mcj 082317 pages layout 1 8/23/17 10:26 pm page 1 … · 2017. 8. 24. · club’s hall of fame on...

VOL. XLI Number 5 August 23, 2017 www.milwaukeecommunityjournal.com 25 Cents BULK RATEU.S. POSTAGE PAID

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSINPERMIT NO. 4668

W I S C O N S I N ’ S L A R G E S T A F R I C A N A M E R I C A N N E W S P A P E R

SIGNIFYIN’: Stomping Out The Racist Roaches!SIGNIFYIN’: Stomping Out The Racist Roaches!

MCJ Assoc. Publisher, columnist Mikel Holt to beinducted into MilwaukeePress Club’s Hall of Fame

Milwaukee Community Journal(MCJ) Associate Publisher MikelHolt is among four local AfricanAmerican journalists who will be in-ducted into the Milwaukee PressClub’s Hall of Fame on Friday, Oct.20.

The other Black journalists joiningHolt are Mike Anderson of WISN-TV, Garry D. Howard, the Milwau-kee Journal and Milwaukee JournalSentinel; and the late Eric Von, ofWMCS-AM and WNOV-AM.

Other inductees include Mike Gousha, WTMJ and WISN Television,Damien Jaque, the Milwaukee Journal and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, MyraSanchick, WITI Fox6, and the late Bob Riepenhoff, the Milwaukee Journaland Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

“This year’s inductees are a highly respected group of journalists,” said La-Toya Dennis, press club president.

“Throughout their careers, they met the highest standards of journalism.We are inspired by them and look forward to celebrating their achievements.”

MCJ Publisher Patricia O’Flynn Pattillo, who was inducted into the PressClub’s hall of fame several years ago, called Holt a “reporter’s reporter,”adding he has challenged the norms weekly since 1976 through his legendaryand popular column “Signifyin’.”

“A pundit and analytical thinker, Holt has always pushed the needle on is-sues affecting the African American experience,” Pattillo continued.

“His passion has been in education, particularly the African American

Comedian/activistDick Gregorypasses at 84He participated in Milwaukee openhousing marches in the 1960s

Dick Gregory, the comedian and activist who broke racial barriers in the1960s and used his humor to spread messages of social justice and nutritionalhealth has died. He was 84.

Gregory died late Saturday in Washington, D.C. after being hospitalizedfor about a week, his son Christian Gregory told The Associated Press. Hehad suffered a severe bacterial infection.

As one of the first Black standup comedians to find success with white au-diences in the early 1960s. Gregory rose from an impoverished childhood inSt. Louis to win a college track scholarship and become a celebrated satiristwho deftly commented upon racial divisions at the dawn of the civil rightsmovement.

Gregory would frequently march along side the Rev. Dr. Martin LutherKing, Jr., and considered late Muslim leader Malcolm X a friend. Later in hiscareer, he would spend time on Radio One’s WOL-AM in Washington, DCwith media magnate and good friend Cathy Hughes, providing analysis ofthe Black struggle, and advocating African American economic self-help,health and nutrition.

"Where else in the world but America," he joked, "could I have lived in theworst neighborhoods, attended the worst schools, rode in the back of the bus,and get paid $5,000 a week just for talking about it?"

Gregory's sharp commentary soon led him into civil rights activism, wherehis ability to woo audiences through humor helped bring national attentionto fledgling efforts at integration and social equality for Black Americans.

Although not a native of the area, Gregory came to Milwaukee to bring at-tention to city’s civil rights struggles. In 1964 and 1965, he supported theMilwaukee United School Integration Committee’s school desegregationcampaign and eventually joined the Milwaukee NAACP Youth Council‘sopen housing campaign.

PULSEPULSE OF OF THETHECOMMUNITYCOMMUNITY

Photos and question by Yvonne Kemp

QUESTION OF THE WEEK:QUESTION OF THE WEEK:“Should the monuments in the“Should the monuments in theSouth memorializing Civil WarSouth memorializing Civil War

southern generals be taken down?southern generals be taken down?Why or Why not?”Why or Why not?”

“I think theyshould be takendown becausethey representslavery of theBlack man,woman and chil-dren. If they want to put them in amuseum, that’s okay.”

Gutter Mack

“They createhavoc in ourcommunity. It’sabout time to re-move them be-cause theyrepresent slav-ery. It creates hate, violence and big-otry and riots.”

CalvinWashington

“The statuessymbolize his-tory, but not ourpositive history.With the waythings are todayin society, weneed to focus on positivity and thosestatues don’t.”

FeliciaWilliams

“The statues rep-resents a neverending fight forthe AfricanAmerican race togain the free-dom that we arejustly owed.”

KarenThomas

Fellowship Open surpasses $1.5 million in giving!Its 2017 beneficiaries are: Black Arts MKE, Inc.;Northcott, One Acccord Foundation and Wis. Black Historical Society

Four youth-serving organizations receivedawards from this year’s Fellowship Open Goldevent, bringing the total number of programs andinitiatives to more than 80 and funds awarded tomore than $1.5 million. The event was held lastFriday at the Silver Spring Country Club.

Black Arts MKE, Inc., Northcott Neighborhood House, One Ac-cord Foundation, Inc., and the Wisconsin Black Historical Societyare this year’s beneficiaries of the Fellowship Open’s fundraisingefforts.

Once again, in addition to its fundraising efforts, the FellowshipOpen honored individuals from the world of business and sports

for their accomplishments in their respective fields and for the ex-amples they set for Black youth.

This year’s honorees were former Milwaukee Bucks great andmember of the 1971 NBA Championship team Bobby Dandridgeand Thelma Sias, former Wisconsin Energies executive. Dandridgereceived the Legends Award. Sias received the Community LeaderAward.

Also at the event was entrepreneur and author Chris Garner,whose book, “The Pursuit of Happiness,” about his rags to richesjourney, was a major motion picture starring Will Smith. He was atthe open to talk to youth who were invited to the event about hisstory and what it takes to be successful in life. He also signed copiesof his new book, “Start Where You Are.”

--Photos by Yvonne Kemp

Entrepreneur and author Chris Garner with children holding copies of his new book, “Start Where You Are,” at the recent FellowshipOpen at the Silver Spring Country Club. Garner talked to a group of invited youth about success and his own ‘rags to riches’ storythat is chronicled in his earlier book and movie based on it, “The Pursuit of Happiness.”

John Daniels, Jr., chairman emeritus ofQuarles and Brady with former WE Energiesexecutive Thelma Sias, who received thisyear’s Community Leader Award.

