Henry Louis Gates Jr. (born September 16, 1950), popularly known by his childhood nickname “Skip”, is an American literary critic, professor, historian, and filmmaker who serves as the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and the director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University.
He is a trustee of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. He rediscovered the earliest known African-American novels and has published extensively on the recognition of African-American literature as part of the Western canon.
In addition to producing and hosting previous series on the history and genealogy of prominent American figures, since 2012, Gates has been host of the television series Finding Your Roots on PBS. The series combines the work of expert researchers in genealogy, history, and historical research in genetics to tell guests about the lives and histories of their ancestors.
Later in life, Gates learned through DNA analysis that his family is descended in part from the Yoruba people of West Africa. He also learned that he has 50% European ancestry, including Irish forebears; he was surprised his European ancestry turned out to be so substantial. Having grown up in an African American community, however, he identifies as Black. He has learned that he is also connected to the multiracial West Virginia community of Chestnut Ridge people.
At the age of 14, Gates was injured playing touch football, fracturing the ball and socket joint of his right hip, resulting in a slipped capital femoral epiphysis. The injury was misdiagnosed by a physician, who told Gates’ mother that his problem was “psychosomatic”. When the physical damage finally healed, his right leg was two inches shorter than his left. Because of the injury, Gates now uses a cane when he walks. After graduating from Piedmont High School in 1968, Gates attended Potomac State College of West Virginia University for one year before transferring to Yale University, from which he graduated in 1973 with a B.A., summa cum laude, in history with membership in Phi Beta Kappa. Gates then became the first African American to be awarded a Mellon Foundation Fellowship. He sailed to England on the Queen Elizabeth 2 and used the fellowship to pursue graduate study in English literature at Clare College, Cambridge, receiving an M.A. in 1974 and a Ph.D. in 1979.
Have you ever heard anyone speak of “free trade?” The premise and practice is very important to Americans.
How? Our jobs, wages, and economy all depend upon the purchase of the goods and services produced and delivered by hard-working Americans. Likewise, the economies of even the most tyrannical and dictatorial countries are dependent upon the purchases made by US citizens who serve as the largest buying and purchasing powerhouse in the world.
Free trade, in policy and premise, is unrestricted trade, sale, and exchange of goods, services, and ideas.
But friends, there has not been free trade for decades. There has not been fair trade for decades. How’s that, you ask?
These same trading partners who are reliant upon American purchases of retail goods, groceries, autos, medicines, and literally everything, have been adding duties, tariffs, and fees. These add-ons increase the price of American goods sold in Europe, China, Russia, and globally. Even Americans traveling abroad pay a VAT, or a transaction tax at every stage of the supply chain of getting a good from raw materials to manufacturing to purchase.
The United States does not employ a VAT. The European Union (EU) uses this comprehensive tax predominantly. However, according to the International Trade Administration, China, India, Russia, the EU, Canada, Australia, and Mexico all impose tariffs, or government sanctioned fees, on all US goods.
So, when US steel, agricultural products, healthcare and medical devices, entertainment, books, anything is imported from our nation into these nations for sale, there are unilateral tariffs applied. This adds costs and places the American products at a disadvantage in the markets.
Consumers seek value. Price is part of that decision. If the price difference between two similar products reaches a certain range, consumers choose the least costly items.
America, until President Donald Trump’s second term, has kept most tariffs off imported goods from these countries. While that assists the purchase price for consumers, it also frequently removes the incentive for US shoppers to buy homegrown, American products.
In short, there is no fair trade regarding the manufacture and sale of American goods, because the free and fair trade is not reciprocal. Other nations do not practice the same policies as those observed in the US.
In mid-February, President Donald Trump not only threatened, but levied “reciprocal tariffs” on incoming products and goods from trade partners in other nations. Just understanding the term, reciprocal tariffs, should bring to the public awareness a change of US policy based on an unfair arrangement.
