Bobby Rush photographed on Beale Street during the 2020 International Blues Challenge. (Photo: Joshua Branning)
by Tracy Sow —
Blues legend Bobby Rush has been suffering for the last few weeks with symptoms consistent with the coronavirus.
He has to remain in mandatory quarantine until April 20.
Immediately after his live social media performance March 24, Rush, 86, was rushed to a Jackson, Miss. hospital by his son and grandson. He was running a high fever, aching and coughing.
After being hospitalized, Rush was released and quarantined at his home. His private doctor administered a COVID-19 test that yielded inconclusive results.
Rush has since been tested by the state of Mississippi and has yet to receive the results. However, the state continues to deliver him two meals daily with no physical contact.
Speaking to Rush on Easter Eve was a drastic contrast to weeks earlier when every word sounded as if he was gasping for air and laboring just to give a short answer.
He was talkative and enthusiastic about his recovery. He credits God and his faith for his renewed strength. Many of his fans may not realize, he is the son of a preacher.
“Yes, my father pastored two churches most of his life and I learned a lot of spiritual things from him,” said Rush. “I don’t want to drag my beliefs on everybody, but I can tell you now God is real, and he is still in the healing business.”
Rush, Rhodes College’s inaugural visiting scholar of the arts and who taught blues in the schools for years, was asked what three things he would teach kids about blues today?
“It’s hard to tell you just three things but blues and gospel are the root of all-American music.
“The blues was founded by black people. Although, there are many white people and others that sing the blues, but I’m talking about where it comes from and that’s black people.
“I think everyone should know their history, culture and be proud of who you are,” he said.
In true Bobby Rush-style, he added, “What bothers me is back in the day there was a wah-wah pedal that guys invented for white guys to sound black.
“Now you got black guys buying wah-wahs to sound like white guys trying to sound black. That tells me they are either afraid or ashamed of themselves. Learn the richness of your culture.”
So, what’s left to do for Rush, who has won a Grammy, numerous Blues Music Awards and has performed in every major market in the world (he was the first blues artist in concert at the Great Wall of China)?
“I would love to perform in Africa and connect with the very root. It was on the slave ship that blues was incubated. I have visited, but I really want to perform in the Motherland.”
Joyful about feeling better, Rush said, “I just want to thank everyone that prayed for me. God heard those prayers and saw fit to heal my body. I need us to be kind to one another by adhering to social distancing, washing hands and please cover with a mask.”
Rush encouraged everyone who loves somebody to treat others with the respect that they want their loved ones shown.
Noting how disproportionately African Americans are dying from coronavirus, Rush made a plea to take the warnings and preventative measures seriously.
Here’s a snippet of Tracy Sow’s conversation with Bobby Rush
Seville is sunny, so Ayan Ajanaku makes a point to poke her head out of the window a few minutes each day. (Photo: Talia Guest)
by Ayan Ajanaku —
SEVILLE, Spain – I moved from Memphis to Spain in 2012. I’ve stayed because I like it. Now, like many people throughout the world, I can’t freely go to any of the places I love to visit. Spain is on lockdown, under siege by the coronavirus.
Worldwide, 107,000 deaths attributable to COVID-19 had been recorded by April 11 amongst 1.7 million confirmed cases, which included 396,000 recovered patients. April 11 also is the day the US total of 20,071 deaths pushed to the most in the world.
The US already had the most confirmed cases (518,000 as of April 11). Spain, with more infections (163,027) than any other country in Europe, reported 16,606 deaths and 59,109 recovered patients, also noting that its death rate had slowed.
The lockdown continues. Police patrol the neighborhoods. If you’re out after 7 p.m. (when things are ordered closed) or generally out looking like your loitering (and not grocery shopping), they will stop and question you. Not following the basic restrictions means fines that range from about $700 to $35,000, with more severe violations carrying fines in the hundreds of thousands.
Highways leaving out of cities are barricaded; you have to stop and explain to the police why you’re leaving.
I came to Spain to learn Spanish and to see Europe. I spent my first year in Madrid, the last seven years here in Seville. For four years, I helped teach English in public schools. Later, I transitioned to teaching English in academies. Now I teach English exclusively online.
After eight years of living in Spain I’m a bit better at really being where I am. Admittedly, when I’m annoyed about a process or outcome, I immediately start fantasizing about how things used to work when I lived in the US. As the late Bill Withers said, “Memories take you back to the good times when it’s over and the sad times disappear.”
I accept that my memories are just a kind of virtual reality; I don’t get too attached to them. That’s the position from which I look, indiscriminately, at the facts about the two cultures (in Spain and the US) and maintain my sanity during this COVID-19 pandemic.
Ayan Ajanaku teaches and sleeps in the same small space. So, her room is meticulously organized for her webcam, careful not to not show her bed. (Photo Talia Guest)
“Why has life not all but stopped there, like it has here?”
