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Do you know …? The Chronicle sponsors Black History contest

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The Chronicle has this contest for you. Answer all the questions on page 13 in the Black History Month special publication, and you could win a $25 gift card to Sweet Potatoes or Body and Soul. The Black History Month special publication is inserted in the Thursday, Feb. 23 newspaper. Bring in the completed form to The Chronicle at 617 N. Liberty St., Winston-Salem. We will gather all entries with all the correct answers then draw from those entries for the prizes. We have six prizes to give – three from Sweet Potatoes and three from Body and Soul. The deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, March 3. We hope you have fun while answering the questions.

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Morning Star ends Black History Month with celebration of ‘Soul’

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Photo by Tevin Stinson

BY TEVIN STINSON 

THE CHRONICLE 

The fellowship hall of Morning Star Baptist Church resembled a museum of African History last Saturday afternoon, Feb. 25, as more than 50 people came out to celebrate the 2017 edition of “Soul Fest.”

Held annually at the church to honor Black History Month and the contributions African-Americans have made to society.

Life-size cutouts of former President and First Lady Barack and Michelle Obama, old newspaper clippings from historic events in Winston-Salem, and other eye-catching pieces of Black History were all included in this year’s event as Effey Howell and the Thankful Heritage Traveling Museum made a stop at the celebration.

The event also included performances by The Othesa Creative Arts Ensemble and Parkland High School’s Light Gospel Troupe. A fashion show of modernized African wear wrapped up the celebration of African- American heritage. Event coordinator Telisa Ward said,” It is important that we celebrate our history, our triumphs and most importantly our legacy.”

She mentioned it is important that we carry the legacy on so future generations will know how important their history is.

“We need to understand where we come from. Our history did not begin with slavery and it didn’t end with the Civil Rights Era. That’s why I’m so patient about this celebration,” continued Ward. “Because if we don’t remember our history, nobody will.

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Editorial: His time came too early. Who is ready now?

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Another community stalwart has died. Walter Marshall, a Forsyth County commissioner, passed away last week at age 74. He was buried Tuesday. The Chronicle had just featured him on our Black History Month page at the beginning of Black History Month.

Mr. Marshall had announced that he was not going to run again for another term. However, no one expected his term to end so soon.

He came to the position in 1997 after the death of Mazie Woodruff, who also died in office at age 74.

Mr. Marshall is a Democrat, so Democratic Party officials will have to replace him soon. But who is ready to take his place?

The person will have to live in the area that will be served, which is District A. District A includes the city of Winston-Salem.

Mr. Marshall has been praised for speaking truth to power, even though he could have been considered a power, without being disagreeable. Who has the courage to operate like that?

Mr. Marshall worked with civil rights groups when he was younger to fight for the rights of people and still worked with the local NAACP branch while he was a commissioner. Who has the tenacity to do that?

Mr. Marshall was a retired teacher who carried the qualities of a teacher, such as concern for others. Who has that quality?

Mr. Marshall worked on a majority Republican Forsyth County Board of Commissioners whose members mostly spoke highly of him. Who can get along well with Republicans?

The Democratic Party will do well to look for someone who fits those qualifications. The area that Mr. Marshall represented holds plenty of black folk who feel that they have been represented well, but worry that with Mr. Marshall gone, they might not receive that level of service.

The Democratic Party needs to remember Mr. Marshall as they choose a new commissioner. His constituents surely will.

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City celebrates Black History Month with a ‘Showcase of Song’

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Photo by Ashlea Jones

BY ASHLEA JONES 

FOR THE CHRONICLE

A showcase featured recitals and enactments of African culture and modern day African-American hymnals and spirituals on Saturday, Feb. 25, during a “Showcase of Song.”

The City of Winston-Salem Human Relations Department along with St. Philips Heritage Center presented the program at the James A. Grey Auditorium inside the Old Salem Visitors Center in celebration of Black History Month.

“The purpose of this showcase was to link, through song, the African culture to modern day African-American culture, said Wanda Allen-Abraha, director of city of Winston-Salem Human Relations Department. “And how [African culture]” has played in to and developed mainstream. A lot of the music we listen to today is from Africa.”

The showcase began with a greeting in English and Spanish from Dr. Krishauna Hines-Gaither, director of diversity and inclusiveness at Salem College, who emceed the event. The Easton Elementary Drum Squad kicked-off the entertainment with a performance of Guinea rhythms infused with a bit of Mali culture on traditional African drums.

Cultural performer Kenneth Wallace performed songs such as, “Down by the Riverside,” “Wade in the Water,” and “Follow the Drinking Gourd” while giving the audience a lesson in oral tradition. These spirituals were used as examples of songs with encoded messages that helped enslaved people escape to freedom.

“Code songs had another message. They taught us how to stand against injustice,” Wallace said.

“Music and songs form the sound-tracks of our lives,” said Council Member John Larson during his greeting. “Music can stimulate and provoke. It gets people through bad times.”

