MCJ January 7, 2014 Edition

JJOUROURNALNALW I S C O N S I N ’ S L A R G E S T A F R I C A N A M E R I C A N N E W S P A P E R

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OMMUNITYOMMUNITYVOL. XXXIX Number 24 January 7, 2015 www.communityjournal.net 25 Cents BULK RATE

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(Above): Surrounded by theHamilton family, their attorneysand supporters, Rev. Jesse Jack-son addresses demonstrators infront of the federal courthouse onWisconsin Avenue last Friday be-fore marching with them to RedArrow Park where Dontre Hamil-ton was killed (pictured at right).Jackson and the family later at-tended a rally at Holy Temple FirstBorn Missionary Baptist Church(lower two photos).

(Photos by Yvonne Kemp)

Civil rights activist, Rev.Jesse Jackson, called for afederal review of the Milwau-kee Police Department’s poli-cies after former MilwaukeePolice Officer ChristopherManney was cleared of anywrong doing for fatally shoot-ing Dontre Hamilton lastApril.

Standing on the steps of the federalcourthouse last Friday during a rallywith Hamilton’s family, their attor-neys and 200 supporters, Jackson de-manded the U.S. JusticeDepartment—in addition to its cur-rent investigation into Hamilton’sdeath at the hands of Manney, whoshot him 14 times in Red Arrow Parkafter a struggle with Manney’sbaton—also conduct a “Pattern andPractice” investigation of the MPD.

Federal law prohibits police fromengaging in a pattern of conduct thatdeprives people of their civil rights.According to its website, the JusticeDepartment has launched five suchinvestigations since 2008.

During the gathering at the federalcourthouse, Jon Safran, one of theHamilton family’s attorneys, citedmore than a half-dozen instanceswhere someone has died or been in-jured during encounters with policesince 2002.

“Dontre has more power in thegrave than his killers on the street,”Jackson reportedly said to the gath-ering. “Dontre is not about Black andWhite. It’s about wrong and right.”

“We are driven by Dontre’s spirit,they can’t shoot that,” said the leg-

GEORGE C. MATTHEWS, JR.:“He (Dontre Hamilton) was not botheringanyone. the police officer could have usedother means to arrest him without killinghim.”

TA’QUISHA MARSHALL:“Well, in my opinioin, Ithink that the police could have chosen another way toapproach him. Yes, his rights were violated as a humanbeing, but justice will not be served. Maybe one daythere will be justice. But he (Hamilton) is dead. However,the officer (Manney) has no job. So justice was served.”

SCOTT BALDWIN:“I believe Mr. Hamilton’s rightswere violated as a human bing. Because he was in apublic park and he was not causing a problem, nor washe a threat to anyone. As a Black man, there’s no suchthing as a Black man or White man; there’s only onerace, and that’s the human race.”

BRANDY CARSON:“Considering the society welive (in), people’s civil rights are violated on a dailybasis in the Black community. However, in DontreHamilton’s case, they were not only violated, butstripped from him in a uncivil way.”

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: “The U.S. Justice Department will investigate whether or not Don-tre Hamilton’s civil rights were violated when fired Milwaukee Police Officer Michael Man-ney approached Hamilton and eventually shot him multiple times, killing him. Do youthink Hamilton’s rights, as a human being, were violated? Why or why not?

“Dontre hasmore powerin the grave

than hiskillers on the

street...Dontre is not

about Blackand White. It's

about wrongand right.”

--Rev. Jesse Jackson

Tutors with InterfaithOlder Adult Program:Meeting the Needs ofOur Community

Margaret Hollmon is a firm believer that “it takes avillage to raise a child” and, in Margaret’s words, sheis “but one villager.” Hollmon spent years in theclassroom, both as a special education teacher withMilwaukee Public Schools (MPS) and as a readingand math teacher with Nonpublic Educational Serv-ices, Inc.

After retiring in 2010, Hollmon soon realized she missed working with stu-dents in the public schools and she felt called to volunteer as a reading tutor.In 2011, Hollmon began tutoring elementary school children at 53rd StreetSchool through Interfaith Older Adult Program’s Retired and Senior VolunteerProgram (RSVP). RSVP’s Tutor Program, operated in partnership with MPS,pairs adults 55 and older with teachers in order to help students achieve gradelevel reading proficiency.

Hollmon tutors because she wants to help lay the foundation for kids tohave successful lives. She insists “it is not hard to do...it just takes a smallcommitment and a big heart.”

While the time commitment (90 minutes a week) is relatively small, Holl-mon has found that the rewards of tutoring are great. She recalls working withone student several years ago who was struggling with his reading profi-ciency.

The student was bright but he had difficulty staying on task and completingwritten assignments. While the student at first resisted her efforts to help him,she connected with him and made an effort to be a calm, encouraging pres-ence in his life week in and week out.

Hollmon has a calm demeanor and her perseverance and patience paid off.At the end of the school year, the student thanked her for calming him downand shared with Hollmon that his reading scores had greatly improved.

When asked what advice she would give others thinking about tutoringwith RSVP she said, “If you can read to a student, listen to that student anddiscuss what was read, then you can be a tutor. You do not have to be ateacher, you just have to be willing to volunteer.”

