news
THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE
November 10-16, 2010
Once a Black man, always a Black man
By V. Lonnie Peek Jr. Several days ago, during a
UAW VICE PRESIDENT Jimmy Settles being videotaped for a behind the scenes look at the making of “Driven: A Tribute to African American Achievement in the Automotive Industry.”
UAW Vice President Jimmy Settles featured in ‘Driven: A Tribute to African American Achievement in the Automotive Industry’
United Auto Work-
ers Vice President Jimmy Settles,shared his passion for equality, opportunity and fair treatment at a taping of the making of the coffee table book “Driven: A Tribute to Af- rican American Achievement in the Automotive Industry.”
Settles pulled himself up
by the bootstraps from work- ing on the line at the Dearborn Iron Foundry at the age of 18, to becoming a vice president at one of the most powerful organizations in the country, the UAW.
“It was so hot in the found-
ry that we had to work 30 min- utes on and 30 minutes off,” said Settles. “But the senior employees took care of me and within two years, at the age of 20, they talked me into running for a union position at Local 600. I won and from then on found great joy in helping other people.”
Settles, who attended col- lege while working at the
foundry, said he always had a good feeling about the UAW. When the community didn’t respond to Martin Luther King, the UAW did. Settles met Dr. King at the recep- tion following the march in Detroit. He also later met Nelson Jack Edwards prior to his death. Edwards, who was the first Black man to become vice president of the UAW, told Settles to shoot for a position higher than his — advice that Settles never forgot.
Read more about this amaz-
ing man in “Driven: A Tribute to African American Achieve- ment in the Automotive In- dustry.” Published by Real Times Media and Who’s Who Publishing, the book tells the history of African Americans in the industry, the influence of the unions and the impact the industry has had on the city of Detroit. A first-of-its- kind, the book features people from all levels of leadership and management, including Black automotive suppliers
and car dealerships. Sponsors include General
Motors, UAW, Ford Motor Com- pany, Delphi, Visteon, Global Automotive Alliance, Volkswa- gen, ChemicoMays, Rickman Enterprises and many more. “Driven” will be released at an unveiling event on Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011, during press week of the North American International Auto Show.
Auto industry execs/di-
rectors/managers: Make sure you’re included, along with industry leaders, in the book “Driven: A Tribute to Af- rican American Achievement in the Auto Industry.” Please submit a 180 word bio and a 300 dpi head shot electroni- cally to editorial@whoswho-
publishing.com. The deadline is Nov. 12. Time is running out, so submit your informa- tion today.
For more information, con-
tact project director Cathy Nedd at (313) 963-8100.
The New Metropolitan Detroit Club of the
Business group hosts financial aid fair This free event invites parents/guardians
National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women’s Club, Inc. will host a “College Jumpstart Financial Aid and College Experience Fair” from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Sat- urday, Nov. 13, at Scott Memorial United Meth- odist Church, 15361 Plymouth Road (one block east of Greenfield).
and students in grades 8 to 12. Participants will receive information about various col- lege financial aid resources, how to apply and answer questions about the applications, and college entrance information.
For more information call (248) 746-8870 or (248) 719-1662.
conversation with Dr. Curtis Ivery, chancellor of Wayne County Community College District, he recounted an inci- dent that had just happened to him. He was at one of Detroit’s private athletic clubs where he works out. After this particu- lar workout he was sitting at his locker and a towel he had been using fell on the floor. This gentleman, who hap- pened to be White, was walk- ing past him, but he stopped. He looked at the towel on the floor and then told Dr. Ivery, in a very stern voice, “Pick up that towel.” Dr. Ivery looked up and stated, just as sternly, “What did you say to me?”
As Dr. Ivery was telling me
the story, he stated that he had not intended on “losing it,” but his “street” just came out. Since this is a family paper, I can’t quote what he told the man. He stated that the man recognized he was in trouble and he tried to play it off by turning his back, and that just made matters worst. Dr. Ivery stood up and had a few more choice words. Now if you have never seen Dr. Ivery, he is not a small man. The man stum- bled for words and was visibly shaken. Dr. Ivery stated that he cooled down and attributed the incident to this man’s ig- norance.