The Kidane Mehret Ethiopian Orthodox Church of the Triad sung songs in Amhara, the official working language of Ethiopia.

“Christianity in Ethiopia dates back to the first century,” said Hines-Gaither.

Liturgical dancer, Calleah Solomon; soloist, Tamra Bradshaw; the Salem College Gospel Choir; and F.O.C.U.S Professional Gospel Group were also among the performers during Saturday’s showcase.

Mayor Pro Tempore Vivian Burke attended the event and brought greetings to the culturally diverse crowd.

“We want you to know that we believe in diversity,” said Burke. “We know what this city was built on.”

“Today’s event in one of the oldest backgrounds in Winston-Salem is appropriate,” Larson said.

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Carter holds second Living Wax Museum

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BY TIMOTHY RAMSEY 

THE CHRONICLE

People have come to celebrate Black History Month in new and unique ways. The students of Carter High School highlighted the month by holding a “Living Wax Museum” where the students would dress up as a historic or current African-American figure of their choice.

This is the second year of the wax museum and was created by teacher Leshan Cunningham.  She says she wanted to do something like this for quite some time, so when the opportunity presented itself, she jumped at it.

Carter High School is for special needs students.

“We do this so that our kids can not only do research but to also have their shining moment,” Cunningham said.  “We invite family, friends and people in the community to come and see what the kids have done.  They did the research, they put the boards together and they will be doing all of the speaking.”

The kids stood in front of their poster boards that they prepared and gave a brief history of their chosen African-American figure whenever someone dropped a coin in the box by their presentation.

Carter’s Principal Donna Horton-Berry says she is happy that the kids are able to have this type of experience and hopes this will spark their interest to dive more into African-American history in the future.

“The students get to perform and they are happy to perform,” Horton-Berry went on to say.  “In preparation, they researched, created costumes and created a display. They get to learn about the richness of African-American history and carry that forward.”

Amir Ritter, Carter High student, chose Will Smith as his figure for the wax museum.  He says his favorite part of the project was he was able to dress up and learn more about Smith.  He says he worked very hard on the project and he later recited part of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

Dr. Gwendolyn Johnson-Green, director of Alternate Education for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, says she has seen many Black History Month projects over the years but this is one of the best.  She said she was excited with the effort the kids put forth.

“This is so exciting, creative and innovative and a grand learning experience for the students,” Johnson-Green said.  “This is developing positive relationships with the students and teachers.  I am really encouraged, motivated and excited to have seen this for myself.  The interaction with the students has been a pleasure.”

Along with having their characters, the students also prepared an “underground railroad” leading into the gymnasium as well as having mock safe houses.

Cunningham says she is most pleased with the perseverance and joy the kids exhibited during the project.  She said the kids were nervous but once someone tells them how good they performed, the smile on their faces makes her feel great.

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Center announces Mazie Woodruff Scholarship

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BY DONNA ROGERS 

THE CHRONICLE

For five years, TerCraig Edwards, director of the Mazie S. Woodruff Center, and others kicked around the idea of a scholarship named for Mazie Woodruff. On Thursday, Feb. 23, it was announced.

At the Mazie S. Woodruff Center’s Black History Month program, Edwards presented Woodruff’s family with a certificate that announced the Mazie S. Woodruff Scholarship Fund before a large crowd.

“We decided to launch this scholarship because there are literacy gaps in Forsyth County and our hope and our aim is to close those gaps,” Edwards said.

He cited statistics from Forsyth Futures for the 2015-2016 school year that showed most or many kindergarten students, eighth-grade students and 11th grade students had problems reaching benchmarks in math, English, reading and writing.

The scholarship is designed to give one Forsyth Technical Community College student a $250 scholarship each semester after the first semester. One of the criteria for gaining the scholarship will be community service. Edwards is soliciting donations for the scholarship.

Many members of the Mazie Woodruff family attended the program, including three daughters and three sons and some of their families.

Mazie S. Woodruff (1922-1997) in 1976 became the first African-American to be elected to the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners, on which she served for 14 years. She was 74 years old when she died in 1997 while serving on the board. She was known as a person who fought for the black community.

Before the scholarship announcement was made, the Rev. Alvin Carlisle, president of the Winston-Salem Branch of the NAACP, spoke about bridging the generational gap and encouraged students to get involved in their communities.

Carlisle used slides to make points about some United States history to show segregation and racial hatred as well as unity, such as a slide with founders of the NAACP. The organization was founded by black and white, and young and old people.

Carlisle asked young people to show those in the older generation that things have changed.

“Help us to understand, help us to know, help us to think differently” from what they were taught.

“We need a new generation on the rise to help us see the world in a different way, to help us to see that we’re all in the same boat,” Carlisle said “We’re all under the same struggle. We are one United States of America. We are so much stronger together than we are apart. Help us to bridge the gap.”

He asked the students to challenge adults who think segregation and racial hatred are right.

He mentioned a line of thinking he grew up with: “If she can’t use your comb, don’t bring her home,” in reference to interracial dating.

