WSSN Stories

The Story Behind Why Black History Month Is In February

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK–ENN)— The month of February serves as Black History Month; it’s a point in the year where we observe the difficult circumstances that Black people have faced throughout history as well as celebrate all their accomplishments. But why exactly is Black History Month in February? Many people have recognized the lack of representation Black people have within textbooks and school curriculum across America. Below, we outline the interesting and important story of why Black History Month is in February.

Carter G. Woodson: The Pioneer

In the early 20^th century, historian Carter G. Woodson saw first-hand the underrepresentation of Black people in the various books and conversations that shaped the study of American history. To try and fix this, Dr. Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History—now called the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH).

ASALH was and still is an organization that promotes the continuous study of Black history. Dr. Woodson believed this was essential because “if a race has no history, it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated.” Due to his determination to emphasize the importance of celebrating Black accomplishments, Dr. Woodson pioneered the field of African-American studies and set the foundation for Black History Month.

Douglass and Lincoln: The Abolitionists

In 1926, Dr. Woodson and the ASALH brought about “Negro History Week”—the purpose being to further their mission of getting Black history into more schooling systems. They chose the second week of February to honor Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln since their birthdays are within that week. This initiative spread quickly, and soon people everywhere were celebrating this week.

As the years went on, even after Dr. Woodson passed, people continued to celebrate this week. It wasn’t until the 1960s that people started to expand the week to a month-long celebration. Part of the reason for this expansion was the fact that “by the mid-1960s, the most popular textbook for eighth-grade U.S. history classes mentioned only two black people in the entire century of history that had transpired since the Civil War.” People knew there was so much more than that; therefore, colleges and universities across the country transformed to celebrate Black History Month instead of Negro History Week.

President Gerald Ford: The Solidifier

As the Civil Rights Movement spread across the country, it helped to snowball the initiative even further. By 1976, President Gerald Ford decreed Black History Month a national observance: “In celebrating Black History Month,” Ford said in his message, “we can seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

Although the 20^th century was a tumultuous time, it resulted in massive steps forward for the Black community.

Black History Month: The Theme

Black History Month is a celebration of an underrepresented and abused people and their accomplishments. However, in 1976, the ASALH designated a theme to each year’s Black History Month. Every year since, there has been a theme. This year’s theme is Black Migrations, which emphasizes the movement of African people to new destinations and new social realities.

By Lou Yeboah

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— Yes, we have been endowed with a rare privilege to take their legacy further. Their mantle has been laid upon us as a symbolic action, therefore, it is time to stop talking about it and being about it. Like Elisha [2 Kings 2:13], we must make a conscious decision to pick up the mantle as a symbol of responsibility, service, and sacrifice.  Realizing that when we pick up the mantle, that not only do we honor the spirit of our ancestors, but it becomes the symbol of God’s power in our hands as it was for our ancestors. That when we pick up the mantle, we will not just be a passive observer to inequity and injustice.  That when we pick up the mantle, we say that we are willing to pay the price and sacrifice…. for the future is in our hands. The future belongs to us. Therefore, we must commit to the calling of something bigger than just a feel-good. We must commit ourselves to doing this, and doing it together.  Greatness is still standing among us. And now we must pass that legacy on . It is my obligation. It is your obligation. It is our obligation. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders… and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us…. [Hebrews 12:1]

Now shall we ….

“Lift every voice and sing, Till earth and heaven ring. Ring with the harmonies of Liberty; Let our rejoicing rise, High as the listening skies, Let it resound loud as the rolling sea. Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us, Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us; Facing the rising sun of our new day begun, Let us march on till victory is won…““ [Lift Every Voice and Sing by James Weldon]

By Manny Otiko | California Black Media 

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— SACRAMENTO,CA – On Friday, Feb. 22, Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered new DNA tests in a 35-year-old quadruple murder case involving African-American death row inmate Kevin Cooper.

