The Savannah tribune. (Savannah, Ga.) 1973-current, May 31, 2023, Image 1

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Newspaper Page TextGeorgia’s Best Weekly PRSRTSTD U,S. POSTAGE PAID Savannah, GA Permit No. 923 Tel: 912-233-6128 * Fa*: 912-233-6H0 1805 MLK Jr. Blvd. Sav., GA 31415 w ww.iia va n nabtri hu ne.com Morris Brown College Celebrated in Savannah A story of Tenacity, Ingenuity, Perseverance and Faith Me orris Brown College (MBC) President, Dr. Kevin James, was the featured guest at a Victory Celebration Reception in Savannah on May 26, 2023. The event was held at Carver State Bank’s Skidaway Road Branch. The tone for the uplifting evening was set by AME Savannah Central Dis trict Presiding Elder Billy G. McFadden who brought greet ings from Bishop Reginald T. Jackson, Chairman of the Mor ris Brown Board of Trustees, before delivering an inspiring prayer of thanksgiving for the glorious history and promis ing future of dear Old Morris Brown College. The reception was the culmination of a fundraiser chaired by Carver State Bank President Robert E. James, with Attorney Tammie Mosley, Chatham County Clerk of Su perior Court as co-chair. Both L-R: Carver President Robert E. James, Morris Brown College President Dr. Kevin James, & Attorney Tammie Mosley, Chatham County Clerk of Superior Court jj M -°mS_BROM±cOLLEO q n< j ao/ !Co PLUS Pin- DoiLAin Bcarved iwj are graduates of Morris Brown College. Carver President James told to guests that he was asked by Jethro Joseph, President of the MBC National Alumni Association and other Omega Men who were initiat ed at Alpha Sigma Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity to raise funds for Morris Brown in Savannah. Mr. Joseph sug gested a goal of $25,000 by June 30, 2023. Continued on Page 2 Georgia Historical Society Dedicates New Civil Rights Trail Historical Marker Recognizing Political & Civic Leader Mamie George Williams L-R: Elaine Shavers Campbell, Velma Maia Thomas Fann, Breana James, Chassidy Malloy, and Shirley Barber James On Thursday, May 25, 2023, the Georgia Histor ical Society (GHS) unveiled a new Georgia Civil Rights Trail historical marker in Savannah recognizing political and civ ic leader Mamie George Wil liams. GHS dedicated the new marker in partnership with the League of Women Voters of Coastal Georgia, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. - Savannah Alumnae Chapter, and The Sa vannah Tribune. “The Mamie George Williams historical marker is the newest marker included on GHS’s Georgia Civil Rights Trail,” said Elyse Butler, GHS Marker Manager. “The marker highlights the life and accom plishments of Williams, an Af rican-American political and civic leader who fought for women’s suffrage. This new historical marker is located in Savannah’s Dixon Park neigh borhood, where Williams lived and worked.” The marker joins over 50 historical markers across the state that make up GHS’s Georgia Civil Rights Trail, an initiative that uses historical markers to document the struggle for human and civil rights from the period fol lowing Reconstruction to the modem movement in the mid twentieth century. A lifelong resident of Savannah, Mamie George Wil liams was active in the com munity for over three decades, volunteering for organizations such as the Red Cross, the Girl Scouts, and the National As sociation of Colored Women’s Clubs. After becoming a suf fragist, Williams entered poli tics. Continued on Page 10 UNITED WE STAND: THE FIERCE URGENCY OF NOW A statement from the National Pan-Hellenic Council of Presidents UNTIL WE ARE ALL FREE NATIONAL PAN-HELLENIC COUNCIL, INC. ; ^ T iiSTRONQfRTQQETHFR *NPWCIK>YFARS Since the first decade of the 20th Century, Black Greek-lettered organizations have worked to protect the interests and Constitutional rights of African Americans on college campuses and in the communities they serve. Now, more than 100 years later, the 2.5 million+ members of the nine National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) organizations find themselves standing vig ilant against Jim Crowesque attacks from those who seek to undermine the foundation al freedoms of Black people and marginalized communities across our United States. Emboldened by divi sive white nationalist rhetoric from prominent American po litical leaders and influential media figures, state and local officials have introduced and adopted laws that target efforts to diminish and/or erase diver sity, equity and inclusion ef forts at public institutions. For example, Florida’s governor recently signed legislation that bans the state’s public colleges and universities from spending money on diversity, equity and inclusion programs - a clear retrograde for our nation’s ed ucation system. In addition, members of K-12 school boards across America have considered and adopted policies to severely limit students’ exposure to per spectives, research and ideas that deviate from narrow - and sometimes inaccurate - depic tions of American culture and history. As a result, educators have been blocked from pre senting books and curricular topics that examine systems of oppression like slavery, racism, and sexism; as well as histor ical stories of marginalized people that overcame said op