He asked students to challenge that kind of thinking among their older relatives and tell them: “She can’t use my comb, but I’m gonna bring her home.”

Edwards said students who are enrolled in Quality Education Academy (QEA), which is up the street from the center, and Forsyth Tech under the Career Promise Program attended the event as well as other Forsyth Tech students.

Carlisle announced that the local NAACP will work to build a Youth Council starting with a meeting on Feb. 28 to bring young people back into the NAACP.

To contribute to the Scholarship fund, go to foundation.forsyth.edu.

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Commentary: Acknowledging unprecedented support for HBCUs

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Ben Chavis

Guest Columnist

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. routinely would remind those of us who worked for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s about the vital importance of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

As we celebrated Black History Month 2017, Dr. King’s admonition concerning the enduring need for HBCUs should be reaffirmed every month.

Dr. King once emphasized, “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.” Dr. King was a graduate scholar of one of the leading HBCUs, Morehouse College, in Atlanta, Georgia. He was not only an intellectual genius and spiritual leader, but also had an enormous moral character that kept SCLC’s leadership on the frontline of civil rights social transformation.

There should be no rational debate about the contemporary necessity to support the sustainability of the nation’s HBCUs. Yet, we do live in times where too many people have been misled to lean on the unfortunate and unstable walls of irrationality, divisiveness and the absence of truth.

As we continue to posit and emphasize, there is a glaring need to demand intellectual honesty in all matters pertaining to the pursuit of freedom, justice, equality and empowerment for Black America and all others who struggle to improve the quality of life for all humanity.  When it comes to the crucial funding of HBCUs, this is a matter that transcends the partisan divide between the left and the right.

Truth is nonpartisan. Truth is therapeutic. Substantial efforts to increase higher education opportunities for Black Americans and others should not get mired down in contradictory and self-defeating political discourse.

March 16 will mark the 190th anniversary of the Black Press in America since the first publication of “Freedom’s Journal” on March 16, 1827 in New York City. Honesty, integrity, and publishing the truth without fear of consequence have been the hallmarks of the Black Press in the United States for nearly two centuries.

We have neither reluctance nor hesitation, therefore, to acknowledge the strategic and unprecedented support that the Charles Koch Foundation and Koch Industries have given to Historically Black Colleges and Universities via the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) and Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF).

Recently, one of the single largest financial contributions to TMCF, $25.6 million, was made by the Charles Koch Foundation and Koch Industries. These funds are dedicated to establish and develop TMCF’s Center for Advancing Opportunity.

“This is a momentous partnership,” stated Dr. Johnny C. Taylor, Thurgood Marshall College Fund’s president and chief executive officer. “Historically Black Colleges and Universities are uniquely positioned to lead the field in this type of research.  There are thousands of fragile communities across the United States where there are tremendous barriers to opportunity. It’s important to recognize that lasting change to strengthen these communities must begin at the local level. So, we are proud to come together with the Charles Koch Foundation and Koch Industries to help members of these communities identify and study the challenges most significant to them.”

The proposed Center for Advancing Opportunity will focus on education, criminal justice, entrepreneurship and other issues the affect the quality of life in African-American communities. The center also will create research think tanks on HBCU campuses, provide academic scholar-ships, establish graduate fellowships and render grants to selected HBCU faculty members.

As a proud graduate of the flagship HBCU Howard University, I have witnessed firsthand the advantages and enormous value of primary research accomplished by Howard and other HBCU centers of research power, ingenuity and innovation. The proposed TMCF Center for Advancing Opportunity is a welcomed development that the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) salutes and applauds forth-rightly.

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. is the President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) and can be reached at dr.bchavis@nullnnpa.org.

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The Chronicle inspires class for Black History Month

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The students in Coleen Johnson’s third-grade class at the Downtown School went to work when they saw The Chronicle’s Black History Month section that was published on Feb. 23. Many in the class submitted answers to the Black History Contest and most of them got them correct. For that they were given tickets to a circus that will be in the Triad. The students also used the special section to complete a lesson on main idea and supporting details.

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Making a noise

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The Drama Ministry of Union Baptist Church is shown. On Sunday, Feb. 26, as part of Black History Month, the ministry performed Negro spirituals as part of “Make A Noise: The Value of the Negro Spirituals” by Dr. Felecia Piggott-Long, who is in the front row in green in the photo. Speaking of hymns, a Hymn Conference of the Triad, designed to reintroduce the hymns back into the congregations, will be March 27-31 with day and evening classes. Registration for the week is $65 ($35 for seniors and students). Contact David Allen at 336-986-3039 for more details.

