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Parmit No. 923
December 07, 2022 - December 13, 2022
Vol, 52 No, 49
Tel: 912-233-6128 • Fax: 912-233-614fl
18115 MEKJr, HI wk Sav H , GA 31415
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Who Won The December 2022 Runoff Election? As of press time for The Savannah Tribune, the results of the December 6, 2022 Runoff Election were
incomplete. We will have the results on our website as they are made available to us. We will also publish the results in the next edition of The Savannah Tribune. Visit
savannahtribune.com and also follow us on our Social Media pages: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Presents 2022 Debutantes
Mara Cooper
Beta Phi Lambda
Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha
Fraternity, Inc. is proud to
announce the 2022 Debu
tante class. Since 1945,
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraterni
ty, Inc., Beta Phi Lambda
Chapter (Savannah, GA)
has presented Debutantes to
Davita Cossey
Morgan Davis-Epps
Gabrielle Harris
April Moss
Trinity Perry
society. Throughout the past
78 years, we have main
tained this rich cultural tra
dition.
The Debutante
Season represented a move
toward nonnal and began
on Sunday, June 12, 2022
with a virtual Get Acquaint
ed program. During this
program, the prospective
Debutantes and their par
ents/guardians became ac
quainted with the Brothers
of Beta Phi Lambda Chapter
and the Alphabettes’ Debu
tante Committee (wives and
widows of the Brothers).
Alpha brother Ramon Ray
welcomed the prospective
debutantes and provided
information related to the
full debutante season. Alpha
brother Geoffrey Johnson
provided the inspirational
and Alphabette Elanior Ray
provided the Occasion.
The Debutante
Season continued with two
Charm School sessions con
ducted by Ms. Taqwaa F.
Saleem (2004 Debutante).
The second session was the
first session held face-to-
face since the 2019 Debu
tante class. Ms. Saleem
conducted sessions related
to business and personal eti
quette.
These eleven (11)
young ladies are pursu
ing their dreams through
post-secondary education.
They are active in the com
munity as volunteers to vari-
Savannah State University Fall Commencement Ceremony
Is December 9th
Savannah State
University will hold its 201 st
undergraduate and graduate
commencement ceremony
on Friday, Dec. 9, at T. A.
Wright Stadium with alum
na Nikita Pearson, Class of
1998, as the esteemed com
mencement speaker. The
ceremony will begin at 10
a.m. Approximately 300 stu
dents will receive master’s,
bachelor’s, and associate de
grees.
A native of Thom
son, Ga., Pearson serves in
senior leadership at the Fed
eral Deposit Insurance Cor
poration (FDIC) in Wash
ington, D.C., as deputy to
the chairman for External
Affairs and director of the
agency’s Office of Minority
and Women Inclusion. Earli-
Nikita Pearson
er this year, the Association
of Government Accountants
presented Pearson its inau
gural Eleanor Clark Diver
sity Leadership Award for
her contributions to advance
diversity, equity, inclusion,
and accessibility (DEIA).
Pearson testified before the
U.S. House Committee on
Financial Services Diversity
and Inclusion Subcommittee
to enhance diversity within
the FDIC’s own workforce
and to create a more inclu
sive U.S. banking and fi
nancial system. She serves
as co-chair of the Econom
ic Development Cluster of
the White House Initiative
on Advancing Education
al Equity, Excellence, and
Economic Opportunity at
Historically Black Colleges
and Universities (HBCUs).
As a recognized leader on
DEIA issues, Pearson has
been featured in national
podcasts, on Federal News
Network, and in numerous
national publications.
Pearson earned a
Bachelor of Business Ad
ministration degree in ac
counting from Savannah
State University, where she
graduated magna cum laude
and joined Alpha Kappa Al
pha Sorority, Inc. She also
completed the Graduate
School of Banking at Lou
isiana State University, Ba
ton Rouge, and holds an Ex
ecutive Certificate in Public
Leadership from Harvard
University, Cambridge,
Mass.
Live stream the
ceremony and learn more
about graduation exercises
by visiting savannahstate.
edu/commencement.
Ben Tucker (1930-2013) Exhibition Opening & Birthday Concert
At The Beach Institute
Saturday, Decem
ber 10, 2022, marks the
opening of the permanent
exhibition, Ben Tucker
(1930-2013), at the Beach
Institute African American
Cultural Center, located
at 502 Harris Street. Ben
Tucker is best known for his
contribution to jazz, locally
and nationally, and for his
unrelenting dedication to
his community. By telling
Ben’s story and displaying
awards, compositions, and
artwork dedicated to Mr.
Tucker, the exhibition pro
vides a comprehensive look
at the breadth and depth of
Ben Tucker’s impact on Sa
vannah during and after his
lifetime.
W.W. Law found
ed the King-Tisdell Cottage
Beil Tucker
Foundation Inc, dedicating
the Beach Institute to dis
playing and preserving Sa
vannah’s African American
history through exhibits and
artistic and educational pro
gramming. As a community
space and cultural heritage
site, the Beach Institute of
fers the perfect environment
for honoring Ben Tucker’s
legacy.
The exhibition
unveiling takes place from
1-3 pm, with the Eric Jones
Quartet playing in Mr.
Tucker’s honor. A posthu
mous birthday celebration,
the concert and exhibition
opening occur three days be
fore December 13th, which
would have been Ben’s 92nd
birthday.
Since 2013, the
community has never
stopped trying to memori
alize Ben Tucker adequate
ly, and the efforts continue.
Currently, the Savannah
Cultural Art Center, Theater
is named in honor of Ben
Tucker and Mr. Tucker is
represented in the History
of Jazz in Savannah at the
Savannah Visitor’s Cen
ter. With the support of
Mrs. Gloria Tucker, Steve
Magsig, Aspen Scott, Bar
bara Essig, Tanya Milton,
Jonathan Winbush, General
Manager King-Tisdell Cot
tage Foundation and the
Beach Institute, the exhi
bition aims to bring Ben’s
legacy into view, sharing
his story with a broader
audience. Join the Beach
Institute in celebrating Ben
Tucker in the way he knew
best, with friends, the com
munity, art, and jazz.
Destiny Ragland
McCalla Scott
Andre’l Shuman Machaela Thomas
ous charitable organizations
and activities and provided
hundreds of hours of volun
teer service. They are also
high academic achievers
and received many scholar
ships, awards and accolades.
During the 2022
Debutante season, the Fra
ternity continued to monitor
and follow guidance from
the Governor of Georgia,
CDC and Public Health offi
cials. It was safe to hold our
traditional presentation for
the first time since the pan
demic.
Faith Walker Continued on Page 7
Photos by Middleton & Riley Photography
ROBERT E. JAMES
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CARVER
STATE BANK
Established Feb. 22, 1927
95 Years of Service, Leadership and SuccessJ
LOUIS E. TOOMER
Founderand
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