Using auto industry as an example, American-made cars delivered to China are excessively priced. In 2024, the monetary impact to cars exported from US automakers into China was $14 billion. That simply means that upon entry to Chinese ports, American-made autos were penalized heavily creating prices citizens cannot pay. The controversy of reciprocal policy is only in the minds of financiers who are heavily invested in foreign companies. American workers’ jobs are in jeopardy when products are not purchased globally–fairly and freely.
Heads up readers! This column was hastily written to meet my self-imposed deadline. In desperation, I made several dashes to my mailbox hoping that Melvin Ely’s book “Isreal on the Appomattox” had finally arrived. My plan was to speed read what I figured was a short book – 100 pages max maybe – and extract nuggets from it to flesh out the piece you’re now reading. Well, as poet Robert Burns once wrote, “The best laid plans of mouse and men” often go awry. So here I am, self-imposed deadline met, sans my hoped for nuggets. Stuff happens, huh?
Okay to Isreal Hill.
I came across the Israel Hill bit of African American history on February 5th during a visit with 15 others to the Moton Museum in Farmville, Virginia. This new knowledge confirmed to me – and others on the trip – how little we knew about Black history in the state of Virginia and, disturbingly, something that took place less than a two-hour drive from where we were all born.
Huh? Upset! Embarrassed! Chagrined! – who on Earth do I blame for this gap in my knowledge of my own history? Incompetent former teachers? Racially biased history books? The forlorned man in the mirror? Or maybe all three.
Anyway, there’re two things I want to say here. First, given that we are well into African American History Month 2025 and – if the current administration has its way – this heritage month may no longer be celebrated on the national level in the future.
Second, given the uncertainties of our histories during the turbulent road ahead, yours truly and many others intend to double down and continue digging up and publishing our histories no matter how uncomfortable. If we don’t, who will?
So, how did we get to this conversation?
“Israel Hill? Say more please.
That was the question and request posed that lined up on the faces of many of us as we listened virtually mesmerized by the Moton Museum executive director who gave us a splendid history of the museum and the events that led to its founding. Clear evidence from his experience in answering this question many times before, his answer was unrehearsed, succinct and authoritative. Thus, his overview of the history of Israel Hill got us thirsting for more as we jotted down notes for later follow up.
But first to put this into historical perspective, President Thomas Jefferson, who owned over 600 slaves during his life, denied that whites and freed Blacks could live together in harmony. After all Jefferson was a strong believer in the inherent inferiority of Black people as well as an ardent foe of miscegenation – sexual contact between Blacks and whites; that despite the fact that he fathered children by Sally Hemmings, one his slaves, a reality that maybe in his mind exempted him from his own beliefs.
As an interesting aside, like Thomas Jefferson, the late South Carolina senator Strom Thurmond, who made opposition to racial integration the centerpiece of his career had no qualms about “integrating” his family with a 16-year-old Black girl he impregnated, something that happened more than we dare to realize back then. Thus, it seems that Messrs. Jefferson and Thurmond, the foes of integration did a fair amount of, shall we say, racial “integrating” on their own, huh!
I’ll leave it right there.
Now here’s where it gets interesting. Thomas Jefferson’s nephew Richard Randolph not only disagreed with Uncle Thomas on Black and white relationships but made it possible by freeing ninety African American slaves to prove him wrong. Yummy, yummy, yummy, yours truly would love to have been a proverbial fly on the wall at Jefferson’s Monticello when that news broke.
Back to Israel Hill, an unincorporated community in Prince Edward County, Virginia along the Appomattox River. Founded in 1810 as a community for free Black people in the area, Israel Hill has since become part of Farmville, Virginia. The will of Richard Randolph emancipated all the slaves at his death in 1796. The will was executed by Judith Randolph after the death of her husband Richard who inherited land and slaves from his father. In the aftermath, newly freed Blacks and whites In Isreal Hill did business with one another and worked side by side.
Now the interesting thing is that while rigid segregation rules existed in nearby Farmville, no such restrictions existed in Israel Hill, a similar observation shared with me by “Mrs. Clara,” an 86-year-old woman who travelled with us to Farmville and who grew up in a rural Augusta County 125 miles north of Farmville.
