HARVEST REAPERS COMMUNICATIONS
  • Home
  • About Us
  • The Work
  • Portfolio
  • Regina's Blog
  • Contact

​

EXCLUSIVE: 53 years after attending Dr. King's funeral at the behest of Ann Arbor, Michigan officials, meet the Black man who was president of the NAACP Youth Council and whose name never made the newspapers in 1968 (Online Audio Documentary).

5/19/2021

2 Comments

 
Picture
Edward Welch Jr., Ph.D., attended Dr. Martin L. King Jr.'s funeral when he was 17 as a youthful representative of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Even though Welch was president of the NAACP Youth Council in Ann Arbor and was invited to attend Dr. King's funeral by then-Mayor Wendell Hulcher, his name was not included in newspaper coverage of the Michigan delegation's 1968 trip to Atlanta, Georgia. Photo courtesy of Edward Welch Jr., Ph.D.
PictureCharles Whitman was the NAACP Youth Council’s Education Chair and a classmate of Dr. Welch's at Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Whitman witnessed Welch's 1968 Atlanta trip and was an activist at Pioneer.

​ A Note from
Regina L. Burns


In 2018, Edward Welch Jr., Ph.D., (above) first told me that he attended Dr. Martin L. King Jr.’s funeral when he was 17. At the time, we were having a telephone discussion about media coverage of the 50th anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination. I was shocked to learn I knew someone who had actually attended Dr. King’s April 9, 1968 funeral service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia.

I asked him if I could record an audio interview for my blog. He agreed. Welch, who is an Associate Professor at Grambling State University’s Department of Mass Communication, said he was present at Dr. King’s funeral as a youthful representative of Ann Arbor, Michigan. He said he was invited to attend the funeral because he was president of the NAACP Youth Council. He said then-Mayor Wendell Hulcher came to his house during his senior year at Pioneer High School. Hulcher asked Welch’s parents’ permission for Welch to travel with the mayor by airplane to Atlanta. His parents agreed he could attend the funeral service.
​
Invited and Alone
Welch said I was the first journalist to interview him about his historic role. I am thankful I asked him for the interview and that he agreed to share his story. My research revealed Welch’s name was not included in media coverage of the Ann Arbor mayor’s trip to Atlanta, despite his request for Welch to attend. In addition, Welch was not part of the Michigan delegation at thefuneral, he said, even though he was an official representative. He attended the funeral service by himself. 

Alone. A 17-year-old, who was asked to represent his city’s youth, was all byhimself at Dr. King’s funeral. Think about that.

Memphis Roots
I first met Welch when I was the news/public director at WGKX KIX-106 in Memphis, Tennessee. He sent his University of Memphis broadcast students to my internship program. That was in the late 1980s. 

'Snowmageddon' Delayed Online Audio Documentary Project
After I recorded the first interview in 2018, I didn’t have the research and production time available to work on this project until 2021. I began working on it in January 2021 and set a deadline to publish by late March 2021. However, February 2021’s ice storm accurately dubbed “snowmageddon” delivered water damage and other challenges, which delayed the project. Nevertheless, I knew I had to get this story out this year. It blossomed into an online audio documentary from the trove of research  documents I found. Please read below my shout-out to the libraries that assisted me. 

Thank you
I am thankful to Welch and his childhood friend, Charles Whitman (above left), who was chair of the education committee of the NAACP Youth Council at Pioneer High School, for making themselves available for interviews. Their friendship started in 1965 and their recall of Welch's 1968 trip to Atlanta is documentary "gold."

Credits
Thank you also to the amazing research librarians at The University of Michigan’s Bentley Historical Library in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the Willard Library in Battle Creek, Michigan, and the Dallas Public Library in Dallas, Texas.
​Copyright © May 19, 2021, Regina L. Burns, Harvest Reapers Communications. All Rights Reserved. ​

Click on the player below to hear the online audio documentary. 

TRANSCRIPT
This is Regina L. Burns, reporting for Harvest Reapers Communications.

Imagine it’s April 9, 1968, and you’re in Atlanta, Georgia. You’re attending (video of Dr. King's funeral service) Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s funeral. You went to the funeral at Ebenezer Baptist Church to represent your city’s youth.  And by the way, you’re a 17-year-old Black male. 

(See video of Mrs. Coretta Scott King as she lies in honor at the Georgia state Capitol).

1--SOUNDBITE Edward Welch Jr., Ph.D., (Me): “I was a senior … Hulcher of Ann Arbor.”
That’s Edward Welch Jr., who holds a doctorate in Mass Communication from Ohio University. He’s an Associate Professor at Grambling State University’s Department of Mass Communication. 

Welch stepped into history when he attended Dr. King’s funeral in 1968. This is the first time he has publicly shared his thoughts about this historic event. I interviewed him in 2018 and again in 2021.

2--SOUNDBITE Edward Welch Jr., Ph.D., (There): “I feel extremely fortunate … I was there.”

The Ann Arbor, Michigan City Council sent Mayor Wendell Hulcher and Welch to Atlanta. They were part of a prestigious delegation from Michigan headed by then-Gov. George Romney, according to an April 9, 1968, Associated Press news story in the Enquirer and News newspaper in Battle Creek, Michigan.

3--SOUNDBITE Edward Welch Jr., Ph.D., (Dropped Off): “Now, I know … way it went.”

Like so many cities, Ann Arbor roared with unrest after the April 4 assassination of Dr. King in Memphis, Tennessee. ​In fact, the AP story reported violence occurred in several Michigan cities in the hours before King’s funeral. 

The AP story also reported Hulcher’s attendance at Dr. King’s funeral generated backlash from Albert Wheeler, Dr.PH.,  who at the time was president of the Michigan branch of the NAACP. Welch explains what Wheeler found troublesome:

4--SOUNDBITE Edward Welch Jr. Ph.D., (Wheeler): “Did not want … him speaking up.”

Hulcher died in 1999. 

Charles Whitman was the NAACP Youth Council’s Education Chair at Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He later worked for Ford Motor Company in Livonia, Michigan for 30 years until his retirement. During a May 2021 interview, Whitman recalled Welch’s 1968 trip to attend Dr. King’s funeral. 

5--SOUNDBITE Charles Whitman (Supportive): “We were very … the Youth Council.”

6--SOUNDBITE Charles Whitman (Activist): “What are some things … of an activist nature.”

Whitman said President Lyndon Johnson ordered flags at half-staff. However, not everyone followed his command.

7--SOUNDBITE Charles Whitman (Half-staff): “What I recall is … and what not.”

I received this May 18, 2021-email from the Ann Arbor Public Schools in response to my request for comment, “Unfortunately, we do not have a good way to research this information to confirm it in such a short time period.” 

Meanwhile, Welch picked up the story with his memories of an unforgettable funeral at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta.

8--SOUNDBITE Edward Welch Jr., Ph.D., (Wilt Chamberlain): “Do you recall … inside the church.”  

​(See Alabama Department of Archives & History's photo of Richard Nixon and Wilt Chamberlain in Martin Luther King, Jr.'s funeral procession).

After the funeral on the airplane trip back to Michigan, Welch and Hulcher shared a remarkable discussion.  

9--SOUNDBITE Edward Welch Jr., Ph.D., (Politics): “You had mentioned … home from Atlanta.”  
   
Welch graduated from high school in June 1968. He completed college and later earned masters’ degrees from the University of Michigan and Northwestern University. In 1979, he accepted his second general assignment reporter’s job. He moved his family from Buffalo, New York to work for WHBQ-TV in Memphis. Welch said he was later approached by the station’s news management about a promotion to executive producer. In 1982, Welch became the first Black manager in TV news in Memphis, he said. He achieved that milestone when he accepted the executive producer promotion.
I wanted to know if and how attending Dr. King’s funeral prepared him to become a reporter and an executive producer.

