Cynthia E. Griffin
Dec 20 2012

The sorority celebrates its centennial in Rose parade

When you watch the Tournament of Roses parade on Jan. 1, there will be a moment when history is being made. That moment will come when a float celebrating the 100th anniversary of Delta Sigma Theta sorority comes into view.

The 55-foot-long and 17-foot-high float, themed “Transforming Communities Through Sisterhood and Service” designed and built by Fiesta Parade Floats, represent the first time ever that an African American Greek-letter organization has entered a float in the 124-year-old Rose parade.

Dec 13 2012

Demand involvement in deciding Crenshaw’s future

Rosalind Harris is no stranger to public education. She has one offspring who matriculated through L.A.-area schools and is now at Clark Atlanta University and another in eighth grade at a local charter school. But it is what is happening at Crenshaw High, where her 11th-grader attends that has this parent feeling upset, disrespected and just plain angry.

Dec 13 2012

Frank Denkins expands his retail empire

After 55 years of running his own businesses, most of them in retail, Frank Denkins has developed some simple philosophies that keep the nearly 78-year-old entrepreneur going.

“I can’t accept failure—period. I can’t accept failure under any circumstance. The only thing that is going to take me out, is when the Lord calls me home. That’s what I feel about this. Failure is not an option.”

Dec 6 2012

Hosts exhibit highlighting 90 people of note

In 1921, Los Angeles was a young city trying to carve out its place in a world that was rapidly industrializing. It was also a mecca for people of different races, ethnicities and visions.

That included African Americans who left the South in droves seeking a life free of segregation, racism and bigotry. Unfortunately, some of the Whites who perpetuated those ideas and practices also moved West, and Blacks formed organizations in order to fight for their rights.

Nov 29 2012

Couple continues to fight to save their dreams

For 28 years Ronald and Valerie Jackson lived on Harlan Avenue in Carson. They raised their three children there, had started on the grandkids and had accumulated years of happy memories.

Valerie worked as a civilian employee for the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, and Ronald worked for the city of Los Angeles, before becoming a real estate investor.

Then the real estate market crashed, and “so did I,” said Ronald of his 2008 economic slump.

Nov 29 2012

Future of Crenshaw High under discussion

More than 100 parents, students, teachers, school district employees alumni, and community stakeholders turned out Tuesday night for a community town hall on the future of Crenshaw High School and, in addition to having a lot of questions about how the “reconstitution” of the school would specifically work, there was a very audible undercurrent of anger at the school district for failing to talk directly with all or any stakeholders about how to help turn around the academic program.

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.
 

Alabama
Freeman A. Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, will address the annual African American Business Council luncheon on June 28. Hrabowski, who is chairman of President Barack Obama’s Advisory Commission on Education Excellence for African Americans, has a national reputation for his work studying the performance of minority students in math and science. Hrabowski, named one of the 10 best college presidents in the country by Time magazine, was a child leader in the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham in the 1960s.
 

Arkansas
The Liberty Counsel filed a motion and a brief in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas seeking to intervene on behalf of a Concepts of Life crisis pregnancy center to defend against a suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Reproductive Rights. The groups seek to impose a permanent injunction before the Human Heartbeat Protection Act goes into effect July 18. Liberty Counsel also filed a brief opposing the ACLU’s request for an injunction. The “Heartbeat” bill states that when a woman seeks an abortion at or after the 12th week, doctors must test for a fetal heartbeat before an abortion is performed and inform the pregnant mother that the child in her womb has a heartbeat. If a heartbeat is detected, a woman cannot have an abortion, except in cases of rape, incest, and if a mother’s life is in danger. “As we promised when the legislation was introduced, Liberty Counsel will defend this law without reservation for the people of Arkansas, born and pre-born,” said Matt Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel. “No right is more foundational than the right to life. Without life, all other rights are irrelevant,” concluded Staver.