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www.newpittsburghcourier.com Vol. 115 No. 6 Two Sections
FEBRUARY 7-13, 2024
Dr. Ralph Proctor, famed historian, author, professor, passes
DR. RALPH PROCTOR PASSED AWAY ON FRIDAY MORNING, FEB. 2, ACCORDING TO HIS SON.
by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer
In the "Something People Might Not Know About Me" section of the CCAC website that houses Ralph Proctor's bio, he said that "despite a very public life...I really
am quite introverted and rather shy." Well, that "introverted" and "rather shy" person met with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., participated in the civil rights movements of the '50s and '60s, wrote three books, hosted radio and television
programs like WQED's "Black Horizons," spent decades giving public speeches, created Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs and traveled extensively through Africa. And still, that doesn't seem like anywhere near enough to describe Ralph
Proctor, Ph.D., and his accomplishments. Dr. Proctor died on Friday morning, Feb. 2, according to his son. "Brother Proctor was the consummate fearless warrior for justice," said Ronald Saunders, President of the Dr. Edna B. McKenzie
Branch of ASALH (Association for the Study of African American Life and History), in a statement to the New Pittsburgh Courier. "He would tackle Jim Crow and racism regardless of where it reared its ugly head, whether it was at the University of
Pittsburgh, the United States Military, WQED or any other venue. Brother Proctor had great love for Black people and traveled the African continent collecting art from various SEE PROCTOR A5
Dr. Kathi Elliott receives Steelers’ Changemaker Award—and tickets to the Super Bowl Gwen’s Girls CEO touts early success of new diversion program for Allegheny County youth by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer
Come this Sunday, Feb. 11, pretty much everyone is going to be watching the Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers. But Kathi Elliott, Ph.D., the CEO of inspirational nonprofit organization Gwen’s Girls, will have a much better vantage point of the game. She’ll actually be at the game. Surprised as “all getout” was Elliott when she was presented with two free tickets to Super Bowl LVIII (58) by the Pittsburgh Steelers, just after she was named the recipient of the team’s Inspire Change Changemaker Award. The annual award is presented to someone for their work in support of social justice in the region. The presentation was made to Elliott by former Steeler Will Allen
inside Acrisure Stadium, just before the Steelers’ final home game this past season against the Cincinnati Bengals, a 34-11 win, Dec. 23, 2023. The Steelers said the Changemaker Award is reserved for those making a difference in their community across Inspire Change’s four focus areas: education, economic advancement, police-community relations, and criminal justice reform. The Steelers said Gwen’s Girls, which was founded by Elliott’s mother, Gwen, offers a “safe space where girls and young women can form relationships, build self-esteem and gain resiliency, directly making an impact under the Inspire Change education pillar,” according to the team’s release. In Pittsburgh’s African American community, Gwen’s Girls is well-known. SEE ELLIOTT A6
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DR. KATHI ELLIOTT, NOT SURPRISINGLY, IS DONATING THE $10,000 CHECK TO HER NONPROFIT, GWEN’S GIRLS.