Washington Informer

Remembering Septima Clark

I am a faithful reader of the Washington Informer and love the wonderful articles you provide on a weekly basis. But every once in a while there's an story in the paper that sparks something in me, that makes me want to know more about the subject, the time, and the history. The article by Dr. Thandekile Mvusi, "Remembering Septima ..." in the April 4, 2013 edition is that kind of article.

I must admit, I had never heard of Septima, and I'm probably not the only one. What a fascinating and courageous individual Septima Poinsette Clark must have been.

Now, I want to know more about her and the work that she did during that volatile time in our history. We must continue to write our own history, and we must continue to shine a spotlight on those who worked for the rights of all people, but especially black people in America.

Ruben McGee

Washington, D.C.

Bring Jobs Along with the Ward 8 Renaissance

In the article, "Barry, Gray: Ward 8 is on the Move," by Barrington M. Salmon, which appeared in the April 4, 2013 edition, everyone seemed to be touting all of the development coming to Ward 8. Well, what about jobs? I mean jobs for the current residents of Ward 8. What good is developing the ward if the residents still can't find any work? Don't the mayor and the rest of his partners recognize that we know the drill? It's the same one that has taken place all over the city: They erect new buildings, new companies set up shop, new restaurants open, and new homes are under construction. All of this attracts new residents, but there are no new jobs for the residents who have lived in the ward for decades, that's what they do.

Jobs and job training are what we need. How can we be more independent if we don't have jobs? Without training we will continue to be told we are not qualified when we apply for the jobs that are coming to Ward 8. Let us know when there are going to be job fairs at all of these new construction sites; that's what we want to hear. Let us be a part of this so called wonderful and exciting time rather than just standing on the sidelines watching it happen all around us.

Darryl M. Hancock

Washington, D.C.

Prince George's County Public Schools:

Baker: 'June 1 Schools Takeover a Good Compromise'

Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker said during an April 8 broadcast interview that a bill that makes him accountable for the outcome of public education in the county is a good compromise that should move forward for Gov. Martin O'Malley's approval.

While Baker's historic proposal to be made accountable for the progress of the county's 125,000 students has been adopted, it apparently caught many off guard during a recent late session of the General Assembly in Annapolis.

"It's a big deal and I asked that the General Assembly hold the county executive accountable for improving education," said Baker, "and right now under the structure that we have, we give $1.7 billion to the school system." Baker added that while his request is not the bill that he submitted to the General Assembly, it equates to a good compromise.

"It gives me what I want, which is more accountability and the ability to use all of the resources of the government to help move our education system forward," Baker said.

He added that his request to take over the school system – which passed in the Assembly on April 6 in a vote of 81-45 – also keeps in place, the school board, allowing its members to focus on both academic achievement and the budget.

District of Columbia Public Schools

DCPS Prepares for Summer School Program, SYEP Involvement

With the regular school term coming to an end in a about six weeks, District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) officials are making several improvements to the centrally-run Kindergarten through 8th-grade Summer School program.

Plans call for inviting certain students to enroll who will benefit most from the program based on their progress in reading during the school year. In this regard, parents and guardians of students in grades K-8, will receive letters of invitation to register their children.

Enrollment for K-8 Summer School is online this year. Parents and guardians can go to the following link to register their children to participate in this program: dcps.dc.gov/DCPS/summer13.

Summer Bridge Program

DCPS will follow up on the success of last year's Summer Bridge program by offering the program at selected high schools. The number of sites is being expanded to strengthen the connections between students and the high schools they will attend, with the program focusing on high school readiness and academic support in mathematics and literacy.

Summer Youth Employment Program

DCPS's partnership with the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) allows students experience in connection with job, college and career readiness, as well as to earn money during participation. However, students who are not involved in SYEP can earn an elective credit toward graduation if they satisfy the program's requirements.

Uhuru Kenyatta has been sworn in as the youngest-ever president of Kenya, with numerous heads of state and the Rev. Jesse Jackson having attended the April 9 inauguration in Nairobi that attracted a massive crowd.

Kenyatta was named his country's fourth president following a prolonged election dispute that ended up in the Kenyan Supreme Court.

Kenyatta, the 51-year-old son of Kenya's founding leader, won the election with 50.07 percent of the vote.

His chief rival, Raila Odinga, who challenged the outcome in court claiming it was flawed and marred by technical problems, garnered 43.31 percent of the vote.

However, after the court upheld Kenyatta's election, Odinga offered his congratulations.

