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“Georgia *s Best Weekly” banrtaf) tribune IKII5 \ll r K -Jr. BMr&av,.GA SHIS J H enruary 13, 2019- Fthruary 19^2019 Vol. 48 07 1M: V] 2-3^3-61 M * fti: 911-Itt-bl JW HWWdtVJ I Ml ;i IM ribuiubw Sons Of Mystro Perform In Savannah V iolin Vir- t u o s o s , the Sons of Mystro, will perform for the 30th Annual Sa vannah Black Heritage Festival, Friday, February 15, 7:30 p.m., in the Fine Arts Auditorium, Geor gia Southem-Armstrong Campus. These siblings, who are classically trained violinists, are “a musical duo who play all genres of popular music, using the vi olin instead of their voices to express song.” The Sons of Mystro enhance popular songs and their own compo sitions with their innovative and artistic arrangements. Brothers Umoja and Malcolm began training at an early age in the public schools of Florida, including Parkway Middle School, Ft. Lauderdale and Dillard High School for the Performing Arts. College training con tinued at Broward College, Davie, FL, and Miami Dade College in Miami. Umoja was influenced by the Black Violin duo as early as ele mentary school. “...After seeing them perfonn for the first time, and meeting them backstage...,” he expressed his desire to one day play like them and was advised by Kevin Marcus, of Black Violin to ‘practice, practice, practice.’ Umoja took the advice, improved his tech niques and skills and even tually influenced his brother Malcolm to do the same. The Sons of Mystro have shared the stage with great R & B and Jazz artists such as Najee, Fantasia, Charlie Wilson, New Edition, Kenny ‘Baby- face” Edmonds and Earth, Wind, and Fire. As part of the Savannah Black Heri tage Festival, presented by Savannah State University and the City of Savannah, the Sons of Mystro will be on stage in Savannah, GA. The concert is free and open to the public and present ed in part by Gulfstream, Georgia Power, Carver State Bank and the Georgia Southern University Office of Diversity - Armstrong Campus. Doors will open at 7:00 p.m. Stacey Abrams Thanks Local Supporters By Tina A. Brown Hundreds of hard-working civic volun teers walked into Savannah Station - a historic train depot - to answer Stacey Abrams’ invitation to join her in a “Fair Fight Action” campaign to change Geor gia’s electorate system. Abrams delivered the battle cry on Thursday to her supporters to retain an inclusive voter poll in the political landscape during 2020. Abrams will decide next month if or when she will run for another elected position in Georgia. She received 1,923, 685 votes in the gu bernatorial race in the 2018, and her Savannah area supporters screamed and clapped. They expressed their beliefs that Abrams was Georgia’s best choice for governor. “We won,” Abrams cheered. Though Abrams came close to being Geor gia’s first African-American female governor, she faced Brian Kemp, the 2018 secre tary of state and Republican governor opponent. The fed eral court has said Kemp’s policies and the state law allowed him to reject thou sands of voters opportunities to cast their votes. The state claimed thousand names on registration voter applica tions did not exactly match their state identification cards. Thousands other reg istrars were unable to vote in the 2018 contest because they did not vote regularly and Kemp’s administration erased them from the rolls. He received 1,978,408 votes and he became the governor. Abrams said those facts reflect an unfair contest and the law must change. The state of Georgia doesn’t allow a remedy within these constraints, Abrams said during an interview with The Savannah Tribune. She pledged to be a “persistent” political watch captain to ensure voters can cast their votes. “When you have a purpose, you feel the pain. What I can do is to be persistent.” Continued on Page 6 Savannah Black Heritage Festival Hosts Grand Festival Day The Savannah Black Heritage Festival held their Grand Festival Day last Saturday, February 9th at the Savannah Civic Cen ter. Grand Festival Day be gan with a historic Health Walk tracing the steps of W. W. Law’s Postal route. The Annual Adult Health Fair was held with screenings, exercise demonstrations and more. The Ribbon Cutting ceremony held at 3:30p.m. launched local performanc es with host Magic Marc. The annual Youth Talent Extravaganza featured lo cal youth talendt and the Line Dancing Senios. The live concert followed with performances by The Dred Scott Blues Band, James Bown Acadamy of Musik Pupils (JAMP Band) and the headliner Mary Davis and the S.O.S. Band. The festival continues through February 22. For a complete schedule, visit savannah- blackheritagefe stival. com The Savannah Community Celebrates The Life Of Mr. David Forest Richards, Jr. Adams Funer al Services announces the passing of Mr. David Forest Richards, Jr., 89, who transi tioned on Tuesday, February 5, 2019 at his residence sur rounded by his loving fami ly- Chief Warrant Of ficer 4 David F. Richards, Jr. is a native of Sedalia, Missouri bom to the late David F. Richards, Sr. and Julia Christina Diggs Rich ards. He is a World War II and Vietnam Veteran re tired from the United States Anny, with thirty years of distinguished service; with numerous awards and dec orations including a Silver Star, Bronze Star and Pur ple Heart medals for hero ic valor. Richards’s most outstanding award was his induction as the first Afri can-American in the Para chute Rigger Warrant Offi cer’s Hall of Fame in 1993 in Fort Lee, Virginia, Distin guished Order of Saint Mar tin, Quartermaster Corps, U. S. Army with over 11,000 parachute operations world wide without incident. He received honors from the legendary 555th Parachute Infantry Associations, Inc. “Triple Nickels” and the Dodge Award in Fort Lee, Virginia. In November 2018, Richards was one of 17 veterans inducted into the Georgia Military Vet erans Hall of Fame for his contribution to airborne mil itary operations which will be displayed at the Georgia State Capitol Complex. Continued on Page 4 The Savannah Community Mourns The Loss Of Pastor Scottie Swinney The Reverend Scottie Swinney of Savan nah, GA peacefully went home to be with the Lord, Thursday, January 31, 2019, at the age of 57, after a brief illness. He was the esteemed pastor of the historic St. Philip A.M.E. Church, 613 Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard since 2012. A native of Augusta, GA, the Rev. Swinney graduated from George P. Butler High School, Morris Brown Col lege, and Turner Theologi cal Seminary (ITC). He was also licensed in Real Estate by the State of Georgia Real Estate Commission. The Reverend Swinney distinguished himself from the time of his youth as someone who would serve the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AMEC) with distinction. He became Augusta Confer ence President of the Young People’s and Children’s Di vision of the Women’s Mis sionary Society as a teen ager and soon answered his call to Christian ministry. He was a delegate to eight AMEC quadrennially held General Conferences. From 1992 to 1996, the Rev. Swin ney also served as a member of the General Board for the AMEC and served on the Board of Trustees for Turner Theological Semi nary. In addition to serving as a “first pastor” in both the Georgia and Southwest Georgia Conferences, where he maintained and updated the structural integrity of historic edifices, he trained hundreds of emerging min isters during their Board of Examiners process in Au gusta, Columbus (served as dean), Atlanta, and Savan nah. As a first-generation college graduate, he valued and promoted education through scholarships and fi nancial support to countless youth throughout his life. Continued on Page 7 arverRfltate B Louis B, Toomer Founder and 1st President Established February 23,1927 91 Years of Service, Leadership and Success