SAM GREENLEE Joins the Ancestors

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

This is a tough week for me - having lost two friends on the same day, immediately after having memorialized Malcolm X, our BLACK SHINING PRINCE - and roughly a little over a month since my own mother's passing - Elombe Brath and Sam Greenlee's transitions have made me feel especially sensitive.   Each, in turn, have catapulted me down a sort of memory lane/rewind.  I think I mentioned in an initial statement that I dropped my cell phone upon hearing of Sam Greenlee's demise, and it literally went "dead" on me for two days.  That silence has given me an opportunity to really do some reflecting about this wonderful, charismatic brother.  So this, then, is a personal homage to Sam Greenlee:

Sam Greenlee:  Author, Educator, Poet, Movie Producer

I first "met" Sam Greenlee through his epoch making book - THE SPOOK WHO SAT BY THE DOOR.  I picked the book up at the then Michaux Book Store in Harlem, which used to be at the corner of Adam Clayton Powell (7th Ave) and 125th Street, where the State Office Building currently stands.  The book was, in fact, recommended to me by Dr. Michaux himself, who was, at the time, the go to person for Black books - he had all the Black books you ever, or never, heard of.  He had read them all, and was conversant on the books, authors, issues, whatever.  He was a delight for a book worm such as myself - who would literally spend almost all of my meagre salary on books (or fabrics).  He had the entire collection of J.A. Rogers WORLD'S GREAT MEN OF COLOR;  Frantz Fanon's BLACK SKINS/WHITE MASKS; you name it, he had it! or he'd order it.   It was Dr. Michaux who brought Sam's book to my attention. 

So when I say I "met" Sam Greenlee, it was via Dr. Michaux's admiration for his work, that I became initially aware of this great brother.  It was an exciting read, but at the time I thought it was a work of fiction - and  I was more into historical information - so I enjoyed it, but kind of passed it off as not in the realm of possibilities.

The next time I became aware of Sam Greenlee was when the movie was released.  Having already read the book, I wanted to see how close the movie was to it.  Also, during the 60's and 70's, we were supporting any and all Black movies, regardless of their genre, because it was an opportunity to help our other Black brothers and sisters stay employed and "relevant" in the Hollyweird movie industries.

 

Having seen Ivan Dixon in "NOTHING BUT A MAN," with Abbie Lincoln (Aminata Moseka), we definitely wanted to support his directorial efforts.  And, I will definitely say that the movie version did not disappoint.  We were keenly aware of the fact that this was about as close as it came to having a "blueprint for revolution" played out on the big screen.  There were discussion groups around the movie,  and whether those were real possibilities, or just a work of fiction and fantasy.  This was during the waning years of The Black Power Movement,  and many of the leaders, who were still trying to set up community based organizations, were beginning to buckle under the challenges of Black communities being deliberately flooded with drugs.  THE SPOOK WHO SAT BY THE DOOR seemed to them a ray of hope. Instructive and constructive in its scope, many were determined to have their teams view it as such. 

The fact is, however, that those plans never saw the light of day, and  Black communities and organizations were subsequently eviscerated by a combination of drugs on the one hand, and gentrification on the other.

Fast forward to 1998, the 25th anniversary of the release of the movie - and the first time I actually met Sam Greenlee - through the good offices of my sister/friend/activist/artist Maxine McCrey Montano - who had known Sam for decades.  She introduced us at Perks Fine Cuisine (our favorite Harlem Hangout Black in the day), as a "poet."  She thought it would be a "good thing for me to interview him for the New York Beacon," which was the publication I wrote for at the time.  

I almost turned down the opportunity to do so, because we had so many Black poets at the time, and unfortunately, Black newspapers were not paying for innovative, unsolicited articles.   However, Sam was so comical and down to earth, I couldn't pass up the opportunity.  Imagine my surprise when I found out that I was talking to The Sam Greenlee, author of THE SPOOK WHO SAT BY THE DOOR!!  I initially didn't believe it was really him.  I had to pinch myself a couple of times to make sure I wasn't dreaming.  Then I silently thanked God for this wonderful opportunity. 