Said she, “What I learned about Israel Hill reminded me about my upbringing, Whites and Blacks I grew up with took care of each other. We shared vegetables from each other’s gardens and the kids in the neighborhood played together without any problems.”
I’ll end with a historical connection between Israel Hill and, a two-hour drive away, Southampton County, Virginia, the latter the site of an armed slave rebellion led by Nat Turner. Like many Southerners during that time, afraid that Black people in Israel Hill would be motivated by the rebellion led by Nat Turner in nearby Southampton County in 1861, authorities in Farmville unarmed the Black folks in Israel Hill, sold them to people in Farmville, then returned proceeds from the sales to the Black people in Israel Hill.
Oh my, a closing heads up readers. The “Israel on the Appomattox” book finally arrived as I was writing this – in all of some 640 pages with 40 pages of footnotes. Well, so much for my ambitious plan to speed read the book to meet my self-imposed deadline.
So yes, you are spot on poet Burns, “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” Count yours truly as a case study. Terry Howard is an award-winning writer, a contributing writer with the Chattanooga News Chronicle, The American Diversity Report, The Douglas County Sentinel, Blackmarket.com, the Augusta County Historical Society Bulletin and recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Award, and third place winner of the Georgia Press Award.
“Gateway to Freedom,” an exhibition at the Chattanooga Civic Center Mountainside commemorating Black History Month, explores Black Americans’ contributions to the Civil War through period uniforms, photographs and artifacts.
“Gateway to Freedom,” a powerful new exhibit honoring the vital yet historically overlooked contributions of Black soldiers and civilians during the Civil War is on display at the Chattanooga Civic Center Mountainside. The exhibit’s location adds another layer of significance–housed at 701 Hooker Road in what was once Piney Woods Elementary School, a segregated institution for Black children.
This dual purpose as both educational resource and memorial seems particularly fitting as the nation observes Black History Month, inviting visitors to explore and reflect on the enduring struggle for freedom and equality.
Two life-sized, unarmed soldier mannequins flank the entrance to the exhibit, representing the thousands of Black men and women, both enslaved and free, who played crucial roles in the Union’s victory over the Confederacy. Their simple clothing, including a burlap shirt and denim slacks, reflects the attire of the time, while black fabric stretched over their faces ensures they stand as symbols for all who fought, rather than specific individuals.
“Gateway to Freedom” is the brainchild of John Edwards, publisher and CEO of the Chattanooga News Chronicle and former president of the Mary Walker Historical and Educational Foundation. Edwards created the exhibit to bring long-overdue recognition to Black contributions during the Civil War.
“The role of Black soldiers and civilians is often overshadowed in mainstream narratives,” Edwards said. “This exhibit ensures their sacrifices and triumphs are remembered.”
The exhibit is arranged with a series of placards detailing various aspects of Black participation in the Civil War. One of the most striking displays features a Civil War-era recruitment poster urging, “MEN OF COLOR! To arms! To arms! NOW OR NEVER!” Beneath the bold proclamation, images of Black Union soldiers and a wooden fence with burned-in inscriptions narrate their story.
The exhibit also honors the 16 Black Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War. A separate panel highlights the contributions of Black women, including Susie King Taylor, who served as a nurse alongside Clara Barton, and Elizabeth Keckley, dressmaker and confidante to Mary Todd Lincoln. Political cartoons from the era reveal the prejudices Black soldiers faced, even from their supposed allies in the North.
One particularly inspiring local story is that of Hubbard Pryor, an enslaved man who escaped from Georgia, made his way to Chattanooga, and became one of the first African Americans to enlist in the 44th U.S. Colored Infantry. Visitors can also view photographs of Black soldiers’ graves at the Chattanooga National Cemetery, reinforcing the lasting legacy of their service.
To enhance the immersive experience, Edwards has incorporated period-appropriate props, including a bale of cotton symbolizing the labor of enslaved people and vintage muskets encased in glass. These elements, combined with rare photographs and detailed interpretive text, create a vivid and unflinching portrayal of the Civil War era.
