mark - Blogs - TheBlackList Pub2024-03-29T10:34:28Zhttps://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/markThe Rev Jesse L. Jackson Challenge As He Visits Black Wall Street of Tulsa Oklahoma This Weekendhttps://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/the-rev-jesse-l-jackson-challenge-as-he-visits-black-wall-street2012-04-14T18:52:45.000Z2012-04-14T18:52:45.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><div style="text-align:center;"><font face=""><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;">Mark S. Allen</span><br /><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;">Chairman Of The Board</span><br /><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;"><span id="yiv1259139389lw_1332607479_0" class="yiv1259139389yshortcuts"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1334427919_0">Black Wall Street</span></span> Chicago Organization</span><br /><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;">Chief of Staff To National Chairman Rev. Michael Carter</span><br /><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;">National Black Wall Street USA</span><br /></font><font face=""><span id="yiv1259139389lw_1334346388_0" class="yiv1259139389yshortcuts"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1334427919_1"><span id="yiv1259139389lw_1332607479_1" class="yiv1259139389yshortcuts"><span id="yiv1259139389lw_1332788265_0" class="yiv1259139389yshortcuts"><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;">4655 South King Drive, Suite 203</span></span></span><br /><span class="yiv1259139389yshortcuts"><span class="yiv1259139389yshortcuts"><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;">Chicago, Illinois 60653</span></span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;">773-392-0165</span><br /></font><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;"><span id="yiv1259139389lw_1332607479_2" class="yiv1259139389yshortcuts"><span id="yiv1259139389lw_1332788265_1" class="yiv1259139389yshortcuts"><a target="_blank" href="http://us.mc1622.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=markallen@blackwallstreet.orgMark%20S.%20Allen%20recently%20included%20in%20the%202012%20Edition%20of%20Who%27s%20Who%20In%20Black%20Chicago%20as"><font face="">markallen@blackwallstreet.org<br /><br />Mark S. Allen recently included in the 2012 Edition of Who's Who In Black Chicago as "one of Chicago's Most Influential Voices In The Black Community<br /></font><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br /><br /></span></a></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;"><span class="yiv1259139389yshortcuts"><span class="yiv1259139389yshortcuts"><span style="font-weight:bold;"><font face="">NATIONAL BLACK WALL STREET LEADERS APPLAUD REV. JESSE L. JACKSON, SR ON HIS VISIT TO TULSA, OKLAHOMA TODAY FOR FUNERAL OF RECENT RACIAL <font size="2">SHOOTING</font> VICTIM BOBBY <font size="2">CLARK AND</font> SITE OF ORIGINAL RACE RIOTS OF MAY 31, 1921, 91ST YEAR ANNIVERSARY</font></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;"><span class="yiv1259139389yshortcuts"><span class="yiv1259139389yshortcuts"><span style="font-weight:bold;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.blackwallstreet.org/"><span id="yiv1259139389lw_1334346388_1" class="yiv1259139389yshortcuts"><font face="">www.blackwallstreet.org</font></span></a></span></span></span></span><span style="font-style:italic;"><br /></span><font face=""> </font></div><div style="text-align:center;"><font face="">Tulsa, Okla. — </font></div><div style="text-align:center;"><br />Today, National Black Wall Street USA National leadership which include Mark Allen, a former national aide to the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr, applaud the Rev. <span id="yiv1259139389lw_1334341549_0" class="yiv1259139389yshortcuts">Jesse Jackson</span> who was at Crown Hill Chapel in Tulsa yesterday morning for the funeral of 54-year-old Bobby Clark, one of three people killed in the Good Friday shootings.<br /><br />"We must somehow pull leadership together, black and white alike, and say that this killing does not represent all of Tulsa," Jackson said. The Rev. Michael Carter, Sr, National Chairman of National Black Wall Street USA stated that he agrees with Rev. Jackson. Carter stated that "91 years ago, not all White citizens were a part of the burning and shooting down of the Black Wall Street community of Tulsa that lost over 3,000 Black citizens and a community with over 600 Black owned and operated businesses, and that today 91 years later the accused shooters in this latest tragedy Jake England and Alvin Watts who are white do not represent all Whites in Tulsa, but the challenge is to show that 91 years later that original self community economic spirit of Black Wall Street<br /> can live again in Tulsa and Black and communities across the country without threat of any racial hatred"<br /><br />Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett was also on hand outside the chapel and talked with Jackson before they went inside for the service.<br /><br />Jackson is just one high-profile civil rights leader making a visit to Tulsa following the shootings, which many believe were racially-motivated.</div><div style="text-align:center;"><br /> </div><div style="text-align:center;">Mark Allen stated that "it is fitting that Rev. Jackson today would be the one to help bring additional national visibility to this Tulsa community during this challenging period as one who is well aware of the history that Black Wall Street of Tulsa represent yesterday and today. It was Rev. Jesse who helped get the national message out across the country that the spirit and legacy of the original Black Wall Street of Tulsa was alive and mobilized through 35 national chapters of the National Black Wall Street organization when he accepted my invitation to be the kick off speaker at the very first national meeting last year in Chicago of National Black Wall Street Chapter Organizers, along with other former national staff members of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's national staff of <em>SCLC Operation Breadbasket</em> Program like Attorney Thomas Todd and the Rev. Albert Sampson. Rev. Jackson and others reflected that the Operation Breadbasket program was in the spirit of Black Wall Street in that it taught how the Black and other poor communities could be strong communities built through the consumer education of poor citizens in their own communities investing more of their consumer spending with that communities own financial institutions to sustain and increase its own community businesses, jobs, and institutions" </div><div style="text-align:center;"> </div><div style="text-align:center;">Allen also stated that he hopes that national high profile leaders like Rev. Jackson can help use this focus again on the pain of Tulsa into how the power of Tulsa and that Black Wall Spirit example could actually rebuild and reverse the desperate economic conditions that Black and poor communities face while on the other hand touting the Trillion dollar consumer spending power from the Black community alone. "Tulsa last year almost lost the financing to sustain the only facility to survive the 1921 Race Riots, and we have far more economic resources today than we did 91 years ago, so we need to have collaborations to sustain that Library and self empowered communities and I cannot think of a better campaign to work with Rev. Jackson and other national leadership on than reviving the spirit and legacy of Black Wall Street of this same community that the world watched in 1921 and now in 2012." said Allen.</div><div style="text-align:center;"> </div><div style="text-align:center;">-30-</div><div style="text-align:center;"> </div><div style="text-align:center;">(Note, Thanks to Bishop Tavis Grant, National Field Secretary for The Rainbow/PUSH Coalition and Lauren Love of The Rainbow/PUSH Coalition Press Department for their communication with regard to Rev. Jackson's visit today to the original Black Wall Street of Tulsa Oklahoma during this 91st Year commemoration season of the May 31, 1921/June 1st, 1921 Race Riot)</div></div>Zimmerman's Lawyers Right To Drop Him As Client, but it shows Zimmerman Can't Follow Rules and not following the 911 dispatcher's judgement is what started the Trayvon tragedyhttps://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/zimmerman-s-lawyers-right-to-drop-him-as-client-but-it-shows2012-04-11T01:19:14.000Z2012-04-11T01:19:14.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><div style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;">Mark S. Allen, Veteran Black Activist</span><br /><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;">Chairman Of The Board</span><br /><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;"><span id="yiv649797008lw_1332607479_0" class="yiv649797008yshortcuts">Black Wall Street</span> Chicago Organization</span><br /><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;">Chief of Staff To National Chairman Rev. Michael Carter</span><br /><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;">National Black Wall Street USA</span><br /><span id="yiv649797008lw_1332607479_1" class="yiv649797008yshortcuts"><span id="yiv649797008lw_1332788265_0" class="yiv649797008yshortcuts"><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;">4655 South King Drive, Suite 203</span></span></span><br /><span class="yiv649797008yshortcuts"><span class="yiv649797008yshortcuts"><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;">Chicago, Illinois 60653</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;">773-392-0165</span><br /><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;"><span id="yiv649797008lw_1332607479_2" class="yiv649797008yshortcuts"><span id="yiv649797008lw_1332788265_1" class="yiv649797008yshortcuts"><a>markallen@blackwallstreet.org</a></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;"><span class="yiv649797008yshortcuts"><span class="yiv649797008yshortcuts"></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;"><span class="yiv649797008yshortcuts"><span class="yiv649797008yshortcuts"><a>Mark S. Allen recently included in the 2012 Edition of Who's Who In Black Chicago as "one of Chicago's Most Influential Voices In The Black Community</a></span></span></span><br /><br /><font size="3"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Zimmerman's Lawyers Right To Drop Him As Client, but it shows Zimmerman Can't Follow Rules and not following the 911 dispatcher's judgement is what started the Trayvon tragedy</span><br style="font-weight:bold;" /></font><br /><span class="yiv649797008commentBody">George Zimmerman has proven from the very beginning of this Trayvon Martin tragedy that he suffers as a loose cannon and bad judgment. His story about the circumstances from him and his close associates have changed almost daily, and he has yet to answer the basic question of why he blatantly ignored the 911 dispatcher who told him not to pursue Trayvon Martin in the first place. Its going to be difficult for any legal team to manage a loose cannon like George Zimmerman whose self serving, undisciplined antics has lost him his current legal representation. And it is this kind of example by Zimmerman not being able to follow the most basic of instructions of his lawyers that many believe Zimmerman displayed when he could not follow the basic instructions of the 911 dispatcher who instructed him not to pursue Trayvon Martin and it is that decision by which we are now at this stage with Zimmerman and justice for Trayvon Martin's unfortunate death.</span></div><div class="yiv649797008commentActions yiv649797008fsm yiv649797008fwn yiv649797008fcg"><span class="yiv649797008comment_like_815177 yiv649797008fsm yiv649797008fwn yiv649797008fcg"><a title="Loading..." class="yiv649797008comment_like_button" target="_blank" href="http://www.facebook.com/browse/likes/?id=219604121474300"><br /></a></span></div></div>National Black Wall Street Leader Says "The Real" George Zimmerman Website Missing One Key Major Point Of WHY He Blatantly Ignored The 911 Dispatcher NOT To Pursue Trayvon Martin In The First Place !!https://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/national-black-wall-street-leader-says-the-real-george-zimmerman2012-04-10T20:01:06.000Z2012-04-10T20:01:06.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><p><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;">Mark S. Allen</span><br /><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;">Chairman Of The Board</span><br /><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;"><span id="yiv81437515lw_1332607479_0" class="yiv81437515yshortcuts">Black Wall Street</span> Chicago Organization</span><br /><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;">Chief of Staff To National Chairman Rev. Michael Carter</span><br /><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;">National Black Wall Street USA</span><br /><span id="yiv81437515lw_1332607479_1" class="yiv81437515yshortcuts"><span id="yiv81437515lw_1332788265_0" class="yiv81437515yshortcuts"><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;">4655 South King Drive, Suite 203</span></span></span><br /><span class="yiv81437515yshortcuts"><span class="yiv81437515yshortcuts"><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;">Chicago, Illinois 60653</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;">773-392-0165</span><br /><span style="font-family:tahoma, sans-serif;color:#222222;font-size:13px;"><span id="yiv81437515lw_1332607479_2" class="yiv81437515yshortcuts"><span id="yiv81437515lw_1332788265_1" class="yiv81437515yshortcuts"><a>markallen@blackwallstreet.org<br /><br />Mark S. Allen recently included in the 2012 Edition of Who's Who In Black Chicago as "one of Chicago's Most Influential Voices In The Black Community<br /><br /></a></span></span></span></p><h2 class="yiv81437515post-title">National Black Wall Street Leader Says "The Real" George Zimmerman Website Missing One Key Major Point Of WHY He Blatantly Ignored The 911 Dispatcher NOT To Pursue Trayvon Martin In The First Place !!</h2><div class="yiv81437515post-meta"><div class="yiv81437515from"><br /></div></div><p>George Zimmerman has a right to develop his own website to tell his story and why he needs support, but the website by Zimmerman or ANY of his supporters is missing one key and CRITICAL point -- WHY did Zimmerman blatantly ignore the 911 dispatcher who told him that he did NOT need to pursue Trayvon Martin in the first place??? If Zimmerman had followed the 911 dispatcher in the first place, then there never would have been an altercation and an unarmed teenager being shot to death.</p><p>Every public post that has supported Zimmerman's defense and now Zimmerman's OWN website DOES NOT start with the answer to this basic question of WHY he chose to keep pursuing Trayvon Martin in the first place!! So it is hard for me and maybe others around the country to take Zimmerman and his defense to heart when it does not start with a detailed explanation by Zimmerman as to why he chose to keep pursuing Trayvon in the first place, for everything that comes after that must start with this most basic question that I for one have yet to hear Zimmerman explain.</p><p></p><p>George Zimmerman is right that his life has forever been changed by this tragic incident of Trayvon Martin being killed, but George Zimmerman's must know and public admit that his life has been changed because HE made the decision to keep pursuing Trayvon Martin after the 911 dispatcher instructed him NOT to do.!!</p></div>Don Cornelius and Richard Pegue, Both Broadcast Legends With Roots AT WVON Can BOTH Be Honored by Broadcast Hall Of Famehttps://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/don-cornelius-and-richard-pegue-both-broadcast-legends-with-roots2012-02-10T08:04:37.000Z2012-02-10T08:04:37.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Don Cornelius and Richard Pegue, Both Broadcast Legends With Roots AT WVON Can BOTH Be Honored by Broadcast Hall Of Fame</strong></p><p style="text-align:center;">I was pleased to hear that legendary radio broadcaster Marv Dyson state on WVON radio, to the major media and at the Chicago Memorial Tribute to Don Cornelius that he wants to nominate Don Cornelius to Bruce Dumont for inclusion in the Radio Hall of Fame as his legendary career started with Don Corneilus being a part time news reporter with the legendary WVON on air team called "The Good Guys."</p><p style="text-align:center;">As a former WVON staffer myself, I would love to publicly second the motion that Bruce Dumont consider the immediate nomination of Don Cornelius, and I would also like to recommend to Bruce Dumont that he also use this opportunity to also honor Cornelius as well as the 2009 nomination of another WVON "Good Guy" and broadcast legend, Richard Pegue.</p><p style="text-align:center;">Honoring Cornelius and Pegue would be a double honor for the broadcast legacy of Don Cornelius as a news reporter with The Good Guys and Richard Pegue, one of the actual DJ's who made up "The Good Guys" from the legendary WVON.</p><p style="text-align:center;">Mark S. Allen, Chairman of Black Wall Street Chicago 4655 South King Drive, Suite 203 Chicago, Illinois 60653 773-392-0165</p><p style="text-align:center;"><em><strong>Attached below is the original letter I submitted on behalf of the late Richard Pegue immediately after his death in March, 2009.</strong></em></p><p style="text-align:center;">WHATEVER HAPPENED TO..... The Name of Richard Pegue Was Officially Placed Into Nomination Into The Radio Hall Of Fame sent to nominations@museum.tv Wednesday, March 4, 2009</p><p style="text-align:center;">To Bruce Dumont and Committee: I understand that March 27th is a deadline date to submit qualified names of persons to be considered for inclusion on various levels of the Radio Hall of Fame. While there may be others that may submit additional qualifications and endorsements, I would like to officially submit the name of Mr. Richard Pegue for strong consideration for inclusion in the Radio Hall of Fame and I am certain that his career of over 40 years in Chicago uniquely qualifies Pegue for inclusion. Mr. Richard Pegue died on Tuesday, March 3rd in Chicago, ending a career in local entertainment and on-air broadcasting in Chicago that reached various of level of achievement in those areas as well as in community, civic, and political relations in Chicago.</p><p style="text-align:center;">Mr. Pegue was best known for being one of the few local DJ's known as the now legendary "Good Guys," from the historic lack radio station WVON, a group that also included current Radio Hall of Famers Wesley South and Herb Kent. Bruce, you may remember when you paid tribute to Mr. Wesley South and he looked in the audience and identified me as a person who was a part of WVON and who would be a part of the future of WVON and its impact on people like me and the overall community. Well WVON was indeed a part of my life, but that was because of the impact of Richard Pegue. I was around 14-15, and it was Mr. Pegue who started me as a guest on-air teen DJ then on WOPA -AM. It was then influence of Mr. Pegue and Herb Kent who allowed me and others to answer their request line phones. meet and interact with other station DJ's and management and other exposures.</p><p style="text-align:center;">From that, it was the influence of Mr. Pegue that helped me become an official station intern while in high school and eventually got me a paid staff position of Assistant Producer of The Hotline Talk Show and in years to come I would even become the host of my own talk show on WVON. And throughout my 35 public service career, central to my success was the relationships that were started and continued because of my association with WVON. And there are so many recording artists, businesses, broadcast employees, and local neighborhoods in Chicago that are better because of how Richard Pegue used himself and his talents on and off air to the benefit of others. Many people whose names you know well, like Herb Kent, Richard Steele, Dr. Cecil Hale, Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr, Lucky Cordell, Cliff Kelley, and others have already offered their public support for Richard Pegue to be included in the 2009 Inductees into the Radio Hall of Fame. And I know that if need be that there would be thousands of people in Chicago and around the country who would call you with their overwhelming public support for Richard Pegue's inclusion in The Radio Hall of Fame. As an on air DJ, Richard was known for his theme that the music he played was "The Best Music Of Your Life," which was featured on WKKC-FM and on special holiday broadcasts on WVON, and the theme and banner by which he provided the music for any and all of his public appearances.</p><p style="text-align:center;">As a manager, Richard was the Music Director in the late 60's and 70's of WVON, and helping the careers of so many including that of the legendary Tom Joyner when he was assisting Marv Dyson in programming the new WJPC-AM. Richard also helped program WKKC and WGCI. In the days to come, you will receive even more documentation on the 40-50 year broadcasting career of the late Richard Pegue which more than qualifies him and his legacy and who will indeed be remembered after his successful inclusion into The Radio Hall of Fame as an example for future generations. The purpose of this communication was to mark this day as his name being formally submitted before the March 27th deadline. I was with him for one his last public DJ appearances where I had a chance to publicly salute him, which he witnesses a crowded room stand and cheering him, and he told me how proud he was of me since he began to mentor me as a teenager and throughout my 35 year public service career. With that lasting memory in my mind, I had to be one of those who for the record, who officially placed the name of Richard Pegue into nomination into the Radio Hall of Fame.</p><p style="text-align:center;">Most Humbly, Mark S. Allen Former staffer at WVON/WGCI</p></div>National Black Wall Street USA Tribute To Don Corneliushttps://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/national-black-wall-street-usa-tribute-to-don-cornelius2012-02-01T20:24:05.000Z2012-02-01T20:24:05.