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The Savannah Tribune • Wednesday, February 8,2023 11
SCAD Tours: Preserving Black History in
Savannah’s Community
Savannah College of
Art and Design (SCAD) wel
comed more than 200 guests to
the university’s SCAD Tours:
Preserving Black History in
Savannah’s Community event
on Sunday. The free tours illu
minated SCAD’s commitment
to preserving local Black his
tory and the university’s endur
ing fellowship with community
leaders.
“SCAD’s annual
Black history tours tell import
ant stories about Savannah’s
rich Black history through art,
poetry, film, and song,’’ said
Vice President for SCAD Sa
vannah Darrell-Naylor John
son. “This year our university
is once again delighted to host
current city leaders, former
mayors, community members,
local families, and visitors for
these impactful and important
historical tours. This annual
initiative is another example of
SCAD honoring our commit
ment to preserve and celebrate
Black history and uplift diverse
voices.’’
Each tour began
at SCAD Museum of Art to
celebrate the opening of ac
tivist and artist Ana Bel Lee
Washington’s “Rejoice” and
a screening of “A Thousand
Miles and Counting” honoring
the story of William and Ellen
Craft’s journey to freedom. Ev
ery stop on the tour highlighted
Savannah’s visionary African
American voices.
“SCAD keeps Sa
vannah’s history alive through
the naming or a marker on
buildings the university has
preserved. Those buildings
include the Beach Institute,
the first school built for Black
children after the Civil War,
and where Savannah’s first
Civil Rights sit-in took place
in March 1960 which today
houses SCAD’s Jen Library.
Tour goers get to see the histor
ical marker there that tells the
story, but even more impact
ful is the opportunity to walk
inside and hear more of the
story and watch a film SCAD
produced about the Savannah
Civil Rights Movement.” said
Vaughnette Goode-Walker, di
rector at the Ralph Mark Gil
bert Civil Rights Museum.
Visited sites also
included a remembrance for
Virginia Jackson Kiah, a paint
er, educator, civil rights activ
ist, and member of the SCAD
board of trustees who was
committed to creating spaces
of open access beginning in the
1950’s. There were many sur
prises and delights for guests
to enjoy along the tour, includ
ing a special performance by
SCAD alumnus and American
Idol winner Candice Glover
and a spoken word oration by
performing arts senior Brianna
Roberts.
NNPA Wraps Midwinter Conference Showing
Strength of Black Press, and Star-Studded
Celebration for Dr. Benjamin Chavis
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia
Continued from Page 1
Dr. Ben Chavis receives
NNPA Lifetime Achievement Award
Chavis’ family of
fered heartfelt words of appre
ciation and admiration during
the ceremony, hosted by Rev.
Mark Thompson. Chavis’ long
time friend and hip-hop pio
neer Russell Simmons, Public
Enemy founder Chuck D, Fat
Joe, Kurtis Blow, White House
Press Secretary Karine Jean-
Pierre, Congressman James
Clyburn (D-South Carolina),
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Califor-
nia), NAACP President Der
rick Johnson, and many others
paid tribute in video form.
Rocky Bucano, Exec
utive Director of the Universal
Hip Hop Museum, also arrived
in San Juan to take part in the
celebrations honoring Chavis.
Billy Murphy, a well-known
Baltimore attorney, announced
a $50,000 Dr. Benjamin F.
Chavis Jr. Scholarship.
General Motors,
Hyundai, Wells Fargo, A ARP,
Nissan, MCRD, Zillow, Com
passion & Choices, Rebuild
Local News, Comcast-NBC
Universal, API, Diageo, Reyn
olds, Pfizer, Google News Ini
tiative, and the Bill & Melin
da Gates Foundation counted
among the NNPA’s partners
and sponsors.
“Our NNPA execu
tive committee and convention
planning committee, chaired
by Data News Weekly Publish
er Terry Jones, are grateful that
[everyone involved] has taken
the time to join us in support
of the Original Black Press,”
said NNPA Chair Karen Carter
Richards.
Chavis, gracious but
overwhelmed, stated that the
NNPA is devoted to keeping
its readers, constituencies, and
supporters informed, engaged,
and empowered through break
ing news, cultural excellence,
and visionary opinions and ed
itorials. “We are African Amer
ican businesses that continue
to provide a vital service to all
communities across the country
and around the world,” Chavis
stated. “This year marks the
beginning of my tenth year as
president and CEO, and it has
been a remarkable journey as
I have personally encountered
some of the world’s best pub
lisher leaders, journalists, and
advocates for freedom, justice,
equality, and equity.”
Robert James Receives Distinguished Alumni
Award
By Lauren James, Savannah Tribune Youth Editor
Mrs. Pinckney kept
the soon-to-be “distinguished”
alumni on a tight schedule as
he shuffled off to meet with a
fellows program at the school
to record a podcast. The curi
ous group of five impressive
Country Day students asked
thought-provoking and poi
gnant questions to Mr. James.
