Tribute to Allen Temple Baptist Church Pastor Emeritus Rev. Dr. J. Alfred Smith Sr., 94
“I decided early to give my life to something eternal and absolute. Not to little gods… but to God who is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.” — J. Alfred Smith Sr. By Rev. Dr. Martha C. Taylor Allen Temple Baptist Church Historian Most tributes are written from the writer’s personal perspective of the deceased. My intent is to expand this tribute so that readers feel a sense of shared experiences and admiration. Pastor Smith had a unique gift of making each person feel as if their relationship with him was deep and personal; making every single one of us feel like the most important person he knew. To that extent this tribute is written as shared experiences and admiration for a man who was exceptional in his ministry, his mission and his life. To pay tribute to this giant of a man is a high privilege and honor. The Rev. Dr. J. Alfred Smith Sr. lived a life beyond himself. Using his famous quote, “I wish I could make it plain,” my desire is to make this tribute plain so that the reader can feel Dr. Smith’s compassion, wisdom, his love for the other, his faithful service while he traveled the Jericho Road. His deep faith was a powerful example to others; affirming a shared hope in God as we recall
his lasting legacy. We celebrate his life, his love for the other, and a legacy that few will attain. J. Alfred Smith was born May 19, 1931, in Kansas City, Missouri. He was raised by his loving mother, Amy Gates Smith, and his grandmother, Mrs. Martha Henry. He obtained his early education in Kansas City and graduated in 1948 from R. T. Coles High School. That same year, he was licensed to preach, and in 1951 he was ordained at Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church in Kansas City where he served as assistant pastor for three years. In 1950, Pastor Smith married the love of his life, Joanna Goodwin. To this union, five beautiful children were added to the family, bringing even more joy and happiness. Their marriage lasted until she was called home to be with the Lord on Aug. 12, 2007. Later, the Lord blessed Dr. Smith and Rev. Bernestine Farley in marriage. Together they were powerful ministry partners with a blended family. Rev. Bernie, as she is fondly called, is an ordained minister, having served at the Allen Temple Arms I
and II. During the 1950s to ’60s, Dr. Smith pastored various small churches in Missouri He also served for three years as principal of Lincoln Elementary School in Keyesville, Missouri, over a period of 20 years. With a heart to excel, and knowing that God wants his leaders properly equipped to serve the people, he burned the midnight oil and enrolled in several colleges and universities and earned four degrees; a Bachelor of Science in elementary education (1952), Bachelor of Divinity (1959), Masters of Theology in Church and Community (1966), Master’s in American Church History (1972), and a Doctor of Ministry (1975). In 1971, Dr. Smith was elected senior pastor of Allen Temple Baptist Church. He was elected president of the Progressive Baptist State Convention of California in 1979, and president of the Progressive National Baptist Convention in 1986. Smith joined the teaching faculty at the American Baptist Seminary of the West as professor of Christian Ministries in 1992. The question which arises at
this time is what were some of the human qualities, God-given gifts, his dedication to his calling that impacted his ministry locally and beyond? Pastor Smith loved to pray; he knew his power and strength came from a deep prayer life with God. His meetings started with prayer, his phone calls ended in prayer, and amazingly, he often would make phone calls and say “I was just thinking of you, let’s have a word of prayer.” Dr. Smith did not set out to make himself famous, however, he became a renowned celebrated pastor, preacher, professor, prophet, author, and theologian. He has been honored as one of the top Black preachers of America, earned and received countless awards and was the recipient of hundreds of honoree acknowledgements that would be a small book in itself. He addressed the United Nations to oppose South African apartheid and preached in pulpits worldwide, never shying away from controversial issues that represent the marginalized. Dr. Smith had a way of attracting people; he Continued on page 10
Rev. Dr. J. Alfred Smith Sr. , Allen Temple Baptist Church Pastor Emeritus. Photo courtesy Allen Temple Baptist Church.
Oakland Post “Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18
62nd Year, No. 39
Weekly Edition September 24 - 30, 2025
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Belva Davis, Renowned Bay The Healthcare Effects of the Area TV Journalist Who Broke One Big Beautiful Bill Act the Color Line, Dies at 92
An artist’s rendering of the Mark Twain Homes in East Oakland. Oakland awarded $33 million in Homekey+ funds for the Mark Twain Homes. Courtesy image.
Oakland Awarded $33 Million to Rehab 109 Units for Affordable Housing
By Post Staff
The City of Oakland and Memar Properties, Inc. (MPI) have been awarded $32,975,000 in State Homekey+ funds for the Mark Twain Homes in East Oakland. The funding will support the rehabilitation and new construction of 109 housing units to serve individuals experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. The Mark Twain Homes, the city’s 11th Homekey+ project, is located in Oakland’s District 5 at 3525 Lyon Ave. and 2426 35th Ave.