Daniels poses with a portrait of honoree Bobby Dandridge, who playedon the Milwaukee Bucks 1971 NBA championship team, with artistAmmar Nsoroma of Milwaukee. Dandridge was unable to attend thepost-golf ceremonies because of a prior commitment.

Sias with Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Maxine White (far right)and Zellie Rainey Orr (center), an author, researcher and historian whohas done extensive research on the famed Black WWII fighter pilots, theTuskegee Airmen.

Representatives from three of the four youth-serving organizations toreceive grants from the Fellowship Open (left to right): MacArthur Wed-dle of Northcott Neighborhood House, Shanna Reed of One AccordFoundation, and Clayborn Benson of the Wisconsin Black Historical So-ciety and Museum.

(continued on page 10)

Mikel Holt

Compiled by MCJEditorial Staff


Compiled by MCJ Editorial Staff

Photo by Timothy Hiatt, courtesy of GettyImages via the Chicago Sun-Times

Dick Gregory

MCJ 082317 Pages_Layout 1 8/23/17 10:26 PM

The Milwaukee Community Journal August 23, 2017

Milwaukee Community Journal Editor Thomas Mitchell (front, third from left) joined neighborhood residentsand command officers from the Milwaukee Police Department’s 5th District in touring the future home of theMacCanon Brown Homeless Sanctuary, located at 2461 W. Center St. With Mitchell are (front row, left to right):Sis. MacCanon Brown, Mitchell, Marianne Miller, Carol Edwards, Connie Moore, (second row left to right): LeeMartin, MPD 5th Dist. Capt. Timothy Heier, MPD Lt. Liam Looney, Anthony Carter, and Clare Peiffer. --Photo by Jana Braam

Nearly 300 neighbors visited Progressive Community Health Center’s Lisbon Avenue location Aug. 15 for a day of fun, food and better health. Many womentook some well-deserved time for themselves and received screening mammograms and learned more about keeping fit and healthy.

The event celebrated the opening of Lisbon Avenue Health Center’s new imaging suite, which brings radiology services including digital mammography, ultra-sound and X-ray to patients at the Lisbon Avenue Health Center for the first time. Cathy Buck, president of Froedtert Hospital, reinforced the importance of servingour entire community to reduce health disparities. Progressive Community Health Centers serves about 11,500 patients annually, 75 percent of whom are low in-come. The agency expanded its Lisbon Avenue Health Center in 2015, supported by a $2 million pledge from Froedtert Health. The new 42,000 square foot facilityreplaced a smaller, outdated building bringing Washington Park area residents greater access to primary care, women’s health services, dental care, behavioralhealth and laboratory services.

The community health fair on Aug. 15 offered health resources and education and was open to the public. Included among the exhibitors was the AmericanCancer Society, Froedtert Health, Susan G. Komen, Sister Pact, Sisters4Cure, United Methodist Children’s Services. In addition, the Milwaukee Bucks entertainmentcrew, including Bango, Hoop Troop and Dancers were in attendance and made sure everyone was having a fantastic time. Jenni Sevenich, CEO, Progressive Com-munity Health Centers gave remarks along with Cathy Buck, president, Froedtert Hospital; Bevan Baker, commissioner of health, City of Milwaukee Health Depart-ment and Gwen Moore, US congresswoman. Message of the day was “Take charge of your health!”

Jenni Sevenich, CEO, Progressive Community Health Centers gave remarks along with BevanBaker, commissioner of health, City of Milwaukee Health Department; Gwen Moore, US congress-woman; and Cathy Buck, president, Froedtert Hospital.

Lisbon Avenue Health Center Celebrates Opening of Imaging Suite

MCJ editor tours future home of new homeless facility

MCJ 082317 Pages_Layout 1 8/23/17 7:12 PM Page 2

RELIGIONRELIGIONThe Milwaukee Community Journal August 23, 2017

TTMMCCJJP W 36 K Ph (E tyj

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M P P R A T M T ET C

“To forget one’s ances-tors is to be a brookwithout a source, a treewithout a root.”- Chinese Proverb

September is the monththat being a grandparentis celebrated. NationalGrandparents Day cameabout back in 1970. Mar-ian McQuade, a West Vir-ginia housewife, came upwith the idea of a day setaside to encourage fami-lies to visit their elderlyrelatives.

With a firm resolve to make ithappen, she began lobbying poli-cymakers. McQuade got throughto her Senators, Jennings Randolphand Robert Byrd, who introduceda resolution to make GrandparentsDay a national holiday.

It took a while to reach theWhite House, but finally, in 1978,the resolution declaring NationalGrandparents Day as the first Sun-day after Labor Day, was signedinto law by President JimmyCarter.

The first national observance ofGrandparents Day occurred Sep-tember 6, 1979. In his proclama-tion, President Carter said ofgrandparents:

“Because they are usually free tolove and guide and befriend theyoung…they can often reach outpast pride and fear of failure andclose the space between genera-tions.”

The National Grandparents Day

Council notes that GrandparentsDay has a three-fold purpose:

• To honor grandparents.• To promote intergenerational

appreciation and activities, espe-cially around Grandparents Day.

• To encourage visitation of eld-erly in nursing homes.

Many congregations celebrateGrandparents Day by encouraginggrandparents and grandchildren toworship together and designing ac-tivities to help children becomeaware of the strength, informationand guidance older people canoffer.

College campuses also celebrateGrandparents Day by invitinggrandparents to spend a day withtheir grandchild/student, attendclasses, chapel as well as tour thecampus.

This is a special day for grand-parents as they not only enjoy theday with their grandchild, but also

enjoy the fellowship with othergrandparents who are also spend-ing time with their grandchild.

On May 25 of this year, thiswriter became a Nana and my firstgrandchild, Camden, has had adramatic impact on my life.

My grandson brings me joy andlots of laughter. This writer had noidea that being a grandparentwould be so emotionally potent.

Initially this writer feared beinga long-distance Nana would be dif-ficult. While I can’t always bethere with him, or babysit on an adhoc basis, when I do see him, Imake the most of our time to-gether.

For those times I can’t be therein person, with the help of technol-ogy, I can be there as often as it isconvenient for his parents. It cer-tainly is great to be grand!

Please join this writer in salut-ing, honoring and celebratinggrandparents for the contributionsthey have made in our lives and onsociety.

HAPPY GRANDPARENTSDAY TO GRANDPARENTSEVERYWHERE!

Next Month: World MenopauseAwareness Day

The writer does not assume re-sponsibility in any way for read-ers’ efforts to apply or utilizeinformation or recommendationsmade in this article, as they maynot be necessarily appropriatefor every situation to which theymay refer.