10--SOUNDBITE Edward Welch Jr., Ph.D., (Journalist): “I think all this… being a journalist.”  
 
He later transitioned to a new career in academia, which he still finds satisfying. His numerous accomplishments in journalism education include shepherding students’ award-winning entries in the Hearst Journalism Awards Program.

11--SOUNDBITE Edward Welch Jr., Ph.D., (Hearst): “So, what are you … students to compete.” 
  
Starting with the NAACP Youth Council presidency at his high school, Welch has embodied leadership and courage. He attended Dr. King’s funeral alone when he was a teenager. 

​That accomplishment is too important not to be recorded in the annals of history.

This has been Regina L. Burns reporting for Harvest Reapers Communications, in Dallas.

Copyright © May 19, 2021, Regina L. Burns, Harvest Reapers Communications. All Rights Reserved. 

More Stories from Regina
2 Comments

Texas Highways' Profile of Reginald "Reggie" Browne Jr.

1/5/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Thanks Texas Highways magazine for publishing my story about Palestine, Texas-native and historian Reginald "Reggie" Browne Jr., in the January 2021 issue. Woo-hoo!!!

How often do you meet a historian whose father was the first African American to be elected county commissioner in Palestine, Texas? I had that privilege Sept. 19, 2020, thanks to Texas Highways magazine. You can read my story in the January 2021 issue here.

Read my other Texas Highways magazine stories here.
​
Picture
After the Texas Highways magazine interview in Palestine, Texas, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, we stopped to capture this notable photo. From left to right: Historian Reginald "Reggie" Browne Jr., journalist Regina L. Burns, photographer Sean Fitzgerald and Palestine, Texas-born Rev. Clevel Scott. Photo by Sean Fitzgerald.
0 Comments

Texas Highways' Profile of Edmund Morrow

11/26/2020

8 Comments

 
Thanks to Texas Highways magazine for publishing my December 2020 story featuring legendary Texas barber, Edmund Morrow. Morrow cut Terrell, Texas-born Jamie Foxx's hair and Jamie's grandfather's hair back in the day; and, he's still at it. I traveled to Terrell June 27, 2020 to interview Morrow about his love of barbering, his family, and much more. Special thanks to Texas Hiighways senior managing editor Matt Joyce for this great assignment.

​Read my profile of Edmund Morrow here. Read my other Texas Highways magazine stories here.
Picture
Picture
8 Comments

22-Year Dallas Breast Cancer Survivor’s Triumphant Story

10/14/2019

0 Comments

 
​Marilyn Calhoun, a 22-year breast cancer survivor, is still advocating awareness and prevention. The retired Dallas principal and veteran educator wants women to be proactive, get mammograms as well as participate in other breast cancer prevention programs. Calhoun originally shared her triumphant journey in a 2011 Harvest Reapers Communications’ video interview.  Her words still ring true and her message is more important than ever, so please take the time to watch:

Learn more:

Black Women Added to High-Risk Group for Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer Rates Among Black Women and White Women 

What Everyone Should Know

0 Comments

Women's History Month Salute to Aretha Franklin: Guest Column by Asia Rodgers

3/10/2019

0 Comments

 
PictureAsia Rodgers

​I recently listened to Aretha Franklin’s captivating album, “Young, Gifted and Black” while paying tribute to the “Queen of Soul” and her global influence. She paints a beautiful picture of what it means to be black in America.

Yes, it’s often a difficult journey because we face trials and experience pain. However, African-Americans are substantial contributors, innovators and achievers.

This is the first Women’s History Month since the death of Aretha Louise Franklin in her Detroit, Michigan, home Aug. 16, 2018. She died from pancreatic cancer. Born in 1942 in Memphis, Tennessee, she would have turned 77 on March 25.

Her talent knew no limits. She was a pianist, songwriter and singer. Aretha also was an actress, civil rights activist and a loving mother and so much more.


​

​​Aretha’s “crown” of musical jewels include:
  • She snagged her first recording contract with Columbia Records in 1960.
  • Aretha re-recorded Otis Redding’s “Respect” in 1967, making it a global anthem for civil rights and other causes.
  • She sang at Dr. Martin L. King Jr.’s Memphis memorial service in August 1968.
  • She sang at inaugural events for three U.S. presidents: In 1977, at Jimmy Carter’s inaugural gala, in 1993 and 1997 for Bill Clinton’s inaugural events, and in 2009, at Barack Obama’s inauguration. She also performed at the White House in 1994.​
  • Aretha was the first woman inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
  • She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005, awarded by former President George W. Bush. 
  • Aretha sang at the 2011 dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
  •  She won 18 Grammys.
  •  Aretha was No. 1 on Rolling Stone magazine’s Greatest Singers of All Time.

Aretha’s life and legacy showed me how to fight proudly for what I believe in. This is the year I start creating my delicate, yet fierce marking for the world: I intend to honor my ancestors while creating my own identity, take calculated risks and raise my voice in favor of issues and causes I believe in, just like Aretha did. She was an iconic pioneer whose proud, powerful gospel and soul music influenced generations of performers and fans.In fact, her influence can’t be measured. There’s no doubt about it: She changed the world.

Why do I say all of this? Because I, too, am young, gifted and black.

​​Learn More:
  1. Aretha Franklin movie starring Jennifer Hudson will hit theaters in 2020
  2. Trailer For Aretha Franklin Documentary Will Give You The Chills [VIDEO]
  3. TIME Joins Aretha Franklin Concert Documentary Amazing Grace as Distribution Partner with NEON
  4. Historical Plaque Now Marks Aretha Franklin's Childhood Home In Memphis
  5. ​Aretha Franklin's Bio
​
Regina L. Burns contributed to this blog post.

(c) March 2019. Harvest Reapers Communications. All Rights Reserved.
0 Comments

Celebrating the Legacy of WFAA's John McCaa

3/1/2019

0 Comments

 
PictureThankful for the opportunity to work with a great journalist and leader, John McCaa, during the Dallas police ambush coverage. Photo taken in August 2016.
Now that WFAA-TV news anchor John McCaa has signed off for the last time on March 1, 2019, his history-making tenure will be remembered. McCaa told D Magazine’s Tim Rogers that he’s a “pretty emotional guy" and his farewell was indeed, emotional. That's understandable, after all, he worked at WFAA for 35 years, bringing good journalism to North Texas.

​I had the privilege of working with McCaa during a series of contract gigs at Channel 8 that involved the assignment desk. The best description of what working on the assignment desk is comes from one of my esteemed Abilene Christian University journalism professors, Dr. Charles Marler—it’s “like an octopus.” For example, the Desk:
• Manages day-to-day and breaking news assignments for TV news crews.
• Navigates Twitter and Facebook for updates.
•  Vets information across a host of databases.
•  Provides research support by phone.

My most-memorable-McCaa moment was during WFAA’s coverage of the Dallas police ambush in the summer of 2016. This tragic event brought the newsroom to a collective heartfelt loss, for all those who were killed and injured. There were other emotions that elevated us: admiration and respect for the videographers and reporters who were on the scene that fateful day, July 7, 2016. In the midst of handling logistics, gathering details of funeral arrangements and verifying other information for producers, I witnessed McCaa’s calm leadership during our team briefings. 

Having worked in journalism for a variety of news organizations such as: KRBC-TV in Abilene, WPTY-TV, WLOK and WGKX radio stations in Memphis, FayObserver.com in Fayetteville, North Carolina, as well as The Associated Press in Jackson, Mississippi, and Dallas, (not to mention a wealth of freelance gigs), by far the Dallas police ambush story was the toughest to cover. 

McCaa brought experience gained from other challenging assignments in his long career to this tragic event in Dallas.