The discussion, recorded by
the school and Mr. James’s
private film crew, covered ev
erything from parental pres
sure and the college applica
tion process to the struggles
of minority banks and “finding
the building blocks to finan
cial freedom,” said Mr. James.
One student, Aidan, was par
ticularly engaged, keeping the
conversation going and asking
follow-up questions that im
pressed Mr. James.
The great assembly
followed, and the students
packed the Jelks Auditori
um—though they were man
dated to be present. Numerous
members of Savannah Country
Day’s Class of 1988, other al
ums, old teachers, and even
previous head of school Paul
Pressly came out to show their
support for Mr. James at his
award ceremony. The current
head of school Kef Wilson
gave an enticing introduction,
explaining the impressive ca
reer of Mr. James and the im
pactful work he has done at
Carver State Bank, and finally,
Mr. James was off. He cap
tivated the audience with his
emotional tales of school-age
pranks, organizing a walk-out
supporting Martin Luther King
Jr. Day, and even his discom
fort as the only Black male in
his graduation class. Mr. James
spoke of resilience and re
demption, explaining how his
life embodied Savannah Coun
try Day’s mission statement
“service through knowledge
and character”. He told the
young audience that life was
about trying new things and re
minded us that “we are all still
works in progress.” Both co-
medic and sincere, Mr. James’s
speech was a hit-even among
Continued from Page 1
the high schoolers.
A few photo ops
and one AP Microeconom
ics class—which, by the way,
asked some of the most fas
cinating questions of the day
regarding Carver State Bank’s
unlikely survival of the 2008 fi
nancial crisis—and Mr. James
was off to his nephew, Elijah’s
second-grade class-the most
exciting visit of the day. After
riding the high of his impres
sive Uncle, Elijah got to sign
out of school early and join the
family for lunch at the local
restaurant “5 Spot.”
When reflecting on
the honor later, Mr. James said,
“it was a humbling experience
to receive such a prestigious
award from my alma mater.”
He would like to extend a
special thanks to the generous
faculty and staff of Savannah
Country Day for making him
the man and “Distinguished
Alum” he is today.
Thank You For Reading
The Savannah Tribune
Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary
Recruiting for Two Advisory Council Seats
Gray’s Reef Nation
al Marine Sanctuary is seek
ing applicants to serve on its
volunteer advisory council.
The council provides NOAA’s
Office of National Marine
Sanctuaries with advice and
recommendations on the man
agement of the sanctuary.
The Gray’s Reef
Sanctuary Advisory council
is composed of 21 members
who represent a variety of
community interests, including
fishing, diving, conservation,
science, education, state agen
cies, federal agencies, and the
public-at-large. The sanctuary
is currently seeking applicants
for the following seats and
terms:
Citizen-At-Large,
three-year term
Education (University),
three-year term
Applicants do not
necessarily need prior first
hand experience within the
sanctuary, but they should be
very familiar with their con
stituents’ regional interests and
how they relate to, or benefit,
the management of Gray’s
Reef National Marine Sanc
tuary. Anyone with the desire
and ability to effectively repre
sent their respective communi
ty’s interest in the management
of the sanctuary is encouraged
to apply, regardless of the ap
plicant’s geographic location
within the region.
Applications are due
by March 5, 2023. Applica
tions received or postmarked
after Mar. 5, 2023, will not
be considered. For more in
formation, including a copy
of the application, please vis
it the Gray’s Reef Sanctuary
Advisory Council recruitment
webpage at https ://graysreef.
noaa .gov/management/adviso-
ry-council/recruitment.html or
contact Scott Kathey, Advisory
Council Coordinator at scott.
kathey@noaa.gov or 912-598-
2381.
The Gray’s Reef Na
tional Marine Sanctuary Advi
sory Council actively recruits
for new members when posi
tions are available. Check our
website frequently for updates
on how you can help manage
your underwater treasures at
Gray’s Reef.
Chef Mashama Bailey to be Honored at 18th
Annual Savannah Technical College
Foundation Opportunity Gala
Mashama Bailey I Photo - Nydia Bias
Mashama Bai
ley, award-winning chef and
co-founder of Grey Spaces,
the hospitality group behind
restaurants such as the critically
acclaimed The Grey, Diner Bar
and its all-day counterpart The
Grey Market, will be honored
at the 18th annual Opportunity
Award Gala, Friday, April 14,
2023. The event, hosted by the
Savannah Technical College
Foundation, honors deserving
leaders in the local community
for a lifetime of service in cre
ating and enhancing opportuni
ties for others to succeed.
