Richmond wins national award for health efforts
Despite suffering a surge in violence and murders, Richmond is still considered a role model for the nation for its pursuit of ways to enable residents to live healthier lives.
Sororities host back-to-back college fairs
Headed to college and need scholarship help? Good news. Two sororities are offering college fairs on back-to-back weekends to help high school students secure scholarships and provide them and their parents with information and access to other assistance.
Don’t believe Trump
African-Americans and other fair-minded Americans should not believe President 45’s hype disavowing white supremacy. His lies and con game are getting more people to say, “45 is not my president.” He only represents the white supremacists and the Ku Klux Klan.
Unsportsmanlike conduct witnessed at VUU-Winston-Salem State game
While watching the first Willard Bailey Classic last Saturday night at Hovey Field between Virginia Union University and Winston-Salem State University, a number of us witnessed unsportsmanlike conduct by several Rams players and blatant bias by the referees, with favoritism to the North Carolina team.
Support for Virginia Grocery Investment Fund
Re “First Lady kicks off initiative to attract grocers to Va.’s food deserts,” Free Press Aug. 31-Sept. 2 edition: As a lifelong resident of North Side, I was elated to attend the “Closer to My Grocer” roundtable where the Virginia Grocery Investment Fund was presented by First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe, state legislators and other advocates to win support from the General Assembly.
Trump: The hip-hop prez
Although they hardly could seem to be less alike sometimes, President Trump and people of color have had a love-hate relationship for nearly three decades.
Obama raised all boats
The income, poverty and health insurance data released by the U.S. Census Bureau on Sept. 13 confirm what many already knew — President Obama’s last year in office was one of economic improvement for many individuals. The median income rose from $57,230 in 2015 to $59,039 in 2016, an increase of 3.2 percent. Black Americans’ income rose 5.4 percent, from $37,364 in 2015 to $39,400 in 2016, while white Americans’ income rose from $63,745 to $65,041, an increase of 2 percent.
Ban open carry
That was our reaction last Saturday after the neo-Confederate rally on Monument Avenue came to a close without the tumult, fury, bloodshed and death that marked August events in Charlottesville.
Spotlight shines on actors of color at Emmy Awards
Three African-American actors were in the winners’ spotlight Sunday night at the 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards honoring the best of television.
VA PrideFest on Brown’s Island
VA PrideFest 2017, the largest annual celebration of the LGBTQ community in Virginia, will be held noon to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, on Brown’s Island in Downtown.
Book signing, talk to tell story of Samuel W. Tucker
The Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia is hosting a talk and book signing showcasing the story of the renowned late Richmond civil rights attorney Samuel Tucker.
Armstrong Wildcats wild about wins
As coincidences go, one involving Armstrong High School would be hard to top. Armstrong’s football team — whose mascot is the Wildcats — often is operating what is known as the “Wildcat Offense.” The trendy formation, built on deception, helped the East End team slam the brakes on a 21-game losing streak Sept. 9 with a 24-14 victory at John Marshall High School.
VUU loses squeaker to Winston-Salem State
Too many penalties and too little punt protection have put Virginia Union University in a foul mood. The Panthers are now dejectedly looking at a 1-2 record.
VUU Athletic Hall of Fame induction on Friday
Virginia Union University’s Athletic Hall of Fame will open its doors to six new inductees on Friday, Sept. 22. The induction banquet will be 7 p.m. at the Dr. Claude G. Perkins Living and Learning Center on the VUU campus, 1500 N. Lombardy St.
Howard Bison overrun by UR Spiders
Coach Mike London has found it is far easier coaching football for the University of Richmond than coaching against UR. In his return to the West End campus last Saturday, Coach London’s Howard University squad was trampled 68-21 before 8,217 mostly Spiders fans at UR’s Robins Stadium.
Indian mascot plagues Cleveland baseball team
The Cleveland Indians are perhaps the best team in baseball, but the Ohioans may be striking out when it comes to sensitivity training.
Personality: Daryl V. Fraser
Spotlight on president of the Richmond Association of Black Social Workers
The National Association of Black Social Workers was started 50 years ago because a group of African-American social workers didn’t feel the needs of black families were being adequately addressed by the field’s largest professional organization that was largely white.
Clarence L. Jackson Jr., former chair of the Va. Parole Board and executive director of Rubicon, dies at 76
Clarence Leo Jackson Jr. spent six years helping to decide whether Virginia inmates should be released early from prison and later was key in efforts to save the largest nonprofit addiction center in Richmond. The former chairman of the Virginia Parole Board also led the development of the current home of Club 533, a prominent men’s social club in Jackson Ward.
The Rev. Eddie Perry, former state official and pastor of Charles City church, dies at 79
The Rev. Eddie Lee Perry went from the military to the ministry while also playing a key role in recruiting social workers and other staff for the state Department of Social Services. For 13 years, he served as director of human resources management for the Virginia Department of Social Services. The retired Army major also served as pastor of St. John Baptist Church in Charles City County for 15 years while holding down his full-time state position.
Nuns rock like no others
Eleven nuns take the stage wearing traditional black-and-white habits but are anything but old school as they belt out songs to the ringing of an electric guitar and a rock ‘n’ roll beat.