This information is for educa-tional purposes only. If youwould like to contact Rev. Lester,write to her c/o P.O. Box 121,Brookfield, WI. 53008.

Biblical Counseling

for Today’s Christian FamilyBy: Rev. Judith T. Lester,B.Min., M.Th.

On September 10...NATIONAL GRANDPARENTS DAY!

NorthwestFuneralChapelholdsBack-To-SchoolBook BagGive-A-Way

Hundreds of children and theirparents descended on the FamilyActivity and Event Center of North-west Funeral Chapel’s Back-To-School Book Bag Give-A-Wayrecently. Children in grades one toeight received free book bags andsupplies and had the opportunityto receive flu shots provided byWalgreens. There were also bloddpressure screenings, informationprovided on Diabetes, mens andwomen’s health. The NorthwestFamily Activity and Event Center islocated at 4034 W. Good HopeRoad.--Photos by Yvonne Kemp



PERSPECTIVESPERSPECTIVES

THETHEMILWAUKEEMILWAUKEECOMMUNITYCOMMUNITYJOURNALJOURNALPublished twice weekly,Wednesday & Friday3612 North Martin LutherKing Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53212Phone: 414-265-5300 (Advertising and Administration) • 414-265-6647 (Editorial) • Website: communityjournal.net • Email: [email protected]/[email protected]

Opinion and comments expressed on the Perspectives page do not nec-essarily reflect the views of the publisher or management of the MCJ. Let-ters and “other perspectives” are accepted but may be edited for contentand length.

MCJ STAFF:Patricia O’Flynn -PattilloPublisher, CEORobert J. ThomasAssoc. PublisherTodd Thomas, Vice Pres.Mikel Holt, Assoc. PublisherThomas E. Mitchell, Jr., EditorTeretha Martin, Technical Consultant/Webmaster

Billing Dept./Publisher’sAdmin. Assist.Colleen Newsom,Classified AdvertisingJimmy V. Johnson, Sales Rep.CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:Richard G. Carter, Fr. CarlDiederichs, Rev. Joe McLinPHOTOGRAPHER: Yvonne Kemp

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Let’s give the White folks the keys to the freedom bus!

I’ve decided toturn over my set ofkeys to the Free-dom Bus to an asyet unidentifiedWhite person. AndI’m suggesting youturn over your buspass to a White lib-eral of your choos-ing as well.

Yeah, you read that right. But be-fore you get out of sorts, confused,or feel as if someone switched yourcollard greens for sauerkraut, hearme out. There’s a method to mymadness, a principled position be-hind my proposal.

I came to my revelation after fi-nally coming to my senses followingthe Charlottesville travesty.

Like most African Americans (andmany countrymen of other hues) Iwas incensed by the blatant displayof violence in Charlottesville thatpulled the covers off the lie of a postracial society.

The car driven by a racist demoninto a crowd of anti-KKK demon-strators not only killed a youngWhite girl named Heather Heyer, butalso the false belief that we havemoved more than a few feet beyondthe turbulent 1920s when the KKKruled the cultural landscape.

Since I all but abandoned mem-bership in the Gandhi non-violentarmy 20 years ago when I announcedI was hanging up my marching shoes(a decision literally beat into me byrocks and bottles), my initial inclina-tion following Charlottesville fo-cused on a violent recourse: Let’sstomp out these bigoted Char-lottesville bugs. Let’s purchase an in-dustrial size can of Raid and travelaround the country exterminating allof America’s racist roaches.

After all, they won’t be hard tofind since Donald Trump has turnedon the bright light of complicity withtheir cause.

Charlottesville was a reminder thata century of marching, praying andpetitioning politicians, civic leadersand even the church to exorcise thecancer of racism in this country, mayhave gained us rights but did not endracism, or its manifestation, bigotry.

Fortunately, sanity returned to me

a few days after the CharlottesvilleControversy. Thus, while I’m keep-ing my guns cleaned in the event ofa race war (which some believe weare heading toward if not a new civilwar) the reality is we cannot win anoffensive campaign.

And not just because we don’thave the manpower or the bullets.But even if we killed off everyswastika tattooed idiot, and smoth-ered every hood wearing Redneck ina vat of pork chop gravy, they wouldmerely be replaced by their sons anddaughters, who have been broughtup to believe we are stealing theirjobs because of affirmative actionand are genetically inferior andshould be exterminated to providemore elbow room for the new Aryannation.

So what’s left? What other optionis available to dam this racisttsunami that “the” wanna-a-be em-peror wants to flood America.

The answer came to me while lis-tening to syndicated radio talk showhost Karen Hunter last week. On hershow following the incident, Hunteradvised Black folks not to engagefurther in the Virginia demonstra-tions. Let the White people do it, shesaid, suggesting we keep out ofharm’s way.

Actually, that’s a good idea. No,make that an exceptional plan. Notjust for Charlottesville, but I say letthem take over the entire ‘civil’rights movement!

From John Brown to Father JamesGroppi, there have always been pro-gressive Whites engaging in the bat-tle over America’s soul. Now, I’msaying we should give them the keysto the Freedom Bus.

Let us concentrate on buildingBlack America. Our focus should beon Silver, Education and CulturalRights; let Whites clean up the messmade by their forefathers.

Give them the keys to the bus, letthem create a new America, a coun-try where all (wo)men are not onlytreated equally, but also treated asbrothers/sisters in Yah, Allah orMawu.

Think about it. We’ve been tryingin vain to get White racists to acceptus (I guess that’s what we’re fightingfor along with equal rights, protec-tions and reparations) for over 400years and what has been the end re-sult?

While our history books don’t re-veal the truth, White people createdracism as a tool to divide and con-quer, to exploit and empower (them-selves).

Most of the founding sperm

donors envisioned a WASP nation,fueled by slavery and powered bygenocide. And even those Whiteswho today say they never ownedslaves, killed a Native American orput up Jim Crow signs, benefitedfrom those sins against humanity andGod.

They enjoy White privilege. Theybenefit financially from institutionalracism. They send their children toschools created exclusively for the‘ruling’ class.

Given those facts, who best toprick the conscious of Whites otherthan other Whites?

Racists have never—and probablynever will—listen to us, even if westand on the moral high ground.They didn’t listen to Dr. MartinLuther King Jr., which is not surpris-ing because they don’t even listen toGod. Indeed, they falsely believeGod is a bigot and they were createdin His image. That’s why they painthim as an old White man with a greybeard. (Kindda like Uncle Sam ifyou think about it).

