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Grant paves way to “Take ‘Em Down 901” one-act play

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The real-life drama that culminated with the removal of Confederate-era statues from what had been two Memphis-owned parks will be the subject of a play being developed by Ekundayo Bandele, founder and CEO of the Hattiloo Theatre.

Published

7 years ago

July 12, 2019

Oakland Post

By Karanja A. Ajanaku, The New Tri-State Defender
kajanaku@tsdmemphis.com

The real-life drama that culminated with the removal of Confederate-era statues from what had been two Memphis-owned parks will be the subject of a play being developed by Ekundayo Bandele, founder and CEO of the Hattiloo Theatre.

With Bandele and an associate, Johnny Jones, forming the creative team, the Hattiloo is among the 2019 recipients of MAP Fund grants. Forty-two original, live performance projects will be funded, with a total of $1.3 million in direct support for development and production.

Hattiloo will receive $18,725 to support the Take ‘Em Down 901 play.

“This play will premiere in 2021, with free performances in both Health Sciences and Memphis parks,” said Bandele in announcing the grant award. “The MAP Fund invests in artistic production as the critical foundation of imagining — and ultimately co-creating — a more equitable and vibrant society.”

The MAP grantors note that “at a time of deep division, the grantees seek to interrogate marginalizing structures in the United States while asserting new possibilities for thriving interdependence.”

Some of the projects will employ processions and other performance practices as a strategy for “transforming spaces with racist histories, such as contentious borders, waterways, or landmarks.” Others will generate shared rituals, dances and songs in celebration of life.

Topics covered by the 42 performance projects include an exploration of the mental health of firefighters in Detroit, where the vacancy and arson rates are the highest in the country, and a look at the “larger psychological ramifications of border politics for immigrants.”

MAP Fund Executive Director, Moira Brennan, said, “As a whole, this extraordinarily diverse group of artists sends a resounding message of determination and hope. We are honored to support their efforts and can’t wait to watch their visions unfold.”

Here is the description of the Hattiloo performance project:

“Take ‘Em Down 901” is a one-act play about the grassroots movement that resulted in the December 2017 removal of statues of Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest, Confederate President Jefferson Davis, and Capt. J. Harvey Mathes from public parks in Memphis, where they had stood for more than 100 years, casting their shadows over residents of the fifth ‘Blackest’ city in the country.

The script will be developed by Ekundayo Bandele to tell the story from the perspectives of the group of roughly 50 concerned citizens, who succeeded in legally toppling the controversial landmarks, in the process, upending the powerful institutions that had long protected them and the enduring legacy of oppression they represented for Memphis’ marginalized majority.

The City of Memphis sold Health Science Park and the easement to Memphis Park to Memphis Greenspace, Inc., to clear the way for the removal of the three controversial statues saluting Confederate-era figures.

The parks were sold to Memphis Greenspace, Inc. for $1,000 each. The sale of the parks followed the city’s unsuccessful attempt to get a waiver from the Tennessee Historical Commission to remove the Forrest statue from Health Sciences Park. Memphis Greenspace, Inc. removed the trio of statues within hours of taking ownership.

The MAP Fund was established in 1988 by The Rockefeller Foundation to support innovation and cross-cultural exploration in new works of live performance. Over the past two decades, MAP guidelines have gradually broadened to welcome artists exploring issues of class, sexual orientation, gender, generation, faith and other aspects of cultural difference.

The presentation of the 2019 MAP grantees is in celebration of the group’s 30th anniversary of grant making.

Q&A

Karanja A. Ajanaku: Describe the development of the play idea. Did you have the idea and were in search of funding? Did you learn of the funding, with the idea for the play then coming to mind?

Ekundayo Bandele: I have long been fascinated with how the Confederate statues were brought down and with the people involved. As Hattiloo approaches its 15-year anniversary, we want to start telling the stories that are around us. So often, Black Memphis history is forgotten within the span of a few short years. My desire to tell this story came before the grant opportunity. Still, the support that comes with the grant makes my idea of the play more tangible.

KAA: Have you already started the writing? How long will it take?

EB: I am still in the research-and-interview phase. I’ve met with Mayor (Jim) Strickland and his team, (Shelby County Commissioner) Tami Sawyer (#TakeEmDown901 spokesperson), (Shelby County Commission Chairman) Van (D.) Turner (Jr. of Greenspace) and Patrick Ghant. I anticipate meeting with (Rev. L.) LaSimba (M.) Gray (Jr.) and Alan Wade, as well as (Rev. Dr.) Earl (J.) Fisher. I will take the rest of this year devising the play – it’s surroundings, the archetypal characters, the symbols. Next year I plan to start workshopping it through table and staged readings. The play will premier in the spring of 2021.

KAA: How important is the aspect of the free performances, particularly in the parks? Did you have to get prior permission for the performances? If so, what was the feedback and from whom?

EB: I asked Van Turner if Memphis Greenspace would grant us permission to perform the play there. He said ‘yes’. I think it is imperative that the community is invited to see this story unfold, a story that will be fiction based on fact. Everyone that I’ve spoken to about the free performances have been excited to see them happen.

