In the midst of the Civil War, a young slave named Dan lives on a Southern plantation and loves to play his drum. When a company of Union soldiers announce that the slaves have been set free, Dan has no family, no home and no place to go. He follows the soldiers, who befriend him. When Confederate soldiers attack, Dan discovers that he may be able to save his friends using his drum.

This is the tale told in Li’l Dan, the Drummer Boy: A Civil War Storyby renowned artist Romare Bearden. The book, the only one written and illustrated by Bearden, is part of the Romare Bearden: Beat of a Different Drum exhibit presented by the Arts Council and opening Jan. 22 during 4th Friday from 7 – 9 p.m.

“The book is a work of fiction,” said Mary Kinney, marketing director of the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County. “It’s a wonderful story of heroism and bravery of this little boy … finding friendship in unexpected places.”

The free Black History Month exhibition of artwork and artifacts will run until March 5 and includes lectures, performances and workshops. The Arts Council worked with Charlotte’s Jerald Melberg Gallery, the Romare Bearden Foundation in New York City and the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex to arrange the exhibit.

It incorporates historical pieces on loan from the Museum of Cape Fear including an authentic Civil War drum, a bayonet and a painting of the Fayetteville Arsenal before it was destroyed in 1865. Kinney said reproductions of a Union soldier’s uniform and a southern woman’s outfit will be available for visitors to touch.

The highlight of the exhibit is a series of colorful images from Bearden’s book, on loan from the Jerald Melberg Gallery. Kinney said the images and themes will engage visitors of all ages.

“We’re excited to present this story and works of Romare Bearden,” Kinney said. “There’s a sense of wonder to some of these pieces. This exhibit is very colorful with vibrant pieces. Some a little more abstract and collage focused. In this story told through watercolor, you get the sense that you know this little boy.”

Bearden was born in Charlotte in 1911, and lived much of his adult life in New York, where he died in 1988. Considered a prolific artist, his work was exhibited during his lifetime throughout the U. S. and Europe. Recognized as one of the most creative and original visual artists of the 20th century, Bearden experimented with different mediums and styles, but is best known for his richly textured collages. Bearden’s diverse interests were evident with his sets and costumes designed for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. 

“He did have a full career outside of artwork,” Kinney said. “He had a full-time day job as a social worker. Art was evening and weekend work. He was the type of artist that was open to exploring art. His different mediums make the show more accessible to more people.”

Kinney said the Arts Council expects a wide and varied interest in the exhibit from artists, students, historians and novice art enthusiasts.

“It is an opportunity to have access to artwork from outside our community, works that are normally not available unless viewed in high-end galleries,” Kinney said. “When they come, they will get a sense that they’ve seen something they wouldn’t normally have a chance to see, and learn something about African-American art.”

Group tours with educators and other organizations are available with docents who are educated on the time frame, art techniques and historical significance of the works.

The opening during 4th Friday will feature a meet-and-greet with Diedra Harris-Kelly, co-director of the Romare Bearden Foundation in New York and a relative of Bearden, as well as performances by Fayetteville State University’s Percussion Ensemble at 7:15 and 8 p.m. in the Arts Council’s Grand Hall. 

Harris-Kelly will also participate in a discussion on collecting African-American art at 11 a.m. on Jan. 23.

Kinney encourages visitors to also visit a related exhibition at the Transportation & Local History Museum. Cumberland County Goes to War commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Civil War and Cumberland County’s war experience. 

The Arts Council galleries are located at 301 Hay Street. Admission is free. Gallery hours are Monday – Thursday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday 9 a.m. to noon; and Saturday noon to 4 p.m. To schedule a tour from Jan. 25 until March 4, contact the Arts Council at 910.323.1776. To learn more about Romare Bearden’s life and work visit http://www.beardenfoundation.org/ 

In the 1970s, The Wiz took Broadway by storm revamping The Wizard of Ozwith an all-black cast in a super soul musical. Now, Cape Fear Regional Theatre is embracing the story and showcasing it as a part of their 2015-2016 season.

First time CFRT guest director Donna Baldwin-Bradby admits that this is her favorite show and her passion for the musical is evident in her excitement and that of her actors. 

“I remember seeing this show thinking this little girl [Dorothy] looks like me. It changed my life,” said Baldwin-Bradby. “The journey that Dorothy goes through is like everyday life. You can get disheveled; you can go through what you think is the worst, but you are better in the end. That’s what I want the audience to know and feel.”

The story of Dorothy going through the tornado, landing in Oz, meeting her friends is all there in The Wiz, but fans of the original Baum work will find that it follows his story even closer than the 1939 film changing the iconic ruby red slippers to silver shoes, involving the four original witches as opposed to just the Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch of the North and more that avid book readers can identify with in this stage production. Those changes make this musical even more of a treat and challenge the audience to remember their favorite books from childhood.

Not only does the musical stay true to the original work, the audience may be surprised not to find an actual yellow brick road, a field of poppies or even stage effects creating a tornado. Those parts of the show are played by actors and dancers as moving parts making the show a thrilling way to spend a night — or afternoon. 

“Almost everything is a person. The sets and the costumes are going to be amazing,” said TyNia Brandon playing Dorothy. “Everyone has a role and everyone is important to the show.”

The actors including Dorothy and adding in friends, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion and the Scarecrow, define an ensemble with easy chemistry where they admit that it doesn’t even feel like work. They are all just trying to be great, encouraged by a director who is also more of an educator.

“At the end of the day, our director has made us all a little brighter. My cup runneth over from being a part of this show,” said Fayetteville native T.J. Fields playing the Lion. This show was also groundbreaking because it helped celebrate black actors in a time where there were not many black roles and gave them a platform to showcase special music styles, dance and even life.

“There are so many cultural things involved that the entire audience may not grasp firsthand, but will love to experience,” said Deon Releford Lee, who plays the Tinman. “The set will have African Kente cloth and there is African dance incorporated. This musical is also a celebration of culture.”

As far as experiencing firsthand, the audience will also be encouraged to participate as the actors will use the entire theatre, not just the stage. 

“This show is interactive. We will be in the aisles and we will encourage the audience to clap, dance and shout,” said Baldwin-Bradby, “This show will leave you recharged and energized when the curtain closes.”

The musical comes to life on  Jan. 21 and runs through Feb. 14 with 2 p.m. matinees and 7:30 evening performances. Also available are limited seating “Lunch with Dorothy” tickets, where an hour before weekend matinee performances, those interested are encouraged to dress as their favorite character, have lunch in the Emerald City and meet The Wiz actors. Lunch tickets are $10. All performance tickets are $15-28 and are available at www.cfrt.org or by calling the box office at 910.323.4233. Ease on down!

Athletes seeking to push themselves — and have a great time — need look no further than the Boomerang Beer and Brat Fun Run 5K. For those not quite ready for the 5K, there is also a one-miler.  Hosted by the Special Operators Challenge, the event takes place on Jan. 30 at the Crown Coliseum. It’s not your standard road race, in fact, far from it, but Ivan Castro, the founder of Special Operators Challenge, and his crew, are working hard to make sure that it’s a fun day for everyone involved. The day’s plans include more than a road race, so bring a friend and plan to stay awhile. The course involves costume changes, eating (and drinking) on the run, a bratwurst eating contest and costume judging. 

This is the first year the event takes place at the Crown. Even though it has grown every year, Castro was looking to reach even more people.  “We did this two years in a row at the Carolina Horse Park and we decided to bring it home and move to Fayetteville so we can have all of Fort Bragg and Fayetteville, Spring Lake and Hope Mills join us. We want to include the students from Methodist University, Fayetteville State University and Fayetteville Technical Community College. We want everyone to come and have a good time,” said Castro. “When people hear our name they sometimes think this is just for the military and that is not the case. This is for everyone — of all experience levels and abilities.” 

The day starts at 10 a.m. with check-in and same-day registration. Food and beer are available for purchase and local vendors will join the fun to showcase their inventories. “At 12:20 p.m. the entertainment starts,” said Darlene Matos, Castro’s business partner. “It’s Jackie from Jackie’s Boot Camp. She promised not to boot camp us — she is a dancer and will be a lot of fun. We thank God for beer at 12:55 p.m. and at 1 p.m. we start boomeranging ourselves around the coliseum property. Hopefully everyone is done by 2 p.m. Then we have the brat-eating competition and costume judging. Last call is at 3:30 p.m. Then everyone is invited to the after party at Louie’s Sports Bar.”

The route is on the Crown property and involves mile-long laps — or one lap for the one-miler participants. “You drink a beer then walk (or run) a lap, then come around and eat a foot-long brat. Walk or run a mile and then drink a beer and walk or run a mile,” said Castro. “Our motto is: Eat. Drink. Race. Repeat.”

But that is just the beginning. There is plenty of fun to be had along the way. ”Every ¼ mile there is a pit stop with different activities at every stop. Maybe it’s dancing the polka or doing the Chicken Dance or the hokey pokey. We’ll have group hugs, singing, playing hopscotch and changing clothes with someone else,” said Matos. “So bring your ugly Christmas sweater or granny’s nightie. Bring something you would like to see someone else wearing. The clothes swaps happen three times. It will be a great time for spectators, too.” 

Participants as well as the general public are invited to contribute to the Boomerang food, diaper and clothing drive. “Like our events, this has grown every year, too,” said Castro. “The first year we had about three or four big wardrobe boxes full of things to donate. Last year we had an entire pick-up truck full of those boxes. Bring nonperishable, non-expired goods that are well packaged. We want to give back and food is not only something people need during the holidays. It is a year-round thing.”

