Stand by Your Man

By William Reed

CNN contributor Roland Martin, who departs the network on April 6, has been named the National Association of Black Journalists’ (NABJ) 2013 Journalist of the Year. In today’s American media there are a number of Black faces on the screen as anchors, pundits, and hosts. But none represented the views and interests of Blacks as well as Martin. In NewsOne’s poll to select the nation’s Top 10 Black News Pundits, Martin came in at No. 1.

Martin is an “under 50” award-winning journalist. Primarily known for his work with CNN, Martin is a nationally-syndicated columnist, television host, and radio and television commentator. The award follows a February meeting between the NABJ and new CNN honcho Jeff Zucker to discuss concerns over Zucker’s vision for the network. So, as Martin makes his exit from CNN, NABJ’s Board of Directors appear to be making a public endorsement of Martin by giving him their most coveted award, “celebrating the accomplishments of Black journalists and those who support Blacks in the media.”

Many African Americans have reacted negatively to CNN’s failure to renew Martin’s contract, but not all have. Some have said, “good riddance,” citing what they considered his arrogant personality. But among so many in the media that feel obliged to “hide their Blackness” Martin has singularly been front and center on Blacks and their issues. “No other African-American journalist brought more news and analysis to Black communities about the most important stories than Roland Martin,” said Vanessa Williams, former NABJ president and an editor at The Washington Post.

Martin has enjoyed an enviable career as a multimedia journalist, becoming a respected and trusted voice in print, on air and online,” said NABJ President Gregory Lee, Jr. “He is unapologetic about his quest to provide well-rounded coverage of the African-American community, and to provide unique insights to diverse audiences across the many platforms on which he is asked to contribute on a regular basis.”

Throughout his career, Martin has contributed much for his race. A lifetime member of the NABJ, Martin served as national secretary of the board from 2009 until 2011. Surrounded mostly by Whites in network news settings, Martin is comfortable “being the Black in the room.”  Early in his career, Martin was a radio talk show host for Chicago’s Black Talk radio station WVON-AM. He is the former executive editor and general manager of The Chicago Defender, one of the nation’s oldest Black newspapers. During the 1990s, Martin was a contributor on the BET Sunday morning news program Lead Story.  He was the founding news editor for Savoy Magazine, and the founding editor of BlackAmericaWeb.com.

As he departs CNN, Martin, no longer has a “cross-over audience.” Some African Americans will talk about protesting CNN’s treatment of Martin and rally crowds in front of CNN offices. In reality, more of us need to channel our remotes to the Black-owned network to watch Martin host TV One’s one-hour Sunday morning news show, Washington Watch. During weekday mornings, millions hear him on the Tom Joyner Morning Show.

In what may well be the perception of the majority of Americans, during an interview with Rush Limbaugh, who openly criticized the TV One television network, saying it isn’t worth “salt,” and called Martin, “angry”,  more Blacks should support Martin’s “anger.”  Studies say that network news conveys more stereotyped impressions – a narrower range of positive roles – for Blacks than for Whites.  Representations of Whites in network news are more varied and more positive than that of Blacks. These studies’ findings raise questions about journalists’ ability to “represent” the “reality” of Black America. The reality is that Martin has represented that “reality.”

Black Americans need to recognize news organizations are businesses, and that they can alter the field with their eyes and ears by tuning into Black programming. The more people who watch, Washington Watch, the higher TV One’s ratings will soar and the higher Martin’s chances will be of making the same, or more money, than he did with CNN.  William Reed is publisher of “Who’s Who in Black Corporate America” and available for projects via the BaileyGroup.org

 

The Family Business

By William Reed

In American politics, many object to power flowing through blood rather than through the ballot. A “dynasty” is a sequence of rulers considered members of the same family. Among Blacks, some prominent families regard politics as business operations.

Blacks elected immediately after the civil rights era, gained office as mayors or to the House of Representatives in majority-Black areas. Younger Black politicians are now seeking to win political posts of governor or senator in which they would represent much larger and diverse groups of voters.  In theory, having a parent already in politics provides political base younger politicians can use to reach wider multi-racial constituencies.

Several scions of Black political families that came to high political office by virtue of birthright are on the decline. New York Gov. David Paterson, whose father Basil is a powerful figure in Harlem politics, left his appointed office in disgrace.

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Malik Kilpatrick is now a resident in the Federal Correctional Institution at Milan, Mich.  A former Michigan state representative, Kilpatrick, was recently found guilty on 24 of 30 federal corruption charges. In 1996, Kilpatrick was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives after his mother vacated the seat to campaign for Congress. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick represented Detroit in the Michigan State House from 1979 to 1996 and served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1996 to 2010.

Jesse L. Jackson has a family that has benefited from his impact on politics.  The son that was first elected to Congress in 1995 now faces a prison sentence ranging from 46 to 57 months.  Jesse Jackson Jr., was convicted for spending approximately $750,000 in campaign money on high-end items, including a Rolex watch and furs. The extended Jackson clan includes Jonathan and Yusef. Jonathan Jackson is a business professor and entrepreneur. He owns a Cricket Wireless franchise operation, and is a partner with Yusef, in a Chicago-based Anheuser-Busch distributorship – River North Sales and Service, LLC.