“This $33 million Homekey+ award is a proud moment for Oakland – proof that our city leads with real solutions,” said Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee. “With the Mark Twain Homes project, we’re adding 109 affordable housing units that will provide stability and dignity for Oaklanders who have experienced or are at risk of experiencing homelessness,” Lee continued. “And we will keep building on this momentum to make Oakland a city where everyone has a clean, safe place to call home.”
Continued on page 10
A Life of Service: Dr. Nadine Scott and Ariel Outreach Mission
Dr. Nadine Scott, co-founder and executive director Ariel Outreach Mission. Photo Courtesy of Dr. Nadine Scott & Arielom.org. By Carla Thomas In the heart of East Oakland, where resilience and community spirit often carry neighbors through difficult times, stands Ariel Outreach Mission (AOM). Since 1982, the nonprofit has been a refuge for women and children in crisis, and at its helm is co-founder and Executive
Director Dr. Nadine Scott, D. Hum. Her life’s work reflects a steadfast belief that every person deserves dignity, safety, and a pathway forward. Dr. Scott’s calling began not in boardrooms or offices, but on the streets of Oakland. Witnessing women huddled at bus stops or sleeping along city sidewalks, she was moved to action. She, along with her sister, founder of AOM, Pastor Karla Jackson, and a small group of volunteers began offering support and shelter resources, work that formed the foundation of what would become Ariel Outreach Mission. “Prior to assisting people on the streets, my sister Karla and I supported unhoused college students, so we provided homes for young women getting their education,” said Scott. For more than four decades, AOM has carried forward that same mission, dedicated to helping the most vulnerable secure housing, stability, and hope serving over 450,000 people. AOM’s services include just Continued on page 10
H. Geoffrey Watson, M.D. Courtesy photo.
By H. Geoffrey Watson, M.D.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), passed by Congress and signed into law by Pres. Donald Trump on July 4, will result in significant cuts to federal health programs leading to millions of Americans losing insurance coverage. The law, which will become active in January 2026, includes major changes to the Affordable
Care Act, Medicaid and Medicare and is expected to strain the healthcare system and increase costs and exacerbate existing problems with access disparities. It is anticipated that more than 10 million people will lose Medicaid coverage by 2034 according to the Congressional Budget Office. The California Hospital Association estimates that 1.8 Continued on page 10
Cover of Belva Davis’ 2011 memoir “Never in My Wildest Dreams.” File photo. Special to The Post Belva Davis, who started out as a free-lance writer for Jet magazine and the Sun Reporter and went on to break the color line as the first Black woman TV journalist on the West Coast, has died. She was 92. Hired in 1966 at KPIX, the CBS affiliate in San Francisco, Davis, as a Black woman, was so rare that for Black families, the sight of her on air meant someone watching ran to the telephone to
alert others that ‘a Negro was on TV.’ After her stint at KPIX, Davis would remain on the air for nearly five decades with time at KRON and KQED where she hosted “KQED Newsroom” and “This Week in Northern California” until she retired in 2012. Born in Monroe, Louisiana, on Oct. 13, 1933, Belvagene Melton moved to Oakland with her family in the 1940s. A graduate of Berkeley High School, she was accepted to San Francisco State College, but couldn’t attend because her family couldn’t afford tuition. Without any training in the craft, Davis began to write for Black publications in 1957 and then KDIA radio. When she and the station’s news director were verbally and physically attacked at the Republican National Convention at San Francisco’s Cow Palace in 1964, it galvanized her move to television journalism, where, again, she learned on the job. “She confronted prejudice, confronted every possible barrier, and yet became the journalist who was most trusted and most believed,” former San Francisco Continued on page 10
FOPL 75th, Free Books, Arts Crafts Friends of the Oakland Public Library,(FOPL) is celebrating its 75th anniversary on Sat. Sept. 27, at The Bookmark Bookstore, 933 Broadway, with a free Open House featuring arts and crafts, free giveaways (cookbooks, anyone?), and special book lovers’
Beyond the Headlines: NABJ’s 50-Year Journey on Film Oakland Police Department Chief Floyd Mitchell. Official photo.
OPD Chief Stands by Decision to Reassign Officers to Patrol Duties At the Oakland International Film Festival (OIFF) at the Grand
Special to The Post
Citing staff shortages due to attrition, Oakland Police Department Chief Floyd Mitchell backed up his decision to put more officers on patrol duties and refuted claims that Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee’s administration was at fault. Lee has been known for prais-
ing OPD for refusing to aid ICE agents in rounding up immigrants for deportation and has vowed to help end the federal oversight under her watch. She also signed the budget passed by City Council that would provide OPD a budget of $386 million this fiscal year and Continued on page 10
Lake Theater (l-r) Bob Butler, former KCBS anchor and past NABJ president; journalist Allison Davis, and NABJ founder and UC Berkeley School of Journalism Dean Michael D. Bolden. Photo By Carla Thomas. By Carla Thomas
documentary “Beyond the Head-
In 2025, the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) commemorated its 50th anniversary with the premiere of the
lines: The NABJ Journey.” Directed by James Franklin Blue III, the 40-minute film tracContinued on page 10