No formal training or degree is required. Tutors are trained through Inter-faith Older Adult Programs and are supported by the organization each step

(continued on page 2)

Margaret Hollmon reviews a book with a student duringan RSVP tutoring session at 53rd Street School.

Hollmon reviews the workof another student.

Rev. Jesse Jackson comes to Milwaukee to give supportto family of Dontre Hamilton in their fight for justiceSays the Hamilton case is symptomatic of a larger problem in the “Brew City”

PULSEPULSE OF THE OF THE COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY

Photos and question by Yvonne Kemp

Compiled by MCJ Staff


Article courtesyof Interfaith OlderAdult Program

THETHEMILWAUKEEMILWAUKEECOMMUNITYCOMMUNITYJOURNALJOURNALPublished twice weekly,Wednesday & Friday3612 North Martin LutherKing Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53212Phone: 414-265-5300 (Advertising and Administration) • 414-265-6647 (Editorial) • Website: communityjournal.net • Email: [email protected]/[email protected]

The Milwaukee Community Journal January 7, 2015 Page 2

Historic King Drive Bid is movingits offices from its current location to2745 N. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.Drive, Suite 206 (the second floor ofthe Ameritech King Commons build-ing next to the Growing Power Cafe).

The King Drive bid will maintainits current phone number and email.

The move began Monday, January5 and is expected to be complete bythe end of the week. For more infor-mation, call 414-265-5809.

King DriveBid officesare moving

endary civil rights leader.Jackson’s visit to Milwaukee was

not only to support the Hamiltonfamily, but to also focus the nationalspotlight on the case which, he be-lieves, has people waiting to see howthe wheels of justice are going toplay out.

After the courthouse rally, Jacksonand the Hamilton family led support-ers down Wisconsin Avenue to WaterStreet and Red Arrow Park and thespot where Hamilton died. There,Jackson—using a bullhorn—told thedemonstrators that Hamilton will liveon as long as they remember him.“It’s time to stop the killing,” thecivil rights leader said.

During interviews with local

media throughout the day—whichincluded a community meeting atHoly Temple First Born Church,4960 N. 18th Street—particularlyafter a meeting with Mayor Tom Bar-rett, Jackson noted the Hamilton caseis symptomatic of a larger problem inMilwaukee…and the nation.

Jackson reportedly said besides afederal Justice Department review ofthe Hamilton shooting, the federalgovernment should pour $50 millioninto boosting Milwaukee’s schools

and restoring foreclosed and vacanthomes.

“We need a plan for urban recon-struction,” Jackson continued. “Itwould be a minimal investment to getmaximum returns. What’s at stakehere is that people—without theproper education—you end up withfirst-class jails and second-classschools. Jails cost more thanschools.”

Asked by a reporter if he wasbutting into a Milwaukee issue, Jack-son said: “We live in one city and onecountry. This is our country, and whataffects one of us directly affects therest of us indirectly, so learning tolive together to end some of the angerand fear is what we must do.”

--Sources contributing to thisstory: WISN.com, Associated Press,WTMJ News, WITIFox6News

Tutors with InterfaithOlder Adult Programs(continued from page 1)of the way. Hollmon now serves as a lead tutor at Fifty-third Street Schoolwhich means that, in addition to her work in the classroom, Hollmon alsohelps support other RSVP tutors at that school.

Last school year, approximately 200 RSVP volunteer tutors like Hollmonvolunteered in 48 MPS elementary schools affecting 3,259 students. As a re-sult, more than 50% of students in classrooms with RSVP tutors improvedtheir academic performance as measured by MPS testing data. Additionally,of the students tutored, more than 84% demonstrated improved academic en-gagement in the classroom during the course of the school year.

Recruitment underway for tutorsInterfaith is recruiting older adults, not just retired educators, to get in-

volved with this vital initiative. Interfaith aims for all students in need to havecaring adults help them build academic skills that propel them toward aca-demic proficiency and ultimately success in life. The Interfaith Tutor Programis one step in achieving this goal. The Tutor Program is flexible; tutors vol-unteer 90 minutes once a week at a school of their choice at a day and timeof their choosing. Not only will students benefit from the tutors involvement,but the tutor experiences the great joy that comes with making a difference.With the school year underway and second semester approaching, now is thetime to get involved.

If you are 55 years of age or older and interested in learning more aboutthe Tutor Program, please contact Rachel Schepp at Interfaith Older AdultPrograms at [email protected] or 414-220-8642.

Rev. Jacksoncomes to Milwaukee to supportHamilton family(continued from page 1)

Rev. Jesse Jackson addresses Hamilton family supporters at Red ArrowPark, where Dontre Hamilton was shot and killed by a Milwaukee policeofficer. (Photo by Yvonne Kemp)

THETHEMILWAUKEEMILWAUKEECOMMUNITYCOMMUNITYJOURNALJOURNALPublished twice weekly,Wednesday & Friday3612 North Martin LutherKing Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53212Phone: 414-265-5300 (Advertising and Administration) • 414-265-6647 (Editorial) • Website: communityjournal.net • Email: [email protected]/[email protected]

Opinion and comments expressed on the Perspectives page do not nec-essarily reflect the views of the publisher or management of the MCJ. Let-ters and “other perspectives” are accepted but may be edited for contentand length.