Our God—Yah (Black Hebrews)Mawu (Ghana), Tel (Ethiopia), Yala(Liberia), or Yatta (Sierra Leone)—mandates a different gospel, one thatproclaims hatred as a sin, who es-pouses a world community ofequals, (S)He rejects racism.

Our God (that’s a title, not a name)created heaven and earth and plantedthe first human, Lucy, in the heart ofAfrica--the Garden of Eden.

That was not a mistake. Nor was

the fact that his son Jesus was Black,as was His/Her prophets from Abra-ham to Muhammad. None of theprophets in any religion looked likeJeffrey Hunter (or Trump) withblond hair and blue eyes.

They made that deity in theirimage as a mechanism to justifyWhite supremacy.

And as for slavery, which is en-dorsed in the Bible, I can only as-sume it was a cultural inclusion.How could a God of righteousnessand love allow man to enslave othermen?

Which brings to mind anotherChristian contradiction that has beenbrought under scrutiny by two ofAmerica’s greatest Black freedomfighters and which goes to the heartof my advocacy for a White takeoverof the movement.

One hundred years apart, Freder-ick Douglass and King raised thequestion of Christian complicity inthe conspiracy.

Douglass lambasted what hecalled “American Christianity.’

“I love the pure, peaceable, andimpartial Christianity of Christ; Itherefore hate the corrupt, slavehold-ing, women-whipping, cradle-plun-dering, partial, and hypocriticalChristianity of this land,” he de-clared in a speech.

“Indeed, I can see no reason, butthe most deceitful one, for calling thereligion of this land Christianity. Ilook upon it as the climax of all mis-nomers, the boldest of all frauds, and

the grossest of all libels.”In his ‘Letter from a Birmingham

Jail,’ King espoused a similar refrain,at least to the degree that the Ameri-can church should provide leader-ship and authority over the culture ofAmerikkka.

Said King, “The contemporarychurch is so often a weak, ineffectualvoice with an uncertain sound. It isso often the arch supporter of the sta-tus quo. Far from being disturbed bythe presence of the Church, thepower structure of the average com-munity is consoled by the Church’ssilent and often vocal sanction ofthings as they are.

And that’s where today’s Whiteactivists come in. They should leadthe new Christian movement, appealto the moral consciousness of theirbrothers and sisters (if they haveany), and aggressively work to exor-cise the cancer of bigotry (which isthe manifestation of racism, prima-rily through violence and denial ofrights).

Let them demand of their fathersthat they open the boardroom doors;fight tooth and nail for equal pay,open housing, educational equity.

Of course, we should simultane-ously create our own boardrooms,build up our own communities, andmake the educational system abouteducation and not a socializationprocess to indoctrinate us to be theirservants and servers.

Our responsibility is to build andthen support Black businesses, to

raise our children to be proud of theirheritage and culture, to be contribut-ing members of our community.

And, we should continue our fightfor reparations, what is owed us, be-yond superficial affirmative action(which was gutted by Bill Clinton)and made a crime under Trump.

Yeah, let Whites lead Whites to betruly Christ-like.

They can either work to restore thesouls of their brethren, or they canparticipate in the only other alterna-tive that comes to mind: total misce-genation. In other words, JungleFever meets Asian Accessoriesmeets Indian Integration.

Can’t figure that one out? It meansmy son will have a baby by a Whitewoman and their child will marry aChinese. From that union will be anoffspring who will mate with aSeminole, completing the cycle.

Expand this methodology acrossthe land and a few generations laterAmerica will be a true melting pot,and all of its citizens will be highyellow, with slant eyes, what someslaves call ‘good hair’ and haverhythm.

Either way, it’s going to take gen-erations before our children can hopeto live in a truly “integrated” society.

But if you can’t wait, polish yourshoes and prepare to keep marchinginto eternity. As for me, I hung upmy shoes---and expectations--20years ago.

Hotep.

We MustTrust AgainAs a child, I remember never trusting

anyone, especially those that said, “Youcan trust me.” Then, as an adult, I had tolearn to trust myself. I must say that somany people express their lack of trust.From the bottom up, I am told that theyare not being heard.

It is only the voices of a selected minority and it is themajority that remains silent and afraid of crowds andrejection. They are isolated and surrounded by many.

It is not the lost, but those tired of being taken advan-tage of.

They’re the ones that have wants and needs with the

ability to see their dreams but refuse to be exploited. I am told many of us need to put down our cameras

and listen. We need to do more than just to tell a story.They are saying too many are receiving glory, whilethey are mourning.

I am told that our sorrows and struggles do not alwayshave to be recorded or published.

Trust needs to be earned, not necessarily given. We,as a people, must stand up and build for our own. Hon-esty is one remedy. We all have that need to be com-pletely free.

I must say if you’re capable of loving. You’re capableof trusting.

--Torre M Johnson Sr/ President of XMENUNITED LLC.

Illustration originally done by Lester Kern, 1996

SIGNIFYIN’SIGNIFYIN’By Mikel Kwaku Oshi Holt

URBAN My URBAN My DIALOGUE...DIALOGUE...By Torre “ToeJoe” Johnson



YY&&EEY O U T H & E D U C A T I O NKK

MPS FOUNDATION INSPIRES ALUMNI TO‘LEAVE A LEGACY’WITH INAUGURAL DINNER AND AWARDSCEREMONY EVENTCommissioner Emeritus of MajorLeague Baseball, Bud Selig, amongnine outstanding individuals to behonored

It’s an event 170 years in the making. On August 25th,2017, the Milwaukee Public Schools Foundation, Inc.will host its inaugural awards dinner for MPS alumni,friends and other supporters — inspiring guests to ‘leavea legacy’ for students across the public school district.

In addition to a full-course dinner and cocktail hour,held at the Italian Community Center, guests of the eventwill take in the Foundation’s first-ever awards ceremony,which will recognize the achievements of several distin-guished MPS alumni. Among the nine honorees includesAllan H. “Bud” Selig, Commissioner Emeritus of MajorLeague Baseball, and Milwaukee Brewers’ founder andformer president.