pressive systems to make this country a better place. As a result, local school districts have been transformed into political bat tlegrounds where extremist ac tivists wage divisive and faux attacks on so-called “woke cul ture” while seeking to impose a neo-segregationist framework in public education. This is a deliberate attempt to under mine the intent of the United States Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Educa tion by devaluing the benefits of integration and culturally inclusive curriculum. This is not a popular movement, but one driven by a small group of well-funded, extremist activists with a clear intent - to destroy public and culturally inclusive education as a public good. Continued on Page 11 Freedom At All Costs “Juneteenth” Why Worth Celebrating? By Veronique Lawson, SSU Student Journalist & Intern at The Savannah Tribune Juneteenth's Background Freedom finally came on June 19, 1865, when some 2,000 Union Troops came to Galveston Bay, Texas. The anny then announced that more than 250,000 enslaved black people in the state were freed by executive decree, which Major General Gordon Grang er issued. This news came two and half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862, which was enacted into law on Janu ary 1. 1863. Juneteenth is also known as Emancipation Day and is considered our nation’s second Independence Day. De spite it having long been cele brated in the African American community, this astronomical event remains largely unknown to most Americans. A day wor thy of commemoration because it truly marks the official “End of slavery” in this country at large. In addition, appreciation is given to those who suffered and survived some of the worst atrocities any human being can experience in life. It is also fitting to honor and appreciate those who fought with all their might without giving up hope, not only to see freedom for all achieved, but most important ly because they gave much of their creativity, labor, and in tellect to build America into the wealthy nation which it is today. The first official cel ebration of Juneteenth took place in Texas, with original observances including prayer meetings and singing of spiri tual songs, and celebrants wore new clothes as a sign of their newfound freedom. However, it was not until 1980 that June teenth became a state holiday in Texas, and subsequently, a number of states followed suit. In 2011, Georgia became the thirty-seventh state to recog nize “Juneteenth” at its state capital with the passage of S.R. 164. Juneteenth is now a federal holiday in the United States of America and Savan nah, GA officially embraced this nonpaid holiday in 2022. The 2023 Juneteenth activities in Savannah will include: • Sat., June 10: Juneteenth Free Family Day - Telfair pres ents its observation of June teenth with two major pro grams celebrating freedom and African American history and heritage at the Jepson Center for the Arts, 207 W York St. Savannah, GA from 10 AM - 5 PM. For more information: https://bit.ly/3MZRHTI • Sat., June 10: Pooler June teenth Celebration Run - The Pooler Juneteenth Celebration Run is on Saturday, June 10, 2023. It includes the following events: 6.19K, 6.19K (Kids 12 6 under), 1.9K (1.18 Mile), and 1.9K (1.18 Mile) (Kids 12 & under). Time: 11:30 AM - 12:45 PM at 200 Preston Stokes Dr., Pooler, GA Vis it https://bit.ly/43cLN7o or https://poolerjuneteenth.org • Sat., June 17: The first Chosen For The Arts (CFTA) Juneteenth Fine Arts Festival will be on the grounds of For syth Park, begins at 1 PM, and will include a drum celebra tion, dancers, speakers and live music, arts and craft vendors, food truck vendors, and sto rytelling. Please use the links for more information: https:// bit.ly/3MDWys7 or https://bit. ly/3qhoafl • Sat., June 17: Tybee MLK Juneteenth 2023 - Celebrating Tybee MLK Human Rights Organization 3rd Annual June teenth Festival on Tybee Island. Venue: Memorial Park, 401 Jones Ave., Tybee Island, GA 31328. Dates: Saturday, June 17 (11 AM - 7 AM), Sunday, June 19 (11 AM - 7 AM), and Monday, June 19 (9 AM - 11 AM) For more, please use the link: https://bit.ly/3WEvX2Q • Sat., June 17: In Wells Park, West 38th St., Savan nah, GA - The Daughters of Mary Magdalene and the City of Savannah presents The Cul tural Juneteenth Music Festival from 11 AM - 7 PM. The event is free and open to the public. Bring your lawn chairs and tents to set up in the park. • Sat., June 17: Pooler June teenth Celebration - Live mu sic, food trucks, storytellers, vendors, games, and more. Location: Tanger Outlets, 200 Tanger Outlets Blvd., Pool er, GA 31322. Event time: 12 PM - 6 PM. More information: https://poolerjuneteenth.org/ juneteenth-festival/ See Page 10 for infomation on submitting a Salute to your Graduate or Father for our Grads & Dads Edition by the deadline of Friday, June 9th! ROBERT E. JAMES Preticfent Since December 1971 CARVER STATE BANK erf. Feb. 23, 1927 96 Years of Service, Leadership and Success! LOUIS 6 TOOMER founder ond t$f President MAIN OFFICE 70 i Martin Luther King. Jr. Bfvd.., Savannah, GA 3 1401 SKIDAWAY BRANCH 71 tO Skidaway Rd., Savannah. GA 31406

Georgia Historic Newspapers

The Savannah tribune. (Savannah, Ga.) 1973-current, May 31, 2023, Image 1