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COMMENTARY: Your Obituary Goes Right Here!

NNPA NEWSWIRE — We get syrupy about “Hidden Figures” from all over and know little about the heroes and sheroes who grew up in our own back yard. Mrs. French L. Cowens was born French L. Jackson to Willie Mae and Willis Jackson in Gladewater, Texas. She grew up in old North Central Dallas.
The post COMMENTARY: Your Obituary Goes Right Here! first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 years ago

October 17, 2022

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“Quit Playin”

By Vincent L. Hall | Texas Metro News

For years, my publisher Cheryl Smith has had a dream to print a weekly obituary page. Not just for the money, but because we continue to bury giants in this community without telling their stories. Ancestry.com needs us! This story came during a funeral for the mother of a friend, Kevin Cowens, and his brother Kenneth.

The history was so vivid and vibrant. We get syrupy about “Hidden Figures” from all over and know little about the heroes and sheroes who grew up in our own back yard. Mrs. French L. Cowens was born French L. Jackson to Willie Mae and Willis Jackson in Gladewater, Texas. She grew up in old North Central Dallas.

As a little girl, she would walk to church on Sundays by herself to St. John’s Baptist Church. On her way to St. John, caught the attention of sisters at the Sacred Heart of Mary convent from St. Peter the Apostle Catholic Church across the street.

They were so impressed with the little girl they asked her mother if she could attend St. Peters academy and live in the convent tuition-free.

Her mother gave permission, and she was raised there. She went to daily mass, communion, and evening vespers daily. She excelled in academics and graduated at age 16 from high school with honors. She attended the Xavier University School of Pharmacy in New Orleans. She completed the demanding five-year pharmacy program in three and 1/2 years with honors. She pledged Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and become president of the Pharmacy Club.

She was crowned, Miss Xavier (homecoming queen) in 1948. After graduation from Xavier, French L. faced a dilemma. She was only 20 years old and too young to take the State Pharmacy Board. The required age was 21. She worked menial jobs for six months until she could take the Louisiana Pharmacy Board and passed.

Upon returning to Texas, she faced the challenge of finding a pharmacy position. In the early 1950s, this qualified young African American woman could not get a job as a pharmacist in Dallas, Texas. In the meantime, she began teaching Chemistry, Biology, and Algebra at Dallas Booker T. Washington High School.

There she met and married Edward L. Cowens and had two sons. The Pharmacy Administrator at St. Paul’s hospital (Sister Florence) hired Mrs. Cowens to run the pharmacy on the 3-11 shifts for the 700-bed hospital. She would work alone, and she would arrive 45 minutes after the dayshift personnel left so they would not know she was Black.

One day a White pharmacist from the day shift made a medication error. An irate surgeon went to the pharmacy that evening to confront the pharmacist. To his surprise, he found Mrs. Cowens running the pharmacy, and the secret was out. Because her work was so impeccable, she was not terminated because of her race. She resigned after a newly graduated young White male pharmacist was hired to be her supervisor, and she was instructed to teach him his job.

Mrs. Cowens continued to pray. She opened a neighborhood pharmacy in North Central Dallas while teaching at her alma mater, S. Peters Academy. There she taught high school Chemistry and Biology.

She served as a powerful role model for hundreds of African American students. She was a practicing pharmacist at various outlets in the Dallas Fort Worth area. In 1964, the Forest Avenue Hospital was opened by three Black physicians and a Black entrepreneur, and she became the Director of Pharmacy. It was her dream position.

The tiny 65-bed facility provided medical care to over 65,000 Black and Hispanic patients in the South Dallas area. She operated the Forest Avenue Pharmacy until shortly before its closure in 1979. Mrs. French L. Cowens was the first African American woman in the State of Texas to practice pharmacy.

Mrs. Cowens lived a life of courage and hard work. She bore great love for her family and her people. She referred to racial discrimination as “the civil war.” She fought it! And her sons; they both became medical doctors. Everybody else resurrects the best part of their history. Why should we keep burying ours?

(Thanks to Dr. Kevin Cowens for sharing your mom with us…again.)