Sam Greenlee was an easy going, plain spoken, not afraid of anything or anybody sort of brother.  He was what most would have called "straight with no chaser."  He said what he had to say, and if you couldn't handle it, he was making absolutely no apologies - he's just smile and continue with his statement - he didn't deny the fact that you might not like what he said, he just continued and you had to handle your personal reaction as though it was your own personal problem, not his.  PERIOD!

I told him how thrilled I was when I first saw the movie, but was disappointed that the main character, Freeman, was "killed."  To which he responded that he was not necessarily "killed."  That there was originally a plan for a sequel to the movie, with the consideration for a possible TV series - however, all that was dashed when the CIA and FBI had the movie pulled and canned.  

Though I knew it was in the realm of possibility, I wanted to make sure I heard him correctly, so I asked him: "Did you just say the CIA and FBI had your movie pulled?"  To which he responded, "You damned right they did."  So of course my question as to why ( a dumb question, but you have to ask it), met with one of his intense answers:  "Because it was a blueprint for Black insurgence.  They were afraid that the Black liberation groups would use it to get reparations and stop victimization and spread of drugs."  

When I asked him on basis had he originally written the book and movie, he explained that his experience in the USIA (United States Information Agency) for eight years, and was one of the only Black men in the agency at the time, he began to develop an awareness of the undercurrent of racism and discrimination during that time.  It inspired him to write the book, but then he couldn't get it published in the US, at a time when there was a proliferation of Black authors.  He knew his book was being turned down  systematically in the US because of the content.  

Since it had been over twenty years since I had read the book, or heard about the movie,  my recollection of it was sketchy at best - I just remembered that I loved the fact that the hero, Freeman, showed vividly how to  use white's racist assumptions against them; and how  play lw key, and keep your own counsel, in order to learn their secrets; and, in turn, teach what you know to those brothers and sisters who didn't have the opportunity to learn first hand, was exemplary.  

It gave new meaning to "each one reach one; each one teach one."  Something that, by that time, few, if any of us, were even remotely practicing.   He liked the fact that I got the essence of the book and the fact that, whether we were working together for "revolutionary purposes," or for just the expansion of knowledge, our working together as a well oiled team is the key to success.  And that is what frightened the CIA and FBI more than anything else - the possibility of unity among Blacks, that would then be translated into international (African) unity (especially at the time he wrote the book) -- where Africans and African Americans were beginning to work together.

For the uninitiated, who has neither seen the movie or read the book, I'm including a caption from the 
Oxford Companion to African American Literature:  "In The Spook Who Sat by the Door, Greenlee presents a satirical novel that criticizes the racist atmosphere of the United States by examining the life of a fictitious black CIA agent, Dan Freeman. It is evident that Greenlee creates his images from his experience in the military and United States Information Agency.

References to Freeman as a ““spook”” in both the title and the novel possess a sense of duality or double consciousness: spook is used as a racial insult directed toward Blacks, in addition to being a slang term for spies. Greenlee uses this duality to establish a connection between Freeman's character and the African American experience during the turbulent 1960s, which parallels Greenlee's service time. With this multifaceted character, Greenlee begins to examine the mask that has been worn by African Americans for generations to hide their true feelings.  Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/sam-greenlee#ixzz32fZ0lSla"
 
When I said Sam would speak his mind and let the chips fall where they may, it was never more evident than when he spoke of his angst in trying to get the movie completed.  His anger at Jesse Jackson for not having "greenlighted" the backing of the movie was palpable, and problematical for me, because I considered (consider) Jesse Jackson a hero.  He reluctantly admitted that he considered "early" Jesse a hero, but "sell out" Jesse, "I can't stand him."   Couple that with the fact that his movie was pulled from all the theatres at the same time throughout the US, and it was only because a hand full of boot leggers actually copied the movie on handheld videos that they were even seen at all after that time up until 2000, had made him somewhat bitter.

Of course I pointed out that during the 70's we were all being watched by the CIA and FBI, and many of our actions were more of a defense/self-preservation nature, than against each other.  That cast in that light, Jesse himself may have been caught between a rock and a hard place in making the decision to not back him at that time.  