“Gateway to Freedom” will be on display through the end of February 2025. The Chattanooga Civic Center Mountainside, located at 701 Hooker Rd., invites individuals and groups to schedule visits by calling (423) 267-2313, (423) 331-8878, or (423) 308-9969.
The free exhibit is sponsored by the Chattanooga News Chronicle, the Mary Walker Historical and Educational Foundation, and the Alton Park Development Corporation. Tax-deductible donations can be made to the Mary Walker Foundation at marywalkerfoundation.org.
The avian flu outbreak is driving a dual crisis: soaring egg prices and an escalating threat to human health. The ongoing spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has devastated poultry flocks across the country, pushing egg prices to record highs–an issue further exacerbated by inflation and persistent supply chain disruptions.
With Easter approaching, the timing of this dual crisis couldn’t be worse.
According to a recent analysis by poultry specialists from the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Mississippi State University, and Tennessee State University, the average price of a dozen Grade A large eggs increased by 37% in 2024, significantly outpacing overall food price inflation.
In January 2025, prices continued to climb, increasing by over 22%. The USDA predicts an additional 20.3% increase in egg prices in 2025. Some analysts forecast prices could reach nearly $10 a dozen within the next year.
The HPAI outbreak, which began in February 2022, has affected over 156 million birds nationwide. The virus has been detected in all 50 states, impacting both commercial and backyard flocks. The massive losses of egg-laying hens, particularly in large commercial operations, have created a significant egg shortage, driving prices upward.
“Lost hens can be replaced,” the report states, “but it can’t be done overnight.” The process of hatching chicks and raising them to egg-laying maturity takes approximately six months. Therefore, hens lost in January 2025 won’t be replaced until July or August at the earliest, suggesting high prices throughout the remainder of the year. The report also warns that the HPAI outbreak continues, and further losses are expected, potentially prolonging the price surge.
The steep climb in egg prices have led some grocery stores to implement purchase limits and promotional changes. Even restaurants are feeling the pinch. Waffle House, known for its egg-heavy menu, recently added a 50-cent surcharge per egg to customer orders. The report concludes with a stark warning: consumers should expect elevated egg prices to persist throughout 2025 and potentially beyond. The ongoing HPAI outbreak remains the dominant factor, and until the virus is contained and lost flocks are replaced, the egg market will likely remain volatile.
Early voting in the Chattanooga City elections has commenced. After the wall-to-wall coverage of national elections back in November, there’s a fatigue of sorts among voters. Yet the local elections are so very critical!
The upcoming Chattanooga City election on March 4 is rapidly approaching with ballots already being cast. Decisions on policies that impact our local economy, growth and stability of our community’s neighborhoods and businesses, as well as public safety, are just a few vital policy areas that are impacted by the election of the Chattanooga City Mayor and the City Council.
Early voting is available at the Hamilton County Election Commission off Amnicola Highway from 8 a.m. to 7 pm, Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Two other sites include the Chris L. Ramsey, Sr. Community Center at 1001 S. Moore Road and the Hixson Community Center at 5401 School Drive from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday at both locations.
Absentee ballot applications are available for voters until Saturday, February 22.
Residents registered to vote in the Chattanooga City elections are required to reside within the city limits and be prepared to present some sort of identification to receive ballots. Sample ballots are available at the Hamilton County Elections Commission to assist you to research and recognize the names you’ll be able to support.
The offices with candidates who need your votes include the Chattanooga City Mayor, your respective member of the City Council as determined by your address, along with an ordinance that will significantly change the hiring practices of Chattanooga City Government.
The summary of “Ordinance No. 14168” for consideration by voters reads as follows: Shall Ordinance No. 14168 to amend the Charter of the City of Chattanooga be approved so that city employees are no longer required to be residents of the State of Tennessee, and by deleting Section 3.1.1 in its entirety which section now states: “All employees of the city shall be residents of the State of Tennessee. This section 3.1.1 shall only apply to those employees working in general government of the city. Those employees who were hired on or before January 18, 1990, and who have lived outside the State of Tennessee continuously since said date, shall be exempted from this section 3.1.1.”