The Alumni Awards Dinner will honor individuals inseven categories. The full list of awardeesincludes:

• Lifetime Achievement Award: Allan “Bud” Selig ,Commissioner Emeritus, Major League Baseball | Wash-ington High School Alumnus

• Start, Stay, Succeed Champion Award: Michael Harris, Principal, and Nathaniel Deans ,Teacher, Riverside Uni-versity High School | Riverside High School Alumni

• Outstanding Alumni Award: Patricia Contreras , Di-rector - Global Community Relations & Contributions,Rockwell Automation | Milwaukee Tech High SchoolAlumna

• Young Alumni Award: Keith Stanley , Executive Di-rector, Near West Side Partners |Rufus King High SchoolAlumnus

• Service Award: J ackie Herd-Barber , CommunityVolunteer Extraordinaire | Custer High School Alumna

• Corporate Partner Award: Dr. William “Bill” Bere-zowitz , Vice President and General Manager, GE Health-care | Bay View High School Alumnus

• Honorary Alumni Award: Joe and Jennifer Bartolotta, Bartolotta Restaurant Group

The special event subsequently marks the kickoff ofthe Foundation’s annual giving campaign.

Since 1998, the MPS Foundation has served to promoteeducational excellence and strengthen community partic-ipation through its various fundraising efforts.

Despite being the largest public school district in Wis-consin, data shows MPS students consistently receive thelowest rates of funding per pupil in the state.

Last year, the non-profit organization received contri-butions of about $ $1,088,899 — an increase of approx-imately 39% over 2015.

The funds are used to support high-quality educationalevents, corporate partnership programs, project grantsand classroom resources, which help improve academicachievement of the nearly 76,000 students attending Mil-waukee Public Schools. The organization also providesmore than $60,000 in college scholarships, annually.

MPS Foundation Executive Director, Ann Terrell, saysshe hopes the event will help shine a light on the need forprivate funding support.

“We’re hoping that memorable events such as theAlumni Awards Dinner will not only spotlight the manynotable alumni coming out of our school district, but alsoengage former students and community members in agreat cause,” Terrell said. “We have been able to extendthe impact of several pioneering programs for studentsand we are honored to support MPS’ continued progress.The MPS Foundation is poised to create long-lasting part-nerships and collaborations between businesses, nonprof-its, communities of faith, other foundations and theschool district.”

The Alumni Awards Dinner accompanies a weekendfull of alumni activities:

Friday, August 25, 2017•Back to School – Alumni are invited to visit their old

stomping ground and see what exciting changes havetaken place since they were students there!

•1 st Annual Alumni Dinner – Join the MPS Founda-tion as they recognize 9 remarkable individuals for theiraccomplishments Purchase Tickets Saturday, August 26,2017

•Run Back to School – Be part of the MPS Alumniteam at the 10th Annual MPS Run Back to School event.This 5K Fun Run/1.5 Mile Walk supports MPS youthrecreation and wellness programs across the district. Reg-istration is easy and includes an MPS Alumni t-shirt!Register Here - Please indicate "MPS Alumni" in theschool group field

•Alumni Picnic – Following the Run Back to Schoolevent, plan to grab a burger and network and reminiscewith old friends at the alumni-only picnic! Register Here

To purchase tickets or to make a donation to the MPSFoundation, please visit:

http://www.mpsfoundation.net/ .

Hikers head320 milesnorth to support the Great LakesBy Angela McManaman

They share an alma mater, UW-Mil-waukee, as well as bachelor’s degreesin conservation and an employer, Mil-waukee County Parks. Starting August26, conservationists Alyssa Armbrusterand Julia Robson will share a tent, too.For four weeks.

The Parks employees and Panther alumnae will walkfrom Lake Michigan to Lake Superior, the deepest of theGreat Lakes. Together, those lakes provide drinking waterto tens of millions.

Attending UWM, a nationally recognized PrincetonReview Green College just steps from Lake Michigan,nurtured the duo’s lifelong passion for the outdoors.

“Some of my most formative years, they were atUWM,” says Robson, a land conservation manager. “Justbeing there on that campus surrounded by natural greenspaces gave me a new appreciation for urban natural re-sources.”

Armbruster studied conservation and led student back-packing trips through UWM’s Outdoor Pursuits program.The conservation program taught her the technical andresearch skills needed for a career in urban resource man-agement. Now, she’s excited to merge her professionalexpertise and backpacking skills on the 320-mile hikefrom Lake Michigan to Lake Superior, titled “Walk toSustain our Great Lakes.”

The journey is an awareness-builder and fundraiser forlake-restoration efforts and will highlight the lakes’ re-covery from toxic pollution in the 1960s and ‘70s.

“You don’t see oil slicks on top of the rivers anymore,”Robson says. “A lot of the issues that our freshwater re-sources face are subsurface. People see all this crystal-

clear water at the surface and think that’s great, but reallythat’s not reflective of healthy conditions for the lake.”

Armbruster and Robson have spent the summer strate-gizing their modest supply list (a tent, backpacks, warmweather and waterproof gear, gorp, Nalgene bottles, oat-meal) and mapping the route. They’ll take photos, wearGoPro cameras and conduct interviews in cities like She-boygan and Green Bay. Their footage will be compiledinto a documentary.

“I would like the documentary to be a healthy reminderof the progress we’ve made to restore our lakes,” Robsonsaid, “but also really be kind of a wake-up call about whythe lakes are worth continued restoration. If we take this‘hands-off’ approach and cut funds for lake restoration,we are going to be looking a hefty price tag to try and fixthose problems later.”

The duo has already interviewed officials with Milwau-kee Riverkeeper and the Urban Ecology Center, politi-cians from Waukesha and Racine and scientists from theUWM School of Freshwater Sciences. They talked tofarmers in Ohio about how agricultural practices con-tribute to dead zones in the lakes and to one of LakeMichigan’s last commercial fishermen.

“People know they love the Great Lakes, but they don'tknow to what extent we need to protect them now andhow what they’re doing is affecting the Great Lakes,”Armbruster says.

The hiking route takes them north on the Oak Leaf trail,into Kettle Moraine State Forest and two national forests.They meet up with a film crew from Rayni Day Produc-tions, which will produce the documentary, in Sheboyganand Green Bay. Armbruster and Robson will meet withcommunity groups in the two cities and even relax a littleduring extended rest periods that break up their 11- to 21-mile walking days.

The journey ends in Porcupine Wilderness State Park,where Lake Superior borders Michigan’s upper penin-sula. The crew will be on hand to film the hikers finalsteps. For now.

“This isn’t going to end when we hit Superior,” Arm-bruster said. “If we want a long-term solution, we’ll needto make this a long-term conversation.”

They believe Milwaukee is the best place to continuethat conversation.

“Globally, more and more people live in cities,” Rob-son says. “We have to learn to do conservation here. Ithink UWM and its conservation program are becominga stepping stone for some of the best urban natural re-source managers and educators that the country will see.”