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><p style="text-align:center;">National Black Wall Street Leader Speaks On The Life and Legacy of Don Cornelius</p><p style="text-align:center;">By Mark S. Allen</p><p style="text-align:center;">As Chairman of Black Wall Street Chicago and Chief of Staff of National Chairman of National Black Wall Street USA, the organizational members locally and nationally join in expressing our sincere sympathies in mourning the tragic death of Black cultural and entertainment icon Don Cornelius, who in the spirit of Black Wall Street used his own talents and vision to be transformed from a Chicago policemen, to news reporter at the legendary Chicago radio station WVON, to the creator of SOUL TRAIN, locally and then nationally. The vision and founding of SOUL TRAIN created the historic vehicle for the exposure of Black musicians, dancers and recording artists who until then had no real major market venues for local artists to be break and introduce new music and be exposed and grow into major national and international acts as well as exposing the soul music arts and culture to the world.</p><p style="text-align:center;">Black artists were only rarely seen periodically on Pop shows like American Bandstand. SOUL TRAIN provided the intimate setting to expose the Black talent on major television, years and years before we would come to know outlets like BET and other multiple outlets of today. Don Cornelius' vision clearly made him a pioneer. After 40 years, SOUL TRAIN grew as much more than just a Black base, but grew as other ethnic groups ventured into the culture of Rhythm and Blues. Personally, I thank God for the life and legacy of Don Cornelius.</p><p style="text-align:center;">I will absolutely treasure the surprise phone call I got from him and almost hour long conversation we had regarding the 40th Year Anniversary of SOUL TRAIN. What a sad way to start Black History Month with the loss of another Black History legend, but treasure the positive impact that he and SOUL TRAIN will forever be in our history. Thank you Don. There are a lot of people like me who absolutely love and thank you for what you meant to us personally and as a people. He was going through a lot of pain from multiple serious health issues. Don Cornelius was found dead this morning allegedly from a self inflicted gunshot wound. May God show him grace and mercy and welcome him with love, peace, and soul. And his hometown Chicago will never forget the memories left from his last appearance here for the 40th Year Anniversary of Soul Train concert and events.</p><p style="text-align:center;">We talked about how I reintroduced Don the local Chicago recording artist Bobby Hutton (latest hit song "20 Years Later") who had been received so well from the local SOUL TRAIN shows that he allowed Hutton to receive national fame as a part of his first national SOUL TRAIN TV Pilot in 1971 where Hutton was the new artist who got a chance to be on the pilot show with the established artists The Honey Comb, Eddie Kendricks and Gladys Knight, and that started the nationally syndicated SOUL TRAIN series. For decades SOUL TRAIN was a built in part of the Black communities family life on Saturdays.</p><p style="text-align:center;">The spirit of Black Wall Street was shown in the foundation of our ancestors of Tulsa Oklahoma using their own consumer spending power and talents to create a self contained successful Black community with hundreds of Black owned and operated businesses within 35 city blocks. In that historic spirit, Don Cornelius used his own talents and resources to create SOUL TRAIN from his base in the Black community and on this first day of Black History Month we salute the life and legacy of Don Cornelius and the history that Don Cornelius and SOUL TRAIN will always mean not just in Black History and music and cultural history in general.</p><p style="text-align:center;">Don Cornelius was going through a lot of pain from multiple serious health issues but he fought like a champion and the reported circumstances of his death will never compare to the overwhelming way he lived and left a this historic legacy that the Black Wall Street organization is proud to celebrate and help that legacy live on for more generations to come. Finally, I thank God that I had a chance to have a relationship with Don Cornelius and had a chance to tell him personally how proud I was to be a part of his legacy in part because his career just as my public service career was also rooted in my being a staff member and talk show host of the legendary WVON Radio station.</p><p style="text-align:center;">BLACK WALL STREET CHICAGO 4655 South King Drive, Suite 203 Chicago, Illinois 60653 773-392-0165 <a href="http://www.blackwallstreet.org">www.blackwallstreet.org</a> The Rev. Al Sharpton calls Mark Allen "one of Chicago's legendary Black political activists"</p></div>Joy Cunningham Support Grows For Illinois Supreme Courthttps://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/joy-cunningham-support-grows-for-illinois-supreme-court2012-01-29T22:30:00.000Z2012-01-29T22:30:00.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><p style="text-align:center;"><font size="4"><span style="font-weight:bold;">JOY CUNNINGHAM RECEIVES MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUPPORT AND MAJOR <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1327874319_0">POLITICAL ENDORSEMENTS</span> FOR <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1327874319_1">ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT</span></span></font></p><p style="text-align:center;"></p><p style="text-align:center;">From The news blog <span style="font-style:italic;">'And The Ordinary People Said'</span> by veteran political activist Mark Allen at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.chicagonow.com/"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1327874319_2">www.chicagonow.com</span></a></p><h6 style="text-align:center;" class="yiv554975218uiStreamMessage"><font size="3">The historic campaign of Illinois Appellate Court Justice Joy Cunningham for Illinois Supreme Court kicked off with the powerful political powers like <span style="border-bottom:2px dotted #366388;" class="yiv554975218yshortcuts" id="yiv554975218lw_1321020130_3">Cook County</span> Board President Toni Preckwinkle, U.S. Congressman Danny Davis, and Secretary of State Jesse White. With that big kickoff, Cunningham did not sit back but hit the streets with a very aggressive organizing campaign that with each week brings even more significant opportunities for support as well as new significant political and constituent endorsements.</font></h6><h6 style="text-align:center;" class="yiv554975218uiStreamMessage"><font size="3"><span class="yiv554975218messageBody">It is with great pride that Justice Cunningham humbly received three recent endorsements: Latin American Police Association (LAPA), Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), and The Coalition of Black Trade Unionists. Those diverse endorsements send an even stronger message that Cunningham represents a FAIR, INDEPENDENT and QUALIFIED JUDICIARY, in addition to the historic pride that Black groups feel when they know that the election of Cunningham makes history as she would be the first Black female to be elected, following the historic footsteps of Illinois Supreme Court Justice as the first Black male elected to The Illinois Supreme Court.<br /></span></font></h6><h6 style="text-align:center;" class="yiv554975218uiStreamMessage"><font size="3"><span class="yiv554975218messageBody">The Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization (IVI-IPO) announced its county-wide endorsements and Justice Cunningham was endorsed by this important organization which promotes fairness and honesty in all levels of state government.</span></font></h6><h6 style="text-align:center;" class="yiv554975218uiStreamMessage"><font size="3"><span class="yiv554975218messageBody">And more breaking news this week, John Tully another candidate, has withdrawn his bid for the Illinois Supreme Court, and with fewer candidates running, it is now more important than ever to get the word out about the campaign of Illinois Appellate Court Justice Joy Virginia Cunningham for Illinois Supreme Court. Remind everyone you know to vote in the Democratic Primary: MARCH 20, 2012. Stay tuned for even more developments on the campaign from the website <a target="_blank" href="http://www.joycunninghamforjuctice.com/"><span>www.joycunninghamforjuctice.co</span>m</a></span></font></h6><p><font size="3"><br /></font></p><p><font size="3"><br /></font></p></div>Chicago Blacks Lose In Ward Remap Vote Despite Black Caucus United Fronthttps://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/chicago-blacks-lose-in-ward-remap-vote-despite-black-caucus2012-01-27T17:35:23.000Z2012-01-27T17:35:23.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><p></p><h6 style="text-align:center;" class="yiv231657121uiStreamMessage"><font size="3">STATEMENT BY VETERAN BLACK POLITICAL ACTIVIST MARK S. ALLEN, CHAIRMAN OF BLACK WALL STREET CHICAGO, A LOCAL BLACK COMMUNITY ECONOMIC AND PUBLIC POLICY ORGANIZATION 773-392-0165</font></h6><p style="text-align:center;"><font size="5">THE CHICAGO BLACK CAUCUS PRESENTED A UNITED FRONT, BUT THE BLACK COMMUNITY LOSES IN REMAP VOTE</font></p><h6 style="text-align:center;" class="yiv231657121uiStreamMessage"></h6><h6 style="text-align:center;" class="yiv231657121uiStreamMessage"><font size="3"><span class="yiv231657121messageBody">While The City Council Black Caucus said they were united in their stand on 18 majority Black Wards, I am still raising the question as to HOW and WHY does this approved Remap have 19 majority White Wards while Blacks are STILL the majority of the city population despite the population loss??? And it really was EMBARRASING to see the news reports with watching Aldermen huddling over a map that they were on TV searching for their boundaries and STILL VOTED for it ANYWAY with the exception of Aldermen Rod Sawyer (6th) and Michael Chandler (24) Mayor Emanuel rushed this through just like former Mayor Daley rushed through the Parking Meter legislation!!!</span></font></h6><p style="text-align:center;"><font size="3"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Mayor Emanuel reneged on his promise of "transparancy" in the manner in which the map voted upon was presented to the City Council for a vote; the City Council failed</span> <span style="font-weight:bold;">to use its power to reject Mayor Emanuels "top-down" strategy; and most importantly the people of Chicago were totally disenfranchised when not one Alderman had the opportunity to allow its constituents to have input into the final map voted upon. <br /></span></font></p><p style="text-align:center;"><font size="3"><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Hispanic community must be commended for fighting for the additional Wards based upon their increased population, and its unfortunate that even though Blacks are still the majority of Chicago's population, that the Black community does not reflect the majority of the Wards in this approved map."</span><br /></font></p><p><br /><br /><br /></p></div>TD Jakes Commits $5,000 To Chicago Pastor Corey Brooks, Having Vigil On Top Of Abandoned Chicago Motel To Purchase For Church Community Developmenthttps://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/td-jakes-commits-5-000-to-chicago-pastor-corey-brooks-having2011-11-24T00:30:00.000Z2011-11-24T00:30:00.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><h2 class="yiv1375119921post-title">TD Jakes Commits $5,000 To <span style="border-bottom:2px dotted #366388;background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" class="yiv1375119921yshortcuts" id="yiv1375119921lw_1322085230_0"><span style="border-bottom:2px dotted #366388;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1322095523_0">Chicago</span></span> Pastor Corey Brooks, Having Vigil On Top Of Abandoned Chicago Motel To Purchase For Church Community Development</h2><div class="yiv1375119921post-meta"><div class="yiv1375119921share-utils"><div class="yiv1375119921social-buttons"><div class="yiv1375119921tweet-button"></div><div class="yiv1375119921fb-like-button"></div></div></div><div class="yiv1375119921from">By <span class="yiv1375119921author-name">Marksallen</span>, today at 3:45 pm</div></div><p> </p><p>BREAKING NEWS UPDATE</p><p> </p><p>The Internationally known religious leader Bishop TD Jakes today committed $5,000 to the Chicago Pastor Corey Brooks in his efforts to secure the necessary funds to purchase a now closed motel for a new positive community development center. The motel was once a major attraction for gangs, drugs, and violence. Black <span style="border-bottom:2px dotted #366388;" class="yiv1375119921yshortcuts" id="yiv1375119921lw_1322085230_1"><span style="border-bottom:2px dotted #366388;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1322095523_1">Wall Street</span></span> leader Mark S. Allen, a veteran community political activist says that this Thanksgiving season a great time for the Black community to prove its thanks to God for having an over $70 billion dollar consumer spending power in Chicago alone, and uses its collective financial resources to help Rev. Brooks finally purchase this property for the community. Allen says that the religious community across the city could take up special collections and pledges as they do when they raise funds for reward funds for crimes to be solved, and we have gospel radio hosts who could use their time and others to get the public to donate funds, and finally we have our major media outlets who have this campaigns against crimes whose companies could donate as well as publicly challenge other funding sources to come forward. "The first major donation by Rev. TD Jakes is just an example of what can yet come to help Rev. Brooks, said Allen"<br /> <span style="border-bottom:2px dotted #366388;" class="yiv1375119921yshortcuts" id="yiv1375119921lw_1322085230_2"><span style="border-bottom:2px dotted #366388;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1322095523_2">773-392-0165</span></span></p><p> </p><p>Local Pastor to Take Vigil on top of Abandoned Motel<br /> by Danielle E. Willis on Monday, November 21, 2011 at 2:47pm</p><p>MEDIA ALERT</p><p>For Immediate Release: November 21, 2011</p><p>CONTACT:</p><p>Danielle E Willis</p><p><span style="border-bottom:2px dotted #366388;" class="yiv1375119921yshortcuts" id="yiv1375119921lw_1322085230_3"><span style="border-bottom:2px dotted #366388;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1322095523_3">773-243-9917</span></span> <span style="border-bottom:2px dotted #366388;" class="yiv1375119921yshortcuts" id="yiv1375119921lw_1322085230_4"><span style="border-bottom:2px dotted #366388;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1322095523_4">nbcsocialmediateam@gmail.com</span></span></p><p> </p><p style="font-weight:bold;"><font size="3">Local Pastor to Take Vigil on top of Abandoned Motel</font></p><p> </p><p>NEW BEGINNINGS CHURCH LAUNCHES PROJECT H.O.O.D.</p><p>Chicago Church Works as a Change Agent to Transform Neighborhood Crime Haven</p><p> </p><p>WHAT: In an effort to bring attention to the extreme violence on Chicago’s south side <span style="border-bottom:2px dotted #366388;" class="yiv1375119921yshortcuts" id="yiv1375119921lw_1322085230_5"><span style="border-bottom:2px dotted #366388;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1322095523_5">Woodlawn</span></span> and <span style="border-bottom:2px dotted #366388;" class="yiv1375119921yshortcuts" id="yiv1375119921lw_1322085230_6"><span style="border-bottom:2px dotted #366388;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1322095523_6">Englewood</span></span> communities, a local pastor with a membership of over 3000 is camping out in a tent on the roof of an abandoned motel for 21 days or until the funds are raised to build a community center through Project H.O.O.D. (Helping Others Obtain Destiny).</p><p> </p><p>WHEN: On Tuesday, November 22, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. Pastor Corey Brooks and New Beginnings Church of Chicago are taking it to the streets and bringing light to why this community center is needed.</p><p> </p><p>WHO: Pastor Corey Brooks and New Beginnings Church of Chicago</p><p> </p><p>WHERE: New Beginnings Church, <span style="border-bottom:2px dotted #366388;" class="yiv1375119921yshortcuts" id="yiv1375119921lw_1322085230_7"><span style="border-bottom:2px dotted #366388;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1322095523_7">6620 King Drive, Chicago</span></span></p><p> </p><p>WHY: The street King Drive, was named after African American leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to pay homage to his dedication to ensuring that the rights of African Americans in America were given to his generation and beyond. Ironically, that same street is home to drugs, extreme violence and prostitution, as well as many families who suffer from economic hardship. The 66th and King Drive location was once home to the Super Motel, which allowed prostitutes, drug dealers and criminals to do business; this prompted the neighboring New Beginnings Church to take action!</p><p> </p><p>New Beginnings Church formalized a community initiative called “Operation Shutdown,” partnered with local police and the city of Chicago and played a major role in closing the motel. Today the fight continues as the church works hard to build a community center and thriving businesses where the motel encouraging crime once stood. Pastor Brooks believes “If the community changes, the people will change.” At the heart of this movement is “Project H.O.O.D.” a campaign spearheaded by Pastor Brooks and New Beginnings Church to replace the motel with an oasis for the residents of the West Woodlawn community.</p><p> </p><p>When asked why the campaign, Pastor Brooks said, “This past Saturday, at my church was the funeral of a 17- year-old boy, murdered in this neighborhood. During the funeral, shooting broke out right in front of the church! During the funeral, I made an appeal to STOP the violence and 4 guns, one of which was a semi-automatic weapon, were turned in at the altar.</p><p> </p><p>I can’t sit back and let another resident of this community endure any more violence. On this Tuesday, my church will bring the reality of what our people live to the forefront, and show why this center is needed. There will be 10 caskets lined up in front of the church representing the 10 teens killed in our community this past summer. I will be camping out on the roof top of the motel living in a tent for 21 days or until the funds are raised.” Project H.O.O.D. will focus on Helping Others Obtain Destiny and restore the village values our community has lost. A host of local politicians, pastors, community leaders and residents are expected to be in attendance.</p><p> </p><p>Reporters, photographers and camera crews are welcome. ###</p><p><span style="border-bottom:2px dotted #366388;" class="yiv1375119921yshortcuts" id="yiv1375119921lw_1322085230_8"><span style="border-bottom:2px dotted #366388;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1322095523_8">6625 S King Drive Chicago, IL</span></span></p><p> </p><p><strong>{EAV:531fb27a3928acd2}</strong></p></div>Dr. King Memorial Dedication Should Not Forget Dr. King's Last Campaign On Earthhttps://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/dr-king-memorial-dedication-should-not-forget-dr-king-s-last2011-10-17T03:31:23.000Z2011-10-17T03:31:23.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><table cellspacing="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top"><div><p align="center"><font size="4"><strong>Dr. King Memorial Dedication Should Not Forget Dr. King's Last Campaign On Earth</strong></font></p></div><p align="center"> </p><p align="center"><font size="4"><strong>MARK ALLEN TALKS <a target="_blank" href="http://www.blackwallstreet.org/"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1318820832_0">www.blackwallstreet.org</span></a> <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1318820832_1" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;">773-392-0165</span></strong></font></p><p align="center"><strong><font size="4"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.chicagonow.com/"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1318820832_2">www.chicagonow.com</span></a> "And The Ordinary People Said"</font></strong></p><p align="center"> </p><p align="center">Remembering Dr. King's <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1318820832_3" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;">Chicago</span> legacy should include returning to the spot that used to house Dr. King's last Chicago National SCLC headquarters where he kicked off his national Operation Breadbasket program where part of his War On Poverty included his community economic program that call on Black and poor communities to keep a slice of their own"bread"/money in their own local financial institutions to create community owned businesses and jobs.</p><p align="center"> </p><div>That site of Dr. King's Chicago National SCLC headquarters is now a big empty lot on 79th & Halsted that was the old Capital Theater. Dr. King did march for jobs and justice, but he also programmed his organization and allies around public policy like the Jobs Act, as well his local economic program that if followed today could help address the bad economic conditions of Black and poor communities.</div><div> </div><div>These Dr. King Memorial dedication events and media features thus far have all dealt with Dr. King with more symbolism than of substance. Dr. King's last campaign on earth was his Poor People's Campaign and his national Operation Breadbasket community economic empowerment campaign, and with the Black community facing double digit unemployment, this community needs to hear how Dr. King's program could help decrease those unemployment figures in addition to the fight for a current government public policy like President Obama's Jobs Bill.</div><div> </div><div>Marching, followed by fights for public policy to address jobs in Black and poor communities was part of Dr. King's legacy, but even more important today is Dr. King's community economic empowerment campaigns that again, a majority of the memorial dedication talk seems to forget.