He writes that retiring from television news after more than 42 years is “not easy.” However, he sensed that God “decided it was time” and he’s being obedient. 

I am thrilled that my career dovetailed with his and that I gained so much from being in the newsroom during his tenure. His TV news experience, his depth of knowledge and his caring spirit elevated the environment and the newscast. Every time.

Thank you for your service. #ThanksJohn

Picture
Pausing in between newscasts, John McCaa graciously took time for a photo with me on Feb. 27, 2019.

                             (c) March 2019 Harvest Reapers Communications. All Rights Reserved.

0 Comments

New: Do you know why Dr. King went to Memphis?

1/21/2019

0 Comments

 
PictureRev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.









​

​


Do you know why Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. went to Memphis in 1968? It was to support the striking Memphis sanitation workers. Prior to their decision to strike in February 1968 over horrible working conditions, low pay and a lack of dignity, two sanitation workers — Echol Cole and Robert Walker — were crushed to death in a malfunctioning garbage truck on Feb. 1, 1968.

After that, the African-American Memphis sanitation workers went on strike for better pay, improved working conditions and to be treated with respect as men. Do you know how much they were paid? According to researchers at Wayne State University, “the average pay was $1.80 per hour.” 

The original blog post on this topic was published in April 2011. It has been updated with new information, new images, a video from the labor union involved in the strike and, a tribute to Dr. King and other civil rights warriors in the form of a prayer. It's a wake-up-call prayer fervently prayed Jan. 20, 2019, by Rev. Dr. Thomas Hudspeth of Lovers Lane United Methodist Church in Dallas, Texas.

To read the updated blog post, experience the video and hear Dr. Hudspeth's MLK prayer, click here: https://bit.ly/2R4vIKY.
Picture
Rev. Dr. Thomas Hudspeth, Pastor of Congregational Care & Deaf Ministry, Lovers Lane United Methodist Church, Dallas, Texas
0 Comments

8 Women Historymakers

3/30/2018

2 Comments

 
2018 Women's History Month

As March gives way to April, I am thrilled to introduce you to eight women from a diverse set of life experiences in the 2018 Annual Women's History Month Salute. They are: Martha Germann; Sharon Matlock; Viola Cole; Rose Braziel, Dorothy Jones; Rachel Shankman; Lillian Barnett and Wendy Calhoun.​

I know these women: some are from my native Memphis, others I met in Texas. Some hired me to provide communication services, others cheered me on in some form or fashion. I met Wendy virtually while working with her mother, Marilyn Calhoun, on projects. (Check out Wendy's '
90s flashback attire.) 

I asked each three questions:

1. Why do you think Women's History Month is important?                                         
2. What contribution are you most proud of?
3. What is the best advice or wisdom you ever received?

​
You'll note their responses are numbered accordingly. Please take a moment to express your thoughts in the Comments section. I also ask that you share this post with your family, friends, colleagues and others.

Feel free to contact me if your organization needs communication support such as blogs, corporate communication resources or copy editing. Thank you.
​


Martha Germann: Lewisville, Texas, Founder of Mindful Games Institute

Martha Germann--2018 Women's History Month
​
​1. As with any celebration, from birthdays and anniversaries to Presidents Day, Women’s History Month is designed to bring a conscious focus on the topic. It is a time to bring back in to the collective conversation all the amazing things that women have contributed and accomplished. Our job is to keep that conversation alive throughout the year by recognizing and celebrating the ongoing contributions and accomplishments women make daily. 

2. My mission is to make a difference in the quality of people’s lives and I bring that mindset into everything I do. I am most proud of the journey of self-development that brought me to my Thriving beyond Survival Model because it not only made a difference in my ability to thrive each day, it gave me a way to convey that to others.  It is information and strategies that I use in presentations, workshops and my book ("Thriving beyond Survival: How to Know What You Really Want and Have Fun Getting It") so that it can be accessible to more people. We are designed to thrive but have been trained to just survive. The world needs more focus on getting back to thriving and I am proud to have created an option for others to get there.

3. The wisdom that made the most impact on me centers on two things. The first is the conscious practicing of self-love and appreciation, actually practicing the emotion. This has not only grown my compassion for myself, but spread to everyone in my world.  The second is always knowing that I have ultimate choice of what I think, feel and believe. I am mindfully aware of what I am choosing and these things shape my experience.

Community engagement: TEDx speaker



Sharon Matlock: Allen, Texas, Human Resources Associate with Southern Methodist University

Sharon Matlock--2018 Women's History Month
​
1. There is an old familiar quote that states, “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.” The influential footprints countless women leave in many places around the globe are worthy of recognition. Women's History Month is an important focus on the valuable contributions women have made and are making to help improve this world.  Her-story is also as important as His-story. My story is filled with blessings, which I believe are in a constant flow from an Almighty CREATOR. A Higher Intelligence force designed the limited intelligence of male and female, making us equipped for life's journey. 

2. I have contributed many delicious pound cakes for special occasions and shared the recipe. However, so far along this journey, I am most proud of contributing to family love, bonding and cherished memories. This is what matters most to me. My belief is that this pleases GOD. 

3. "Get a college education" was my parents' good advice. The best advice I received is from Proverbs 3:5-6. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek GOD's will in all you do, and GOD shows you which path to take." It's the best advice for me, and wise to follow as my spiritual belief embraces GOD as Love, our Hope, and a faithful-life source. 

​Community engagement: Greenville Avenue Church of Christ

Viola Cole: Memphis, Tennessee, Retired Memphis City Schools Educator
​

Viola Cole--2018 Women's History Month

1. Since the beginning of time, women have had to go the extra mile to be acknowledged compared to men. Over the years, we have made great gain but not to the level where it should be.  It is important that we have a Women’s History Month so young girls can read, become knowledgeable and build on that foundation.

2. The contributions I am most proud of are being a single mother and rearing my daughter and son. Both are independent adults, employed by large companies, and grounded in God, their community, family and friends.

3. The best advice or wisdom I received was to believe in myself and let God guide me.

Community engagement: 
Memphis in May volunteer, Leadership Memphis and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority



​2017 Making History Profiles Q&A:
​6 Women Getting the Job Done
​


​Dorothy Jones, Plano, Texas, Award-winning Chief Marketing Officer

Picture
1.  We can:
​• Celebrate the achievements of women across the world 
• Inspire young girls and women to stay involved in the movement of equality
• Shine a light on and reverse the hardships (#MeToo) that women have had to endure in their homes and workplaces
• Spotlight women of color, lesbians and transgender women who are breaking barriers and are rarely acknowledged 
​
2. Personally: Being a single parent and providing the spiritual and emotional foundation for my daughter, Loren, to be happy and a contributor to society.  At 15, she is a God-fearing, compassionate, humble, creative, and intelligent student-athlete attending one of the top boarding schools on a 4-year academic scholarship.

Professionally: Being a mentor to interns, employees, peers and friends. I have benefited greatly, professionally, from mentors sharing their advice and experiences. It is my pleasure and responsibility to pay it forward, especially with women and people of color.

3. My favorite life/business quotes/advice:
• "It doesn't matter the title or the job as long as you have perspective and be great at 'It,' whatever 'It' is."
• “In times of change and uncertainty ... go HARD at the problem and EASY on the people.”