Apparently he liked what I said, because he gifted me with an autographed copy of the book - which 
I still cherish to this day.  It was the beginning of a long friendship.  Though I can't say I saw him on a regular basis, whenever he was in New York, he would give me a call to let me know where he would be speaking.  If I could make it, I would - if not, we'd spend at least twenty minutes on the phone catching up. 

During one of our many conversations, I asked him how people received the movie now that it  had been re-released and was now in the public domain and on Youtube - and he laughed: "They can show this movie over and over to these kids today - they wouldn't act on any of this because they're too comfortable.  They have their designer jeans, their playstations, and the only time many of them know they're Black is if they accidentally look in the mirror.  Nobody's afraid of Black people these days, except other Black people.  Back in the 70's when we were real, we were Black and we knew it, they (whites) definitely  felt they were in danger of Black dissidents putting this into action."  

When asked if he was finally getting paid serious royalties for his movie, he responded, "Nah!  Just the book sales - but I have to practically hand distribute them myself. Our people don't read anymore!"  The movie can be seen on YouTube in its entirety - either with or without the various interviews with Sam that have taken place since it was re-released in the year 2000, nearly forty years after it was taken off the market. 
 
Though he had recently done a series of lectures, he also is quite candid about being forced to go on welfare for a while, because he was denied the opportunity of teaching, or being gainfully employed in any of the many areas of his specialty  - a fact he feels can be attributed to the FBI profiling him as being a potential dissident.

The last time I saw Sam was at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, NY where they were honoring his work and showing the movie for the student body.   As always, Sam hit the ground running - with several things on his agenda, including hanging out in "what's left of the jazz clubs in Harlem. They just keep disappearing."   That was the Fall of 2012. 

They've called the movie a "cult classic" which generally means that it's now being dismissed as being anything serious, and is only followed by a certain genre of people.  I find it offputting, when in point of fact there is so much of intrinsic value in both the book and movie that are more than relative today.  His other works include include Baghdad Blues about  the 1958 Iraqui revolution and his experiences traveling in Iraq in the 1950s; and Blues for an African Princess - a collection of poems, and Ammunition.   He also wrote the screenplay for a film short called Lisa Trotter (2010). 

Sam had been named Poet Laureate of Chicago in 1990, a wonderful honor bestowed upon him for his years of work encapturing the heart, spirit and aspirations of Black people.  Always one to have his eye on the relevant and impactful subtleties of life, it's of no small importance that he chose to make his transition on Malcolm X's birthday.  No doubt he, Elombe and brother Malcolm are having quite a conversation right about this time.   Wouldn't it be great to have a "Spook" sit in on that conversation, and bring back to us still wandering around in confusion, the wisdom those three could impart??!!

My condolences and congratulations to his family and friends on Chicago and the world over.  Sam Greenlee is truly one of our treasures.

Stay Blessed & 
ECLECTICALLY BLACK 
Gloria Dulan-Wilson
www.gloriadulanwilson.blogspot.com/ECLECTICALLY BLACK NEWS



 







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New York Beacon's Walter Smith Opens a Can on Herman Cain

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

You know, I heard the rather acerbic, insipid remarks Cain, who is an ersatz presidential candidate hopeless, has been making in reference to President Barack Obama.

He is yet the clearest example of what we mean when we speak of the ability of the meanstream whites to use divide and conquer to keep Black people off balance and fighting each other. Actually, divide and conquer does not work with Black people at all. Black is not just a color, it's a quality of consciousness, a state of mind and being that belongs to those of us who have truly evolved from slavery, servile mentalities, and the need to please and appease our oppressors. In point of fact, the people who fall prey to the tactics of divide and conquer are negroes, who feel that their existence is not relevant with out the approval and acknowledgement of mainstream whites.
Such an individual is Herman Cain. And of course, who better to set against President Obama, a Black man, than one who has had a slight measure of success in the realm of the meanstream, and can speak negro-ese so eloquently and authoritatively. The meanstreamers speak of how "articulate" he is - and that means a great deal to the rest of our negrified sychophants who have not totally mastered the lingo, or who have mastered it so well they walk around sounding like dictionaries and encyclopedias. They will not doubt NOT be reading my blog, nor will they be reading the New York Beacon or any of the other relevant Black newspapers that we work so hard to write for and publish every week.