While the Boomerang Beer and Brat Fun Run is right around the corner, it is not the only event that Special Operators Challenge hosts. This year there are five races on the calendar. “There is the Boomerang coming up on Jan. 30 and we are planning another in September for Octoberfest,” said Castro. “We have three other events in the middle of the year.” 

Mark the calendar for June 4. It’s the day of the Dirty Darby, which is a 5K mud and obstacle course event. That same day there is a kid-friendly race — The Little Muddy. Aug. 20, is the next race: The Esprit de Corps Challenge. That is an adventure race and event. It has shotgun shooting, archery and tomahawk throwing. There is a rock climbing wall, rapelling, canoeing, an observation game and fire starting. “That one has three options — no trek, a 5-mile or a 10-mile. It takes 5-12 hours depending on which trek you do,” said Castro. “We put people on a team so you get to meet people and you do not have to have any experience to participate. You can be a novice and still come out and have a great time. We have trained pros that will teach you how to do these things — draw a bow or load a shot gun or whatever you need. And if you feel uncomfortable with any of it you can opt out of that event and still participate in the overall race. If you don’t like to be in the water, you don‘t have to do it — you can pass on the canoe or guns or whatever station. You don’t have to partake of all the events. The same is true for all of our events. If you don’t care to drink at the Boomerang, no problem. If you don’t eat meat, take a pass on the brats, but come out and have a good time.”

All events are open for registration. Contestants can register for any of the events online at active.com or at specialoperatorschallenge.com. the Boomerang 5K VIP package, which includes choice parking and access to a heated tent; the Boomerang Beer and Brat 5K Fun Run individual for $35; the 1 mile fun run individual for $35; the Bratwurst eating competition for $10; and the Boomerang 6-pack team entry for $180. Registration includes a long-sleeve moisture wicking shirt, two beers and a bratwurst. Teams of six or more get a free beer for each team member. Medals are also available for $12. Participants must be 18 years old by race day and 21-years-old to drink alcohol. Nonalcoholic beverages are available for those who can’t or don’t want to drink. There are also vegetables to snack on.

Call 483-1900 or visit specialoperatorschallenge.com for more information.

The City of Durham’s police chief lost his job because of a growing violent crime rate. That’s a tough call for any city executive. Some would argue that you can’t blame law enforcement for crimes in a community. It’s difficult to prevent major crimes. Ask the mayors of Chicago, New Orleans and yes, Durham.

Murder, in particular, is hard to prevent. 

“Propensity to crime develops in stages associated with major psychological and sociological factors. The factors are not caused by race or poverty, and the stages are the normal tasks of growing up that every child confronts as he gets older,” says Patrick Fagan of the Heritage Foundation. “In the case of future violent criminals, the absence of the love, affection, and dedication of both his parents becomes perverse exercises, frustrating his needs and stunting his ability to belong,” Fagan adds.

Statistically, some communities must be more fortunate than others for reasons that escape the experts. Fayetteville is thought of as a violent city. But last year, the murder rate was down from the year before, and the year before that. In 2015, only 17 homicides were recorded in Fayetteville, according to Police Lt. David McLaurin. Chief of Detective Katherine Bryant says one other case is pending…the violent death of a 3-year-old baby. Bryant says the state medical examiner has not yet determined the cause of death.

Contrast that with 42 homicides in Durham last year. It’s a city of comparable size and demographic makeup. Fayetteville City Manager Ted Voorhees will tell you that’s where the similarities end, making the significant difference in murders remarkable. Voorhees was Durham’s Deputy City Manager before coming to Fayetteville three years ago. 

Fayetteville City Council members met for seven hours to tackle half a dozen agenda items during its monthly work session last week. No votes or decisions are made during the monthly work session. 

The monthly planning meetings are usually attended by staff and council; however, this month the meeting was moved to the Council Chambers because more than 20 people attended the meeting because of the agenda items. Those in attendance were exposed to an exhibition rarely seen by the public. It was a night of frustration for council members who had to deal with issues ranging from policy matters to appointing citizens to advisory boards, all of which were hotly contested by the members of the council. 

One of the hot button issues members dicussed was garbage collection in a far reaching area of West Fayetteville, an area served by Councilman Bill Crisp. Environmental Services Director Jerry Deitzen briefed the council on a pilot project in which a private contractor would be paid to pick up the trash to see if it could do a better job than Deitzen’s crew. Recent studies concluded the city performs at lower cost than private firms. 

Councilmen Jim Arp and Chalmers McDougald joined with Crisp to deride the plan that was approved by Deitzen and City Manager Ted Voorhees. The City Council decided the experimental trash collection project should be limited to Crisp’s district. The confrontation came because the council’s original directions were vague, according to Voorhees. Deitzen faced heavy criticism from the member of the council, with some challenging the validity of his report. McDougald went so far as to suggest he be fired. Voorhees came to Deitzen’s defense, pushing back in what continued to be a testy exchange between elected officials and their top administrators. 

Later came a clash among council members themselves over how best to appoint interested residents to the city’s numerous advisory boards and commissions. Bobby Hurst has chaired the committee with that responsibility for eight years. But some new members including Mayor Pro-Tem Mitch Colvin want to change the process. Under the current process, the city lists board openings on its website. City residents who wish to volunteer their time to serve on the board fill out an online application for the positions, some of which require licensure. The applications are then reviewed by the committee and recommendations for appointment are taken before the council for a vote. 

Hurst felt Colvin was questioning his integrity. Colvin questioned the process used by the committee to nominate citizens to the boards. Hurst and appointments committee member Bill Crisp got so angry they resigned from the committee. 

At 11 p.m., council closed their work session and went into special session to discuss the upcoming parks and recreation bond vote. Although Councilman Kirk deViere, a former Army officer, now downtown business owner, is the newest member of the board, he guided his colleagues through the process. This was his first work session having just been elected in November. Prior to his election, deViere attended council meetings regularly and took notes, which allowed him to hit the ground running. 

He sketched out the projects that council had chosen in an October planning session and reviewed those favored by residents who had responded to a survey. He led council to its final decision, which eliminated a proposed $3.2 million aquarium from the projects list and put to an end any further discussion of a $28 million multipurpose aquatic and senior center in order to avoid public confusion.

The marathon meeting ended at midnight.

The Greater Fayetteville Chamber is officially reorganized as it heads into another year of business advocacy for its membership. It was previously known as the Fayetteville–Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce and the Fayetteville Area Chamber of Commerce.

The numerous name changes reflect years of frustration, and what the Chamber once described as “an inability to articulate a unified vision for its future.” Organization leaders believe they now have “a clearer mission.” The Chamber’s new Chairman Brian Kent seems determined to grow the membership and exert its influence in the community. 

The Chamber is on its own now having separated itself from the Economic Development Alliance. The Alliance is funded in part by city and county governments and serves as local governments’ industry hunter. Under the new arrangement, the Chamber is self-sustaining and receives no public funding. It’s beholden only to its members and the business community.

Up & Coming Weekly spent an hour with Kent recently. Kent left the military in 2005, but elected to remain in Fayetteville. He bought the old Sears Warehouse on Cumberland Street three years later, and received a Chamber loan to rebuild the property. The new building opened in 2012 as K3 Enterprises, an “innovative global conveyor of information solutions and related services.”

Kent joined the Chamber in 2011, and immediately emerged as a leader. He joined the board of directors in 2013. Last year Kent was recognized as Entrepreneur of the Year by Methodist University. K3 Enterprises is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business with 80 employees handling technology contracts primarily with the military worth more than $10 million a year.

The Greater Fayetteville Chamber faces the challenge of recovering from a protracted membership slump which has seen its numbers plunge from 1,500 when David Jameson was president 15 years ago, to only 700 today. Kent would like to see chamber memberships become what he calls “structured sponsorships” offering networking, event-planning, training and business education. 

Kent isn’t happy with local government. The Chamber “has become a scapegoat for city and county inefficiencies,” he said. He’s among those who charge that the City of Fayetteville does not operate “in a business friendly environment.” 

Council members agree and blame city staff. Kent adds that government “must streamline their processes” to speed up regulatory requirements of the unified development ordinance. 

The city’s new Director of Inspections and Permitting agrees. Doug Hewitt rejoined the administration recently after an absence of a couple of years. He told city council this month that his staff is being cross-trained to respond to developer needs faster. He stressed the need for computer enhancements in order to synchronize internal systems so they can better communicate with each other. “We have to have a technology system that works,” said Deputy City Manager Rochelle Small-Toney, which places the onus on city council to adequately fund the department.

Two Months until the Bond Vote 

Fayetteville City Council refined the projects that residents will vote on in a March 15 parks and recreation bond referendum. Missing from the list is the $3.2 million fresh water aquarium that was under consideration. Council agreed on spending up to $35 million on six splash pads, two senior centers, a Cape Fear River Park, a skateboard park, a multi-purpose athletic field, a tennis complex and several neighborhood park improvements. A companion plan to lease a privately-built $28 million multi-purpose aquatic and senior center was separated from the referendum. 

“It needs to be totally divorced from this bond issue,” said Councilman Bill Crisp. His colleagues agreed and voted 8-1 to adopt the measure. Councilman Larry Wright was absent. 

Vets and Their Care

Fayetteville’s new $120 million VA Health Care Center is officially open for business with the recent formal ribbon-cutting. The real test of the investment lies ahead as Congressional leaders and VA officials keep their attention focused on those who served. The Veterans Affairs Department in Fayetteville serves one of the nation’s fastest growing veteran populations. The number of veterans receiving care from the Fayetteville VA has grown by 13 percent in the last two years, officials have said. 

“Our shared goals are to ensure that veterans have a clear understanding of  the VA and where to go for what they need within any of our facilities; that employees are empowered with the authority, knowledge and tools they need to solve problems and take action; and that the products and services that we deliver to veterans are integrated within the organization,” said VA Secretary Bob McDonald.