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Connecting Atkins High history through the generations

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Editor’s Note:Scott Plaster, Atkins English and School Publications Teacher; and Atkins students Nosha Wilson, Kaylin Carpenter, and Ally Moore wrote the story below. During the creation of this feature, its subject – the former Atkins High School teacher Georgia Harper –passed away on Friday, March 3 at 8:30 p.m. with her three sons by her side. In a letter to Atkins, her son John Harper said, “I am so happy that you all brought so much joy into her life in her final days. Because of you, there will always be a special bond between our family and Atkins High School.” You can read more about Georgia Harper’s life at the link:

http://atkinshigh-schoolnews.blogspot.com/ 2017/03/a-tribute-to-geor-gia-harper-connecting.html

SPECIAL TO  THE CHRONICLE

During its Black History Month tribute, some students from Scott Plaster’s journalism class at Atkins High School didn’t just do research and write articles on famous black Americans or read about the origins and traditions of their school in a book. They actually talked to a teacher at the original Atkins High School, 106-year-old Georgia Harper, who taught at the school from 1931 to 1934.

Imagine learning about the school and community’s history straight from someone who lived it. Through the modern technology of video conferencing, that’s just what the students and their teacher did.

Harper’s son John Harper said, “Georgia felt as if she had four very kind visitors in her room. I certainly do not have the words to fully express the joy we both felt, and are still feeling. You will be in our hearts the rest of our lives.” Similarly, the experience had an impact on the students. “It’s something I will always remember; we made such a connection,” said Nosha Wilson. Ally Moore said, “It was an interesting way to learn about our school’s history instead of just reading about it.” Kaylin Carpenter said “It really made the history of Atkins come to life in a relatable way.”

It all started when the school received a comment on its online school magazine site from John Harper, who said his 106-year-old mother, Georgia, had taught at Atkins way back in the ’30s. Journalism teacher Scott Plaster immediately saw an opportunity when his students suggested a video conference with Ms. Harper and her son.

Over the course of two weeks, the students planned the call by doing research and planning the questions to ask. They connected via the Skype application three times the next week, first making introductions.  Each call bridged gaps in distance, age, and friendship over the Internet airways. “It was so special for Mr. Harper to reach out to us. Because of his kindness, he made this very powerful experience possible. We are so fortunate to have had this chance to connect with these two very special people,” said Plaster.

During the calls, John and Georgia Harper were interested to learn how Atkins has progressed as a magnet school, with an integrated and diverse student and staff population, an athletic program, the conveniences of transportation, a school cafeteria, and modern technology.

In a letter to John Harper, Atkins Principal Joe Childers said, “I have to say that when I meet graduates of Atkins, they are some of the most loyal fans of their school.  I am sure that is the result of the dedication and hard work of folks like your mother.”

The students were just as interested and surprised to learn about Atkins life in the 1930s. Built as a part of the Rosenwald Fund, Atkins High School was the first “modern” high school for African-Americans, and was innovative in the idea that it was the first school that prepared them for careers and further education that weren’t just “Negro jobs.”

The school was even built in what was, at the time, an all-white neighborhood. As a part of that new curriculum, Georgia taught English at Atkins from 1931 to 1934. Georgia’s life during her tenure at Atkins encompass so many aspects of American life for African-Americans and for women, from living under segregation, battling gender stereotypes, and seeing civil rights expand for people of all colors. “From black slavery to a black president,” was difficult to imagine, Georgia said.

“There were mostly black students being taught by black teachers” at the early Atkins, said Georgia. Interestingly, Atkins did not have a cafeteria and students walked home for lunch. During Georgia’s time working at Atkins, she stayed at the house of the principal of Atkins at that time. Georgia says that back then it was common for teachers to live with their school principal. Georgia lived with a roommate, Inez Nicholas, another member of the Atkins faculty, at John Carter’s home and food was provided for them. She also remembers the days of separate facilities for black and white in the depression-era Winston-Salem.

Georgia is also multi-racial (Caucasian, black, and Native American) and she also said that she never wanted to “pass” as white; she said she was always proud of her African-American heritage.

Times were hard for Georgia as she was teach-ing during the Great Depression. Her salary started at $720 her first year, and actually went down to $400 a year, which was even more difficult to live on. She left Winston-Salem in 1934 and went to teach at Fort Valley High School in Georgia.

Georgia had gotten married and became a stay at home mother in 1941 and did not begin working again until 1964 when she had three children.

Harper was a very intelligent and innovative woman. She worked for Lyndon Johnson’s Poverty Program, which was set up to get people from unemployment to employment. Georgia began in the intake position and quickly got promoted to supervisor. Georgia succeeded at her job for six years and then decided to retire in 1972 at the age of 62.

After retirement, Georgia and her husband traveled extensively from 1972 until 1990. Georgia’s husband died in 2003 and Georgia lived near her son John in Battle Creek, Michigan.

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BLACK HISTORY MONTH: Entrepreneurship runs in the family

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Shaw’s Tire Service and Gulf Service Station. Ma’ati Spa. Triad Pest Control.

These local businesses represent three generations of entrepreneurship in one family.