Since he was an older man,
spected because I was Black. One incident occurred when I was an officer in the US Army and was traveling down South in my uniform. As I was using the bathroom I was confronted by four White men and told to get out of their bathroom and threatened with bodily harm. Mind you, an officer in uni- form, but still “just” a Black man.
A Black man in America V. Lonnie Peek Jr.
we concluded that his age put him in another era, and that he was very comfortable being disrespectful
to someone
Black. It didn’t matter to him that Dr Ivery must have been a member of this private club. Or that he has many degrees, is a chancellor of a college and is known nationally as one of the top administrators and scholars in the field of college education. To this man, he was just another Black man that he though he could order around. But he quickly found out he had made a big mis- take.
I informed Dr. Ivery that I
too have found myself in sev- eral instances of being directly discriminated against or disre-
carries a special burden, no matter who he is. It is a feel- ing that you can’t explain, but you’re aware all the time that you are Black and that at any moment “something can jump off.” While some folks have learned to control their bigot- ry, others choose to let it hang out, with the approval of those who are just as ignorant. For example, when one says pub- lically over the national air waves that he wants Presi- dent Obama to fail, regardless of how it affects the country. Such a statement is based on White supremacy.
It should be understood
that many White people have learned to grow beyond big- otry and racism. Witness the fact that we do have an Afri- can American president, for Black folks alone could not have elected him. But there are others, like the man in the locker room, who just can’t seem to understand that they are the ones with the problem, not us.
South University expands with new location in Metro Detroit
South University recently
announced its expansion into Metro Detroit with the addi- tion of South University–Novi located in Novi. Its first day of class was Oct. 2, 2010. South University’s Novi campus oc- cupies approximately 40,300 square feet at 41555 Twelve Mile Road.
“South University has
a long history of providing higher education opportuni- ties in areas of study that help students gain the professional skills they need to enter or ad- vance their careers,” said John T. South, III, chancellor. “The new campus in Novi will make a meaningful difference in the lives of our students and pro-
duce graduates who have the credentials and experience to find meaningful work through- out Michigan.”
Initially, South University-
Novi offers bachelor’s degree programs in business admin- istration, criminal
justice,
healthcare management and graduate programs including a Master of Arts in Professional Counseling and a Master of Business Administration.
“South University-Novi will
work closely with community and business leaders and hire faculty that have a combina- tion of academic credentials and industry-specific profes- sional experience to create a
quality learning environment for our students,” said William (Bill) Bradford, newly appoint- ed campus president of South University-Novi.
“South University has a
tradition of creating support- ive campus cultures, where students are known by name and where all of the faculty and staff are personally com- mitted to helping students become successful graduates. This tradition will continue in Novi.”
For information about
South University, call (877) 693-2085 or visit
www.south-
university.edu/novi.
Page A-7
National Museum of African American History and Culture Presents
Save Our
African American Treasures
Attend presentations on topics such as: • Textile Preservation • Paper/Photo Preservation • The Library’s Special Collections
Featuring • Hometown Treasures Object Reviews • Bring up to three items for a 20-minute, one-on-one consultation with experts.
ceramics • uniforms • cloth dolls • metalwork • fl ags • hats • clothing • lace • quilts • needlework and table linens • family Bibles • historic pictures • documents
Saturday, November 20, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Detroit Public Library—Main Library, 5201 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48202
Space is limited. RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED for object reviews only by calling toll free (877) 733-9599
Please state what item(s) you will be bringing. Furniture, art, rugs/carpets, fi rearms or objects larger than a shopping bag will not be reviewed. Maximum of three (3) items per participant.
“Save Our African American Treasures” is made possible with support from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
nmaahc.si.edu
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32