Facts: humans are substantively the same. Cultures are shaped by differing histories, which ultimately cause each country to have unique tendencies that must be examined, constantly, to foster and nurture growth.
My observation is that in the US the strongest narratives have themes of civil liberties and the pursuit of happiness. In Spain, the essence of a pervasive narrative is that we’re stronger, safer and better when we live together, fostering a more communal spirit.
These generalizations aren’t applicable across the board to every success and social problem, but they can generally help you to understand and perhaps accept why certain hurdles are more difficult or easier than others.
Case in point: When the state of alarm came out about a month ago in Spain to shut down the whole country, I saw Spain quickly moving into the lockdown stage while the US was lagging behind. My mind started to do what I always do – compare.
Gym workouts have become home workouts for Ayan Ajanaku and her roommate, who works from home now. (Photo Talia Guest)
I live in an 800-sq.-ft. apartment (no access to outdoor space) with my roommate, who has two kids that she has custody of half of the month.
Read the restrictions that me and most other citizens have been living under for the last month (and now just extended for another three weeks):
If you’re found going anywhere that isn’t the supermarket or a pharmacy, or if it even looks like a frivolous trip to the grocery store, you can get a ticket between 1300-15000 euros. Here in Seville, a woman was fined last week for a disputed trip to the store for essentials. She claimed the store didn’t have the diapers she needed, so she settled for candy. Authorities were not persuaded.
We can’t leave our apartments for exercise, walks. Parks are closed in addition to all non-essential businesses.
Not more than one person can be in a car.
You can’t walk your dog more than 50 meters from your home and you must do so alone.
“Meanwhile, on the same day the state of emergency was declared in Spain (March 14), my parents and Generation X sister are going on road trips.
And recently, in the midst of what now is widely accepted as a health crisis, one of my siblings in the US was getting together with a friend at her home for Sunday brunch.
I’m thinking, “What is that really about? Is it governmental policy, a cultural issue, ignorance or all of the above?”
Why has life not all but stopped there, like it has here?
My family isn’t an anomaly. Gun shops and churches are still open in many states. Wisconsin held an election with people lined up at the polls. And while gyms and most non-essential businesses are closed in the US, there are too few restrictions against outdoor activities in far too many places. A friend in Michigan said while running last week she passed a basketball court with several guys playing.
What happens when culture collides with a virus?
Every day at 8 p.m., neighbors come out to their windows or balconies to clap in appreciation for hospital workers. Musicians and DJs also play music. (Photo Talia Guest)
Democracy is a relatively new concept in Spain, only dating back to the late 70’s. Before that the country was ruled by dictatorship. While the idea of civil liberties is an important concept here, there’s no obsession. The thought of those liberties somehow overriding the community duty to keep everyone safe during a viral pandemic is unthinkable.
Instead there is this sort of understanding – solidarity – that it is right for the government to be empowered to make the swift changes needed to keep everyone safe. Yes, there were/are factions that continue to say that the “cure could be worse than the illness” from an economic perspective. That thought probably sounds familiar to many Americans.
In the US, priorities are much different. Personal liberties in most cases seem to trump everything else. Say and do what you want at all costs. Because if you can’t, then how could anyone be considered free?
But what happens when that culture collides with a virus?
The answer is, you get a slow response.
It’s the government’s fault you say? Well, we elected government officials. The government tends to act in a way that it feels its constituency will accept. In a capitalist country with a booming economy, a president risks all if she/he comes out of the gate saying shut everything down immediately before there has been a “significant” death toll.
Under such circumstances, the only thing that country could do is wait for people to die before making any significant changes. Or is it?
Understandably, shutting down countries too soon or too late could prove costly. And the decision must be made as folks at multiple turns are spouting statistics and making judgements in the midst of a global pandemic that is only four months old and unprecedented in the modern age.
Across the journalism spectrum, criticism is a constant theme, regardless of the country. Some of it is locked onto the fear that we might spend too much money in pursuit of making sure no life gets left behind.
Is that a sensible fear though? Do people really understand that such judgement paralyzes governments when it needs to act?
Paralysis in most cases is worse than moving in the wrong direction.
Perhaps one of the lessons learned from this pandemic will be how to empower our elected officials to truly guide and not be fearful of making the most conservative decisions necessary to protect life.
A neighbor’s child rides his scooter in circles on a loop that includes the balcony and the inside of his home. (Photo Talia Guest)
The Mid-South Food Bank Mobile Food Pantry at Divine Life on Riverdale Rd. was an oasis for families needing food help on Wednesday. (Photo: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises(
When will life get back to “normal?”
It’s the question many are asking as shelter-in-place orders have been extended around the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic. While leaders in Memphis and Shelby County are working to mitigate the local spread of the virus, they’re also discussing ways to revive one of the pandemics’ biggest bystanders – the economy.
“When it’s time to lift our safer-at-home order we want to make sure that we are ready to get our economy back up and running, but we don’t know when that time will be just yet,” Mayor Jim Strickland said during Wednesday’s COVID-19 joint task force briefing.
