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Strong to make bid for Congress; sets up challenge to Cohen

NEW TRI-STATE DEFENDER — Corey Strong took the helm of a frayed, embattled Shelby County Democratic Party on August 5, 2017. On Friday, he announced a run for Congress, touting his leadership as a major component for crafting the local party’s turn-around. The former Shelby County Democratic Party chairman has decided to challenge incumbent Steve Cohen for the Ninth Congressional District seat in the August 2020 primary election.

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By Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Corey Strong took the helm of a frayed, embattled Shelby County Democratic Party on August 5, 2017. On Friday, he announced a run for Congress, touting his leadership as a major component for crafting the local party’s turn-around.

The former Shelby County Democratic Party chairman has decided to challenge incumbent Steve Cohen for the Ninth Congressional District seat in the August 2020 primary election.

“Today is August 2, and it is the first anniversary of the historic blue wave that swept the (county) elections in 2018,” said Strong, declaring his intention during a gathering at the Holiday Inn-University of Memphis. “Ten Republican seats had been flipped by the end of the night. And I am staking my claim as the leader and architect of that election cycle.

“That blue wave was made possible because of vision.”

While he commended Cohen for doing “some great things,” Strong extolled the power of vision, saying he has one for Memphis.

“I love Memphis, and I remember growing up here,” he said. “We were on our way. We were on the road to being that place where we were a part of the national conversation, but something happened; a detour. There would always be a detour.

“Well, I have a vision for this place, and that is why I am proud to announce my candidacy for the 9th Congressional District of the United States Congress.”

Cohen, who earlier announced that he planned to run and win in 2020 and again in 2022, was unavailable for comment at TSD press time, according to his aide, Rick Maynard.

“Congressman Cohen is on the Texas/Mexican border with 24 colleagues doing oversight and can’t presently be reached,” Maynard replied to an email inquiry.

Rep. Steve Cohen

Rep. Steve Cohen

Congressional Democrats are visiting holding facilities to get a first-hand look of conditions faced by immigrants being held in detention. The fact-finding trip comes amid reports of “children in cages, grossly overcrowded conditions, insufficient food supplies, and unsanitary toileting conditions.”

Cohen first won election to Congress in 2006 and has turned back a succession of challengers every two years since then.

He has had challengers in every Democratic primary since he won the Congressional seat in 2006,

Strong, a special projects director for Shelby County Schools, is a U.S. Navy veteran and reservist. His vision is for Memphis to enjoy a 21st-century economy that invests in its workers, not “seeing how much it could get out of workers.

“In the Navy, we have a saying about our priorities: ‘ship, shipmate and self.’ We must put the whole and the people around us before ourselves. Our leaders must sow into everybody. Don’t leave anyone behind…”

What does that have to do with being a congressman?

“It has everything to do with being a congressman,” he said. “A congressman is the national face of our city, the chief ambassador and partner to every facet of local leadership: in the city, county, chamber, every neighbor. He is our chief spokesman taking our message to the halls of Congress. …

“After crafting legislation and casting the votes you have sent me up there to cast, then my real job will begin, and that is bringing jobs back to the city. …We must bring jobs and investment, both public and private, to the heart of this city.”

Noting a history of service to country and community, Strong said he was “ready to serve more. …I look forward to speaking with (voters) about what they should expect from their representative. …

“I am ready for this fight.”

This article originally appeared in the New Tri-State Defender

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Oakland Post: Week of June 18 – 24, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of June 18 – 24, 2025

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EXCLUSIVE OP-ED: President Joe Biden Commemorating Juneteenth

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — “I’ve always believed that we need to be honest about our history, especially in the face of ongoing efforts to erase it. Darkness can hide much, but it erases nothing. Only with truth can come healing, justice, and repair.”

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By Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
46th President of the United States: 2021—2025

The people of Galveston, Texas, have been commemorating Juneteenth since the Civil War ended. Yesterday, in honor of the 160th anniversary, I went there to join them.

You can read about the events of Juneteenth, but there’s nothing quite like going to Galveston and seeing where it all happened.

After General Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, Union troops marched across the South for two months, freeing enslaved people along the way. Their final stop was Galveston, an island off the Gulf coast of Texas. There, on June 19, 1865, Union troops went to Reedy Chapel, a church founded in 1848 by enslaved people, and posted a document titled simply “General Order #3.”

“The people of Texas are informed,” it said, “that, in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.”

We can only imagine the joy that spread through Galveston – and across the state and nation – on that day and those that followed.

Yesterday, there was once again joy in Galveston, with a parade, picnic, and fireworks. There was also great solemnity, because Juneteenth is a sacred day – a day of weight and power.