Readers can follow the journey and join the conversa-tion at http://www.wsogl.com/.

A love for the Great Lakes, including local favorite Lake Michigan, has inspired two UWM graduatesto hike to Lake Superior from Milwaukee. “Walk to Sustain Our Great Lakes” kicks off August 26,2017 (UWM Photo/Troye Fox).

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Students in theUnited States andIndia hold differentopinions on use ofsmart phones andtablets in collegeclassrooms Marquette researcher says culturaldifferences show policies at U.S.colleges may need to be re-examined

Should policies on the use of smart phones, tablets andlaptops in college classrooms be examined for culturalbias?

A study by a Marquette University researcher arguesthat it might be time for a re-evaluation of these policiesdue to significant differences in opinions between stu-

dents in the United States and India.“American and Indian students have different expecta-

tions for managing classroom devices,” said Dr. RobertShuter, emeritus professor of communication studies andresearch professor at Arizona State University, HughDowns School of Human Communication.

“Theories on the use of digital devices in classroomshave emerged in the United States, but this study showsthey may need to be re-examined through multi-culturallenses.”

Shuter, who also is director of the Center for Intercul-tural New Media Research, surveyed 920 college studentsin the two countries. He found differences in:

• frequency of digital use;• preferred policies to control use in classrooms;• preferred strategies for instructors to handle distract-

ing uses of digital media;• perceived impact of digital use in classrooms on

learning, attention and student participation.Published in 2017 in the Western Journal of Commu-

nication, the study found that Americans use their lap-tops/tablets for about four hours a day compared to twohours per day for Indians.

More American students believe that if a cell phonerings during class the instructor should either ignore it oraddress it in a light-hearted way. Significantly more In-dians believe instructors should discuss any cell phoneinterruption with the student the moment it happens inclass, and should reprimand, discipline or impose a gradepenalty.

Indians prefer that a university establish digital policiesfor classrooms to prohibit use of devices during class un-less required by the instructor. Americans want the poli-cies discussed in class, included on the course syllabusand established by the instructor.

More Indian students than Americans are distracted bythe use of cell phones in class and become annoyed if acell phone rings or makes noises.

More Indian students also believe that use of a cellphone is significantly more disruptive to learning.

Americans owned significantly more tablets and lap-tops, while Indians owned significantly more desktopcomputers.

Shuter, who has taught in university classrooms formore than 40 years, has conducted several global studieson the use of digital devices in university classrooms.Other collaborators on this study included Drs. UttaranDutta and Pauline Cheong from Arizona State University;Dr. Yashu Chen at California State University, San Mar-cos; and Jeff Shuter, a doctoral candidate at the Universityof Iowa.

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Survey: Parentslink concussionwith football, butignore other contact sportsArticle courtesy of ABC News via “TheRundown”

New research from a state-wide survey in Ari-zona may hold true for the rest of the country.Parents seem to understand that football cancause serious concussions, which in turn couldcause serious long term neurological damage.But they are missing the memo when it comesto the risks associated with other contact sports.

Soccer and cheerleading also have high rates

of concussion, according to researchers at theBarrow Neurological Institute in Arizona, aleading institution in studying concussions.

In a new survey conducted by the group inArizona, 85 percent of parents said they wouldpermit their children to participate in "any con-tact sport."

That number is up from 69 percent of parentsin a similar survey from 2014.

The survey reports that while only two-thirdsof parents said they would allow their child toplay football, nine of 10 parents were fine withletting their kids take part in soccer, eventhough girls' soccer has the highest rates of con-cussion of any teen sport.

"The greatest rise of that participation is ac-tually in girls' sports," Dr. Javier Cardenas, di-rector of the Barrow Concussion and BrainInjury Center, said in a press conference Thurs-day. "The number one increase is actually incheer."

Photo courtesy ofFootballsafetyovertheyears.weebly.com



KALEIDOSCOPEKALEIDOSCOPEthe MCJ lifestyle & entertainment section

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The African American Breastfeeding Network(AABN) and its community partners are inviting familiesto attend its third annual “Lift Up Every Baby” (LUEB)Saturday, August 26, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Carver Park,911 W. Brown St.

LUEB celebrates health, wellness, breastfeeding andthe resiliencies of our families and communities. TheLUEB targets women, men, children, and extended sup-port systems/families. This event also celebrates NationalBlack Breastfeeding Awareness Week (August 20-26),which parallels with National Breastfeeding AwarenessMonth.

People of color have been historically and significantlyimpacted by racial inequities in health outcomes. Theseinequities are systematically institutionalized resulting ina slew of health disparities that impacts a person frombirth throughout their life span.

“You name it, we got it” has become a familiar tenetfor Blacks leading in health disparities. Many organiza-tions and individuals are working tirelessly to change thisdire narrative. LUEB acknowledges our strengths andresiliency despite our negative health outcomes so thatAfrican Americans are reminded of their assets.

Milwaukee Black men of all ages recently attended the showing of the movie “De-troit” at the AMC Multiplex at Mayfair Mall in Wauwatosa as part of the “Black Men’sNight Out,” in which Black men and male youth attend a movie--en mass--that isculturally and/or historically relevant to Black people. --Photo by Yvonne Kemp,graphic treatment by Darrin Reasby

Milwaukee artists Marshall Twins ('MT') openup about music, personal life and living in Milwaukee in exclusive interview

Milwaukee is known for manythings and during my visit, one ofthe things I experienced was thefestivities of the Bronzeville Festi-val. Which is a celebration of blackculture, black history in Milwaukeeand of course black music. Amongstmany of the talented individuals,there were two individuals whocaught my attention. They areknown as MT, which stands forMarshall Twins and if you don't be-lieve anything else, you better be-lieve that MCJ was able to get a oneon one exclusive interview withthese influential and talented mil-lennials. So, keep reading to learnmore about the local talent in thearea!

Q: Who are you exactly? Howwould you introduce yourselves?

Donno: D-o- double n- o"Donno"

Dexxx: I'm "Dexxx" with threex's - and we are the "MarshallTwins."

Q: You guys are a group calledMT? What does Marshall standfor? Is that you guys' last name?

Twins: No, that's where we usedto go to school. We graduated fromMarshall High, here in Milwaukee.

Donno: We used to play basket-ball there.

Q: Oh really?! Both of youplayed?

Twins: YepQ: Wow! I also have a twin

brother and we are like night andday. Ok. So now, tell me a little bitabout yourselves, individually.How do the two of you differ?