Newsom’s decision could lead to the overturning of Cooper’s 1985 conviction in the killing of a rural Chino Hills family and their 11-year-old house guest. The case has the potential, some political watchers say, to divide Californians.

Both the California and United States supreme courts and more than a dozen lower courts have rejected Cooper’s past appeals.

“I take no position regarding Mr. Cooper’s guilt or innocence at this time,” Newsom said in his executive order about the high-profile case that has drawn international interest. New York Times’ columnist Nicholas Kristof, U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris and reality TV star Kim Kardashian have all called for re-testing using current, more sensitive forensic technology.

The ACLU and other human rights and social justice groups have also urged California state officials to launch a deeper investigation into Cooper’s conviction.

Gov. Newsom’s order Friday expands previous direction issued by former Gov. Jerry Brown in December to test four pieces of crime scene evidence. Brown’s order allowed analysts to perform DNA re-testing on a  tan T-shirt; an orange towel; and the handle and sheath of a hatchet prosecutors say Cooper used in the murders. 

In this new investigation, analysts will look at strands of hair from the victims’ hands, blood samples and a green button Cooper’s attorney Norman Hile maintains investigators planted at the scene of the crime. A retired Los Angeles County Superior Court judge will oversee the investigation.

Cooper, 61, has maintained his innocence over the years. His lawyers hope the results of the re-testing ordered by Gov. Newsom, which could take several months, will help prove their client’s innocence and finally exonerate him. 

In 1985, a San Diego County jury convicted Cooper on four counts of murder. At the time of his arrest, he was 26 and an escaped prison inmate. His lengthy criminal record – including several burglaries and the rape of a minor in Pennsylvania – did not help his case. 

Cooper, formerly named Richard Goodman, was born in 1958 near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. When he was six months old, he was adopted and renamed Kevin Cooper. During his childhood, his parents physically abused him and he spent a good part of adolescence living in several juvenile detention centers. In 1982, Cooper escaped from a mental health facility in Pennsylvania before moving to California. 

During his murder trial, prosecutors successfully argued that Cooper killed husband and wife Doug and Peggy Ryen, their 10-year-old daughter Jessica and an 11-year-old neighbor Christopher Hughes. Police found the bloodied bodies in the Ryen’s home with a total of 143 stab wounds. Joshua Ryen, the victims’ 8-year-old son, suffered a slash wound on his throat. He was the only survivor of the attack.

After Coopers’s jail break, investigators found, he illegally stayed in a house next door to the victims. They also say they found evidence in the Ryen’s home and in the family’s station wagon that tied Cooper to the murders. 

For some, Gov. Newsom’s order to broaden DNA testing in the case is being met with dismay. The lone survivor of the murders Joshua Ryen and family, friends and supporters of the Ryens and Hughes all across the state say they are disappointed with the governor’s decision. 

“Unfortunately, over time it seems the victims’ desire for justice in this case matters less and less,” San Bernardino District Attorney Jason Anderson said in a statement. “Prior DNA testing that Mr. Cooper sought, agreed to and claimed would exonerate him have all confirmed Mr. Cooper’s guilt.”

Yet persuasive arguments based on conflicting testimonies and allegations of evidence tampering, keep raising reasonable questions about the methods and stories investigators used to nail Cooper. Three weapons were used in the attack, and in sworn testimony, Joshua Ryen said he saw three attackers who were White. He later testified that they could have been Hispanic.

Further complicating the prosecutions’ claims, a woman named Diana Roper came forward with bloody clothing belonging to her former boyfriend who was a violent criminal. She turned the evidence over to the police, but they destroyed it. 

African Americans, Hispanics and other minorities living in the San Bernardino County are not surprised about the allegations Cooper’s attorneys are making about their D.A.’s office. Many of them frequently complain about racial biases and discrimination in the way their cases or complaints are handled. Just last month, a San Bernardino gang prosecutor Michael Selyem, who is White, resigned under pressure for making crude and racist and comments on social media. His insults targeted former First Lady Michelle Obama, U,S. Rep. Maxine Waters and an unnamed Black shooting victim.