The post COMMENTARY: Your Obituary Goes Right Here! first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Michael: The King of Pop’s Story Returns to the Big Screen

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The curtain has finally lifted on one of Hollywood’s most anticipated films. Lionsgate has unveiled the official trailer and release date for “Michael,” the sweeping biopic about Michael Jackson that has been years in the making.

Published

5 days ago

November 6, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

The curtain has finally lifted on one of Hollywood’s most anticipated films. Lionsgate has unveiled the official trailer and release date for “Michael,” the sweeping biopic about Michael Jackson that has been years in the making. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, the film will arrive in theaters on April 24, 2026, with the singer’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, stepping into the spotlight to portray his legendary uncle.

The trailer wastes no time rekindling the aura of Jackson’s genius. Opening with a studio scene between Jackson and his longtime producer Quincy Jones, played by Kendrick Sampson, the clip builds from a quiet, familiar rhythm to the electrifying pulse of “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’.” Viewers catch glimpses of the singer’s childhood, flashes of “Thriller,” and the silhouette that redefined pop culture. Each frame reminds fans of why Jackson remains unmatched in artistry and influence. The cast surrounding the late pop king’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, reads like a who’s who of Black entertainment and music history. Colman Domingo plays Joe Jackson, Nia Long portrays Katherine Jackson, and Larenz Tate takes on the role of Motown founder Berry Gordy. Laura Harrier portrays music executive Suzanne de Passe, while Kat Graham embodies Diana Ross. Miles Teller plays attorney John Branca, a towering entertainment lawyer and longtime Jackson confidant who later became co-executor of his estate. The film’s journey to release has been as complicated as the icon it portrays. Production wrapped in 2024, but legal hurdles over depictions of past controversies forced extensive reshoots and editing delays. Even so, Fuqua’s film now appears ready to reclaim the narrative, focusing on Jackson’s creative ambition and humanity beyond tabloid noise. IndieWire reported that the film had faced “a massive legal snafu” over a disputed storyline but was retooled to center the music and legacy that defined generations.

Maven. Photo Credit: Glen Wilson

“Michael” promises more than a chronological retelling. It aims to explore how a child star from Gary, Indiana, became the world’s most influential entertainer. The script, written by Oscar-nominated John Logan, traces Jackson’s early years with the Jackson 5 through the triumphs and isolation of global superstardom. With Fuqua’s cinematic eye and producer Graham King—who brought “Bohemian Rhapsody” to life—joining forces with estate executors Branca and John McClain, the film is positioned as both a tribute and a restoration of Jackson’s cultural truth. Branca’s work behind the scenes has long shaped Jackson’s posthumous success. After the singer died in 2009, Branca and McClain took control of the estate burdened by debt and turned it into a global powerhouse worth billions. Under their stewardship, Jackson’s projects have generated more than $3 billion in worldwide ticket sales and landmark deals, including a $600 million joint venture with Sony earlier this year. At its heart, though, “Michael” is a story about artistry that transcends scandal. It offers a reminder that, despite the noise surrounding his life, Jackson’s music still bridges continents and generations. The trailer’s closing moments capture that spirit. As the beat of “Billie Jean” swells and Jaafar Jackson moonwalks into a spotlight, audiences are left with a familiar feeling—the awe of witnessing something timeless return home.

“Michael” opens worldwide in theaters April 24, 2026. See the official trailer here.

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Donald Trump Is the Biggest Loser

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The Trump Brand took a significant hit as it was swept up in the Democratic blue wave of the election last night.

Published

5 days ago

November 5, 2025

Oakland Post

By April Ryan

The Trump Brand took a significant hit as it was swept up in the Democratic blue wave of the election last night.

Chris Jones, Democratic candidate for U.S. House of Representatives (AR-02), says, “Last night was electric, and it was unquestionably a wave.” Democrats won big in what is widely considered a repudiation of Trump’s 9 months at the White House in his second term.

