NNPA -
http://nnpa.org/nnpa_newswire/tributes-pour-in-celebrating-the-life-of-martha-rivera-chavis/
TRICEEDNEYWIRE -
http://www.triceedneywire.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7951:dorothy-leavell-tells-how-she-plans-to-lead-the-black-press-by-hazel-trice-edney&catid=54&Itemid=208
http://www.triceedneywire.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7957:3-million-settlement-paid-in-cop-killing-of-philando-castile-by-frederick-h-lowe&catid=54&Itemid=208
http://nnpa.org/nnpa_newswire/tributes-pour-in-celebrating-the-life-of-martha-rivera-chavis/
TRICEEDNEYWIRE -
http://www.triceedneywire.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7951:dorothy-leavell-tells-how-she-plans-to-lead-the-black-press-by-hazel-trice-edney&catid=54&Itemid=208
http://www.triceedneywire.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7957:3-million-settlement-paid-in-cop-killing-of-philando-castile-by-frederick-h-lowe&catid=54&Itemid=208
CASH IN THE APPLE FOR
07-13-17
By Cash Michaels
AL: MY
BROTHER – Rarely, if ever, have I written about a fundraising effort in this
column, primarily because I’ve rarely been involved in one.
True, I’ve
reported on other efforts for nonprofits and other worthy causes, but I was
never directly involved in them. But this one is the rare exception, and the
cause is, in my opinion, worthy of your attention, trust and support.
By now
you’re well aware that in my life away from newspapers, I am also a documentary
filmmaker, with several short and feature-length documentaries under my belt.
Two of the
feature-length features I’m most proud of is 2010’s “Obama in NC: The Path to
History,” the true story of how Barack Obama won the 2008 North Carolina
primary, which was key towards his winning the Democratic nomination, and
ultimately the White House.
And in then
in 2014, a film near and dear to the hearts of many in the port city, “Pardons
of Innocence: the Wilmington Ten, ” the true story of bow ten civil rights
activists were framed for crimes they did not commit in February 1971, unjustly
convicted and sentenced to prison, only to have their sentences overturned by a
federal court, and over forty years later, the
Wilmington Journal leading the Black Press in securing pardons of innocence
for the Ten from the governor of North Carolina.
I still
screen that film in and around the state, and still marvel at how audiences,
young and old, black and white, continue to learn from it.
Yes, I’m
very proud of it.
So how do I
follow those two extraordinary projects? With, what I and many others
apparently think is yet a third one.
The name of
the documentary I’m in pre-production for is “Al: My Brother,” and it is about
veteran civil rights activist and attorney Al McSurely, best known as a close
adviser to NCNAACP Pres. Rev. William Barber.
Few people
realize that long before he became a skilled civil rights litigator, Al
McSurely was (and still is actually) a white proponent of Black Power. He
worked with black militant leader Stokely Carmichael, and worked to organize
poor whites to join with poor blacks to demand equality.
For that,
authorities raided Al’s home, confiscated the personal belongings of he and his
wife then, Margaret; threw them in jail, and later blew up their home with them
and their young son in it.
Then they
charged the couple with plotting to overthrow the state of Kentucky, and when
Al and his wife refused to obey an order from a US Senate subcommittee, they
were charged with contempt of Congress.
And keep in
mind this was long before Al ever became a civil rights attorney, but when he
did, he represented black female Police Officer Keith Edwards; the black UNC
housekeepers: the black state workers who filed suit after a noose was hung in
their workplace, and many others.
And then,
12 years ago, Al McSurely supported a young black preacher when that preacher
decided he would lead the failing NC NAACP. That preacher’s name was Rev.
William Barber, and the two of them have been the real deal for the past 12
years, making the NCNAACP clearly one of the best in the nation.
As you can
see, Al McSurely is a special man who has stood for justice all of his life,
and continues to do so. He is respected and beloved by all who know justice and
truth (and that ain’t everybody, trust me). As far as I’m concerned, he
deserves this film and tribute, and I’m proud to make it happen.
But that’s
difficult to do because of the time and resources needed to get the job done
right. On-camera interviews have to be done, endless research, lots of
production work,…you name it. And it ain’t cheap.
So
CashWorks HD Productions has kicked off a Kickstarter crowdsourcing campaign to
raise $25,000 towards financing production of “Al: My Brother,” hoping to
complete the film and release it in October of 2018.