Jim Shaw bought a Shell service station on Liberty Street in 1967 for $5,000, shortly after quitting his job at RJR Tobacco Co. He had to borrow the money and, never having pumped gas before, had to learn the ropes of running a station quickly. He said he was the only black Shell service station owner in the city and the others would laugh at him as they were awarded prizes from the company for their high sales. Shaw pulled out all the stops, extending the station’s hours until it was open around the clock, selling 74,000 gallons a month and earning Shaw his own sales prizes.

“The boys stopped laughing then,” said Shaw.

He hired ladies dressed in hot pants to pump gas and wash windshields, which he credited for helping him become the largest Gulf dealer in the Southeast. Shaw also bought a BFGoodrich franchise in 1970 to open Shaw’s Tire Service. He owned the station for about eight years and Shaw’s Tires until 1984. After that, he opened a convenience store, Jack’s One Stop Shop on Patterson Avenue, which he owned for five years. Shaw has been well-known in more recent years as the president and chairman of the now defunct Liberty Community Development Corp., which brought new businesses to Liberty Street, such as the Medicap Pharmacy and Exxon Mobil Gas Station.

Shaw’s son, Bo Gilliam, opened Triad Pest Control in 1981 after quitting his job at Orkin, where he went door-to-door both selling and performing pest control services. At the time, he had a newborn daughter and a new house, but was determined to start his own pest control company. He started out with run-down vehicles and a loan from his father. He found success, as his client base grew.

Gilliam said his cowboy hat and boots helped customers remember him, but it’s his work ethic that made his business grow. He took his father’s advice to heart when it came to being an active business owner.

“All you got to do is go to work, and that’s what I do now,” said Gilliam.

His company has 12 employees who serve three states, doing work like treating soil on construction sites.

Bo Gilliam passed that advice about working to his daughter, Maya Gilliam, who is the owner of Ma’ati Spa. When working for her father’s business didn’t work out, she was determined to make it on her own. After graduating from a six-month massage program in Charlotte, she used money she made from her web design business, Third Eye Digital, to help fund the spa, along with a small loan from her grandfather. She moved into a brick building on Main Street and did a rent-to-own deal on its top floor before eventually acquiring its bottom one as well. She said she followed the example of her father and grandfather in running her spa.

“We’ve grown tremendously in a short amount of time due to the acumen that these two gentlemen have exhibited through my life,” she said.

The venture was not without its struggles, as she slept on massage tables early on, since she couldn’t afford to rent both an apartment and her business. There was also a fire that gutted the bottom floor, but it’s now beautifully remodeled in a building she fully owns. She now has nine employees.

The family mantra is if you work hard enough, everything will work out. There are many other entrepreneurs in the family as well, like Maya’s sister Fonta Gilliam, who created Sou Sou, a crowd banking software company in Washington, D.C.

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Group home clients celebrate Black History Month

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With Black History Month now upon us, people are celebrating the month in all types of unique ways.  The clients of Friendly People That Care (FPTC) decided to show their appreciation for Black History Month by highlighting African-American inventors.

Friendly People That Care is a company that seeks to improve the quality of life for individuals less fortunate, both physically and emotionally.  The company has several group homes throughout the Triad area along with a day program that is designed to encourage growth for their clients.

According to Wendy Adams, an employee at FPTC, they like to have a Black History Month celebration each year.  This year they decided to break their clients into groups and have them research an African-American inventor along with building a replica of their invention.

“We wanted them to get connected with the inventor because most times they just have a name to see,” said FPTC employee Robin McDowell.  “Doing the invention actually lets them see the person’s picture and they got involved with the materials they used and understand the actual inventions.”

The four African-American inventors celebrated were: George Franklin Grant, who invented the golf tee; Robert Flemming, who invented the euphonica guitar; George Washington Carver, who invented many things but they honored his creation of peanut butter; and Garrett Morgan, who created the traffic signal.

Each group made a replica of their invention along with a brief history of the inventor.  They were then judged by several employees to determine an overall winner.

“They loved competing against each other and the secrecy of it because we kept each group’s project away from everyone else,” McDowell continued. 

Adams added, “I got so emotional I cried because just to see them before and after the project was amazing because we all learned so much. 

The clients were very excited about presenting their inventors to the crowd.  It was a close race between the stop light and the euphonica guitar, but in the end the team who honored Flemming and his euphonica guitar won.

“I helped with the names and helped with the painting, designs and strings on the guitar,” said Sarah Shouse, a client at FPTC.  “I had a lot of fun doing the project and I felt super when I found out we won.”

Christian Evans, another member of the winning team, said, “It was really fun and everyone helped put it together.  It took us like a week or so to finish it and I was surprised when they said we won.”

According to Adams and McDowell, FPTC likes to involve their clients with activities and field trips frequently.  They also teach their clients life skills, allowing them to become more independent.

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Piedmont Arts Museum offers Black History Month Events

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MARTINSVILLE, VA – Piedmont Arts will celebrate Black History Month throughout February with free family-friendly events honoring the contributions of African American artists, authors and storytellers to American culture. 