Thomas R. Parker, a former deputy head of the FBI’s Los Angeles office, believes Cooper. 

This guy is innocent,” he told the New York Times. “The evidence was planted, he was framed, the cops lied on the stand.”

What has kept the case going – and Cooper alive – is a federal appellate court’s decision in 2004 to stay his execution and review the case with more scientific evidence. 

Gov. Newsom’s decision to allow another round of DNA testing comes early in the term of the progressive California Governor whose supporters on the political Left have high expectations. 

“DNA testing should immediately take place to resolve the Ryen case and finally ensure justice is served,” Chiang said during the campaign. “Not only is it proven that DNA evidence can help law enforcement solve crimes, but testing in this case would come at no cost to the state.”

Even though Newsom’s decision in the Cooper case is bold, he is treading carefully on a potentially polarizing issue that California voters across the political spectrum are watching. He is keeping his focus on fairness and justice with the realization that the convictions of thousands of felons – particularly African-American men – have been overturned after DNA testing proved their innocence. 

“Especially in cases where the government seeks to impose the ultimate punishment of death,” he said. “I need to be satisfied that all relevant evidence is carefully and fairly examined.”

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— U.S. Sailors perform a dance during a Black History Month celebration on the mess decks aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) in the Pacific Ocean, February 20, 2019. The John C. Stennis is deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Skyler Okerman)

Photos by John Coleman

The San Bernardino Black Culture Foundation, Inc., met on Friday, February 1 to celebrate the recipients of the SBBCF 2019 Scholarship Awards and to announce the appointment of the 2019 SBBCF Honorary Senior Queen and King.

The SBBCF has shown appreciation and given recognition to individuals and couples whose personal lives both demonstrate and contribute to the  quality of life in San Bernardino and surrounding communities, and have expressed this annually since 1985. They do this through the SBBCF (Honorary) “Black San  Bernardino, Senior King & Queen” designation.

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By Lou Yeboah

Let us remember that the Commission has been given. As [Joshua 1:1-18] reminds us, “that after the death of Moses [Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Sojourner Truth, Nelson Mandela, W.E.B. DuBois, Wangari Muta Maathaia, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Deratu Tulu, and all of those whom we celebrate today] that the LORD spoke saying, “Moses, My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan… to the land which I am giving to you… Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses [and to all your ancestors].  From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun, will be your territory.  No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, and [your ancestors] I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Now arise, cross this Jordan!

I tell you, what was true for Joshua is equally true for us. Regardless of the obstacles, we need to act on this fact by faith in the Lord’s person, promises, and provision, just as our ancestors did. [Joshua 1: 16-18]. This is significant. We must be careful to do according to all the law which Moses [Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and all of those whom we celebrate today] commanded us; do not turn from it to the right or to the left; for then we will make our way prosperous, and then we will have success.

I tell you, the Commission has been given…. Arise, Let’s cross this Jordan!

5 Influential Civil Rights Activists You Haven’t Heard Of

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— With Black History Month upon us, it’s important to take time and recognize the people who worked tirelessly to make a difference. Check out these inspirational quotes from civil rights activists you haven’t heard of, and learn more about their impact on society and the Civil Rights Movement.

Diane Nash (1938–)

One of the most esteemed leaders of the sit-in movement, Diane Nash was prominently involved in some of the most influential campaigns of the Civil Rights Movement. All in her early 20s, Nash helped found the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and led the Selma Voting Rights Movement. She also organized the Nashville Student Movement Ride from Birmingham to Jackson, Mississippi.

Influential Quote: “The movement had a way of reaching inside you and bringing out thing even you didn’t know were there.”

Charles Hamilton Houston (1895–1950)

Although he died before the start of the Civil Rights Movement, his influence was undeniable. Houston was a Black lawyer who worked to dismantle the Jim Crow laws, and he also helped train Thurgood Marshall, another influential American lawyer. He knew how important it was to fight the good fight and give a voice to disadvantaged individuals.