MCJ STAFF:Patricia O’Flynn -PattilloPublisher, CEORobert J. ThomasAssoc. PublisherTodd Thomas, Vice Pres.Mikel Holt, Assoc. PublisherThomas E. Mitchell, Jr., EditorTeretha Martin, Technical Consultant/Webmaster BillingDept./Publisher’s Admin. Assist.

Colleen Newsom,Classified AdvertisingJimmy V. Johnson, Sales Rep.CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:Taki S. Raton, Richard G. Carter,Fr. Carl Diederichs, Rev. JoeMcLinPHOTOGRAPHER: Yvonne Kemp


PERSPECTIVESPERSPECTIVES QUOTE OF THE WEEK: 'What I've done on television is try to workhard, try to be factually correct, try to write creatively and com-pellingly. I want to be myself, and anyone who says, “Oh well, he's ahip hop anchor,” well, that's what I grew up on. I grew up mostly onhip hop and show tunes. I grew up on West Side Story, The Wiz, God-spell, but also Public Enemy…What I do on television is part of who Iam. I’m not trying to be anyone else. I’ve always been of the mindset:“Be who you are; just do the work and work hard.”--Stuart Scott, a longtimeanchor at ESPN, died Sunday morning at the age of 49 after a long battle with cancer.

The Black com-munity in America,which consists ofnearly 47 millionpeople, contrary topopular opinion,isn’t a monolithicgroup.

The fact of the matter is that BlackAmerica is represented by a very largediverse description with unique char-acteristics to their sub-group: south vsnorth; east-coast vs west-coast; urbanvs suburban; urban vs rural; high,middle, low, and very low income lev-els; Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, andAtheist; liberal vs conservative; de-mocrats vs. republicans; college grad-uates vs. high school dropout; literatevs illiterate; male vs female; adult vschildren; straight vs gay; you name itand we have it.

While the majority of Black Amer-icans are direct descendants fromAfrica, via the American slave tradefrom Africa and therefore consideredAfrican Americans.

However; there are a significantnumber of other Black Americanswho came to America by way of theCaribbean, Europe, Asia, and SouthAmerica.

The bottom line, no matter how wegot to America, we’re all descendantsof Africa and we’re all considered tobe one Black race.

Scholars often interpret race as a so-cially constructed phenomenon, its di-visions shaped by common socialnorms, understandings, and percep-tions.

However; human fate still ridesupon ancestry and appearance. Thecharacteristics of our hair, complex-ion, and facial features still influencewhether we are considered free or en-slaved in America.

Restated, the color of your skin de-fines who you are in America and thestereotypes that come with it.

In spite of numerous negativestereotypes and propagandas, theBlack community in America is ex-tremely complex and diverse, there is

no “one size” that fits all. Like allpeople, Blacks don’t have a monopolyon good or bad people but the Blackculture isn't anything like its beingportrayed in the American mass media(i.e. historical books, magazines, reli-gion, television, and radio). Blackculture isn’t about being lazy, dis-eased, criminal, promiscuous, anti-family, anti-American, or helpless. Iargue just the opposite, given theoverwhelming predicament thatBlacks have and continue to endure inAmerica, the Black culture is strongand resilient, it’s about achievement,greatness and excellence.

Blacks not just in America butworldwide, have become a conqueredgroup and the results are that blackshave morphed into look-alike clonesof the American white cultures.

The American white culture hasn’tnearly produced the outcomes forBlacks as it has for whites.

Why? The American culture isabout the supremacy of America andthe white race which is at conflict withaBlack person no matter how well hebehaves and/or emulates the Ameri-can culture. This isn’t an attackagainst white people - it’s quite under-standable for the culture to be what itis.

In fact, many other groups, whilethey are considered American, havenot fully embraced the American cul-ture and work hard to maintain theircultural identity (i.e. Asians, Arabs,Latino’s, Jew’s, etc.).

This is achieved through maintain-ing their language, religion, and theircustoms (they habitat together andrecreate their homelands in America).This approach has been extremely dif-ficult for Black people.

Since the 15th Century (past 600years), many Europeans believed thatit is their divine right to rule and gov-ern African peoples. As part of the“Manifestation of the evil genius ofEurope,” Europeans not only pro-ceeded to colonize the world but moreimportantly, they also colonized infor-mation about the world, making Eu-rope the SUBJECT of world history(his-story: glorify European civiliza-tion which started 600 years ago inEurope, owners of “civilization” andthe total defamation of Africa andAfrican people) and Africa will for-ever be defined as the dark continentwith its people as cannibals, savages,uncivilized, primitive, with evil traitsand desires, and devoid of knowledgeand culture, which is just the oppositein that Africa is the “Mother of Civi-lization” and has a recorded history ofnearly 100,000 years with Africansbeing pioneers of science, religion,chemistry, mathematics, education,astrology, philosophy, architecture,agriculture, medicine, government,etc.

Note: The truth is that African his-tory predates Europe by thousands ofyears. In addition, the world didn’twait in darkness for thousands of

years for Europe tobring us into thelight. It was Europe that was in thedark until around the 15th centuryuntil the influence of Africa and Asia,which they would ultimately com-pletely colonize.