In Memphis, the Ford name became legend as Whites moved from the city to the suburbs. By 1974, the percentage of Black voters had increased enough for three sons of a local funeral director to win an unprecedented electoral victory: John was elected to the state Senate, Emmett was elected to the state House, and Harold became the first African American from Tennessee elected to the U.S. Congress in the 20^th century. In 1996 when Harold, Sr., decided not to seek a 12th term in Congress, Harold, Jr., easily won the race, taking office at age 26. “Junior” was only 30 years old in 2000 when he gave the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention. He ran for the U.S. Senate seat but lost. Scandal and corruption followed the Fords ascent in politics.

William Lacy Clay, Sr., was elected to the House of Representatives in 1968. In 2000, Clay, Sr., retired from the seat after 32 years and Clay Jr., known as Lacy Clay, became the U.S. Rep. for Missouri’s 1st congressional district.

Carrie P. Meek was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1978 and to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1992. Kendrick Brett Meek lost the U.S. House seat that his mother had handed him in his 2010 bid for the Florida Senate seat. Kendrick was the U.S. Representative for Florida’s 17th congressional district from 2003 to 2011, after having served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1995 to 1998.

Representative Donald M. Payne, from New Jersey, died of cancer in March 2012 after serving in the House for 23 years. He was 77. His son, Donald M. Payne, Jr., was elected to Congress in November 2012. Brother, and uncle, William D. Payne served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1998-2008.

Black voters have to discern if there’s a disconnect between the agenda of Black political leadership and their constituent communities. Will Black voters ever shun political dynasties revolving among husbands and wives, brothers, sisters and children in the guise of serving the public?

William Reed is publisher of “Who’s Who in Black Corporate America” and available for projects via the BaileyGroup.org

Removing the Veil from Black History Month

SANKOFA: A West African word meaning to retrieve the past in order to live in the future.

February, the nationally-recognized, officially-designated month to observe, celebrate, and praise much of Black America’s achievements and contributions to weaving the fabric of the American civilization has come and gone. It seems that beyond this 28-day stretch, though, the significance of black history is likened to a barely-visible flicker in the dark night, with it rarely being the topic of any on-going conversations and/or daily teachings to present full and balanced truths to the misinformed populous at large.

It further seems as though much of America—including Black America—has been pacified with only this month-long appeasement; however, those who value the black race and understand the significance in Black America’s past, current, and future contributions know too well the benefits all would experience if black history was integrally and fully incorporated into daily life, practices, and traditions at the onset of and throughout one’s life as are Euro-centric ideals. Many claim that Afro-centric ideals are loftily incorporated into daily teachings, but if this were the case, there wouldn’t be a need for Black History Month and Black studies in colleges and universities.

Most black and non-black students alike from kindergarten through college are presented, if any at all, a distorted, slanted and fabricated view of history as it pertains to Black/African-Americans’ contributions to World and American history.   The video Black African History and BLACK Empires You Were Never Told About  addresses the existence of Black Empires that’s generally excluded from the pages of history.

When it comes to an unbiased presentation of history, a monolithic truth problem exists. While unscrupulous White scholars, archeologists, anthropologists, and philosophers paint one picture, Black historian scholars along with the more circumspect White scholars paint another as shown in the above video and in Africa You Will Never See in HIS-STORY books (crucial info).

Black historians are generally discredited not just by White scholars but also by cloned White scholars with black skin. Black/African-American inventors, statesman, professionals, explorers, scientists, architects, artists, writers and musicians— despite their enormous contributions to society—are often times excluded from American history—albeit athletes, entertainers and musicians are generally acknowledged. Cerebral accomplishments, with the exception of a sprinkled few who cannot be denied, for the most part, are conveniently excluded.

REAL Black history encompasses both World and American history, including pre- and post-American slavery days. As such, if blacks limit their perspective, knowledge, and acceptance of black history to the incidences that occurred in America, then the truth is that these blacks sadly do not share in the bounty of having a rich, thriving culture and history founded upon dignity, progressivism, and self-sustenance that existed in Africa prior to the American and European slave trade.

Aspects of American history revolving around Negro, Colored, and African Americans to all intents and purposes began after the Civil War and/or with the debarking of the first slave ship. The terms Negro, Colored, and African American bound and conveniently confine Blacks’ identity to that as descendants of slaves, thus, eternally disconnected from any other past history. They are left without a compass to navigate and return to any geographical ties in the mother land.  There is no such place as “African” America and the terms Negro, Colored do not relate to any land, history or culture other than that of subjugation, strife, inferiority and indignity.

Is there a cover up governed by archaeological, government and historical circles to hide true identities; and if so, why?

Black historian scholars along with some erudite White historians raise interesting and begging questions relative to Black Civilizations and its place in World history. Facts seem to suggest that there is a deliberate attempt to obliterate the contributions of Black Civilizations from the pages of history, but as historians and scholars continue to study past developments, there are factors that cannot be denied or erased that place Blacks on the grand stage of history: The African Moors in Spain and Return To Glory.