Community engagement: ​
Board of Directors for Girls Scouts of Northeast Texas



Rose Braziel: Arlington, Texas, A Volunteer for: Back to School Events, CASA and MegaCare (The Potter's House of Dallas)

Rose Braziel--2018 Women's History Month
​1. It's important for our younger generations to know that the older
generations have sacrificed many things to open doors for them so they don't have to work as hard. 
​

2. I am most proud ofworking with the kids. I volunteer at back to school events and with CASA--Court Appointed Special Advocates. I help the parents. Sometimes people are in situations because of generational circumstances. I focus on helping them understand that “you are somebody, that you are important.” Others might see them as a piece of paper. I treat them like they are human beings. For example when I am working as a CASA volunteer, I try to find out what the child's gifts are. When they are acting out in anger, I work with that gift. I had a child who liked to do hair and I showed her how to do sew-in weaves (you braid the hair first. Then go back and sew it, which is better for the hair.) She only knew how to glue it in. I went down the street and found a hair salon where she could learn from them as well. This information could help her make some money by doing her friend's hair. I bought her a camera and portfolio book, so she could take pictures and place them in her portfolio. This gave her a new outlook and new options.
​
3. Always respect people, even if they are not nice to you. They will come around. Love, respect and honesty will conquer anything. It may not seem like it at the time, but it always turns around. As long as you have faith in the Lord, He will take care of it.


Rose has been honored by CASA, President Barack Obama and The Potter's House of Dallas for her community service. View some of her kudos (below):

Rachel Shankman: Memphis, Tennessee,  Daughter of Holocaust Survivors,
Born in a German Displaced Persons Camp                                                                                                                                     

Rachel Shankman--2018 Women's History Month
1. I think women's history is all of our history. And for all too long, women's voices have been marginalized and sometimes forced underground. Knowing there is now a month dedicated to elevating and amplifying women's stories is important not just for the current generations but for future generations.
​
2. I think it has been being part of an educational community through Facing History and Ourselves (I am the retired founding director of the Memphis office) that has provided tools for teachers and students in the communities to engage in some of the most critical conversations that are required by democracy. I had the privilege of seeing the Memphis office, grow, prosper and reach thousands of teachers and students. 


3. Recently I have been spending a lot of time thinking about what it means to engage in civil conversation and to live in a civil society. This is the best advice that I have received and it  is from The Institute for Civility in Government, based in Houston: “Civility is claiming and caring for one's identity and needs and beliefs without degrading someone else's in the process." I think if we could live by that definition of what it means to be civil we really could change the world. Right now I see such a lack of civility and people are hunkering down in their own perspectives. Because of my personal history as the daughter of Holocaust survivors, I know the danger of not learning from other people's perspectives. 

Around my kitchen table the most important advice and lessons I learned were from my mother and father. And they were about the danger of any group feeling superior to any other, the danger of prejudice and discrimination, and the danger of being a bystander when you see injustice.

Community engagement: ​Inclusion Director at Hutchison School
​



​Lillian Barnett: Memphis, Tennessee, Retired Memphis City Schools Educator,
​Widow of Church of Christ Minister Ralph Barnett  

Picture
1. Women are important in the roles they play in the family, in the home and in government. Their contributions are responsible for upbuilding and improving every phase of society.

2. The contributions I am most proud of are the lasting relationships and love I experienced teaching and working with young black women. During my 45 years with the Memphis City Schools and as a minister's wife, I helped them to develop into outstanding mothers, wives and contributors to the world.
​
3. The best advice I ever received comes from the Bible – (Matthew 5:44) “… Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”  In other words, treat others the way you'd like to be treated.  

Community engagement: 
​Boulevard Church of Christ



Wendy Calhoun: Los Angeles, California,  TV Writer, Producer:
​'Station 19,' 'Empire' 'Our Kind of People,' 'No Place Safe' 

Picture
1. Women’s her-story is the world’s story. Women bring life to the world and should be celebrated every day of the year. One month to remind us of the history that shaped us is important to help us better understand humanity.

2. I’m most proud of raising my two daughters. They represent me and themselves in a beautiful, positive way. As far as career contributions, I have created and cultivated many memorable female characters.  From Mags on "JUSTIFIED" to Rayna on "NASHVILLE" to Cookie on "EMPIRE" to Andy on "STATION 19" — I’m proud to present complex female characters who are not limited to being sidekicks or male support tools. 

3. The best advice I ever received is “learn to take a yes.” I’ve spent so much of my career fighting for females and people of color on screen to have a strong point of view, that I often push too hard. The world is catching up to gender equality. I can now move mountains in perception with a gentle push. It’s freeing and exciting. There’s never been a better time to write for women.

Learn about Wendy's mother, Marilyn Calhoun, whom I honored in last year's post. 

​@wendycalhoun




Need copy editing support?
2 Comments

Bowling Fundraiser Strikes Success for Dallas Publisher Cheryl Smith

6/14/2017

0 Comments

 
Picture
Cheryl Smith, courtesy of her LinkedIn profile.

Picture
Cheryl Smith says her Don't Believe the Hype Celebrity Bowl-a-thon has raised more than $300,000. It has funded numerous nonprofit and journalism causes.

​What are some of the outcomes achieved from this event?
We have helped finance travel and accommodations for journalism students attending conferences and conventions, career enhancement programs and workshops. When big funders fall through, we were able to use funds raised to help with feeding students, providing transportation or purchasing supplies for the Dallas-Fort Worth Association of Black Journalists Urban Journalism Workshop.
​
Some of the funds have helped young journalists with training. Tell me about that work.
We have paid registration fees to conventions. Additionally, the proceeds from the event have helped take students to conventions in Seattle, Phoenix, Orlando, D.C., Atlanta, Indianapolis, Houston, New Orleans, Las Vegas and Oklahoma. Jeffries Street Learning Center, the Black Academy of Arts and Letters, the Emmett Till Legacy Foundation and the African American Museum of Dallas are just a few of the beneficiaries over the years.

Anything else to add?
​
I love doing this event and I love bringing people together for a good time and a good cause.

​Cheryl Smith knows how to organize a longstanding and successful fundraiser that supports her passion for journalism and fun gatherings. The veteran Dallas publisher, journalist and National Association of Black Journalists' board secretary founded the Don't Believe the Hype Celebrity Bowl-a-thon a little more than two decades ago.

The 23rd annual event, slated in Dallas June 17, 2017, promises to supply ample laughter, loads of good-natured, competitive bowling and financial support for various causes.  
​
Smith, who has made her mark across all media platforms, also serves as longtime president of the Dallas-Fort Worth Association of Black Journalists. Additionally, she led the NABJ Region VII during two terms as director.  A tireless advocate for journalism and journalists, she revealed during a Question-and-Answer interview conducted by email, how the Bowl-a-thon got its name, some of the event's beneficiaries and the highest score she's ever bowled.

Where did the name of the event come from?
"Don't Believe the Hype" is a hit song from the popular rap group, Public Enemy.  I used the song as the opening for my award-winning talk show on KKDA-AM, "Reporters Roundtable with Cheryl Smith."  When I decided to come up with a fundraiser, I bounced around names and a friend suggested I use the song. So, I called Chuck D and told him what I wanted to do and asked his permission.  He said, 'Yes!' He actually came for the first event and also for the 10th anniversary.

What was your original vision?
Just to bring together people to have fun and raise money for scholarships.

​Have you achieved your original vision?
Yes, people consider the event to be a quality program and while I have raised a significant amount of money over the past 22 years, I would like to raise so much more.


How much money has the event raised since its inception?
We have raised over $300,000.

Why did you decide to use bowling to raise money?
Growing up in New Jersey, we went to the movies, bowled and skated.  I felt that bowling was something that people of all ages can do.  After a while, I couldn't see myself 85 [and] skating. Maybe there are some, but not me. ...

​What's the best game (score) you've bowled?
​
I was on a bowling team in 8th grade and used to go bowling with my Godmother and her friends. The best game I bowled was about three years ago, and it was like a 230.  Everyone was amazed. I was and am still in shock.
Picture

To register your team for Saturday's Bowl-a-thon, click here. Team preregistration is highly encouraged to ensure participation.