</div><div> </div><div>And the Dr. King Memorial Dedication takes place on the historic date of the 16th year anniversary of the Million Man March, and the 90th year anniversary of the 1921 Race Riots on the original Black <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1318820832_4" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;">Wall Street</span> District of <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1318820832_5" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;">Tulsa Oklahoma</span>. What a fitting time to remind a Million Black men who used this date to reestablish a new sense if purpose that this day can also be used to reeducate Black and poor communities of Dr. King's community economic empowerment message that could create new Black business and jobs districts in majority Black communities just like the original Black Wall Street did with just 35 city blocks and Black people using their own economic power to sustain and increase Black business in majority Black populated areas. If it could be done back in 1921, the surely it can be done today, if we actually followed Dr. King's economic message with today's National Black Wall Street movement. (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.blackwallstreet.org/"></a><a target="_blank" href="/">www.blackwallstreet.org</a>)</div><div> </div><div>October 21-23, the National Black Wall Street <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1318820832_6" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;">USA</span> will continue the substance of teaching Dr. King's community economic empowerment programs at the 2nd National Convention in Gary <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1318820832_7" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;">Indiana</span> in the true spirit of the original Black Wall Street District.</div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>Benefits of National Black Wall Street Registrationhttps://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/benefits-of-national-black2011-05-09T22:12:15.000Z2011-05-09T22:12:15.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><div style="text-align:left;background-color:transparent;color:#000000;overflow:hidden;text-decoration:none;"><div class="entry"><div align="center" style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:9pt;"><strong><font size="7" style="font-size:1.56em;">From Mark S. Allen, National Spokesperson, National Black Wall Street District USA</font></strong></span></div><div align="center" style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:9pt;"><strong><font style="font-size:1.56em;">Rev. Michael Carter, National President</font></strong></span></div><div align="center" style="text-align:center;"> </div><div align="center" style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:9pt;"><strong><font size="7" style="font-size:1.95em;"><img height="154" width="154" src="http://us.mg2.mail.yahoo.com/ya/download?mid=1_37459816_AL0MDUwAABdpTcggCwmo1WU4Xlc&pid=2&fid=Inbox&inline=1" alt="download?mid=1%5f37459816%5fAL0MDUwAABdpTcggCwmo1WU4Xlc&pid=2&fid=Inbox&inline=1" /></font></strong></span></div><div align="center" style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:9pt;"> </span></div><div align="center" style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:10pt;"><b>Monday, May 9, 2011</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:10pt;"><b> </b></span></div><div align="center" style="text-align:center;"><b><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:14pt;">Register for the 2011 <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1304961280_0">Black Wall Street</span> <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1304961280_1" style="border-bottom:medium none;background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">District USA National Convention</span> and win a free 7-day</span></b> <span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:14pt;"><b><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1304961280_2">Caribbean Cruise</span></b></span></div><div align="center" style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:16pt;"><b> </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:11pt;"><b>OAKLAND</b></span> <span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:11pt;">- The national office for Black Wall Street USA announced today that anyone that registers for this years 2011 <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1304961280_3">Black Wall Street USA</span> Convention in October will have a chance to win a 7-day Caribbean Cruise including airfare and all accommodations. Presented by: <a target="_blank" href="http://atravelmoment.net/"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1304961280_4">ATravelMoment.net</span></a>. All terms and conditions apply.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:11pt;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:11pt;">For more information on the free cruise and for business owners to become eligible to win they must register online at:</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:11pt;"><a target="_blank" href="http://blackwallstreetdistrict.com/2011convention/2011Convention.html"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1304961280_5">http://blackwallstreetdistrict.com/2011convention/2011Convention.html</span></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:11pt;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt;">The 2011 Black Wall Street USA <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1304961280_6">National Convention</span> is scheduled for <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1304961280_7" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;">October 21 - 23, 2011</span> at the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1304961280_8" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;">Genesis Convention Center</span> in <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1304961280_9">Gary, Indiana</span>. Registration is only $65 per person, which gives you access to all Convention Weekend Events.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:11pt;"><b> </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt;">In August of last year over 415 people attended the 2010 Black Wall Street USA National Convention held in Chicago. Why Gary? The historical significance is that Gary hosted the first Black <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1304961280_10" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;">Political Convention</span> in 1971.</span></div><div align="center" style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:11pt;"><b> </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:8pt;"><b>Black Wall Street District USA is a national organization that represents 25 Black Wall Street District communities throughout the United States. Some cities Include <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1304961280_11">Atlanta</span>, Baton Rouge, Chicago-Regional (13 Districts including <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1304961280_12">47<sup>th</sup> Street</span> in Bronzeville, E <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1304961280_13" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;">75th Street</span>, <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1304961280_14" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;">Madison Street</span>, Stoney Island, <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1304961280_15">Peoria, IL</span> and Gary, Ind and seven others), Minneapolis, Newark, Oakland, and <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1304961280_16">Seattle, Washington</span>. Black Wall Street District USA headquarters are in <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1304961280_17" style="border-bottom:medium none;background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">Oakland</span>. <span style="color:#000000;">For more information visit: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.blackwallstreetdistrict.com/"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1304961280_18">www.blackwallstreetdistrict.com</span></a>.</span></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:11pt;"><b> </b></span></div><div align="center" style="text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:11pt;"><b>-30-</b></span></div></div><div class="entry-footer pkg"><p>Tagged <a href="http://www.chicagonow.com/tags/National+Black+Wall+Street+District-USA">National Black Wall Street District-USA</a>, <a href="http://www.chicagonow.com/tags/Rev.+Michael+Carter">Rev. Michael Carter</a>, <a href="http://www.chicagonow.com/tags/mark+s+allen">mark s allen</a>, <a href="http://www.chicagonow.com/tags/national+black+wall+street+usa+convention+in+gary+indiana">national black wall street usa convention in gary indiana</a></p></div><br /><br />Read more: <a href="http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/and-the-ordinary-people-said/2011/05/win-7-day-cruise-registering-for-national-black-wall-street-district-usa-convention.html#ixzz1LtWzKP98" style="color:#003399;">http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/and-the-ordinary-people-said/2011/05/win-7-day-cruise-registering-for-national-black-wall-street-district-usa-convention.html#ixzz1LtWzKP98</a></div></div>Illinois State Treasurer Victory !https://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/illinois-state-treasurer2011-05-06T20:57:40.000Z2011-05-06T20:57:40.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><p> </p><div><p><font face="Arial" size="2" color="#000000" id="rolx_document"><font face="Times New Roman"><strong><font size="5"><font face="Georgia">Call To Action WIN!<span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;font-size:18pt;"> </span></font></font></strong></font></font></p><p><font face="Arial" size="2" color="#000000"> </font></p><p></p><div><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;font-size:18pt;"><strong> Illinois Treasurer Rutherford Re-Adopts Citizen</strong></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;font-size:18pt;"> CRA Complaint Form!</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;">Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford has re-adopted and re-posted the Citizen CRA (<span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1304710683_0" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;">Community Reinvestment Act</span>) Complaint Form, negotiated by the Community Reinvestment Organizing Project (COP), two years along as a <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1304710683_1">bank accountability</span> process for Illinois citizens with concerns by limited or non-existent CRA activity of state depositories. <b>(SEE ATTACHED).</b><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;">COP leaders became aware that the form was no longer on the website of the Illinois Treasurer's Office in February during a meeting with senior officials of the City of Chicago Treasurer's Office to discuss a similar CRA policy for municipal depositories.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;">Leaders of COP met with Treasurer Rutherford and urged re-adopting the policy and commitment to hold banks that receive public deposits and investment accountable to Illinois citizens and communities struggling with the impact of foreclosure, rising fees, branch closings, and abandoned properties that taxpayers pay to maintain.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1304710683_2" style="border-bottom:medium none;background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">Illinois Senator Kimberly Lightford</span> arranged the meeting.<br /></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;"><strong><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1304710683_3" style="border-bottom:medium none;background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">Mark Allen</span>, chairman of the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1304710683_4">Community Banking</span> Coalition,</strong> a COP affiliate group, stated, "We fought too hard and long for this bank accountability policy to no longer continue as policy for the new treasurer, and now that the policy of a process for filing a compliant on legitimate grounds and concerns of reinvestment is back in place, we must begin to use it to effectively win commitments that offer hope and change for economically struggling communities, urban and rural".</span></div><div><b><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;">The Community Reinvestment Organizing Project is funded by a grant from the Woods Fund of Chicago.</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1304710683_5" style="border-bottom:medium none;background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">Otis Chandler</span> Monroe, III</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;">CEO</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;">The Monroe Foundation</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.themonroefoundation.org/"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1304710683_6"><font color="#0000FF">www.themonroefoundation.org</font></span></a></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family:georgia, palatino;"><b>(<span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1304710683_7" style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">773) 315-9720</span></b><br /></span></div></div></div>National Black Wall Street Convention In Gary Indiana October 21-23, Michael Carter, Sr National Chairmanhttps://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/national-black-wall-street2011-04-13T00:25:32.000Z2011-04-13T00:25:32.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><p> </p><p>Michael Carter, National President of National Black Wall Street-USA announces 2nd Annual National Black Street "Measuring The Movement" National reporting Convention October 21-23 in Gary Indiana and a new National Chapter Organizing Office in Chicago. And the announcements of Clack Wall STreet Chicago Chair Ron Carter, Regional Chair; up and coming young leader Rickey Sease, new Gary Chapter Chair and Mark Allen, National Chief of Staff, National Spokesman and director of the new National Black Wall Street-Chicago offices.</p><p> </p><p>Get the complete details from our Facebook Page, National Black Wall Street-USA or on <a href="http://www.ChicagoNow.com">www.ChicagoNow.com</a> (And The Ordinary People Said) or <a href="http://www.blackwallstreetdistrict.com">www.blackwallstreetdistrict.com</a></p></div>National Black Wall Street-USA Education And Appeal For Supporthttps://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/national-black-wall-streetusa2010-12-11T20:08:09.000Z2010-12-11T20:08:09.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%" bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><tbody><tr><td width="100%" align="left" valign="top"><table id="content_LETTER.BLOCK2" style="margin-bottom:6px;margin-top:6px;" border="0" cellspacing="0" width="689"><tbody><tr><td style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:10pt;" align="left"><p><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:x-small;"><strong><img src="http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs061/1101271254295/img/4270.jpg?a=1104060966238" border="0" alt="" vspace="5" width="583" /></strong></span></p><p></p><p></p><p><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:x-small;"><strong><br /></strong></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td width="100%" align="left" valign="top"><p><span style="font-size:medium;">What is going on today to rebuild the (Black Wall Street) Black owned and operated Black business and jobs districts in the spirit of Black Wall Street Tulsa?</span></p><p><span style="font-size:medium;">Join the National Black Wall Street Street-USA movement with your membership, local chapter or general financial support. "There is nothing we cannot do when our people show their commitment to a righteous, spiritual, cultural</span>, <span style="font-size:medium;">and empowerment cause as Black Wall Street-USA, said Rev. Michael Carter, National President of National Black Wall Street-USA (<a href="http://www.blackwallstreetdistrict.com">www.blackwallstreetdistrict.com</a>)</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size:medium;">Mark S. Allen, Board member of Black Wall Street Chicago and new National Spokesperson for the National President states that "The Black consumer spending power when properly directed successfully built the original Black Wall Street Tulsa, in addition to Black businesses, products, services, entrepreneurs, throughout the country, and Black Wall Street Street-USA can be one of the significant Black economic and cultural empowerment movements of our time, but not without the partnerships and core financial support of the people." Join the movement today at <a href="http://www.blackwallstreetdistrict.com">www.blackwallstreetdistrict.com</a> <br /></span></p></td></tr><tr><td width="100%" align="left" valign="top"><table id="content_LETTER.BLOCK4" style="margin-bottom:6px;margin-top:6px;" border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="color:#333333;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:10pt;" align="left"><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#333333;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:x-small;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:18pt;"><strong>A. Moment In Black History</strong></span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;"><br /> <span style="color:#000000;">Many Thanks To Our Forefathers, 88 yrs. ago.</span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;color:#000000;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong>The Date Was June 1, 1921, "BLACK WALLSTREET"</strong></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;">The name fittingly given to one of the most affluent All-BLACK Communities in America , was bombed from the air and Burned to the ground by mobs of envious Whites.</span><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;">In a period spanning fewer than 12 hours, a once thriving Black Business District in northern Tulsa lay smoldering -- a model Community destroyed and a major African-American economic movement resoundingly defused</span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;">.</span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;">The Night's Carnage left some 3,000 African Americans Dead and over 600 Successful Businesses Lost. Among these were 21 Churches, 21 Restaurants, 30 Grocery Stores and 2 Movie Theaters, plus A Hospital, A Bank, a Post Office, Libraries, Schools, Law Offices, a half dozen Private Airplanes and even A Bus System.</span><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;">As could have been expected, the impetus behind it al l was the infamous Ku Klux Klan, working in consort with Ranking City Officials and many other Sympathizers.</span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;">The best description of <strong>BLACK WALLSTREET</strong>, or <strong>Little Africa</strong> as it was also known, would be to compare it to a mini - Berverly Hills.</span> <span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;">It was the golden door of the BLACK Community during the early 1900s, and it proved that African Americans could create a successful infrastructure.</span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong>That's What BLACK WALLSTREET, Was All About.</strong></span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong><br /></strong></span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;">The Dollar circulated 36 to 100 Times, sometimes taking a year for currency to leave the Community.</span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;">Now a Dollar leaves the BLACK Community in 15-minutes. As Far As Resources,There were Ph.D.'s residing in Little Africa, BLACK Attorneys and Doctors. One Doctor was Dr. Berry who owned the Bus System. His average income was $500 a Day, a hefty pocket change in 1910.</span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:13.5pt;">It was a time when the entire State of Oklahoma had only 2 Airports, yet 6 BLACKS, Owned their own Planes. It was a very Fascinating Community..</span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:13.5pt;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;">The mainstay of the Community was to educate every child. Nepotism was the one word they Believed in. And that's what we need to get back to.The main thoroughfare was <strong>Greenwood Avenue</strong>, and it was intersected by <strong>Archer and Pine Streets</strong>.</span><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;">From the First Letters in each of those Three Names you get G..A.P. And that's where the renowned R and B Music Group <span style="font-family:Arial;"><strong>The GAP Band got its name. They're From Tulsa.</strong></span></span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><strong><br /></strong></span></span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong>BLACK WALLSTREET</strong></span> <span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;">was a prime example of the typical, BLACK Community in America that did businesss, but it was in an unusual location.</span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong>You See, At The Time,</strong></span> <span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;">Oklahoma was set aside to be a BLACK and Indian State .</span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;">There were over 28 BLACK Townships there. <span style="background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">One third of the People who traveled in the terrifying "Trail of Tears" along side the Indians between 1830 and 1842 were BLACK People.</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;">The Citizens of this proposed Indian and BLACK State Chose A BLACK Governor, A Treasurer from Kansas named McDade. But the Ku Klux Klan said that if he assumed Office that they would Kill Him within 48 hours.</span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;">A lot of BLACKS owned Farmland, and many of them had gone into the Oil Business</span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;">.</span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;">The Community was so tight and Wealthy because they traded Dollars hand-to-hand, and because they were dependent upon one another as a result of the Jim Crow Laws.</span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;">It was not unusual that if a Resident's Home accidentally Burned down, it could be rebuilt within a few weeks by Neighbors. This was the type of scenario that was going on Day-to-Day on <strong>BLACK WALLSTREET</strong>.</span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;">When BLACKs intermarried into the Indian Culture, some of them received their promised '40 Acres and A Mule' and with that came whatever Oil was later found on the Properties.</span><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong>On BLACK WALLSTREET</strong></span><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:10pt;"><strong>.</strong></span> <span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;">A lot of Global Business was conducted, The Community flourished from the Early 1900s until June 1, 1921.. That's when the Largest Massacre of Nonmilitary Americans in the History of this Country took place, and it was lead by <strong>The KU KLUX KLAN</strong>.