Poll Workers Needed

The Cumberland County Board of Elections is seeking precinct workers for the North Carolina primary on March 15. Candidates must be registered voters in Cumberland County. Unaffiliated voters and those registered from both political parties are needed to work at the county’s 77 voting precincts. Poll workers are paid for attending a mandatory five-hour training session and for working on Election Day from 5:30 a.m. until all precincts have closed. Anyone interested in being a poll worker should contact the Board of Elections office at 678-7733. Applications are available online at www.co.cumberland.nc.us/elections. They are also available at the Board of Elections office in the E. Newton Smith Office Building at 227 Fountainhead Lane.

We are in the early weeks of our New Year’s Resolutions, the period when we are enthusiastic about making ourselves — happier, thinner, kinder, more focused, better paid, or whatever it is we hope to become in 2016. 

I have resolved to lose 20 pounds, as I do every year, and to learn how to meditate — something I find much more interesting than dieting. I have already begun researching meditation practices and techniques online even though keyboarding uses few if any calories. I hope meditation will help with what yogis call “monkey mind” and what everyone else calls tossing and turning in the middle of the night.

I have plenty of company in the self-improvement resolution department. Most — some say all — New Year’s resolutions involve losing weight, and that is a good thing for those of us in North Carolina, where we face a number of significant health challenges, including fat. The United Health Foundation ranks North Carolina 31st in the nation in general health, with some good news and some not-so-good news. The good news is that we are up from 37th in the nation last year, and we are second nationally in childhood immunization rates. The bad news is, among other statistics, North Carolina is 33rd in the rate of diabetes, 44th in the number of dentists, 9th in binge drinking, and has a high disparity between the health of more educated people and those without high school diplomas.

Bad news as well about our weights. We are too heavy and getting heavier. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which tracks such numbers, reports that our adult obesity rate is now nearly 30 percent, up from 21 percent in 2000, and a petite 12 percent in 1990. Fewer children are obese, but then they have not had as much time and opportunity to eat. Obesity, of course, brings with it all sorts of health woes including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis and cancer.

Blessedly, help of sorts arrived earlier this month just in time to bolster our New Year’s resolutions in the form of suggestions from the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services about what we should eat and what we should not. No real surprises in the latest report, one that our government thoughtfully issues every five years. In a nutshell, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and not so much dairy and meats, especially highly processed meats. Take it easy on saturated fats, salt and sugar, which are singled out as particularly tough on the human body. The report says we take in our daily sugar quota in on 16-ounce soda, a fact which should cause soda consumers serious pause. 

Many an elementary school student has already mastered these general guidelines. It seems to be adults who have trouble with them, probably because our bad habits — which we probably did not know were bad when we started them —are of long standing. That is why we hope our resolve will hold beyond the month of January.

This year’s report sounds like good sense to me, but with all due respect to our government’s thoughts about what should pass our lips, I have a few of my own to share. 

The closer the food is to its natural state, the better it is for you. For example, fresh apples and grapes have not been processed and are fine. A piece of cheddar on occasion for sure, but processed cheese product in any form, especially powder, YIKES! Apple pie — well — you get the point. Ditto for broiled fish as opposed to a fried seafood platter and a small square of dark chocolate and a gooey s’more.

If it — whatever it is — is larger than your palm, think twice before you eat it. A slice of summer watermelon - yes, but a rib-eye steak, probably not unless you are 6 ‘5”.

If you read the ingredients and cannot pronounce or spell them, don’t eat it. There is simply no telling what you are putting in your body. My red flags also go up when the package lists more than five or six ingredients. They may be just fine but I do check.

We all know our forebears ate everything they wanted that they could get their hands on, and some of us feel we should as well. Our forbearers’ chow, however, was not laden with chemicals they had never heard of, and their life expectancies were nowhere close to those of today’s Americans.

And even if your resolutions fall by the wayside as most do, including my 20 pounds, which have been with me for quite a while now, do not despair. Agriculture and Health and Human Services are probably already working on the next round of eating guidelines due to arrive in time for New Year’s 2021.

For heaven’s sake, pay attention Fayetteville! We have a major decision to make in eight weeks about the future of our community. I’m not talking about just voting in the upcoming March 15 Primary Election for local and national elected officials, but rather for the local $35 million bond issue that will increase Fayetteville’s degree of livability. When it comes to economic development, there is no doubt that one of the reasons why we cannot attract lucrative industry to enhance our stature is lack of amenities like parks and recreational facilities.

 I am amazed and disappointed at the lack of awareness local residents have about this critical upcoming decision. Even more disturbing is how many folks are misinformed about the P & R Bond and its potential impact on our community and quality of life. 

Admittedly, local government’s rationale for determining the communities needs and formulating the right package has left many of us scratching our heads and rolling or eyes. But now it’s done. In the weeks to come the City of Fayetteville has every intention of providing residents information and details about the initiative. To the city’s credit an intensive education and awareness campaign has been implemented. It will include community meetings, public hearings, a media campaign and community outreach. The information will be out there. Now, it will be up to the Fayetteville citizens to pay attention, access the available information, ask questions and make an intelligent and well-informed decision. After all, it is our future. 

On another note, but still on the same page, it is too bad that the city didn’t buy airtime during the J. Cole Concert Special that aired on HBO last Saturday night. Not only did HBO do a great job showcasing this talented native son, but they, like most misdirected media, made sure America got to see our seedy neighborhoods, run down houses and trashy streets. They didn’t leave out Bragg Boulevard’s shady icons and, of course, our community of homeless residents living under our downtown bridges. 

To the detriment of our community, but perhaps a wake up call for us, HBO made a great case to vote yes for the March 15 Parks & Rec Referendum. The reality is, this is the way Fayetteville is viewed by the outside world and we are the only ones who can change that. 

Get smart. Get involved. Get informed. 

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

For those who visit local galleries regularly, more than likely they have seen Dwight Smith’s abstract paintings. Smith lives in Fayetteville and is an assistant professor of art at Fayetteville State University. His paintings are highly textured, thick and “oozy-sensuous.” Often the mark making in the paintings seem to reference a drawing process — reason and intuition is mediated throughout the finished work. 

After years of wanting to explore printmaking, Smith recently made the time to become a student of the genre. After seeing the early results, Gallery 208 is excited to host an exhibit of the relationship between Smith’s paintings, drawings and prints in Dwight Smith: an Artist’s Approach to Discovery. The artist’s reception is Jan. 19, from 5:30-7 p.m., and includes several of his paintings while the remainders of the works in the exhibit are drawings and prints. 

Visitors to Dwight Smith: an Artist’s Approach to Discovery will clearly see how an artist transitions between mediums while retaining the thematic essence of who they are. Each process contributes to personal meaning or content — his oeuvre is embedded in the material he is using at that moment.

The following statement by Smith is the key to understanding how he moves so easily between the different media: “My research and investigations into contemporary painting involve mixed-media painting and drawings that are influenced by material surfaces and scale.” 

For Smith, the act of drawing translates into a direct experience and an immediate source of discovery — a process least impeded by technical considerations of a finished painting; he is unencumbered by the “finished” process in a painting. Instead, drawing is the immediate formulation of ideas and is the result of hand, drawing material and the surface of the paper.

In his approach to painting, Smith explained, “As an artist, my current painting practice involves methods of integrating opposites into a state of harmony and balance. Elements of design referenced in African, African-American or multi-cultural imagery create a catalyst to begin my visual language that informs the work. Through the work I am responding to the tension generated by a resounding past and an insistent present. Each work is a commitment to intimate concerns about painting and the contemporary language of abstraction.”

Printmaking was simply an extension of Smith’s approach to drawing and painting. The use of materials became possibilities, not an objective search, but about discovery, experimentation and selection. In that printmaking is a studio environment for artists to explore imagery and creative problem solving, Smith thrived due to his approach to drawing and painting — thinking in layers, colors, the graphic use of black, texture and incorporating his personal symbols.  

No matter what the medium, all Smith’s work reflects what is important to him: “…I create celebrate life, family histories and tributes to artists. I express certain social realities concerning the world while exploring aesthetic qualities of being black in America and addressing the literal symbology of contemporary blackness within the legacy of Abstract Expressionism, thereby creating a pliable structure for intuition, improvisation and chance.” 

No matter which media Smith is using, it is easy to sum up his approach as an artist by citing a statement by Sarah Thornton in her book Seven Days in the Art World: “You are materializing — taking something from the inside and putting out into the world so you can be relieved of it.”

After retiring to Fayetteville from a career as a graphic designer in the automobile industry in Detroit, Michigan, Smith has enriched the area with his talent, skills as a teacher and as an art advocate in the community. After being only retired for one year, he was hired to teaching painting at Fayetteville State University. While teaching with Fayetteville State he completed a required advanced terminal degree for studio artists, a master’s of fine arts from the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Smith is also the director of the Rosenthal Gallery on Fayetteville States’campus. 

Some of Smith’s most recent group invitations to exhibit include NAAHBCU National Exhibition: AfroFurturism, at the Tubman African-American Museum, Macon, Georgia; FORECAST: OVERFLOW at the Brown & Juanita Ford Art Gallery, Wayne County Community College in Detroit Michigan; Earthy Abstraction: Works by Jack Kehoe, Kipley Meyer, Brian Rust and Dwight Smithat the Madison Artists Guild in Madison, Georgia; and Contemporary Works on Paper at the Brandywine Center for the Visual Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Selected solo exhibitions include OBSERVATIONS: Mixed Media Works from Dwight Smith at the Ellington-White Contemporary Art Gallery in Fayetteville, North Carolina; New Works by Dwight Smith at the National Conference of Artists Michigan Chapter Gallery in Detroit, Michigan; Peintures, Le Manufacture in Aurillac, France; and National Conference of Artists International Exhibition at the The National Gallery in Dakar, Senegal.