One of the weapons that Europeanshave used to perpetuate and maintainthe big lie of European supremacy andwhite privilege and invincibility, andthe big lie of African inferiority andnothingness is education (mis-educa-tion).

The entire education system wasdesigned to subordinate, exploit, cre-ate mental confusion and the creationof an absolute and total dependency ofAfricans on Europeans and to producepeople who would participate in theprocess of European colonial rule,Blacks would participate in theprocess of their own oppression (i.e.House Negro to the hundredth degree)through the acute alienation (divideand conquer) and the psychologicalimitation: the behaviors, culture, val-ues, lifestyles, moral preferences, anddefinitions of morality is fully definedand emulatedby the colonized (defacto completo).

In addition, we have been taught toOUTRIGHT reject anything associ-ated with Blacks, in many cases, werevel in the hope that our oppressionof each other receives the favor of theoppressor.

The majority of the African worldhad been brain-dead, brain-damaged,and culturally comatose, this can’t beconfused with Black culture.

Another weapon that Europeanshave used to perpetuate and maintainthe big lie can be seen in the religionof Christianity. During the enslave-ment of our ancestors, in the mid-1800s, Blacks embraced Christianityas its religion.

This conversion hasn’t empoweredBlack people at no level near the level

of White people because for the mostpart, traditionally Christianity sup-ported white supremacy.

Ask yourself, if you were theDevil/big lie where would you hide?Religion is the perfect vehicle, be-cause once religion becomes an ac-ceptable tradition, a lie can then becovered within the spirituality of a tra-dition making it virtually impossiblefor anyone to question the validity ofwhat’s being taught or question the lie.

The big lie in Christianity is thatGod, the creator of the Heavens andEarth and everything in between, is aWhite man and all of the people ofGod and Heaven are portrayed as Eu-ropean while the Devil is portrayed asblack.

The combination of both weaponshas created two different diseases: Eu-ropeans: white supremacy and privi-lege and for Africans: inferiority andsubmission.

Note: The Black man in Americahas a double dose of damage due tothe nearly 300 years of chattel slaveryand Jim Crow terror, which produceda natural intense desire to be educatedby a contaminated education systemand a civil rights movement that pro-duced the ultimate emulation and cul-tural assimilation.

We now have the dilemma “legacyof slavery” multiplied with its creationof a “culture of failure,” self-fulfillingprophecy, this can’t be confused withBlack culture.

Any “real” solution to unpack thecompromise Black culture must in-volve a strong and massive de-Euro-peanize, de-mystify, detoxify, andde-brainwashing of the Black man’ssubconscious mind of Eurocentriceverything.

The world is ruled by power notblackness or whiteness and every at-tempt by Africans in America, theCaribbean and Africa has been under-

mined by its own people. In America,the derailing of the movement can beseen in politics, religion, and the dis-connection with Pan-Africanism byconfused ideologist, middle classfrauds, and undercover spies. Pan-Africanism is defined as any effort onthe part of African people to reclaimany portion of Africa that has beentaken away, mutilated, misunderstood,or misrepresented by a non-African tothe detriment of Africa.

The Africa-centered connectednessis genius, we must understand that wehave to make radical changes in ourlives and attitudes; we have to buildfrom within. We have to reach out toAfrica and Africa has to reach out tous (Sankofa).

We are African people, one nationat home and abroad, all people ofAfrican descent, whether they live inNorth or South America, theCaribbean, or in any other part of theworld are Africans and belong to theAfrican nation.

Only through Pan-Africanism willthe African nation be redeemed andrestored. We must become African-centric, which is a sincere effort on thepart of African people to regain whatcolonization and slavery took awayand to restore the nation as you origi-nally conceived it to be.

Let’s examine more of the Blackculture. The technical definition ofculture is the characteristics of a groupof people, defined by everything fromlanguage, religion, cuisine, socialhabits, music, arts, view, belief, andtrust of themselves, life and economicexpectations. Culture is the full rangeof all learned human behavior pat-terns.

Culture is "that complex wholewhich includes knowledge, belief, art,law, morals, customs, and any othercapabilities and habits acquired byman as a member of society." Culture

is a powerful human tool for survival,but it is a fragile phenomenon.

It is constantly changing and easilylost because it exists only in ourminds. Our written languages, gov-ernments, buildings, and other man-made things are merely the productsof culture. They are not culture inthemselves. For this reason, archae-ologists can’t dig up culture directlyin their excavations.

The broken pots and other artifactsof ancient people that they uncoverare only material remains that reflectcultural patterns--they are things thatwere made and used through culturalknowledge and skills.

Scientist describes several levels ofculture that are part of your learnedbehavior patterns and perceptions.Most obviously is the body of culturaltraditions that distinguish your spe-cific society.

When people speak of Italian,Samoan, or Japanese culture, they arereferring to the shared language, tra-ditions, and beliefs that set each ofthese peoples apart from others, lan-guage is extremely important to cul-ture.

A good portion of the global Blackcommunity speaks a language otherthan our native tongue (i.e. English,Spanish, German, Portuguese, French,etc.).