Already riddled with high poverty rates, how will Memphis and Shelby County bounce back from the economic blow that has resulted in surging unemployment rates?
As of Monday, Tennessee officials reported dealing with 250,000-plus unemployment claims across the state.
Strickland, Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and other mayors statewide have been in talks with Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee regarding the logistics of restarting local economies.
Lee, who on Wednesday ordered school buildings closed for the rest of the academic year, earlier announced the formation of the state’s Economic Recovery Group to work on a plan to potentially allow Tennesseans to get back to work in May.
“It’s clear the economy cannot shut down for months on end,” Mayor Harris said. “But you will probably see a phased-in approach.”
President Donald Trump and his administration recently revealed the launch of a draft plan that calls for a step-by-step approach to the reopening of the country. The plan, obtained by the Washington Post, does not give firm dates for re-openings but says some areas with less virus transmission could go first, starting “not before May 1.”
Ultimately, the decision to reopen locally will be based upon the input from multiple levels of local, state and national political, business and health officials.
“With all these new programs we are hoping to help our local businesses bridge the gap as we try to get through this,” Mayor Jim Strickland said, announcing special help for small businesses. (Screen capture)
Strickland has said that there will need to be at least 1,000 people tested daily in the city to effectively gauge the effects of the virus. As of Tuesday (April 14), 15,082 residents had been tested, according to the Shelby County Health Department, with 31 deaths.
Meanwhile, initiatives have been unveiled to help mitigate the coronavirus’ slamming of the local economy. Monday the city announced two micro-loan programs to provide some relief to local business owners. The loans range from $5,000 to $35,000.
The Economic Development Growth Engine of Memphis & Shelby County (EDGE) has crafted a grant assistance program, Neighborhood Emergency Economic Development (NEED), that is intended to help small locally-owned companies in mainly distressed areas. EDGE also plans to launch an additional program geared specifically towards recovery for these same type businesses.
“We recognize that when the emergency is finally lifted, companies will need assistance to help them during recovery,” said Reid Dulberger, president and CEO of EDGE. “Many of our local small businesses won’t survive and unless we can help them collectively. it may take a generation to rebuild.”
Dulberger said it’s difficult to pinpoint the steps of recovery for one main reason.
“No one’s crystal ball will be totally precise on this because we don’t know the extent of the health outcomes,” he said. “One thing is for sure. We will be in a global recession and recovery will likely be slow, greatly affecting smaller companies.”
Economic effects on non-business owners
UofM Asst. Professor Elena Delavega. (Photo: Karanja A. Ajanaku)
Elena Delavega, a poverty expert and associate professor at the University of Memphis, sees the poor being plagued by the effects of the pandemic long after restrictions are lifted.
“I expect unemployment to remain high for a while and the economy to be depressed for a long time after this is all over,” she said.
Shelby County’s poverty rate is 21.7 percent; the city’s 27.8. Delavega, who co-authors the annual “Poverty Fact Sheet,” expects those rates to almost triple.
“I’m thinking it will be about 60 percent – and that may be too optimistic,” she said. “The virus does not distinguish between rich or poor, black or white; but the impact of it will disproportionately affect the poor, many of who are African Americans.”
Almost 31 percent of African Americans living in Shelby County do so in poverty. In Memphis, the poverty rate for African American is 33.8 percent.
Delavega particularly is concerned about the pandemic’s effect on children and education. Shelby County Schools closed for Spring Break. With Lee’s order on Wednesday, school building are to be closed for the rest of the academic year.
“What you have is a group of children who will be at a disadvantage when this is over. And I find it hard to believe that they will catch up. …This affects poverty in the long term,” she said.
“This will come down to what the leadership does to support the community” she added. “In Memphis, we have an opportunity to bounce back quicker, if businesses really take care of workers by increasing wages to $15 an hour and providing employee benefits.”
Delavega suggests city and county leaders look at “reinventing the system.”
“We can’t go back to the way it was after this pandemic,” she said. “We should look at the points where the system has failed people living in poverty and do something about changing it. That’s the only way we will recover.”
With talks of reopening underway, Strickland repeatedly has said a definitive date is still unknown and that “the city wants to be prepared.”
A local economic recovery group, consisting of area politicians and business leaders, is being formed, he said. That group is set to meet for the first time on Thursday (April 16).
West Memphis Mayor Marco McClendon addresses a special task force he launched to develop a strategy for dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak. (Photo: Facebook.com/cityofwestmemphis)
Just in case you forget just how close West Memphis, Ark. is: Despite being separated by a river and a state line, it only takes about 15 minutes to get from West Memphis City Hall to Regional One Medical Center by car.
Which is to say that regardless of what coronavirus restrictions Ark. Gov. Asa Hutchinson puts in place or doesn’t – the “Natural State” is one of only seven states without a “stay at home” order – West Memphis Mayor Marco McClendon knows the health and safety of his constituents will be impacted by what happens just east of the Mississippi.