In the state of Virginia, which produced the first big election night win and saw the election of the first woman governor, Democrat Abigail Spanberger, 56% of Virginia’s residents disapprove of President Trump. In New Jersey, 55% of state residents disapprove of the president; in New York, 69% disapprove; and in California, 63% disapprove of the president. The Trump brand or his support for any candidates did nothing to benefit those he endorsed in this election. They actually lost in each race he publicly put his name behind. Trump endorsed former New York Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo, who lost the New York mayor’s race in his run as an independent. And New Jersey Republican Jack Ciattarelli, who ran for governor with the presidential endorsement, also lost his prospective race.

The next question is, will the democratic momentum be sustainable? Jones further explained, “This can become a 2026 tsunami, but turning a wave into a tsunami takes energy. A lot of energy. It doesn’t just happen. The conditions are there. Now we have to work!”

Some Democrats would argue that the work is already underway. The pushback against Trump’s national redistricting efforts received a thumb in the eye from California voters. Prop 50, California Governor Gavin Newsom’s counterbalance to President Trump’s redistricting efforts, passed in California last night. Although Trump’s name was not on the ballot last night, his Republican policies were. The United States has now entered the longest government shutdown in its history. Forty-two million Americans are not getting SNAP benefits. Economists are acknowledging that the government shutdown is contributing to the rise in delinquent debt in the student loan, automotive, and credit card industries. These items are among the negatives Americans are protesting against.

Compounding Trump’s political problems is a tariff battle that’s directly impacting pocketbooks. The day after the elections, the Trump administration was arguing before the US Supreme Court in favor of the president’s tariff powers. Meanwhile, President Trump‘s poll numbers are underwater, standing at a 37% national disapproval rate

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Historic Beatdown: Democrats Sweep Virginia as Speaker Don Scott and Jay Jones Make History

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — In a clear rejection of the policies of President Donald Trump, history repeated itself in Virginia.

Published

6 days ago

November 5, 2025

Oakland Post

By Lauren Burke

In a clear rejection of the policies of President Donald Trump, history repeated itself in Virginia. Democrats once again swept all three statewide offices as they did in 2017 during Trump’s first term. Abigail Spanberger easily won the office of Governor, and State Senator Ghazala Hashmi won her race over John Reid to be the next Lieutenant Governor. The victories occurred against the backdrop of a historic win in Virginia by Spanberger that will give Virginia its first woman Governor.

Spanberger’s widely predicted win over Republican gubernatorial nominee Winsome Earle-Sears was called 17 minutes after the polls closed in Virginia at 7 pm. Former Delegate Jay Jones won his race against incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares. His victory means Jones will be the first Black Attorney General in Virginia’s history. Jones’ win was particularly noteworthy since the last month of his campaign was consumed by the issue of private text messages from 2022 to Republican Delegate Carrie Coyner. Republicans ran a non-stop barrage of negative ads against Jones for a month.

Del. Coyner lost her bid for re-election to Delegate-elect Lindsey Dougherty. The Dougherty race was the number one target for House Speaker Don Scott and his campaign lieutenant, Delegate Dan Helmer. Coyner’s defeat was one of at least 13 victories for Democrats who have now added to their ranks in the Virginia House to historic margins. When the Virginia General Assembly returns to session in January, there will be at least 64 Democrats in the chamber. The widespread Republican defeat is a testament to a combination of historic fundraising, Democrats running in all 100 seats, dislike of President Trump’s policies, and an ineffective top of the ticket featuring Lt. Gov. Earle Sears.

+13: Speaker Scott and Del. Helmer Hit Historic Numbers in Fundraising and Power

As the evening ended, a glaring historic fact became clearer: The Virginia House of Delegates will expand to a historic number. The change means the largest Democratic House chamber in the modern era. There were several notable wins by Democrats running for the Virginia House. They include Virgil Thornton, Lilly Franklin, and Kim Pope Adams. Speaker Don Scott and his campaign chair, Dan Helmer, undertook a record fundraising effort never before seen in Virginia’s history. The moment of success for Virginia Democrats will be viewed as a positive signal for Democrats moving into the 2026 elections.