Donno: We are the same way! I'mmore quiet. In the house and to my-self. He's {Dexxx} more outgoing.(Speaking to Dexxx: "Tell 'em")

Dexxx: I'm more wild.Q: So, you're more of a people's

person? Dexxx: Yea.Q: Ok, cool. So as artists, what

would you say inspires you guysthe most?

Donno: The platform that we[have] to speak out and influencepeople to do other things by show-ing them that there's more to lifethan just what's seen in the city.

Q: As far as the city of Milwau-kee, correct?

Donno: Yea. As far as like, buy-ing into the hatred. We are on a plat-form where we can influence a lotof kids to be different and showthem they can show their emotionsfreely.

Q: Absolutely and I've talked tomany different people here in

MILLENNIALMILLENNIALMAGICMAGICBy Paishance Welch


TheMarshall TwinsLeft to Right:Donno & Dexxx

Third annual “Left up EveryBaby” highlights breastfeeding,health and wellness




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OPEN LETTER TO OUR READERSMilwaukee Community Journal is an actual brick and mortar building, not just an online entity. I

was downstairs reviewing our equipment in the storage office and it's like visiting a museum. Oldrelics, equipment, computers, software and past editions illuminate 40 years journaling the historyof change.

Since our origin in 1976, we've moved with our audience. Today our readers are predominantlymillennials, 18-40 years of age, shakers and movers, the buyers! They are buying homes, cars,raising families. They are eating “fresh,” active in politics, exercising and partying.

Our readers find us in print, with our twice-weekly editions in tenured retail outlets, churchesand selective distribution spots. But they also read us online at milwaukeecommunityjournal.comWe’re in this to win this! We're dynamic....crisp clear....interactive...and to be honest - explodingwith information that you want to read!We're perfect for new and established advertisers! We want more local interaction and commu-

nity written articles. We want to offer more millennial access to a proven community source.This is who we are. But one thing is still deep on our hearts, and that is you’ve got to join our

team. You're the community part of the Milwaukee Community Journal. Let's build together!Speech Thomas, The Milwaukee Community JournalMilwaukee's Largest African-American Newspaper



Milwaukee and one of the thingsthat stood out to me the most washow a lot of residents brought upthe fact that there was a substan-tial amount of crime. How do youguys incorporate these type ofscenarios and community issuesinto your music, that will eventu-ally inspire the youth that theycan be different from what theymay be surrounded within thecity of Milwaukee?

Donno: In our music, we like totalk about our upbringing and howwe became better and how [finan-cial contributions] opened up manydoors for us.

Dexxx: Where we came from andwhat we grew up in helps tells ourstory.

Q: So, you guys' backgroundand history allows you to inspireyouth by displaying to them whoyou were then and who you havebecome now? Basically, showingthat you can thrive off your past,whether good or bad?

Twins: Yea exactly. We're tryingto take our family out of povertyand show the youth that they cantoo.

Q: Yes, I saw you guys performat the Bronzeville Festival and I

loved how you all had the kids upon stage they were having a blast.Based off the love and supportthat you've received so far, wouldyou say that you have a prettylarge fan base?

Twins: Yea. It's pretty good.Q: What is the most important

thing to have as an artist? Twins: Creativity and Communi-

cation.Q: Communication! That's a

great answer. So, now it's time toget a little nosey [laughs]. Whichone of you is the precise one andwhich one is usually late to inter-views, rehearsals and engage-ments etc...?

Donno: I am more precise. That'slike just being the older brother. I'lltake my responsibility. [laughs] I’musually late too. I just move slowsometimes.

Q: That’s not too bad! So, whois the ladies man out of the twoyou?

Donno: Uhhhhh Dexxx!Q: Are there any artists that

have inspired you musically? Dexxx: Chief Kief and the

whole Chicago movement.Donno: DrakeQ: I know many artists hate

this question, but who do you

guys think you sound like themost?

Twins: Nobody.Q: Independent or Record

Deal? Twins: Independent. We would

rather be able to do what we want todo with no strings. No one telling uswhat to drop and when to drop.

Q: You guys are youth in Mil-

waukee, how do you all feel aboutthe youth?

Twins: The youth in Milwaukee,right now, there's a lot of violence.It’s the typical stuff you see on thenews. We need more programs andmentors that give the youth some-thing to look forward to.

It will allow them to stay busyand feed their boredom. Also, the

youth tend to let the music here in-fluence them to do bad things.That’s why we try to keep ourmusic different. Hopefully we canget to the point where we are able tostart offering programs that will em-power the youth.

Q: I love that you guys are soyoung and engaged in the com-munity. So, what's the name of

your mixtape? Twins: T4TC (This For The City)Q: If anyone wanted to contact

you how would they get in contactwith you guys?

Twins: IG: Thereal_Mt Email:[email protected] Web:www.themarshalltwins.com

--Paishance Welch, MillennialMagic!

child’s understanding of African culture and its valuable influence in history,generational independence and community integrity.

“He is a iconic leader in Parental School Choice, as an equalizer for edu-cation-access in Milwaukee and throughout the United States,” Pattillo saidin a statement.

The MCJ publisher also noted community economics, politics and elec-tions, as well as eliminating health disparities have also garnered his attentionthrough thousands of words and significant articles, columns and perspec-tives.

“We are proud to call him the ‘Militant Midget,’ a name bestowed uponhim by the former editor of the Milwaukee Star Times, the predecessor of theMilwaukee Community Journal, where Holt got his start,” Pattillo said.

Relatives, friends and colleagues of the inductees, as well as members ofthe Milwaukee Press Club and the general public, are invited to attend. Theevent will be held in the Woodland Dreams Ballroom at Potawatomi Hotel &Casino, 1721 W. Canal Street in Milwaukee. There will be a reception at 5:30p.m. and dinner at 6:30 p.m., with the induction ceremony immediately afterdinner. Tickets are $65 per person; tables of eight are available for $500.

For additional information about the Milwaukee Press Club and previousinductees to the Media Hall of Fame, visit www.milwaukeepressclub.org andclick on “Honors.” Click here to sponsor the Hall of Fame dinner or contactJoette Richards at (262) 894-2224.

The Milwaukee Press Club, founded in 1885, is the oldest continuously op-erating press club in North America. Proceeds from Milwaukee Press Clubprogramming benefit the MPC Endowment, Ltd., and its scholarship fund.

(continued from page 1)

MCJ Assoc. Publisher, columnist Mikel Holt to beinducted into Milwaukee Press Club’s Hall of Fame

The Marshall Twins(continued from page 7)

Third annual “Liftup Every Baby”

LUEB begins with a group de-stress stretch exercise emphasizing theimportance of physical fitness. Also families can visit health stations twolearn more about the health benefits of aromatherapy and massage. Inaddition, cultural traditions are reclaimed with sage burning and pouringof libation: a symbol of cleansing and ushering-in life.

