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Motown Founder Berry Gordy Retires

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “Berry Gordy paved the way for minorities in a way that had never been seen before. His Motown Sound is now known as the sound that changed America, helping to bring together the nation then divided by race and segregation. As an African-American leader, businessman, entrepreneur, and important and historical agent of change, Berry Gordy is an inspiration and role model especially for African-Americans like myself,” stated Music Producer Linnette A. Harrigan.

Published

5 years ago

October 5, 2019

Oakland Post

Known as “The Chairman,” Berry Gordy, the founder and architect of Motown Records — an American original that arguably featured the most exceptional assembly of talent in music history — has retired. (Photo: Screen capture / YouTube.com)

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

From the Miracles, Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Lionel Richie, and the shaping of the original Little Steven, to being the genius behind the launch of the man that would become known as “the King of Pop,” Berry Gordy long ago indelibly cemented his place as one of the true legends of popular music.

Known as “The Chairman,” Gordy is the founder and original architect of Motown Records — an American original that arguably featured the most exceptional assembly of talent in music history — has retired.

He announced his retirement during the 60th-anniversary celebration of Motown that took place in Detroit last month. “I have come full circle, and it’s only appropriate [to make the announcement] while here in Detroit, the city where my fairy tale happened with all of you,” Gordy said.

Sixty years ago, long before the lottery’s slogan of “A Dollar and a Dream,” was appropriated to describe “rags to riches” success, Gordy put up what little cash he had and launched Motown Records, forever and better known by its simpler singular moniker: “Motown,” out of his small Motor City home.

The determined businessman demanded the best from everyone passing through the illustrious halls of Motown.

Among his initial signings was The Miracles featuring Smokey Robinson. Smokey would go on to become a recording legend, but he is also the songwriting genius who penned tunes for artists like Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye.

In 2001, Gordy told this reporter that the secret to success was, in part, understanding who to trust. Gordy made no bones that the foremost person he believed in is himself. However, he also knew when to comply.

“Her recollection is absolutely correct,” Gordy said with a respectful laugh when relayed a story told by Lula Mae Hardaway. Hardaway, who died in 2006, said she was probably the most hardened person Gordy had ever negotiated with. The negotiation involved her young son who would soon become known to the entire world as Stevie Wonder.

“For a year, I refused to sign a contract to let Steve work for Motown because I wasn’t sure if they’d provide a proper tutor for him to get a good education,” said Hardaway, who penned her life story in the 2002 book, “Blind Faith: The Miraculous Journey of Lula Hardaway, Stevie Wonder’s Mother.”

“We were poor, but I wasn’t stupid, and I wouldn’t be taken advantage of,” Hardaway told this reporter.

“We could certainly use the money Berry was offering, which really wasn’t much, but it wasn’t about the money, even though when we did finally agree to sign, it was a whole lot more than what he originally offered,” Hardaway stated.

Gordy said he knew he was getting a genius in the young Stevie Wonder, and a decade after his initial signing, Gordy and Wonder would ink what at the time was the largest contract in Motown history.

Along with Robinson and Wonder, Motown would produce an extensive roster of hitmakers.

From Marvin Gaye’s groundbreaking “What’s Going On?” to the Diana Ross and the Supremes “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” the hits came nearly every day.

Perhaps Gordy’s most shrewd signing was that of the Jackson Five.

While the group never won a Grammy Award and enjoyed a handful of No. 1 hits, it was its lead singer that Gordy took a particular interest in.

“When people ask, ‘Did I know that Michael Jackson would become as big as he did?’ I tell them, ‘Why of course,’” Gordy stated. “Why wouldn’t I believe he’d break records and set new standards? No one worked harder, and no one worked as often as Michael Jackson.”

Even though his solo success came under a different record label, Jackson would rock the world with the ultra-successful “Off The Wall” album. The singer would then cement himself as perhaps the greatest pop music star in history with the release of his 1982 album, “Thriller.”

Two years after “Thriller,” Lionel Richie [former lead singer of the Commodores] released “Can’t Slow Down.”

The recording became the biggest selling album in Motown history.

It was the last major record under Gordy’s leadership.

He sold the label in 1988, and until this year, Gordy remained in the entertainment industry producing Broadway musicals and feature films.

“Motown records is one of the most successful Black-owned record labels of all time,” said Aaron Douglas of R.E.A.L. Music Entertainment.

“Its history is in concrete because of the mega artists and because Berry Gordy had an eye for up-and-coming talent. …a Black owner giving a Black up-and-coming talented artists a chance to show their talent to the world and to be a proven success over and over again. This would be a blueprint for other young aspiring Black people. Seeing is believing,” Douglas stated.

Gordy made a difference not just in the music industry, but also in the world, said music producer Linnette A. Harrigan.

“The Motown Sound has impacted millions worldwide, and it has influenced the popular music we hear even to this day.

“Berry Gordy paved the way for minorities in a way that had never been seen before. His Motown sound is now known as the sound that changed America, helping to bring together the nation then divided by race and segregation.

“As an African-American leader, businessman, entrepreneur, and important and historical agent of change, Berry Gordy is an inspiration and role model especially for African-Americans like myself,” Harrigan stated.

She added: “His legacy should and could never be forgotten.”

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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

2 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

2 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

3 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.