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THE GREENSBORO TIMES


THE GREENSB


BY KALI HOLLOWAY, ALTERNET Winnie Madikizela Mandela, the queen mother in the struggle for freedom,


OTES


justice, equality and self-determination in South Africa, has passed. But those who possess spirits like Ms. Mandela are rare and can never be spoken of as dead because they live lives for causes much larger than themselves. The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, center, with Mother Khadijah Farrakhan, First Lady of the Nation of Islam in 1996. Photo: Final Call Archive ‘Winnie Mandela was the true hero of the freedom movement of South Africa. Imprisoned and maligned, even by her own, she held fast to the principles of freedom, never wavering from fighting for the interests of South African Blacks, for all oppressed people around the world.’ A family statement announced that Ms. Mandela died April 2 at the age of 81 in the Netcare Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa. According to the statement, she has been in and out of the hospital in recent months with a lengthy illness and was surrounded by family and friends when she transitioned. “The Mandela family are deeply grateful for the gift of her life and even as our hearts break at her passing, we urge all those who loved her to celebrate this most remarkable woman,” they said. “It is with great sadness, accompanied by great joy, that we heard the news that Winnie Madikizela Mandela, the mother and the heartbeat of the revolution, had passed. The sadness that I feel and we feel is that this great woman of struggle has been called back to the only life-giver that there is, Almighty God Allah. But the joy is that the heartbeat of the revolution can never die. For the revolution cannot die until true freedom, justice and equality come to every member of the suffering Black people of South Africa and Africa, and all those who suffer injustice,” said the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan in an official statement issued April 2. (See full statement.) “And the wicked ones who have stolen the land and the wealth of Africa must eventually give it all back or it shall be taken back by God and the people who refuse to let that heartbeat of true liberation, freedom, justice and equality die. She lives and the struggle continues until total victory.” “Winnie Mandela was the true hero of the freedom movement of South Africa. Imprisoned and maligned, even by her own, she held fast to the principles of freedom, never wavering from fighting for the interests of South African Blacks, for all oppressed people around the world. Long live Winnie Mandela, our sister warrior and leader. Amandla!” said Elaine Brown, former Black Panther leader based in San Francisco, upon hearing the news of Piet Odendaal in Viljoenskroon, in the Orange Free State, South Africa, Nov. 10, 2000. Odendaal is accused of murdering a black employee and dragging his body


BY SARAH HUGHES - GUARDIAN NEWS America’s biggest new


''We are demanding an immediate Justice Department full probe,'' said Kevon Gordon, owner of The Hair Shack since 1984.


TV show is a gaudy family saga described as a “black Dy- nasty” by its creator, featuring music by uber-producer Tim- baland and counting Michelle Obama among its numerous celebrity fans.


In the five weeks since


Gordon and other barbers allege that the raids violated their 4th Amendment right of ''probable cause'', undermined their businesses, tar- geted them based on race and threatened to fracture the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology's reputation as a career builder.


Barbers and patrons involved in the raids say a strike team of California Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA)/Board of Barbering and Cosmetology (BBC) inspectors, city code compliance inspectors and offi- cers from the Moreno Valley Police Department/Riverside County Sheriff burst into their establishments without search warrants under the guise of a BBC-led crackdown on business license and health and safety violators.


According to BBC officials Moreno Valley police initiated the raids ''apparently to shut down drug operations''.


its premiere on Fox, Empire – essentially a mashup be- tween The Lion in Winter and The Godfather and set in the world of hip-hop music – has pulled in 11.5 million viewers and dominated watercooler chat. The internet is awash with memes from the show, while episodes are gleefully discussed on Twitter by view- ers whose jaws appear to be in a state of permanent disloca- tion from the gloriously ripe dialogue.


Its creator, Lee Daniels, the director of films as diverse as Precious


At presstime DCA officials and Moreno Valley city leaders had not responded to formal requests for reaction to the barbers' demands.


''My phone has been ringing off the hook. People are outraged,'' said Gordon. He told the Black Voice News barbers targeted in the raids have been further humiliated by a police and city hall information blackout.


and The Paperboy, wouldn’t have it any other way. “[I wanted audiences] to sit there and go ‘No, this bitch didn’t! Oh my fucking God!’” he admit- ted in the Hollywood Reporter. Yet while Empire relishes its crazier mo- ments, whiplash plot twists and Naomi Campbell appearances, it’s also tackling issues from homophobia to abuse with the sort of uncomfortable honesty rarely seen on network TV.


“The way in which the show balances a sense of authenticity with


''When we called police and code compliance asking for an incident report - we were told ‘there isn't one'.'' Gordon said despite multiple requests for information from the three agencies, he and other barbers targeted in the raids have been ''systematically denied.''


some of the more audacious moments is key to its success,” says Ilene Chaiken, Empire’s executive producer. “Lee has really embraced the idea of it being a black Dynasty but from the beginning I’ve said to him you’re being too modest – this show is so much more than that. There’s an hon- esty to the story we’re telling and audiences have responded to that.”