Voters will be asked to darken the oval that corresponds to either their support, “For the Amendment,” or in opposition to its passage by marking, “Against the Amendment.”
The current policy and practice of Chattanooga City Government is to employ workers who reside within the city limits of the Scenic City. Several factors are impacting this decision to alter that statute within Chattanooga’s City Charter, such as the increasing cost of housing within the city limits, as well as the desire for parents to access various schools throughout Hamilton County.
Be informed. Be active in your local elections. The strength of our community depends upon it!
Founded in November 2022, Sharing God’s Goodness is a local giving circle benefitting the African American community. The giving circle supports the “small gems” of our community – ministries who are transforming lives on a shoestring budget, often operating with a team of volunteers and partial staff. The members of the Sharing God’s Goodness granted a total of $70,000 to eight local ministries in the 2024 Grant Cycle.
The leaders of the ministries receiving support this year either made their dreams happen on their own, sought the help of their pastor and church members, or are pastors themselves. They are well equipped with the skills to enter a variety of careers but instead have chosen to follow their passion to minister, serve, and support their community. All have encouraged others to join them to make their dreams reality. Common characteristics: determination, tenacity, and dependance on God the Father for the strength to get them through the challenges of starting and sustaining a ministry.
The eight 2024 recipient ministries were nominated by a member of the Sharing God’s Goodness Giving Circle, someone personally connected to them who knows their heart for and commitment to their work. Each of these ministries is African American led. The 2024 recipients are:
Alpha and Omega Outreach, Inc., Founder/Director: Wanda Officer
Established in 2000, Alpha and Omega is a dynamic ministry for kids and teens throughout the Chattanooga area that provides biblically-based mentorship and training.
Changing Direction for Success, Director: Gerry Davis
A faith-based ministry designed to be the hands and feet of Jesus in real life, Changing Direction for Success offers practical ways that deter area youth from taking a destructive life path.
Chattanooga Purpose Center of Orchard Park Seventh-day Adventist Church,
Director: Charlotte Brand; Pastor: Troy Brand
The mission of the Chattanooga Purpose Center is to empower the local community by demonstrating God’s Love and sharing the gospel through a variety of services and programs.
Got Her Covered, Founder: Jenny Vassell
Got Her Covered ministry is committed to increasing access to feminine hygiene care, through providing care packages, cultivating social initiatives, mobilizing helpers, and innovating sustainable resolutions that will shatter stigmas and limitations that are caused by period poverty among women and girls in need.
Hamilton County Marriage Initiative (HCMI), Leader: Pastor James E. Jones, Stoney Point Baptist Church
Organized in late 2022, Hamilton County Marriage Initiative (HCMI) is led by local ministryleaders, missionaries, pastors, community leaders, and media personalities to significantly reduce the divorce rate in churches in North Hamilton County by 2026.
Messiah’s Table at Washington Hills United Methodist Church: Pastor Terryl James
Messiah’s Table is an impactful outreach program offering training in the culinary arts to children who attend Washington Hills Methodist Church and the nearby Washington Hills Community Center.
R.E.S.T. of Chattanooga: Relief, Empower, Strength to Triumph, Founder: Wendy Sheppard
Established as a non-profit in 2023, R.E.S.T. was born out of a profound recognition of the need for sustainable resources to address the complex challenges faced by individuals experiencing homelessness.
The Purpose Outreach Center – “UnPlug”, Executive Director: Mark Butler
The Purpose Outreach Center sponsors “UnPlug”, a program and curriculum developed by the center, that focuses on the critical need for social media “first aid” and harm reduction. The Sharing God’s Goodness Giving Circle is hosted by The Generosity Trust, a local donor-directed foundation that empowers Christian generosity. For information on joining this local collaborative giving effort, Sharing God’s Goodness, contact The Generosity Trust at 423-266-5257 or email maria@thegenerositytrust.org. Together, we can make an impact throughout our community.
