November 23, 2024 - November 29, 2024 The Afro-American A5 THE BLACKwww.afro.com MEDIA AUTHORITY • AFRO.COM $2.00 $1.00
Volume 133 No. 18
Volume 123 No. 20–22
NOVEMBER 30, 2024 - DECEMBER 6, 2024
Momentum builds for Shirley Chisholm’s Congressional Gold Medal recognition AFRO Archives
Support is growing for a Congressional Gold Medal to be bestowed posthumously on Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. Hailing from Brooklyn, N.Y.’s 12th District, Chisholm, who would have been 100 years old on Nov. 30, is known for being the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress. She was also the first Black woman to run for president. Shown left, Chisholm, holding the document designating her as a Doctor of Laws. The honorary degree was conferred during founder’s day activities at North Carolina Central University in Durham, N.C. Shown with Mrs. Chisholm Dr. Cecil Patterson (right) undergraduate dean and Dr. Joseph Pittman (left), acting dean of graduate school. Shown right, Chisholm with her second husband, Arthur Hardwick Jr. By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire
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As the 100th anniversary of Shirley Chisholm’s birth arrives on Nov. 30, a growing effort to honor her legacy is taking shape. Chisholm, the first African-American woman elected to Congress in 1968 and a trailblazer for equality and justice, remains a powerful symbol of courage and leadership. Now, the Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold Medal Act, spearheaded by Democratic Sen. Laphonza Butler, is moving closer to passage with bipartisan support. Butler, the bill’s primary sponsor, has garnered backing from key lawmakers, includ-
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ing Democratic Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York. The legislation seeks to award Chisholm one of the nation’s highest civilian honors, cementing her place as one of the most transformative figures in American history. Carlo Jerome Juntilla, education and labor policy advisor for Butler, acknowledged the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) for its critical role in advancing the bill. The NNPA is the trade association of the more than 200 African American-owned newspapers and media companies that comprise the 197-yearold Black Press of America. “Thanks to your efforts, we have secured the necessary number of cosponsors to move the bill forward, and we are now in a strong position to pass it,” Juntilla wrote in an email to the
“Shirley Chisholm’s legacy as the first African-American woman elected to Congress and a fearless advocate for equality and justice continues to inspire generations.”
NNPA. “We are looking for ways to collaborate further in order to elevate her legacy.” Juntilla also emphasized the importance of continuing to amplify Chisholm’s story through additional collaborations, including op-eds and media campaigns. Juntilla even noted the value of highlighting Butler and Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), who is leading the effort in the House. NNPA President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. and members of the NNPA’s main office organized a meeting with Butler where they discussed the honor for Chisholm. “The legacy of the Honorable Shirley Chisholm lives radiantly today and for generations to come,” Chavis remarked. “The NNPA stands resolutely in support of the leadership of the Honorable Laphonsa Butler to bestow
to Chisholm the Congressional honors that she deserves.” Bobby Henry, chairman of the NNPA, also expressed the organization’s unwavering support for the bill and its significance. “As Chairman of the NNPA, I am honored to stand in support of the Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold Medal Act, a vital recognition of one of the most transformative figures in American history,” said Henry, who also publishes the Westside Gazette Newspaper in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. “Shirley Chisholm’s legacy as the first African-American woman elected to Congress and a fearless advocate for equality and justice continues to inspire generations. “We commend Senator Laphonza Butler and Representative Barbara Lee Continued on A3
What to know about Scott Turner, the pick for housing secretary By Adriana Gomez Licon The Associated Press Scott Turner, Presidentelect’s choice to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development, is a former NFL player who ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term. Turner, 52, is the sole Black person selected to be a member of the Republican president-elect’s cabinet. Here are some things to know about Turner: From professional football to politics Turner grew up in a Dallas suburb, Richardson, and graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He was a defensive back and spent nine seasons in the NFL beginning in
1995, playing for the Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos. During offseasons, he worked as an intern with then-Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif. After Turner retired in 2004, he worked full time for the congressman. In 2006, Turner ran unsuccessfully as a Republican in California’s 50th Congressional District. Turner joined the Texas House in 2013 as part of a large crop of tea party-supported lawmakers. He tried unsuccessfully to become speaker before he finished his second term in 2016. He did not seek a third term. Motivational speaker and pastor Turner also worked for a software company in a position called “chief inspiration
His church, Prestonwood Baptist Church, lists him as an associate pastor. He is also chair of the center for education opportunity at America First Policy Institute, a think tank set up by former Trump administration staffers to lay the groundwork if he won a second term.
AP Photo/Evan Vucci
Scott Turner, the executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council, attends a meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House. officer” and said he acted as a professional mentor, pastor and councilor for the employees and executive team. He has also been a motivational
speaker. He and his wife, Robin Turner, founded a nonprofit promoting initiatives to improve childhood literacy.
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Headed council in Trump’s first term Trump introduced Turner in April 2019 as the head of the new White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council. Trump credited Turner with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” The mission of the council was to coordinate with various federal agencies to attract Continued on A3