(c) HarvestReapers.com, June 14, 2017. All Rights Reserved.

0 Comments

2017 Making History Profiles Q&A: 6 Women Getting the Job Done

3/30/2017

4 Comments

 

Courageous. Caring. Called. 

Those words bring to mind Jannette Watts and 
Marilyn Calhoun, of Dallas, Texas; and, Millicent Hoskin, Paula Casey, Priscilla "Pan" Awsumb, and Dr. Mary Crawford, all from Memphis, Tennessee. Each woman is being celebrated in my 2017 Making History Profiles Q&A, which was changed from the previous name, Women's History Month Salute.

Jannette Watts (in the video) invited me to attend a Career Day event at an elementary school back in 2011. During my presentation, the attentive young students helped me create an audio clip featuring them making bird sounds.


Since then, I have chatted with Watts throughout the years at the church we attend, The Potter's House of Dallas. ​
And I was honored when she asked me two consecutive years to serve as Mistress of Ceremonies for the Annual Gospel Explosion during Black History Month at Kennedy-Curry Middle School. 

​​'Ms. Community'

Watts is the community liaison for Kennedy-Curry, located in Dallas' Oak Cliff neighborhood. Principal David Welch defines her work: "A community liaison is the bridge between the school and the community... [The person] needs to be well-grounded to know what's in the community and [to work] with parents to help the school," he said during a telephone interview.


​​In his first year at the school, Welch has turned to Watts repeatedly to support his leadership and each time, she delivered results.
"I am a demanding administrator and she has gone over and above. I give you an example -- she has increased the number of parents who are involved in Parent Portal (a Dallas Independent School District online resource that allows a parent to follow their child's academic progress). Prior to my arrival, the percentage was very low. Thanks to her involvement, the number is 71 percent."
​
​He ticked off a detailed list of Watts' other key accomplishments. All said, her work is driving academic progress and community involvement. And, he praised her hidden talent -- being great with crafts and decorating the school.


"She is a wonderful individual. I wish I could clone her. If I had three or four of her, it would really make my job easier," Welch said.
I first met Millicent Cade Hoskin in the library of Central High School, in my native Memphis, Tennessee, when I was a student there. To this day, I recall the now-retired librarian's commitment to excellence and education.

What is your place in history?
My place in the world is embodied in each of these titles
-- God's child, mother, educator, teacher, mentor/friend, and enabler. At one time in my life, I embraced each of them, usually all of them at the same time. However, each title has to do with service to God and mankind.  


My role models, beginning with my Mother, Mrs. Laura Turpin
Cade, have been for the most part, strong African-American
women who faced and overcame the two overwhelming
​forces of being both African-American and female: 
Sojourner Truth; Diana Ross; Nikki Giovanni; Marva 
Collins (imagine my delight in actually attending one
of her workshops!); and yes, even Queen Latifah.  Also included are my female teachers, and women at my church who 
nurtured me and treated me as though I was their own.

What was the focus of your career? Share some of your
milestones and accolades.

I concentrated on reading and writing literacy, to ensure not only that students were able to read and write, but also that they were able to comprehend as well. Today, former students continue to thank me for the positive contributions to their attainment of education and life goals.


I was the first African-American librarian at Central High School. I served 29 years with Memphis City Schools and also worked with other educational organizations. Various groups have honored me and I received grants from the Memphis Rotary Club to provide more resources.

Additionally, I received a special request to write a Litany of Unity for the 30th commemoration of Dr. Martin L. King Jr.'s death. It was shared during the April 3,1998 service at Mason Temple Church of God in Christ.

Why do you think Women's History Month is important?
Women’s History Month will be important as long as women are important. A month is good, but a daily and monthly  focus would be awesome. The initiative should be taken to keep women in the forefront of published articles in every venue, especially social media. Our daughters must be constantly
reminded of their Godly inheritance, motivated, and trained to use their inherent strengths to achieve meaningful goals and to live fulfilled lives.


PictureMillicent Hoskin was the first African-American librarian at Central High School in Memphis, Tennessee. Her mantra is "teach with feeling." Photo from Facebook.

​

Will you suggest one book that everyone should read?
"Just a Sister Away: A Womanist Vision of Women’s Relationships in the Bible" is one book I would recommend that all read, especially African-American women. According to its author Dr. Renita J. Weems, this book “was written unapologetically with African-American women in mind as a way of reminding us that we are not an afterthought to salvation, that the first step toward satisfying the gnawing hunger within us is to pick up a pencil.”  ...

In times when African-American women are still viewed as unequal and even not permitted to preach or be a meaningful part of religious services in certain places, we need an anchor. We need recognition as persons other than slaves forced to come to a foreign land. We need to FULLY realize that our salvation may be ‘”just a sister away."  This book gives us that assurance.

​
​As a native Memphian, I have known Paula Casey for a long time. Her amazing work is inspiring.
PicturePaula Casey is President, Vote 70, Inc., a nonprofit educational company founded in 1989 whose mission is to preserve and promote woman suffrage history. www.paulacasey.com. Photo provided by Paula Casey.
      
How can Women's History Month can be elevated so that more people take notice of it? 
While it's hard to ascertain an exact number, approximately 8 percent of the statues and monuments in this country are of women. That's too few. I believe more people will start paying attention as the national centennial of the 19th Amendment's ratification in 2020 draws near. People celebrate public art and particularly notice statues and monuments of women since there are so few. Public art also reflects what we think is important as a society. 

What is your place in history?
My adult life has been spent trying to get women elected and promoting women's accomplishments, particularly the effort for American women to be included in the U.S.   Constitution.
 
I have studied political and social movements and concluded the woman suffrage movement was the greatest nonviolent revolution in the United States. And, I speak around the country about the woman suffrage movement and voting rights.

How did you stand out in your work or industry?
I started the company in 1989 to produce a video,"Generations: American Women Win the Vote." Later, it became a DVD and is also available in streaming video.

The book, "The Perfect 36: Tennessee Delivers Woman Suffrage," was first published in May 1998 before one of the co-authors, Carol Lynn Yellin, died of breast cancer in March 1999. She wanted this history preserved. I got the audiobook completed in 2013 read by Dr. Jan Sherman, the other co-author. The book is available in three e-book formats - Kindle, Apple, and Nook.
Can you suggest one book that everyone should read?
"
The Warmth of Other Suns" by Isabel Wilkerson is absolutely outstanding. I think it should be required reading in all high schools. It is beautifully written and provides context for understanding the overt and covert racism that persists in our country.

See also:  http://www.pbs.org/video/2365977400/
                     http://www.nwhp.org/tennessee/
                     https://goo.gl/NU3V1z
                     www.tnsuffragemonument.org
                     
https://goo.gl/mROxdM 

Pan Awsumb has been a dear friend for many years. She and husband Carl have demonstrated integrity and determination and are making a difference in the lives of many in Memphis, Tennessee, and beyond.
What is your place in history?
I don't know what my place in history is. I really don't give it much thought. I'm too busy living life fully as a wife, mother of two, grandmother of two, good friend, and involved citizen. I enjoy speaking out about issues of importance to our community and our nation, and being a catalyst, weaving/knitting people of different backgrounds together.  

My 13 years at Leadership Memphis, the last seven as executive director, were fulfilling because we ran three programs that changed many peoples' lives - an excellent yearlong in-depth executive program, a one-day intensive for new executives called Inside Memphis that was replicated in other cities across the United States, and a unique leadership training program for residents of the Memphis Housing Authority - while successfully raising an endowment to sustain Leadership Memphis in the future.


How did you stand out in your work or industry? 
While heading up Leadership Memphis, I served on the boards of the Tennessee Association of Community Leadership and the National Leadership Association, and received the Chair's Community Circle Award. Furthermore, I was also chosen to receive an award as one of Fifty Women Making a Difference in Memphis.

