No Struggle, No Progress
No Struggle, No Progress
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“Deacons for Defense and the Civil Rights ‘Removement’” surely and hopefully inspired thought-provoking conversation. After all, inside the climate of continuous assaults against black lives, the attempts and successes toward revoking the freedoms of African Americans are immeasurable and unrelenting. Plus, he had a loving personality, a listening ear, and a winning smile. So, when we heard a rumor that he was going to be fired, we filed into the hallway in loud protest. That incident became a catalyst for all our grievances. With assista...
Brooke Foy, Rodrecas Davis and Vitus Shell are three local artists that may not be known to many in the Monroe area, but they have a big dream in mind. The three millennial artists went before the Monroe City Council Tuesday (July 14) night to present their presentation of having a Black Lives Matter Street Mural on DeSiard St. in the near future. Saying that mural would be a tribute to the movement that has occurred around the nation following the controversial deaths of George Floyd and...
James Savannah says that for a long time, he was a bitter person. Savannah said that because of circumstances that happened to him at an early age, left him with a hatred for people that he says, did him wrong. Savannah went to jail for some youthful indiscretions that he felt was unjustified when it came to his sentencing, and also the fact that his lawyer abandoned him. Add to the fact, that as a diabetic, he didn’t receive the kind of medical attention while incarcerated Savannah eventually went blind. Savannah was an angry man. But t...
New Ouachita Parish High School Head Girls' Basketball Coach Chrissy Givens was named Thursday July 9. Givens was a former Ouachita Lady Lions who lead a 2003 squad to a LA State Basketball Title. She is a former Middle Tennessee State University and WNBA Detroit Shock Basketball Star. Coach Chrissy Givens is the daughter of Tillman & Mattie Givens. Photo Chrissy Givens...
…and what blacks must learn to survive this new economy By Solomon Ali, Private Equity Investor It is important for Black Americans to understand that if you invest some money for 13 months you will pay less on that investment income in the form of capital gains tax than you will on your earned salaried income. The more that pyramid flips in the favor of investment income or passive income, the less tax you will pay. “The Borrower is Slave to the Lender” – Proverbs 22:7 As Black Americans, we are a spiritual people and always have been. I...
Added to this list of frustrations, Mayor Thompson was left holding the bag in trying to run a town with an antiquated, neglected, water and sewerage system that should have been replaced years ago. Water pipes were bursting night and day all over the town. Mayor Thompson did the best he could do under a situation where there were little or no funds to handle these problems while at the same time he was hit with a rapid turnover in staff. White staff members, the brain trust at town hall (who ha...
Thank You Monroe! Let me begin this final column by expressing my gratitude to the Monroe Dispatch for affording me the opportunity to share positive columns about the many projects, initiatives, and efforts of the City of Monroe during my term as Mayor. I want to congratulate Friday Ellis as the next Mayor for Monroe. Also, Congrats to Juanita Woods, Gretchen Ezernack and Kema Dawson as councilmembers for the next four years. These are difficult times and I sincerely wish them well. I want to...
Mayor-Elect, Friday Ellis has announced the appointment of a transition team that will lead the integration of the new Administration for the City of Monroe. Ellis, who was elected with 52 percent of the vote on July 11th, will take office following a pending ruling from the Secretary of State and Attorney General. “Throughout the campaign, I laid out a vision based upon citizen and business feedback. This team will develop a plan that ensures we can begin tackling key issues the day we take office without losing any time,” Ellis said. “The dec...
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated – Omicron Iota Omega Chapter, West Monroe, LA awarded over $ 7,000 in college scholarships to – phenomenal, high scholastic graduating seniors on June 26, 2020. Amidst COVID-19, members of Omicron Iota Omega Chapter recognized the 2020 Scholarship recipients with excellence and elegance. Fan and fare were the theme for the day. Each recipient enjoyed a celebratory reception at their home while being honored with a scholarship check and commemorative sign f...