</span><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;">Imagine walking out of your front door and seeing 1,500 Homes being Burned.</span> <span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;">It must have been amazing</span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;">.</span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;"><br /> <span style="color:#000000;">Survivors we interviewed think that the whole thing was planned because during the time that all of this was going on; <span style="background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">White Families with their children stood around the borders of their Community and watched The Massacre.</span></span></span><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;">The looting and everything -- much in the same manner they would watch a Lynching.</span><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;">The Riots weren't caused by anything Black or White</span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;">. <span style="background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">It was caused by jealousy.</span></span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;"><span style="background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;">A lot of White Folks had come back from World War I and they were poor.</span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;">When they looked over into The BLACK Communities and realized that BLACK Men who Fought in The War had come Home Heroes that helped trigger the destruction.</span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;">It cost the BLACK Community everything, and not a single dime of restitution--No Insurance Claims--has been awarded the victims to this day. Nonetheless, they rebuilt.</span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;">We estimate 1,500 to 3,000 People were Killed and we know that a lot of them were Buried in Mass Graves all around the City. Some were thrown into the river.</span><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;">As a matter of fact, at 21st Street and Yale Avenue, where there now stands a Sears Parking Lot, that corner used to be a Coal Mine. They threw a lot of the Bodies into the Shafts.</span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong>Unmarked Graves</strong></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong>TULSA, Oklahoma (CNN)</strong></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;"><br /> <span style="color:#000000;">Beulah Smith and Kenny Booker, Two Elderly Oklahomans, Lived through one of the <span style="text-decoration:underline;">Worst Race Riots</span> in U.S.. History, <span style="text-decoration:underline;">a rarely mentioned 1921 Tulsa Blood Bath that officially took Thousands of African-American Lives.</span></span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong>The Tulsa Race Riot Commission, f</strong></span><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;">ormed two years ago to determine exactly what happened, will consider next week the Controversial Issue of what, if any, Reparations should be paid to the Known Survivors of the Riot</span><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:10pt;">.</span> <span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:14pt;">A Group of less than 100 that includes Beulah Smith, now 92, and Kenny Booker, 86.</span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:14pt;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong>'The Gun Went Off, the Riot Was On'</strong></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong><br /></strong></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Verdana;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong>On the Night of May 31,1921,</strong></span> <span style="font-family:Verdana;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;">mobs called for the lynching of Dick Rowland, A Black Man</span> <span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;">who shined shoes, after hearing reports that on the previous day he had assaulted Sarah Page, A white woman, in the elevator she operated in a downtown building.</span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong>A Local Newspaper, had printed a Fabricated Story that Rowland tried to Rape Page. In An Editorial,</strong></span> <span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;">the same newspaper said a Hanging was Planned for that Night. As Groups of both Blacks and Whites converged on the Tulsa Courthouse, a White Man in the Crowd Confronted an armed Black Man, A War Veteran, who had joined with other Blacks to protect Rowland.</span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong><br /> <span style="background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;color:#000000;">A Fabricated Newspaper Story Triggered The Violent Riots that left Hundreds, if not Thousands, Dead.</span></strong></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:13.5pt;">Comm. Member Eddie Faye Gates told CNN what happened next.</span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:13.5pt;">"This White Man," she said, Asked The Black Man, <strong>"What Are You Doing With This Gun?" "I'm going to use it if I have to," the Black Man said, according to Gates, "and (the White Man) said, 'No, you're not. Give it to me,' and he tried to take it. The gun went off, the White Man was Dead, The Riot Was On."</strong></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong>Truckloads of Whites Set Fires and Shot Blacks on sight. When the smoke lifted the Next Day, more than 1,400 Homes and Businesses in Tulsa 's Greenwood District, a prosperous area known as the " Black Wall Street ," lay in ruins.</strong></span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong>Today, only a single block of the Original Buildings remains standing in the area. Experts now estimate that at least 3,000, Died.</strong></span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong><br /></strong></span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong>We're in a heck of a lot of trouble' Beulah Smith was 14 yrs. old the Night of the Riot. A Neighbor named Frenchie came pounding on her family's door in a Tulsa neighborhood known as "Little Africa " that also went up in flames</strong></span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;"><strong>.</strong></span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;"><strong>"</strong></span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong>Get your families out of here because they're, <span style="background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">Killing Niggers Uptown</span>," she remembers Frenchie saying. "We hid in the weeds in the Hog Pen," Smith told CNN.</strong></span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong><br /></strong></span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong>People in a Mob that came to Kenny Booker's house asked, "Nigger, Do You Have A Gun?" he told CNN. Booker, then a teen-ager, hid with his family in their attic until the home was torched. "When we got downstairs, things were burning. My sister asked me, 'Kenny, is the World on Fire?' I said, 'I don't know, but we're in a heck of a lot of trouble, baby."</strong></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong>Another Riot Survivor,</strong></span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong>Ruth Avery, who was 7 at the time, gives an account matched by others who told <span style="background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;">of bombs dropped from small airplanes passing overhead.</span></strong></span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong><span style="background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;"><br /></span></strong></span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color:#000000;"><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong>The Explosive Devices may have been Dynamite or Molotov Cocktails -- Gasoline-Filled Bottles set afire and thrown as grenades</strong></span><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:10pt;"><strong>.</strong></span><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:10pt;"><strong>"</strong></span><span style="font-family:Arial;background:#FFFF00 none repeat scroll 0% 0%;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong>They'd throw it down and when it'd hit, it would burst into flames," Avery said.</strong></span></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong>Only A single block remains of the 1,400 Homes and Businesses that made up the area known as the ' Black Wall Street '. Unmarked Graves many of the Survivors "mentioned Bodies were stacked like cord wood, says Richard Warner of the Tulsa Historical Society.</strong></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong>In its search for the facts, The Commission has literally been trying to dig up the truth.</strong></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong>Two Headstones at Tulsa's Oaklawn Cemetery indicate that riot victims are buried there.</strong></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong>In an effort to determine how many, archeological experts in May used ground-piercing radar and other equipment to test the soil in a search for Unmarked Graves.</strong></span></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"></p><p style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:#000000;font-size:13.5pt;"><strong>The test picked up indications that hundreds, of people have been buried in an area just outside the cemetery.</strong></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></div>Chicago Press Conference on Easier Ballot Access and Petition Signature Reformshttps://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/chicago-press-conference-on2010-12-06T05:33:13.000Z2010-12-06T05:33:13.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><div align="center"><font style="font-size:1.25em;"><b>The "Democracy Now" Easy Ballot Access and Voter Restoration Project Petition Signature Reform Advocacy Campaign Press Conference on <br />MONDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2010 AT 8:00 AM at<br /> 69West Washington<br /></b></font></div><br /><div style="text-align:center;">POSITION PAPERS ON "BALLOT ACCESS" AND PETITION SIGNATURE REFORM<br /> PUBLIC POLICY CHANGES<br /></div><br /><br />The Voter <span style="background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" class="yiv66081223yiv1362067493yshortcuts" id="yiv66081223yiv1362067493lw_1291579244_0">Restoration Project Plans</span> Field Hearing <br /> On<br /><br /> Nominating Petition Reforms <br /> DEMANDS CHANGES TO PROCESS THAT DISENFRANCHISES CITIZENS CHOICE<br /> BY <br /> FAVORING <span style="border-bottom:2px dotted rgb(54,99,136);" class="yiv66081223yiv1362067493yshortcuts" id="yiv66081223yiv1362067493lw_1291579244_1">INCUMBENTS</span><br /><br /><span class="yiv66081223yiv1362067493yshortcuts" id="yiv66081223yiv1362067493lw_1291579244_2">MarkAllen</span>, lead organizer of the Voter Restoration Project, a voter-rightsand <span class="yiv66081223yiv1362067493yshortcuts" id="yiv66081223yiv1362067493lw_1291579244_3">public policy community</span> organizing campaign of the <span style="background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" class="yiv66081223yiv1362067493yshortcuts" id="yiv66081223yiv1362067493lw_1291579244_4">Black LeadershipDevelopment Institute</span> (BLDI) aimed at reforming the political nominatingprocess that favors incumbents, today, along with coalition partner,the Monroe Foundation, announced plans for " A Community PoliticalAccountability Hearing and Advocacy Campaign On Petition Signature Reforms", to be held later thismonth. Location and Time will be sent out next week. <span class="yiv66081223yiv1362067493yshortcuts" id="yiv66081223yiv1362067493lw_1291579244_5">Lance GoughExecutive Director</span> and Atty. Langdon Neal, Chairman of The <span style="border-bottom:2px dotted rgb(54,99,136);" class="yiv66081223yiv1362067493yshortcuts" id="yiv66081223yiv1362067493lw_1291579244_6">Chicago Boardof Elections</span> have indicated their willingness to work with The VoterRestoration Project, hear testimony and <span style="background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" class="yiv66081223yiv1362067493yshortcuts" id="yiv66081223yiv1362067493lw_1291579244_7">support public policy changes</span>.<br /><br /><div align="center">Allen, a veteran political activist including being a former National staff member to the <span class="yiv66081223yiv1362067493yshortcuts" id="yiv66081223yiv1362067493lw_1291579244_8">Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr</span>and FieldDirector for Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, former Voter Education Specialistfor The Chicago Urban League, and founder of the Black LeadershipDevelopment Institute (BLDI). a community organizing training center forBlack organizers, will invite elected officials and policy-makers withthe Chicago and <span style="border-bottom:2px dotted rgb(54,99,136);" class="yiv66081223yiv1362067493yshortcuts" id="yiv66081223yiv1362067493lw_1291579244_9">State Board of Elections</span>to hear testimonies fromcitizen-voters who believe they have been historically disenfranchisedfrom votingfor the candidates of their choice because of the current petitionsignature challenge process where thousands of voters whose currentsignature is valid when obtaining actual ballots to vote on electionday, yet ruled illegitimate on petitions because that same signature nowdoes not look like the signature on their original voter registrationcard.<br /></div><br />The Voter Restoration Project is seeking registered voters, previously disqualified candidates whofeel disenfranchised by this current electoralprocess that favors established party candidates and incumbents andsupport public policy reforms on the petition signature process. .<br /><br /><br />- Some of the Proposed Reforms are:<br /><br /><br />- COMPUTERIZED VOTER REGISTRATION ON-LINE THAT ARE KEPT IN A DATABASE, THAT IS UPDATED <br />- COMPUTERIZED SIGNATURE EACH TIME A REGISTERED VOTER VOTES IN A PRIMARY OR GENERAL ELECTIONS<br /><br /><br /><br />RSVP for the Voter Restoration Project Field Hearing By Emailing<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Name:<br />Organization(if applicable)<br />Phone:<br />Email:<br />To: marksallen2800@yahoo.com<br /><br /><br /><span style="background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" class="yiv66081223yiv1362067493yshortcuts" id="yiv66081223yiv1362067493lw_1291579244_10">Mark Allen</span><br /><span style="background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" class="yiv66081223yiv1362067493yshortcuts">Black</span> <span style="background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" class="yiv66081223yiv1362067493yshortcuts" id="yiv66081223yiv1362067493lw_1291579244_11">Leadership Development Institute</span>/Voter RestorationProject<br />449 East 35th Street, 1st Floor<br />Chicago, Illinois 60616<br /><span style="border-bottom:2px dotted rgb(54,99,136);background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" class="yiv66081223yiv1362067493yshortcuts" id="yiv66081223yiv1362067493lw_1291579244_12">(773) 392-0165</span><br /><br />**********************************************************************************************************<br /><br /><div id="yiv66081223post-67" class="yiv66081223post-67 page type-page hentry"><h1 class="yiv66081223entry-title">Ballot Access (by Jay Stone)<br /></h1><div class="yiv66081223entry-content"><p><strong><span id="yiv66081223more-67"></span>Reduced Required Signatures for Mayor from 12,500 to 350 or 700</strong></p><p>The current requirement of 12,500 signatures to get on the ballot for mayor of Chicago is 10 to 25 times higher than it should be. Limitingpolitical competition is the one and only reason for the excessivenumber of signatures to run for mayor of Chicago. Experts recommendcandidates file three times the number of required signatures becauseof the ease in which challenged signatures can become invalid. SinceChicago requires 12,500 signatures, if candidates follow the advice ofexperts, they will file 37,500 signatures.</p><p>After doing research, Stone carefully chose 350 valid signatures to get on the ballot for mayoral candidates who pay a $300.00 filing fee or700 signatures if candidates choose not to pay filling fee. Stone didnot arbitrarily come up with his number of required signatures to get onthe ballot. His number of signatures to run for mayor is the result ofan analysis of other cities’ ballot requirements (explained below).</p><p><br /></p><p>Stone does not believe in total access to get on the ballot. Total access would allow anybody to get on the ballot by merely requesting todo so. Stone believes in minimal ballot access restriction to eliminatepeople who just want to see their name on the ballot. Requiringcandidates to collect 350 or 700 signatures to get on the ballot islarge enough to attract only serious candidates for mayor, but not toolarge that it will keep qualified candidates off.</p><p><br /></p><p>Typically hundreds of candidates will apply for a single job. Why not have 5 or 10 candidates seeking the job of mayor of Chicago? In theirlast municipal elections, 12 candidates ran for mayor of New York, 10candidates competed for the mayor of Los Angeles, and 10 candidatessought to become the mayor of San Antonio.</p><p><br /></p><p>Avoiding voter confusion was the reason politicians previously restricted ballot access. Politicians asserted that if there were easyaccess to the ballot, a large number of candidates would burden andconfuse the voter. The voter confusion myth was dispelled when 135candidates ran for California governor after Governor Gray Davis wasrecalled. According to newspaper accounts, 135 candidates did notconfuse the voters or cause them to vote for the wrong candidate.</p><p><br /></p><p>350 to 700 signatures to get on the ballot for mayor of Chicago would not create a massive or confusing amount of candidates, but it wouldcreate political competition. Is there anything wrong with having morecandidates for mayor touting their ideas to improve Chicago?</p><p><br /></p><p>Table A lists the 10 largest cities in the U.S. The table compares each city’s population, number of signatures to get on the ballot formayor, and the number of days each candidate has to collect thesignatures. For example, Chicago has a population 2,853,114 people. Acandidate for mayor must collect 12,500 valid signatures within thespecified 90 day time period. Now you can compare what it takes to geton the ballot for mayor in Chicago with that of Los Angeles, New York,or San Antonio.</p><p><br /></p><p>When you compare the number of signatures other cities require to run for mayor with Chicago, you can clearly pinpoint how ballot access isone of the ways Chicago and state of Illinois politicians purposelylimit political competition. For example, the city with the closetpopulation to Chicago is Houston. The city of Houston requires nosignatures if candidates pay a $1,250.00 filing fee. If Houston mayoralcandidates don’t want to pay a filing fee, they must submit 587signatures to run for mayor compared to the 12,500 signatures Chicagorequires.</p><p><br /></p><p>Los Angeles has nearly one million more people than Chicago but only requires 500 signatures if a candidate pays a $300.00 filing fee, or acandidate must submit 1,000 signatures if a candidate refuses to pay afilling fee. The City of Los Angeles with one million more people thanChicago requires only 4% (filing fee) or 8% (no filing fee) of Chicago’srequired 12,500 signatures.</p><p><br /></p><p>New York city has a population nearly three times the size of Chicago.Does New York city require three times as many signatures torun for mayor than Chicago does? Hardly. Though New York city’spopulation is nearly three times larger than Chicago, New York requiresonly 3,750 signatures, or 30% of the 12,500 signatures that it takes toget on Chicago’s ballot.</p><p><br /></p><p>The City of Phoenix has a population that is 55% less than Chicago, but Phoenix’s requirement of 1,500 signatures to get on the ballot is12% of Chicago’s 12,500 signatures. Furthermore, candidates cancirculate petitions in Phoenix for twice the amount of time (180 days)as Chicago (90 days).</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Number of Signatures to Run for Mayor</strong></p><p style="text-align:center;"></p><table style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" border="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="88">City</td><td valign="top" width="85">Population</td><td valign="top" width="147">Number of Signatures</td><td valign="top" width="147">Number of Days</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="88">New York</td><td valign="top" width="85">8,363,710</td><td valign="top" width="147">3,750 Valid Signatures</td><td valign="top" width="147">35 Days</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="88">Los Angeles</td><td valign="top" width="85">3,833,995</td><td valign="top" width="147">500 Valid Signatures with $300.00 filing fee</td><td valign="top" width="147">25 Days</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="88">Los Angeles</td><td valign="top" width="85">3,833,995</td><td valign="top" width="147">1,000 Valid Signatures if Candidate Pays No Filing Fee</td><td valign="top" width="147">25 Days</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="88">Chicago</td><td valign="top" width="85">2,853,114</td><td valign="top" width="147">12,500 Valid Signatures</td><td valign="top" width="147">90 Days</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="88">Houston</td><td valign="top" width="85">2,242,193</td><td valign="top" width="147">No Signatures Required if Candidates pay a $1,250 Filing Fee</td><td width="147">Does Not Apply</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="88">Houston</td><td valign="top" width="85">2,242,193</td><td valign="top" width="147">587 Valid Signatures</td><td valign="top" width="147">90 Days</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="88">Phoenix</td><td valign="top" width="85">1,567,924</td><td valign="top" width="147">1,500 Valid Signatures</td><td valign="top" width="147">180 Days</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="88">Philadelphia</td><td valign="top" width="85">1,447,395</td><td valign="top" width="147">1,000 Valid Signatures for Partisan Candidates</td><td valign="top" width="147">21 Days</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="88">San Antonio</td><td valign="top" width="85">1,351,305</td><td valign="top" width="147">No Signatures Required. Candidate Pays $100 Fee</td><td width="147">Does Not Apply</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="88">San Antonio</td><td valign="top" width="85">1,351,305</td><td valign="top" width="147">361 Valid Signatures Required if Candidate Pays No Filing Fee</td><td width="147">Unavailable</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="88">Dallas</td><td valign="top" width="85">1,279,910</td><td valign="top" width="147">473 Valid Signatures</td><td valign="top" width="147">As Soon As the City Council Publishes Election Date</td></tr><tr><td width="88">San Diego</td><td width="85">1,279,329</td><td valign="top" width="147">200 Valid Signatures with a $500 Filing Fee</td><td width="147">29 Days</td></tr><tr><td width="88">San Diego</td><td width="85">1,279,329</td><td valign="top" width="147">2,200 Signatures if Candidates Pay No Filing Fee</td><td width="147">29 Days</td></tr><tr><td width="88">San Jose</td><td width="85">948,279</td><td valign="top" width="147">50 Minimum Valid Signatures<p>60 Maximum Valid Signatures</p><p><br /></p></td><td valign="top" width="147">25 Days</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align:center;"></p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Table A</strong></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>A Democrat or Republican candidate for governor of Illinois needs 5,000 signatures compared to 12,500 signatures to run for mayor ofChicago. It takes 2/12 times the number of signatures to run for mayorthan it does to run for Governor. The mayor of Chicago represents 2.9million people and the Illinois governor represents 12.9 million people.The IL governor represents 4.5 times the number of Chicago residentsand yet a candidate needs 2.5 times the number of signatures to get onthe ballot for mayor compared to a candidate for the governor ofIllinois. The same onerous and restrictive ballot access for mayor alsoapplies to candidates running for city clerk and city treasurer.