KAA: Should we expect to see any of the “takemdown901” activists playing themselves? How will you go about casting and when?

EB: None of the real-life people involved in the statues’ removal will be in the play. There will be characters who represent the sentiment of, say, Tami Sawyer, or Alan Wade. This play isn’t meant to be a documentary work, but a spotlight on a movement that has happened in other cities – Baltimore, Charlottesville, New Orleans. I want to make sure that, while the story is about Memphis, there are themes that any person in any of those other cities can relate to.

KAA: Can you describe your history/partnership with Mr. Jones.

EB: I became acquainted with Mr. Jones through actor and director Baron Kelly, who is also at the University of Louisville. Once I learned that the University had the only program where a student can earn a certificate in African-American theatre, I knew that the play had to have input from that department. Mr. Jones is an accomplished thespian, and I’m eager to see how his insight helps bring this play to fruition.

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Poll Shows Support for Policies That Help Families Afford Child Care

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — New national polling shows persistent voter concern about the affordability and availability of child care for working parents, alongside broad support across key demographic groups for federal child care policies that help families afford care.

Published

1 week ago

March 2, 2026

Oakland Post

By First Five Years Fund

New national polling shows persistent voter concern about the affordability and availability of child care for working parents, alongside broad support across key demographic groups for federal child care policies that help families afford care.

The national survey was conducted by UpOne Insight on behalf of the First Five Years Fund from January 13–18, 2026.

Key findings include:

• Parents need help: 80% of voters say the ability of working parents to find and afford child care is either in a state of crisis or a major problem.

• This is an affordability issue: 82% believe federal child care funding will help lower costs for working families — including 69% of Republicans, 84% of Independents, and 94% of Democrats.

• And there continues to be strong support (62%) for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), a federal program that makes it possible for hundreds of thousands of families to afford safe, quality care for their children while parents work or go to school, including a majority of Republicans, 63% of Independents and 72% of Democrats.

• Support for funding child care programs remains strong: 75% believe child care funding should be increased or kept at current levels — including 75% of Republicans, 85% of Independents, and 97% of Democrats.

• 74% say funding for child care is an important and good use of tax dollars, including a majority of Republicans, three-quarters of Independents, and nine in ten Democrats.

FFYF Executive Director Sarah Rittling said, “Voters across the country are sending a clear message: federal child care and early learning programs work. These investments help parents stay in the workforce, strengthen families, and support healthy child development. They have also long had strong bipartisan support in Congress. At a time when affordability is top of mind for families, continued federal funding is essential to ensure child care remains accessible and within reach.”

First Five Years Fund works to protect, prioritize, and build bipartisan support for quality child care and early learning programs at the federal level. Reliable, affordable, and high-quality early learning and child care can be transformative, not only enhancing a child’s prospects for a brighter future but also bolstering working parents and fostering economic stability nationwide.

We work with Congress and the Administration to identify federal solutions that work for families with young children, as well as states and communities. We work with policymakers to identify ways to increase access to affordable, high-quality child care and early learning programs for children. And we collaborate with advocacy groups to help align best practices with the best possible policies. http://www.ffyf.org

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Trump’s MAGA Allies are Creating Executive Order Plan to Steal the 2026 Midterms

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The document that could lead to an executive order proposes using the claim that China interfered with the 2020 elections as grounds to “declare a national emergency.” The move would be an unprecedented step that would grant Trump new authority over the voting systems in the U.S.

Published

1 week ago

February 27, 2026

Oakland Post

By Lauren Victoria Burke, NNPA Newswire Correspondent

A group of MAGA pro-Trump activists, who say they are working in coordination with the White House, are circulating a 17-page draft executive order that would claim without evidence that China interfered with the 2020 presidential election. Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential to President Joe Biden by over 7 million votes. Since Trump lost to Biden in 2020, he has repeatedly claimed that the election was “stolen” without evidence. The report of a group of “Trump allies” preparing an executive order to give Trump power over elections was first reported by The Washington Post.

The lies around the right-wing campaign that pushed falsehoods that the 2020 election was stolen was trafficked through right-wing media, particularly Fox News. Fox News was then sued for defamation for the claims by Dominion Voting Systems. Fox lost the case and had to settle for the largest defamation amount on record of $787.5 million in April 2023.

The document that could lead to an executive order proposes using the claim that China interfered with the 2020 elections as grounds to “declare a national emergency.” The move would be an unprecedented step that would grant Trump new authority over the voting systems in the U.S.

The story in The Washington Post arrives as Trump increasingly signals that he may take actions that would alter the result of the 2026 midterms. The Republicans are widely expected to lose as their approval ratings plummet as a result of a failing economy under Trump. Over 50 members of Congress have announced they will retire this year and not return in 2027.

The Trump Department of Justice, which now has a large image of Trump on the side of it, “sued five new states Thursday [Feb. 26, 2026] demanding access to their unredacted voter rolls — escalating a campaign that has been rejected by multiple federal courts and faces resistance from Republican-led states as well,” according to Democracy Docket, a group that works to protect voting rights.