The Book of Psalms tells us: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Juneteenth marks both the long, hard night of slavery and subjugation, and the promise of that joyful morning to come.

As President, I had the great honor of signing the law declaring Juneteenth a federal holiday. It was our nation’s first new federal holiday since Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was created in 1983.

Our federal holidays say a lot about who we are as a nation. We have holidays celebrating our independence… the laborers who build this nation… the servicemembers who served and died in its defense.

And now, we also have a national holiday dedicated to the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans.

Signing that law was one of my proudest acts as President.

Yet for 156 years, Juneteenth was not written about in textbooks or taught in classrooms. Still today, there are those who say it does not deserve a holiday. They don’t want to remember the moral stain of slavery and the terrible harm it did to our country.

I’ve always believed that we need to be honest about our history, especially in the face of ongoing efforts to erase it. Darkness can hide much, but it erases nothing. Only with truth can come healing, justice, and repair.

I also believe that it’s not enough to commemorate the past. We must also embrace the obligation we have to the future. As Scripture says, “Faith without works is dead.” And right now, we Americans need to keep the faith and do the work.

In honor of Juneteenth, let’s help people register to vote.

For decades, we fought to expand voting rights in America. Now we’re living in an era when relentless obstacles are being thrown in the way of people trying to vote. We can’t let those tactics defeat us. In America, the power belongs with the people. And the way we show that power is by voting.

So let’s reach out to family, friends and neighbors – especially those who have never voted before. Remind them that with voting, anything is possible. And without it, nothing is possible.

Yesterday in Galveston, we gathered in Reedy Chapel to commemorate Juneteenth, just like people have done for 160 years and counting. We prayed, sang, and read General Order #3 again. The pews were full of families. How many people must have prayed for freedom inside those walls. How many must have sent fervent thanks to God when slavery finally ended.

I remembered the words of my late friend John Lewis. He said, “Freedom is not a state. It is an act.”

Juneteenth did not mark the end of America’s work to deliver on the promise of equality. It only marked the beginning. To honor the true meaning of Juneteenth, we must continue to work toward that promise. For our freedom. For our democracy. And for America itself.

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Cities Across the U.S. Shrink or Cancel Juneteenth Events as DEI Support Wanes

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Across the country, Juneteenth celebrations are being scaled back or eliminated as public funding dries up and corporations withdraw sponsorship.

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By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

Across the country, Juneteenth celebrations are being scaled back or eliminated as public funding dries up and corporations withdraw sponsorship. In many communities, the once-growing recognition of the holiday is facing sharp resistance tied to the unraveling of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.

In Denver, Colorado, the annual Juneteenth Music Festival, one of the largest in the nation—was cut from two days to one. Organizers said more than a dozen corporate sponsors walked away from commitments, leaving them with a financial gap that almost canceled the event. Norman Harris, the festival’s executive director, said several companies “pulled back their investments or let us know they couldn’t or wouldn’t be in a position to support this year.” Harris credited grassroots donors and small businesses for stepping in when larger backers stepped aside.

In Colorado Springs, the local celebration was relocated to the Citadel Mall parking lot after support from previous sponsors disappeared. Organizers noted that where there were once dozens of corporate partners, only five remained. The downsized event was pieced together with limited resources, but community leaders said they refused to let the holiday go unacknowledged.

Scottsdale, Arizona, canceled its Juneteenth observance after the city council voted to dissolve its diversity, equity, and inclusion office in February. Without the office in place, the city offered no support for planning or funding, leaving residents without an official celebration.

In San Diego, the Cooper Family Foundation lost a $25,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts that had been earmarked for Juneteenth programming. Organizers said the decision forced them to personally finance key elements of the event, including cultural exhibits, performances, and youth engagement activities.

Bend, Oregon, called off its Juneteenth event entirely. Organizers cited political tensions and safety concerns, saying they could not secure the partnerships needed to proceed. A public statement from the planning committee described the current climate as “increasingly volatile,” making it difficult to host a safe and inclusive event.

West Virginia, which has recognized Juneteenth as a paid state holiday since 2017, will not sponsor any official events this year. State leaders pointed to budget constraints and recent decisions to eliminate DEI programming across agencies as the reasons for stepping away from public observance.

Austin, Texas, has also reduced its Juneteenth programming. While the city has not canceled events outright, organizers said diminished city support and fewer private contributions forced them to focus only on core activities.

“Thankfully, there was a wide range of support that came when we made the announcement that the celebration is in jeopardy,” said Harris. “But it shows how fragile that support has become.”

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