While Blacks have tried to retaintheir culture, it’s virtually impossiblewhen you speak the language of yourconqueror - the fact remains it’s veryhard to distinguish Black people fromtheir captives and/or colonialist whenBlacks speak a European language.No matter how strong your culture is,over time, a foreign language will di-lute it.

Today, in the United States as inother countries populated largely byimmigrants, the culture is influenced

UNIVERSALLY SPEAKINGBlack Culture is About Achievement, It's About Greatness, and It’s About Excellence

By Rahim Islam

Rahim Islam

I was deeply inspired bythe words of Rahim Islamwhen he shared in an areapaper that Black culture isabout, “achievement,greatness, and excellence.”

This President and CEO of Universal Compa-nies notes in a multi-part series in the MilwaukeeCourier Newspaper in his Part I on December 27,2014 that Black culture is not about being lazy,criminal, promiscuous, anti-family, anti-America,dependent , victimized or helpless but that ourgains on these North American shores “are nothingshort of remarkable.”

Included in Part 2 published January 3, 2015,this nationally acclaimed speaker and writer posi-tions in the Courier that what is being promotedtoday about Black people and Black culture, “isvoid of our true history in this county” and that theabsence of such historical documentation “servesthe White Supremacy and Black Inferiority” para-digm.

One of the goals of African Centered educationis to prepare African American students to inheritand ascend to notable ideals of ethical prominence,cultural integrity, creative accomplishment, and ac-ademic excellence as modeled by classical, histor-ical, and present day Higher Order preeminentBlack and African World exemplars.

In this regard, it is therefore necessary that theAfrican American community exercise itsbirthright to know the totality of our historythroughout time, presence and contribution on thisplanet earth from humankind origin to the currentday.

It is our responsibility and ours alone to teachand share these masterful and magnificent mirrorsof our African World exemplar models with ourchildren and further within the annals of the con-tinued onward flow of contributory corridors to-wards Black community uplift and towards thebroader societal attainment of progressive hu-

mankind ideals.Such examples indeed for our children and for

our community have to be rescued, reclaimed,reinterpreted (from an exclusive African frame-of-reference), reconstructed and resurrected from theobscurity of history’s hidden colors and restoredto their proper placement on the world stage oftime and achievement.

Islam’s words to this writer were heartedly re-flective of the mission, objectives and goals in2014 when African Global Images, Inc. presentedits installation for the second consecutive year atMATC.

Themed “Time, Presence, Civilization In Black– The Rescue and Restoration of Masterful AfricanWorld Creation, Invention and Accomplishmenton the Global Stage of Time and achievement,”this 86-item exhibit was featured last Black His-tory Month at the downtown campus location, 700West State Street.

Sponsored by the President’s Diversity Councilof Milwaukee Area Technical College, this instal-lation has as its mission to “elevate, enhance andadvance African American national and global his-toriography to the next level of world status, re-search, scholarship and instructionalmethodology.”

To achieve this mission, the installation has asits objective to extract African World historiogra-phy and in particular African American historyfrom its limited, colonized inferior status, defini-tions, imagery and frame-of-reference inherentwithin the confined 396 years of Westernizedthought from 1619 to the 2015 present and recon-nect our unique North American Black circum-stance to our total African global experience ofprideful accomplishment – and lessons learnedtherein – on the world stage of time and achieve-ment.

And to further expand on Islam’s perspective,Blacks in this country historically under our en-slavement, captivity and/or sojourn to NorthAmerica from 1619 through the 87-year Jim Crowera ending in 1964 were not only resilient and re-sistant, but were also masterfully adaptive, mas-terfully creative, masterfully skilled andmasterfully equalizing.

By “equalizing,” we are not talking about being“equal” to anybody else. The term “equalization”

herein is meant that in an African/Color-ed/Negro/Black context during these 396 years,the Black collective noted examples that whereverwe were in America during this pre-integrationistperiod, we were able to survive, adapt, duplicate,match, improve upon, compete, excel and masterany and all progressive North American hu-mankind societal and professional engagements.

It is really and only Black people – our Africaninheritance and our own forbearers on these shores– whom Black people need to be “equal” to.

Islam’s phrasing that our gains in North America“are nothing short of remarkable” brings to mindin this writer’s thinking that we must remember theprocess of North American enslavement.

Generally and without detailing specifics in thistreatment, our African ancestry was captured inAfrica, kidnapped and shipped across the AtlanticOcean, held captive in North America, seasonedso as to discourage the will to resist, transformedin personality from a free African consciousnessto that of an enslaved identity, altered/redefinedand recreated to live and work in the service of an-other group of people for life and onward perpetu-ity in subsequent Black generations.

That we were able to counteract the effects ofthis experience, adapt to the reality of a new lifeand a new “Way” on alien soil under such horridcircumstances and still re-evolve to command astate of mastery in all areas of Westernized hu-mankind and professional engagements within justa few generations of being in colonial America -whether enslaved or free - is of itself nothing shortof “remarkable.”

This is how our history should be viewed andthis again is representative of how the AfricanAmerican journey should be taught on this nextlevel of global African historiographical research,scholarship, instructional methodology and on areclaimed world status of honor, dignity, and re-spect.