</p><p><br /></p><p><strong>The Number of Days to Collect Signatures</strong></p><p></p><p>The number of days that Chicago candidates have to collect signatures is also a tool to restrict political competition. For example, for the2011 mayor’s race, candidates can start to collect signatures on August24. However, Chicago weather plays a factor in how many signaturescandidates can collect. In October, the weather starts getting colder,and it starts to get dark earlier in the evening. Furthermore, inOctober the clocks are turned back one hour later. Less daylight hoursin the fall reduces the amount of time candidates have to collectsignatures. Chicago’s colder weather and reduced daylight hours isanother reason why Chicago should decrease the number of signatures toget on the ballot to 350 if a candidate pays a filing fee or 700 if acandidate does not pay a filing fee.</p><p><br /></p><p>Chicago should increase the number of days it allows candidates to circulate petitions for mayor from 90 days to 180 days. Phoenix allowsmayoral candidates to collect signatures for a 180 days. Given Chicago’sinclement fall weather and reduced daylight hours, it is only fair thatcandidates have more time to collect signatures.</p><p><br /></p><p>Chicago’s current 12,500 number of signatures to run for mayor and the cool, dark, fall Chicago weather heavily favors the candidate whohas the support of the Chicago political machine. Even with the Shakmanmonitors watching over city and county governments, each Chicago wardstill has 20 to 80 patronage workers ready at a moments notice to go outand collect signatures for a machine candidate. The machine can stillcrank out 25,000 signatures in seven days if it needed to.</p><p><br /></p><p>Mayor Daley and his lackeys will tell you the number of signatures to get on the ballot is irrelevant because in the last two municipalelections no mayoral candidates were challenged off of the ballot. Thethreat of a ballot access law suit was the real reason Mayor Daley andhis minions did not challenge any mayoral candidates. By not challengingthe petitions of candidates for mayor, the court has not had anopportunity to reduce the number of signatures needed to run for mayor.The fact that the 12,500 signature law exists means there is apossibility that someone can legally challenge a candidate based on thishighly restrictive ballot access law. For once let our government beproactive, not reactive. Let our city and state reduce the number ofsignatures required to run for mayor to 350 with a filing fee or 700with no filing fee before a lawsuit requires the city and state to doso.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><p></p><p><strong>The Number of Valid Signatures Per the Number of People</strong></p><p><strong><br /></strong></p><p></p><p>As with Table A, Table B includes the names of the 10 most populated U.S, cities, the population of each city, and the number of signatureseach city requires to get on the ballot for the mayor of that respectivecity. The fourth column in Table B comes from dividing the populationof the city (Column B) by the number of signatures (Column C). Theresult is the number of signatures per residents for that particularcity. For example, New York city requires one signature to run for mayorfor every 1,115 people that live in New York city.</p><p>The higher the number of signatures a candidate has to collect per population, the greater the city has ballot access. For instance, let’scompare ballot access for mayoral candidates in Chicago and Los Angeles.Depending on whether a candidate pays a filing fee, it takes acandidate for mayor in Chicago to collect either 17 or 34 times moresignatures per resident than Los Angeles.</p><p><br /></p><p>A Chicago candidate for mayor has to collect one signature for every 228 citizens that live in Chicago. Houston, which has the closetpopulation to Chicago, requires one signature for every 3,819 citizensif a candidate opts not to pay a filing fee. If Houston mayoralcandidates pay a filing fee, Houston candidates don’t have to collectone signature.</p><p>The required number of signatures per citizen is a fair way to compare each city’s ballot access with one another. Chicago is fivetimes more restrictive than Phoenix because Chicago candidates have tocollect one signature per every 228 residents compared to Phoenixcandidates who must collect one signature for every 1,045. Besides beenless restrictive with the number of signatures required, Phoenix alsoallows mayoral candidates double the amount of time to collectsignatures (180 days) for its candidates than Chicago (90 days).</p><p><br /></p><p>Look what will happen if Chicago were to adopt Stone’s idea of reducing the number of signatures to get on the ballot. With 350signatures and a filing fee required to run for mayor, Chicagocandidates would collect one signature per every 8,152 residents. If 700signatures were required to run for mayor, candidates will then collectone signature for every 4,076 Chicago residents.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Number of Signatures Per Capita</strong></p><p style="text-align:center;"></p><table style="text-align:center;" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" border="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="88">City</td><td valign="top" width="85">Population</td><td valign="top" width="147">Number of Signatures</td><td valign="top" width="147">Number of Signatures Per City Residents</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="88">New York</td><td valign="top" width="85">8,363,710</td><td valign="top" width="147">3,750 Valid Signatures</td><td valign="top" width="147">2,230</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="88">Los Angeles</td><td valign="top" width="85">3,833,995</td><td valign="top" width="147">500 Valid Signatures with $300.00 filing fee</td><td valign="top" width="147">7,668</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="88">Los Angeles</td><td valign="top" width="85">3,833,995</td><td valign="top" width="147">1,000 Valid Signatures if Candidate Pays No Filing Fee</td><td valign="top" width="147">3,834</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="88">Chicago</td><td valign="top" width="85">2,853,114</td><td valign="top" width="147">12,500 Valid Signatures</td><td valign="top" width="147">228</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="88">Houston</td><td valign="top" width="85">2,242,193</td><td valign="top" width="147">587</td><td valign="top" width="147">3,819</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="88">Phoenix</td><td valign="top" width="85">1,567,924</td><td valign="top" width="147">1,500 Valid Signatures</td><td valign="top" width="147">1,045</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="88">Philadelphia</td><td valign="top" width="85">1,447,395</td><td valign="top" width="147">1,000 Valid Signatures for Partisan Candidates</td><td valign="top" width="147">1,447</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="88">San Antonio</td><td valign="top" width="85">1,351,305</td><td valign="top" width="147">361</td><td valign="top" width="147">3,743</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="88">Dallas</td><td valign="top" width="85">1,279,910</td><td valign="top" width="147">473</td><td valign="top" width="147">2,705</td></tr><tr><td width="88">San Diego</td><td width="85">1,279,329</td><td valign="top" width="147">200 Signatures If Candidate Pays Filing Fee</td><td width="147">6,397</td></tr><tr><td width="88">San Diego</td><td width="85">1,279,329</td><td valign="top" width="147">2,200 Signatures if Candidates Pays No Filing Fee</td><td width="147">582</td></tr><tr><td width="88">San Jose</td><td width="85">948,279</td><td valign="top" width="147">50 Minimum Valid Signatures<p>60 Maximum Valid Signatures</p></td><td width="147">18,966</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align:center;"></p><p style="text-align:center;"></p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>Table B</strong></p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong><br /></strong></p><p style="text-align:left;"><strong>More Ballot Access for the Offices of City Clerk, City Treasurer, and Alderman</strong></p><p style="text-align:left;">The number of signatures required for a city clerk or city treasurer candidate is 12,500. If city clerk and citytreasurer candidates follow political experts advice, their nominatingpetitions will have 37,500 signatures. Limiting political competitionand protecting machine candidates are the reasons why Chicago requires12,500 signatures for city clerk and city treasurer candidates.</p><p style="text-align:left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align:left;">Jay wants to reduce the number of signatures for city clerk and city treasurer from 12,500 signatures to350 signatures if candidates pay a $300.00 filing fee or 700 signaturesif candidates do not pay a filing fee.</p><p style="text-align:left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align:left;">Each of Chicago’s 50 aldermen has approximately 60,000 people living in his or her ward. The number ofsignatures required to run for alderman is 2% of the ward’s aldermanicvote in the last election. For a candidate’s name to appear on theballot for alderman in Chicago, the number of signatures range from alow 88 signatures in the 12th ward to a high of 429 signatures in the19th ward. The number of signatures to run for alderman in the otherwards falls between 88 and 429 signatures.</p><p style="text-align:left;"><br /></p><p>An independent candidate for governor, lieutenant governor, state comptroller, attorney general, and U.S. senate all need signaturesamounting to 1% of the number of total voters in the last election. Acandidate for alderman must submit 2%, which is double the number ofsignatures for that of candidates for higher Illinois offices.Furthermore, the Illinois General Assembly decided that Chicagocandidates shall have no party affiliation. By law, Chicago candidatescannot declare Democrat, Republican, or Green party. Why shouldcandidates for alderman be required to have twice the number ofsignatures than independents when the Illinois General Assembly decidedthat Chicago political office seekers must run as non-partisancandidates? Candidates in Chicago are held to a standard higher than anindependent candidate without having the choice to run as an independentor run with a party affiliation.</p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align:left;">Now lets compare the number of signatures it takes for a candidate to run for alderman versus the number ofsignatures that are required to run for mayor of cities in Table A andB. In some cases more signatures are required to run for a Chicagoalderman than are required to run for mayor. For example, San Jose with apopulation of 948,279 requires 50 signatures to run for mayor, which islower than the number of signatures to run for alderman in every wardin the city. Furthermore, the San Jose mayor represents 948,279 peopleand a Chicago alderman represents about 60,000 people.</p><p style="text-align:left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align:left;">Houston has a population of 2,242,193 and San Antonio’s population is 1,351,305. Yet, both Houston and San Antoniodon’t require any signatures for candidates for mayor if the candidatespay a filing fee. Why is it harder to run for alderman in Chicago thanit is to run for mayor of cities with populations much larger than whatan alderman represents?</p><p style="text-align:left;">First Jay is calling for all alderman submitting the same number of signatures for their nominating petitions.Aldermen represent the people in their ward regardless of whether theirconstituents voted or not. Since each alderman represents about thesame number of people, each alderman should be required to submit thesame number of signatures with their nominating petitions.</p><p style="text-align:left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align:left;">Jay is calling for the number of signatures to run for alderman in all wards to be reduced to 35 signatures if acandidate pays a $100.00 fee, or 60 signatures if a candidate opts notto pay a filing fee.</p><p style="text-align:left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align:left;">The purpose of nominating signatures is to separate the serious candidates from those who only want their name toappear on the ballot. Too many candidates for alderman have had theirpetitions successfully challenged, which means candidates names were notallowed to appear on the ballot. Other candidates have won theirchallenges, but machine candidates use petition challenges to tie uptheir challengers’ time and money. The lowering of the number ofsignatures to run for alderman increases political competition andeliminates machine alderman using nominating signature challenges tounduly stop or hinder their challengers’ campaigns.</p><p></p><p></p></div></div><h3 id="yiv66081223comments-title">2 Responses to <em>Ballot Access</em></h3><div id="yiv66081223comment-123"><div class="yiv66081223comment-author vcard"><img alt="" src="http://0.gravatar.com/avatar/87b10cc1af3787d4a43d921a505c2431?s=40&d=identicon&r=G" class="yiv66081223avatar avatar-40 photo" width="40" height="40" /><cite class="yiv66081223fn"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.ballot-access.org/" class="yiv66081223url">Richard Winger</a></cite> <span class="yiv66081223says">says:</span></div><div class="yiv66081223comment-meta commentmetadata"><a target="_blank" href="http://stoneformayor.com/issues/increase-political-competition/#comment-123">November 22, 2010 at 3:08 pm</a></div><div class="yiv66081223comment-body"><p>New York city voters voted on November 2, 2010 to amend the city charter, so that the new requirement to run forMayor of New York city is 3,750 signatures, not 7,500 as the chart aboveshows. So Jay’s case is even stronger than his chart above says. Ihope his webmaster amends the chart.</p></div><div class="yiv66081223reply"><a class="yiv66081223comment-reply-link" target="_blank" href="http://stoneformayor.com/issues/increase-political-competition/?replytocom=123#respond">Reply</a></div></div><div class="yiv66081223comment-author vcard"><img alt="" src="http://0.gravatar.com/avatar/4781fbae8e470a584e15da64eb20f397?s=40&d=identicon&r=G" class="yiv66081223avatar avatar-40 photo" width="40" height="40" /><cite class="yiv66081223fn">JayStone</cite> <span class="yiv66081223says">says:</span></div><div class="yiv66081223comment-meta commentmetadata"><a target="_blank" href="http://stoneformayor.com/issues/increase-political-competition/#comment-132">November 23, 2010 at 6:40 pm</a></div><div class="yiv66081223comment-body"><p>Richard, you are right. New York residents voted to lower the number of required signatures to 3,750. Imade the changes above. It would be nice if Chicago residents were giventhe opportunity to vote on election laws. Richard, I appreciate you andyour help.</p><p>Jay Stone</p></div><br /><table border="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="font:inherit;" valign="top"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div>Link For Chicago Grassroots Poll On Mayoral Candidate and Agenda -- Pass LInk On and Vote Now !!https://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/link-for-chicago-grassroots2010-09-14T01:30:29.000Z2010-09-14T01:30:29.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><br /><div style="text-align:center;">Mark S. Allen<br />Associate Editor<br />The South Street Journal Newspaper<br />Founder, <span style="background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1284427413_0">Black Leadership Development Institute</span>, BLDI<br />Chairman & Lead Organizer, Voter Restoration Project<br /><span style="border-bottom:2px dotted rgb(54,99,136);" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1284427413_1">449 East 35th Street, 1st Floor<br />Chicago, Illinois 60616</span><br />(Office) <span style="border-bottom:2px dotted rgb(54,99,136);" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1284427413_2">312-624-8351</span> (Cell) <span style="border-bottom:2px dotted rgb(54,99,136);background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1284427413_3">773-392-0165</span><br /></div><br />-<br /><div style="text-align:center;">THE CHICAGO MAYORAL GRASSROOTS POLL ON CANDIDATE AND AGENDA<br /><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e30xgbrsge1mrlex/start"><span class="yiv582681195yshortcuts" id="yiv582681195lw_1284421569_0">http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e30xgbrsge1mrlex/start</span></a><br /><br /><br />Thank you to Hermene Hartman, veteran educator, activist and publisher ofN'DIGO Magapaper and Melody Spann-Cooper, President of the historicBlack/Talk Radio Station WVON-AM 1690 for being the latest of our keyBlack leadership and media outlets to help follow the process of allowing grassrootspeople and <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1284427413_4">other voices</span> to be a part of shaping the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1284427413_5">selection process</span>and the issues that shape the final agenda of the <span style="border-bottom:2px dotted rgb(54,99,136);" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1284427413_6">Mayoral candidate</span>from the Black community!<br /><br />As I blogged last week, I challengedour collective leadership, especially those that played a role like Idid in the candidate selection and Black and grassroots agenda of<span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1284427413_7">Chicago Mayor Harold Washington</span> -- the only successful formula that aBlack candidate actually won and a Black and grassroots agenda wasadopted and showed real signs of progress and empowerment. While somewill argue that polling people by e-mail is unscientific, these sameunscientific means still laid the foundation for ordinary people tohave their say in who the candidate will eventually be, and mostimportantly grassroots organizers and ordinary individuals had theirsay and saw themselves and their constituent issues in the shaping ofthe <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1284427413_8">Mayoral candidates</span> agenda. This current poll gives thousands oforganizers and individuals that opportunity again.<br /><br />Twenty-oneyears ago I was a youth organizer for the late Lu Palmer's ChicagoBlack United Communities (CBUC) and <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1284427413_9">The Task Force</span> For Black PoliticalEmpowerment organizations and a key part of soliciting the input ofyouth in the candidate selection and agenda setting process, and waslater humbled to be placed out front by our elder leaders as one of theofficial youth coordinators of the '83 Campaign of <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1284427413_10">Harold Washington</span>.Twenty-one years later as a former talk show host and producer fromWVON-AM, a veteran community activist and Associate Editor of The SouthStreet Journal Newspaper, I am humbled to have been contacted byHermene Hartman and asked to step up again and help to solicit theinput of others in polling candidates and developing "agenda"priorities that ordinary people can "see" their input into theprocess.! This process is SO critical when we try to hear from thoseconstituent voices that have not voted in over 21 years for a <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1284427413_11">Mayoralcandidate</span> and if they see themselves and their input again will thatget them actively and systematically involved.<br /><br />As of thiswriting, there were less than 200 participants in the candidate andagenda polling and I hope that our help at the grassroots level willget us to at least 1,000 responses by this Friday, so today I startwith distributing this link to a grassroots e-mail base of over 20,000names !!! And for once in an important process as this, these 20,000names of grassroots e-mail contacts have never been contacted by anymajor news media agency, but for us at the grassroots level, theirinput is critical to us and this and this process, and will publiclyreported where the ordinary people again will SEE themselves and theirinput, and hopefully that will help us get thousands of voters backinto this upcoming <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1284427413_12">Chicago</span> Mayoral election process of 2011.<br /><br />Okayorganizers, activists and all who read this blog and one of the 20,000getting this link today, also have lists of their own to share thelink, so there is no way that we should not have at least 1,000responses by this Friday !!! Lets this phase or the "organizing" continue !!