Freedom Award winner: ‘Still in the movement’

Dr. Bernard Lafayette Jr. – the 2012 National Freedom Award winner – knows that Memphis is special, set apart by some of the contributions made here to the civil rights movement.

"Many people look at Memphis in sort of a morbid way because Martin Luther King was taken away from us on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, but it could have been anywhere," said Dr. Lafayette, who will be in Memphis on Oct. 16 for the annual Freedom Award event hosted by the National Civil Rights Museum.

Concerns linger over shooting by off-duty cop

By the numbers, it wasn't much of a protest. Two people – a husband and wife – bearing signs that voiced anger and concern over the recent shooting death of 15-year-old Justin Thompson by off-duty Memphis Police Department (MPD) officer Terrance Shaw.

MPD Director Tony Armstrong, who has asked the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, to examine the shooting, has said Shaw apparently was responding to an armed robbery attempt. Shaw was suspended with pay, pending the TBI results.

City of Memphis, D.A.’s office and Grizzlies form mentoring team

The City of Memphis on Wednesday (Oct. 3) launched the Mayor's Mentoring Initiative in partnership with the Shelby County District Attorney General's Office and the Memphis Grizzlies Charitable Foundation.

As part of the initiative, city employees will be encouraged to serve as mentors to area youth, either through the District Attorney's Mentoring Program or with one of the organizations that participates in the Grizzlies Mentoring Alliance.

‘I’m Mr. William Larsha ... I will be teaching you ...’

Mr. William Larsha Sr. was a walking library of love on fire to find, create, shape and disseminate information to help, strengthen and bolster the opportunities of the African-American community. To call him a political activist doesn't do him justice. The man had many ways to lead you to consider and challenge your own thoughts and viewpoints.

I can proudly say this because in my own quest to try to write something that would be one day useful for others, Mr. Larsha was perhaps the first living influence upon my goals. I will never forget the moment I met him. To this very day, I model my teaching time with my nephews in the same manner he taught my classmates and I.

Off-duty police homicide morphs into robbery investigation and more

Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong was stoic on Tuesday afternoon as Mayor AC Wharton Jr. detailed his resolve to assemble a select group of individuals with knowledge of law enforcement procedures and policies to review the department Armstrong commands.

While reaffirming his confidence in Armstrong, Wharton told media gathered in his seventh-floor conference room that, "I'm not passing judgment, but obviously something isn't working correctly. It's not a matter of frustration, it's just an objective statement."

Signed up, fired up and ready to vote!

"We are not only registering voters, but we are helping people obtain the photo IDs they need to vote. We will go to the polls. We will vote, and we will send our President back to the White House..."

– State Rep. Johnnie Turner, Memphis (D- 85)

Something happened around the nation on Tuesday that touched millions of Americans in neighborhoods and across college campuses. An estimated 1,100 civil rights organizations, churches, African-American fraternities and sororities, civic clubs, elected officials, and private citizens pushed back against what many see as a tide of "voter suppression."

Remembering Owen College

Owen College – though short-lived – has an illustrious history now woven into the fabric of The LeMoyne-Owen College. For those with personal experiences, the memories are rushing forward in anticipation of the 60th anniversary of its founding.

In the 14 years of its operation, approximately 4,000 students attended the institution, which merged in the fall of 1968 to form LeMoyne-Owen College (LOC). It is significant that the celebration of the 60th anniversary of Owen College's founding parallels the 150th anniversary of the founding of LOC.

Blinding disease can’t stop 8 year old’s quest to achieve

When a toddler reaches the age of 16 months, his or her parents expect their little bundle of joy to be playful, mobile, energetic and demanding. But no one would expect that precious moment to be over-shadowed by a blinding disease that would become problematic over time.

Such was the case when Alicia Hall discovered that her son Gino LaVon Hall Jr.'s left eye had begun shifting asymmetrically in relation to his right eye. So she took him immediately to see an ophthalmologist at Southern College of Optometry.

Geeter pilots first ‘Samsung Smart School’ in the nation

"Excited" is the word Geeter Middle School students repeat when describing their thoughts about landing the nation's first Samsung "Smart School Solution," an advanced teaching technology that changes the way students learn.

The technology brings a modern, efficient way to engage students that could revolutionize classroom learning forever.

Advocate touts benefits of school choice

Virginia Walden Ford knows a thing or two about school choice. A native of Little Rock, she was one of 130 African-American students handpicked to desegregate the city's high schools in the 1960's.

Last week (Sept. 20), Ford was in Memphis and center stage as the speaker at a luncheon fashioned for a discussion on opportunity scholarships and school choice.

New state director for Zeta Phi Beta

Memphian Donna R. Williams was recently appointed state director of Tennessee for Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. by the sorority's 24th International President, Mary Breaux Wright.

‘100 Smiles’ vs breast cancer

Audria "Nubia" Arnold, CEO of Nubia Creative Images, is using her creative eye and cutting edge artistry to promote breast cancer awareness.

NCI will present its first 100 Smiles Go Pink Breast Awareness Campaign for Breast Cancer on Oct. 5-6 at Nubia Creative Images, 4466 Elvis Presley Blvd, Ste 210.