Selected recent presentations by the artist include “Black Art: Abstraction, Social Change and Cultural Identity in My Postwar America” in Rosenthal Gallery on the campus of Fayetteville State University and the Institute of Boston at Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts; “Examining Interrelationships of Black Art on Social Change and Cultural Identity” at Fayetteville State University; and “The Evolution of the Black Image in Illustration and Fine Art” for the Friends of African and African American Art at the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County in North Carolina.

Smith’s commitment to the idea of discovery is not limited to the studio, but reaches into the community with his art advocacy.  His community service includes leadership in the Fayetteville Art Guild, participating in the Ellington-White Community Foundation on Gillespie Street and instructing in Discovering the Arts (an after school and summer program for young students). 

Gallery 208, at Up & Coming Weekly, is pleased to share Dwight Smith: an Artist’s Approach to Discovery with the community. The opening and artists’ reception on Jan. 19 is free and the exhibit will remain up until March 5. Gallery 208 is located at 208 Rowan Street and the hours are Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. For information on the opening or the exhibit, please call Up & Coming Weekly at 910.484.6200.

Col. Ron Stephens, commander of Fort Bragg’s Womack Army Medical Center will pass command to Col. Lance Raney on Jan. 8. Stephens is leaving this week to serve  as Deputy Commander, Army Pacific Regional Health Command. He’s been at Womack since May of 2014, when he replaced Col. Steven Brewster who was relieved of command following the unexpected deaths of two patients and what the Army describes as a loss of confidence by his superiors.

“The past is in the past…we are looking to the future,” Stephens told his staff of more than 4,000. “We do have some work to do.” 

Stephens said he was comfortable coming to Womack because he knew the organization well. “We have re-established faith, trust and confidence in the staff, leaders around Fort Bragg and the patients whom we serve,” he said. “We have placed a relentless focus on safety, which was a key concern.” 

Acknowledging that soldier readiness is priority one, Stephens pointed out the medical center also focuses on research, collaboration with other medical facilities, education and training. Womack has the only podiatry residency in the Army healthcare system. 

Stephens says the region’s medical community is facing a constant turnover of clinicians that causes wait times he has worked hard to manage. He spoke of opportunities that present themselves at other facilities which results in resignations. 

“We have been short of primary care providers since I got here,” Dr. Stephens said. “Constant turnover is a constant problem.”

Womack has 120,000 patients enrolled in its direct care system… the largest in the Army. Another 30,000 are assigned to civilian care providers. Fort Bragg’s pharmacy is the busiest in the Department of Defense. 

The budget he began with this year was higher than the year before and the year before that, Stephens observed. He declined to criticize the budget process noting that “Budgetary opportunities are based on primary care clinics and number of patients…we never, ever compromise safety and quality of care.”  

He expects that over the next few months with the hiring of additional providers, Womack will be able to add thousands to its enrollment.

Stephens said departing Womack Army Medical Center and the privilege of command “is bitter sweet…I am comfortable that we have the programs and policies and initiatives in place that will allow my successor to hit his stride and Womack Army Medical center will continue to move forward. I wish I could have stayed longer.” Col Stephens notes that he was a soldier before he became a doctor. He spent his first 10 years in the Army as an enlisted man, having joined as a member of the Georgia National Guard. He was commissioned after graduating from his college ROTC program. Dr. Stephens has spent the last 20 years as an Army physician, and is grateful for “the community’s unwavering support of the Army and Army medicine.” 

Fayetteville Police Officer Paul Davis, Jr. and 25-year-old Reginald Butler recently crossed paths. From what Police Chief Harold Medlock recounts, Butler should be glad he’s still alive. Davis and his family are no doubt reflecting on what could have been his last day on the job. 

Butler had crashed his car, and Davis was one of three officers to respond to the scene of the one-vehicle wreck on Bunce Road. The accident investigation disclosed that Butler became “visibly agitated,” according to Lt. David McLaurin, but he apparently was not hurt. Davis asked him to take a seat in his own car and relax, at which point “Butler became even more agitated, took off his coat and threw it on the ground,” McLaurin added.

Davis was speaking with Butler while the other officers were reviewing the accident scene. Then, in a split second, came one of those “decision points” as Police Chief Harold Medlock described it. While Butler and Davis were talking, Butler reached down and pulled up one of his pants’ legs. The police report indicated Butler pulled a handgun from his sock. Davis grabbed the man’s hand and pistol and pressed them against his leg. Seeing the commotion, the other officers took control of Butler and he was disarmed. The weapon was a 38-caliber snub-nose revolver.

Medlock tells Up & Coming Weekly had it not been for training and the officer’s presence of mind, the incident could easily have gone differently and Davis would “probably have been justified in shooting Butler” who is black. Davis, a field training officer and a 10-year veteran of the department,  is a “squared away professional” according to Medlock. 

Butler, as it turns out, has a lengthy criminal record. He is in jail and is being held on several charges including three counts of assault with a deadly weapon on government officials and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to police. This was one of several similar incidents in recent months during which police officers had to confront armed subjects who attempted to assault them, said McLaurin.

This is not a Fayetteville problem, but rather one that is being faced by law enforcement officers across the nation. 

“It worries me to no end,” Medlock said. “It’s different at the chief’s level, worrying about their safety. We’re faced with these situations all the time.” 

The other officers involved in this case were Dylan Kettell, a K-9 officer with 11 years’ experience and Matthew Smith who’s been on the department since 2013. 

Editor’s note: Last week, the Fayetteville Police Department lost one of its own. A young officer took his own life. Police ask that the community keep the family and the department in prayer.

Assistant Register of Deeds Receives Order of Long Leaf Pine

Cumberland County Senior Assistant Register of Deeds Pam Stultz received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine Dec. 18 during her retirement ceremony in the Courthouse. North Carolina Sen. Wesley Meredith presented the order to Stultz on behalf of Gov. Pat McCrory. The Order of the Long Leaf Pine is the state’s highest civilian honor.

Stultz has been employed with the Register of Deeds Office since 1987, following four years of employment with the State of North Carolina. In 2011, Stultz received the Charles W. Moore award from the North Carolina Association Registers of Deeds. The award is given annually to a register of deeds assistant or deputy in recognition for outstanding service to the association.

Cumberland County Register of Deeds Lee Warren also presented Stultz with a ceremonial key to the Deeds vault in recognition of her years of service to the Cumberland County Register of Deeds office.

Educators accused of assaulting children

Two former Pauline Jones Alternative Middle School educators await trial on charges of assaulting students. Terry Van Drake, 47, faces three counts of child abuse stemming from separate assaults. Danny Pettigrew, 61, faces one charge. Both men are no longer with the school system, according to School Superintendent Frank Till Jr. 

The charges stem from incidents that occurred in late October and mid-November. A Sheriff’s Office investigation was initiated when a parent of one of the children complained. Drake served as Pauline Jones’ safe school coordinator. In one instance, he allegedly grabbed a child by the wrist and yanked him from a desk, according to Sgt. Sean Swain of the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department. Drake later allegedly grabbed the child by the wrist, pulled him from a chair and forced him to the floor and placing his knee in the child’s back. Drake allegedly grabbed another student by the wrist, placed his left hand on the child’s back and forced him to the floor, said Swain. He then allegedly picked the child up and forced him into a desk. Two days later, Drake allegedly grabbed another child, jerked him out of his desk and took him to the ground while forcing the youngster’s hands behind his back. Pettigrew, who was a teacher, is accused of grabbing a child by the neck and chest and throwing him against a wall. 

The 23rd Annual Martin Luther King Prayer Breakfast is at 8 a.m. Jan. 18 at the Crown Expo Center.  Rev. Brian Thompson, pastor of Simon Temple A.M.E. Zion Church, is the guest speaker.  

The event, hosted by the Fayetteville/Cumberland County Ministerial Council, Inc., will also honor all first responders. Admission is $20 in advance or $23 at the door.  Tickets are available at the Crown Box Office or by contacting the FCCMC. 

Rev. Mary C. Owens, the president of the FCCMC, said special recognition will be given to members of the police departments, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department, EMS workers and members of the military.

“The reason we chose to honor them is because, with all the things going on in our nation and the world now, when something happens, they’re the ones there first, putting their lives on the line for our communities,” Owens said.

That idea of community is an integral theme of the event, Owens said, as is educating current and future generations. Owens said the event not only pays tribute to the memory and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., but also reminds attendees to continue to contribute to their own community, an idea espoused by Dr. King during his lifetime.

“Many young people are so removed from King’s life experience,” Owens said.  “Our goal is for young people to know ‘the dream’ and what Dr. King meant by ‘becoming the beloved community.’”

“All of us in our little individual parts make up this whole community… despite our differences, when it comes down to the end of the day, we all have to live and work together,” Owens said.

Coming together in love and a spirit of peace can transcend race, gender, socio-economic status and political affiliation, Owens believes.

Evidenced in his speeches and writings, King’s view of the “beloved community” highlighted his assumption that human existence is social in nature.  According to The King Center, the core value of the quest of King’s ‘beloved community’ was agape love — understanding, redeeming goodwill for all, love seeking to preserve and create community.

 “The solidarity of the human family” was a phrase King used frequently. Owens said the FCCMC adheres to a similar mantra. “The belief that family is central to society,” she said.  “We rally and pray, to fight for the family.”

The FCCMC, a non-profit, has programs to assist the homeless, provide training to ministry personnel, provides some monetary support to other local charities and awards scholarships to high school seniors.