As we seated ourselves, he asked, “Terry, do you realize that next year will mark the 40th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger tragedy?”
That question was posed to me in a local coffee shop by Carl McNair, the brother of one of the seven astronauts who perished on January 28,1986, Dr. Ronald E. McNair. His question centered up the context for why we decided to meet that day; to talk about next month’s African American History Month and, with it, the implications and uncertainties of a new political environment on that and other events. Yes, we’d been reading the tea leaves, i.e., book banning, Project 2025, dismantling DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) programs and what all that portends for matters of importance to our community.
Now top of mind for us, and the reason for our meeting, was what it all portends for the future of HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) institutions from which we both graduated — he and Ronald from North Carolina A&T State University.
Over the next hour, I posed Carl with questions pertaining to the future of the 100+ HBCU institutions today. We began with the circumstances that led to his choice to attend North Carolina A&T.
Who had the biggest impact on your decision to attend a HBCU school?
Without doubt, it was my mother Pearl McNair who graduated as valedictorian of her segregated high school class. Despite unequal facilities, she graduated valedictorian of her class and earned a scholarship to attend Morris College, a HBCU. She majored in Education before returning to our hometown to teach and later earned a master’s degree from South Carolina State University, another HBCU. Her passion for teaching and dedication to her students left an enduring legacy in our community.
Carl and Ronald McNair
Inspired by our mother, Ronald and I graduated from segregated Carver High School, and both pursued higher education at North Carolina A&T, a school that changed the trajectory of our lives. Both my wife and daughter earned ungraduated degrees from A&T before obtaining graduate degrees from predominately white institutions.
What inspired Ronald to pursue a degree in physics?
Ronald faced steep challenges when he decided to major in physics at A&T. Coming from a small, underfunded school in rural South Carolina, he was intimidated by peers from predominantly white schools from New York, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., who were far ahead in math and science. For a moment, he considered abandoning his dream of becoming a physicist to majoring in music. However, an academic advisor at A&T believed in Ronald when he doubted himself and encouraged him to persevere. With her guidance, he earned his degree in physics and graduated magna cum laude. This propelled him to acceptance at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he earned a Ph.D. in laser physics and ultimately to NASA as an astronaut.
Over the years you’ve spoken passionately about the role HBCUs have played in shaping leaders. Say more.
HBCUs have long been a haven for “diamonds in the rough,” polishing their talents and preparing them for stellar professional careers. As you pointed out in your recent article about the pipeline of graduates from Tougaloo College, a HBCU school, to Harvard Medical School, many graduates from HBCUs move on to attend premier graduate schools nationally. The nurturing environment of HBCUs fosters resilience, builds confidence and equips students with the tools they need to excel in a society that often underestimates them.
Of course, the fact is that our nation’s history is replete with examples of HBCU graduates who have made significant contributions. Former Vice President Kamala Harris, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Congressman John Lewis, Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, NASA Mathematician Kathrine Johnson — these are just a few of the countless leaders whose achievements have shaped our country. Those stories of everyday heroes remind us that HBCUs do more than produce leaders; they uplift the entire nation.
This brings us to today and what could lie ahead for HBCUs. So, what keeps you awake at night if we lose sight of the value of our schools?
In a time when America faces mounting challenges, we cannot afford to neglect the intellectual capital nurtured at HBCUs. These institutions have not only provided education to millions of underserved students but have also played a critical role in sharpening the global competitiveness of our nation. Their continued success is vital, not just for Black students, but for America as a whole.
If provided with opportunities to have private conversations with HBCU presidents, what would suggest they do more of, less of, stop doing altogether or start anew given the uncertainties of today’s environment?
Good question. Honestly, the first thing I’d acknowledge to them is how valuable of a role they play in the future and vitality of the universities they lead. That said, I’d suggest more collaboration with other universities and with public and private organizations and corporations should be a top priority since HBCUs can’t go it alone given the uncertainties of today. I’d further recommend that they perform a critical self-analysis if they haven’t done so which may lead to reinventing themselves and the institutions they lead given today’s realities.
