‘Our ancestors were robbed’
Re Letter to the Editor, “ ‘How would you feel if we demand all of your statues … and heritage be removed,’ ” Free Press July 27-29 edition:
Trump and violence in Charlottesville
Having lived in Alabama, I can recall how former Gov. George Wallace used racist language to incite his white supremacist followers to violence.
‘We could only hope to live up to the words on the Reconciliation Statue’
In the bright sunlight, Richmond’s Reconciliation Statue, unveiled a decade ago by then-Gov. Tim Kaine and seen as an apology for this country’s role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, cast an appropriate shadow upon our sorrow. Hundreds of us gathered Sunday at the statue. We wanted to send a living sympathy card to the City of Charlottesville, where violence had caused the death of three people and the injury of 19 others. And we wanted to condemn the racism and bigotry that caused this violence.
Racist groups must be viewed as direct threat to national security
We are concerned about the white supremacist-organized domestic terrorist threat facing the United States. And we say to members of Congress, enough is enough. It is time to do something about it. These organized domestic terrorists and their leaders operate through dozens of groups known to law enforcement agencies as white nationalists, white supremacists, white separatists, alt-Reich Nation, Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Confederates, neo-Nazis, racist skinheads and Christian Identity, which represent a direct threat to our national security.
Let’s make them pay
America witnessed during the weekend dozens of armed, military-garbed men and women in Charlottesville wearing helmets and wielding shields, openly brandishing semi-automatic firearms in the face of students and clergy opposed to their racist and fascist messages.
‘The chickens came home to roost’
I consider myself a daughter of the Commonwealth as I was born in Richmond, just miles away from Charlottesville. As the former capital of the Confederacy, Richmond has been home to some of the most divisive periods in history and has routinely demanded that battle lines be drawn among its residents.
It’s time
It’s time for Johnny Reb, skinheads, the hooded Klan and closet racists at the office and who live next door to wake up and understand that it’s not 1865 any more. The Civil War is over. The South lost.
Eclipse 2017
Rare total solar eclipse a chance to see ‘pure science’
The last time Carroll Ellis, a geoscience educator at the MathScience Innovation Center in Henrico County, saw a total solar eclipse, the price of a loaf of bread was less than a quarter, the average price of a home was $24,000 and he was learning how to use a microscope, a gift from his parents.
All that JAZZ
Fans of jazz, blues and R&B enjoyed a spectrum of musical styles and talent last Saturday and Sunday at the 8th Annual Richmond Jazz Festival at Maymont. The event featured legendary performers, neo-soul icons and newcomers, all of whom held their own, delivering powerful performances on a trio of stages. The vibe was smooth and easy, with thousands of people enjoying good music, good food and camaraderie with fellow music lovers.
‘Blind Side’ subject cut from NFL team
Michael Oher, who was the subject of the 2009 biographical feature film “The Blind Side,” starring Sandra Bullock, has been cut by the Carolina Panthers.
New leader for TV One
Michelle Rice, executive vice president for content distribution and marketing at TV One, has been named interim general manager of the company, with management oversight of the network that targets African-American adults. The announcement was made in late July by Alfred C. Liggins, CEO of Urban One, formerly known as Radio One and the parent company of TV One.
Clarence ‘Big House’ Gaines honored in hometown
Paducah, Ky., has paid tribute to a famous native son, the late Clarence “Big House” Gaines. A monument of Mr. Gaines was unveiled Monday, Aug. 7, at 9th and Husband streets in Paducah. The tribute is near Coleman Park in the part of town where Mr. Gaines grew up.
Virginian Kenny Easley inducted into NFL Hall of Fame
Native Virginian Kenny Easley’s NFL career was short but sweet. Limited to just seven seasons (81-87) due to a kidney ailment, Easley was a five-time All-Pro, NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1984 and selected to the NFL’s 1980s All-Decade team.
Fans pick ‘The 50 Greatest Black Athletes’
If compiling lists is meant to stir controversy, “The 50 Greatest Black Athletes” struck its target. The survey, released Aug. 8, is a collaboration of The Undefeated and Survey Monkey and makes an attempt — some suggest a wild stab — at naming the 50 greatest black athletes of all time.
Who will be next Usain Bolt?
Track and field is looking for a new sprinting superstar. Who will it be? There is a vacancy for the title of “world’s fastest human” following the conclusion of Usain Bolt’s unprecedented career at the World Championships of Athletics in London.
Personality: Carroll H. Ellis Jr.
Spotlight on geoscience educator at the MathScience Innovation Center
Carroll H. Ellis Jr. wants to see more African-American students embracing the geosciences as an area of interest, and ultimately, as a career path. The field, he says, holds the possibility of studying earthquakes, surface and groundwater, soil, mining geology and geochemistry, among other areas. His passion for the field has fueled his love of teaching for more than three decades.
Memorial service Saturday for ‘Tiger Tom’ Mitchell
A memorial service for Richmond broadcast legend “Tiger Tom” Mitchell will be at noon Saturday, Aug. 19, at St. Paul’s Baptist Church, 4247 Creighton Road in Henrico County.
Mormon church denounces white supremacy, angering some members
The Mormon church is specifically condemning white supremacist attitudes in its strongest statement since a Virginia rally over a Confederate monument descended into deadly violence.
Megapastor says Trump has God-given authority to ‘take out Kim Jong-un’
Anyone who knows the Bible shouldn’t take issue with the idea that God has given President Trump authority to take out North Korea’s dictator, said Pastor Robert Jeffress, the Dallas megachurch leader who drew sharp rebukes for stating just that.
Mayor Stoney makes removing Confederate statues an option
Under mounting public pressure, Richmond Mayor Levar M. Stoney changed course on Wednesday, announcing that the Monument Avenue Commission will now consider the option of removing Confederate statues along Monument Avenue. “Effective immediately, the Monument Avenue Commission will include an examination of the removal and/or relocation of some or all of the Confederate statues,” the mayor said in a statement issued about 5 p.m. Wednesday.
