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A Walk Through History

ABOVE: Texas Legislative Black Caucus current members Texas Legislative Black Caucus celebrates 50th Anniversary, remembering the eight trailblazing leaders who founded the organization in 1973 John Maynard Keynes once said, “Ideas shape the course of history.” When thinking about Texas history, the role that the Texas Legislative Black Caucus has played in shaping the course […]
The post A Walk Through History first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

11 months ago

December 20, 2023

Forward Times Staff

ABOVE: Texas Legislative Black Caucus current members

Texas Legislative Black Caucus celebrates 50th Anniversary, remembering the eight trailblazing leaders who founded the organization in 1973

John Maynard Keynes once said, “Ideas shape the course of history.”

When thinking about Texas history, the role that the Texas Legislative Black Caucus has played in shaping the course of the political and social landscape in the Lone Star State can’t be ignored.

Founded in 1973 by eight visionary Black State Representatives with bold and courageous ideas, the Texas Legislative Black Caucus has led the way with over five decades of remarkable legislative achievements. Those eight Black leaders were: Rep. Anthony Hall (Houston), Rep. Mickey Leland (Houston), Rep. Senfronia Thompson (Houston), Rep. Craig Washington (Houston), Rep. Sam Hudson (Dallas), Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (Dallas), Rep. Paul Ragsdale (Dallas), and Rep. G.J. Sutton (San Antonio).

The shared commitment of these Black political heavyweights to uplifting communities across the state of Texas has been the cornerstone of Texas Legislative Black Caucus, as they championed unity and justice for those needing an advocate at the state capitol in Austin, Texas.

The Texas Legislative Black Caucus is an organization that is comprised of all the African American elected lawmakers in the state of Texas, with the primary purpose of bringing those lawmakers together to work as a group to make sure that the needs of our community are met.

As of the 2023 Texas Legislative Session, the Texas Legislative Black Caucus has more than doubled their membership, with 18 State Representatives and two State Senators currently serving in the state legislature.

To honor the historic 50^th Anniversary of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus and commemorate this milestone, they held several events, with the signature event being the Texas Legislative Black Caucus 50^th Anniversary “A Walk Through History” Gala. All events were held December 10-11 at the Hyatt Regency Austin in the city of Austin, where the organization began.

TLBC Founding Members (L -R): Rep. Senfronia Thompson, Congressman Craig Washington, and Rep. Anthony Hall

State Representative Ron Reynolds (Missouri City) currently serves as the Chairman of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus this session, and he served as host for the two-day event.

The Texas Legislative Black Caucus 50th Anniversary “A Walk Through History” Gala, which featured three of the living founders of the caucus on the program, was extremely uplifting and motivating. Reverend Dr. Freddy Haynes III, who was recently appointed as the successor to Reverend Jesse Jackson as the new CEO & President of the Rainbow Push Coalition, delivered a soul-stirring keynote address that got almost everyone out of their seats on multiple occasions.

“Richard Nixon was able to get elected on a ‘Southern Strategy’ which was based on positive polarization because they made it about race and they took advantage of white fatigue and insecurity,” said Haynes, comparing the organization then to now. “Whites had gotten upset at all Blacks had gained in the decade of the ‘60s and here y’all have the gall to get elected to the State House in Texas. And then you had the anointed audacity to show up every single day handling your business, representing your community, and giving a voice to those of us who did not have a voice. If they did that in a time, in 1973, where they were going uphill against a headwind, then what are you going to do in 2023, with what we’re facing today?”

It was also fitting that three of the living founding members were brought on stage to share their institutional knowledge and historical recollections regarding how and why the Texas Legislative Black Caucus was founded— Rep. Thompson and former Rep. Hall and Rep. Washington.