"The court has now spoken," Odinga said. "I wish the president-elect and his team well."

(Source: CNN)

The sister of the late "Green Mile" actor Michael Duncan Clarke wants his fiancé investigated over his will.

According to a report on Black America Web, Judy Duncan is accusing Omarosa Manigault, who'd been living with Duncan at the time of his death last year, tricked the star into re-writing his will, leaving her with nothing. The BAW report further states that Judy Duncan told TMZ that she hired a lawyer to investigate the circumstances behind Omarosa's becoming the main beneficiary of her brother's will.

Judy Duncan claims that Clarke was not of sound mind months before his death, and that as December 2011, was slurring his words and stumbling around.

In addition, the actor's sister claims that Omarosa was focused on his money as he was struggling on life support, and that without his family's knowledge, allegedly sold off lots of the actor's personal items such as his watches, cars, his "Green Mile" director's chair and awards.

Omarosa responded in an interview with TMZ that: "I don't control the estate or the finances and Judy knows it. If you saw all of her emails and texts to me you would see that she is just trying to get money from me, and threatened going to press if I did not give it to her and that is a crime!"

Thousands of people attended National Action Network's (NAN) annual national convention April 3-6 in New York City, including delegates from more than 60 NAN chapters across the country. The convention concluded with major announcement by Rev. Al Sharpton, NAN founder and president, regarding action plans formulated during the convention.

Firstly, the organization targeted major private corporations about their employment, procurement, and inclusion practices at board levels.

"The reason that Black unemployment has remained high is that the public sector jobs are being cut while the private sector has increased jobs but lowered its commitment to inclusion and hiring and doing business in our community," said Rev. Sharpton. "NAN intends to go at major industries that sell their goods in our community but do no good with our community."

NAN also started an "Alert Watch" since the Supreme Court is deciding on Affirmative Action and Section 5 of The Voting Rights Act--both of which Rev. Sharpton attended the oral arguments for at the Supreme Court—and NAN has issued an alert that will go into action in the event that the Supreme Court overturns either of the aforementioned policies.

Sharpton called on NAN delegates to put pressure on their Senators to vote on stronger Gun legislation that could come up for debate in the Senate this week.

A key highlight of the convention took place on April 4, the actual date of Dr. Martin Luther King's assassination in 1968, as NAN hosted its 15th Annual Keepers of the Dream Awards. The awards honor those who have continued to advocate for the principles for which Dr. King gave his life.

The forum featured civil rights leaders and a review by some of the legends of the civil rights movement regarding the progress made and mistakes made in the 50 years since the "March in Washington." The Forum included civil rights icons Rev. Joseph Lowery, Juanita Abernathy, Otis Moss, Jr., and Rev. Jesse Jackson, among others.

The Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge and the Georgiana Thomas Grand Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star in conjunction with the Prince Hall Freemason and Eastern Star Charitable Foundation, presents a scholarship drive each year in which thousands of dollars are awarded to a male and female high school senior headed off to college in the fall.

However this year, Most Worshipful Grand Master John T. Doles instituted a special initiative by hosting the "Masonic Classic," a basketball game that was held in February.

During the halftime festivities, Doles along with Grand Worthy Matron Barbara E. Murray and Grand Worthy Patron Thomas L. Coleman, presented two $5,000 scholarships to two District students who will be attending Howard University.

"While we give scholarships away every year in June during our scholarship program, this is the first time we targeted D.C. residents that will be attending Howard University, which is in our community," said spokesperson Shari McCoy. "The scholarship presentations are just one of the ways the Masonic family gives back to the District of Columbia community."

Margaret Thatcher, the first woman to become British prime minister, has died at 87.

Thatcher, a conservative party leader, known as the "Iron Lady," for her personal and political toughness, served as prime minister from 1979 to 1990.

She was a towering figure in postwar British and world politics and the only woman to become British prime minister.

Thatcher retired from public life after a stroke in 2002 and suffered several strokes after that. British media reported Monday that a stroke caused her death.

She made few public appearances in her final months, missing a reception marking her 85th birthday hosted by Prime Minister David Cameron in October 2010. She also skipped the July 2011 unveiling of a statue honoring her old friend Ronald Reagan in London.

In December 2012, Thatcher was hospitalized after a procedure to remove a growth in her bladder.

The British prime minister's office announced that Thatcher's funeral will be at St. Paul's Cathedral.

(Source: CNN)