<br /><br /><br /></div><br /></div>Chicago Mayoral Candidates and Other Local Independent Candidates Need To Endorse Petition Signature Challenge Process Now!https://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/chicago-mayoral-candidates-and2010-09-13T11:31:02.000Z2010-09-13T11:31:02.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div>The Race For Chicago Mayor and other 2011 local elective offices beginswith a candidate being able to first to make the ballot with enoughpetition signatures to make the ballot. Far too many candidates foroffice spend too much time working on issues that come after making theballot and far too many prospective candidates never make the ballotbecause many of the valid signatures are traditionally ruled invalid.Today, we continue our outreach to prospective candidates for ChicagoMayor and other 2011 local elective offices to publicly endorse publicpolicy reforms that will surely benefit their 2011 campaign to make theballot and for future independent local candidates and voters from beingdisenfranchised!!<br /><br /><br /><br /> Nominating Petition Reforms <br /> DEMANDS CHANGES TO PROCESS THAT DISENFRANCHISES CITIZENS CHOICE<br /> BY FAVORING INCUMBENTS<br /><br />MarkAllen, lead organizer of the Voter Restoration Project, a voter-rightsand public policy community organizing campaign of the Black LeadershipDevelopment Institute (BLDI) aimed at reforming the political nominatingprocess that favors incumbents, today, along with coalition partner,the Monroe Foundation, announced plans for " A Community PoliticalAccountability Hearing On Petition Reforms", to be held later thismonth. Lance GoughExecutive Director and Atty. Langdon Neal, Chairman of The Chicago Boardof Elections have indicated their willingness to work with The VoterRestoration Project, hear testimony and support public policy changes.<br /><br />Allen,veteran political activist, former National staff member to the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr and FieldDirector for Rainbow/PUSH Coalition and founder of the Black LeadershipDevelopment Institute (BLDI). a community organizing training center forBlack organizers, will invite elected officials, grassroots independent local candidates,. and policy-makers withthe Chicago and State Board of Elections to hear testimonies fromcitizen-voters who believe they have been disenfranchised from votingfor the candidate of their choice.<br /><br />The Voter Restoration Projectis seeking registered voters, who have traditionally witnessed disenfranchisement by an electoralprocess that favors voters to testify at the hearing and lobby for these important reforms.<br /><br /><br />- Some of the Proposed Reforms are:<br /><br /><br />- COMPUTERIZED VOTER REGISTRATION ON-LINE THAT ARE KEPT IN A DATABASE, THAT IS UPDATED <br /><br />- COMPUTERIZED SIGNATURE EACH TIME A REGISTERED VOTER VOTES IN A PRIMARY AND ELECTIONS<br /><br /><i>Longtimeregistered voters and other registered voters have to STOP beingdisenfranchised on the basis of "your current signature today does notlook like the original signature on your voter registration card."</i><br /><br /><br />RSVP for the Voter Restoration Project Field Hearing By Emailing<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Name:<br />Organization (if applicable)<br />Phone:<br />Email:<br />To: marksallen2800@yahoo.com<br /><br /><br />Mark Allen<br />Black Leadership Development Institute<br />(773) 392-0165<br />.<br /></div>Legendary Temptations Review w/Dennis Edwards Highlight Benefit Veterans Concert In Chicago Friday September 3rdhttps://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/legendary-temptations-review2010-08-15T19:26:34.000Z2010-08-15T19:26:34.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><br /><div style="text-align:center;"><font size="4">Legendary Temptations Review w/Dennis Edwards Highlight Benefit Veterans Concert In Chicago Friday September 3rd - also featuring Harold Melvin's BlueNotes and The Intruders</font><br />Mark S. Allen, Local Ambassador<br /><br />MDC Productions (<a href="http://www.mdcproductionsinc.com">www.mdcproductionsinc.com</a>)<br /><br />773-752-5725<br /><br />Dennis Muhammad, President/CEO<br /><br /><br /><br />The legendary Temptations Review featuring Dennis Edwards, Harold Melvin's Blue Notes, and The Intruders highlight a special benefit concert for underserved veterans, Friday September 3rd at 7:00 PM at the new Emil & Patricia Jones Convocation Center at Chicago State University. I am pleased and humbled that Dennis Muhammad, President/CEO of MDC Productions has asked me to be one the local ambassadors to help promote and generate grassroots support for this show in the community. Many people in the grassroots community can never afford to attend many concerts like this for they are outside of the community and even when in Chicago arae venues ticket prices are averaged at $60-$100 or more along with high prices for food and parking, but this is truly based for the grassroots community to afford with ticket prices at $35 and $45 for the main floor!!<br /><br /><br /><br />Music is a healing source for many, and the surveys that MDC Production conducted among veterans suggested that The Temptations are at the top of the list of groups, so based on those wishes of veterans, MDC Productions put together this dynamic event with this star-studded show with The Temptations featuring Dennis Edwards, Harold Melvin's Bluenotes and The Intruders. Again, this magnificent show only costs $35 to $45 per ticket and MDC Productions is appealing to our leaders, corporate leadership, our civic leadership, our government leadership and our political leadership to support this cause by coming out themselves but especially by purchasing tickets to be given away to our soldiers who are active and have served in Iraq and Afghanistan and those who have served in the past.<br /><br /><br /><br />MDC President Dennis Muhammad has publicly pledged that "Purchasing tickets will place your name in our ad book as one of the patriots who supported the patriotic." To obtain or complete a pledge/commitment form for purchasing tickets, or if you have the additional capacity for sponsorship or advertisement, please call the MDC Productions hotline at 773-752-5725 or go on-line at <a href="http://www.mdcproductionsinc.com">www.mdcproductionsinc.com</a>. Tickets are also available at the box office of The Jones Convocation Center, Chicago State University, 9501 South King Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60628<br /><br /><br /><br />Many of our veterans have experienced physical, mental, and spiritual afflictions that only a person in combat would understand. MDC Productions is again proud, humbled, and honored to bring a production of this magnitude that will re-open the great memories to our known and unknown heroes, and to our veterans who have served our country so well, so that we Americans can enjoy our freedoms and democracy. So join us in this great celebration of this benefit concert with these groups and music that is so much a part of our history and legendary status like Dennis Edwards and his Temptations Revue, Harold Melvin's Bluenotes, and The Intruders, Friday, September 3rd at 7PM at Chicago State University with these affordable ticket prices of just $35-$45 and right in the community.!!<br /><br /><br /><br />My personal and public thanks again to Dennis Muhammad, President /CEO of MDC Productions for choosing me to serve as one the local ambassadors for this magnificent, star-studded show, and its most worthy cause of providing much needed resources to so many of our underserved veterans.<br /><br /><br /></div></div>"TruthFighter" Warren Ballentine's Site Visit To Chicago's Reggio's Pizza Plant - Legendary Black Owned Business Manufacturing Planthttps://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/truthfighter-warren2010-07-15T20:00:00.000Z2010-07-15T20:00:00.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:14pt;"><div style="text-align:center;">Mark S. Allen, Board Member of The Black Wall Street-Chicago Economic Empowerment Project salutes "The Truth Fighter" Attorney and National<br />Syndicated Radio & TV Personality <span style="border-bottom:2px dotted rgb(54,99,136);" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1279223687_0">Warren Ballentine</span><br />for his commitment to helping lift up, sustain and increase the<br />business and jobs of one of our legendary Black owned & operated<br />businesses, Reggio's Pizza!!<br /><br />Ballentine recently returned home to <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1279223687_1">Chicago</span>to visit Reggio's President & CEO John Clark on the site of the<br />Reggio's Southside Headquarters and Manufacturing Plant ! As <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1279223687_2">Wal-Mart</span><br />prepares to come to Chicago's Black communities, you can be assured<br />that The Black Wall Street-Chicago Project has legendary Black owned<br />businesses like Reggio's on the list of qualified products to be on the<br />Wal Mart Mart inventory, which can generate hundreds of more new jobs<br />in Chicago.<br /><br />And it my honor to work with Ballentine as one of the national<br /> organizers of Rev. Al Sharpton's <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1279223687_3">National 12</span> Month <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1279223687_4">Action Plan</span>and of the agenda items of sustaining and increasing Black owned<br />businesses and local jobs, which will also be the highlight of the 1st <span style="border-bottom:2px dotted rgb(54,99,136);" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1279223687_5">National Convention</span> of <span style="background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1279223687_6">Black Wall Street Organizations</span> in Chicago <span style="border-bottom:2px dotted rgb(54,99,136);" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1279223687_7">August 20-23</span>.<br /><br /><span style="border-bottom:2px dotted rgb(54,99,136);" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1279223687_8">(312) 624-8351</span> and Cell <span style="border-bottom:2px dotted rgb(54,99,136);" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1279223687_9">(773) 392-0165</span> <br /></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><table style="margin:0px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td valign="top"><table style="width:600px;" border="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:1px;background-color:rgb(0,0,0);" align="left" bgcolor="#000000"><table style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255);" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" align="left" width="100%"><table style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255);margin-bottom:5px;" id="content_LETTER.BLOCK17" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:rgb(104,167,187);font-size:14pt;"><font style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:rgb(104,167,187);font-size:14pt;" color="#68A7BB" size="4" face="Trebuchet MS,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif"><b><img name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.1131" src="http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs046/1011225418012/img/1131.jpg" border="0" height="332" width="600" id="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.1131" alt="1131.jpg" /><br /><br /></b></font><div style="text-align:left;"><font style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:rgb(104,167,187);font-size:14pt;" color="#68A7BB" size="4" face="Trebuchet MS,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif"><span style="text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;border-collapse:separate;font-family:'Times New Roman';font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;font-size:medium;line-height:normal;white-space:normal;letter-spacing:normal;color:rgb(0,0,0);word-spacing:0px;" class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:small;" class="Apple-style-span">Reggio's Pizza, Inc. is a family owned and operated company that started as a retail carryout and delivery pizza operation in 1972. Our 1982 entrance<br />into the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1279220526_10"><span style="border-bottom:2px dotted rgb(54,99,136);" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1279223687_10">frozen pizza</span></span> scene witnessed the start of what is now the only African-American owned frozen pizza manufacturing operation in the world.<br /><br /></span></span></font><div style="text-align:center;"><span style="text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;border-collapse:separate;font-family:'Times New Roman';font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;font-size:medium;line-height:normal;white-space:normal;letter-spacing:normal;color:rgb(0,0,0);word-spacing:0px;" class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:small;" class="Apple-style-span"><img src="http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs261.ash1/18864_448138055133_228334035133_10805438_3462784_n.jpg" border="0" height="467" width="604" alt="18864_448138055133_228334035133_10805438_3462784_n.jpg" /></span></span><br /></div><span style="text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;border-collapse:separate;font-family:'Times New Roman';font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;font-size:medium;line-height:normal;white-space:normal;letter-spacing:normal;color:rgb(0,0,0);word-spacing:0px;" class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:small;" class="Apple-style-span"><br /><font style="font-size:10pt;">Join us on <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1279223687_11">Facebook</span> and add your email to our list so you can stay know about upcoming promotions, free pizza giveaways and more!</font></span></span><br /></div><b><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103563384103&s=16411&e=001cgAd-LJl0qRanbOZEMAfktqXAzYG9-BPYh7rv2g1XrfpDdLeV-PzfBh7SktZJfbO133aVV57JQhsbxrpi9rIIvwo5cGjd8jIsmu0BVAPf05JIV03iU3rueUCsDm1yD4U"><img title="Find us on Facebook" alt="Find us on Facebook" src="https://imgssl.constantcontact.com/ui/images1/btn_fbk_160.png" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></b><font style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold;">Join the Facebook page TODAY!!</font><b><br /></b><h3 style="margin:0px;padding:0px;overflow:hidden;color:rgb(51,51,51);font-size:13px;font-weight:normal;" class="UIIntentionalStory_Message"><b><span style="text-transform:none;text-indent:0px;border-collapse:separate;font-family:'Times New Roman';font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;font-size:medium;line-height:normal;white-space:normal;letter-spacing:normal;color:rgb(0,0,0);word-spacing:0px;" class="Apple-style-span"><span class="UIStory_Message"><font style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:10pt;">Reggio's is giving away FREE pizza while supplies last for <span style="color:rgb(255,0,0);">ATLANTA RESIDENTS ONLY!</span> To qualify, post a picture with a handmade sign that says, "I Love (HEART) Reggio's in Atlanta!" Click Facebook button above for example. Don't<br />hesitate. <a style="color:rgb(0,0,204);font-weight:bold;text-decoration:underline;" target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103563384103&s=16411&e=001cgAd-LJl0qSQGA-m5N9cUgXU5pfswhswyEkpFI7-45U5MOEg0RivPOjShG7bKwn4MUgmxDci3fByv5mieyJAdm8MPWuQVSRHYj8btmMTNCp_XfY3R1nyCYIGLNfVLlKQ"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1279220526_11">Click<br />here.</span></a></font><b><br /></b></span></span></b></h3><br /><br /><font style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:12pt;">Join Reggio's Pizza's email list<br /><a target="_blank" href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103563384103&s=16411&e=001cgAd-LJl0qSS6kTi7lKrKQ-f9WmvczUSC5bnOoz_27Wygd5Mcs8gUgLI2jcvrGdX47zURg4jol-0usffvB0otATt_dPz2_Cj8_xIGATeUffdf7Xe4W5QY-SI8i2i7rW1"><img name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.1132" src="http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs046/1011225418012/img/1132.gif" border="0" height="29" width="30" id="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.1132" alt="1132.gif" /></a><br /><br /></font><table 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href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103563384103&s=16411&e=001cgAd-LJl0qSvKQrJrl-6qY_nrEkbdey5ez04hmvZ-VpTpVZJ-dzUoHLKB2lr3CwA73PEpCEAKFueY9erIp4yTeBzC_7Ve-7RETnf2muvM1RU1v7YdStIcAQXf1_MhDKO9blrETGRRjY="><img name="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.1084" src="http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs046/1011225418012/img/1084.jpg" border="0" height="27" width="136" id="ACCOUNT.IMAGE.1084" alt="1084.jpg" /></a><br /></div></td></tr><tr bgcolor="#FF0000"><td></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:rgb(104,167,187);font-size:14pt;"><font style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:rgb(104,167,187);font-size:14pt;" color="#68A7BB" size="4" face="Trebuchet MS,Verdana,Helvetica,sans-serif"><br /></font></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td style="padding:0px 0px 5px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);" align="left" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" valign="top"><table style="width:160px;" border="0" cellspacing="0" width="160"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="100%"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></td><td style="padding:0px 0px 5px;background-color:rgb(255,255,255);" align="left" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" valign="top"><table style="width:440px;height:60px;" border="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td align="left" width="100%"><br /></td></tr><tr><td style="background-color:rgb(255,255,255);" align="left" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" valign="top" width="100%"><br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td align="left" height="10" width="100%"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /></div></div>"President" Obama Versus "Community Organizer" Standards In Quinn Endorsementhttps://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/president-obama-versus2010-07-11T22:19:46.000Z2010-07-11T22:19:46.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><p></p><p></p><table style="table-layout:fixed;" cellspacing="0" width="100%" align="center"><tbody><tr><td valign="bottom" width="170" align="left"></td><td style="white-space:nowrap;overflow:hidden;" valign="top"><table style="white-space:normal;" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td height="10"></td></tr><tr><td><div><div><font style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;color:#111111;font-size:18px;" color="#111111" size="3" face="Verdana,Arial,sans-serif"><font size="3">As one of the <span style="border-bottom:medium none;background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" id="lw_1278874619_3" class="yshortcuts"><span style="border-bottom:medium none;background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" id="lw_1278879244_0" class="yshortcuts">first community organizers</span></span> to work with <span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;" id="lw_1278874619_4" class="yshortcuts"><span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" id="lw_1278879244_1" class="yshortcuts">Barack Obama</span></span> when he first came to <span style="border-bottom:medium none;background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" id="lw_1278874619_5" class="yshortcuts"><span style="border-bottom:medium none;background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" id="lw_1278879244_2" class="yshortcuts">Chicago</span></span>, I have the authority to state without reservation that "President" Obama has lost the foundation he developed as "Organizer" Obama.</font></font></div><div><font size="3">His latest endorsement of Illinois Governor Pat Quinn is proof that "President" Obama set a real low standard for this Quinn endorsement than the "high" standards he used to have making sure that candidates truly earned the grassroots support from the communty organizers and organizations on the ground.</font></div><div><font size="3"><span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;" id="lw_1278879244_3" class="yshortcuts">President Obama</span> would have had more respect from his old grassroots organizing community had he just stated that as a Democratic President, he is endorsing a Democratic nominee for election.</font></div><div><font size="3">That fact that almost 300,000 Illinois citizens chose to sign petitions for Independent candidates to be on the ballot should have been a clear signal to President Obama that all is not well in Democratic grassroots circles for the candidacy of Pat Quinn. But again, "President" Obama today is not the grassroots "Community Organizer" Obama that I met 20 years ago. His standards have significantly changed.</font></div><div><font size="3">Mark S. Allen</font></div><div><font size="3">One who knew and worked with Obama long before many of the people who have titles and jobs with him today</font></div><div><font size="3">Associate Editor</font></div><div><font size="3">The South Street Journal Newspaper & one of the 2010 Who'sWho In Black Chicago, <span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;" id="lw_1278879244_4" class="yshortcuts">449 East 35th Street, 1st Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60616</span> (312) 624-8351 or cell <span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;" id="lw_1278879244_5" class="yshortcuts">(773) 392-0165</span></font></div></div></td></tr><tr><td height="100"></td></tr></tbody></table></td><td width="10"></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><br /><br /></p></div>Support For Black Owned Business Growing - Smokin' Joe Productshttps://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/support-for-black-owned2010-06-28T09:59:57.000Z2010-06-28T09:59:57.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><p><strong>Support For Black Owned Business Growing - Smokin' Joe Products<br /></strong><br />Marksallen<br />One of the first community organizers to work with Barack Obama in Chicago for over 20 years. Now Associate Editor of The South Street Journal Newspaper and 37 year activist/journalist, recently selected as 2010 Who's Who In Black Chicago.<br /><br /><br /><br />MARK ALLEN TALKS -- Black economic empowerment and the effort to sustain an increase Black owned businesses and local job creation.<br /><br />As a board member of The Black Wall Street-Chicago Project, I am pleased to join the promotional efforts to sustain this Black owned business founded by one of my Kappa fraternity brothers (the late Frank Walker, Jr). Let me introduce you to our new Smokin' Joe Great Garlic & Golden Honey BBQ sauces. These items are off to a great start and the company is getting good consumer feedback. Our garlic flavored BBQ sauce is new and unique.