The annual MLK breakfast is the FCCMC’s biggest fundraiser. It funds the annual scholarship program. For the past eight to nine years, Owens said, the FCCMC has been able to award $10,000 annually to graduating seniors in a May scholarship banquet. Each winning student receives $1,000 that can be used for college expenses. Applications for the scholarship become available at the MLK Breakfast.

“What greater thing can you do than give back to the children?” asked Owens.

Involving the next generation in the MLK Breakfast itself is important, she said.

“We always try to include young people in it,” Owens said.  “Some are involved in greeting and presentations. We will recognize winners of the MLK art contest during the breakfast.” The winner of the poetry and spoken word contest will also present at the breakfast. For those not able to attend the Monday Breakfast, Owens said the public is also invited to attend the 23rd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Worship Service on Sunday, Jan. 17 at 5 p.m.  The keynote speaker is Rev. Joe Leggett from Falcon Children’s Home. The worship service is at the Second Missionary Baptist Church. No tickets are needed to attend the worship service, but any donations made during the offeratory will benefit FCCMC programs.  

To learn more about the FCCMC missions and activities, visit www.ministerscouncil.net or call 910-670-5662. The Worship Service will be held at Second Missionary Baptist Church, located at 522 Old Wilmington Road, 910-483-5925.

The Sunday school class that I am a member of discussed Zechariah’s Song on Sunday, Dec. 13, 2015. In that song, Zechariah, who is the father of John the Baptist, expresses thanks for God’s faithfulness, talks about how his son will prepare the way for Jesus, and concludes by giving the only course to peace and successful living. That course is in Luke 1:78-79 which says: “Because of our God’s deep compassion, the dawn from heaven will break upon us, to give light to those who are sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide us on the path of peace.” Light symbolizes seeking to live as God commands while darkness represents everything that is anti-God. I am convinced that America is a country in darkness.  Beyond being in darkness our destiny is in the hands of leaders who do not seem to recognize that we are in darkness nor do they comprehend the consequences of being in darkness.

This state of darkness shows through in many ways. These ways range from acceptance of same sex marriage to legalizing marijuana and wanting to legalize more destructive drugs. Add to these the wide-spread support for abortion, driving Christianity from the public square, viewing out-of-wedlock pregnancies as a societal norm and living beyond our financial means as a nation. On and on goes the listing of darkness indicators. 

As of Dec. 15, I am reading every installment of a series of articles that brings this darkness front and center. The series is “Poverty’s Price” by Greg Barnes in The Fayetteville Observer. Let me be clear in saying Barnes is reporting what is happening and putting forth the thinking of various people on the matter. He is doing a superb job. Regarding the aim of his series, Barnes says even though he tells stories about black citizens, “…it is not primarily a story about race. Instead, it is a story about poverty. Grinding, multi-generational poverty that provides only glimpses of hope for emergence.”

Barnes says that a report released by the University of North Carolina Center for Urban & Regional Studies classified six census tracts in Fayetteville as economically distressed. He writes, “To reach that designation, poverty and unemployment rates in the census tracts had to be at least 50 percent higher than the state average and annual per capita income at least a third lower.” The writer focuses on the Old Wilmington Road and B Street area, which are among the six economically distressed tracts. Almost all of the residents in this tract are black. Barnes records, “Here, nearly one family in three doesn’t own a car or earn more than $10,000 a year, according to the most recent statistics.”

Now comes a discussion of reasons for this “grinding poverty:” 

1. Lack of opportunity.

2. Children being reared in single-parent households by a mother or grandmother in a family stuck in poverty.

3. Limited access to preschool, which leads to children starting school without much exposure to learning. 

4. Poor parent involvement in the education process of their children. 

Walker-Spivey Elementary School serves the Old Wilmington Road area. Unexcused absences and tardiness are a factor in children performing poorly in school. Barnes writes that Erica McAdoo, the Walker-Spivey principal, said at her school these conditions can be attributed to transportation issues or a caretaker working two jobs. He adds, “But she acknowledged that parents are largely to blame. Most of the children who attend Walker-Spivey live within walking distance of the school.”

5. Poor role models. This especially refers to black men without good jobs.

6. Out of school suspensions.

7. High arrest rates among blacks. Again, this factor especially focuses on black men.

These are not all the possible causes of poverty among Fayetteville citizens as reflected in the article. Against the backdrop of the poverty causes listed above, consider the following comments from community leaders as to how poverty can be alleviated. Some of these are from the article while others are from elsewhere but inspired by Barnes’ article. What I see is the usual argument for government spending more money on a multitude of programs and people outside these poverty-stricken communities having total responsibility for correcting the dire situation within those communities:

1. Talking about the progression of a black boy in poverty to a brush with the law, Barnes writes, “Because his family is poor and because public resources to assist him are stretched, he may not get much help to make this brush with the law a chance for redirection.”

2. Val Applewhite, a former member of City Council who recently lost her second bid to become Mayor of Fayetteville, posted this on Facebook after an early article in Barnes’ series, “This is Fayetteville, N.C. Yet, our Mayor and City Council will ask us to vote in March 2016 to approve millions of dollars to spend on pools and baseball fields.”

3. On Dec. 13, an Observer editorial talked about the negative impact of poverty on the whole population then said, “Breaking the cycle would have an enormous payoff. But that will require investment, and this state is moving in the opposite direction — cutting, for example, early-education funding instead of increasing it to meet community needs.”

4. Rick Glazier was a state lawmaker for 13 years and now heads the N.C. Justice Center. Larry Wright is a local pastor and member of the Fayetteville City Council. Barnes writes that Glazier and Wright argue, “…that the city and the state aren’t doing enough for poor people and poor neighborhoods.”

So, my reading of the series so far leads to the conclusion the prevailing thinking is that people outside of these poverty-stricken communities have a responsibility to spend more taxpayer money and assume responsibility for externally correcting a problem for which the core causes are individual citizen responsibilities and life-style choices.

Here is the prime picture of why the “spend more money” and put the correcting responsibility on people outside the economically distressed communities shows us to be a country “locked in darkness.” Barnes tells the story of one black boy who is going through the experiences and reactions that could land him in jail. He casually, routinely mentions that this 11-year old has four brothers and all his brothers came from different mothers. Then this from Barnes, of the 73 women who gave birth in this census tract in 2014, only three were married, and all 73 were living in poverty. Nowhere in the first three articles have I seen that anybody raises this matter of out-of-wedlock pregnancies. Without doubt, this is the primary cause of the grinding poverty that Barnes writes about. 

Several years ago I was driving four black boys to an event. All of them were sixth or seventh grade and from households headed by a single female. Out of nowhere, those boys started talking about how the cycle of out-of-wedlock pregnancies had to be stopped. They began with how it negatively impacts the children and families. They ended with, “Sex outside of marriage is a sin.” Those boys understood darkness and the consequences of living in darkness.

If a group of sixth and seventh grade black boys could figure this out, how is it so many adult Americans seem clueless? 

There are only a few possible answers: 

(1) Having people in poverty and appearing to care for them is politically profitable. It wins votes. This process financially incentivizes out-of-wedlock pregnancies.

(2) There is money to be made from the existence of poverty. 

(3) In spite of common sense and history indicating otherwise, they genuinely believe that government spending is the answer to alleviating poverty. 

Whatever the reason, we are following a course to a guaranteed horrible outcome.  America needs people who understand the light of God that values all people and calls us to a way of life that is morally responsible and thereby dispels the darkness. Light that unlocks the darkness includes teaching abstinence and purpose, fiscal responsibility and goal-setting, accountable parenting and pursuit of opportunities. This instruction will be most effective when done in the context of a call to Godly living.

What can you say about a year that brings a 100 degree drop in temperature overnight, the rise of Lawrence of Arabia and the Theory of Relativity? How about happy birthday 1916? Ponder what was going on 100 years ago, which coincidentally coincides with 1916. The first colorful factoid for our consideration is that Climate Change was born that year. On Jan. 17, 1916, the temperature dropped 100 degrees from 44 degrees to minus 56 degrees overnight in Browning, Montana. Crops and people froze at an alarming rate. A hundred years ago, they just thought it got pretty cold, pretty quick that night. Would a hard freeze by any other name smell as sweet?

World War I was in full swing, the Battle of Verdun began in February and ended up creating more than 700,000 casualties. In theory, the French ultimately won in December 1916. On a less homicidal note as opposed to the mass insanity of World War I, Pancho Villa invaded the United States in March 1916 attacking Columbus, New Mexico. Naturally this drew the ire of the U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, who sent General Black Jack Pershing to invade Mexico to catch Pancho Villa. After about nine months of searching in vain for Villa, Pershing was called back to the U.S. 

In March 1916, Robert Stroud, who ultimately became the Bird Man of Alcatraz went into solitary confinement at Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary after stabbing a guard to death. Stroud spent 30 years at Leavenworth, where he became interested in canaries after finding an injured bird. He raised birds in prison and wrote two books on bird diseases. Stroud developed and sold bird medicines. In 1942, he was transferred to Alcatraz where he remained until expiring in 1963 when death allowed him to fly over the prison walls to the Great Canary Nest in the Sky. 

May 1916 saw Albert Einstein present his Theory of Relativity, which was prompted by too much time with his in-laws. Einstein’s Theory of Relativity postulated there is a tremendous difference between a vacation and a family outing. Demonstrating the Theory of Relativity, May 1916 also saw Norman Rockwell’s first cover for The Saturday Evening Post. It featured a couple of boys wearing baseball uniforms laughing at a third boy wearing a suit who was unhappily pushing a younger sibling in a baby carriage. 

