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Soccer Legend, Pele... Page 5
Forgotten Bladk Women Who Served in WWI...Page 3
Oakland Post “Where there is no vision, the people perish...” ProverbsCelebrating 29:18
Pallbearers
postnewsgroup.com
the Life of
Weekly Edition. Edition. December 28, 2022 - January 3, 2023
59th Year, No. 29
Many Openings onJr.Boards and Mark E. Dawson Mario Louis Dawson Commissions asLawrence Sheng Thao Takes Office Joseph Gayden Joshua Daniel Hudson Antwan Sneed Christopher Hudson Onome O’Gude Damilola Gbadebo
cies) • Oakland Workforce Development Board (3 vacancies) • Public Safety and Service Violence Prevention (2 vacancies) • Cannabis Regulatory Commission (5 vacancies) • Oakland Housing Authority (4 vacancies) • Budget Advisory Commission (8 vacancies) For a list of boards and commissions, an explanation of what they do and an application, go Sheng Thao. Photo courtesy of Sheng Thao. to www.oaklandca.gov/boardsBy Ken Epstein “Now, we have a great opportu- commissions nity to help encourage and increase For a list of current vacanAs Mayor-elect Sheng Thao civic participation for community cies on these bodies, go to prepares to take office, many Oakchange among our BWOPA mem- https://oakland.granicus.com/ you for the love landersThank are looking forward to theand support that has been bestowed upon our family boards/w/8552f8c4c0e15460/ during this time. We you for your prayers, phone calls, beautiful flowpossibility of creating a new erathank in boards/6672 comforting words, which ers, the city administration cre-and thoughtful cards. Thank you to Dr. Preston R. Vann toldfamily the Oakland Winfrey, Pastor and and the entire Pioneer Missionary Baptist Church for Post that ates policy more transparently inclusively than it did for the past at the last City Council meeting, covering our family during our time of grief. eight years under Libby Schaaf’s Mayor Schaaf had submitted some The Hudson Family leadership. appointments to the boards and One important step may be for commissions, but the council did Oakland residents with ideas and not approve them. energy to become actively involved “The Council held them back Designed & Printed By Abbott’s Printing, Inc. in developing policy by joining one LaNiece Jones.Holland, Photo courtesy 611 E. 170th Street • South IL 60473 of• 708.339.6010 because the incoming mayor of the city’s many voluntary ap- LaNiece Jones. should have the opportunity to fill pointed boards and commissions. the vacancies. That was a good debers and the Black community at large with our new administration cision,” he said.
Acknowledgements
James Vann. Photo courtesy of James Vann.
Promoting community participation, James Vann, a longtime Oakland advocate for tenants’ rights and for humane homelessness policies, said he hopes to see people stepping up to work with Thao’s administration. “There are many openings on boards and commissions, and there will be opportunities for people to help make positive changes in Oakland,” said Vann. Added LaNiece Jones of Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA).:
via the numerous boards and commission opportunities available. Let’s go!” “It’s a chance for our people who have not had an opportunity to be part of decision making to be at the table,” she said. At present, some of the nearly 40 boards and commissions are almost dormant, and others have a narrow range of members mostly allied with the outgoing mayor’s pro-corporate development agenda. The list includes: • City Planning Commission (2 vacancies) • Commission on Homelessness (7 vacancies) • Oakland Youth Commission (2 vacancies) • Cultural Affairs Commission (5 vacancies) • Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission (1 vacancy) • Police Commission (2 vacan-
Pamela Drake. Photo courtesy of Pamela Drake.
Pamela Drake, who is a member of the Wellstone Democratic Club and is active in the Democratic Party said, “We have a lot of commissions and boards, but under Libby, anyone who had influence was part of an inside clique. She left us in a state of dysfunction.” “To me, it’s most important that people are involved in local government,” she said. “They need to be involved in making decisions. At the level of commissions, they can actually make policy.”