​Why do you think Women's History Month is important?
The term 'Women's History Month, like 'Black 
History Month', carries some negative connotation to me. Teaching women's history ​and black history should be ongoing and woven into all our historical narratives, not relegated to one month a year and then given short shrift the rest of the time. However, it is essential that women be recognized for their accomplishments. In fact, I have supported Women of Achievement in Memphis for many years. 
​

What causes or work are you involved in?
Currently, I serve on the Leadership Council of the Lynching Sites Project of Memphis. We are part of a growing network of citizens who want the whole and accurate truth to be told about the history of Shelby County. We believe that we can heal and grow in understanding when we openly face the history of racial violence in our community. The vision of the Lynching Sites Project is "to open our hearts and our communities to racial healing by shining thelight of truth on lynchings in Shelby County, Tennessee." We join in this work with the national effort of Bryan Stevenson and the Equal Justice Initiative that he founded to memorialize known lynchings in our nation from 1877 - 1950.
​  

We are working on a major commemoration of Ell Persons, who was lynched 100 years ago on May 22, 1917, to tell the truth that has been hidden too long. Our service of healing and repentance will be held May 21, 2017 at the site of his horrific lynching, which was attended by between 3,000 and 5,000 people. 

​
Ell Persons' lynching led to the founding of the Memphis Branch of the NAACP in 1917. It was Tennessee's first NAACP branch and two years later, heralded as the South's largest. 

​(For additional references, please see: the 
"Memphis Burning" cover feature by Martha Park in the Memphis Flyer, ​ ​February 4, 2016; "Students Memorialize
PicturePan Awsumb, of Memphis, Tennessee, is currently serving on the Leadership Council of the Lynching Sites Project of Memphis. https://www.facebook.com/lynchingsitesmem.Photo from Facebook.



a Past Tragedy to Create a More Hopeful Future" on the Facing History and Ourselves website; and, "Putting Lynching on the Map.")

​We meet weekly from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Caritas Village, 2509 Harvard Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee. Visit us on Facebook at lynchingsitesmem.

I am also regularly protesting the absolutely horrible policies of the Trump administration, by email, phone, and in person. I strongly support Bernie Sanders' and Elizabeth Warren's approach to governing.
​

Got any good book suggestions?
​
My husband Carl and I are currently reading the book "Wonder" with 5th-grade students at Brewster Elementary School. We are encouraging the young people we read with to become discerning thinkers, not rote memorizers and responders.

There is SO much great literature out there - one book couldn't begin to touch what we all might share, except the Bible. I've come back to "The Little Prince" at different times in my life, and enjoy sharing it with our grandchildren.  "And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."
​

​Marilyn Calhoun is one of the first people I met when I originally arrived in Dallas. We had the pleasure of working together on various projects and I continue to be enlightened by her compassion and lifelong love of learning. She is also a breast cancer survivor. In 2011, I videotaped her story of breast cancer awareness.
PictureMarilyn Calhoun, Dallas, Texas, is President /CEO of Learning Exposures Foundation, started in 2005. She provides consulting services in education. She is also a breast cancer survivor. Photo from Facebook.
   
   


    




​
​

​What are you are currently involved with?
I am involved with but not limited to: Breast Health & Cancer Research fund drives (www.komen-dallas.org), oral history projects with Remembering Black Dallas (www.rbDallas.com), service projects of Metropolitan Dallas Alumnae of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Disciples Women's Ministries for the Christian Church (DOC), and south Dallas community service, e.g. K. J. Gilliam Museum (www.kathlynjoygilliammuseum.org), African American Education Archives and History Program @ African American Museum (www.aaeahp.org & Clean South Dallas. I serve as parliamentarian for four community or professional associations to educate the membership on parliamentary procedures, practices and law as an active member of The Sounding Block Unit of the National Association of Parliamentarians (https://goo.gl/pwPfYe).
What is your place in history?
My place in history is being the person I am and fulfilling my life purpose as a master teacher and an educator of personal development, to everyone I meet. I love to encourage others to be their best.  

Describe your career and accomplishments.

I retired from Dallas Independent School District after serving 32 years as an elementary science teacher, demonstration teacher,  site coordinator/Title 1 Dunbar I Special Projects,  K-12 Science curriculum writer,  instructional facilitator, assistant principal, principal, and specialist for internal charter schools. I was showcased as a presenter at local, state, and national conferences as an innovator of educational programs. 

After retiring, I trained and observed teachers/interns in the Alternative Certification program.

What do you think about the importance of Women's History Month?
Women's History Month is important for HerStory to be told and shared. This would provide role models and levels to aspire for young girls and women. I think the observance of Women's History Month should include public forums such as the one held March 26, 2017 by The North Texas Business and Professional Women League, Inc. (http://www.ntbpwl.org/).

Do you have a book suggestion?
My favorite author is Toni Morrison but the book I think all should read is "The Mis-Education of the Negro" by Carter G. Woodson. This book will help the reader gain insights and concepts of being a free person - first in your mind from your own thoughts, beliefs, and perspectives. Currently, I am reading "Walking with the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement" by Civil Rights Congressman John Lewis & Michael D'Orso. It is a survival story about life, experiences, and the thoughts of an American patriot. Encourage youth to read the "March" trilogy by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell. The book won most of the 2016 book awards.
​

​Dr. Mary F. Crawford was my dentist and I am so thankful I was her patient. She saved my smile. And, she became one of the early clients who hired me for marketing projects in Memphis. Beyond that, when I asked for help with the long distance care of my mother in Memphis, she immediately rearranged her life to support me in Dallas. Not only did she help me locate a new Memphis care facility, but she regularly visited my mother and provided me with telephone updates. Months later, when I called her from the Memphis hospital room where my mother had just died, she came to the hospital, immediately, and provided AMAZING support afterward. Thank you, Mary, for helping me when I needed it most!!!!
What is your place in history?
I decided to move back to the states permanently when my father became sick. I also had a failed marriage with an Italian dentist. So, I was thrilled to learn that once I returned to my hometown of Memphis, Tennessee, I was in time to apply for acceptance to UT Dental School (now the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Dentistry) in 1980. I applied after completing pre-dental studies and a battery of tests to ascertain that I could perform acceptably in that curriculum.
 

Coming from a long stint in Italy, 1966-1979, the last five years of which I had worked in Dentistry, I discovered I really enjoyed working in that field of medicine, even though my college degree was a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture and Printmaking. 

I obtained the D.D.S. degree from the UT Center for the Health Sciences in Memphis in 1984 at age 40, almost 41. It was a good thing to have already worked in dentistry before entering dental school because when I graduated, I felt more confident. And that confidence helped me to land an ownership position with  Dr. Mary L. Blackwell, one of the first women to graduate from Dental School in 1954 and to successfully practice Dentistry in her own office in Memphis.


I chose to move her practice to the Poplar Plaza Shopping Center in Memphis, setting myself up to build my own practice and to work success-
fully together with Dr. Blackwell. Once she retired, I worked with two other women dentists. The first went on to practice in the dental specialty of endodontics. The second 
became my partner and we worked together
 for 18 years until  I retired in September of 2015.
 
​How did you stand out in your work or industry? Did you receive any special recognition?
My first claim to fame has been to practice Dentistry in my own practice for 31 years before successfully retiring. A second is that during those years I maintained a happy relationship with a wonderful husband, Paolo Solferini, and we are both healthy enough to enjoy our retirement years. The third is that I have enjoyed many friendships over my practice years, with fellow dentists, employees, lab technicians, and with patients, many of which I maintain to this day. 

