Black Genocide in Chicago - February 28, 2018 Edition of Chicago Street Journal.

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10 February 28 - March 13, 2018 Chicago Street Journal Joins the Ancestors Lerone Bennett, Jr. 1928 to 2018 Writer and social historian Lerone Bennett, Jr. served as the executive editor of Ebony for almost forty years. His written work deftly explores the history of race relations in the United States as well as the current environment in which African Americans strive for equality. Bennett was born on October 17, 1928, in Clarksdale, Mississippi, to Lerone and Alma (Reed) Bennett. When Bennett was young, his family moved to Jackson, Mississippi, and it was here, while attending Jackson's public schools, that Bennett's interest in journalism was initiated. Bennett attended Morehouse College, earning a B.A. in 1949. He has always considered Morehouse as the center of his academic development. After graduating, Bennett formally entered the world of journalism as a reporter for the now defunct Atlanta Daily World. He became the city editor for the magazine and worked there until 1953, when he began his work as an associate editor at Jet magazine in Chicago, Illinois. In 1954, Bennett became an associate editor at Ebony and he was promoted to senior editor of the magazine in 1958. Since then, his comprehensive articles have become one of the magazine's literary hallmarks. A series of articles originally published in Ebony resulted in Bennett's first book, a seminal piece of work, Before the Mayflower: A History of Black America, 1619-1962. The book, with its comprehensive examination of the history of African Americans in the United States, gave Bennett the reputation of a firstclass popular historian. In his eight subsequent books, Bennett has continued to document the historical forces shaping the Black experience in the United States. His other works include: What Manner of Man?, Pioneers In Protest and The Shaping of Black America. Bennett has received numerous awards such as the Literature Award of the Academy of Arts and Letters, Book of the Year Award from Capital Press Club and the Patron Saints Award from the Society of Midland Authors. He has served as advisor and consultant to several national organizations and commissions, including the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders. Bennett's articles, short stories and poems have been translated into five languages. Culver’s opens up at Lake Meadows shopping Center on 35th and King Drive, the ever-expanding franchise now number nearly 650 in 24 states. It signature items include their ButterBurger. The restaurant owner is Guy Hollis, center of photo waving. (Continued from page 2) person is engaging in illegal drug activity or has a substance use disorder; others require a specific screening process. The states include: Illinois have proposals to drug test those applicants who have been convicted of drug-related offenses. The federal rules permit drug testing as part of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant. In recent years, nearly all states have proposed some form of drug testing or screening for applicants. TBTNEWS UPDATE Harper Opposes School Closing in Englewood State Representative Sonya Harper (D- 6th) released the following statement after CPS announced the proposal to close all of the public high schools in West Englewood and Englewood this school year, in June of 2018. “This is more than an attack on the education for our most vulnerable children in the city, it is a direct attack on the livelihood of our black communities across the city of Chicago. Four high school closing at one time will only add to the instability of a community that is already struggling with the highest rates of unemployment, crime, food insecurity and a lack of housing for families. "In Englewood and West Englewood we have already experienced six elementary school closings at once which took a devastating toll on residents and now those buildings are just sitting empty. Harper District includes all or portions of Armour Square, Bridgeport, Chicago Lawn, Englewood, Gage Park, Back of the Yards, Canaryville, New City, West Englewood, and Marquette Park. Momentum Across the South to End Money Bail for Black Woman Last year, Southerners on New Ground (SONG) -- the region's largest queer liberation group -- initiated their Black Mama's Bail Out campaign to raise money to free poor Black women from jail while awaiting trial and to draw attention to what it calls "the immoral system" of cash bail that affects people of color disproportionately. Centered around Mother's Day, the campaign sought to honor the contributions that Black women make to the community and recognize the harm inflicted when they're separated from their loved ones.