And he’s not taking any chances.
“I’m in a unique position,” McClendon said Monday by phone. “I’ve got to do what’s going to be the best for everyone.”
Mayor Marco McClendon outside of West Memphis City Hall before being outside became something he restricted to slow the spread of COVID-19. (Courtesy photo)
McClendon has issued a citywide curfew that shuts the city down from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., excluding shift workers. He’s also closed city offices to the public and has instituted other safety measures to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
It’s a different approach than what’s coming out of Little Rock. On April 12, Hutchinson was on “State of the Union” with Jake Tapper saying that Arkansas’ sparse population reduces his state’s risk, adding that citizens are practicing social distancing and other safety measures without a governor’s mandate.
“If we need to do more, we will do more,” the Republican governor said. “That’s always an option on the table if we have to shelter in place. But right now, what we’re doing proves to be successful, this targeted approach.
“We have masks and social distancing and the people of Arkansas have embraced that. That gives you success,” Hutchinson said, adding later, “We want to take the long-term approach to this and you’re not going to win simply by a lockdown.”
As of April 15, The Arkansas Department of Health reported 1,562 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Meanwhile, Shelby County alone has 1,359 confirmed cases. So for McClendon and the 26,000 residents he serves – about 56 percent African American – the realities on the ground are far different.
“You can actually walk from West Memphis to Downtown Memphis using Big River Crossing,” McClendon said. “And Shelby County has almost as many cases as the entire state of Arkansas. I’ve got I-55 and I-40 running through West Memphis, almost 70,000 vehicles coming through our city on a daily basis.
“So we’ve got to do the things necessary to keep West Memphians safe, compared to, you know, being in the middle of the state. There’s no other city in Arkansas that is as close to a metropolitan city like Memphis than we are. So I think that the rules have to be just a little bit different.”
McClendon, who has emerged as both an effective policymaker and inspirational leader, said the West Memphis City Council passed legislation to grant him power to handle the emergency, adding that his residents have largely complied with the curfew. Businesses, including grocery stores and liquor stores, are closed by 9 p.m. to honor the orders.
“The citizens have been 100 percent on board,” McClendon said. “The majority…is going in at 9 o’clock or before 9 o’clock. You may have a few young people that feel invincible and just want to be defiant, but the majority of the people support me and the council supports me.”
Officers are issuing warnings to violators, but McClendon said citations will be issued starting Monday, April 20.
McClendon supports necessary but limited movement – getting groceries, prescriptions, even taking walks in the park. “All those essential things you need to do, do it and come back home,” he said.
But his temper flares a bit thinking of people having large gatherings.
“We had some people at one time, were like, ‘It’s nice weather, let’s barbecue.’ And they’ve got 30 or 40 people in the yard. That’s just reckless, you know?” he said. “And they don’t understand that by being asymptomatic that you may feel better but then you go to your mom and your grandma. You can get them sick and possibly (COVID-19 could) take their lives.”
What about the economic impacts? Southland Gaming and Racing, which has been booming since the state allowed Vegas-style gambling just a year ago, is taking a beating with stay-at-home orders. But McClendon said that his city is in excellent financial shape, and exceptionally strong pre-outbreak revenues from the casino will help cushion fiscal hits to the city budget.
“The month they have been shut down, we’re going to be covered,” he said. “This city has always been in financial shape. And we own our own utilities anyway. (My administration) has made some great decisions, the former mayor also made some great decisions.
“We are in great financial position right now,” he said. “If Southland doesn’t open up for the rest of the year, we’ll still be in a position to do what we need to do.”
And the growth hasn’t slowed, he said. A steel mill is still projected to bring 700 jobs to the city and restaurant chains like Chick-Fil-A and IHOP are still moving forward with development plans there. He’s even researching opening a drive-in theatre – something family-friendly that can still be mindful of social distancing.
“We’ve got a lot of vacant land,” he said. “If there’s one thing West Memphis has, it’s a lot of land. So maybe three screens. And you’ll be six feet apart, because you’re in your car, listening to your movie on your radio system.”
And he’s still working the phones during the outbreak, trying to lure business and industry to his city.
“All the CEOs that own businesses, guess what? They’re home!” he chuckled. “So I’m trying to get our information to them. While you’re sitting around, ain’t got nothing to do, read our information.
“(We hope) that when this thing does pass us by, (they’ll think) ‘Hey, we’ve been researching West Memphis, Arkansas . . . and we’re going to move ahead with them because they’re ready.’”