Along with many archeologists and anthropologists, notable figures such as Friedrich Nietzsche, Joseph Arthur Comte de Gobineau, Madison Grant, and, most recently, the authors of the book “Bell Curve” published in the mid 1990’s have all influenced minds and help paint a distorted picture of history in their advocating of White Supremacy. If White America does not feel threatened and knows without a shadow of a doubt that they are the most progressive and supreme form of being on this earth, why is there an overwhelming need to build a case for superiority of one group and the so-called inferiority of another? Why is there a need to fabricate and/or hide parts of history?

If there is anything mentally inferior about today’s Black American people, it is their inability to rise to the statuesque of their forefathers ( Great Kings and Queens of Africa) by accepting a baser image of themselves conveyed through the use of the n-word and referring to self as a n**ga/n**ger.  A n**ger is a contrived image that was forced upon Blacks’ enslaved ancestors, browbeating them into acceptance which the naïve and paternalistic modern day descendants obediently and meekly embrace as an acceptance of their downfall from grace.

Society is asked to believe that white people gratuitously developed Egypt and, as an after thought thousands of years later, decided to develop Europe; and while supposedly developing Egypt, they benevolently built a Sphinx with Afroid features, that millenniums later, at Napoleon first laying his bewildered eyes upon the momentous monument ordered his troops to shoot off its nose.  For what ever reason it has been a common practice to deface the Afroid features of Egyptian artifacts and statuettes then later deceivingly create drawings of these same artifacts with European facial features.  The defaced artifacts and statuettes are on display in Egyptian museums today, further contributing to the fabricated lies conceived to smother the existence of a people all in the name of honoring stolen legacies.

Just as clarity to clear up the aforementioned suggestion, the cold facts are such that: Western civilization (Greco-Roman culture) begins somewhere around the 8^th century BC.  Alexander the Great invaded Egypt 332 BC leading to the eventual fall of Egypt. From 5^th century AD (Dark Ages, Middle Ages, the Renaissance on into the 16^th century AD), European culture was in developmental stages.  In contrast, Africa was experiencing its third Golden Age through the civilizations of Mali, Ghana and Songhay. The Great Pyramid and Sphinx were thousands of years old by this point in time.

Eventually, after being invaded by foreigners, Egypt gradually transformed from being a Black Civilization to what it is today. To fully understand such a transformation, one must look no further than America’s own back yard to the Olmec Heads. Though the Olmec Heads are of Afroid features, people are expected to accept the hypothesis advanced by amoral white archeologists and anthropologists that such features, along with other clues, are meaningless and to ignore the obvious as to who the Olmecs truly were.

The reader is encouraged to view the following videos, and thereafter, undertake their own research and apply due diligence to learn how it is that the Mayans, Aztecs, Incans, Hispanics, and Native American Indians are possibly all descendants of the Olmecs: UNTOLD BLACK HISTORY: “Blacks” were the 1st Americans !!!THE Undeniable Evidence  and Olmec Heads 1/5.

Three questions:  When Columbus first set foot on this land who all did he REALLY encounter? And second, would the Moorish American Treaty of Peace Friendship 1787 have anything to do with this encounter?  Third, if so, what were the implications, significance and need for a treaty with Morocco on the behalf of Moors?

The entire Black American population owes it to self and their forefathers to unearth the truth; Black America has been bamboozled and hoodwinked long enough. To determine a real future for Black America, the entire race of people must learn about and embrace their past far back across the water to use that as a foundation and a source of life for future progress. Black America must not wait to learn about Black history when it is convenient for the rest of America, but must remain owners of their own enlightenment, keepers of their own achievements, and missionaries of their own salvation.

H. Lewis Smith is the founder and president of UVCC, the United Voices for a Common Cause, Inc. (www.theunitedvoices.com),  and author of “Bury that Sucka: A Scandalous Love Affair with the N-Word.” Follow him on Twitter: www.twitter.com/thescoop1.

The Official James Brown Channel Is On YouTube

Brought to you by the folks at SHOUT! Factory, a group of people dedicated to preserving the legacy of artists like James Brown.

In a career that spanned six decades, James Brown profoundly influenced the development of many different musical genres.  For many years, Brown’s touring show was one of the most extravagant productions in American popular music. At the time of Brown’s death, his band included three guitarists, two bass guitar players, two drummers, three horns and a percussionist.  The bands that he maintained during the late 1960s and 1970s were of comparable size, and the bands also included a three-piece amplified string section that played during ballads.  Brown employed between 40 and 50 people for the James Brown Revue, and members of the revue traveled with him in a bus to cities and towns all over the country, performing upwards of 330 shows a year with almost all of the shows as one-nighters.   In 1986, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and in 2000 into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

James Brown is ranked seventh on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the “100 Greatest Artists of All Time.”  Brown died on Christmas Day 2006 from heart failure.

James Brown Channel