In Search Of My Ancestral History
On receiving the results of my DNA test through Ancestry.com, there was really only one major surprise – and it was a BIG one. I’ve always had a pretty good knowledge of my family’s history in America because my ancestors had been good in passing along facts through oral history, and my nephew, Drew Sanders,
Another Exoneration From Dallas County; Another Unerasable Stain On The Texas Justice System
My friend and fellow fighter for justice, Cory Session, who works with the Innocence Project of Texas, has just informed me that another wrongfully convicted man will be exonerated in Dallas on Wednesday. By the way, Cory is the brother of Tim Cole who died in prison after being falsely accused and convicted of a
Trump Has Palestinian Blood On His Hands
No amount of water or disinfectant can wipe the blood from Donald Trump’s hands after the wholesale massacre Monday of protesting Palestinians by Israeli soldiers along the Gaza/Israel border. The president’s unconscionable decision to relocate the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem – defying decades of American policy — was an affront not only
Easter, The Passover, & The Death of Martin Luther King Jr.
Several years ago, when these religious traditions and tragedies (Easter, Passover and Martin Luther King’s death) merged within the same week, I wrote a commentary for KERA-FM radio which National Public Radio aired on its acclaimed program “All Things Considered” (ATC) hosted by its original anchorwoman, Susan Stamberg. A few years later, Susan published a book
Why A Letter I Have From Richard Nixon Proves He’s Better Than Donald Trump
Richard Nixon Is Better Than Donald Trump Make no mistake about it, I was not a fan of Richard Nixon. In fact, it would not be exaggerating to say that I despised him while he was in office (and I was in college) and for a longtime afterward. I would later come to respect
Another Innocent Man In The Texas Penitentiary?
Another Innocent Man In The Texas Penitentiary? For decades I have championed the cause of individuals caught up in the criminal justice system, particularly in Texas. And, over the years, I and many others (especially the Innocence Project) have helped prove that many in our state were wrongly convicted. Many prisoners have been released after
Proud To Be Part Of New Malcolm X Documentary
Photo: Longtime friend and driving force of the documentary, Thomas Muhammad (center), with acclaimed actors Danny Glover (left) and Glenn Turman (right). The new documentary, “Malcolm X: An Overwhelming Influence on the Black Power Movement” was selected to be shown this week at the Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) in Los Angeles. I’m proud
Remember Birmingham, Soweto, & Now Parkland
When the Youth of America Rise Up, Watch Out ‘Cause a Change Is Gonna Come After the latest deadly school shooting in Florida last week, with 17 dead and 14 wounded, something happened that the nation didn’t expect: our kids rose up, spoke up and demanded change. The young people of America put on notice
It Will Always Be “Winter In America”
DESPITE THE GROUNDHOG’S SHADOW, IT WILL ALWAYS BE “WINTER IN AMERICA” On Groundhog’s Day, as I usually do, I went outside to see if I could see my shadow. I did, as it was a bright, sunny day although a cool, brisk one. More often than not, as I recall, my ancestors would predict whether
“HOUSTON . . . THE EAGLES HAVE LANDED.
HEADLINE: “HOUSTON . . . THE EAGLES HAVE LANDED.” When man landed on the moon in 1969, the first message from outer-space after landing on the lunar surface was: “Houston, Tranquility base here, the Eagle has landed.” Tonight, the Philadelphia Eagles LANDED . . . on top of the world! Say, Hallelujah y’all!