Dr. Carol Johnson-Dean, interim president, LeMoyne-Owen College: “When the coronavirus permeated the country…we took every precaution to ensure our students, faculty and staff were informed and safe…. Although we were keeping them safe, we knew that the disruption would affect them in various ways. The real work began.” (Courtesy photo)
LOC’D IN WITH LOC: An inside view as Memphis’ only HBCU (historically black college and university) navigates through the coronavirus pandemic while maintaining its mission.
by Dr. Carol Johnson-Dean —
“If there were not a LeMoyne-Owen College, we’d have to create one.” That’s a quote from a longtime esteemed supporter of the college who knows firsthand of LOC’s legacy and impact on Memphis and, in turn, the country.
For more than 125 years, LeMoyne-Owen College (LOC), the only historically black college and university (HBCU) in Memphis, has been the place where young, bright students learn and train to become leaders in their communities and abroad.
Our student body provides intimate class sizes and a close-knit family atmosphere. Our students were a part of the Civil Rights Movement; they became mayors, judges, teachers and servant-leaders in their respective communities. More than a place to learn and grow, LOC is really home for our students. While we nurture our students, we must also prepare them to compete in an ever-changing workplace.
Prior to “safer at home” orders resulting from COVID-19, this academic year garnered several notable successes. Our Division of Business and Economic Development received accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). Students are learning competencies of the future as a part of our Center of Academic Excellence for Cyber Defense and our Accelerated Studies for Adult Professionals (ASAP), which provides alternative study for adults who desire to complete their degree, is one of our largest programs.
Our University Engagement Call Center, which supports ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Hospital, gives students the opportunity to work while serving others globally. Most recently in February, we formed a partnership with Tech901 to launch a dual program for students to receive their college degree and tech certifications to catapult them into the working world.
When the coronavirus permeated the country, like other institutions of higher learning, we took every precaution to ensure our students, faculty and staff were informed and safe. On March 24, after an extended Spring Break, we took our instruction online and closed our physical space to abide by local and federal public health guidelines.
Although we were keeping them safe, we knew that the disruption would affect them in various ways. The real work began.
We are proud to share that the learning continues!
For the past two weeks, our students have been engaging in remote learning, an option that wasn’t available to them before the pandemic. Although the circumstances weren’t ideal, we were excited to work together to put sound structures and protocols in place to ensure students were able to continue their work. It’s made us approach teaching and learning in an innovative way to serve our students and community more comprehensively.
It’s our hope that our faculty are inspired to be even more creative to make their content come alive for students who are no longer in their physical classrooms and lecture halls. We also hope that students, who no longer see each other on a daily basis, become virtual partners and supports in their coursework. Just like many of us, they are also adapting to a new normal, but still driven to achieve the goals they’ve set for themselves.
It is important to us that students still feel that sense of support and family even outside of the campus gates, especially during this uncertain time. It is not lost on us that as a result of the pandemic and campus closure, many of our students have specific needs that have heightened. Some may have housing and transportation issues or little to no access to the Internet to complete assignments. We are fortunate to have longtime community partners and alumni who have stepped up to help us fill gaps for our LOC family, locally and beyond.
Through this turbulent time, in this weekly column, we will take you on the journey of our students, faculty and staff as we all navigate together to ensure that every student in our LOC family finishes their semester strong or graduates. You’ll hear from various perspectives at the college and their experiences.
Despite the challenges presented to us, we must move forward, while continuing to do what we do best at LeMoyne-Owen College: provide stellar instruction, service and care to our students. We look forward to sharing with you.
Sean “Diddy” Combs and some of the virtual guests who joined him for his “State of Emergency: The State of Black America & Coronavirus” town hall. (Photo: screen capture)
by John Burl Smith —
April 9, 2020 will be written about as the return of descendants of American slavery to the ways of their progenitors. It’s the day Sean “Diddy” Combs held the first-ever, virtual town hall meeting for that Diaspora’s children.
John Burl Smith
The federal government abandoned former slaves entirely in 1876 when it ended Reconstruction. Now in 2020, the gathering brought together by Mr. Combs will try to confront the ravishing pandemic that is deepening the poverty black and brown communities are enduring.
I am reassured, and it is also fitting that the hip-hop generation has enough courage to embrace the role of community leaders. Leadership in black and brown communities long has languished in the gutter of mediocrity for fly-by-night opportunists and shysters to pick up.
The leadership vacuum goes back to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I was fortunate to be one of the last two people (Charles Cabbage was the other) to sit in a strategy session with Dr. King less than an hour before he was killed. Cabbage and I were co-founders of the Memphis Invaders, a black power activists group.
During our meetings, Dr. King spoke a great deal about the impact of the division that enveloped the Poor People’s Campaign. Infighting and the concern for personal recognition by some within the civil rights community were hampering his efforts.
At the time, most civil rights leaders in Memphis refused to make room and accommodate black power activists. The fight, waged in multiple cities and towns, left leaderless the civil rights and black power movements; the black community has suffered immensely as a result.
The Poor People’s Campaign was launched on December 4, 1967 in Atlanta. King spent the following January and early February on the road, trying to drum up support among civil rights leaders. He found them more united against not allowing black power activists to become part of the leadership in the black community than they were about helping him with the Poor People Campaign.