Finally, as the old saying goes, “You don’t want to bite the hand that feeds you,” but balancing the scale between revenue sources and financial solvency on one side and college affordability for largely underserved students on the other should remain a top priority. I know that this is top of mind for them since they just don’t have the luxury of multimillion-dollar budgets, wealthy donors and endowments to fall back on.
Anything else?
Oh yeah! I’d tell them to leverage the heighten interest in HBCU schools nowadays due in no small part to Vice President Kamala Harris’ and others I mentioned who graduated from HBCUs. Truth is that applications at those schools have soared given their uniquely caring, supportive environments and relative affordability.
Speaking of presidents, imagine for a moment that you received an invitation to meet privately with President Trump. What would you say to him about the need for HBCUs?
(Laugh) Remember the MC Hammer’s song from years ago, “Can’t Touch This”? Well, that’s my answer for now. But I will say that chances are slim that that will happen anytime soon since his administration just issued an executive order to eliminate all federal diversity, equity and inclusion programs. So I won’t hold my breath waiting for the invitation. Now ask me this question a year from now and I’m sure I’ll have an answer based on what he’s done or not done.
You get the last word here Carl.
Okay, let me flip this interview back to you with a question. You knew my brother Ronald when we all lived in Boston. What do you remember most about him?
Ah, you caught me off guard with this one. But what immediately comes to mind was that time when Ron and my late brother Michael shared an apartment on 320 Massachusetts Avenue in Boston that caught fire one afternoon. Since I worked nearby, I rushed over to check on things when I encountered Ronald sitting with a baseball bat on the steps leading up to the third floor. He told me that he was there to protect low income building residents’ apartments from being looted.
In the end, are HBCU schools still needed?
Well, after reading this narrative, the question answered itself, didn’t it? Terry Howard is an award-winning writer. He is a contributing writer with the Chattanooga News Chronicle, The American Diversity Report, The Douglas County Sentinel, Blackmarket.com, recipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Award, and third place winner of the Georgia Press Award.
Begin Black History Month, noting a few significant dates throughout the month of February!
Feb. 1 – In 1926, Dr. Carter G. Woodson introduced Negro History and launched Negro History week to bring national attention to contributions of Black people throughout history. This effort became a month-long celebration in 1976 as designated by US President Gerald Ford.
Feb. 2 – Alfred L. Cralle observed the difficulty in serving ice cream while working in Pittsburgh. Cralle invented the device now known as the ice cream scoop and was granted U.S. Patent #576395 on February 2, 1897.
Feb. 4 – Civil Rights icon Rosa Parks was born 2/4/1913, and Tony Dungy became the first African American NFL Coach to win a Super Bowl on 2/4/2007.
Feb. 5 – Baseball Hall of Famer renowned for surpassing the homerun record of Babe Ruth, Henry “Hank” Aaron was born in 1934 in Mobile, Alabama. In 1994, Ku Klux Klan member Byron De La Beckwith was finally convicted of the 1963 murder in Mississippi of Medgar Evers, civil rights leader.
Feb. 6 – Grammy Award Winner Natalie Cole was born to jazz singer and pianist Nat King Cole in 1950.
Feb. 9 – In 1995, Bernard Harris became the first African American to walk in space.
Feb. 11 – After spending 27 years as a political prisoner of the South African government, Nelson Mandela was released in 1990. Four years later, Mandela would become the country’s first black President.
Feb. 12 – Henry Highland Garnet, an orator and abolitionist, became the first Black permitted to speak in the US Capitol as he preached before the US House of Representatives in 1865, on the 56th birthday of US President Abraham Lincoln.
In 1990, the lyrics for “Lift Every Voice and Sing” were written by James Weldon Johnson.
Feb. 14 – Renowned orator, abolitionist, editor, author, and statesman, Frederick Douglass was born in 1818 in Cordova, Maryland. Enslaved until September 3, 1838, Douglass escaped to become a licensed preacher in 1839.
