Page 1 - Carolina Panorama Newspaper - May 23 - 29, 2019

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PanoramaVolume 33, Number 21 May 23 - 29, 2019Serving Central South Carolina

News in Brief

Positive News for a Positive Community

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Alabama State University celebrates 150 years

Alabama State University has honored its founders this week at an event commemorating its 150th anniversary. School officials said Alabama State is the oldest ‘state sponsored’ historically black liberal arts university in the nation. Nine former slaves established the Lincoln Normal School in Marion, Alabama, in 1867. The school later moved to Montgomery and changed its name to ASU. ASU vice president Zillah Fluker said the university contributes more than $900 million dollars a year to the state and local economy.

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Black baseball players becoming even rarer

The participation of African Americans in the sport of baseball is unquestionably in decline, as more athletes prefer to play football and basketball. Several HBCUs, including Winston-Salem State, Howard, Morgan State and SC State, have ended their baseball programs. At some HBCUs, such as Bethune Cookman, the majority of baseball players are white. Only 4% of NCAA college baseball players were African-American in 2018.

European Union officials are almost all white

Despite estimates that at least 50 million people in Europe come from ethnic minorities. There has never been a black or brown European commissioner, nor has a black or brown person held any of the top positions of the parliament or council. In the current parliament, repre-sentation of people of colour is less than 3%, and Italy’s Cécile Kyenge is the sole black woman. In the next European Parlia-ment elections, few minorities are running for seats in the EU’s 28 member states.

Remains of African-Americans reinterned

Streets outside of the Gilliard Center were closed Saturday as Charleston Mayor John Teck-lenburg, Rep. Wendell Gilliard, Gullah Society representatives, and community leaders gath-ered for a Reinterment Cer-emony for the remains of 36 African individuals that were found during construction for the Gilliard Center. The frag-ments were placed outside of the Gilliard center, where they first were found back in 2013. Test-ing showed that the remains age from more than 200 years ago.

The Columbia (SC) Chapter of 100 Black Women recently celebrated an historic milestone with the diplomatic visit of its National President Virginia W. Harris. The visit coincided with the chapter’s fifth anniversary of advocacy and empowerment for women and girls of the Midlands.

The chapter celebrated her visit by hosting a luncheon in her honor at the Brookland Baptist Conference Center. Among the Columbia community leaders who brought greetings to the National Leader were Vince Gatling, President of the Columbia Chapter of 100 Black Men, Calvin Reese, CEO of the Millennium Magazine and WIS News Anchor Alicia Barnes John.

At the chapter’s evening business meeting, President Harris addressed the Columbia membership on the state of the National organization, installed new chapter officers, met prospective 2019 members, brought an inspirational message of congratulations and provided strategies to enhance the chapter’s advocacy and empowerment initiatives for women and girls of African descent. The presidential visit was highlighted with an official presentation by SC House of Representatives member and Columbia Chapter Coalition Sister Wendy Brawley. Representative Brawley presented President Harris with an official recognition of commemoration for her outstanding leadership from the SC House of Representatives.

The National Coalition of

100 Black Women, Inc. is a national organization that was founded in the winter of 1970 in New York City when 24 Black women, led by visionary Edna Beach, began meeting in their homes to assess the problems and opportunities left behind in the wake of the turbulent 1960s. The National organization consists of thousands of progressive women of African descent who represent 63 chapters in 25 states and the District of Columbia. Its membership includes a diverse group of women, who are physicians, attorneys, educators, journalists, accountants, court judges, corporate managers, vice presidents, artists, media personalities, labor leaders,

public relations specialists, consultants and elected officials.

The local Columbia (SC) Chapter commenced with a meeting convened on the campus of Benedict College in February 2012 by Mary Miller McClellan, the founding organizer. Following her graduation from Benedict College, Mary relocated to New York where she was a 30-year member of the Long Island, New York Chapter of the 100 Black Women. Subsequent to her relocation back to Columbia, she invited a diverse group of intergenerational, progressive Columbia women to form a

Denmark Tech savedGeneral Assembly votes to keep

DTC open for another yearWith the adoption of the budget conference committee’s

recommendations, the General Assembly has voted to keep Denmark Technical College open for the next year. The House and the Senate gave the state budget final approval on Tuesday. The Governor’s signature is expected soon.

The school’s future was in doubt earlier this year as some lawmakers suggested that South Carolina’s only historically-Black technical college be closed. Alumni and supporters held a rally at the State House to convince legislators to save the school. Those efforts apparently paid off.

Rep. Jerry Govan (D-Orangeburg), Chair of the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus, stated the following:

“We are very happy that the budget conferees have taken the position of keeping Denmark Technical College open. I want to thank the House and Senate conferees for understanding the importance of Denmark Tech.