According to Dr. King, they saw themselves as go-betweens, spokesmen for Negros, as they carried their demands to white people. Translation: the “go-betweens” saw themselves as managing segregation and being the first to receive whatever white people concede to black people. Black power activists believed just the opposite. For us, segregation was another name for slavery. Our goal was to destroy it, not maintain it through accommodation.
The Poor People’s Campaign had thrust the division into the open and to a head by the time Memphis sanitation workers went out on strike on Feb. 13, 1968.
Dr. King told Cabbage and I that civil rights leaders charged him with “betraying the middle class by taking the spotlight off of them and putting it on the poor.” They also insisted, he said, that “even if such a battle with the federal government could be won, there would be no gains for the middle class.”
As the evening wore on, Dr. King said The Invaders were his “last chance” to hold the Poor People’s Campaign together. Civil rights leaders he had counted on were not raising money, providing facilities and food for marchers along the way to Washington D.C. or recruiting volunteers to serve as marshals.” He sounded virtually alone in the effort to help the poor, except for the Revs. Ralph Abernathy, Hosea Williams and James Orange.
Why did he spend the last hours of his life talking to the Invaders?
As I watched Mr. Combs and his colleagues grapple with complete uncertainty and with the many-headed monster of poverty, the answer become clear to me. Dr. King had done the one thing he believed would help future generations – pass on to us what he considered most important.
In his introduction to the virtual town hall, Sean Combs spoke to the uniqueness of the setting and the importance of such a gathering for Black America. (Photo: screen capture)
The Invaders agreed to become marshals for the sanitation workers march scheduled for the next day. Also, the Invaders pledged to support the Poor People’s Campaign.
I bring up the historical division in the fight for equality and justice to provide a real-life reflection. Mr. Combs and his colleagues are entering an arena where they will have to fight like gladiators.
Even before COVID-19, the times we are living through called for a plan to address the myriad problems ravishing black and brown communities. Having just completed the writing of
“The 400th” (1619-2019) From Slavery to Hip Hop,” I have come to know that we are living in a time prime for the descendants of American slavery to educate themselves on realistic ways to address their historic poverty. That plan begins with African Americans, especially the young, learning the what and the why of their enslavement.
The coronavirus pandemic, albeit stunningly deadly, will not kill as many black people as died from 1900 through the 1950s during the angry-white-men-mob-madness epidemic. The reason underlying that period of lynching, banishment and ethnic cleansing continues to fuel the devastating impact of poverty on cities and rural counties with significant populations of black and brown people.
For some, Mr. Combs is considered one of those easy-money hip-hoppers, who made a fortune pedaling gratuitous sex, drugs and misogyny. I say his town-hall has the makings of more than meets the eye and that we must stand with him, lifting him up to show the world we know how to treat benefactors.
Mr. Combs and his colleagues are trying to show the way by giving voice to the needs of the working poor. His “State of Emergency: The State of Black America & Coronavirus” town hall could spark a new day.
The organ tracks in The Clark Sisters Lifetime move were cut at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church by musical director Andre Christopher Morris. (Photo: Courtesy photo)
TSD’s All Over Town columnist Brianna A. Smith
In the Clark sisters’ home, Mama Clark considers the word “easy” a swear.
“We don’t do easy,” she explained to her daughters in the opening scene after waking them up at three in the morning to record a song the Lord sent her in a dream. “We do excellence.”
The Lifetime original movie “The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel” sang loud and proud on Saturday night, hitting a high note in viewership, receiving an astonishing 2.7 million total viewers, according to Nielsen.
With everyone hunkering down at home, I’m not surprised gospel and music fans around the world tuned in.
Social media buzz proved that “The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel” was a winner. (Photo: Lifetime)
The film begins in 1963 Detroit and introduces us to the sisters’ abusive father and their musically gifted mother Dr. Mattie Moss Clark (played by “When They See Us” Emmy nominee Aunjanue Ellis).
Dr. Clark believed her girls were better than the Jackson 5 and tirelessly taught them how to sing like they knew God. But the Clark sisters’ story – that of Twinkie (Christina Bell, a gospel vocalist), Karen (Kierra Sheard, who portrays her own mother), Dorinda (Sheléa Frazier, a singer and pianist), Denise (Raven Goodwin, Glee) and Jacky (Angela Birchett, a self-described “Broadway girl”) – is one of faith, love and sisterhood amid their humble beginnings and their mother’s overbearing demands.
Directed by Christine Swanson, written by Camille Tucker and Sylvia L. Jones, and executive produced by Missy Elliott, Queen Latifah and Mary J. Blige, the film dives into the story of five sisters’ story of loss, struggling to juggle their religious beliefs, familial obligations, rejection, abuse, personal desires, sibling rivalries, endurance and their rise to fame in the gospel music industry under the guidance of their mother.