Empire has increased its ratings in each of its five weeks on air, the


Gordon said the Hair Shack located in a strip mall along busy Sunnymead Boulevard has no prior history of police trouble.


first show to have done so in 20 years, and a Nielsen report suggested that it was watched in 33% of black households. Now critics are wondering if it heralds a new era for television programming. A report in New York Magazine stated that “among African-American women between 35 and 49, the show is literally the equivalent of a Super Bowl” in that the per- centages of those viewers watching “exceeded the ratings of some NFL championship games this century”.


It’s easy to see the appeal of this over-the-top tale of ailing mogul


''Incidents like this are not going to be tolerated anymore, and we're going to speak out. This was an attack not just on African-Americans, but all ethnic business establishments.''


Lucious Lyon (Terrence Howard), his estranged wife Cookie (a magnifi- cent Taraji P Henson) and their three sons, all jostling for control of Em- pire Records, the label Lucious built from the ground up.


For starters it’s exceedingly quotable, most notably when Henson’s


The barbers stopped short of publicizing their demands saving the details for an upcoming news conference. Gordon confirmed he has contacted civil rights and American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) attorneys.


Gordon and barber Ron Jones were cited for what BBC inspectors call 11 The show pulls as few punches as its ferocious leading lady. A plot-


Cookie strides onto the screen. “The streets ain’t made for everybody, that’s why they made sidewalks,” she spat memorably in a recent episode, with other zingers including “Just ‘cos I asked Jesus to forgive you doesn’t mean I do” and “We don’t have time for you to be having some mental artsy block brain fart, whatever you’re having.”


f Paid for by Alston or county commissioner NNEWS Black Barbers Demand


by Chris Levister Special to the NNPA from BlackVoiceNews.com


MORENO VALLEY, Calif. (NNPA) - Making a point of the historical importance of the barbershop and beauty parlor in Black communities, a group of barbers, church leaders and community activists across the Inland region and the nation has demanded a federal investigation into the raids targeting six mostly Black-owned Moreno Valley business establishments early this month.


Empire: the outrageous b family drama that’s chan the look of US TV


In memory of the ‘mother and the heartbeat of the revolution’


Audaciously honest on black issues, Lee Daniels’s family saga has won a hu had long ignored – and a big fan in the White House


Moreno underm barbers nities m


''From M Counci Berry G


mess threatens to rock


behind a truck in the nearby town of Sasolburg. In the context of today’s fight against Western imperialism, Ms. Brown told The Final Call, “First of all, the struggle in South Africa is not over, as Winnie herself pointed out, because when there was the refusal by the ANC to nationalize the various industries, keeping diamonds and gold and so forth, she rightly criticized that. “I don’t know what the status is of South African Blacks today, but there’s similarities as to Blacks in this country, except for we are a minority and they are majority,” Ms. Brown said. The bottom line is all of the diamond mines and other resources that South Africa boasts remain in the hands of enemies of the people, she said. “So, it was Winnie who pointed that out, and she continued to speak out and fight with her last breath on behalf of the interests of the poor, of the oppressed Black masses in South Africa. Now we still have a situation here in the United States where we actually have had more Blacks in prison than were in South Africa under Apartheid at one point,” Ms. Brown added. “She was an icon, a courageous, bold, fearless woman and leader in her own right,” said Emira Woods of the International


A scene from the hit TV show Empire created by Lee Daniels. Photograph: / 20thCentFox In Memory > page 14


The Butlers whose busi ity by taping a copy of t raids on the shops' fron


''We want our patrons to back and allow anyone asking customers if the doesn't happen again,''


Former patron James W bershop, it's not one pl is taking place in mino now is, we're speaking


the show; in a recent radio interview the presid it but his wife was “really into it”.


She’s not the only one. In addition to C


mistress, there have been appearances from C Sidibe and Gladys Knight; coming episodes a Ora, Jennifer Hudson, Snoop Dogg, Patti LaB Courtney Love will play a hard-living rock sta Daniels took to Instagram last week to sugg Washington for a role, fans almost expired w recognised it was probably a passing joke betw


Word of the raids sprea nation barbers activists Gordon said barbers, la neys and patrons in S Diego counties have ca


Behind the screen the talent is equally Paid for by the committee to elect Kate Flippen


Adding insult to injury Gordon says several customers have expressed concern over bringing their loved ones to his shop. ''My reputation and livelihood of 24 years has been damaged. Collectively we intend to fight back.''


rected by John Singleton of Boyz n the Hood includes Orange prize-nominated crime writer anticipated third novel, Pleasantville, is out th how many talented people have wanted to ge and behind the camera,” says Chaiken. “I thin of a game-changer this really is. There’s a re this world on screen and taking risks, allowi badly and make mistakes.”


''As customers we have come to get my hair cu warrant check on me wi be to a civil rights attor Reginald Richard.


''Moreno Valley today barber college graduate in Atlanta and Chicago ''Brothers, what the hel


Yet, for all the excitement now, critics w


pire’s potential. Musical dramas are often a ris involvement of Timbaland meant that this ha and there was some doubt over whether audie with a predominantly black cast. The doubts sense that Empire has tapped into a market tha long ignored. In 2013 a Nielsen report sugge more TV than any other US demographic, yet supporting roles and bit parts.


Moreno Valley contra Sheriffs Department. S Black Voice News requ demand for an investig for review.


''This kind of affront se have worked hard to st mate practices. It sends


Still Gordon who says h admits the controversy brought us together. Th


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