Trump claimed back in late 2020, the last year of his first term, that he had the authority to issue an executive order related to mail-in voting for the 2020 elections — which he would then lose. But the Constitution states that control of elections lies with the states. As the GOP works to place hurdles in front of voting, Democrats worked to make voting easier.

In March 2021, President Biden signed an executive order calling on federal agencies to expand voting access as part of the Biden Administration’s effort “to promote and defend the right to vote for all Americans who are legally entitled to participate in elections.”

Trump’s focus is clearly on altering the November 2026 midterm elections. Trump’s polling numbers and the elections and special elections that have taken place around the U.S. over the last year clearly indicate that Republicans are about to be hit by a blue wave of Democratic victories.

Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent investigative journalist and the founder of Black Virginia News. She is a political analyst who appears on #RolandMartinUnfiltered and hosts the show LAUREN LIVE on YouTube @LaurenVictoriaBurke. She can be contacted at LBurke007@gmail.com and on twitter at @LVBurke

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PRESS ROOM: NBA Hall of Fame Nominee Terry Cummings Joins 100 Black Men of DeKalb County to Launch Victory & Values Initiative

NNPA NEWSWIRE — NBA Hall of Fame nominee and Basketball Legend Terry Cummings was administered the official member’s oath and ceremonially pinned during a special induction ceremony held on Friday, February 20th.

Published

1 week ago

February 27, 2026

admin

Cummings becomes an honorary member, joining other role model sports stars

NBA Hall of Fame nominee and Basketball Legend Terry Cummings has officially become an honorary member of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County, marking a powerful new chapter for the 100 Black Men and youth development across the region.

Cummings was administered the official member’s oath and ceremonially pinned during a special induction ceremony held on Friday, February 20th. The moment signified more than membership — it marked the launch of the organization’s transformative new platform, the Victory & Values Initiative.

The Victory & Values Initiative is a groundbreaking youth development program designed to empower elementary and middle school students through a dynamic blend of sports, mentorship, and STEM exposure. The initiative focuses on building health, discipline, character, leadership, and access to opportunity — creating pathways for long-term academic and personal success.

“This is about more than sports,” said Cummings during the ceremony. “It’s about using the platform of athletics to teach life lessons, create access, and build the next generation of leaders.”

The induction ceremony also featured notable guests including NASCAR’s newest Star Driver, Lavar Scott and NASCAR Director of Athletic Performance, Phil Horton, who joined Cummings for a powerful Victory & Values Town Hall discussion. The Town Hall was moderated by renowned Sports Emcee John Hollins and focused on leadership, resilience, discipline, and the importance of mentorship in shaping young lives.

A “Day at NASCAR” for 75+ Youth

Cummings wasted no time getting to work. On his first full day as an honorary member, he joined his new brothers of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County to host a “Day at NASCAR,” escorting more than 75 youth to a once-in-a-lifetime experience at EchoPark Motor Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway).

The youth participants received behind-the-scenes access including: an exclusive tour of Pit Row, access to the Garage Area and exploration of the interactive Fan Zone.

The experience culminated with a surprise meet-and-greet and Q&A session with NASCAR Superstar Bubba Wallace, who shared insights on perseverance, preparation, and breaking barriers in professional sports.

The day served as a living example of the ‘Victory & Values’ Initiative in action — exposing youth to new industries, expanding their vision for the future, and connecting them directly with high- level mentors and role models.

Building Leaders Through Access and Mentorship

The 100 Black Men of DeKalb County – a chapter of the largest, national mentoring organization in the county – continues to expand its footprint with programs focused on academic excellence, economic empowerment, leadership development, and health & wellness.

The launch of ‘Victory & Values’ represents a strategic expansion of the organization’s impact

intentionally integrating athletics and STEM to engage youth at an early age while reinforcing core principles such as integrity, accountability, teamwork, and perseverance.

“Our mission has always been to mentor the next generation,” said Vaughn Irons, President-Elect of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County. “With Terry Cummings joining the brotherhood, along with partners in NASCAR and professional sports, we are creating unprecedented access and exposure for our youth. Victory & Values is about turning inspiration into structured opportunity.”

By connecting elementary and middle school students to professional athletes, executives, STEM professionals, and community leaders, the initiative aims to:

Increase youth exposure to careers in sports business, engineering, and performance science
Strengthen mentorship pipelines
Promote physical wellness and mental resilience
Build character-driven leadership at an early age

Open Invitation to Youth and Families

All youth are invited to participate in the Victory & Values Initiative, along with the other countless, impactful programs offered by the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County.

Parents and guardians seeking mentorship, leadership development, academic enrichment, and transformative exposure opportunities for their children are encouraged to connect with the organization.

As NBA Legend Terry Cummings’ induction demonstrates, Victory & Values is more than a program — it is a movement designed to build champions in life, not just in sports.

For more information about the Victory & Values Initiative or to enroll a student, contact: 100 Black Men of DeKalb County at Phone at 404.241.1338, info@100bmod.org or Tee Foxx at 404.791.6525,