So, even though I know you Black people, as well as myself, try very hard not to put ourselves in the company of the UnGodly, I am asking you to make an exception, and forward a copy of this treatise from Walter Smith, publisher of the New York Beacon, to them. It might just wake some of them up. Of course, please forward it to your colleagues, family members and friends as well. I know it's like preaching to the choir, but they may know some of those miscreants as well.

We've got to keep the consciousness focused on the truth, and focused on making sure that nothing and no one is able to prevent Barack Obama from doing what he is trying to do to save this country from Rep-ugh-blicans, and bring it back (forward???) to the level of humanity that speaks to the needs and well being of all of us.

I am including Walter's article below, but feel free to chime in with your own message to the negro, Herman Cain. Now if you happen to be "pro-Cain" - and you're reading my Blog, then all is not lost, and there's hope for you yet. Take a deep breath, you're just waking up to the fact that you've been took, you've been had, you've been "hoodwinked" - but if you just calm down a moment, it will all become perfectly clear - Cain is a contrivance who has had the opportunity to realize a little wealth and has now got the vapors - and has had all this go to his head.

Once you compose yourself and have absorbed the veracity of Mr. Smith's statements; I urge to not run in hide, but take the information you've just learned and share it with others of your ilk who need to hear the truth, and take the chains off their brains as well.

Your sharing this statement, which is published below, with them may well be deemed an act of heroism, and could make up for the time when you yourself were brainwashed as well. Now is the time to take that next step and begin the process of refuting the hostile commentaries made in reference to Barack Obama.

Stay Blessed &
ECLECTICALLY BLACK
Gloria Dulan-Wilson


MESSAGE TO HERMAN CAIN
by Walter Smith, Publisher New York Beacon

The greeting on your web site says, "we are looking forward to hearing from you", but I'm not sure you will be looking forward to hearing from me, Mr. Cain.

I saw on the Internet that you called the President a liar. I deplore what you are doing and the things you are saying about the President in order to gain favor with these greedy, thieving, selfish, Republicans. How dare you call President Obama a liar. You are a pathetic, obviously brainwashed black man who has lost his way and his mind. You have had opportunity and a smattering of privilege in America that has made you forget your roots. I despise people like you and Clarence Thomas, and you both have Georgia roots.

What is it with you black men from the south who grow up in an oppressed environment and end up siding with the oppressor? The recent case of Troy Davis in Georgia is an excellent example of the present day oppression and legal lynching that still takes place in that state and in this country. The political party that you praise so highly is presently enacting laws to suppress the black vote, the student vote, and many elderly voters across this entire country. Yet, you choose to stand with people who display such obscene and un-American behavior. You would throw black people (including the President of the U.S.) and others under the bus to curry favor with these non-caring and hedonistic people.

You were there when your Republican cohorts cheered about the death penalty which disproportionately affects black men and women in this country - some of whom have been proven to be innocent. You should be ashamed to stand with these people and yet, you appear to be proud of such an association.

Yes, President Obama does believe in fairness and sharing the responsibility of the tax burden, it is not socialism nor is it class warfare, and he is not a liar for saying it. That kind of rhetoric from you and those with whom you identify is nothing more than a weak defense for the greedy and despicable philosophy that you choose to embrace.

You had the unmitigated gall to tell Wolf Blitzer on CNN that two thirds of African-American people are brainwashed and incapable of thinking for themselves. You are surely touched in the head. The millions of us who are capable of thinking for ourselves - we know who is really brainwashed - you - brainwashed whiter than snow.

Do you really think those people with whom you stand on the debating platform really respect you and see you as their equal? They as well as others see you as a joke and a person who is engaging in buffoonery. A Republican majority House and Senate would never pass your "so called" 999 plan. They would never deem it in their best interest. Besides, there are many who believe your plan is a coded message from Satan. If you flip the numbers they become the 666 plan.

You will never be President of this country, and I thank God for that. I must say, you certainly live up to your last name. Just as Cain in the Bible so blatantly slew his brother, you are equally willing to do the same politically and economically to millions of black and middle class citizens of this country. Such behavior is extremely ugly, and need I remind you, Mr. Cain, that God does not like ugly.