Christine Houston is a native Chicagoan, who went on to become a staff writer on the Punky Brewster TV series and, in 1985, her play, Two Twenty-Seven was adapted to television and became NBC’s hit television series 227. She won several awards for her playwriting, which lead her to Los Angeles where she wrote a teleplay for the TV series The Jeffersons. CSJ loves interviewing folks from Chicago. We’re sure that your Parker High School classmates are still excited about your success. Did any of this take your by surprise? Did you even imagine the success of Two Twenty- Seven, as your worked on the play, while still a student at Kennedy-King College? Christine: I wrote the play Two Twenty-Seven on a challenge by my fellow classmates. They were going to attend a spring conference, representing Kennedy-King College (KKC), that was being held at a university in Texas. Having won awards in every theater category except playwriting, they were desperate to win that award. CSJ: What was your major? Christine: When asked what my major was, I lied and told them Journalism. After all, I was a 42-year-old wife and mother of three teenage boys and couldn’t bring myself to the point of telling them I was there because of my secret ambition to acquire the lead role in a theater production. At that time, KKC had a reputation for having the best theater program in Illinois. CSJ: So how did Play writing come in? Christine: After several days of being pressured, I decided to accept the challenge, thinking the play wouldn’t win anyway since I had no idea how to write a play, despite all the English and writing classes I had taken. To my surprise, the play took first place in the contest. I titled the play, Two Twenty- Seven, my address growing up in Chicago. Several months later, the play was entered (by the college) into the Norman Lear and the Lorraine Hansberry playwriting contests, where it won first place in the Norman Lear and second place in the Lorraine Hansberry. The committee agreed that Two Twenty-Seven really should get first place in the Chicago Street Journal February 28 - March 13, 2018 11 The Writer from Chicago Lorraine Hansberry, too, but decided that since the contests were sponsored by the American College Festival, another student should be encouraged. That same year, I graduated, receiving an AA in Theater Technology and was off to Hollywood. CSJ: As you well know, opportunities to work in the entertainment industry is growing phenomenally in Chi-Town, so your latest book is indeed very timely. Tell us a little bit about The Screenwriter’s Guidebook: Inspiring Lessons for Film and Television Writers. Christine: After several years of writing on various television shows produced by Norman Lear and finally seeing my play become NBC’s hit series titled 227, I returned to Chicago to care for my ailing mother. I soon realized it would be a while before I could return to LA and continue launching a career writing for television. After eight years, my mother made her transition and I prepared to return to Hollywood, only to learn that my husband of 35 years had dementia. While caring for him, I returned to school, enrolling at Chicago State University and in 2006, at the age of 70, I received a BA in Communications. Two years later, I was asked to teach Writing For Television and collaborated with Dr. Christine List to pen The Screenwriter’s Guidebook: Inspiring Lessons for Film and Television Writers. CSJ: Being a successful writer, would you share with us, what we should say to our young people regarding the importance of reading and how it affects their success in TV and movies? Christine: Despite its popularity and the fact that many people think math is the most important subject, I can’t recall engaging in any other field of learning without the ability to read and write. It has been proven; when the ability to communicate through speech is almost impossible, writing serves as a viable alternative. CSJ: Can you give us a little inside scoop on what it is like to be a staff writer for a TV series? Christine: The job of a staff writer is viewed as OBJ (on the job training) that can lead to the top position, executive producer or showrunner. The showrunner is responsible for hiring and overseeing every aspect of producing a weekly television series. The staff writer assists in the revisions of every page of every script written by the collective writers of the show. Although rare during the first season of tenure, the staff writer may also pitch an idea and after acceptance, write and receive credit for that episode. CSJ: You’re working on a screenplay based on your first novel, Laughing Through The Tears. Would you tell us a little bit about the book? Christine: After graduating from Chicago State, I documented my experiences caring for my husband who had been diagnosed with dementia. Laughing Through The Tears is a culmination of my personal experiences. It was published in 2013. AARP sponsored a book signing and purchased 350 books and gave them away to all who attended the signing. I am now working on a television pilot based on the book. CSJ: “It isn’t over ‘til it’s over.” Those are your words. Share the meaning with our readers. Christine: It is a well-known cliché that I believe in. Your purpose here on this planet has not been fulfilled until you take your last breath, hence, “It isn’t over ‘til it’s over.” Interviewer Ms. Sonja Cassandra Perdue AGRICULTURE MEN'S CLOTHING 532 E 43rd St, Chicago, IL 60653 733) 538-5500
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