A farm boy named Dwight Eisenhower married a pretty girl named Mamie Doud in July 1916. Ike went on to win World War II, get elected President twice and be criticized for playing too much golf as President. He had the greatest campaign slogan ever invented, “I like Ike.” Unlike Jeb Bush, Ike didn’t have to put an exclamation mark after his name. People genuinely liked Ike. Bush, not so much. 

Unsurprisingly, there was trouble in the Middle East in 1916. Some things never change. The Brits were in a major ruckus with the Ottoman Empire, which had joined the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy in World War I against the Triple Entente of England, Russia and France. Lawrence of Arabia was sent by the British Army to stir up an insurgent campaign by the local Arabs against the Ottoman Empire. Miraculously, an empire founded upon using large foot stools had controlled much of the world for six centuries. The Ottoman Empire was founded in 1299 by a major dude named Osman I. It expanded to cover most of southeastern Europe, chunks of western Asia and North Africa. By the 16th century, under Suleiman, the Ottoman Empire had about 15,000,000 citizens in three continents. But as George Harrison sang, “All things must pass.” By the 19th century the Ottoman Empire was winding down after a great 600-year run. However, it still controlled much of Arabia. 

Lawrence’s goal in Arabia was to neutralize the Turks by driving them nuts with an Arab revolt to get them out of World War I. His strategy was to force the Turks to give up their Ottomans and instead start using Laz-E-Boy recliners. The British High Command’s theory was that if the Turks stopped using Ottoman foot stools and sat in western style Laz-E-Boy recliners they would become too lazy to assist their allies in the Triple Alliance. 

Lawrence’s change of living room furniture campaign was successful. The Turks got comfortable in their Laz-E-Boy recliners with the built in beer caddies. The Turks studied war no more and exited World War I leaving the Ottoman Empire out by the curb. 

Hence the phrase, “Chair today. Gone tomorrow.” 

For many of us, the holidays bring precious time with family that is often hard to come by during the rest of the year. The Dicksons shook our holidays up a bit this year with less formality but plenty of togetherness with various family branches at a Christmas Eve supper, a Christmas Day oyster roast, a post-Christmas fried chicken fest and New Year’s black-eyed peas with pimento cheese muffins.

Plenty of both family and food.

Family relationships ebb and flow, of course, with beginnings and, sadly, endings. They morph, contracting and expanding among husbands and wives, parents and children, siblings according to changing circumstances and age. We all recognize when things are evolving in our own families. What we may not see as clearly is that our change may not be personal to our own families. They may be part of trends that are carrying others along as well.

I am part of the Baby Boom generation, the largest American generation born after World War II, until the Millennials, some of them our own children, blew past us in numbers. Our two generations sport many differences, among them that Millennials are far more diverse than Baby Boomers. Another is that while Baby Boomers married for the most part in our 20s, that is not the case with Millennials.

Today’s Americans between 18 and 34 are, in fact, less than half as likely to be married as were their counterparts 50 years ago.

Reasons for their aversion to the altar seem elusive but money likely plays a significant role. The Great Recession slowed most people down a bit, few more so than young folks just starting out. Many continue to live in their parents’ homes out of economic necessity. In a recent American Family Survey, Millennials acknowledge financial security as a reason to defer marriage, but they also reference education, several serious relationships as points of reference and home ownership. Love, it seems, is not enough to tie the knot, making marriage less a marker of young adulthood than a later-in-life achievement.

Families come in all shapes and sizes, of course, some of them being foster families and adoptive ones. North Carolina has plenty of both, with more than 10,000 children in foster care with more than 2,000 of them waiting for an adoptive home. The number of adoptive families is harder to pin down, as many of today’s adoptions are private. Foster children who do not find their “forever families” have far too often had a difficult time, because they aged out of the foster care system at 18, often into nothingness. The North Carolina General Assembly has now allowed some foster children to stay in the system until 21, not a perfect solution but three years better than finding oneself entirely on one’s own at the tender age of 18. In addition, the state has launched an initiative to place foster children in forever homes. 

No one had ever heard of paternity leave when I was a child, and my father did what most men of his generation did — he brought home most of the bacon and was sweet to and tolerant of my sister and me. I remember a very sleepy Daddy reading “The Three Little Pigs” to my sister who knew the words by heart, of course. He groggily misread a line, saying “laying pigs and slapping mortar between them,” which sent the toddler into wails of distress. I do not recall any diaper duties or meal preparation, except for occasional soft scrambled eggs cooked in the double boiler.

Contrast that with new father Mark Zuckerburg, also famously the father of Facebook. The Zuckerburgs have a new daughter, Max, and daddy Mark has announced he will take two months of paternity leave. Facebook offers four months of paid paternity leave. Mother Priscilla Chan is a pediatrician who is taking an undisclosed maternity leave, so little Max will be well attended. Mark has already posted a photo of himself changing a diaper on Facebook with the caption, “One more down, thousands to go.”

Admittedly, Mark Zuckerburg has the resources to do whatever he pleases and admittedly paid paternity leave remains rare in our country outside the technology industries. The fact that the high-profile Zuckerburg is taking his paternity leave so publicly still strikes me as significant. It says to the fathers of his generation, Millennials, that babies need their fathers as well as their mothers and that this is A-OK. It also says to his generation that paternity leave is an important business practice and that American companies should provide that benefit as companies in other nations, especially in Europe, do routinely.

All this may not be evolution in a Darwinian sense, but it is evolution nonetheless.

Anyone who cares about this community and watches a lot of TV should notice the similarities in the relationship between the City of Fayetteville and Cumberland County as our own local and never ending mini series of Game of Thrones.  

The similarities are astounding, and like the series, everyone wants to be the King of the Seven Kingdoms. Yet, unfortunately, there is only one throne. So, a battle ensues between the self-anointed privileged with everyone eager and willing to engage in a brutal, ruthless and senseless war, where the main rule is that there are no rules. In this war, anything goes. And, like the TV series, while these wannabe kings battle, the citizens of the kingdoms suffer practically unnoticed. Frustrated and helpless, these citizens try to understand as they watch their families suffer and their homes and businesses disintegrate under the burden of needless, self-serving laws, policies and ordinances that favor only the privileged few. Basically, their voices go unheard. 

Unfortunately, in this kind of war, there can be no winners, only losers. In the upcoming weeks we will witness this Game of Thrones-like scenario as city and county powers that be test each other’s will as to who should rule over the kingdom of Fayetteville/Cumberland County. At stake: the quality of life of 310,000 residents. The stakes are high ranging from future parks and recreation facilities to controlling millions of tax dollars. Ironically, the residents of this kingdom see the nature of the conflict in a more simple, humanistic light with truth, honesty, respect and the philosophy of “doing the right things for the right reasons” going a long way in moving this community forward. Let’s all hope that’s what we get in this new fall series of city and county government. After all, in the Game of Thrones, kings have a very short life span and their kingdoms are eventually destroyed. Don’t touch that dial. The season is just beginning.

Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is on stage at the Givens Performing arts Center on Jan. 14 at 7:30 p.m. 

The musical details the Biblical story of Joseph, who is the favorite of 12 sons. To show his love, Joseph’s father gives him a beautiful colorful coat. The other 11 brothers are overcome with jealousy and sell their brother into slavery, telling their father that he has died. They cover his beautiful coat with goat’s blood as proof. Joseph is taken to Egypt by the slavers and is taken into the home of Potiphar, a wealthy and powerful man. He is impressed by Joseph’s hard work and honesty until his wife tries to seduce Joseph, only to be caught by Potiphar, who has Joseph thrown in jail. 

Joseph can interpret dreams, so while jail, he correctly interprets the prophetic dreams of Pharaoh’s servants. Word of his success makes it to Pharaoh who has also been suffering from strange dreams. He summons Joseph who predicts seven years of bounty followed by seven years of famine. Impressed, Joseph is given a government position in charge of storing food in preparation for the famine. When the famine finally comes Joseph’s family comes in search of food. Joseph recognizes his begging family but they do not recognize him. He tests their honesty and humility. Seeing that they have changed he reveals his identity and there is a beautiful family reunion. 

The first performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was on March 1, 1968. Alan Doggett, the head of the Music Department at Colet Court, St. Paul’s Junior School asked Andrew Lloyd Weber to create a ‘pop cantata’ for the school choir. Tim Rice wrote the lyrics for the project at Weber’s request. It’s next evolution was a concept album in 1969. It was well received, but not initially successful commercially. It was the success of Jesus Christ Superstar in the ‘70s that allowed this musical to grow and turn into a beloved Broadway production. It first opened on Broadway in 1982. Since then, there have been revivals and a movie version, which was released in 1999. 

Rice and Webber are both famous for their work on incredibly successful musicals. Their relationship is a long one forged when both were still struggling and unknown in 1965. Together they created Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita. Rice has also worked on productions like The Lion King, Aladdin, King Davidand Beauty and the Beast. Some of Weber’s other well-known works are The Phantom of the Opera, School of Rock (a stage adaptation), and Sunset Boulevard. He has received numerous awards including seven Tonys, a Golden Globe and two Emmys. 

Coming from such acclaimed artists, it is no surprise that Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is a well-loved favorite. The traditional Bible story is reimagined and updated for the modern audience. The messages of forgiveness and the importance of hard work and honesty are maintained. No matter how many times you have heard the story in Sunday school, seeing it come to life on stage is a uniquely beautiful experience. The music is a blend of pop, country and rock that makes the story of love and forgiveness as entertaining as it is relatable. The mix of genres makes the music as relatable as the story. This is a fun and energetic family show that everyone can enjoy. 

This presentation of the now classic adaptation is directed and choreographed by the Tony Award-winner Andy Blakenbuehler. As a performer, Blakenbuehler has years of experience performing on Broadway. He won his Tony and Drama Desk Award for his work as a choreographer for the musical In the Heights. He was also nominated for a Barrymore Award for his work choreographing Waiting for the Moon. 