​Currently, women make up 40 percent of graduating dentists. When I graduated in 1984, we were barely 5 percent. When Dr. Blackwell graduated in 1954, she was the single woman graduate in her class of more than 50 dental students. Additionally, I am very proud of being one of the Women Ground Breakers into the medical professions!
 
Why do you think Women's History Month is important?
Women's History Month celebrates ALL women who have paved the way out of constrictive roles in our American society and for that reason, it is important to continue its celebration.

Picture
Dr. Mary F. Crawford obtained her D.D.S. degree in 1984 when she was almost 41. She successfully retired in 2015 after practicing Dentistry in her own Memphis practice for 31 years. Photo provided by Dr. Crawford.
​​
​What causes or work are you involved in?

Currently, I attend dental society meetings and other occasions to collect continuing education credits should I ever need to reactivate my retired dental license. The main reason I remain involved is to continue some form of cohesion with Dentistry. I have been a member since graduation of the American Dental Association, the Tennessee Dental Association, and the Memphis Dental Society.

​A word of appreciation
Many thanks go to Regina Burns, a ground breaker in her own right, with whom I have enjoyed such a long and fruitful friendship over many years.  Thank you, Regina, for everything!

Other HarvestReapers.com Blog Posts You May Enjoy:
​

Dear Gabby, I Am Proud of You!

4 Ideas to Support 'Motherless' Friends on Mother's Day
​

"Medgar Evers: Mississippi Martyr" Author Dr. Michael Williams Commemorates the 50th Anniversary

Do you know why Rev. King went to Memphis?

Update: "Entrepreneurial Journalism: Making Yourself the Brand"

For growth-oriented leaders: 7 strategic advantages of having a good mentor  

​
A Newswoman’s Photo/Video Journey 

​3 fiction audiobooks you gotta hear

​
Veteran Dallas Morning News Columnist Norma Adams-Wade Still Making History
UPDATE: Appreciating Frederick Douglass -- the father of the civil rights movement

Women's History Month Salute: Marion Edington, Former A.P. English Teacher

My Women’s History Month Salute: Belva Davis, the first African-American woman television journalist in the western US

2 Lives Impacted by the 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing: Guest Post By Jacqueline Wald

Happy Birthday Ma Dear; I 'sure am' grateful for your life lessons​​​

​
Saluting Kenny DeWalt: Memphis Trombone Player for Rev. Al Green, The Bar-Kays

Retired Vanderbilt Scholar Says MLK is 'Most Relevant' in This Age of Global Terrorism

​
2014 Black History Month Salute: "The Race Beat"

(c) HarvestReapers.com, March 31, 2017. All Rights Reserved.

4 Comments
<<Previous
Forward>>



    Connect With Us:
    Connect with us on LinkedIn  Follow us on TwitterReview our YouTube Channel



    Image_ReginaLBurns

    About the Author:

    Regina L. Burns, M.A., Project+, is an award-winning multimedia editor and journalist, specializing in Black history and African American stories at Harvest Reapers Communications. Her work has been published in Texas Highways magazine, WFAA-TV, The Dallas Morning News, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram as well as The Commercial Appeal, the Tri-State Defender and The Flyer, among others.

    She previously worked for a variety of news media organizations as an editor and journalist, including The Associated Press in Mississippi and Texas. She was news director at WLOK-AM and WGKX KIX-106 FM in Memphis. Learn more