P. S. If it wasn't for the fact that I'm having a nice day, I would tell you what I really think about you.

IF YOU ARE TIRED OF WHITE AND BLACK REPUBLICANS CALLING PRESIDENT OBAMA A LIAR--PLEASE FORWARD THIS SO OTHERS MAY KNOW THE TRUTH.


As I Mentioned Earlier, Walter published this in the New York Beacon. If you live here in NYC, you should be able to pick it up on the newstand. If not, you can definitely make a copy of this statement from my Blog and pass it on. The more you swat these lies when they spring up, the fewer lies you have to contend with later on, the more opportunity truth has to get through despite the efforts from so many meanstream media and newspapers to distort it.

Together we can make sure that Obama has an even greater landslide and mandate.
Stay Blessed &
ECLECTICALLY BLACK
Gloria Dulan-Wilson

The National Newspaper Publishers NYC Conference Part I

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

The National Newspaper Publisher’s Association (NNPA) recently wound up their national conference in New York City, leaving me with what I call a reporter’s nightmare. Why do I use that phraseology? Because I could elect to just do a sound byte round up of activities, or I could choose to go in depth. And you who know who I am, know that I have to take it deeper than just the activities themselves. I have to talk about what it means to us as Black people and where do we go from here. That’s why I have this Blog, Eclectically Black News, so we can really deal with the relevance. So here we go:

Under the dynamic leadership of Danny Bakewell, Chairman of the Board and now owner/publisher of the Los Angeles Sentinel, the NNPA Conference got off to an impressive start with a stellar reception in Macy’s executive suites, in midtown Manhattan. Bakewell comes from an activist background, as leader of the Brotherhood Crusade, a well respected organization that has for nearly 40 years been making a difference in the lives of Black people in and around California. With Bakewell devoting his time, talent, tenacity and attention to the National Newspaper Publishers Association its future success bodes well for us all, regardless of whether you're a reader or a part of the Black press.

NNPA Board members, Walter Smith, publisher of the New York Beacon (formerly The Big Red News) and Thomas Watkins, publisher of the Daily Challenge, New American and Afro Times (under the Challenge Group umbrella), served as hosts for the three-day event, which started on June 16, 2010 and ended on Juneteenth, Saturday, June 19.

Most people have little to no understanding of what most Black newspaper publishers have to go thru to put out a paper on weekly, daily, or bi-weekly basis. While some make it look easy, have large offices and operations, and a broad based staff of writers and reporters; there are just as many who are “mom and pop” operations, with the work and the publishing being done in a small one-room office. Some publishers are often armed with nothing more than a computer and a camera. (Did I say “computer?” There were days when the tools were typewriters, manual ones at that. But somehow our Black newspapers were still published).

At the end of this article is a comprehensive list of NNPA member papers throughout the US. Some, like the Amsterdam News, Pittsburgh Courier and Chicago Defender, have either crossed or are near the century mark, having stood the test of time. Others, no less significant, have been around now for three quarters of a century, “speaking truth to power”, and find their mission no less important today, than when they were founded in the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s.

Some of these papers represent your home town, or the home towns of your friends and relatives. If they’re not already doing so, please encourage them to subscribe to their local Black newspapers. It’s the conduit to key information we need to succeed in this society and in the world.

As a kid in Oklahoma, I read the Black Dispatch, founded in 1913 by brother Roscoe Dunjee. My family had a subscription (I almost said a prescription, because reading about your own people, written by your own people, is good for what ails you.) I clearly remember there being articles and issues in the Black Dispatch that were not in the Daily Oklahoman and Times (a white paper that seemed not know we existed until the sit ins of the 60’s). Though the photos were somewhat darker than we liked them to be, the information was always accurate and detailed. Not only did we get news about what was happening with Blacks in Oklahoma, but they took a stand, and often called for action from the community. They also reported on Blacks in other parts of the US as well. Unfortunately, it is no longer published.