“These are very difficult times,” said Hall, who spoke about the continued need for the caucus. “In many ways, these times are more difficult than the times we faced. During our era of time, we knew who the opposition was, and notice that I didn’t say enemies. Now, we have people who feel we shouldn’t be full participants in American society, and they will tell you that’s the way the feel. It’s a different kind of challenge for us, but we are prepared.”

The trio also spoke about the disrespect they received as newly elected Black state representatives and how women, as a whole, didn’t receive the respect they deserved.

Let’s take a closer look at these eight political icons to learn more about them and their contributions, not only to the Texas Legislative Black Caucus, but to Texas politics overall.

Rep. Senfronia Thompson

Rep. Thompson is a Texas native, and represents District 141, which includes Northeast Houston and Humble. She has the distinct honor of being the longest-serving woman and African American in Texas history. Rep. Thompson is Dean of the Texas House of Representatives and is currently serving her 50^th year in the Texas Legislature. She received her high school diploma from Booker T. Washington High School in Houston. She has a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Texas Southern University; a Master of Education from Prairie View A&M University; a JD degree from Thurgood Marshall School of Law and a Master of Law in International Law from the University of Houston. Rep. Thompson currently chairs the Texas House Select Committee on Youth Health & Safety. She is a member of the House Committee on Licensing & Administrative Procedures, the House Committee on Redistricting, and the House Committee on State Affairs.

Rep. Anthony W. Hall, Jr.

Rep. Hall served as a State Representative in the Texas Legislature from 1973 to 1979, on the Houston City Council from 1979 to 1989, Chairman of the Board of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County from 1990 to 1992, City Attorney from 1998-2004 and Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Houston from 2004-2010. Rep. Hall is a graduate of Jack Yates High School, located in Houston’s Third Ward. He received his B.A. in Economics from Howard University in Washington, DC, and his J.D., cum laude, from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University, Houston, Texas. He served in the U.S. Army from 1967-1971, attaining the rank of Captain. His military service included tours in Berlin and Vietnam; decorations include the Purple Heart and three Bronze Stars.

Congressman Mickey Leland

In 1972, Congressman Leland was elected to the Texas House of Representatives from the 88^th District of Houston, Texas. He served in the Texas Legislature until 1978. Congressman Leland was elected in November 1978 to the United States House of Representatives from the 18th Congressional District of Houston, Texas, which included the neighborhood where he grew up. He graduated in 1964 from Phillis Wheatley High School in Houston’s Fifth Ward. He also graduated from Texas Southern University’s School of Pharmacy in 1970 with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy. Sadly, while leading a relief mission in 1989, to an isolated refugee camp in Ethiopia, which sheltered thousands of unaccompanied children fleeing the civil conflict in neighboring Sudan, Congressman Leland’s plane crashed into a mountainside in Ethiopia, tragically killing him and everyone aboard.

Congressman Craig A. Washington

Congressman Washington was elected to the Texas State House in 1972, representing the 86th District of Harris County. In November 1982, he was elected to State Senate District 13, becoming only the second Black to serve in the Texas State Senate since Reconstruction. After the tragic death of Congressman Leland, Congressman Washington was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives to represent the 18th Congressional District, where he served from December 9, 1989, to January 3, 1995. He graduated from Fidelity Manor Senior High School in Galena Park in 1958. Congressman Washington attended Prairie View A&M University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in biology in 1966. He went on to attend Texas Southern University Law School from 1966 to 1969, graduating number one in his class, with honors.

Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson

Congresswoman Johnson was elected to the Texas House in 1972, becoming the first Black woman ever elected to public office from Dallas. After leaving the Texas House in 1977, where she worked alongside President Jimmy Carter as the regional director for the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Congresswoman Johnson returned to politics and was elected as Texas state senator in 1986. She was the first woman and the first African American from the Dallas area to hold this office since Reconstruction. Congresswoman Johnson went on to get elected to the United States House of Representatives, representing Texas’s 30th congressional district from 1993 to 2023.