<br /><br />The original 12 oz X-tra hot Smokin' Joe hot sauce and our Cajun Peppers has been growing in Hispanic areas as well. This 12 oz X-tra hot has been specially blended for heavy category users of hot sauce and for Hispanic consumers. With our lower sodium content in Smokin' Joe, this item will compliment what you already carry in these stores and addresses the concern of Hispanic consumers with high blood pressure. Approximately 1/3 of U. S. consumers have high blood pressure. As you know, that number is up to 40-50% in Hispanic & African American consumers. Isn't is great to have products like these that satisfy the desire for hot sauces in Black and Hispanic communities while at the same time now developed to help address the issue of high blood pressure??<br /><br />A Tale of Two chefs</p><p><br />Smokin' Joe will be partnering with Chef Julius & Chef Tiki during Taste of Chicago <br />Chef Julius will be the headlining chef at the "Taste of Chicago" on Sunday July 4th at 3 PM. Chef Julius who has appeared on numerous cooking shows and host the Big Ten Tailgate Party for ESPN prior to Big Ten football games on Saturdays, has selected several Smokin' Joe products as ingredients in several new recipes he will be introducing. We are honored that Smokin' Joe has been selected by Chef Julius & Chef Tiki for this honor. <br />Prior to his appearance at the Taste of Chicago, Chef Julius will appear on the following TV programs and feature Smokin' Joe as one of his ingredients:<br /><br />ABC's Mid-day New on Monday 6/28 (sorry for the late notice, ABC just decided) <br />WGN morning news segment between 8 & 9 AM on Thursday July 1st. <br />Please look for our CEO Derryl Reed and Chef Julius at the Taste of Chicago on Sunday July 4th at 3-4 PM at the Dominick Cooking Corner (near Buckingham Fountain) for a live cooking demonstration with Smokin' Joe !! <br /><br />VISIT SMOKIN' JOE PRODUCTS ON LINE AT <a href="http://www.smokinjoeproducts.com">www.smokinjoeproducts.com</a> to see a complete line of the various hit sauces for personal and professional sizes, and you can order directly on line. And more and more restaurants and stores are sampling and adding Smokin Joes to their venues and store shelves, and with each success we suatain and increase this grassroots Black owned business and we create more local jobs!! Visit them on-line and let them know that you read about it from Mark Allen's ChicagoNow news blog, Facebook Network, The South Street Journal Newspaper and Black Wall Street-Chicago.</p></div>Respond To E-Mail From Wallace "Gator" Bradley on Crime Solutions Meeting With Rev. Jesse Jackson at Rainbow/PUSH Coalitionhttps://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/respond-to-email-from-wallace2010-06-26T17:19:10.000Z2010-06-26T17:19:10.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><p>I received an e-mail from Wallace "Gator" Bradley, regarding an e-mail that was being circulated regarding a proposed Monday afternoon meeting with Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr at Rainbow/PUSH regarding solutions to crime, assuming that I was overlooked and may indeed be welcome to this Monday's meeting or to provide some input.<br /><br />The first things that sticks out to me are "activists" and "community organizers" missing from the subject matter, text of the meeting and systematic part of the plan of action. Seems like we sre setting ourselves up for yet another "paralysis of analysis" meeting that ends with no real clear target for grassroots mobilization for action.<br /><br />Those us who were a part of the declaration of Chicago being in a "State Of Emergency," should now me mobilizing for "specific" agenda targets that can be measured for short and long term objectives.<br /><br />The short term solution is that this desperate economic situation in our urban areas have an economic response. If what Chicago is experiencing what many have now labled as "urban terrorism," then why cannot we think outside the box in issuing a public challenge to our elected officials to DEMAND that we can allocate federal funds from the "Anti-Terrorism" budget and provide some clear and hands-on alternatives this summer for our youth and adults that will effectively turn them away from the gang, drug, and illegal street economies and activities that make up the "urban terrorism." Federal intervention does not have to be just proposals for National Guard, or more law enforcement.<br /><br />One Billion dollars can create up to 50,000 jobs, enough to target crime intervention and prevention, mentors, peace patrols, and other local job creation. The strategy should be to prepare a massive direct action event that attracts our elected officials and other leaders and The White House for an IMMEDIATE response to this special funding allocation and where those funds would be immediately targeted to divert attention away from the constituencies attracted to "urban terrorist" activities.<br /><br />Specifically, there are dozens of community based organizations that target at-risk youth and ex-offendors and have secured their 501C3 status and GREEN certification with dozens of unfunded proposals to create thousands of local green jobs through using vacant lots and transforing them inth community gardens. Lets rally for that!<br /><br />Or maybe Oprah Winfrey and Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose, Dwayne Wade, and other noted Chicagoans could be be publicly convinced to help address this summer violence prevention with several million dollars to immediately generate thousands of summer jobs for our youth and re-establishing many of the institutional efforts needed that have beeb long promoted by Dr. Carl Bell, that the Black community can claim and direct to one of our insitutions like Kenndy King or Chicago State and NOT become some new million dollar proposal extension of a CeaseFire.<br /><br />We have doing this too long to come together and meet to "review and analyze" where we are, but to present some specific plans that we could organize the largest demonstration for emergency funding to address this State of Emergency. Marching with over 2,000 people with Father Pfleger last week had as usual, hundreds of youth coming up to the organizers asking about real jobs versus drugh selling and other street economies, for saying "Stop The Violence" is NOT enough. We have to think, organize, and strategize out the box. How can the President or our wealthiest citizens continue to remain speechless as Chicago continues to explode as the Murder Capital Of The World?? Especially after we organize the largest demonstration on behalf of the poor this City has ever seen?<br /><br />Finally, I again suggest if I am asked to help, to help mobilize grassroots community organizers to be a part of the meeting, for what good does another strategy meeting accomplish if those "organizers" and "activists" who represent the least of Gods people are not at the table??<br /><br />Mark S. Allen<br />Associate Editor, The South Street Journal Newspaper<br />Founder/President, The Black Leadership Development Institute, BLDI<br />Board Member, The Chicago Music Heritage Museum<br />Board Member, The Black Wall Street-Chicago Project, Social Consciousness Consultant to United In Peace</p><p><br />449 East 35th Street, 1st Floor<br />Chicago, Illinois 60616<br />312-624-8351 or 773-392-0165<br /></p><p></p></div>Mark Allen Co Hosts VIP Reception & Business Briefing Wednesday June 16th with National President/CEO of Rain Nutrition Companyhttps://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/mark-allen-co-hosts-vip2010-06-16T17:03:25.000Z2010-06-16T17:03:25.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><h1 class="entry-title">Mark Allen Co Hosts VIP Reception & Business Briefing Wednesday June 16th with National President/CEO of Rain Nutrition Company</h1><div class="entry-header pkg"><div class="entry-meta"><div class="userpic pkg"></div></div><div style="display:block;float:left;margin-left:0px;" id="share-tools-wrapper" class="pkg horizontal-share"><h3 id="share-tools-title"></h3></div></div><div class="entry-content"><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:14pt;"><div align="center"><font size="5">MARK ALLEN TALKS - ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT. "As a Board member of The Black Wall Street-Chicago Project, I am pleased to help host these national company executives from Rain International, and expose grassroots entrepreneurs to the company's Chicago faith based cause initiative, and most importantly, local investment and small business, local job creation, ownership opportunities with the company in Chicago's Black and poor communities."</font></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><font size="5">Black Wall Street-Chicago and South Street Journal</font></div><div align="center"><font size="5">REMINDER</font></div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:14pt;" align="center">VIP RECEPTION & BUSINESS BRIEFING</div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:14pt;" align="center"></div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:14pt;" align="center">WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16th, 2010</div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:14pt;" align="center">7:00 P.M.</div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:14pt;" align="center">Black Wall Street-Chicago and South Street Journal Offices</div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:14pt;" align="center">449 East 35th Street, 1st Floor</div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:14pt;" align="center">FREE ADMISSION<br /></div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:14pt;" align="center">Chad Christofferson, National CEO</div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:14pt;" align="center">Rain International Nutrition Company</div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:14pt;" align="center"><a href="http://www.rainnutrition.com" target="_blank"><span id="lw_1276705676_0" class="yshortcuts">www.rainnutrition.com</span></a></div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:14pt;" align="center"></div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:14pt;" align="center">Toby Norton, National President</div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:14pt;" align="center">Rain International</div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:14pt;" align="center"></div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:14pt;" align="center"><span id="lw_1276705676_1" class="yshortcuts">Carvel</span> Jones, Exective Director</div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:14pt;" align="center">Faith Based Cause Initiative</div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:14pt;" align="center"></div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:14pt;" align="center">J. Minor Allen, Partner, Rain International</div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:14pt;" align="center"><span id="lw_1276705676_2" class="yshortcuts">Charles Adams</span>, Partner, Rain International</div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;" align="center"></div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;" align="center"><font size="4" face="Tahoma">LIMITED SEATING R.S.V.P.</font></div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;" align="center"><font size="4" face="Tahoma"><span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;" id="lw_1276705676_3" class="yshortcuts">773-230-3643</span> OR <span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;" id="lw_1276705676_4" class="yshortcuts">312-624-8351</span></font></div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;" align="center"></div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;" align="center"><font size="4" face="Tahoma">Come meet and greet national company executives, sample <span id="lw_1276705676_5" class="yshortcuts">health and wellness products</span>, learn about the new faith based Chicago initiative, AND hear about local investment and distributorship and money making opportunities for your church, its membership, and healing the least of God's people through Rain <span style="border-bottom:medium none;background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" id="lw_1276705676_6" class="yshortcuts">Nutrition health and wellness</span> products !!</font></div></div></div></div>Governor Quinn's Death Sentence To Black Youth and Program That Was Saving Their Liveshttps://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/governor-quinns-death-sentence2010-06-13T01:26:25.000Z2010-06-13T01:26:25.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:14pt;"><div><br /></div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:14pt;"><p><span style="border-bottom:medium none;background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" id="lw_1276391398_0" class="yshortcuts">MARK ALLEN</span> TALKS -- The life and death decisions that Governor Quinn The <span id="lw_1276391398_1" class="yshortcuts">State of Illinois</span> makes when the same week that they announce the State budget will provide $6 million dollars in funds to breathe life into new downtown <span id="lw_1276391398_2" class="yshortcuts">communication buildings</span>, while at the same time cutting the desperately needed funds for <span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" id="lw_1276391398_3" class="yshortcuts">Father Michael Pfleger</span> at St. Sabina and his SafetyNet crime intervention and prevention programs this summer to help save the lives of Black youth who are dying at alarming rates.!!</p><p></p><p>Most grassroots activists and organizations who work these urban streets and the desperate economic conditions the create deadly battles for survival, have no where near the amount of resources needed to continue the everyday demands on us to provide hands on crime intervention and prevention help. We have to work overtime also at dealing with the mindset of our at-risk youth and adults who have short temperments which result in increasing <span id="lw_1276391398_4" class="yshortcuts">senseless acts of violence</span>. The Sun Time <span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;" id="lw_1276391398_5" class="yshortcuts">Carol Marin</span> ina <span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;" id="lw_1276391398_6" class="yshortcuts">Sunday June 13th</span> column says its the guns, but more imporant that the guns, or knives, or bats, or golf clubs or beatings, its the ongoing battle for the state of mind of those whose short fuses battling these illegal street economies at the root of the violence we have to be on 24 hour call to help prevent where we can.</p><p></p><p>With these limited resources trying to prevent violence and save lives we come to know those who have some sort of limited resources that we can draw from to help us out when the calls from from certain areas to intervene in preventing violence. One of those entities was Father Michael Pfleger at St. Sabina who had some snese of limited resources we could help refer people to in times of crisis and as the weather get hotter; access to legitimate jobs is lesser, and the draw to the gangs, drugs, and illegal street economic battles and violences readies, we could lean on Father Mike and his SafetyNet Intervention resources to partner with UNTIL NOW!!</p><p></p><p><span id="lw_1276391398_7" class="yshortcuts">Chicago</span> homicides are up 4% and you would think that Governbor Quinn and The State would know that our only success is the resources to respond, yet in the midst of our plan to use Father Pfleger and his limited resources to address the summer crisis come the letter from the State that The Sun Time Carol Marin quotes in her Sunday June 13th Column,</p><p></p><p>The State of Illinois says to Father Pfleger -- <em>"Sorry, Father, it said. There's a huge <span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;" id="lw_1276391398_8" class="yshortcuts">budget crisis</span> and so "unfortunately, the State of Illinois is not in a position at this time to make . . . renewal grants to the Safety Net Works Program."</em></p><p></p><p><em>Summer is here, schools are closing, youth jobs are as rare as icicles in August, and we're out of money.</em></p><p><em>The Safety Net program deals with 14 high-risk areas across the state, 11 of which are in the city. Focusing on mentoring, crime prevention, violence intervention and more, it seeks to stem a rising homicide rate and save at-risk youth.</em></p><p><em>Pfleger dialed the governor's office immediately and left a furious message saying, "If we are going to cut out one of the top violence intervention programs as summer begins, then the state better never say another world about concern for our kids for violence."</em></p><p></p><p>Black leaders who support Governor Quinn out to be outraged and immediatelky challenge him on these type budget cuts that are now basically <span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;" id="lw_1276391398_9" class="yshortcuts">death sentences</span> to the youth that we will not be in a position to save with those resources. And when those shootings and deaths occur, here will be a Governor with those symobolic press statements and photo ops with words of "why and how we have to put and end to <span id="lw_1276391398_10" class="yshortcuts">senseless violence</span>," well maybe we do that by saving one of the most successfull inner city programs that helped to intervene with hands on resources to save lives. But instead, Governor Quinn and The State of Illinois send a letter with then sentence of death to at-risk youth who otherwise could have been saved, but he takes away the funds and says "hope you can live without the help."</p><p></p><p>Its just hard to understand how a State budget can save line-item funds to provide $6 million dollars to help a <span id="lw_1276391398_11" class="yshortcuts">Bruce Dumont</span> expand his downtown broadcast museum, while on the southside where Black youth are dying at alarming rates, the same Governor and State budget cant find the money to save Pfleger's program with the proven resources to help keep Black youth alive this summer. I have no problem with Bruce's future building plans BUT my priority is the saving of human young lives.</p><p></p><p>Governor Quinn want our votes in spite of sentencing our Black youth to death should ignite our insult level, especially from those Black leaders who will try to explain why we should still consider voting for this man, and he cuts program after program that helps to keep our Black youth alive.?? The Governor can NOT issue this latest sentence of death, and continue to come into that Black community with ease with his symbolic Black agenda for support while we have have even more added pressure to do even more with less as our children continue to die, and this Governor can find money for new down the road new buildings but nothing for the "right-now" state of emergency to save out youth from violence and death. Black leaders need to show some leadership and hold Quinn accountable or they can also go somewhere with him and odnt come around here AFTER the next youth dies when you did nothing to save the program that could have saved them.</p><p></p><p>This is Black leadership at its worst if Black leaders who support Quinn do not publicly hold him accountable for this latest <span id="lw_1276391398_12" class="yshortcuts">death sentence</span> on our inner city Black youth and ther program that helped keep many of them alive.</p><p></p><p>Mark S, Allen, Founder/President of The <span id="lw_1276391398_13" class="yshortcuts">Black Leadership Development Institute</span>, BLDI <span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" id="lw_1276391398_14" class="yshortcuts">449 East 35th Street, 1st Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60616</span> (773) 392-0165</p><br /><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;"></div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;"></div></div></div></div>Mark Allen says that Ronald Holt received a "symbolic" appointment as new CAPS head and must overcome how Daley & Weis' decisions set him up for failurehttps://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/mark-allen-says-that-ronald2010-06-09T16:21:00.000Z2010-06-09T16:21:00.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:14pt;"><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;"><h1 class="entry-title" align="center"><font size="4">Mark Allen says that Ronald Holt received a "symbolic" appointment as new CAPS head and must overcome how Daley & Weis' decisions set him up for failure</font></h1><div class="entry-header pkg"></div><div style="display:block;float:left;margin-left:0px;" id="share-tools-wrapper" class="pkg horizontal-share"><h3 id="share-tools-title"></h3></div><div class="entry-content"><p align="center">MARK ALLEN TALKS -- Ronald Holt Must Overcome Chicago Mayor Daley's "Symbolic" Appointment as new Director of Chicago's community policing program</p><p align="center"></p><p align="center">I called Ronald Holt and congratulated him on accepting the appointment by <span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;" id="lw_1276093544_0" class="yshortcuts">Chicago Mayor Richard Daley</span> as the new Director of the C.A.P.S. (Community Alternative Policing Strategies) program, and how he was going to need tremendous support to overcome the decisions of <span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" id="lw_1276093544_1" class="yshortcuts">Mayor Daley</span> and Chicago Police Chief Jody Weis have made that currently makes Holt's position one that is currently founded in "symbolism" versus one of substance.</p><p align="center"></p><p align="center">Despite crime being down under the tenures of Former Police Chief Cline and Starks, the things that made the <span id="lw_1276093544_2" class="yshortcuts">community partnerships</span> with CAPS then so strong were seriously and negatively impacted by the decisions of Daley and Weis and the high profile name of Ronald Holt is supposed to remedy those decisions and rebuild thre former success and strength of the CAPS program.