The STC Foundation
will honor Bailey for her com
mitment to culinary excellence,
leadership for aspiring chefs,
and dedication to the preserva
tion of Southern cuisine. Event
proceeds will benefit Savannah
Culinary Institute students.
Bailey opened The
Grey, a Savannah-based restau
rant serving Port City Southern
cuisine in a 1938 art deco Grey
hound Bus Terminal, with her
co-founder and business part
ner Johno Morisano in 2014.
Since its opening, the duo have
garnered national attention,
with Mashama being honored
by the James Beard Foundation
as ‘Best Chef: Southeast’ in
2019 and ‘Outstanding Chef’
in 2022.
That same year, Bai
ley and Morisano brought a
slice of Savannah to Texas,
opening two restaurants, Din
er Bar, an all-day, full-service
restaurant and bar with a live
ly, convivial spirit, and a new
outpost of The Grey Market,
a community gathering place
with counter-service, display
cases filled with baked goods,
grab-and-go items, pantry sta
ples and provisions, in the new
Thompson Austin.
Born in the Bronx
and raised in Queens with ma
ternal roots from Waynesboro,
Ga., Bailey attended grammar
school in Savannah. She first
learned to cook at the hands
of the women in her family
and her formal education in
cludes the Institute of Culinary
Education (ICE) in New York
City as well as LaVarenne in
Burgundy, France. Prior to The
Grey, Bailey’s career includes
a dozen years cooking through
out New York City, the last
four of which were at Prune on
Manhattan’s Lower East Side
under the tutelage of Gabrielle
Hamilton. In 2019 and with the
premier of Netflix’s “Chef’s
Table” (Season 6), she became
the first African American chef
to star on that show.
Together with Mori
sano, Bailey co-wrote Black,
White and The Grey (Ten
Speed Press/Penguin Random
House) which explores the
business partners’ challenges
navigating race, class and cul
ture while building businesses,
relationships, and community
in the South.
Named “the most im
portant chef in America” by the
Financial Times, Bailey’s in
fluence extends far beyond the
restaurant. She serves as the
chairwoman of the Edna Lewis
Foundation, whose mission is
to honor and extend the legacy
of Edna Lewis by creating op
portunities for African Amer
icans in the fields of cooking,
agriculture, food studies, and
storytelling.
The event gathers
community and civic leaders
for a celebratory evening hon
oring a special individual. The
evening also showcases the
talents of students enrolled in
Savannah Technical College’s
award-winning Culinary Arts
programs. Past recipients in
clude: Former Governor Zell
Miller, Arnold Tenenbaum,
Judge Griffin Bell, Tom Cole
man, Dick Eckburg, Arthur
M. Gignilliat, Jr., Bob and Al
ice Jepson, Howard Morrison,
Stratton Leopold, Chef Jean
Vendeville, Ted Kleisner, Kev
in “Catfish” Jackson, and Dr.
Bill Cathcart.
The event is a fund
raiser for the Savannah Tech
nical College Foundation, a
501(c)3 organization that rais
es funds to support Savannah
Technical College. STC Foun
dation Board members are
leading the fundraising efforts.
For ticket and sponsorship
information, contact Robert
Grant rgrant@savannahtech.
edu or 912.443.3022.
Founded in 1984, the
Savannah Technical College
Foundation is a private, non
profit organization that exists
to raise and disburse funds to
support the College’s efforts to
enhance learning, workforce
training and economic devel
opment in Bryan, Chatham,
Effingham and Liberty coun
ties. The Foundation also sup
ports student success through
its many privately funded
scholarships.
bias
Housing Authority of Savannah
JOB FAIR
HAS is commuted to recruiting and retaining exceptional
employees. In an effort to do so, we offer competitive
salaries, healthcare coverage and a retirement plan. HAS
is hosting, an on-silejob fair on Wednesday, February 15,
2023, to include on the spot interviews and job offers, for
the positions of Accountant, Maintenance Supervisor,
Maintenance Technician and Maintenance Laborer:
1407 Wheaton Street, Savannah, GA 31404;
Noon to 6:00 p.m.
In Loving Memory Of
i, Mr, George H, Prather
November 28, 1939 - February 7, 2008
15 years ago, a limb fell from our family-tree;
Yet, we still hear a voice saying,
“Grieve not for me.
Remember the best times,
The laughter, the song.
The good life I lived while I was strong.
Continue my heritage, Em counting on all of you,
Keep smiling and surely,
The sun will shine through.
My mind is at ease, my soul is at rest.
Remembering alt, how 1 truly was blessed.
Continue traditions, no mutter how small.
Go on with your life, don't worry about falls,
" miss you all dearly, so keep up your chin.
Until the day comes we'it together again.”
Missing You Always, Loving You Forever
Your Darling Wife and Daughters
Mrs. Betty <£
Pamela, Sheryl & Heather (Peaches)
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