convention the district, said she was moved to dif- This information was not made public Williams Continued on page 3 ferent offi ces, had title and job duty during the hearing as the budget has to Continued on page 3 Leading community business owners to achievement and growth By Cianna Hope Reeves to jumpstart their career – Mis- ing rural, it is important for us to To prevent the absence of suf- JSU Student Intern sissippi’s District Offi ce was one make certain our programs and fi cient funding from lenders and Small companies are the bulk location he visited. services are dispersed throughout having an unsteady source of of the economy and as entrepre- At the regional SBA’s Open rural vicinities within the state,” income in rural places, Bell an- neurship continues to rise in mod- House, attendees heard about said Janita Stewart, event coor- nounced the partnership with ern society, guidance in knowing Bell’s inspiring story of success, dinator and SBA district director. Region IV SBA and United how to create and operate a long- learned more about the services As an independent agency of States Department of Agriculture lasting business is vital. offered by SBA and interacted the federal government, SBA (USDA) to host events that would In an effort to provide direction with lenders, resource partners is committed to making strides provide opportunities for minuet for self-made brands and aspir- and small local business owners to eliminate common struggles businesses to thrive through an ing capitalists in the rural south, throughout the capital area. for desired and current business initiative Rural Strong launching Regional Administrator Ashley “We wanted to coordinate the owners by providing fi nancial October 2018. Daniel Bell of Small Business open house as an outreach event support, access to capital, con- He spoke on the strategy’s pur- Administrator (SBA) hit the road because there are many people tracting, protecting the interest of pose. to the nine southern district SBA who want to start a business or small companies, business coun- “At cobranded events in rural Regional Director Ashley D. Bell informs attendees about their offi ces to lecture to a crowd of expand their businesses all over seling and collaborating with services and how they can assist small business owners in the young and old risktakers ready the state. With Mississippi be- start-ups. Business capital area. PHOTO BY CIANNA HOPE REEVES Continued on page 3 USM students Mabel and Share this issue with a friend accepted into Rural Sam at Home by mailing it to: Dentists Scholarship Inside Program Page 7 Page 18 LOCAL 2 • THE MISSISSIPPI LINK JULY 26 - AUGUST 1, 2018 www.mississippilink.com Hinds CC’s Cooper retires, leaving legacy of excellence The Mississippi Link Newswire could help the kids, and they wanted to Bobby Cooper didn’t plan to stay do better. I’ve got former students ev- at Hinds Community College’s Utica erywhere.” Campus for 45 years. Goodness knows, One of those is James Adams (1996, he had plenty of opportunity to go to his 2001), senior program manager for a alma mater Tougaloo College, Jackson Dallas nonprofi t called Big Thought. “I State University, Alcorn State Univer- experienced some rough years while in sity or other places. college at Hinds, and Doc was always He was lured to what was then Utica there to say it would be all right. He Junior College in 1972 as a music in- supported me however he could and structor by the college’s participation, taught me, as a choir member and Jubi- along with Jackson State and Tougaloo, lee Singer, to be a gentlemen of honesty in Opera/South, a now-defunct black and excellence. I saw the best example opera company based in Jackson. in the life he walked before us all,” Ad- “Utica was looking for someone to ams said. work with their opera chorus for Op- Tracy James, one of the fi rst Utica era/South,” he recalled. “I didn’t come Campus music graduates, has known to stay – not to be there forever. Things Cooper since 1977. She’s a vocal mu- changed when I got there. I really liked Dr. Bobby Cooper was presented with a spe- Dr. Bobby Cooper directs the Jubilee Singers at the May 2018 graduation cer- sic teacher at a middle school in Ohio. what I was doing. cial momento. emony on the Utica Campus. “Music became my livelihood, so I owe “I was mainly just a one-person mu- much to Dr. Cooper for the wisdom and sic department. I taught piano, I taught WAE recognition and the college’s most bassadors for us,” he said.