</p><p align="center"></p><p align="center">Ronald Holt has worked so close with the community in the streets and has seen first hand that the tensions in the streets and police have grown so distant to the point where they don't fear direct confrontations with the polcie themselves and proved recently with the attempted robbery and murder of <span id="lw_1276093544_3" class="yshortcuts">Chicago Police Officer</span> Thomas Wortham IV; Holt has seen where a lot of good parents in the community have allowed the desperate economic conditions have drawn them and many of the children into the gang, drug, and other illegal street economies trying to make ends meet for them and their families; and Holt has seen first hand how their just are not enough "hands-on" resources coming out of CAPS like it was years ago, and surely knows that its going to take more than just words and good intentions to rebuild CAPS.</p><p align="center"></p><p align="center">With Holt's knowledge of these realities, he has to know just how much of an infusion of renewed community relationships, partnerships, attitudes, and resources from public and private resources it's going to take for him to be successful in his role as the new CAPS Director, and the community and media must report properly on the reality of what Holt is going to face so that later he cannot be accused later of not being able to use his high profile status to overcome the negative insurmountable odds and environment that the past decisions of Daley and Weis have left Holt to start with in his new position.</p><p align="center"></p><p align="center">And for Holt, can he maintain the active working relationships with current Mayoral and Police critics people like myself, <span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;" id="lw_1276093544_4" class="yshortcuts">Phillip Jackson</span> of <span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;" id="lw_1276093544_5" class="yshortcuts">The Black Star Project</span> and Peace In The Hood, Wallace "Gator" Bradley and other community leaders and activists who still keep connections with various <span id="lw_1276093544_6" class="yshortcuts">street organizations</span> who used to trust in the leadership and rapport with former Police Chief Dana Starks and former CAPS leaders and with those relationships CRIME WAS DOWN.</p><p align="center"></p><p align="center">It will be a challenge to rebuilding needed community and street relationships as to whether many of those street alliances that has worked with Holt with his private crime intervention initiatives will be welcome into the new outreach of the CAPS proceses. A lot of us have seen and know why CAPS had better relationships, what had forced people away, and what Holt will need in rebuilding those and new relationships for CAPS success and growth foir the serious challenges ahead of Holt.</p><p align="center"></p><p align="center">I can already attest to the difference in CAPS new leadership in that I have had in that I have already had two extensive conversations with the new CAPS Director in 48 hours of his appointment for dialogue that I can ever recall having with the former CAPS director. But again, the initial conversations I have had with Ronald will not be able to be of substance if he is handicapped by the environment left by the former negative staffing and <span id="lw_1276093544_7" class="yshortcuts">program budget cuts</span> of Mayor Daley and the hierchy of police personel staffing of Chicago Police Chief Jody Weis. Ronald Holt and all the promise his appointments can represents deserves the proper support to succeed and become more than a ":symbolic" appointment.</p><p align="center"></p><p align="center">Mark S. Allen</p><p align="center">Associate Editor of The South Street Journal Newspaper; Board member of The Chicago Gospel Music Heritage Museum; Founder/President of The <span style="border-bottom:medium none;background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" id="lw_1276093544_8" class="yshortcuts">Black Leadership Development Institute</span>, BLDI, and Board member of The Black Wall Street-Chicago Project. <span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" id="lw_1276093544_9" class="yshortcuts">449 East 35th Street, 1st Floor, Chicago, Illinois 60616</span> (312) 624-8351 or <span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;" id="lw_1276093544_10" class="yshortcuts">(773) 392-0165</span></p></div></div><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;"></div></div><br /></div>Mark Allen, Chicago Community Reacts to the Death of Vocalist Ali-Ollie Woodson of The Temptations, another legendhttps://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/mark-allen-chicago-community2010-06-01T02:10:54.000Z2010-06-01T02:10:54.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><p align="center"><strong>Statement from Veteran Activist/Journalist, Mark S. Allen on how Chicago's grassroots community remembers the life and legacy of the late vocalist Ali-Ollie Woodson of The Temptations</strong></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"><strong>"In addition to being an activist, I have long been involved as a music disc-jockey and local party promotions and know how much Chicago's dance and steppers community loved Ali-Ollie Woodson for his many appearances at local events in Chicago, his performamces and despite his membership in one of the worlds most legendary groups The Temptations, Woodson was always easily accessible to fans and humble.</strong></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"><strong>I saw Woodson recently at the funeral of Robert "Squirrel" Lester of The Chi-Lites where over 2,000 people attended and again, Woodson was easily accessible to fans who thanked him for his presence. Many in Chicago were glad to hear the recent promotions on radio station WVON that Woodson would be coming back to Chicago for a concert appearance on Friday, June 18th as part of the 50th year in show business tribute to Chicago's Otis Clay.</strong></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"><strong>Ali-Ollie Woodson will surely go down in music history as doing more than just following in the footsteps of David Ruffin and Dennis Edwards as lead singer of The Temptations, but took the group to a another level with new hit songs, Lady Soul, Treat Her Like A Lady, and Some Enchanted Evening, steppers favorite The Jones and others in his 13 years. Woodson maintained he Ruffin, Edwards legacy and developed a new extended legacy for The Temptations through his lead singer tenure.</strong></p><p align="center"></p><p align="center"><strong>The steppers group I am a member of CHOSEN along with other legendary steppers DJ's like Mellow Chris, Steve Breeze, J. Minor Allen, Luther Gage, Sam Chatman and others will pay tribute the music of Ali-Ollie Woodson and his tenure with The Temptations at our 2nd Sunday Steppers set at The Gentle Persuasions Banquet Hall and Entertainment Center located at 8959 South Ashland in Chicago. Chicago music fans will never forget Ali-Ollie Woodson and his love for Chicago and where his music legacy will live on. And just like the tenures as lead singers of The Temptations, David Ruffin, and Dennis Edwards, Ali-Woodson's 13 year membership now stands the 13 years leacy of Ali-Ollie Woodson.</strong></p></div>TRIBUTE AND RESOLUTION TO OFFICER THOMAS WORTHAM IV "We Tried Not To Let You Down"https://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/tribute-and-resolution-to2010-05-28T12:52:43.000Z2010-05-28T12:52:43.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><div align="center"></div></div>Mark Allen Joins Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr at Chicago BP Protest Friday May 28thhttps://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/mark-allen-joins-rev-jesse2010-05-28T10:54:58.000Z2010-05-28T10:54:58.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><h1 style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;" class="entry-title" align="center"><font size="4">Mark Allen, BLDI, BWS-C, Poor People's Campaign, Environmental activists, community organizers Joins Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr and The National Rainbow /PUSH Coalition in continued public protest and boycott call of BP, at BP site at 12th & Wabash in Chicago</font></h1><p style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;" class="entry-title" align="center"><em><span id="lw_1275043853_0" class="yshortcuts">The People</span> Must Not Pay The Bill For The BP Spill</em></p><div style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;" class="entry-meta" align="center"><div class="userpic pkg"></div></div><p style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;" class="entry-content" align="center"><span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;" id="lw_1275043853_1" class="yshortcuts">773-392-0165</span></p><p style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;" class="entry-content" align="center"><span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;" id="lw_1275043853_2" class="yshortcuts"><strong><font size="5">FRIDAY, MAY 28th, 2010</font></strong></span></p><p style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;" class="entry-content" align="center"></p><p style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;" class="entry-content" align="center">Veteran Activist, <span id="lw_1275043853_3" class="yshortcuts">Mark Allen</span>, founder and president of The <span id="lw_1275043853_4" class="yshortcuts">Black Leadership Development Institute</span>, BLDI, and Board member of <span id="lw_1275043853_5" class="yshortcuts">The Black Wall Street -Chicago</span> Project, CBWS, The <span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;" id="lw_1275043853_6" class="yshortcuts">Poor People's Campaign</span>, <span id="lw_1275043853_7" class="yshortcuts">Sierra Club</span>, other environmental activists and <span id="lw_1275043853_8" class="yshortcuts">community organizers</span> will join the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr, founder and President of <span id="lw_1275043853_9" class="yshortcuts">The National</span> Rainbow/PUSH Coalltion and Rainbow/PUSH members in a press conference and public demonstration in front of a <span id="lw_1275043853_10" class="yshortcuts">British Petroleum</span> (BP) gas station at 12th & Wabash in <span id="lw_1275043853_11" class="yshortcuts">Chicago beginning at 4:00 PM, Friday, May 28th, 2010.</span></p><p style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;" class="entry-content" align="center"></p><p style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;" class="entry-content" align="center">Allen, a former field director for Rainbow/PUSH iwill be back in the streets looking like the days of old with with Rev. Jackson, Rainbow/PUSH staff and members, complete with his Rainbow/PUSH "Boycott BP" signs and leading the demonstraters in chants like "Don't make us pay the bill for the BP spill." Allen joined Rev. Jackson in calling for citizens to step and protest the fact that BP is raising its gas prices on citizens to pay for the bill for BP, and to say that BP now stands for Bigger Protests, Better Protests, and Bolder Protests.</p><p style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;" class="entry-content" align="center"></p><p style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;" class="entry-content" align="center">With reference to Bigger Protests, Allen said that he will be lending his leadership and mobilization help in organizing a bigger citizen protest against BP site at 12th & Wabash with Rev. Jackson for <span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;" id="lw_1275043853_12" class="yshortcuts">4:00 PM on Friday, May 28th</span>.</p><p style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;" class="entry-content" align="center"></p><p style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;" class="entry-content" align="center">The Black Leadesrhip Development Institute, BLDI</p><p style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;" class="entry-content" align="center">Black Wall Street-Chicago</p><span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" id="lw_1275043853_13" class="yshortcuts"></span><p style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;" class="entry-content" align="center"><span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" class="yshortcuts">449 East 35th Street, 1st Floor</span></p><p style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;" class="entry-content" align="center"><span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" class="yshortcuts">Chicago, Illinois 60616</span></p><p style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt;" class="entry-content" align="center"><span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;" id="lw_1275043853_14" class="yshortcuts">312-624-8351</span> or direct 773-392-0165</p></div>Monique Caradine's My50 Chicago Perspective TV Show Sunday May 16th includes Mark Allen and others !!https://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/monique-caradines-my50-chicago2010-05-16T15:25:17.000Z2010-05-16T15:25:17.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><div><div><span class="UIIntentionalStory_Names">BREAKING MEDIA NEWS</span></div><div><span class="UIIntentionalStory_Names"><span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" id="lw_1274021748_0" class="yshortcuts">SUNDAY, MAY 16, 2010</span></span></div><div><span class="UIIntentionalStory_Names"><span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" id="lw_1274021748_1" class="yshortcuts">773-392-0165</span></span></div><div><span class="UIIntentionalStory_Names">From <a href="http://www.facebook.com/MoniqueCaradine" target="_blank"><font color="#3B5998"><span id="lw_1274021748_2" class="yshortcuts">Monique Caradine</span></font></a></span></div><div><span class="UIStory_Message">Catch Perspective TV Show twice today @ <span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;" id="lw_1274021748_3" class="yshortcuts">11:30</span> and again at noon on My50 Chicago. Are teen girls out of control? Does <span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;background:transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%;" id="lw_1274021748_4" class="yshortcuts">Chicago</span> need the national guard to stop crime? Hear from Girls advocate Necole Muhammad and activists <a title="To tag someone, type @ and then the friend's name" href="http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1221178004" target="_blank"><font color="#3B5998"><span id="lw_1274021748_5" class="yshortcuts">Mark S. Allen</span></font></a>, CeaseFire's Tio Hardiman and ex-gang member Tim White.</span></div></div></div>CVS Shoplifter Death Now An 'Active' Investigation --- Thanks To Mark Allen, Other Activists and Congressman Rush For Speaking Outhttps://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/cvs-shoplifter-death-now-an2010-05-14T21:54:26.000Z2010-05-14T21:54:26.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><p></p><h1 class="entry-title">CVS Shoplifter Death Now An 'Active' Investigation --- Thanks To Mark Allen, Other Activists and Congressman Rush For Speaking Out</h1><div class="entry-header pkg"><div class="entry-meta"><div class="userpic pkg"></div></div></div><div class="entry-content"><h2>CVS Shoplifter Death Now An 'Active' Investigation</h2><h3>Pressure Escalating On Police, Prosecutors To Probe Circumstances Of Homicide</h3><div id="ctl00_ctl00_ContentModulesPlaceHolder_ContentModule_27852_divPhotoByline" class="cbstv_photo_byline"><img style="border-right-width:0px;width:75px;border-top-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;height:56px;border-left-width:0px;" id="ctl00_ctl00_ContentModulesPlaceHolder_ContentModule_27852_imgArticle" class="cbstv_img_border_image" src="http://llnw.image.cbslocal.com/27/2007/09/27/75x56/kristyn_hartman.jpg" alt="kristyn_hartman.jpg" /> Reporting<br /><a href="http://cbs2chicago.com/bios/kristyn.hartman.wbbm.9.291735.html"><font color="#004D99">Kristyn Hartman</font></a></div><p><span style="padding-right:4px;" class="cbstv_attribution"><font color="#676767">CHICAGO (CBS) ―</font></span></p><div id="ctl00_ctl00_ContentModulesPlaceHolder_ContentModule_27852_divRealtedCol" class="cbstv_related_col"><dl class="cbstv_article_images cbstv_img_border"><dd><div style="display:block;" id="img_0" class="cbstvs_slideshow"><dl><dt><font color="#676767"><img style="border-right-width:0px;width:175px;border-top-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;height:131px;border-left-width:0px;" id="ctl00_ctl00_ContentModulesPlaceHolder_ContentModule_27852_rptRelatedImages_ctl01_imgThumbnail" class="cbstv_cursor_pointer popup_clicker" title="Click to zoom." src="http://llnw.image.cbslocal.com/27/2010/05/14/175x131/wbbm0513kyser.jpg" alt="wbbm0513kyser.jpg" /></font> <span id="ctl00_ctl00_ContentModulesPlaceHolder_ContentModule_27852_rptRelatedImages_ctl01_txtEnlargeImage" class="cbstv_click_enlarge popup_clicker">Click to enlarge</span></dt><dd><div class="cbstv_slider_paging"><a class="cbstv_slide_back_but_grey"></a><span style="float:left;">1 of 1</span><a class="cbstv_slide_next_but_grey"></a></div></dd><dd>Anthony Kyser<p class="cbstv_attribution">Chicago Sun-Times</p></dd></dl></div></dd></dl><div class="cbstv_module_wrap_pad"><h3 class="cbstv_section_head">No one's denying what he might have done was wrong: allegedly stuffing crayons and toothpaste into his pockets and shoplifting. <br /><br />But the fact that Anthony Kyser was killed after he was caught, and allegedly choked by a store employee -- with an off-duty sheriff's officer watching it happen -- continues to hit a nerve. <br /><br />CBS 2's Kristyn Hartman reports. <br /><br />Chicago congressman Bobby Rush calls it a case of political hot potato. First he sent a letter about Kyser to the Cook County State's Attorney's Office. He says that office put it off on police. So he sent a letter to the police, accusing the department of ignoring a homicide. Kyser's ex-wife believes that to be true. <br /><br />Ann Marie Balboa said she wants justice served. <br /><br />"I want the man that killed my ex-husband to pay for what he did," she said. <br /><br />It was Saturday morning at a Chicago CVS Pharmacy. Police say Kyser shoplifted. A store employee went after him and made a citizen's arrest - putting him in a choke hold. Published reports say Kyser resisted. He later died. The medical examiner ruled it a homicide. <br /><br />The police initially said it was accident. But the department late Thursday issued a statement saying it has an "active" investigation open. <br /><br />Balboa heard from witnesses. <br /><br />"They didn't have to choke him the way he did and when he's pleading for his life," she said. "I want the man to be charged with murder." <br /><br />Balboa says things may have turned out differently if her ex-husband had been white. <br /><br />She's not alone. Rush sent a letter to Superintendent Jody Weis and says his department is ignoring murder. <br /><br />"A man's civil and human rights were violated. He lost his life," Rush said. "Though Mr. Kyser was only suspected of shoplifting, we have something in this country called due process." <br /><br />If there is no action on the case, Rush says he might ask the U.S. Justice Department's Civil Rights Division to investigate. <br /><br />CBS 2 legal analyst Irv Miller has said when a suspect runs, an employee has a right to chase him and subdue him in a reasonable way. He could face charges only if it's an intentional, reckless act. <br /><br />Chicago police on Thursday said they are in communication with Cook County prosecutors. <br /><br />"We are committed to ensuring the proper resolution of this investigation in accordance with our responsibilities under the law," the police department said in a written statement</h3></div></div><p>*******************************************************************************************************</p><p>Editors Note: We commend CBS2 Chicago and other media for reporting on the fact that the choking death of CVS Pharmacy shoplifter Anthony Kyser is now an open police investigation versus the former "accidental" ruling that had immediately followed the incident. Our thanks go to Congressman Bobby Rush for responding to my call on behalf of other community activists that our leadership speak up on this issue and that it was wrong for this to be ruled simply accidental when the Medical Examiner rule it a Homicide. And we still call on new Police and Fire Chaiorman Alderman Anthony Beale for a complete hearing on this matter that can result in some new stronger public policies to ensure safety among store employee's and suspected shoplifters.</p><p></p><p>We disagree with CBS Legal Analyst Irv Miller in that the CVS employee's actions were justfieid when in a more serious confrontataion scenarios at bank robberies that employees are encouraged to come from outside the immediate store premises, leave the store, and down an alley in life threatening environments to aprehend an alleged shoplifter and apply a choke-hold, ignore suspects pleas of the inabilty to breathe, and untimately take his life.<br /></p></div></div>Scott Lee Cohen Gets Petition Signature Boost From Veteran Activist Wallace "Gator" Bradley and New Street Teamhttps://www.theblacklist.net/profiles/blogs/scott-lee-cohen-gets-petition2010-05-14T17:29:16.000Z2010-05-14T17:29:16.000ZMark S. Allenhttps://www.theblacklist.net/members/MarkSAllen<div><div align="center">MARK ALLEN TALKS -- ILLINOIS POLITICS</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">BREAKING POLITICAL NEWS</div><div align="center">Contact Wallace "Gator" Bradley @ <span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;" id="lw_1273854842_0" class="yshortcuts">312-371-6914</span></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><span style="border-bottom:#366388 2px dotted;" id="lw_1273854842_1" class="yshortcuts">Friday, May 14th, 2010</span></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Scott Lee Cohen already had good presence among street workers getting petitions, but In a major boost for more street workers, veteran political activist Wallace "Gator" Bradley has signed on with an additional crew of grassroots street workers to help Scott Lee Cohen get the 25,000 signatures needed to make the ballot.</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">And Bradley seems to have secured a number of people who left Quinn Campaign, upset for his snubbing of Art Turner for Lt. Governor and have joined Bradley's street team with "If Quinn can say anybody but Turner, then we say anybody but Quinn."</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Other street workers I spotted on 95th Street said they were motivated to help Cohen because they felt disenfranchised with Democrats forcing Cohen off the ticket and didnt allow for Turner as 2nd choice. They want get signatures to help and vote for somebody who fights for the grassroots voters vote to count and Quinn did not do that and therefore does not deserve their continued support.</div></div>