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PRSRT STD U.S POSTAGE PAID Savannah. GA Permit No. 923 %\)£ ‘GEORGIA’S BEST WEEKLY” afcamtaf) ®rttmne Week of February 11,2009 - February 17,2009 • Vol. 36 No. 51 • www.savannahtribune.com • 912-233-6128 • Fax: 912-233-6140 National African American History Month: A Proclamation President Barack Obama The history of African Americans is unique and rich, and one that has helped to define what it means to be an American. Arriving on ships on the shores of North America more than 300 years ago, recog- See A Proclamation, page 6 Women of Influence Recognized The 2009 100/Plus Black Women of Influence inductees are Top (1-r): Emily M. Crawford, D.B.A., PhD.; Pamela Oglesby; Patricia Jenks-Greene; Dorothy Strong; and Vera Banks. Bottom (1-r): Valerie Brown; Nicole Cutter Manning; Dr. Ann Linton; Tamika Lonon; Pamela Jerald; and Brenda Roberts, Ed. S. Credit: Seaport Magazine T he 2009 Audacity of Hope January 23, 2009, at the Ralph the United States, Barack Obama, Ball and Reception for Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum and in honor of the 2009 inductees 100/Plus Black Women of Ballroom. The gala was held in Influence (BWOI ) was held on celebration of the 44 ,h President of See Black Women, page 16 SCLC Drum Major Awards Herald New Era by Aberjhani As the United States prepared in January 2009 to inaugurate its first African-American president, members of the recently established Savannah Coastal Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) pre sented their first Drum Major Community Awards. The SCLC recognized more than a dozen individuals with awards of distinction for their contributions to the 1960s Civil Rights Movement that, nearly all acknowledged, helped pave the way for the election of Barack Obama as the country’s 44th president. Local SCLC Chapter President, Pastor Carl W. Scott Gilliard, presented the awards to the following recipients: Ron Wallace (Civil Rights Legend Award); Dave Richards (Humanitarian Award); Walter Simmons (Community Award); Ben Johnson (Lifetime Union Award); Rev. Dr. John P. Lee III (Pastor of the Year); Pete Laikakis (Elected Official of the Year); Lester Leek White (Lifetime Award); Rev. Jimmy “The Gator” Lang (Broadcast Pioneer Award); Martha Massey (Civil Rights Legend Award); Vanda Trappio Patton (Civil Rights Icon Award); Mamie Small Williams (Trailblazer Award); and Local 1414 (Organization of the Year Award). Though absent from the proceed ings, Francis Bright Johnson was acknowledged with the Rev. Hosea Williams Award. Rev. Samuel F. Mosteller, Georgia State President of SCLC, described the election of President Obama as a “correction” of history made by God, “at the top, the bottom, and in the middle.” He further spoke about the powerful Vanda Trappio Patton, recipient of the Civil Rights Icon Award. sense of community that made the Civil Rights Movement successful. As an example, he spoke of how, following the death of Martin Luther King, Jr., celebrated performer and political activist Harry Belafonte made significant finan cial contributions to cover the cost of King’s funeral and to assist the slain minister’s family for months following King’s death. The SCLC was originally founded as the Southern Leadership Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, on February 14, 1957, with Martin Luther King, Jr., elected as its president. It was renamed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Montgomery, Alabama, in August 1957. The organization did not have a Savannah chapter during that time but in 1959 formed the SCLC Crusade for Voters, described as an “affiliate,” under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Hosea Williams. Vanda T. Patton, the Civil Rights Icon Award recipient, recalled working with Williams during the early 1960s and spending her 25th birthday in jail for marching against segregation. “At the time, I didn’t realize how dangerous it was to protest the way we were doing—for me or my two young sons who were with me,” said Patton. “But I knew it was wrong for us to have to go to the back of the buses or drink out of different fountains just because we were black and I knew something had to be done about that.” Patton was presented in 1964 with an “Award for Valor and Courage” for her partici pation in the Crusade for Voters. She also partic ipated as a panelist for the “Legends of Savannah’s Civil rights Movement and the CCCV” program held at the Jepson Center for the Arts in December 2008 and currently serves on the 2009 Advisory Board for the Savannah Chapter of SCLC. SCLC continues to address issues of voter education and registration but also focuses on youth development, community empowerment, and other issues. For information on the organization, please telephone (404) 522-1420 or email info@sclcnational.org <mailto:info@sclcna- tional.org> . Mayor Otis Johnson to Host 3 rd Small Business Conference Suzanne Shank Savannah small business owners are invited to learn how to survive these troubled economic waters during the 3rd Annual Small Business Conference, from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, at the Savannah Civic Center. The event is hosted by Mayor Otis S. Johnson and the City of Savannah Economic Development Department. The conference is free and open to the public, but pre-regis tration is required. Call 651-3653 to register. The theme for this year’s conference is “Surviving the Game of Business in Tough Economic Times.” There will be a work shop, panel discussion and presen tations including, “Business Survival Tips in Tough Economic Times" led by Christopher Hanks, Director of the Entrepreneurship Program at the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia. This year’s keynote address will be given by Suzanne Shank, Vice-Chair, President and CEO of Siebert Brandford Shank & Company LLC. Shank is a gradu ate of Johnson High School and has been recognized by Black Enterprise Magazine as one of the “50 Most Influential Black Women in Business” and one of the "75 Most Powerful Blacks on Wall Street." In October 2008 she was named one of "25 People of Power" by Essence Magazine. For information, go to www.savannahga.gov or contact the Economic Development Department at 651-3653. arver ew branch and a proud tradition of service 7110 Skidawa^ Road - Savannah Georuia 31406 : FDIC