Influential Quote: “The hate and scorn showered on us Negro officers by our fellow Americans convinced me that there was no sense in my dying for a world ruled by them. I made up my mind that if I got through this war I would study law and use my time fighting for men who could not strike back.”

Daisy Bates (1914–1999)

Bates and her husband distributed a weekly African-American newspaper in Arkansas—something not often heard of, but undeniably important. Her way with words and her passion for the Civil Rights Movement led her to become the NAACP Arkansas chapter president. She was also the guiding force behind enrolling nine Black students (The Little Rock Nine) in an all-white high school. Without Bate’s passion for equal opportunity, these students would have never been able to go on and achieve the things they did.

Influential Quote: “No man or woman who tries to pursue an ideal in his or her own way is without enemies.” 

Bayard Rustin (1912–1987)

Rustin worked closely with Martin Luther King, Jr. as a proofreader, ghostwriter, and non-violence strategist. He worked thoroughly and tirelessly behind-the-scenes, most notably as the chief organizer for the March on Washington. He promoted non-violence and advocated for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community as well as African-Americans.

Influential Quote: “People will never fight for your freedom if you have not given evidence that you are prepared to fight for it yourself.”

Dorothy Height (1912–2010)

Another important leader behind the March on Washington, Height fought constantly for the rights of the Black and the female community. She worked with major Civil Rights activists such as MLK Jr., and people regularly called upon her for advice on political issues—most notably, Eleanor Roosevelt and Dwight D. Eisenhower. In 1994, President Bill Clinton awarded her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Influential Quote: “Greatness is not measured by what a man or woman accomplishes, but by the opposition, he or she has overcome to reach his goals.”

By Tanu Henry California Black Media

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— Riverside-based publisher of the Black Voice News, Dr. Paulette Brown-Hinds, was recently sworn in as the first African-American president of the California News Publishers Association (CNPA). The 131-year-old organization, headquartered in Sacramento, represents more than 400 newspapers across the state.

The CNPA installed Brown-Hinds at its annual conference on February 6, 2019. Over a hundred California media professionals – from major big city dailies and small campus weeklies to historical Black, Latino and Asian outlets – attended the gathering. This year’s discussions touched on issues facing minorities in the upcoming 2020 Census. It also tackled sticky, longstanding media industry problems and pulled apart laws that could impact news operations across the state in the future.

“We have always valued the work CNPA has done on behalf of the industry,” Brown-Hinds told her colleagues in her inaugural speech as President.  “The work that the Black Voice News has done over the years is impactful work in the community that changed lives, policy. I knew it was important for me to do this as well.”

Taking the helm of the CNPA is history-making not only because Brown-Hinds is the first African American and ethnic minority to lead the influential statewide organization. Her personal and family history of advocacy and community service brings a certain grassroots heft that has the potential to benefit the organization as it takes on major legislative issues facing the media across the state in 2019. She is also a professor at the University of California Riverside, and board member of the James Irvine Foundation.

“[Paulette] is a fearless leader. She’s not afraid to confront complex issues. She never stops working and is a shining example of diplomacy,” said Ron Hasse, immediate predecessor.

 “Part of our mission,” she said.  “is giving voice to the voiceless. That is why I appreciate the press, in particular the Black press, because it is rooted in advocacy.”

As Brown-Hinds takes the helm of the CNPA, she faces a number of important policy issues that California newspapers have the responsibility to unpack for their audiences across the state. One of them is the upcoming 2020 Census. 

This years CNPA conference dedicated a panel discussion to exploring the details of the decennial census.  The Trump administration’s decision to add a citizenship question to the 2020 national population count was a hot topic. Panelists explored how that decision may or may not impact the participation of minorities, immigrants and undocumented people in California.