Representative Sam Hudson

Rep. Hudson served in the Texas House of Representatives for 12 two-year terms from 1973-1997, representing the diverse communities of North Dallas, South Dallas, and Oak Cliff.

Representative Paul Ragsdale

Rep. Ragsdale served in the Texas House of Representatives from 1973 to 1987. He was one of the first Black legislators elected to the Texas House of Representatives since Reconstruction.

Representative G.J. Sutton

Rep. Sutton was the first Black elected state representative from San Antonio. He served from 1972 until his death in 1976.

Congratulations Texas Legislative Black Caucus on 50 years of countless accomplishments, and for reminding us of our past, the fight of today, and the potential of our future.

The post A Walk Through History appeared first on Forward Times.

The post A Walk Through History first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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PRESS ROOM: Clyburn, Pressley, Scanlon, Colleagues Urge Biden to Use Clemency Power to Address Mass Incarceration Before Leaving Office

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Mass incarceration remains a persistent, systemic injustice that erodes the soul of America. Our nation has the highest incarceration rate in the world, with nearly two million people locked in jails and prisons throughout the country.

Published

4 days ago

November 21, 2024

Oakland Post

Read the letter here.

Watch the press conference here.

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman James E. Clyburn (SC-06), Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), and Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05) led 60 of their colleagues in sending a letter to President Biden urging him to use his executive clemency power in the final months of his presidency to reunite families, address longstanding injustices in our legal system, and set our nation on the path toward ending mass incarceration.

The lawmakers hosted a press conference earlier today to discuss the letter. A full video of their press conference is available here and photos are available here.

“Now is the time to use your clemency authority to rectify unjust and unnecessary criminal laws passed by Congress and draconian sentences given by judges,” the lawmakers wrote in their letter. “The grant of pardons and commutations and the restoration of rights will undoubtedly send a powerful message across the country in support of fundamental fairness and furthering meaningful criminal justice reform.”

Mass incarceration remains a persistent, systemic injustice that erodes the soul of America. Our nation has the highest incarceration rate in the world, with nearly two million people locked in jails and prisons throughout the country. The extreme use of incarceration has resulted in one in two adults having had an incarcerated family member. People of color are disproportionately put behind bars, along with individuals from low-income communities, LGBTQIA+ folks, and those with disabilities. The bloated prison system reflects and emboldens biases that undermine the ideals of our nation and diminish trust in the rule of law. Mass incarceration attacks the most vulnerable Americans, thereby destabilizing families and inflicting intergenerational trauma.

In their letter to President Biden, the lawmakers praised the President’s efforts to create a fair and just criminal legal system by pardoning people convicted of simple marijuana possession and LGBTQ+ former servicemembers and urged the President to use his clemency powers to help broad classes of people and cases, including the elderly and chronically ill, those on death row, people with unjustified sentencing disparities, and women who were punished for defending themselves against their abusers. The lawmakers also outlined the fiscal toll of the growing mass incarceration crisis.

“You have the support of millions of people across the country who have felt the harms of mass incarceration: young children longing to hug their grandparents, people who have taken responsibility for their mistakes, and those who simply were never given a fair chance,” the lawmakers wrote. “These are the people seeking help that only you can provide through the use of your presidential clemency power.”

Joining Representatives Clyburn, Pressley, and Scanlon in sending the letter are Representatives Joyce Beatty, Sanford Bishop, Shontel Brown, Cori Bush, André Carson, Troy Carter, Yvette Clarke, Jasmine Crockett, Valerie Foushee, Al Green, Jahana Hayes, Steven Horsford, Jonathan Jackson, Pramila Jayapal, Henry Johnson, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Robin Kelly, Summer Lee, Jennifer McClellan, Gregory Meeks, Delia Ramirez, Jan Schakowsky, Robert Scott, Terri Sewell, Marilyn Strickland, Bennie Thompson, Rashida Tlaib, and Bonnie Watson Coleman.

