By Wiley Henry MEMPHIS, TN — Nearly 50 children in Memphis will get an opportunity to attend the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo on Saturday, April 13, at the Agricenter ShowPlace Arena, 105 S. Germantown Parkway in Cordova, TN. Thanks in part to a generous donation to Abundant Earth Global, a community development corporation seeking to end poverty in the Frayser community through education, the children will attend the rodeo for free. “One of our associates that supports our Abundant Earth Success Academy, Mr. George Summers, wanted to work with us to see if some of our students wanted to go…
Author: Wiley Henry
By Wiley Henry MEMPHIS, TN – When Dr. Callie Herd learned that a “massacre” had taken place on April 12, 1864, at Fort Pillow, a Union garrison in Henning, TN, she and her son, Ronald C. Herd II, sprang into action. They have honored the Union’s Black soldiers since 2016 – those who fought and died at Fort Pillow, whom they discovered buried in 109 unnamed graves in Section B at the Memphis National Cemetery, 3568 Townes Ave. This year marks the 160th anniversary of what is known as the “Fort Pillow Massacre.” It begins with a commemorative art exhibit…
By Wiley Henry MEMPHIS, TN — Sean Roberts lost his landscaping job more than a week ago. Now he and his friend, Tiffany Smith, are experiencing homelessness. “My boss moved and gave up the job; he moved on,” said Roberts, 33. On Saturday (March 9), nearly two dozen homeless and hungry men and women — Roberts and Smith among them — were treated to a tasty meal that Daughters of Zion, a 501(c)3 organization fighting poverty and homelessness, served from a food truck. They had a choice of roast beef, turkey, or chicken salad sandwiches, with bow tie pasta salad,…
By Wiley Henry MEMPHIS, TN — Not since the 1985 release of “We Are the World,” the chart-topping single benefiting USA for Africa, has there been a constellation of superstars collaborating for a charitable cause — famine relief. But then there was Elvis Presley’s “If I Can Dream,” which he recorded after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s assassination. Written by Walter Earl Brown, it’s an ode to Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. And in Memphis, an eclectic group of singers and musicians were assembled to remake Bobby Darin’s 1969 protest song, “Simple Song of Freedom,” to call attention…
By Wiley Henry MEMPHIS, TN — When Keilah Jones learned that families with limited resources could shop for pennies on the dollar, she took her two children to Legacy Impact Community Resource Center in the Frayser community on Dec. 16 to take part in “Christmas With a Cause.” From noon to 4 pm, parents and their children made their way to the resource center, where thousands of items were available for their choosing and to help make the holiday season a little brighter – particularly for the children. Hosted by Shelby County Commissioner Charlie Caswell Jr. and radio and TV…
By Wiley Henry EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the final installment of a two-part series about a woman who was able to harness her addiction and begin life anew. MEMPHIS, TN — In all her 62 years, Meishal Berniece Henry had never owned anything with her name on it, such as a driver’s license, automobile, insurance, and a home. The one she once lived in bore her ex-husband’s name. That’s because Henry was battling alcohol and drug addiction for 35 years and succumbed to the powerful lure. She couldn’t shake it, nor could she eradicate it. Not on her own. Then…
By Wiley Henry EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first installment of a two-part series about a woman who turned her life around after a tumultuous battle with alcohol and drug addiction. MEMPHIS, TN — Meishal Berniece Henry is deliriously happy. She earned a college degree in phlebotomy, makes a decent wage on her “dream job,” and purchased a new home in the Alcy Ball community. “I’m doing awesome,” she said. But that wasn’t always the case. In fact, Henry’s journey to happiness didn’t come so easily. It was hampered by destructive behavior – a kind of self-inflicted wound that festered…
By Wiley Henry MEMPHIS, TN – “Are you proud of me?” Brian Armour Jr. asked his aunt after his performance at Studio Route 29 on Oct. 28 and after leaving the opening of his art exhibit at ArtYard, both in Frenchtown, N.J. “Yes, I’m proud of you, B.J.,” Beverly Towns Williams assured her nephew on the way back to the house. He’d asked Lionel Scrivens, Williams’s partner, the same question before the “big day” had unfolded. “Are you proud of me, Uncle?” Scrivens answered yes. Though Armour was the center of attention that day, he still wanted to know if…
By Wiley Henry EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first installment of a two-part series about adults with special needs. MEMPHIS, TN – Former Memphian Brian Armour Jr. danced for more than 20 minutes at Studio Route 29 in Frenchtown, N.J. He whirled in a black cape, and his moves – smooth, fluid, robotic, theatrical, mimetic – drew applauses. The music was refreshing and original, courtesy of Hop Peternell, an artist and the studio’s co-director. Armour lip-synched the lyrics to three pre-recorded songs that he wrote with audio assistance from Peternell. Studio Route 29, a 501c3 non-profit organization, is a progressive…
By Wiley Henry MEMPHIS, TN — He wasn’t expected to live. But then Christen Dukes beat the odds –– a preemie weighing a mere 2 lbs. and 5 oz. But he couldn’t beat the agony of sickle cell disease and cerebral palsy. He questioned God: “Why me? Why was I born with sickle cell and cerebral palsy? Why do I have to deal with this?” Then it dawned on Dukes that there is more to his life than grappling with his twofold malady. An accomplished trombonist, he would rather make music and help others with debilitating diseases. On Sept. 15,…