Historically speaking, the progenitors of our Black Press, which is the collective term for Black newspapers, were three Black “freed”men: Bostin Crummell, Rev. Samuel Cornish, and John B. Russworm, who, over 183 years ago in 1827, right here in New York City, met with other Black Freedmen to deal with racist white publications. As a result, Cornish and Russworm founded Freedom’s Journal, the first Black news publication in the US, because regardless of how many well meaning whites wrote positive articles about the then existing slaves and freedman, they felt it important to speak for themselves. “We wish to plead our own case,” was the raison d’etre for establishing the paper, and remains so today.

183 years ago! You have to ask yourselves who was reading the papers then? In the South probably no one since it was against the law to teach Black people to read. So it meant there were several educated free Black families in New York, Boston and points north sufficient to require and sustain such a publication.

How were they paid? Did they have advertisers or subscribers such that there were sufficient funds to underwrite these publications? Who were the advertisers? And who were the reporters? Who did the actual publishing. Did we have the machinery, equipment and supplies back then to consistently print our paper or did we have to rely upon well meaning whites to get it done? Talking about making a way out of no way!

Publishing is a no joke career. While now college courses and formulas teach publication, I have no doubt that, today, as it was back in the early 1800’s, Black publishers did not get into publishing just for the money. Most responded to a nagging “divine discontent” -- an underlying frustration, laced with a burning passion to get our story straight; get the story out about who Black people are, what we do, and our own tribulations and aspirations.

There is a desire -- no, a need; better yet, a requirement -- to see ourselves through our own lens; not the distorted, racist lens that most white papers use. Most Black publishers, back then and now, were probably originally writers who just wanted to tell the truth, and found that in order to get that truth to the people who needed to hear it, they also had to be concerned with the printing, distribution and continued gathering of information.

They found that getting that truth out cost money to obtain the paper, the print and the distribution. Many of these frustrated writers have morphed into being publishers as well. The passion for the truth also meant controlling the variables as much as possible; making sure that the means and the conduit for that truth were in place; and the people who were best able to write the truth in a compelling manner were engaged so that the ongoing communication with the public was maintained.

Being a publisher is a never ending battle, you know. I applaud the brothers and sisters who take on this task, because the Black press has an overlay the mainstream press does not have: constantly combating character assassination.

While subscription is an important component of Black newspaper publishing revenue, it is what architect Dan Watts, publisher of the Liberation Magazine, called “Necessary, but not sufficient.” Advertising was, and is, as essential as all the other components.

In point of fact, advertising is the life’s blood of the ongoingness (is that even a word?) of publishing and production. And, as it was 183 years ago, it still is a sad fact today that relatively few of the Black businesses and organizations advertise with their local Black publications; while at the same time relying on those very same publications to get the word out about their activities and issues.

Fortunately, there have been some positive powerful alliances forged with such corporate giants as AT&T Communications, Macy’s, and others who realize the value of advertising with the the National Newspaper Publishers Association, whose circulation literally reaches 80% of the African American community nationwide.

If you take all the 220 NNPA member newspapers in the aggregate who try to keep Black people informed, we have a formidable wealth of information on our side.

This must have been what John H. Sengstacke realized when he founded the then National Negro Publishers Association in 1940. According to NNPA history, Sengstacke was heir to the Robert S. Abbot Publishing Co., and called a conference that would give attention to advertising, editorial, and news gathering problems, while also recognizing omnipresent racial issues.

Prior to that efforts to bring Black newspaper publishers together began in 1875 in Cincinnati, Ohio, when former reconstruction era Lieutenant Governor Pinchback, of Louisiana, called publishers of that day together. Sengstacke’s initial meeting only culled 22 Black publications; but these publications came together for “harmonizing our energies in a common purpose for the benefit of Negro journalism.”

They changed the name to National Newspaper Publishers Association in 1956. The NNPA’s monumental history includes such great writers, editors and journalists as: Frederick Douglass, W.E.B. DuBois, Ida B. Wells Barnett, Langston Hughes, Romare Bearden, James Weldon Johnson, Mary McLeod Bethune, and Daisy Bates (Gloria Dulan-Wilson).

Likewise, where Black publications are pitted against mainstream -- often biased -- white publications, you often find that a less well educated population of African Americans read white publications (NY Post, NYTimes, LA Times, Chicago Tribune, as examples), as though they contained all the truth and all the information they needed; while turning their noses up at their own ethnic papers.