It goes without saying yet was bitter, the results from Saturday July 11 election. For the people who know better its hard, yet all you can do is count it all as joy. Brenda Shelling was among the many supporters of Mayor Jamie Mayo is still reeling as many other supporters....
PARENTS CONCERNS AND QUESTIONS OF RE-OPENING SCHOOLS Parents are aware that final decisions will be made by State Department of Education, the CDC and possibly local school boards may have some input. Admittedly, some parents do not know what concerns to have at this point. However, there are questions and concerns which may reflect the majority of parents. · Will students be required to wear masks on the school bus and how will bus loads be handled considering the COVID-19 guidelines of social distancing and masks? · Is the school district p...
Attorney Breshatta Davis has preserved and adjusted her game with a praying faithful mother Glenda Davis by her side. A dinner-reception was held in her honor recently where family, friends and classmates wished Attorney Davis the best with encouraging words and testimonies. Congratulations Attorney Breshatta Davis! Join the B Law Firm Red Ribbon Cutting on Friday, July 17, 2020 at 4:30PM at 200 Hudson Lane in Monroe, LA, Suite 5. Photo Breshatta 7036-Valerie Amendolla, Attorney Breshatta Davis...
Join The B Law Firm Red Ribbon Cutting is July 17, 2020, 4:30pm 200 Hudson Lane Monroe LA Suite 5. Photo Attorney Breshatta Davis...
Wendell Matthews was a football star in the 1980's who was born October 30, 1967. He was a great student and respected his elders growing up. Matthews starred on the Carroll Football Team gathering honors and graduating. His ferocious play as a football lineman gained the attention of Grambling State University where he starred on the football team. Matthews went on to graduate from Grambling, beginning in a new life as an adult with the tools and resources to become prosperous. He met the love...
Everyone has a choice or a right to participate in the voting process as a candidate or voter. What’s amazing in the political arena are those who are political stunters. Political stutters enter elections with no true political platform nor are they trying to really win an election. They are simply used as political pawns to take votes from other candidates. They fool their friends, then their friends fool others into believing they are viable sincere candidates. Some political stutters don’t realize that every voter isn’t falling for the t...
A white owner of one of the area’s consortium of funeral homes is under fire for comments that he allegedly made on social media about Afro-Americans. Kenneth Griffin, owner and operator of Griffin Funeral Home located in Monroe/West Monroe allegedly wrote comments saying, “you blacks never did anything positive for the country. We wouldn’t expect your kind to get it”. According to sources, when confronted over the message, Griffin did not explicitly deny that he wrote the words. Sources also said that Griffin allegedly refused to delete...
According to Louisiana State Police and U.S. Marshals Service reports, a hunt for Suspect Erroll Johnson 31, who was accused of attempted murder of a LA State Trooper on Sunday July 5, came to an end on Wednesday July 8, 2020. Witnesses witnessed a strong police presence on the east side of Monroe LA where LA State Police and other law enforcement converged on the Red Roof Inn on Hwy 165. Witnesses on the scene saw the tragic shooting unfold. Some witnesses reported the suspect shot himself...
The road to eternity has no time, age or expiration date. When we leave home or wherever, there is never a return guaranteed. An accident involving fireworks has claimed the life of Damorrious Hollins 21, on Thursday July 2, 2020. Hollins was on the Roy Neal Shelling School Parking Lot when a firework he set off exploded. He suffered injuries to his hip and leg. Hollins was transported to a local hospital where he passed due to the severity of fireworks accident. Family and friends are saddened...
The chilling reports of the deaths of two transgender women in Louisiana both black, shows us a segment of the population that has been marginalized; continues to suffer. According to reports, the women were identified as Draya McCarty and Shakie Peters. Their bodies were found in Baton Rouge and Amite respectively. As of press time, there has been limited information released by law enforcement regarding the women's deaths, as agencies say that they are working to resolve those cases. However,...