The lawmakers’ letter is supported by the American Civil Liberties Union; Center for Popular Democracy; Last Prisoner Project; Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law; Death Penalty Action; The National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls; The Faith Leaders of Color Coalition; Second Chance Justice of MCAN; JustLeadershipUSA; FAMM; The Episcopal Church; The Bambi Fund; Free Billie Allen Campaign; People’s Coalition for Safety and Freedom; Prophetic Resistance Boston; and Families Against Mandatory Minimums.

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Tennessee State University Set to Debut the First Division I Hockey Team at An HBCU

THE AFRO — “I am incredibly excited to embark on building this program, supported by God, my family, TSU students, alumni, and all those eagerly awaiting this moment,” said Duanté Abercrombie, the head coach of the Tennessee State Tigers ice hockey team, in a press release courtesy of TSU Athletics. “I firmly believe that one day, TSU will be recognized not only as a powerhouse on the ice but also as a program whose student-athletes leave a profound legacy on the world, enriched by the lessons learned at TSU.”

Published

4 days ago

November 21, 2024

admin

By Mekhi Abbott
Special to the AFRO
mabbott@afro.com

Tennessee State University (TSU) continues to break ground on a historic journey to become the first historically Black college or university (HBCU) to field a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I ice hockey team. Alongside some assistance from the National Hockey League (NHL), the NHL Players’ Association and the Nashville Predators, the TSU Tigers have already named their official head coach, unveiled their jersey and received their first official commitment from a student-athlete.

TSU held an official press conference to announce the plan in June 2023. Their first official season as a sanctioned Division I program is planned to commence in 2025-26. On April 18, TSU named Duanté Abercrombie as the head coach of the Tennessee State Tigers ice hockey team.

“I am incredibly excited to embark on building this program, supported by God, my family, TSU students, alumni, and all those eagerly awaiting this moment,” said Abercrombie in a press release courtesy of TSU Athletics. “I firmly believe that one day, TSU will be recognized not only as a powerhouse on the ice but also as a program whose student-athletes leave a profound legacy on the world, enriched by the lessons learned at TSU.”

Abercrombie was raised in Washington, D.C., and was mentored by hockey legend Neal Henderson, the first Black man to be inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame. Abercrombie attended Gonzaga College High School and graduated from Hampton University, where he was a track and field athlete prior to retiring due to an injury. After college, Abercrombie briefly played professional hockey in both the New Zealand Ice Hockey League as well as the Federal Hockey League.

After his career as a professional hockey player, Abercrombie moved onto coaching, including stints with his alma mater Gonzaga and Georgetown Preparatory School. In 2022-23, Abercrombie was a member of the coaching staff for NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs organization.

“We are no longer doing club play in 2024-25. We are going right into D1 play for 2025-26,” Nick Guerriero told the AFRO. Guerriero is the assistant athletic director of communications and creative content at Tennessee State.

On Jan. 19, TSU got their first official commitment from an ice hockey recruit, Xavier Abel. Abel played at Drury University and scored 12 goals in 34 games, including three game-winning goals. Abel was recruited by Guerriero.

In July, the Tigers got their second commitment from forward Trey Fechko. In October, Trey’s brother Marcus Fechko also committed to Tennessee State. Since, the Tigers have also signed forward Greye Rampton, goaltender Johnny Hicks, Grady Hoffman and four-star forward Bowden Singleton. Singleton flipped his commitment from North Dakota to Tennessee State. Guerriero said that TSU has a “few” other recruits that they are waiting to announce during their November signing period.

“I think it’s important to invest in these unorthodox sports for Black athletes because it allows Black children to have more opportunities to play sports in general,” said Zion Williams, a 2024 Gettysburg College graduate and former collegiate athlete. “The more opportunities that children have, the better. They won’t feel like they are boxed into one thing or sport.”