When you divide our power to enlighten and educate by the residual slave mentality so many of our people display, our overall effectiveness is seriously reduced. As Michael House, publisher of the Chicago Defender, state: “We still have a long way to go in getting to our people.”

Recently, while riding the subway, I was reading the Amsterdam News when an ignorant (negro) person snarled: “They still publish that paper?” Unfortunately for them, I was definitely the wrong person to say that to. So I retorted: “Are we still Black? As long as there’s a Black person on this planet they will still be publishing Black newspapers. You think you going to get relevant info in that rag (the Post)?”

Then I showed her that I not only had the Amsterdam News, I had the Daily Challenge, The NY Beacon, The Carib News, The Gleaner, Our Times Press, Caribbean Life and the Final Call. It was on a Thursday afternoon, and I usually pick up all the Black publications to make sure I’m up to date with what’s happening with us.

I make it a policy not to read white racist publications that delight in taking snipes at our leaders, or telling half-truths, or a total distortions, without balancing it with our own news. Generally the white press just gives some truncated mention about some event we participated in, when we’ve been doing so much more. When want to know what's really happening I read relevant Black publications. And fortunately in New York we have a broad selection to choose from.

Of course, the rubric that we have to read the mainstream in order to know where they’re coming from still applies; but the idea is not to be manipulated by them, taking an inferior position as a result. You don’t have to be manipulated into thinking they’re some sort of authority. (There are certain publications that have been so hostile to Black people, that I only use their pages to paper train my dog - if you get my drift).

Interestingly enough, when most Black men buy a mainstream newspaper, they immediately start with the Sports section in the back. Perhaps it’s because they know that’s probably the only place in the paper where they’re more likely going to say something positive about Black people. No point in reading the rest of it since most of the terminology used is pejorative and hostile; characterizing us as criminals and miscreants. Check it out sometimes.

Once when I was giving a talk for Black History Month, I did an experiment with Black high school students. I gave them copies of The Daily Challenge News, and watched to see what our youth would do. Most of the girls read the paper from the beginning, while, sure enough, the boys immediately turned to the back page looking for sports. When I informed them that, unlike the mainstream papers, there was plenty of good info the front of the paper as well, they looked totally surprised. I also informed them that they generally won’t find the headlines of a Black newspapers leading off with some perceived crime committed by some one Black.

In fact there are more relevant articles of importance to the Black community, more information about local and national Black figures; more uplifting articles. They don't sugar coat the bad, they just don't make it their only focus. Refreshing after a long day of dealing with a pervasive culture bent on depicting you as unworthy. There's a pledge from the NNPA to state our own case, tell our own story. And they've been fulfilling that pledge for 70 years.
Stay Blessed &
ECLECTICALLY BLACK
Gloria Dulan-Wilson

Part II includes highlights of Rev. Al Sharpton's address to the audience.
Part III includes Rev. Berniece Albertine King's address to the audience.
Part IV highlights of the Award presentations to Congressman Charles Rangel and Motown Mogul Berry Gordy.

Below are the current
NNPA Member Papers:
Alabama
Birmingham Times
Birmingham World
Greene County Democrat
Mobile Beacon-Citizen
Montgomery-Tuskegee Times
Speakin' Out News
Arizona
Arizona Informant
California
American News
Bakersfield News Observer
Black Voice News
California Advocate
California Voice
Compton Bulletin
H.G. Star 1 News (Photo News)
Herald Dispatch
L.A. Metropolitan Gazette
L.A. Watts Times Inc.
Los Angeles Sentinel
Oakland Post
Our Weekly
Pasadena Gazette
Pasadena Journal
Precinct Reporter
Sacramento Observer
San Diego Voice & Viewpoint
San Francisco Bay View
San Francisco Sun Reporter
Tri County Sentry
Wave Community Newspapers
Colorado
Denver Weekly News
Connecticut
Hartford Inquirer
Inner-City Newspaper
Umoja News
District of Columbia
Afro-American (Washington)
Capital Spotlight
News Dimensions
Washington Informer
Washington News Observer
Florida
The Bulletin
Capital Outlook
Central Florida Advocate
The Community Voice
Daytona Times
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