Tickets can be purchased online at tickets.com or by calling 910-521-6361. For more information, visit www.uncp.edu/giving/advancement/givens-performing-arts-center. The GPAC is located at 1 University Dr. in Pembroke. Tickets range from $21 to $41. 

After the ball in Times Square has dropped and toasts and good wishes are offered, it happens. The holidays are officially over and it is time to put away the presents and decorations, sweep up the confetti and get the New Year started. Like so many local holiday traditions, the New Year’s Day Black-eyed Pea Dinner at the Crown is part of what makes Fayetteville special. For close to a quarter of a century, people have gathered to share a good luck meal, socialize and start the new year in the best of all possible ways – sharing a meal in the midst of great company. 

No one is exactly sure when the New Year’s Day Black-eyed Pea Dinner started, but it was in full swing in the 1970s and 80s with not just one, but two New Year’s Day Black-eyed Pea Dinners. Then Sherriff Otis Jones and his friend Willis Brown, who was a local attorney, each hosted their own dinner. Eventually, the two joined forces and moved the event to the Crown Coliseum. 

Otis Jones died in 1987 or 1988 and when he did, the event died with him. In 1993, Lee Warren was talking with his father and his friend Owen Spears, who was a member of the North Carolina General Assembly. Warren’s father suggested that they revive the Black-eyed Pea dinner. It didn’t take much convincing. Warren and Spears brought it back for the first time in 1993. In 1996, Spears had a career change and Ed Grannis, the District Attorney, joined the team. When Grannis retired, Billie West became the new District Attorney and stepped up to help each year as well. 

Grannis died this past October from complications of a heart procedure and will be sorely missed at the Black-eye Pea Dinner. Known as a man of integrity and for being a fair but compassionate public servant, his contribution to this event and to the community over the years is something to celebrate – and that is just what Warren intends to do at this year’s dinner. “Ed Grannis and his family were long-time partners and fellow hosts for this event,” said Warren. “This year’s dinner is dedicated to Ed Grannis. He was involved with the Black-eyed Pea Dinner since 1996. He was always hands on, but we’ve got a lot of good volunteers. His wife, Winnie, and their boys, Whitaker and Mcbride will be there helping. His best friend retired Gen. Dan McNeill will be there, too. We’ll all be there  - honoring the memory of Edward W. Grannis.”

Grannis was a U.S. Army veteran and a graduate of Wake Forrest University. He served as the District Attorney for 35 years. “Even after he retired, Ed served on the North Carolina Department of Transportation Commission,” said Warren. “He had a real heart for community service, as do his wife and sons.”

With months and weeks of planning that go into this event, Warren is always grateful for the hundreds of volunteers that come out to help with every aspect of the dinner. It is not unusual for 3,000 or more to attend the event and it is the helping hands that show up year after year that make the Black-eyed Pea Dinner possible. “From cooking to serving to making sure everyone has fun, we look forward to all of that and to seeing people that come back year after year,” said Warren. “And sometimes it may have been a year since you’ve seen them. It is a way to stay connected with community. It is not a political event – it is open to anyone in the community and is free. It is a time when we can all give thanks together and good wishes to one another.” The Black-eyed Pea Dinner starts at 11 a.m. at the Crown.

Stories behind the dishes

For many, New Year’s Day is filled with traditions and superstitions - especially for Southerners. With the new year comes fresh starts and new beginnings. Many people consider it important to do what they can to ensure that it will be a good one. One of the most common ways to do this is through the food served on New Year’s Day. The superstitious (and the hungry) are invited to enjoy a great meal (and cover all their bases) at the Black-eyed Pea Dinner. While the event is very much about tradition, friendship and service to the community, the “lucky” foods are delicious and offer a fun way to kick off the new year. 

The Black-Eyed Pea dinner includes much of the traditional Southern New Year’s fare. The menu includes collards, pork, corn bread and, of course, black-eyed peas. The food is saturated with flavor, but also with superstition and some interesting history about why people consider certain foods lucky. For example, pork symbolizes progress in a new year because pigs root forward as they eat. 

The tradition of eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day is nothing new in the south, but it may have originated in even older cultures. In Jewish culture, in Babylonia circa 500 A.D., black-eyed peas were commonly eaten as good luck symbols to celebrate Rosh Hashana, which is the Jewish New Year. This tradition likely made its way to the southern United States through the Sephardic Jews who came to Georgia in the 1730s. Black-eyed peas became especially popular in the south during the civil war. Pre-Civil War the legumes were used for food for cattle. As the Union armies came through and burned all of the other crops, the peas were eaten out of necessity. They are drought resistant, which made them that much more appealing during dry years. Traditionally these peas represent prosperity in the coming year. They are symbolic of coins and swell in size as they cook. There are even sayings that are associated with this belief in lucky peas. One common phrase is “Eat poor on New Year’s, and eat fat the rest of the year.” Black-eyed peas are usually prepared with pork. 

Collard greens are another Southern New Year’s tradition aimed at bringing luck and prosperity to those who eat them on New Year’s Day. Like the black-eyed pea, the popularity of collard greens came about during the Civil War. While the Union armies left collards untouched because they were considered food for animals, this plant is packed with valuable nutrients. As far as bringing prosperity on New Year’s, their leafy green appearance represents paper money. Green is also a color symbolic of hope and growth, both valuable traits for a new year.   

The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services said the Fayetteville Police Department must continue to make changes to its policies,
training and operations as they relate to use of force and community interaction. 

A 120-page report of the DOJ’s investigation of the department recommends dozens of changes in policy and training. Police Chief Harold Medlock requested technical assistance from the Department of Justice  in early 2014. 

Among the report’s 49 findings, the assessment team found that a lack of information-sharing between the FPD and the State Bureau of Investigation significantly hinders the department’s investigative efforts. The report also found that, although in decline, racial disparities in traffic stops persist. Further, the report found that record-keeping of citizen complaints is insufficient, and the department’s overall training strategy fails to emphasize community-oriented policing.    

“I applaud Chief Medlock for stepping forward to take a more critical look at the Fayetteville Police Department’s use-of-force policies and interaction with the community,” said COPS Director Ronald Davis. “I am confident the department will see great improvement in its law enforcement policies.”

The report outlines 76 recommendations with respect to the department’s use-of- force policy. 

Fayetteville “was a community of concern” said City Manager Ted Voorhees when Chief Medlock asked for assistance. There was “a history in our city of disconnected attitudes” according to Medlock. Allegations of racial profiling and officer-involved shootings have been significantly reduced in the last three years. The COPS Office will work with the Fayetteville Police Department over the next 18 months to help it implement the recommendations, and will provide two progress reports. 

Research done by the Department of Justice in reviewing departmental policies and procedures focused on the years 2013 and 2014 — Medlock’s first two years on the job. A dozen officer-involved shootings had occurred in the three years prior to Medlock’s hiring, according to department records. There have been only two since then, and in both cases, officers were shot. 

Traffic stops involving African-American male drivers were historically four times more frequent than whites, according to North Carolina Department of Justice data. The new report notes that racial disparities in motor vehicle stops are in decline. One reason for that is the police chief’s order prohibiting traffic stops for minor regulatory violations.

“It is our hope that this report can serve as a guide to police departments and communities across the country,” said COPS Director Davis. He acknowledges that since becoming chief in February of 2013, Medlock has made a number of organizational changes and requires that all officers attend training on fair and impartial policing. The Department of Justice report is available to the public for review. For more information on the department and its initiatives, visit www.bethebadge.com.

The year ahead will be one of focus and attention to detail for county government. Cumberland County Commissioners will be watching as the tax office arrives at new property values for ad valorem tax purposes. After that, commissioners will try to construct a revenue-neutral county budget for Fiscal Year 2018. That seems a long time from now but it’s a process that begins early next year.

Property owners know it as revaluation. Ad valorem values must be updated at least every eight years, if not more often. Sticker shock often results because of higher property values that come with revaluation. Some people look upon it as nothing more than a scheduled tax increase. But the new round of revaluations may be different because residential values in Cumberland County have actually gone down in recent years, according to County Commission Chairman Marshall Faircloth. 

The residential tax base is less than it once was, Faircloth says. He tells Up & Coming Weekly that by the end of 2016, property values likely will have risen to normal levels so that a tax increase can be avoided. 

“The commercial development we’ve had is going to save us,” Faircloth said, in reference to the tax burden. “We haven’t had a lot of residential growth and that’s a plus.” 

Businesses will shoulder a larger share of the total tax base than home owners. “I’d rather have slow, managed growth,” the chairman said. 

Using technology, the county can wait until late in the
year to assign what will be
the most current updated property values. 

The Base Realignment and Closure Act of 2005 resulted in significant population growth at Fort Bragg. But it did not translate into a population boom in Cumberland County. Nearby counties, such as Hoke, Moore and Harnett, reaped the benefits primarily because taxes were lower. But that’s likely to change in those communities because new schools need to be built, and there are additional infrastructure needs
that require funding, as well as an increase in demand for public safety in those areas.

It may not be fashion week in New York, but the catwalk is heating up in Fayetteville as An Affair to Remember, owned by Kathy Jensen, brings its annual Runway Extravaganza to the Crown. 

The local dress shop strives to provide the community with beautiful and unique dress options for life’s most exciting and important events. But more than just beautiful dresses, Jensen and company want to help make beautiful memories.  

“We want to give mothers and daughters who come here the opportunity to shop together. Some people even give certificates to their daughters, granddaughters and nieces when they don’t know what to get them,” Jensen said. 