“We are honored to celebrate Black History Month at the museum,” said Interim Executive Director Heidi Pinkston. “We have a full slate of events planned that highlight African-American artists and authors of the past and today, as well as events designed to encourage families to come together and explore their creativity through hands-on activities.”

Board President Joyce Staples says it is important to celebrate Black History Month for several reasons. “Black History Month celebrates the cultural achievements and legacy of a group of people who have played a profound role in American history,” said Staples. “Not only that, but Black History Month honors the strength of people who overcame hardship and oppression to leave a positive footprint on American society. It helps all of us to appreciate diversity and the accomplishments of every individual.” 

Black History Month events at Piedmont Arts include:

African American Read-In + Art of the Story Family Day

Saturday, Feb. 10, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Piedmont Arts, Admission Free

Join Piedmont Arts, Carter Bank & Trust and FAHI for a celebration of African-American authors as the museum participates in the National African American Read-In. Community members will read excerpts from books, stories and poems by their favorite African American authors and storyteller Fred Motley will perform stories from around the world at 10:30 am. Enjoy a free “Make Your Own Story” craft and refreshments. All ages welcome.

Civil War to Civil Rights: How African-American Artists Engage the Past

Thursday, Feb. 15, 7 p.m., Piedmont Arts, Admission Free 

Through the critical lens of the political, legal, and cultural changes that marked the transition from slavery to the Civil War to the Civil Rights period in the 1960s and 1970s, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Speaker on the Arts Evie Terrono, professor of art history at Randolph-Macon College, will examine depictions of the multifaceted and highly politicized dimensions of “race” and American identity in the artistic production of African-American artists. Artists such as Elizabeth Catlett, Faith Ringgold, Kara Walker, Fred Wilson, Kehinde Wiley, and Hank Willis, among many others, will be discussed.

Preschool in the Galleries with ZipZapZop Theatre Co.

Wednesday, Feb. 21, (Snow date is Feb. 28), Performances at 9:30 am + 10:30 am • Piedmont Arts, Admission Free

Piedmont Arts’ Preschool in the Galleries welcomes Carlisle School’s ZipZapZop Theatre Co. Preschool in the Galleries is a series of programs for pre-K students designed to foster a love of the performing and visual arts at a young age. Performances are free of charge to students and schools. To attend a performance, call (276) 632-3221 to reserve your spot.

Piedmont Arts is a nonprofit art museum in Martinsville, Virginia that inspires and engages the diverse Martinsville-Henry County community and surrounding areas through visual arts, performing arts and arts education. Piedmont Arts is a statewide partner of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. Piedmont Arts programming is partially supported by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. Learn more at www.PiedmontArts.org.

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Celebrating Black History through gospel songs

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Last weekend the city’s Human Relations Commission kicked off Black History Month by showcasing the talents of local gospel choirs, soloist, and other performers during their annual Showcase of Songs. 

For the past six years, the event which is free of charge, has brought people together from all parts of the city to celebrate black culture and the gospel music that has been passed down for generations. This year’s celebration was no different as more than 50 people gathered inside the Old Salem Visitor’s Center last Saturday afternoon, Feb. 3.

When Africans traveled through the Middle Passage during the first half of the 20th century, many brought with them their culture of using songs and dances to worship. 

While a lot has changed since that time, dozens of songs are still a part of African- American culture and are sung regularly at church and other gatherings.

Wanda Allen-Abraha, Human Relations director and coordinator for the showcase, said it is important that we remember the sacrifices our ancestors made and the role gospel music played in their lives during slavery and beyond. 

“Gospel is the soul of African-Americans; there’s nothing like it,” Allen-Abraha said. “We took gospel music and made it our own thing.”

Performers during the Showcase of Song included soloist Abigail Dowd, Carmen Redmond and Tamara Bradshaw. The Extraordinary Worshippers, F.O.C.U.S Professional Gospel Group, mime Evelyn Dixon and the Kidane Mehret Ethiopian Orthodox Church Children’s Choir performed as well. 

The post Celebrating Black History through gospel songs appeared first on WS Chronicle.

Off The Beaten Path looks to inspire community

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In honor of Black History Month, Off The Beaten Path Coffee and Beverage Cafe, downtown’s newest minority-owned business, will be hosting several events throughout the month designed to empower and inspire the African-American community.

Owner Jemi Moore kicked off the monthlong celebration last weekend when she invited author Joyful Soul for a book signing event for her latest novel “Giving Birth to HIV.”  The bestseller, which is available on Amazon and Goodreads, tells the story of an African-American couple and their struggle with HIV.

During an interview with The Chronicle, Moore said she decided to host events throughout the month to show people of color they can achieve anything they put their minds to. The events Moore has planned will address a number of issues that plague communities across the country.

Moore said, “This is not just about a business. Doing things that connect us to the community is what we’re really about. I’m a God-fearing woman, so everything I do I do it with passion and with my love for Christ.”