All too often, we have a tendency to only recognize our blessings once they are gone. Don't let that be our downfall this year. Your right to vote was hard-won through years of strife and challenge. Don't be fooled today into squandering it in our upcoming elections. Mayor Jamie Mayo is up for reelection this year. He has served Monroe well, and has had particular allegiance to Monroe's African American communities. Under the Mayo administration, the City of Monroe has enjoyed some of its best f...
Jonesboro's Mayor, Leslie Thompson has gone "through the fire" as some religious folks might say, seeing the mayor still has legal hurdles that he must overcome. Ever since Thompson won his first term as mayor, he has had to face one legal obstacle after another because of the way that he tried to be a good mayor for Jonesboro. Thompson faced a hostile environment when he first assume office as mayor, as there were some racial overtones from certain people in/around Jonesboro. Thompson also...
Ouachita/Morehouse District Attorney Steve Tew has been nominated without opposition as the First Vice President of the Louisiana District Attorneys Association (LDAA). His term will begin on August 15, 2020. As a result, Mr. Tew will be the President Elect of the LDAA for the term beginning August 15, 2021. "The appreciation of Steve Tew's experience and participation on the LDAA Board is reflected in the unanimous support he received to be our next First Vice President," said DA John Belton,...
With no regard for race, creed, color or ethnic origin, graduating high school students who plan to attend and enroll at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in the fall immediately following their graduation may apply. Students who enroll in Southern University and A & M College, the scholarship value is doubled. The James H. Gray Foundation Scholarship is funded by Patterson & Associates of Monroe, LLC. Steffen Lewis has been accepted into the University of Arkansas Medical...
…and what blacks must learn to survive this new economy By Solomon Ali, Private Equity Investor We Now Know That Aesthetics Do Not Equal Wealth. How is Wealth Really Defined? The longer you can go without working and still have the ability to meet your financial obligations and retain your current lifestyle, the wealthier you are. Could you go one month, three months, six months, a year, without working? Or do you need that next paycheck to make ends meet and keep your creditors at bay? The wealthy always save and invest aportion of their i...
In a Louisiana Legislative Season shortened by a pandemic that limited the people's ability to advocate for their issues, Democrats stood up for the working families and small businesses of Louisiana. Thanks to The House Democratic Caucus, essential workers on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic will receive a $250 bonus. The money will go to health care workers, first responders, bus drivers, grocery workers and others in essential positions. House Democrats helped pass the Main Street...
The 37th Annual Rose of Sharon Baptist Church Millard Dean Lee Memorial Scholarship Program will be held on Sunday, July 19, 2020, at 8:30 am. The speaker for the event is Dr. Quentin Holmes, Sr., Assistant Professor of Public Administration at Grambling State University. Due to the pandemic and following the social distancing guidelines, the program will be held outside under the porte-cochere (front entrance of the church). You may also remain in your cars to watch and help celebrate our...
On Saturday, July 11, 2020 at 10:00, WIN (Women in NAACP) will host a caravan of cars to bring awareness to the violence in our community. The event begins at the Bread of Life Church 201 S. Stanley. (right behind the Bingo Hall on DeSiard St) Monroe LA. WIN will be escorted through the neighborhood by law enforcement. We ask you have signs as well as decorate your cars. All are invited to come and be a part of this historic event! Save Our Sons!...
Home training can and will take one a long way in this world. It has opened many doors for many successful people and is considered by many of those to be a gateway to opportunity. When one has home training, they possess the ability to interact with a variety of people, being polite and pleasant to those whom they encounter, whether it be a stranger or friend. They, most importantly, treat everyone with the respect they themselves would like to receive. Someone with home training is never loud and obnoxious to beg for attention because they...
"A Bridge to Equality and Success "Thursday, October 15, 2020, 6 p.m. Monroe Civic Center Bayou Room Lea Joyner Memorial Expressway Monroe LA -Show your support for GSU Athletics!! The Athletic Department has been invited to come and celebrate with us. Alumni, friends, businesses and supporters of GSU are asked to come and participate. Admission is ($15) for those who do not purchase an ad and for those purchasing at least a half-page ad admission is FREE. Your support can be shown by...