How can you
help? Please go to our crowdsourcing page at Kicksarter.com and enter “Al: My Brother”(https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1585401759/al-my-brother?ref=user_menu
to be precise).
Check out
our new video trailer for the film, and if it moves you (it will), please feel
free to contribute at the level you’re most confortable at. The goal is $25,000
by Monday, August 7th, and we HAVE to raise that goal in in pledge,
or the production doesn’t get a penny. That’s the way Kickstarter works, you
either raise it, or forget it. We receive NO money until the full $25,000 is
raised, and it has to be by Monday, August 7th, 2017.
Finally the
most important thing that you can do is to share the link to the “Al: My
Brother” Kickstarter page with your circle of friends and family who appreciate
the same lessons that Al McSurely’s story can teach us.
I want to
make the best film possible for you, and I thank the many people, including
NCNAACP Pres. Rev. William Barber and Deborah Dicks Maxwell, president of the
New Hanover County NAACP, for all of their help and support with this project.
From now
until August 7th, we’ll keep you updated on our progress towards our
$25,000 goal, but in the meantime, Wilmington, you have always been good to me.
I thank you for any and all help each and every one of you can lend towards
this effort.
-30-
SECOND CANDIDATE
ANNOUNCES
FOR NC NAACP
PRESIDENCY
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
Now that NC
NAACP Pres. Rev. William Barber will stay on until the October conference
elections, the picture is beginning to become clearer as to who is vying to succeed
him.
Rev. Dr. Portia
W. Rochelle, president of the Raleigh-Apex NAACP Chapter, announced a July 7th
campaign letter that she is now a candidate for the post, joining Rev. Dr. T.
Anthony Spearman of Greensboro, the only other announced candidate.
“…I am a hard worker, community leader, NAACP
laborer, a mother, and a G’ma (grandmother),” Rev. Rochelle wrote. “It is my
belief that if we are truly sold out to fighting for justice we must see
ourselves as stakeholders,” she continued.
“It is my belief that if we are
truly sold out to fighting for justice we must see ourselves as stakeholders,”
Rev. Rochelle continued. “Stakeholders not only have a passion to succeed but
must become risk takers. They take
action/risks for the betterment of the movement.”
“Please consider me to lead the
mighty NC NAACP. I look forward to
working with you as a Stakeholder in this movement.”
Under the theme, “Stakeholders are
risk takers!,” Rev. Rochelle calls herself as “…a servant to all…” and “…a
warrior in His great name not mines.”
“I must bear fruit, fruit that will lead, and
teach others”
As NCNAACP
president, Rev. Rochelle vows to represent “…thise who deal with social
injustices… those that don’t know how to fight for their rights and those that
fight and need help.”
If elected in
October, Rochelle says she would build up local and regional branches, and get
churches more involved to promote social justice ministries. Rev. Rochelle also
promised that the NAACP under her leadership would continue to “hit the streets”
with marches and demonstrations “…to bring attention to egregious policies and
injustices.”
She also wants
to “Build a millennium coalition,” wanting to make the civil rights
organization “relevant” to those who are “…angry, confused, and don’t know
which social justice organization to join.”
Rev. Rochelle is a native of
Fuquay-Varina, and has served as president of the Raleigh-Apex NAACP for the
past nine years. She has also been in the ministry for 20 years, receiving her Master of Divinity Degree from Shaw
University Divinity School in 2002. During her study at Shaw, she
received numerous scholarships and awards.
She received a Doctor of Ministry Degree from Drew
University in 2012.
Besides Rev. Rochelle, others in the top leadership of the NCNAACP
are expected to throw their hats into the October elections to succeed Rev.
Barber, who will step down then after 12 years at the helm to join the national
Poor People’s Campaign.
Rev. Barber was expected to give his endorsement for
successor originally after he announced he was “transitioning” from NCNAACP
leadership in May, but then postponed that intention after he was asked to stay
on a while longer, and agreed.
-30-
SENATE WANTED TO GUT
FUNDING FOR
NC AFRICAN-AMERICAN
COMMISSION
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
In the
aftermath of reports that the Republican-led General Assembly did not
appropriate $200,000 proposed by Gov. Roy Cooper for the long planned Freedom
Monument project to honor black contributions to North Carolina history, comes
word that the state Senate actually cut funding to the NC African American
Heritage Commission, a part of the NC Dept. of Resources, in effect attempting
to cripple the commission going forward.
Speaking on
behalf of the NC Legislative Black Caucus about the General Assembly’s failure
to fund the Freedom Monument, planning for which began under Republican Gov.