This Saturday, Feb. 10, financial guru Cordi Powell will host a free workshop to help attendees manage their finances. Powell, who is the founder of Favored Financial Planning, works to help individuals understand how to integrate the pieces that comprise their financial life and know they can achieve their goals and ultimately fulfill their purpose in life.

The workshop is scheduled to begin at noon. Off The Beaten Path Coffee and Beverage Café is located at 102 West 3rd St. For more information or to register for the workshop, call (336) 869-3481.

The post Off The Beaten Path looks to inspire community appeared first on WS Chronicle.


Black History Month: Family discusses the late Larry Leon Hamlin and the NCBRC

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The name Larry Leon Hamlin is synonymous with the city of Winston-Salem and performing arts across the country but as the saying goes, behind every good man is a strong woman, and in Larry’s case, there were two: his mother Annie Hamlin-Johnson, and his wife, Sylvia Sprinkle-Hamlin.

Larry, a native of Reidsville, is best known as founder of the North Carolina Black Repertory Company (NCBRC), the first professional black theatre company in the state and host of the bi-annual National Black Theatre Festival (NBTF). Long before the NBTF became one of the city’s biggest events, it was Larry’s mother who introduced him to the stage.

Hamlin-Johnson, who starred in several on-stage productions herself, said she first introduced Larry to theatre through productions at church. From there, Larry showed so much interest that she had a stage built at home so Larry and his friends could work on their acting skills.

“We began in the church and Larry’s interest just grew from there. He would pretend he was one of the big name actors on TV,” she laughed. “But that’s how he got started. When I saw how interested he was, we got children from the neighborhood and started putting on productions at home.”

Larry’s love for the arts stuck with him through grade school and high school, where he sung on the choir, and led the drama club. After graduating from high school, Larry went off to attend Brown University, where he studied theatre.

In 1979, following the death of his older brother, Larry returned to North Carolina with a vision to create a one-of-a-kind theatre company committed to exposing the local community to African-American classics, the development and production of new works, and sustaining black theatre. While selling tickets for his first show at a social event, Larry met Sylvia and told her what he was trying to do, and the rest is history. Although she had seen several on-stage productions in Philadelphia, where she lived for 10 years, Sylvia said it was Larry who introduced her to the theatre world.

“Larry came back to Winston-Salem in May of 1979 and we met in June that same year.” Sprinkle-Hamlin said. “He said he wanted to start a professional company because he felt that actors and actresses, writers, and directors didn’t get the recognition they deserved.

“He was always in to exposing people to black history, and I was, too, so it really worked out.”

A few months later Sylvia, Annie, and Larry signed the charter for the company and the trio got to work spreading the word.

In the early days, Sylvia and Annie were responsible for managing the box office, amongst several other responsibilities.

Sylvia laughed, “We would be sitting in the theatre hoping someone would come. We had no idea that it would grow to what it is today. We were just supporting Larry. From having hardly anyone in the audience to the big audiences like the Black Theatre Festival, we’ve seen it all, but we were determined.”

In 2007 following a long illness, Larry passed away at his home in Pfafftown, but the NCBRC is still going strong. The company is universally recognized for its artistic and administrative achievements and its international outreach. During an interview with The Chronicle earlier this week, Hamlin-Johnson, who was always there to support her son emotionally and financially to reach his goal, said it makes her feel good to know Larry’s legacy will live on.

   

“I think about him a lot and things he used to do as a child,” Hamlin-Johnson said. “Sometimes I go way back and talk with my daughter about things we use to do. I must say I am proud of what Larry accomplished.”

When discussing the future of the NCBRC, Sprinkle-Hamlin, who serves as president of the board of directors, said with new programs like the Teen Theatre, the future is bright. She also mentioned that Larry’s son and grandson are now working in theatre and hopes they will follow in Larry’s footsteps here in Winston-Salem

“I think we have enough support that it will continue to grow and Larry’s legacy will continued to live on,” she said. “We have a really good team and hopefully that team can lead the company into the future.”

The post Black History Month: Family discusses the late Larry Leon Hamlin and the NCBRC appeared first on WS Chronicle.

Diggs-Latham wraps up Black History Month

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After celebrating and learning about African-American culture throughout the month, students at Diggs-Latham Elementary School wrapped up Black History Month earlier this week with their annual celebration.

During the event held on Tuesday, Feb. 27, students took to the stage to show their talents. Performers included members of honors band & orchestra, honors dance and the art club. The keynote address was delivered by Aliza Diggs-Bailey, executive director of the Delta Fine Arts Center.

As she stood before the hundreds of students in the crowd, Diggs-Bailey encouraged students to “dream big and paint their own future.” After giving a brief history of John T. Biggers, an artist in who came to prominence after the Harlem Renaissance after overcoming several obstacles in life, Diggs-Bailey said, “Never let anything get in the way of your dreams. Dream big, paint your own picture, all your dreams will be fulfilled.”

The post Diggs-Latham wraps up Black History Month appeared first on WS Chronicle.