The celebration culminates when babies are ‘lifted’ by their parents(and the community), and pregnant mothers are embraced. Communityand family strengths are captured by (1) introducing socially and cultur-ally relevant role models from the community, (2) sharing community re-sources that can support women and families, (3) reclaiming healthtraditions through culturally relevant rituals and celebrations, and (4) cel-ebrating resiliency. Community Partners will have staff on site to provideinformation on fatherhood programs, prenatal care and inter-conceptioneducation and healthcare.

AABN’s contributing partners for this event are: Wisconsin Associationof Lactation Consultants, Children’s Community Health Plan, Mommy& Me Inc., Fit4You Traveling Trainer, Managed Health Services/WIC,Columbia Saint Mary’s Family Health Center.

(continued from page )

Dick Gregory passesDuring the open housing campaign, Gregory participated and led many

marches. He also suggested some of the Youth Council‘s economic boy-cotts, such as the “Black Christmas” campaign and the Schlitz Beer boy-cott.

Gregory said at the time he wanted to help the cause led by FatherJames Groppi and speaks against Mayor Maier's curfew, ban on nighttimemarching, and the lack of police protection.

Gregory was arrested during an open housing march led by the NAACPYouth Council in the fall of 1967. He spent the night in jail because herefused to be fingerprinted. The next day he was charged with disorderlyconduct.

In a 1967 interview, Gregory said he saw Milwaukee as a “rights testingground” for new tactics.

A number of civil rights organizations and political leaders expressedtheir condolences at his passing.

The NAACP, in a statement, credited Gregory for breaking down bar-riers of segregation in American comedy and entertainment, who consis-tently lent his celebrity status to the ongoing fight for civil rights.

“Dick Gregory was an activist and creative genius who knew the strug-gle for liberation could only take flight if prominent individuals like him-self leveraged their considerable influence, and joined the masses on thefront lines of the dismantling of Jim Crow,” said NAACP Board ChairmanLeon W. Russell in the statement.

“We have lost one of the most important voices of social justice vigi-lance in the last fifty years. His intellectual style of humor defied raciststereotypes, eschewed buffoonery and provided White America rare in-sight into the unquestionable humanity of Black people,” added Russell.

Democratic Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey tweeted, "Dick Gregory'sunflinching honesty & courage, inspired us to fight, live, laugh & lovedespite it all." A tweet by actress/comedian Whoopi Goldberg said,"About being black in America Dick Gregory has passed away, Condo-lences to his family and to us who won't have his insight 2 lean on R.I.P"

Gregory briefly sought political office, running unsuccessfully formayor of Chicago in 1966 and U.S. president in 1968, when he got200,000 votes as the Peace and Freedom party candidate.

In the late '60s, he befriended John Lennon and was among the voicesheard on Lennon's anti-war anthem "Give Peace a Chance," recorded inthe Montreal hotel room where Lennon and Yoko Ono were staging a"bed-in" for peace.

An admirer of Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr., Gregory embracednonviolence and became a vegetarian and marathon runner.

He preached about the transformative powers of prayer and good health.Once an overweight smoker and drinker, he became a trim, energetic pro-ponent of liquid meals and raw food diets.

In the late 1980s, he developed and distributed products for the popularSlim-Safe Bahamian Diet.

When diagnosed with lymphoma in 2000, he fought it with herbs, ex-ercise and vitamins. It went in remission a few years later.

He took a break from performing in comedy clubs, saying the alcoholand smoke in the clubs were unhealthy and focused on lecturing and writ-ing more than a dozen books, including an autobiography and a memoir.

Gregory went without solid food for weeks to draw attention to a widerange of causes, including Middle East peace, American hostages in Iran,animal rights, police brutality, the Equal Rights Amendment for womenand to support pop singer Michael Jackson when he was charged withsexual molestation in 2004.

(continued from front page)


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"We thought I was going to be a great athlete, and wewere wrong, and I thought I was going to be a great en-tertainer, and that wasn't it either. I'm going to be anAmerican Citizen. First class," he once said.

Richard Claxton Gregory was born in 1932, the secondof six children. His father abandoned the family, leavinghis mother poor and struggling. Though the family oftenwent without food or electricity, Gregory's intellect andhard work quickly earned him honors, and he attendedthe mostly white Southern Illinois University.

"In high school I was fighting being broke and on re-lief," he wrote in his 1963 book. "But in college, I wasfighting being Negro."

He started winning talent contests for his comedy,which he continued in the Army. After he was discharged,he struggled to break into the standup circuit in Chicago,working odd jobs as a postal clerk and car washer to sur-vive. His breakthrough came in 1961, when he was askedto fill in for another comedian at Chicago's Playboy Club.His audience, mostly white Southern businessmen, heck-led him with racist gibes, but he stuck it out for hours andleft them howling.

That job was supposed to be a one-night gig, but lastedtwo months -- and landed him a profile in Time magazineand a spot on "The Tonight Show."

Vogue magazine, in February 1962, likened him to WillRogers and Fred Allen: "bright and funny and topical ...(with) a way of making the editorials in The New YorkTimes seem the cinch stuff from which smash night-clubroutines are rightfully made."

''I've got to go up there as an individual first, a Negrosecond," he said in Phil Berger's book, "The Last Laugh:The World of Stand-up Comics." ''I've got to be a coloredfunny man, not a funny colored man."

His political passions were never far from his mind --and they hurt his comedy career. The nation was grap-pling with the civil rights movement, and it was not at allclear that racial integration could be achieved. At protestmarches, he was repeatedly beaten and jailed.

He remained active on the comedy scene until recently,when he fell ill and canceled an Aug. 9 show in San Jose,California, followed by an Aug. 15 appearance in Atlanta.

On social media, he wrote that he felt energized by themessages from his well-wishers, and said he was lookingto get back on stage because he had a lot to say about theracial tension brought on by the gathering of hate groupsin Virginia.

"We have so much work still to be done, the ugly realityon the news this weekend proves just that," he wrote, re-ferring to Charlottesville, VA and the violence that leadto the death of a White woman and injuries to a numberof other anti-racism demonstrators.

He is survived by his wife, Lillian, and 10 children.

((continued from page 10)

Dick Gregorypasses at 84 For 41 years, we’ve kept

our finger onthe pulse ofOUR community! YOUR Milwaukee Community Journal!


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