 The panelists also talked about how Census enumerators in the past have undercounted ethnic minorities and other “hard-to-count” populations in California and other states by millions of people. Those inaccuracies could result in the loss of billions of dollars in federal funding and even cost California a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. During the,2010 Census, about 200,000 minority children in California alone were undercounted.

“Power comes from numbers. Power comes from data. If your numbers are wrong and your data is wrong, it undermines your power,” said Arturo Vargas, the Chief Executive Officer of NALEO Educational Fund. His organization is a national non-profit that promotes the participation of Latinos in civic life. 

The way the Census Bureau will categorize and sub-categorize people by  race  on next year’s questionnaires may also pose problems for some Asians, Blacks, Latinos and other minority groups. For example, People of Arab descent from places in North Africa and the Middle East like Egypt, Syria and Morocco will be counted as White. Afro-Latinos from places like the Dominican Republic will only also be able to only identify as Latino – with no option to choose Black. 

The NAACP has filed a lawsuit in Maryland arguing that the 2020 Census is designed purposefully to undercount Blacks, Vargas told the media professionals in the room.

DitasKatague, the Director of the California Complete Count Office, was a panelist as well. She has also served on the U.S. Census Bureau’s National Advisory Committee on Race, Ethnicities and Other Populations.

Having worked on three censuses in the past, Katague sees the problems looming with next year’s count in California. She approaches them, though, with a surprising sense of confidence. She is familiar with the process and has decades of experience working with minorities and the media across the state to successfully increase participation.

After the 2020 census, she told the journalists in the room, “What I want to see is that California achieves a complete and accurate count and we outpace the entire country.”

In an effort to reach that goal, Katague’s organization plans to spend tens of millions of dollars partnering with California media, including ethnic media who she says “hard-to-count” minority populations trust.

“Locally created messages resonate. Understand your audience. Educate your audience,” she told them. 

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK—ENN)— U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. James Anderson Jr. became the first African-American U.S. Marine to receive the nation’s highest honor. Anderson was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on Feb. 28, 1967.

Anderson was born on January 22, 1947 in Los Angeles, California. After graduating from high school, he attended Los Angeles Harbor Junior college for a year and a half before enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps in Compton, California in 1966.

Anderson received recruit training at the 1st Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, California. After Anderson graduated from recruit training he was promoted to the rank of private first class. He would continue his training at Camp Pendleton, California before receiving orders to Vietnam.

Anderson was sent to Vietnam in December 1966. He was a rifleman assigned to the Company F, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division in the Quang Tri Province of Vietnam. He would give his life two months later.

On February 28, 1967, his platoon was northwest of Cam Lo in an effort to extract a heavily besieged reconnaissance patrol, when they came under intense enemy small arms and automatic weapons fire. As the fire fight ensued, “an enemy grenade landed in the midst of the Marines and rolled along side Private First Class Anderson’s head.”

With complete disregard for himself, Anderson “reached out, grasped the grenade, pulled it to his chest and curled around it as it went off.” Anderson received the brunt of the explosion. In a singular act of heroism and selflessness, the young Marine saved his comrades from severe injury and possible death.

Anderson had celebrated his 20th birthday one month prior.

According to the original Medal of Honor citation, his personal heroism, extraordinary valor, and inspirational supreme self-sacrifice reflected great credit upon himself and the Marine Corps and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

The Medal of Honor was presented to Anderson’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Anderson, at the Marine Barracks in Washington, D.C. It was presented by Navy Secretary Paul Ignatius on August 21, 1968.

Today, a grateful nation remembers. Robert Lishey, who grew up in the same “Willowbrook” neighborhood as Anderson talks about how his hometown holds great respect for his sacrifice. “A park in Carson, CA is named in your honor,” he wrote in a Wall of Faces remembrance for Anderson.

The sacrifice of this young Marine is an example of heroism, camaraderie and devotion to country. He was hero with love for his brothers-in-arms. The story of Pfc. James Anderson shows that many are called to a life bigger than oneself and his legacy will live forever.