The Life & Legacy of Deacon Joe L. Hudson Joe L. Hudson was born in as a machinist. While working he members, and his pastor. He perSlaughter Mississippi on April 16, attended Dunbar Vocational High formed all his duties well. 1936, to John and Catherine Hud- School at night, where he received Joe enjoyed many hobbies inson. He was the 7th child out of 11 a certification for auto-mechanics. cluding hunting, gardening, mechildren of which 8 who preceded Joe and his brothers had an entre- chanics, watching basketball, him in death (John Jr., Theodore, preneurial spirit and they formed baseball, Wheel of Fortune and Charles, Robert, Luther, Elizabeth, the Hudson River Club, where taking exceptional care of his Lawrence, Jimmy, and Clarence). they provided entertainment for house. Joe was also a community Joe became acquainted with God the Chicagoland area mainly at the leader. He was the first president of at a young age. He accepted Christ High Chaparral Club. the 8700 S. Crandon Block Club. as his savior and was baptized. He After 14 years at Supreme He made sure whenever it snowed belonged to the Bell Grove Baptist Products, he took a position as a that the street and alleys were clear Church in Mississippi. foreman at Avon Gear and Engiand safe for all the families in the Joe and his family were share- FRIDAY, neering where he worked until his DECEMBER 23, 2022 FUNERAL: AMage of neighborhood up until his passing. croppers and as a young boy retirement in 201411:00 at the Joe exhibited all the qualities PIONEER MISSIONARY BAPTIST he picked cotton in the fields of 78 after 44 years of service. CHURCH The 315 E. 161st Place Greenwood, Mississippi where Tinaglia family owns Avon Gear of a good and faithful servant. He South Holland, IL 60473 he grew up. He attended Money andDr. Engineering and Officiating they quickly was a provider, a man of faith, and Preston Winfrey, Vocational High School which is became a second family to Joe. He taught his daughters to have an where he first found his passion was very proud of the work that he exceptional work-ethic. He loved with auto mechanics. Joe also en- did and the legacy he left behind his wife Lucille dearly. Joe leaves joyed playing basketball. there. Joe was adored and men- a legacy of dedication, indepenAs a young teenager in Green- tored many during his time there. dence, and perseverance for all to wood, Mississippi Joe met and fell In 1972 Joe and his family follow. in love with Lucille Green. Their joined Pioneer Baptist Church unAfter serving the Lord through love was fierce, and they cemented der the leadership of Rev. James sickness and health, Joe’s Savior their union with marriage on No- Butler. Rev. Preston R. Winfrey invited him from labor to reward. vember 27, 1954. became the pastor in 1981 after Being surrounded by his family, Like many Black families be- the resignation of Rev. Butler. and listening to a recorded worfore them, in the fifties the new- Joe remained a devoted member ship service of his church family, lyweds crossed the Mason Dixon of Pioneer until his passing. Joe Joe quietly bid his family farewell, Line to Chicago in pursuit of a served in many roles for the church and said hello to his loving heavenbetter life for their budding fam- faithfully, but his most prized role ly father. Joe leaves to cherish his ily. From their union were born 4 was that of a Deacon. He served memory, his wife Lucille and their daughters Brenda, Doris, Renia, on the Deacon Board, Trustees daughters Brenda, Doris (Mark and Linda. He also has a daughter Board, Department of Christian Beverly Ann Harris. Service, Male Chorus, he was the Sr.), Renia, and Linda, his daughOnce they migrated to Chicago, Superintendent of Sunday School, ter Beverly Ann Harris, foster chilJoe and his family joined the his- a member of the Christian Educa- dren Antwan and Tanya Sneed, his toric Stone Temple M.B. Church tion, Sunday School Teacher, and sisters Rosie B. Jackson, Virginia on the west side under the lead- Zone Deacon. While at Pioneer Pulliam, and Annette McCann, ership of Rev. James Marcellus he attended Moody Bible Institute a host of grandchildren, great Stone. He began working at Su- to further his biblical training and grandchildren, nieces, nephews, preme Products where he worked leadership. He loved his church, and God children.
Deacon
Joe L. Hudson April 16, 1936 - December 14, 2022
Post Publisher in Selma March with Dr. King
Jill Plair and her daughter Shiloh Plair-Jones
Artist, 7, Draws MLK’s image as her call for peace
By Paul and Gay Plair Cobb
By Paul Lawrence Cobb,
Religion Editor Oakland Post Every year we celebrate the na-
tional holiday of the January 15th birthday of the Rev. Dr. Martin
Luther and honor him for his sac-
rifices to end voter suppression and
life and my journalistic and profes-
voter exclusion for Blacks.
sional career.
articles about our participation and
of four young men from Oakland
Montgomery, Alabama journey
with
I will be publishing a series of
how the meaning of the Selma to helped to shape and influence my
In 1965 a multi-racial group
went to Selma Alabama to march The Southern Christian Lead-
ership Conference led by the Late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. took a stand to demand the right to vote for all Americans. Our group consisted of Milton Hare, Caucasian, Fernando Canales, Latino, Continued on page 10
Shiloh Plair-Jones a 7 year-old artist said she drew a picture of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. after seeing a video of him talking during her first-grade class. Shiloh said, “I saw a picture of Martin Luther King and I miss him because if he was here we wouldn’t have all these problems in New York City and everywhere.”
Shiloh’s mother Jill said, “She also hears what her grandparents Ted and Therese Plair discuss when they are watching the news and talking about the world’s problems.” During her interview with the Post, Shiloh said she drew Dr. King because “He was a good guy. He made the Black and White kids be able to go to school together and not be apart .