F.A.M.E. Engulfed By Flames Oldest Black Church in Oakland destroyed by fire. Members seek help to raise $1 million for restoration of 165yr-old congregation. https://gofund.me/4f586f89
By Carla Thomas
FAME, First African Methodist Episcopal Church near Telegraph and MacArthur was damaged by a 3-alarm fire late Sunday night, February 19. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Photo: FAME Oakland.
On Sunday night, February 19 a 3-alarm fire ripped through the First African Methodist Episcopal (FAME) Church, near Telegraph and MacArthur in Oakland. Flames engulfed the rooftop and much of the interior of the oldest church in Oakland. Firefighters said it was such a challenge to put out the fire from the
inside, that they retreated to the exterior while extinguishing the fire for five hours. FAME Church was established in 1858, serving as a spiritual and cultural center for the African American community in Oakland for over 160 years. The church was a sanctuary of hope and perseverance for many who had faced discrimination, segre-
gation, and racism. On President’s Day, the following morning, many church members, clergy and community members -- still in disbelief -stood outside the charred structure where pieces of debris, and black ash surrounded the front entry and side street of the church. While the Oakland Fire Department investigators observed
the damage to the church, onlookers drove by to view the remains of the building while some parked and chatted with congregation members to offer support. The cause of the fire is undetermined and is under the investigation of OFD as well as the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosive.
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Reverend Rodney Smith, pastor of the oldest church in Oakland, First African Methodist Episcopal Church FAME announces services will be held February 26, 2023 at 10am at Temple Beth Abraham at 327 MacArthur Blvd. in Oakland. Smith is grateful when pastors come together and thanks Rabbi Mark Bloom for opening his church to the FAME congregation.
Oakland Post “Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18
60th Year, No. 8
Weekly Edition. Edition. February 22 - 28, 2023
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Asian and NAACP Leaders Join With Plea for Armstrong’s Return
Rep. Barbara Lee faces two other California Democrats in next year’s primary.
Rep. Barbara Lee Joins Competitive Race to Replace Sen. Dianne Feinstein
By Tanu Henry California Black Media
NAACP President Cynthia Adams (dressed in Red in the center) is accompanied by Fremont Vice Mayor, Teresa Kang, Carl Chan, Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce President and NAACP Advisor Greg McConnell. Photo by Gene Hazzard.
Resnick Resigns from School Board, Clearing Way for Hutchinson to Take District 4 Seat By Ken Epstein
Nick Resnick
Mike Hutchinson
Nick Resnick announced this week on his website that he is resigning as the Oakland Unified School District Board member for District 4 in the midst of a legal controversy over whether he had won his position in error. “I recognize I can continue to contest this election for months and that for months we can spend precious public funds on a legal process and have uncertainty about who is ultimately going to occupy this seat,” wrote Resnick. “At this time, I don’t think that is what’s best for this community and I don’t think that’s going to help get our schools where they need to go,” he wrote. “Instead, at this time, I am making the choice to congrat-
Chairman Thompson:‘Classified Tapes’... Page 9
ulate my opponent and share that I will no longer be opposing the election contest, and therefore resigning from the D4 seat.” In November, the Alameda County Registrar of Voters had announced the final vote count and declared Resnick the winner in the District 4 school board race. In January, he was sworn in and took his seat on the board. However, on Dec. 28, 2022, the registrar announced that his office had used an incorrect software program to tally the votes in November elections, changing the results in only once race: Mike Hutchinson had actually received the most votes in the three-way race for Board of Education in District 4. While pointing out the error, the
CA Black Caucus, Black History Month... Page 2
county registrar offered no remedy.
Seeking to correct the mistake, Hutchinson filed suit and went to court. An Alameda County Supe-
rior Court judge set a trial date for March 16.
However, there are still many
steps to take before Hutchinson can assume the District 4 school board seat. The court has yet to de-
clare him the winner, and the new election result still needs to be certified.
At that point, Hutchinson would
have to resign from his District 5
seat and take the District 4 position. Then, the school board could
hold a special election or appoint a new District 5 representative.
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA12), the highest-ranking African American woman serving in the U.S. Congress, announced on February 21, that she will enter the race to replace 89-year-old Dianne Feinstein — California’s senior U.S. Senator who has announced that she will not seek another term. “No one is rolling out the welcome mat – especially for someone like me. I am the girl they didn’t allow in, who couldn’t drink from the water fountain, who had an abortion in a back alley when they all were illegal,” Lee said in a video she released announcing her senatorial bid. “I escaped a violent marriage, became a single mom, a homeless mom, a mom who couldn’t afford childcare and brought her kids to class with her.” “By the grace of God, I didn’t let that stop me,” Lee said over a soundtrack of loudening applause. “And even though there are no African American women in the U.S. Senate, we won’t let that stop us either. Because when you stand on the side of justice, you don’t quit when they give
you a seat at the table. You bring a folding chair for everyone, and they’re here to stay.” A week earlier, Lee, a 12-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives who is known for her progressive politics, filed the required paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to be a candidate in the 2024 race. “It has been an immense honor to serve alongside Senator Dianne Feinstein, the longest-serving woman senator in our nation’s history,” Lee said in a statement after Feinstein’s announcement. “For over two decades, we’ve worked closely together to represent the best interests of our great state of California; create an economy that works for all; and advance justice and equity.” “The progress we’ve made in the fight for equity can be seen in the Senator’s tenure itself: when she was elected in ’92, there were just two women senators. Today, there are 25,” Lee said, continuing her homage to Feinstein. If Lee wins, she will be the only Black woman serving in the U.S. Senate. Just two Black women, Vice President Kamala Harris and former Illinois Senator Carol Continued on page 10
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Attacking Bonta’s Appt. Unfair... Page 3
Removing “Slavery” from CA Constitution... Page 5