Celebration honors legends

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In celebration of Black History Month, more than 100 residents came together last week to honor the life and legacy of two of Forsyth County’s finest, the late Maize S. Woodruff and late Walter Marshall.

During the celebration, held at Forsyth Technical Community College’s (FTCC) Maize S. Woodruff Center on Thursday, Feb. 22, relatives of Woodruff were on hand to witness dozens give thanks and show their appreciation.

After the keynote address and catered lunch, donations were collected for the Maize S. Woodruff Scholarship Fund. The scholarship is designed to give one FTCC student a $250 scholarship each semester. One requirement for the scholarship is to be active in the community. The fund was formed last year.

Last year’s recipient of the scholarship, Vernell Springs, who will graduate from FTCC in May, said Maize S. Woodruff Scholarship helped her purchase books, and helped her stay in school. She said, “This scholarship has tremendously helped me.”

In 1926 Woodruff became the first African-American to be elected to the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners, on which she served for 14 years. In 1997, when Woodruff died, she was known for standing up for those in need throughout the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County community.

Marhsall, a native of Wadesboro, moved to Winston-Salem after finishing his education at Winston-Salem State University. Soon thereafter, he became a member and advocate for the local NAACP Chapter. After becoming chapter president in the 1980s, Marshall would go on to serve on both the county commissioners and school board.

While delivering the keynote address, the honorable Judge Denise Hartfield said Woodruff and Marshall left legacies that will live on forever. She said the first thing we learned from Woodruff and Marshall is that you don’t have to leave your home to make a difference.

Hartfield said, “It’s not about your ZIP code; it’s about what you’re getting in the framework of where you live, and we have to build up this community where Walter Marshall worked every day, where Maize Woodruff worked every day. We have to work in that same vineyard to make sure East Winston remains a beacon not just for North Carolina but for the United States of America.

“The legacy is not always about land, the legacy is not always about money. The legacy is about what you have given to somebody and how you have empowered somebody,” Hartfield said.

For more information on the scholarship fund visit www.foundation.forsyth.edu.

The post Celebration honors legends appeared first on WS Chronicle.

Salem College group hosts Black History Month Finale Show

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On Friday, March 2 students, faculty and staff at Salem College invited the community to witness their annual Black History Month Finale Show.

A culmination of several programs held through the year, the finale show is annually sponsored by Salem’s BADU (Black Americans Demonstrating Unity) organization. This year’s event, held inside the Hanes Auditorium, had enough entertainment to keep the entire family engaged.

The show featured singing, dancing, spoken word and a show-stopping performance from the Carver High School Marching Band.

The highlight of the evening was the awards ceremony. Throughout the event, which was staged like a star-studded award show, students were honored with awards that were named after song titles. For example; the “Cool Like That” Award, the “I Will Survive” Award, the “Get Like Me” Award and countless others were presented to students who stand out on campus.

Since 2015, BADU has hosted the Black History Month Finale Show as a fundraiser and a way to honor students for their achievements and contributions to the Salem Community. This year more than a dozen students were honored during the event.

The post Salem College group hosts Black History Month Finale Show appeared first on WS Chronicle.

Judge Camille Banks-Prince visits students at Ashley Elementary

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Last week Ashley Elementary School kicked off their month-long celebration of African-American heritage with a visit from Judge Camille Banks-Prince.

During her visit with the fourth and fifth graders, Banks-Prince talked about her journey to becoming a Tenth District Court Judge in Forsyth County, the importance of education, and several other topics, including the different branches of government and how they work.

The visit was part of Ashley’s annual African-American Heritage Month Celebration. Throughout the month students will learn about African-Americans who have made major contributions to society. Students will also have the opportunity to hear from various individuals right here in Winston-Salem who are making a difference in our community, like Judge Banks-Prince.

A native of Winston-Salem, Judge Banks-Prince was appointed as a Tenth District Court judge in Forsyth County in 2008 by former Governor Michael Easley. A graduate of NC A&T State University and NC Central University School of Law, Banks-Prince worked as an associate attorney in a local law firm for a year before taking a position in the Forsyth County Public Defender’s office. Since her appointment in 2008, Banks-Prince has been re-elected three times.

As a city native, Banks-Prince said she felt it was her duty to come and talk to the students at Ashley. Banks-Prince said she wanted the students to know that they can become a lawyer, judge, or anything else they want to be if they just put in the work.

“For me I never really saw a judge until I was in college and it’s a career opportunity that a lot of children may not even know is available to them.

“I’m a firm believer in giving back to a community where I got the tools necessary to become a successful and productive member of society. I want all these students to know they have the potential to do anything,” said Banks-Prince. “I would not have made it if people would not have shared their experiences or opened their arms to me. So this is my way of giving back to my community.”

African-American Heritage Month at Ashley will continue throughout the month with special guests visiting students on Feb. 21 and Feb. 28. There are also events scheduled throughout the month to engage parents as well.

The post Judge Camille Banks-Prince visits students at Ashley Elementary appeared first on WS Chronicle.

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