Pat McCrory at least as far back as 2015, Sen. Angela Bryant (D-Halifax), in
addressing the current status of the project, revealed what Senate Republicans
initially did.
“While
funding for the monument was a priority for the Legislative Black Caucus, we
were not successful in securing funding this cycle – instead we were relegated
to fighting to continue the staffing for the African American Heritage
Commission, which was cut in the Senate Budget, and restored in the House
Budget, and the final conference report.”
Sen. Bryant
later goes on there is no connection between “…the funding for the Civil War
Center in Fayetteville (which the conference report shows a $5 million
appropriation for – 25 times the $200,000 for the Freedom Monument that was not
appropriated) and the African American Freedom Monument.”
“The Civil
War Center is a local economic development project with relatively broad
support from the Fayetteville local government and community,” Sen. Bryant
added.
According
to the Winston-Salem-based primary fundraiser for the Civil War Center, of the
approximately $27 million raised for its construction, funding came from
Fayetteville, Cumberland County, and now $5 million from state government.
About $7 million of the total comes
from private funds.
“We need to develop a similar
constituency of support for the African American Freedom Monument and secure
the needed funding in the upcoming short session (which according to published
reports may be August and September), Sen. Bryant said.
“The Legislative Black Caucus will
continue to focus on the freedom Monument project as a priority, including an
update on all efforts - design,
fundraising, advisory efforts and efforts of the Dept. of Cultural Resources,”
Bryant continued.
“We do need to move it forward.”
Michelle Lanier, director of the NC
African American Heritage Commission, was not available for comment, but a
spokesperson for the commission confirmed that without the $200,000
appropriation from the legislature, the planning and design for the project
cannot go forward. And, according to the spokesperson, there is no plan B for
private funding.
Thus far, neither House Speaker Tim
Moore or Senate President Pro-tem Phil Berger have responded to inquiries as to
why the Freedom Monument was not funded in the final conference report.
“This was negotiated after the full [committee] chairs
finished all the budget work that was asked of us,” said Rep. Donny Lambeth
(R-Forsyth), one of the budget committee members.
“I’m troubled that Republican
legislative leaders neglected to fund an African American heritage monument on
State Capitol grounds,” Gov. Cooper said in a statement.
“My Republican colleagues have once
again decided to ignore the history of the people they serve. I hope that we
are able to find common ground to fund a project that is long overdue,” Sen. Paul
Lowe (D-Forsyth) added.
“These mean-spirited actions are just
two of the many reasons that I voted against the budget in all of its
iterations,” added Rep. Amos Quick (D-Guiford).
“The Republicans presented no budget
that I could vote for. The fact that there is a failure to recognize the
significant and vital contributions of African Americans to this state should
motivate voters who care about these matters to vote a difference in the
upcoming elections,” Rep. Quick said.
He added that whether a three-judge
panel orders special elections for this year, or in the upcoming 2018 special
elections, “We must vote the Republicans out of office.”
-30-
NCNAACP JOINS
PLAINTIFFS
ARGUMENT FOR SPECIAL
ELECTIONS
By Cash Michaels
Editor
In an amicus brief filed in US
Middle District Court in Winston-Salem Tuesday, attorneys for the NC NAACP
joined plaintiffs versus the State of North Carolina in petitioning for voting
districts be redrawn and special legislative elections be conducted immediately.
“Today, we have asked the court to take the redistricting
process out of the hands of the people who illegally used race to create a
legislature that does not represent the state of North Carolina equally or
fairly,” said Irv Joyner, legal redress chair for the NC NAACP, referring to
the Republican-led NC legislature. “The appointment of a Special Master and a
judicial remedy will ensure the possibility of a non-discriminatory election in
2017 to start to renew the trust of North Carolinians in our state’s
representative democracy.”
A recent US Supreme Court decision
upholding a lower court ruling that the NC Republican-led legislature’s 2011
redistricting maps were racially gerrymandered, and thus unconstitutional, also
ordered a three-judge federal panel that originally ruled the voting districts
illegal to take up the matter again.
In the July 11th brief,
attorneys for the NCNAACP wrote, “North
Carolinians have lived for nearly six years under a state legislature that was
constructed, as this Court held and the U.S. Supreme Court summarily affirmed,
from unconstitutional, racially gerrymandered 2011 legislative maps. The new maps segregated white and black
voters by mechanically adding black voters to election districts in
concentrations not authorized or compelled under the Voting Rights Act of 1965,
thereby “bleaching” adjacent districts of voters of color and frustrating their
ability to vote in alliance with a growing, multiracial fusion electorate that
bridges racial divides and mitigates the effects of racially polarized voting.”