    Categories

    All
    1960s
    1964 Nobel Peace Prize
    1964 Republican National Convention
    1968 King Assassination
    1994 940 Volvo
    2007 Pulitzer Prize In History
    2012
    2013
    2018 Women's History Month Salute
    2019 Women's History Month
    4 Ideas To Support 'Motherless' Friends On Mother's Day
    5 Things You Can Do NOW To Build Search Engine Optimization
    AAUW
    Abilene
    Abilene Christian University
    Abolitionist
    ACU
    ACU Library
    Advanced Placement English
    Advice Interactive Group
    African American
    African-American
    African-american
    African American History
    African-American History
    African American Museum
    African American Women
    African-American Women
    Alabama
    Alamo
    Alice Randall
    Alice Walker
    Alvin Ailey
    America
    Ampere
    Amzie Moore
    Analytics
    Anna Murray
    Ann Arbor
    Annie White
    A.P. English
    App
    Appetite
    Apps
    Aretha Franklin
    Asia Rodgers
    AT&T
    "At The River I Stand
    "attitude Of Gratitude"
    Audacity
    Back To School
    Belva Davis
    Bernadette Coleman
    Big Data
    Bill Hogg
    Bird
    Bird Sounds
    Birmingham
    Birthday
    Bishop T.D. Jakes
    Black Enterprise
    Black Hair Styles
    Black Historian
    Black History
    Black History Month
    Black History Month 2014
    Black Journalists
    Black Women
    Bob Yates
    Book
    Bowling
    Breaking News
    Breast Cancer
    Brenda Ellis
    Broadcast
    Brookhaven College
    Brooklyn Calloway
    California
    Cancer
    Career
    Carlos Baute
    Cary Fagan
    Cbs
    Cedar Hill
    Celina
    Cell Phone Video
    Central High School
    Channel 8
    Charles Whitman
    Cheryl Smith
    Children
    Chris Bradshaw
    Church Bombing
    Cicely Tyson
    Circle R Ranch
    Civil Rights
    Civil Rights Movement
    Civil Rights Pilgrimage
    Clients
    Clothes
    Cloudbaseda0f2d66592
    Communication Management
    Communications
    Communication Skills
    Conde Nast64813fceb0
    Connecticut
    Connecting On Social Media
    Connections
    Connie Dyson
    Consulting
    Content
    Content Marketing
    Cookbook
    Copy Editing
    Cousin Kenny
    Crisco
    CSI: Miami
    C-SPAN
    Customer Experience
    Customer Service
    Customer Testimonial
    D
    Dale Carnegie
    Dallas
    Dallas Advertising League
    Dallas County Democratic Party
    Dallas Interactive Marketing & Internet SEO/SEM Meetup
    Dallas Library Branch
    Dallas Public Library
    Darlene Ewing
    Dart Center For Journalism & Trauma
    David Alan Grier
    David Leeson
    David Meerman Scott
    D.C.
    "Delta Epiphany: Robert F. Kennedy In Mississippi"
    Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
    Denise Mcnair
    Detroit
    DFW
    Digital Audio
    Doctor
    Doctorate Degree
    Dog
    Don Rossi
    Don't Believe The Hype Celebrity Bowl-a-thon
    Dorothy Jones
    Dr. Charlie Marler
    Dr. Cheryl Mann Bacon
    Dr. Dennis Kimbro
    Dr. Kathleen Wickham
    Dr. King
    Dr. King's Legacy
    Dr. Lewis Baldwin
    Dr. Martin L. King Jr.
    Dr. Mary Crawford
    Dr. Michael Williams
    Dr. Sam Haynes
    Dr. William Dulaney
    Editing
    Education As A Civil Right
    Edward Snowden
    Edward Welch Jr.
    Ellen Meacham
    Emerson Able
    Emily West
    "Empire"
    English Teacher
    Erick Soderstorm
    Eric Swayne
    Ernest J. Gaines
    Espanole92bbe0581
    Eudora Welty
    Facebook
    Fallen Soldiers
    Fannie Lou Hamer
    Fcc
    First Responder
    First Responder Support Network
    Food Stamps
    Former Memphis Mayor Henry Loeb
    Former Slave
    Fort Worth
    Foster Dog
    Fourth Of July
    Fourth Of July And Social Media
    Frederick Douglass
    Freelancers
    Gabby
    Gartner
    Gates Foundation
    Gene Roberts
    Golinharris
    Gratitude
    Greek
    Greyhound Bus
    Grief
    Guinness World Records
    Gutenberg
    Gutenberg Award
    Hank Klibanoff
    Happy Birthday
    Harper Watters
    Hathaway
    Helen Pitts
    Hendrick Arnold
    Hershey Bar
    Hidden Black History
    Hidden History
    High School Football
    Historian
    Historiography
    Hog
    Houston
    Houston Ballet
    Html5
    Humboldt
    Husband
    Hyatt Regency Dallas
    Immigration Attorney
    Immigration Reform
    Inc. Magazine
    In Loving Memory Of My Mom
    Innovative
    Innovators
    Internet Marketing Agency
    Ipad
    Irving
    "I’ve Been To The Mountaintop"
    Jackson
    Jackson State University
    Jacqueline
    Jacqueline Madden
    Jacqueline Wald
    Jc Penney
    Jewel Brodie
    Jim Moroney
    JMC
    " Joan Beifuss
    John Glenn
    John McCaa
    Journalism
    Journalism And Project Management
    Journalists
    Katheryn Stockett
    K.D. Paine
    Kennedy-Curry Middle School
    Kenny DeWalt
    Kera
    Kimberly Bryant
    King Memorial
    Komen Dallas Race For The Cure®
    KRBC TV
    KRBC-TV
    Kurl Mckinney
    Kyle Whitfield
    Lakewood Church
    Larry Payne
    Learning Spanish Through Music
    Ledisi
    Lessons
    Lessons Learned
    Library Card
    Library Of Congress
    Life Coach
    Lillian Barnett
    Lincoln Junior High School
    Lisa N. Alexander
    Lissa Duty
    Literature
    Living Will
    Louisiana
    Lovers Lane United Methodist
    Lovey Chin
    Lsu
    Lynne Thigpen
    Lyrics
    Ma Dear
    Mahalia Jackson
    Manassas High School
    Marcus Buckingham
    Margaret Walker Alexander
    Marian Wright Edelman
    Marilyn Calhoun
    Marion Edington
    Marshall Mcluhan
    Marta Sanchez
    Martha Germann
    Martin L. King Jr.
    Mary And Myron Lowery
    Mason Temple
    Mass Slayings
    Master's Degree
    Maya Angelou
    Medgar Evers
    Medgar Evers: Mississippi Martyr
    Media
    Media Professional
    Media Relations
    Meetup
    Melinda Guravich
    M. Elizabeth Cedillo-Pereira
    Memorial Day
    Memphis
    Memphis Businessman Abe Plough
    Memphis Music
    Memphis Sanitation Strike
    Men Of Change
    Mentor
    Metrics
    Michael Hamtil
    Michael White
    Michelle Obama
    Michigan
    Mildred Taylor
    Millicent Hoskin
    Mindee Zack
    Mississippi
    Mississippi Delta
    Mississippi State
    Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams
    MLK
    Mom
    Moneymaking Machine
    Mother
    Motherless Mother's Day
    Mother's Day
    Mp3
    Mrs. Dodie Osteen
    Mrs. Edington
    Mrs. Rowena Whiting
    Mrs. Whiting
    M.T. Reilly Elementary School
    Music
    Music Videos
    My Mom
    Myron Lowery
    Naacp
    NAACP Youth Council
    NABJ
    Narrative
    Nasa
    Nate Silver
    National Association Of Black Journalists
    National Civil Rights Museum
    Newberry Medal
    New Horizons
    New Media
    Newsengin
    Newspapers
    News Release
    Niche
    Norma Adams-Wade
    Npr
    Nursing Home
    Obama
    Office Collaboration Tools
    Ole Miss
    Olympian Gabby Douglas
    Olympus Digital Recorder
    Open Source
    Oprah Book Club
    Osama Bin Laden
    Oscar Pereira
    Pan Awsumb
    Park Place Volvo
    Paula Casey
    Paul Golden
    Peggy Marler
    Personal Mission Statement
    Pet
    Peter Edelman
    Peter Hall
    Pharyngitis
    Ph.D.
    Phyllis Bailey
    PMP
    Positive Mental Framework For Success
    Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
    PR
    Prayer
    President Obama
    Press Club Of Dallas
    Press Release
    Project Management
    Project Manager
    Proven Consultant
    Ptsd
    Public Relations Writing
    Pulitzer-Prize
    Quaker
    Queen Of Soul
    Rachel Shankman
    Reach For The Stars
    Regina L. Burns
    Rehabilitation Center
    Relationships
    #Remember
    Reposition Yourself
    Research
    Research Archive
    Resume Video
    Retailer
    Rev. Al Green
    Rev. Billy Kyles
    Rev. Dr. Thomas Hudspeth
    Rev. James Lawson
    Rev. Joel Osteen
    Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
    Rev. Paula White
    Richard Howorth
    Richardson Humane Society
    Richard Wright
    Richland College
    Richmund Punch
    Rocks Digital
    Ron Hadfield
    Rose Braziel
    Ruby Anik
    Ruby Dee
    Russ Mitchell
    Sales
    Samsung Telecommunications America
    Sanitation Workers
    Scholarship
    Scott H. Cyton
    Secret
    "Selma"
    Sen. Joseph Clark
    Sen. Robert Kennedy
    SEO
    Shama Hyder Kabani
    Sharepoint
    Sharon Matlock
    Shih Tzu
    Sick
    Singing Dog
    Sixteenth Street Baptist Church Bombing
    Small Business Saturday
    Smithsonian Institution
    Smu
    SNAP
    Social Media
    Social Media And Spanish
    Social Media For Project Managers
    Social Media Marketing
    Social Media Trends 2013
    Social Media Writing
    Southern
    Southern Literary Trail
    Southern Writers
    Spanish
    Spanish Language
    Spectrum
    Sportsdayhs
    Stakeholder Communications
    Stakeholder Engagement
    Stephen Covey
    Steve Abel
    Strategic Advantage
    Students
    Studying Spanish
    Success
    Susan Perry
    Technology
    Ted Ownby
    Television Journalism
    Television News
    Tenn.
    Tennessee
    Texas
    Texas Dog
    Texas Highways
    Texas Revolution
    Thankful
    Thanksgiving
    Thanksgiving 2012
    Thanksgiving Prayer
    The Association Of Magazine Media
    The Bar-Kays
    The Dalai Lama
    The Dallas Morning News
    The Potter's House
    The Press And Civil Rights
    The Race Beat
    The Zen Of Social Media Marketing
    Thou Art Loosed Conference
    Tim Haydin
    Tom Mccracken
    Tracey Ferguson
    Travel
    Treasured
    Trends
    Turkey And Dressing
    Turkey Trot
    Tweetdeck
    Tweetup
    Twitter
    Twitter And Spanish
    TX
    Underemplyed
    Unemployed
    Unita Blackwell
    University Of Missouri-Columbia
    UNT
    Usa Today
    UTA
    Vanderbilt
    Veterans
    Video
    Video Conversion Software
    Videographer
    Viola Cole
    Viola O'Neil Cole
    Virtual Machine
    Volvo
    Walking Partners
    Washington
    Wav
    WDIA-AM
    Wealth
    Wendy Calhoun
    WFAA
    Wikipedia
    Will
    William Moore
    Witi
    WLOK
    Wma
    Woman
    Women
    Women In Technology International
    Women Journalists
    Women's History Month
    World Wide Rave: Creating Triggers That Get Millions Of People To Spread Your Ideas And Share Your Stories
    Wrapping Black Hair
    Writing
    Writing Your Goals
    Yahoo! Eye Tracking Study
    Yoda
    Youtube
    Zora Neale Hurston

    Archives

    February 2023
    October 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    November 2021
    August 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    October 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    March 2018
    June 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    September 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011

    RSS Feed

    Subscribe in a reader
  • Home
  • About Us
  • The Work
  • Portfolio
  • Regina's Blog
  • Contact