Please join us by supporting Mayor Jamie Mayo as mayor of the city of Monroe LA by voting Saturday July 11. Re-elect Mayor Jamie Mayo #189. Supporting Mayor Mayo are Robert and Pauline Clark, Gwendolyn Dickson and Ashley and Angela Mayo....
Before you pull that lever at the polls this Saturday (July 11, 2020), think about the BEST decision for electing a mayor. Actually, there is no perfect time to make a change, but IF and /WHEN a change is made, that change should be for something better or at least for something equally as Good. Unfortunately, there are absolutely no candidates vying for mayor who can fill the shoes of Mayor James E. Mayo. There are underlying reasons that each candidate has, which comes with ambition, but...
Many of us remember Hans Christian Anderson’s fable, The Emperor’s New Clothes, from 1837. It is all about a vain king who was preoccupied with his appearance and his wardrobe. A pair of swindlers took advantage of this by pretending to be able to weave the finest cloth for him. Actually, no one could see the clothes, but the Emperor pretended to see the clothes and wore them (which was nothing), so he had on no clothes. Everyone was silent about the fact that he had nothing on, until a child blurted, “But he has nothing on!” Symboli...
Disregard for civil rights and police abuse continue to undermine the social fabric in black communities, despite hard-won formal legal equality. Changing from the times have, in fact, been gradual. There’s nothing to indicate, and certainly no defining moment, when racism ceased to be a problem for Blacks and other minorities in America. Coming as far as the nation has in a relatively short amount of time is impressive, given the way racism is embedded in American culture, politics, and education. Actually, Jim Crow never should have h...
4 will be remembered as the year of COVID-19. May I remind you to practice Social Distancing, wear a mask, and wash your hands often (at least 20 seconds with warm water and soap). 2020 is also an election year. This is the time when we often hear the chant, CHANGE, CHANGE, IT IS TIME FOR A CHANGE. I say, not so fast. I suggest that change for the sake of change is not good. This is true when we speak about the Mayor of Monroe. Jamie Mayo is the Mayor of Monroe. We the voters of Monroe...
Anytime a person is shot with any type of firearm is disturbing. Shootings cause all types of health and mental issues. For some being shot is a life changing moment, which effects cannot be reversed. Parents, grandparents and guardians raising children in the 21st Century is not easy, especially in this age of technology and social media. Monitor and know your children’s where abouts constantly, because dealing with your child or grandchild being involved in a shooting is unsettling. According to witnesses a drive-by shooting took place on 8...
In life, choices have consequences which can change a person life forever. According to court documents Glenn W. McKinney is suspected and accused of rape in of a victim in Caldwell Parish. The alleged crime was committed on June 16 when the victim was outside when the suspect drove up, made her get inside of his vehicle with a gun, making her perform asexual out before releasing her. The suspect was arrested after being stopped. While denying the sex act, the suspect was charged with second...
There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal and not lovers of good. According to police reports Suspect, Kemonica Rodgers was at her residence where she resides with her mother, picked up a claw hammer, standing over her mother, threatening with the hammer raised ready to strike. The mother was...
Henry Lee Jackson, Sr. was born on November 1, 1929 to the blessed union of Ezra Lee Jackson and Willie Mae Crosby in Jonestown, MS. He was the first of 12 children. He accepted Christ at an early age and attended Hickory Ridge Church in Delhi, LA. He graduated from Waverly High School in Crowville LA and attended annual school reunions until recently. He met and married the love of his life, Beatrice Johnson Jackson on July 10, 1951. They would have celebrated 68 years of holy matrimony this...
The Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center Baton Rouge LA, part of the Southern University System, together with Ilera Holistic Healthcare (Ilera Holistic), on July 1, 2020 became the nation's first historically Black university (HBCU) to launch its own THC medical cannabis products. The university and Ilera share one of two cannabis licenses in the state of Louisiana. The launch of this historic brand, called AYO, comes on the heels of Louisiana's unprecedented...