The only time on this world stage when Blackpeople in America began to regress, decline andsocially decay would be these last 45 years fromthe 1970’s to the 2015 present under integrationwhere and when we were mistakenly urged bycivil right leadership to employ another man’sstandard, definition and imagery as our only

Black history/culture is about achievement, excellence and the greatness of African American peopleBy Taki S. Raton




RELIGIONRELIGION

Surrounded by other localpastors, Minister GregoryLewis of Pastor’s Unitedcalled on all men and womenof faith to join the organiza-tion in to work and pray foran end to gun violence inlight of the shooting death ofa 13-month old Hmong child.The news conference washeld recently on the steps ofTabernacle Community Bap-tist Church, 2500 W. MedfordAve. Immediately followingthe news conference, PastorsUnited, along with NorthcottNeighborhood House invitedthe community to join themfor a Watch Night Service inTabernacle’s sanctuarywhere more than 100 familieswho have been impacted bygun violence in 2014 partici-pated in a special candlelightvigil of worship, praise,singing and preaching.(Photo by Yvonne Kemp)

Read the newspaper with its finger on the pulse of YOURcommunity ONLINE! Go to communityjournal.net!

Ministers call for end to gun violence



School board's actions cut benefits liabilityby $2.6 billionover last six yearsEfforts allow for more resources to be directedto classrooms and students

Decisions by the MilwaukeeBoard of School Directors tomake changes to benefits andother changes have reduced thedistrict’s long-term liability forother post-employment benefits(OPEB) significantly, accordingto a report presented during theBoard’s November meeting.Since 2007, the OPEB liabilityhas been reduced by a remark-able seventy percent (70%).

“The McKinsey Report, an in-dependent study commissionedby the Governor and Mayor in2009, highlighted benefit costs toretirees as a significant financialchallenge for MPS,” said MPSBoard President Dr. MichaelBonds.

“The Board has worked dili-gently, often making tough deci-sions even prior to Wisconsin Act10, to dramatically cut the OPEBliability.

This has improved the district’sfinancial outlook and allowed usto redirect dollars back to theclassrooms, with a focus on im-proving student achievement.”

The firm of Gabriel, Roeder,Smith and Company has com-pleted an actuarial valuation forthe district every two years for thepast six years. The 2007 GRSOPEB valuation projected the ac-tuarial liability to be $3.78 billion

in 2013. The most recent OPEB valua-

tion by the firm finds the actuarialliability to be $1.2 billion.

This means the district has re-duced the long-term actuarialOPEB liability by $2.6 billion.

The most recent change in-volved a move to Medicare Ad-vantage for eligible retirees,which cut liability by $250 mil-lion.

Other actions which the Boardhas taken to reduce long-term li-ability include freezing a supple-mental pension for currentteachers, eliminating supplemen-tal benefits for new teachers, andchanging the benefit structure forsome part-time employees.

Bonds explained that the Boardwill continue to explore ways tomake operations effective and ef-ficient while putting more re-sources into classrooms.

Actuarial Liability 7/1/13 ValuationActuarial OPEB Liability -Valuation, 7/1/07 $3,784,100,000Actuarial OPEB Liability -Valuation, 7/1/13*reflects district changesto benefits

$1,403,000,000

Cost avoidance from theBoard's 9/18/14 adoptionof Medicare Advantageprogram for retirees

$250,000,000

Actuarial liability afterMedicare Advantage(adopted by the Board inSeptember 2014)

$1,153,000,000

Cumulative reductionsince the 2007 report(inlcudes Medicare Advantage)

$2,631,100,000

YOUTH&EDUCATIONYOUTH&EDUCATION EDUCATED QUOTE: “My mother said I must always be intoler-ant of ignorance but understanding of illiteracy. That some people,unable to go to school, were more educated and more intelligentthan college professors.”--Maya Angelou


KALEIDOSCOPEKALEIDOSCOPEt h e M C J l i f e s t y l e & e n t e r t a i n m e n t s e c t i o n

REBRANDRebirth is here. 2015 came like we allknew it would.But did we really prepare for its arrival?Let us come up with new marketingstrategies to rebrand ourselves for thebetter.Research a new logo, symbol or designthat personifies who you truly are.Reinvest radical change within yourselfand know that you are the competition!Load up and lean forward to put yourselfin lead positon. There is no reason foryou to ever be second.Rebranding allows us to provide newvalue to ourselves.Isaiah 43:19 states that God will do a newthing in you! Do you not perceive it?Rebranding allows Him to reposition uson to a new path.

Sonya Marie Bowman

CHANGEAs the new year comes in we makenew year resolutions. We say we'reready to start anew...Some of us may want to lose weightSome of us may want to change ouroutlook on LifeSome of us may want to Change theWorld…We can go on and on with what wemay want to Change this New Year.Make your Change List and pick theone closest to your heart to work onfor this year…I have.Wishing All of You Success on theChange You will Choose.

Always Keeping it Real,Tara R Pulley

RESULTS VS DESIRESDetermine your will through yourpower.Opt for outcome verses income.Resolve indecision.Form a plan and finish it.Leave your comfort-zone.Influence yourself.Compete for growth not for recogni-tion.Control nothing relinquish everything.Ask for the inconceivable.Choose YOU!