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HBCU Champions Advance to Postseason Play

WASHINGTON INFORMER — From HBCU football teams, to the University of the District of Columbia’s soccer program, and Howard University’s volleyball players, athletes are still working to capture titles and garner bragging rights in their various conferences.

Published

4 days ago

November 21, 2024

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By Ed Hill | The Washington Informer

As the semester quickly winds down, several teams at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are hoping to find success in the postseason.

From HBCU football teams, to the University of the District of Columbia’s soccer program, and Howard University’s volleyball players, athletes are still working to capture titles and garner bragging rights in their various conferences.

South Carolina State proved all the prognosticators wrong by winning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) regular season title after being picked to finish fourth in the preseason poll.

As a result of their success, defeating the Morgan State Bears 54-7 on Nov. 16, the South Carolina Bulldogs now qualify for the Cricket Celebration Bowl on Dec. 14 in Atlanta, kicking off at noon and streaming on ABC.

However, another game between Jackson State and Southern University must happen a week before the big matchup in Atlanta, before the Bulldogs (8-2, 4-0 MEAC) know who they’ll be going against.

The Bulldogs, who have one game remaining on the schedule against Delaware State on Saturday, Nov. 23, will square off against the winner of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) title game between Jackson State and Southern University on Dec. 7.

The Southern Jaguars (7-4, 6-1 SWAC) won the West Division, while the Jackson State Tigers (9-2, 7-0 SWAC) captured the East Division and the two will now meet up on Jackson, Mississippi at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium, kicking off at 1 p.m. and streaming on ESPN2.

In the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) championship game, it was Virginia Union University that defeated rival Virginia State 21-17 for the title in Salem, Virginia, on Nov. 16.

Virginia Union University celebrates after defeating Virginia State University, and winning the regular season CIAA title in Salem, Virginia, on Nov. 16. (Courtesy photo)

It was the Virginia Union University Panthers’ second straight CIAA title, avenging a 35-28 loss to the Virginia State University Trojans on Nov. 9. The Panthers (8-3 overall, 6-1 in the CIAA) got an effort of 178 yards rushing on 32 carries and a touchdown from Jodo Byers.

Virginia Union will open the playoffs with a road game at Wingate in Wingate, North Carolina on Nov. 23, with kickoff at 1 p.m.

In the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAC) championship, it was Miles College (9-2) overwhelming Clark Atlanta (7-3), 53-25 in the title game. The Miles College Golden Bears piled up over 430 yards of total offense, giving them a NCAA Division 2 bid as they host Carson-Newman on Nov. 23 at 11 a.m.

Miles boasts one of the top defenses in the country in Division 2, having forced 33 turnovers.

University of the District of Columbia Soccer Team Defeats Molloy

In men’s soccer, the University of the District of Columbia defeated Molloy University in the East Coast Conference (ECC) championships final on Nov. 17.

The University of the District of Columbia men’s soccer team celebrates after winning the East Coast Conference championship game on Nov. 17 (Courtesy photo)

Mustafa Tahir scored the game-winning goal in the 100th minute. It was Tahir’s third game winner of the season.

The Firebirds (8-7-4, 3-4-1 in the ECC) earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Division 2 tournament against the No. 7 seed Post University. on Friday, Nov. 22. UDC enters the game on a four-game win streak.

Howard University Volleyball Dominating in the MEAC

Howard University is one of the hottest women’s college volleyball teams.

Howard University’s volleyball team has been on fire at 21-5 overall and undefeated in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. (Courtesy photo)

The Bison (21-5 overall, 14-0 MEAC) went undefeated in league play and are on a current 15-game game win streak headed into Friday’s tournament in Dover, Delaware.

The final is scheduled for Sunday at 8:30 pm on ESPNU.

Howard is the top seed, and they will be looking to capture their sixth tournament title and NCAA bid in the past nine years.

The Bison boast one of the top players in the country in junior outside hitter Rya McKinnon, who is headed for an unprecedented third straight Player of the Year honor.