Feb. 17 – One of the NBA’s greatest players, Michael Jordan, was born in 1963 in Brookly, New York.
Feb. 18 – Morehouse College was founded in Augusta, Georgia in 1867 before moving to Atlanta in 1879.
Feb. 20 – In 1927, Sidney Portier was born and later became the first Black actor to win an Academy Award in a leading role. NBA great and sports analyst Charles Barkley was born in 1963.
Feb. 21 – In 1965, El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, or Malcom X, was assassinated in Harlem.
Feb. 24 – In 1864, Rebecca Lee Crumpler was the first Black to earn an M.D. (Doctor of Medicine) by the New England Female Medical College.
Feb. 25 – In 1870, Hiram R. Revels of Mississippi was the first Black sworn in the serve in the US Senate becoming the first Black to serve in the United States Congress.
Feb. 27 – In 1872, Charlotte Ray graduated from Howard Law School and became the first African American female lawyer.
Feb. 28 – Michael Jackson won 8 Grammy Awards for the still record-setting album, Thriller.
A community-organized cleanup at Highland Park Commons on Saturday, Feb. 1, brought together volunteers in neon vests to collect discarded KKK fliers. The event was organized through a Facebook group.
By Camm Ashford
Ku Klux Klan fliers spreading hateful messages targeting immigrants appeared in Highland Park on Monday, Jan. 27, demanding recipients “Leave now” and “Self-deport.”
In response, 30-40 community volunteers organized a cleanup at Highland Park Commons on Saturday, Feb. 1. Wearing neon vests, they collected trash and discarded fliers, demonstrating community solidarity and rejection of hate.
According to Chattanooga Police Department (CPD), officers initially responded to reports from community members at 2000 Duncan Ave. around 9 p.m. on Jan. 27. Upon arrival, they collected the materials and spoke with residents alarmed by the divisive messages distributed in their neighborhood. The fliers were labeled with the name “Trinity White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan.”
Police have identified the fliers as originating from a KKK group based in Kentucky, which has reportedly distributed similar materials in Chattanooga and surrounding cities, including Cleveland, Athens, Sweetwater, Knoxville, and others. Some fliers promoted membership in the group and invited recipients to an event in Kentucky.
City officials and local leaders have denounced the act. Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly released a statement condemning the fliers and the ideology they represent.
In response to the distribution of KKK fliers in Highland Park on Jan. 27, community members are posting signs declaring “Chattanooga Loves Immigrants,” rejecting the hateful message.
“I want to make something absolutely clear–hate has no place in Chattanooga,” the mayor said, emphasizing that the city’s strength lies in its unity and diversity. He encouraged residents to assist in the investigation to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.
City Councilwoman Demetrus Coonrod, whose constituents were directly affected, issued a strongly worded condemnation of the fliers.
“As a representative of Chattanooga District 9 and a steadfast advocate for justice and equality, I am horrified and infuriated by the repugnant fliers recently distributed in Highland Park,” she said. “These documents, steeped in racism and xenophobia, strike at the very heart of what we hold dear in our diverse communities. Please make no mistake, there is utterly no place for such vile hate-filled rhetoric in Chattanooga or anywhere else in our county.”
The Chattanooga News Chronicle tried calling the number on the fliers listed for the KKK “Realm of Kentucky,” (606) 301-8149, but was sent to voicemail and got this message: “You have reached the Realm of Kentucky’s Trinity White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. If you would like more information on becoming a member, send one dollar for postage to Post Office Box 72, Maysville, Kentucky, 41056. Come stand with us and help fight against illegal immigration, homosexuality, and every other form of wickedness and lawlessness. We hope to hear from you soon. You have a great White day,and White power. The mailbox is full and cannot accept any messages at this time. Goodbye.”
CPD is collecting evidence, including potential surveillance footage, to track the individuals responsible for disseminating the KKK fliers. They have encouraged anyone encountering similar propaganda to report it immediately at (423) 698-2525.