Zelda Corona

NEW DECISIONSNEW DECISIONS“Sista Speak...Speak Lord!”“Sista Speak...Speak Lord!”

24th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin LutherKing, Jr. Memorial Prayer ServiceSaturday, January 17, 1:30 pm

The 24th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Prayer Service will be held Sat-urday, January 17, 1:30 PM, St. Michael Catholic Congregation, 1445 N. 24th Street, Milwau-kee.

Father Thomas Jackson, OP, of Chicago is the guest speaker and he will be examining thesacredness of all life.

Dr. King’s 1967 “A Christmas Sermon on Peace” addressed the sacredness of life. The ser-mon highlighted war, segregation and discrimination. Dr. King pointed out that “all life is in-terrelated. We are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied into a single garmentof destiny.” Father Jackson will be examining today’s network of mutuality.

A musical prelude will take place 1:30 pm followed by the service at 2:00 pm.The event is sponsored by the Black Catholic Ministry Commission-Archdiocese of Milwaukee,

Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology, St. Michael Catholic Congregation, and the2015 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Prayer Service Planning Committee. Fundedby the Black and Indian Mission Grant.


by the many groups of people that now make up the country. Black Americans are the subject of ideas and behaviors that do little to de-

scribe our vast diversity and merely cast us in neatly fitted caricatures for massconsumption.

It’s easy for white America to only see the Black family and the troublesbeing promoted void of our history in this country and the damage that has beendone - this makes their argument of inferiority more believable.

While the election of President Barak Obama delivered an image more pow-erful than many could have imagined, we must not lose sight of the more gen-eral narrative on the perception of Black people perpetuated by mass media.

I contend, when things are put in context, our ills are understandable and ourgains are nothing short of remarkable. In fact most Americans (Black andwhite) are little informed about American history and operate at the tyranny ofracial ignorance, mythology, and propaganda.

Racial ignorance continues and even though not mentioned, is the most com-plex issue facing all Americans. While this issue is very complicated, in myhumble opinion, the legacy of slavery has crippled our ability to address theissue of race head-on.

The descendants of the slave owners must come to understand the pain, hurt,and damage inflicted on a whole group of Black people and how the structuraldeficiencies entrapped millions of Black children and their families.

The descendants of the enslaved must equally come to understand the dis-tinction between this hurt and the true Black culture.

In spite of the overwhelming challenges that Black people face in this countryand abroad, at the core of the Black struggle in America there is clear and con-vincing evidence of a Black culture of resilience.

This is why we must know our history. I’ve become a student of our historyand it is very clear to me that Black culture is about achievement, greatness,and excellence. In my next article I will discuss more about the achievements,greatness and excellence of Black America.

Rahim Islam is a National Speaker and Writer, Convener of PhiladelphiaCommunity of Leaders, and President/CEO of Universal Companies, a com-munity development and education management company headquartered inPhiladelphia, PA. Follow Rahim Islam on FaceBook(Rahim Islam) & Twitter(@RahimIslamUC)

Black Culture is About Achievement,It's About Greatness, and Excellence(continued from page 3) Higher Order attainment and thereby

abandon our tried and true BlackAmerican and African World pristineexemplary models of achievement,greatness, excellence and mastery.

The late honored ancestral scholarDr. Barbara Sizemore out of Chicagowould remind us before she passed in2004 that, “nothing Black or all-Black could ever be excellent” underintegration.

Unfortunately we are, in consider-ation of print space, unable in thiswriting to lend specific examples ofBlack mastery in America during theeras of enslavement, Reconstructionand Jim Crow.

But to incorporate an overview ofwhat Black resilience, resistance andmasterful adaptations, creativity, andequalizing skill sets would look likeduring these periods, Chicago BlackStar founder and director Philip Jack-son tells us in one of his presenta-tions that when Black men werereleased from enslavement in 1865,they became blacksmiths, bricklay-ers, carpenters, merchants, teachers,doctors, lawyers, farmers, ranchers,cooks, soldiers and more.

They built houses, towns, commu-nities, businesses, families, schools,universities, institutions and futures.And many of these men he says byWestern standards had less than athird-grade education.

Dr. Claude Anderson would re-mind us (and as echoed by our goodBro. Dr. Booker Coleman in HiddenColors 1), that even right after 1865’sEmancipation Proclamation and wellinto the 1900’s, Black people collec-tively were the fastest growing edu-cated populace in America.

As a group, we would have beenthe most skilled-competitive in a freeopen market up to the point of inte-gration in the 70’s.

And again to underscore this par-ticular historical feature, SharazadAli also in Hidden 1 tells us that,“They don’t keep you out” becauseyou are the worse or inferior. “Theykeep us out because we are the verybest.”

In other words, we were not “seg-

regated” or “kept out” necessarilyonly because of racism or White Su-premacy as we talk about it today.Black people were and are locked outin many American and Westernizedstreams because of our potential andesteemed ability to successfully com-pete with others.