This was a top priority for the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus. We believe in supporting South Carolina’s institutions of higher education, including historically black colleges like Denmark Tech. It was important to us that the people of South Carolina, especially the people of Allendale, Bamberg, and Barnwell Counties, continue to be served by the South Carolina Technical College System. I want all members of the local community, as well as all alumni, faculty, current students, and prospective students to know: Denmark Tech is open for business.”

Denmark Tech is fully accredited and approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Its outstanding faculty provide a high-quality education to every student willing to work hard to achieve their goals. This spring, 127 students earned certificates, diplomas, and degrees -- these individuals are ready to begin their careers as accountants, barbers, computer programmers, engineers, entrepreneurs, nurses, plumbers, teachers, welders, and so on.

“Thankfully,” Rep. Govan said, “Denmark Tech will continue to give students the skills needed for success in the 21st century job market.”

Surrounded by supporters, Denmark Tech President Dr. Christopher J. Hall is pictured at a March 2019 rally at the State House urging legislators to save South Carolina’s only historically Black tech school.

On September 15, 1963, a bomb was detonated at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham. Twenty-two people were injured in the blast, and four young girls were killed: Carole Robertson, Cynthia Wesley, Denise McNair and Addie Mae Collins.

Among the injured was Sarah Collins Rudolph, younger sister of Addie May Collins. Sarah was severely injured in the blast and nearly lost her eyesight. Pictures of her injuries were published in Life Magazine, sparking outrage worldwide. The tragedy led to Congress passing the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

Eventually, Sarah recovered some of her eyesight and was released from the hospital. But she has spent the last 56 years dealing with the aftermath of that fateful day.

Today, Sarah Collins Rudolph is often referred to as “the Fifth Little Girl.” She traveled to Columbia on Tuesday to discuss the civil rights movement, current conditions in Birmingham and how her life has unfolded since then. She addressed a crowd of people at a special symposium held at Sidney Park CME Church and sponsored by The University of South Carolina Center for Civil Rights History and Research. The talk was moderated by University of South Carolina historian Dr.

The Fifth Little GirlSurvivor of the 1963 church bombing in

Birmingham, Alabama speaks in Columbia

Bobby Donaldson.Sarah said that it took a

long time to come to terms with what happened. She said that she initially turned to drugs and alcohol, but the pain returned when the affects wore off. She said she was only able to cope after she turned her life over Christ.

One thing that she is still stuck by is how little Birmingham has changed. The city and the state of Alabama has refused to acknowledge or apologize for what happened, even after nearly 56 years.

“I get more love outside of Alabama,” she said.

When asked what people can do to help, she said that people should call Alabama’s governor and urged her to

Sarah Collins Rudolph (center) is pictured with students from Saluda High School. Rudolph’s sister was killed in the 1963 bombing of Birming-ham’s 16th Street Baptist Church.

apologize to its citizens for the atrocities committed during that era.

Her husband, George Rudolph, said that he was not optimistic about the state of Alabama doing anything. The Vietnam War veteran has known Sarah since high school, and says that she has also been through a war.

“She suffers from post-traumatic stress,” he said. “She has never gotten any restitution for what she went through.”

After the event, Sarah answered questions from the audience. She urged everyone to be vigilant and to stand against hatred and bigotry. One way to do it, she said, was to exercise your right to vote.

National President of 100 Black Women visits Columbia

National Coalition of 100 Black Women President Virginia W. Harris is pictured with Columbia Chapter President Mary Miller McClellan.

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Ashley Johnson StudiosCommunity Business of the Week

By Nate Abraham Jr.BUSINESS OF THE WEEK

Ashley Johnson has always loved to dance.

“I have always been into entertainment – putting shows together and telling stories,” the Atlanta native said.

Today, she is pouring that love of dance into Ashley Johnson Studios, a new dance studio opening in the Midlands in June. Johnson describes herself as “A young celebrity choreographer who is shaking things up in the dance world in Columbia.”

Ashley began dancing at an early age, and has danced professionally since age 14.

“I grew up dancing in a marching band for my high school as well as my middle school,” Johnson said. “I danced for a studio

professionally and was able to shoot my first project with a celebrity at age 14.”

Johnson was a dancer in the video “Show Out” by rapper DJ Unk.

“I was dancing with a group of girls in high school uniforms,” she recalled.

This experience helped to spark Johnson’s interest in dancing as a career.

“My love of dance comes from my dance coach back in Atlanta,” she said. “She taught me pretty much everything I know about the dance team world and the music industry world.”

Johnson became the studio owner’s assistant. When she graduated from high school, she got a full

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Ashley Johnson, founder of Ashley Johnson Studios.