The brief continued, “Plaintiffs argued
in their response to this Court’s June 9, 2017 Notice, that the scope of the
2011 gerrymander is extensive: Defendants’ unconstitutional race-based
decision-making has infected at least 77 out of North Carolina’s 100 counties,
and impacted 83 percent of the state’s population.”
“This racial classification scheme,
with no legal justification, thus denied millions of voters equal protection
under the law, and created a governing majority wholly unresponsive to black
voters. “
The NCNAACP brief then asked the
court, “Equity demands immediate special elections and other urgent relief, and
this Court is justified in taking such action.
Accordingly, the NC NAACP respectfully requests that the Court order
Special Elections in 2017; retain a Special Master to oversee the drawing of
constitutional maps; and enjoin all further legislative action by the
illegitimate General Assembly.”
That three-judge federal panel has
asked plaintiffs and attorneys for the state to submit briefs and prepare for
arguments at an unspecified date. Most legal and political observers believe it
is not likely that special elections can be held by November of this year at
this point.
Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, called
state lawmakers into special session a few weeks ago to redraw the voting
districts before they recessed their long session last Friday, but Republican
leaders refused, saying the governor’s request was unconstitutional.
Instead, GOP legislative leaders
said, they’ll take up the issue during a special session in August and
September.
Some political observers believe
Republicans have already redraw the unconstitutional maps, and are just waiting
for the court to order them to produce them.
By redrawing the maps now before
ordered, would allow Republican leaders
from trying to keep the federal court from redrawing the legislative
district lines itself.
“This bad faith, all-white caucus created by racist maps must
be stopped,” explained Rev. William Barber of the NC NAACP, and Convener of the
Forward Together Moral Movement. “If the current unaccountable and unrepentant
General Assembly is allowed to continue to act in the name of North Carolina,
the consequences are dangerous for people of color, for those living in
poverty, for women, for immigrant communities, for the LGBT community, for
workers, and for our children. There can be no further question about
whether this General Assembly is illegitimate. The federal courts have ruled…”
-30-
STATE NEWS BRIEFS
CFPUA HOPES MISSOURI
COMPANY CAN REMOVE GENX FROM WATER SUPPLY
[WILMINGTON]
In the midst of news that the toxic chemical GenX has been released in the Cape
Fear River water supply for since the 1980s, the Cape Fear Public Utility
Authority is asking the Missouri company
that designed the Sweeney Water treatment plant to help filter the
containment from the drinking water.
According to CFPUA officials, a
report is expected shortly on the prospect.
Meanwhile, citizens and businesses
in Wilmington are voicing concerns that thus far, they’ve received little to no
direction from elected officials or government agencies of how much of a threat
the GenX chemical, which was released from Chemours, a Fayetteville DuPont
plant up the Cape Fear River for decades, actually is, and whether the water is
safe to continue to drink and bathe in.
The NC Dept. of Environmental
Quality and the Federal Environmental Protection Agency are both investigating
to determine water safety. Thus far, Chemours has stop releasing GenX discharge
in the Cape Fear until more is known about contamination levels.
AUTOPSY: DURHAM MAN
FATALLY SHOT BY STATE TROOPER IN THE BACK
[DURHAM] The state medical examiner’s office reports
that an autopsy report just completed reveals that last February, Willard
Scott, 31, was shot once in the back, and once in the lower buttock by a white
NC state trooper, and died as a result of massive blood loss from the wound.
Reported, Scott and the trooper had a confrontation prior to the shooting. A
Highway Patrol news release reported that after a chase and the shooting, a
handgun was found at the scene. The Durham NAACP says Scott’s family wants the
trooper, who is on leave, prosecuted.
UNC GOVERNORS
COMMITTEE TO VOTE ON UNC CENTER AUGUST 1
[CHAPEL
HILL] The UNC Board of Governors is scheduled to vote on banning litigation by
the UNC Center for Civil Rights during its September meeting, after its
Education committee recommends it during its August 1 meeting. The committee is
expected to consider a revised proposal to separate the center’s legal clinics
from the litigation ban. Critics say conservatives are targeting the center in
order to stop litigation for liberal causes. Board members say tax money should
not be used to litigate what are essentially private cases.
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