Perhaps one of the most memorable and exciting ways to experience the dresses that An Affair to Remember will offer this year is at its annual Runway Extravaganza at the Crown on Jan. 7 and 8.

It is much more than a fashion show. It is a perfect opportunity for a girl’s night out. In addition to beautiful dresses, the show will have vendors, music and food. Collections from national designers are presented by local women. 

Jensen explained, “We bring the latest prom fashions and formal wear for 2016 to the show. We will have local girls, our customers, as models. Miss North Carolina will model as well. Attendees can take a turn on the red carpet and have pictures taken. There are tables for a girls’ night out. Vendors will sell everything from clothing to jewelry to makeup and food. We will raffle three prom dresses. VIP seating in the front row is available and general admission is $10. This is really a first class fashion show,” she said.

The Runway Extravaganza offers formal wear options for women and girls of all ages. “We offer clothes for girls from the ages of 6 to about 65 during the show. We will have a lot of traditional trendy prom dresses and some more sophisticated dresses as well, all of which are available in the store,” Jensen said, “This is a great night out, not just about prom. It’s for girls all around. Even younger girls will have a ball.” 

Jensen also said that there are layaway options available for people looking to get a head start on their favorite dress. 

This year the show will also feature formal wear for boys. “Last year we had boy’s clothing added at the last minute and it worked out really well,” Jensen explained. 

The Runway Extravaganza will feature prom and formal wear from designers like Jovani, Sherri Hill and many more.  Jonathan Kayne from Project Runway will be on hand to present his newest designs. 

The Runway Extravaganza is Jan. 7 and 8 at the Crown Expo Center located at 1960 Coliseum Dr. The doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the show begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. VIP seating is available. For more information, call 910-486-5323 or visit www.aatrnc.com. 

Parks Bond Issue Supported

Come the first of the year, the Fayetteville City Council is likely to better define the scheduled March 15 bond referendum. So far, officially, the council has only agreed to hold a referendum asking for voter approval of up to $35 million in bond debt. The projects included for funding are not outlined in the bond issue by state law. Passage would result in a two-cent tax rate increase.

The city administration has packaged a two-fold plan to expand and improve recreation and parks facilities. Only part of the plan is included in the referendum. Another part is a proposed public/private lease agreement by which the city would have a $28 million combination multi-purpose and senior center built, with the city leasing the facility from the developer. Recreation Director Michael Gibson says it would be about the size of a Wal-Mart Superstore. According to Reuters, the average Wal-Mart Superstore is about 178,000 square feet in size.

Some members of council, like Jim Arp, Mitch Colvin and Bill Crisp, appear ready to avoid confusion and separate the two projects. They believe voters will be more likely to support the bond issue if they clearly understand that the multi-purpose senior center would come later, and could be downsized to avoid another tax increase.

Build It and They Will Come…

Fayetteville City Manager Ted Voorhees, Deputy Manager Rochelle Small-Toney and City Councilman Larry Wright spent several days in Nashville earlier this month to learn more about whether it would make sense to build a baseball stadium near downtown. Minor League Baseball, Major League Baseball and their affiliated parties gathered at Gaylord’s Opryland Resort & Convention Center for their 114th annual meeting. 

The Fayetteville representatives did not return with concrete answers. “Physical facility requirements were not discussed, as it is premature at this point,” said Small-Toney. “If a stadium is built, these standards would be included in the design of the facility.” When asked whether any baseball franchise was prepared to make a commitment if the city agrees to build a stadium, she said, “We are not in this phase of the process.” Small-Toney did say a stadium that would meet baseball standards would cost between $30 million and $60 million.

She elaborated, “What could be a possibility is joint ownership of the facility, which would likely mean splitting the cost of building and maintaining the stadium. Small-Toney is on record that Major League Baseball considers Fayetteville a viable market for a single A or double A minor league team. 

 Maverick’s Arson Investigation Ongoing

Fayetteville Police have been stymied in their efforts to solve an arson fire at a small lounge in September. Detectives are still seeking information about the fire that destroyed Maverick’s Saloon on McPhee Drive near Raeford Road. “There are no new developments,” says Police Lt. David McLaurin. The preliminary investigation revealed that the fire was intentionally set. Fire officials indicated the place may have been fire bombed. 

An adjacent club, Paddy’s Irish Pub, is expanding into the former saloon whose owner decided to sell rather than rebuild. 

A few years ago as I finished a radio interview, a black male who lives in Fayetteville and is active in addressing political, racial and other social issues walked into the room where I was sitting. I had talked about my thinking regarding the need for individual responsibility, a positive work ethic, open and honest discussion of race-related matters and the like. With obvious anger, the man asked me, “How can you be black and think the way you think, say the things you say?” He did not give me a chance to answer. As I have written and publicly stated, there are clearly certain ways that black Americans are expected to think and practice that we are supposed to support without question…and apparently without serious thought.

I do not toe the line assigned to me as a black person. For those who agree with the stances I take and those who do not, it seems appropriate that I give a bit of context for why I stand so far from the line. The answer is simple. My parents, by their living more than what they said, instilled in me a set of beliefs and values that do not allow me to succumb to the tactics of those who would control my thoughts and actions.

My parents were Milton Wayne Merritt Sr. and Ruth Evelyn Williams Merritt. When Daddy was barely a teenager, a distant relative shot and killed my paternal grandfather as he sat at the dinner table. Many years later, a gentleman who was in a position to know, told Daddy that the man who killed his father did so because he was paid $50 by some white people. Granddaddy was killed because he did not toe the line of blackness. In spite of this experience and growing up in a time of overt segregation and racism, my father’s example was one of assessing and dealing with people based on the “content of their character and not the color of their skin.” My mother’s approach was exactly the same.

My mother’s father died early in life. Mommie was one of three children and was not even tall enough to look into her father’s casket. My grandmother, Ma’ Bessie, never married again. Consequently, my mother grew up in a single-parent household.

Daddy’s mother never married again either. She was left to rear six boys and a daughter who were still at home when my grandfather was murdered. Another daughter was an adult. The family was renting and, on one occasion, share-cropping on farms in Miller County, Georgia. At a sausage-making gathering, Mama Nettie (paternal grandmother) announced that all of her children would finish college. Seven of them finished college while one completed the equivalent training.

I once asked Daddy if his family was ever on welfare. With a satisfied tone, he said, “No.” They worked hard on those farms, looked for other employment and managed finances well. I saw the same in Ma’ Bessie. I remember her washing and ironing clothes for other people in order to keep the household going.

From the children in these two families came a dentist, military officers, teachers, a school principal, a gifted scientist and successful pastors.

In pursuit of the college plan, Mama Nettie sent Daddy and some younger brothers to Thunderbolt, Georgia, the location of Georgia State College (now Savannah State University). They were to build a house so that her children would have a place to live and attend college. When Daddy realized he did not have all the knowledge required to build the house, he enrolled in a building construction course at the college. He and his brothers built the house.My mother finished college the same year I graduated high school. She had been a student at Savannah State and taught briefly. After years away from teaching, she decided to go back. Apparently, she had taught under a provisional arrangement and now had to finish college. I watched her work hard to earn that degree. In that interim period, she completed cosmetology training and operated a beauty shop that was attached to our home. In what appeared a difficult financial time, she took a job processing chickens at Royal Poultry Plant. I remember seeing my mother on that line wearing a hair net and handling those raw chickens. From all of this, she went on to be a much respected and acclaimed school teacher for more than 30 years.

Both my parents were people of conviction who would not be controlled. To my knowledge, Daddy was fired from one job in his life. That was because he questioned the unfair actions of a supervisor. After being fired, he went on to start and operate a successful construction business. On another occasion while he was deeply involved in the Civil Rights Movement, an employer threatened to fire him if he did not end that involvement. Daddy’s response was to immediately resign from his position so he could continue in the Civil Rights struggle.  Later, he was offered a well-paying job if he would stop his Civil Rights efforts. Daddy declined the job offer.

The example of preparation and organization was always before me. There was the time my mother spoke at a small country church with just a few people present. She spoke as though the place was packed and her comments obviously resulted from prayer and thorough preparation. No matter the audience size, the approach was the same. Daddy was no different. He was a pastor across south Georgia for more than 50 years. I could look out of my bedroom window and see him in his backyard study working late into the night. He would be meticulously typing his sermons on a Royal manual typewriter.

My parents were thinkers. In 1962, Rev. C.K. Steele, who was the first vice-president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, was leading Civil Rights demonstrations in Albany, Georgia. That is 25 miles from where I grew up in Camilla. Steele and others had been arrested and were being held in the Camilla jail. He asked local ministers to come down for prayer. Daddy was the only one to show up. When he explained to a white deputy sheriff why he was there, the deputy slapped Daddy. He told me his glasses went one way and he went the other. Daddy went home, got his shotgun, and was about to go back to deal with that deputy. However, his thinking through led him to conclude, “If C.K. Steele and others can do nonviolence; I will do it, too.” He put the shotgun away and took a far more productive course by, with total commitment, seeking fair treatment of black Americans.

Finally, but most importantly, my parents were people of strong faith. This was the primary, the overriding source of their strength and direction for living.

So, by their tremendous example and minimal verbal direction, my parents taught me to unceasingly seek to know and do the will of God, work hard, identify opportunity and act on it, assess others by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin, prepare well for every task, think for myself even in the face of intimidation and never take on a “victim mentality.” It does not appear to me that these are the values being promoted in our time.  There is a turning from God, emphasis on entitlements, bowing to political correctness, reaching conclusions about people based on skin color and encouraging black Americans to see ourselves as victims.  Without doubt, these new values are proving detrimental to our society. I thank God for my parents and will, for all the days of my life, hold to the values they instilled in me. This profound legacy shaped my thinking.