One studies history so as to buildupon it in order to learn lessons,replicate models and become agreater people. We can return to oursupreme and godly essence as wewere Pre-Dynastically and in Kemet;during the Great African Kingdoms– particularly that of Mali and Song-hay.

We can rebuild our communitieseven by replicating the genius of ourAfrican Moor ancestry for examplewho brought Europe out of the DarkAges over the 781 years from 711 to1492.

If our Kemetic and African King-dom ancestors could uplift, teach andcivilize themselves and the world; ifthe Moors could bring Europe out oftheir Dark Ages, we can most cer-tainly and assuredly even in one gen-eration rebuild, resurrect and restorerespectively our own families andcentral city communities nationwide.

And there are Black “Old School”era paths to guide us to again be thatHigher Order example of exemplarydignified group behavior; models ofa strong loving, caring and nurturing

Black family; models of how weraise and educate our children andprepare them for community upliftand positive societal membership.

We have in our history our ownmodels of how we should build (re-build) our communities economi-cally; models of how we can createour own institutions that we controland embellish with our own supremeand godly greatness so that again wemay be that proud Black/Africanmirror for ourselves, for our children,for our future, for America and forthe planet to follow as – again – wecan lend our own unique and proudBlack/African contribution towardsthe onward flow of civilized hu-mankind ideals.

Although as noted, space does notpermit a rendering specifically ofwho and what these models may be.But this writer is proud to reveal thatfor this the third consecutive year,African Global Images, Inc. is in-vited back to MATC’s downtowncampus for a designed installationduring this coming Black HistoryMonth 2015.

Components generally will includeHumankind Beginnings; Black Firstin the Americas; Who Were the An-cient Kemites/Egyptians?; TheAchievement and World Contribu-tion of Ancient Classical Kemet;Great African Kingdom Universities;The Moors in Europe; Black Mastery

During the Enslavement, Recon-struction and Jim Crow Eras; A Trib-ute to Black Inventors; “RewindingBlack In Time;” Black Sport Victo-ries in 2014; Saluting African Amer-ican Women Astronauts and Pilots;Recognizing the Talents of BlackYouth Entrepreneurs, and the geniusof our children from the MilwaukeeCourier Newspaper series, “Young,Gifted & Black.”

Specific examples will be noted ina later writing promoting this MATCfeature.

We are also extremely proud toshare that this 2015 MATC installa-tion will be dedicated to the legacy ofRon W. Pounds who joined the mosthonored realm of the ancestors onDecember 6, 2014.

We want to again thank Bro. Islamfor the reminder and for the inspira-tion that Black culture is aboutachievement and excellence.

In this regard, Black HistoryMonth 2015 can be a highly antici-pated occasion for us to rememberand celebrate our greatness as a peo-ple.

Taki S. Raton is a writer and lecturerin the African Centered Model and inAfrican World Historiography. An ad-junct professor at the Springfield Col-lege Milwaukee Campus andPresident/CEO of African Global Im-ages, Inc., he can be reached for in-quiries at: [email protected].

Black history about achievement, excellence and greatness of African Americans (continued from page 3)

City of Milwaukee Health Department Issues Cold Weather Health Advisory

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued an alert for the area, stating that cold tem-peratures and brisk winds may result in wind chills that could reach between 20 and 34 degreesbelow zero. A wind chill advisory begins at 12 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 7, through 12 p.m. Thurs-day, Jan. 8. Following this period, there could be additional times from late Thursday night intoSaturday morning with bitterly cold wind chills. To remain safe during cold weather, the MHDsuggests:• Minimizing the time spent outdoors. If you do go outside, let someone know where you aregoing and when you expect to return.• Wear appropriate outdoor clothing and dress in layers. Be sure to cover exposed skin, includingyour fingers, nose, and ears.• Make a car survival kit that includes blankets, extra clothing and high-energy foods. Ensurethat your vehicle’s fuel tank is a least half full and the battery is charged.• Be aware of the symptoms of frostbite and hypothermia. Frostbite can occur within minuteswhen unprotected skin is exposed to very cold temperatures, causing the affected area to appearwhite or grayish-yellow in color and feel firm or waxy. Hypothermia is life-threatening, andoccurs when the body temperature drops too low, causing shivering, drowsiness, clumsinessand confusion. Both require immediate medical treatment.• Heat your home with devices approved for indoor use, and ensure they are properly ventedto prevent carbon monoxide poisoning or fires. Never use wood-burning or coal-burning grills,camp stoves, or other outdoor devices indoors.• Keep pets safe by bringing them inside and ensuring trips outside are brief.It is very important during cold weather to check on family members and neighbors who maybe at risk for illness or injuries, especially young children, the elderly, and those withcertain medical conditions.

“Mister Speaker, I am proud that the Milwaukee CommunityJournal hails from the 4th Congressional District. It has consistently informed, analysed and entertained readers fornearly 38 years. I am pleased to give praise to PatriciaO’Flynn Pattillo and her staff for providing a voice to the community and providing educational opportunities to students. I wish them many more years of success.”--A segment from Cong. Gwen Moore’s remarks she made on the Congressional Record paying tribute to the Milwaukee Community Journal’s Dr.Terence N. Thomas Scholarship Annual Brunch


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MCJ January 7, 2014 Edition