A local woman and her family is heartbroken/heartsick as they can’t understand why a loved one is still incarcerated in a Texas correctional center. The mother has not seen her son in years since he was incarcerated, wants to know why her son’s case has taken so long to come to trial. She told The Dispatch that her son went to live in Texas after starting a relationship with a young woman. They had a child, but soon after, things took a turn for the worst. According to the family, a situation happened where officers were called, and the son...
Harvey Houston 77 was an incredible guy. He was a man of action not just talk. He was one of the first black Ouachita Parish Sheriff Deputies who helped those after being arrested with simple advice. Harvey dressed well and was a remarkably successful businessman. He made sure his family was taken care of while owning all types of businesses. Harvey was quiet and a great guy who was an investor who made his ideas come true. He showed his kids the trail to become entrepreneurs while helping them...
The road home is one we all will face when the time comes. Larry Jackson 72, lived a humble life and knew how to get along with people. He was a Carroll Graduate, who worked and retired as a truck driver from Lumberman's Supply in Monroe LA. He attended Pine Grove Church. Larry went home to be with the Lord on June 24, 2020. He was preceded in death by father and mother Luster and Ida Mae Jackson, one sister Luster Meyer, and one brother LaVell Jackson. Left to cherish his memories four sisters...
Congratulations Neville High School 2020 Graduate Genesis Moy. Wishing Genesis all the best as she takes the next step in life. Genesis is the daughter of Touronda Douzart. Photo 2020 Graduate Genesis Moy...
At Wossman High School in Monroe LA during football season, among the many spectacular event is when the Wossman Golden Girls perform. A Wossman Golden Girl gave a stellar performance in 2018 was remarkable....
Among the nation's riveting woes, uncertainties, and major challenges include a Pandemic, more than 50 million Americans unemployed, more than 120 thousand lives already lost to COVID 19, weeks of protests occurring throughout the nation, and worldwide marches and protests being held over the death of George Floyd. Floyd was needlessly murdered, vigilante style, at the hands of Dereck Chauvin, a white police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Against this dire backdrop, the nation, the Town of J...
In December 2019, Les Martinique Debutante Taylor Gray was presented to society at the Les Martinique Debutante Ball at the Monroe Civic Center B.D. Robinson Conference Hall. Les Martinique Debutante Taylor Gray is the daughter of Dr. Damion and Denise Gray and the granddaughter of the Geneva Gray and the late Julian Gray....
The Supreme Court delivered a blow to the anti-abortion movement on Monday June 29, 2020, striking down a Louisiana law that could have left only one abortion provider in the state. The court ruled 5-4, with Chief Justice John Roberts siding with the court's liberal justices. June Medical Services v. Russo concerned a Louisiana law that required doctors providing abortions to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. Enforcing the admitting-privileges requirement would drastically reduce...
… and what blacks must learn to survive this new economy To bring this lesson home, a person who earns $100,000 per year and spends $100,000 per year will prosper far less than a person who earns $40,000 per year and spends only $20,000 per year. The latter person is on the path towards building wealth, whereas the prior person is spinning his or her wheels and making no progress towards achieving wealth. In fact, bankruptcy could be in his or her future if there is an abrupt loss of income. You now have the idea. Wealth is the result of a...
Keep your guard up against COVID-19 during summer activities Louisiana has seen an increase in reported COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in recent weeks. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana urges everyone to take steps to protect their health and the health of others because we are all still at risk. “As the state moved into reopening, more people have started doing their usual activities, but we are unfortunately not in the clear from COVID-19 yet,” said Blue Cross Senior Medical Director Dr. Dee Barfield. “Right now, there...
In this article I will highlight the legal might of the late Attorney James Sharp. "In 1964 a small group of African-American men in Jonesboro LA, defied the non-violence policy of the mainstream civil Rights movement and formed an armed self-defense organization to protect movement workers from vigilantes and police violence. Author, Lance Hill, offered the first detailed history of the Deacons for Defense and Justice, who grew to several hundred members and 21 chapters in the Deep South and le...