For weeks social media has been inundated with promotion for the film, with its stars doing interviews from home and other notable music influences urging fans to tune in.
The hard work paid off as viewers praised the film throughout its live airing. Social media buzz proved that the film was a winner. Viewers loved everything from the casting, to the music and the script.
The film is beautifully shot by Jason Tan, who ensures the Black American church – with its many varieties, from old brick landmarks and modern cement simplicity – is magnificently portrayed.
The music is spectacular: Gospel lovers can rejoice, for the songs are plentiful.
The vocal performances soar.
It was no surprise when I learned the organ tracks in the movie were cut at Memphis’ Mississippi Boulevard Christian by musical director Andre Christopher Morris.
Morris is a Grammy Award-winning songwriter, producer and artist. He played the organ for all of the re-recorded Clark Sisters hits for the movie, which were all sang by the actresses.
No stranger to Morris’ talent – he played the organ at my parents wedding as well as my father’s funeral – I was excited to find out that Memphis had a significant role in this film.
“The musical director for this film, Donald Lawrence, is a genius,” Morris said.
“I’m such a big Clark Sisters fan, especially a Twinkie fan,” he said. “I recall when I was a little boy, I would sit-in on their rehearsals at Mason Temple. I would study Twinkie play the piano.”
Morris continued, “Donald knew that a big factor was not just having an organ, but an organ that sounded like it did in 1980 and that’s why he called on me.”
Morris pulled on his many years of musical-theater experience, as well as some research, to recreate the sound of the 1970s through the 1990s, the era when the Clark Sisters were at their prime.
“I wanted the organ work to sound exactly as if Twinkie were on the keys,” said Morris.
Although the film was shot in Toronto, Lawrence and Morris tracked the organ audio in Memphis.
“We used three Leslie speakers to get that big room sound, the way Twinkie’s organ used to dominate,” he said.
Morris already had a history of working with the Clark Sisters. His finest moment with them was him playing on their 2007 award-winning single, “Blessed and Highly Favored.”
“We won three Grammy Awards off that record and the sisters became the highest-selling female gospel group,” said Morris.
“The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel” is a much-welcomed addition to my “social-distancing watch list” and I suggest you add it to yours.
Hip Hop Public Health (HHPH), a national nonprofit organization “dedicated to fostering positive health behavior change through the power of hip hop,” today (April 15) launched “20 Seconds or More,” a new initiative to encourage hand washing and other safety protocols among the nation’s youth.
The focal point of “20 Seconds or More” is a lively, three-minute music video featuring pioneering rapper and community health advocate, Doug E. Fresh, along with 40-plus noted individuals from the entertainment, sports, medical, civic and business sectors.
The lineup includes talents such as rappers DMC, Monie Love and Chuck D, pop and R&B singers Ashanti and Jordin Sparks, along with Jamie Foxx, Cedric The Entertainer, UNC NBA prospect Cole Anthony, Olympian Benita Fitzgerald Mosley and many others.
Dr. Olajide Williams, chief of staff, Department of Neurology, NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, and Doug E. Fresh are the co-founders of HHPH and are spearheading the initiative with HHPH Executive Director and CEO, Lori Rose Benson.
Philanthropic support for the initiative has been provided by the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation and the Bristol Myers Squibb Black Organization for Leadership Development, an employee resource group.
(PRNewsfoto/Hip Hop Public Health)
Hip Hop Public Health produced the song “20 Seconds or More” in response to “messaging failures governing the pandemic in the US.” The song was written by Artie Green, and features Doug E. Fresh and Gerry Gunn with medical oversight by Dr. Williams.
“20 Seconds or More” is available on Spotify and will be on additional streaming music platforms this week, with the hopes of inspiring dance/rapping challenges to share these resources widely.
The song’s catchy refrain, “Wash your hands everybody, and everybody just wash your hands,” is inspired by the classic hip hop riff that began with Big Hank and has been adopted by MCs and hip hop fans of all ages and backgrounds as a global anthem.
“The main goal of “20 Seconds or More” is to bring together art, science and social media innovation to help fight the COVID-19 health crisis plaguing our nation and the world today,” says Doug E. Fresh.
“As an artist and a health advocate, I have the responsibility of using my platform and my voice to make a change, beginning with young people, to help save lives and stop the spread of this virus.”
Dr. Williams said, “Personal safety measures are important against the highly contagious Coronavirus, whose infectious profile includes a large number of silent ‘asymptomatic’ carriers (18-30%) capable of infecting others, and those with mild manifestations of the disease.”
The few community defenses against the devastating effects of COVID-19 include home quarantine, social distancing, and proper frequent hand washing. Data shows that these practices mitigate the spread of the virus and have helped to reduce transmission and sickness in countries that have implemented them.
“We now know that younger people are more likely to have mild manifestations or silent infection compared to older individuals, and that communities of color are disproportionately affected,” Williams said. “These groups need targeted health communication solutions for improving compliance with hand washing, social distancing and home quarantine.
“‘20 Seconds or More’ is such a campaign, designed to motivate young people and communities of color to engage in regular hand washing and social distancing, while also appealing to the general public.”
“This is the era of personal responsibility, when the simple things we choose to do or not do have life and death consequences,” says Lori Rose Benson, Executive Director and CEO of Hip Hop Public Health. “Personal responsibility is empowered by education, social conditioning, and cultural relevance. We could therefore think of no better way to get this message across than by launching ’20 Seconds or More.’
“This is a life-saving, action-oriented platform that enables young people and all of us to recognize and utilize our power for the collective good health of our communities, the nation and the world.”
In addition to the song and video, HHPH has created multiple opportunities for the public to get involved in the “20 Seconds or More” movement. Working in collaboration with OPEN, the Online Physical Education Network, HHPH created free lesson plans and other health educational materials to be shared with teachers, school leaders, parents and students to support remote learning and staying active at home.
HHPH has also created opportunities for young people, educators and artists to serve as Ambassadors, or “HHPH MCs” charged with utilizing their social networks and platforms to inspire dance and rap challenges, while encouraging adherence to COVID-19 safety protocols. HHPH’s network of MCs (Masters of Culture) helps to amplify key health messages to empower youth and teach them how to care for their physical and mental health.
Social-distance messaging on Beale Street. (Photo: Brian Ramoly)
Thirty-one people now have died as a result of COVID-19 in Shelby County.
The Shelby County Health Department counted the deaths among 1432 confirmed cases.
According to the Health Department, investigations are underway into clusters of infection in several facilities that serve vulnerable populations.
Airports land pandemic-relief funding
Memphis International Airport and three other Shelby County airports have netted Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grants in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The FAA will provide $24,687,552 to Memphis International Airport and grants of $69,000 each to General DeWitt Spain Airport in Memphis, the Charles W. Baker Airport south of Millington and the Millington-Memphis Airport in Millington.
The grants are funded through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation, announced the grants.
“Air travel has been severely affected by the coronavirus outbreak. There were fewer than 12 people on my last flight to Washington, and that included the crew. Our airports are hurting and this funding will help them stay afloat until we get this pandemic behind us.”
Virtual Spring Hiring Fair
Are you a qualified & passionate educator? Are you a non-traditional teacher candidate with a bachelor’s degree & passed Praxis ready to impact children?
Shelby County Schools has scheduled a Virtual Spring Hiring Fair for educators on April 25. All interviews will be conducted virtually, with some hires on the spot.
Register at https://tinyurl.com/scsjobfair2020.
(For more information: visit choosescs.org; email scsrecruits@scsk12.org.)
The STE(A)M Resource Hub includes three weekly challenges around design activities, critical thinking and career exploration that can all be done in the home. (Photo: https://www.tsin.org/covid-19-steam-resource-hub)
The Tennessee Department of Education and the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network (TSIN) have released a STE(A)M Resource Hub for educators and families to use with students during COVID-19 related school closures.
The STE(A)M Resource Hub includes three weekly challenges around design activities, critical thinking, and career exploration that can all be done in the home. The challenges, created in partnership with TSIN educators from across the state, are deemed ideal for students grades 3-12, with younger students able to participate with parental assistance.
A portal allow parents or educators to ask questions and receive additional support.
“Our school buildings may be closed, but the STE(A)M Resource Hub is another great example that learning can and will continue,” said Commissioner Penny Schwinn. “I am thrilled the department is partnering with TSIN to provide these resources to help students keep learning, dreaming, and exploring during this time.”
Brandi Stroecker, director of Tennessee STEM Innovation Network, said, it was “committed to continuing the important work of our STEM programs and partnerships, especially during this unique and challenging time. This crisis further highlights the critical nature of STEM education.”
The three weekly challenges enable students to keep building their STE(A)M skills while learning from home. Each challenge comes with a step-by-step directions for the activity, as well as additional resources to continue exploring the topic. Families and educators are encouraged to use the corresponding hashtags to share their work on social media:
· #MakerMonday: Resources focus on design activities for students using common objects found around the home to solve real-world challenges.
· #WonderWednesday: Resources include researching and responding to essay prompts, examining data and drawing conclusions, and/or designing an experiment to answer a question.
· #FutureFriday: Virtual resources for students to explore STEM careers. Students will experience virtual tours of STEM workplaces, video interviews of Tennesseans in interesting STEM careers, and explore the world of work.
Amanda McClusky, CTE Advisor for Shelby County Schools, said,“The field of STEM careers is vast and steadily growing – it doesn’t only mean being a mathematician or scientist. As Billie Jean King put it, ‘You have to see it to be it.’
“Students and parents need to know all of the wonderful opportunities that are available out there within STE(A)M. Using this time at home to take virtual field trips and research possible careers is an excellent way to help students see all of the opportunities out there and to plan their future.”
