Februaiy 28, 2007
Page A2
Sharpton, Senator Linked Through Slavery
Paper trail leads
to genealogy
connection
(A P) - The Rev. A1 Sharpton
said he w ants a DNA test to d eter­
mine w hether he is related to form er
s e g r e g a tio n is t
S en.
S tro m
T h u rm o n d th ro u g h h is g r e a t­
grandfather, a slave ow ned by an
ancestor o f the late senator.
"I c a n 't find out anything more
s h o c k in g th a n I 'v e a lre a d y
learned," Sharpton told the Daily
News, w hich on Sunday reported
the link based on genealogists' find­
ings.
Thurmond ran for president in
1948 as a segregationist. Sharpton
ran for president in 2004 calling for
racial equality. I .ast week, Sharpton
learned about the connection.
Rev. Al Sharpton
“ It was probably the most shock­
ing thing in my life,” Sharpton said
at a news conference.
Professional genealogists, who
work for A ncestry.com , found that
S h a r p to n ’s g r e a t- g r a n d f a th e r
C olem an Sharpton w as a slave
ow ned by Julia Thurm ond, whose
grandfather was Strom T hurm ond’s
great-great-grandfather. Colem an
Sharpton was later freed.
“ B ased on the p aper trail, it
seem s pretty evident that the con­
nection is there,” said Mike Ward,
a genealogist with A ncestry.com ,
w ho called the link "am azing.”
Ancestry .corn's chief family ge­
nealogist, Megan Sm olenyak, said
Sharpton would need to match his
DNA with a present-day descen­
dant to see if they are biologically
related.
"I think the odds are slim he
would match," Smolenyak told the
Farrakhan Speech:
“My Time is Up’’
Stresses unity in
final address
(A P) - Nation o f Islam leader
Louis Farrakhan w as greeted by
cheers, tears and chants from tens
o f thousands as he returned to the
public eye ju st long enough to say
he would be leaving it soon.
Farrakhan, who ceded leader­
ship duties last year because o f
illness, spoke for nearly tw o hours
Sunday. L ooking healthy and fit,
he credited the prayers o f m illions
from al I wal ks of 1 i fe for allowing hi m
Nation o f Islam leader Louis Farrakhan closes his address to the Saviors' Day gathering in Detroit
on Sunday. Farrakhan stressed religious unity during his final major speech.
to take the stage at D etroit’s Ford
Field.
Hi$ vitality seem ed at odds with
his m essage, that his tim e left in the
spotlight was short.
“My time is up,” the 73-year-old
Farrakhan said, describing his exit
from leadership. "I believe ... that
my tim e to be with my spiritual
father and his sender has come.
And your tim e to go through seri­
ous trial has com e.”
News. "T here is no particular ev i­
dence to suggest that there is a
direct relationship between the two
(black and w hite) Sharpton families
to suggest they share a com m on
ancestry. But, given the legacy o f
plantation society, you ca n ’t rule it
o u t.”
The revelations surfaced after
A ncestry.com contacted a Daily
News reporter who agreed to have
his own family tree done.
T he topic o f the speech was
"O ne N ation U nder G o d .” But
Farrakhan said the world is at war
because Christians, M uslim s and
people o f other faiths are divided.
Farrakhan said Jesus C hrist and
the P rophet M uham m ad w ould
em brace each other with love if
they w ere on the stage behind him.
“O ur lips are full o f praise, but
our hearts are far rem oved from the
prophets we all claim ,” he said.
“T hat’s why the w orld is in the
shape that it's in.”
The leaderof 1995's M i I lion Man
March said he is leaving at a tim e of
great conflict, citing the w ar in Iraq
specifically, and he believes G od is
angry with leaders who are putting
politics and greed above service to
others.
He said President Bush should
be im peached or at least censured
for his “w icked policies," and urged
young people to avoid jo in in g a
m ilitary that will have them "leave
one way and com e back another.”
Katrina Documentary Honored
Smoke around
your children
and they could
inhale equal to
102 packs of
cigarettes
by age 5.
storm.
Director Spike Lee was
The Polk Awards
nam ed w inner o f the an ­
a re
c o n s id e r e d
nual G eorge Polk Awards
am ong the top prizes
for his docum entary on
in U.S. journalism
life in New O rleans after
L ee m ade e ig h t
H urricane Katrina.
trips to New O rleans
Lee, the d irecto r of
an d
in te r v ie w e d
"M alcolm X" and "Do the
a b o u t 100 p e o p le
Right Thing," w as hon­
while filming the docu­
o re d fo r "W h en th e
m entary, w hich aired
Levees Broke: A Requiem
on HBO. Pollard is
in Four Acts," along with
Lee's longtim e c o l­
its producer, Sam Pollard. Spike Lee
laborator, and the pair
They won the award for
docum entary television for illus­ w orked to g eth er prev io u sly on
tr a tin g
e v id e n c e
of
th e "M o' Better Blues," "Jungle Fe­
governm ent's poor perform ance in ver," "Girl 6," "Clockers" a n d " Bam­
the afterm ath o f the August 2005 boozled."
Ask Deanna\
Real People,
Real Advice
An adrice
C t l ll ll ll l t
known fu r
reality based
subjects!
Dear Deanna!
I am alw ays on the end o f cheap
gifts from my friends. I never say
anything because o f course, it’s
the thought that counts. I spend
g(wxi money for birthday presents,
gift cards and holidays. We all agree
to exchange gifts. I have purchased
bottles o f perfum e, electronics, and
jew elry but I always get a book, gift
certificates or towels. I want to ex ­
press my feelings but Tin afraid it
will cause problem s. How do I get
this o ff o f my chest? -Necie; Day-
ton, Ohio
Dear Necie:
T his is a tacky situation but you
should he direct and com e out and
let them know you feel the gifts
they buy are cheap in com parison
to yours. This is not the first time
doing the gift exchange so they
should’ve noticed by now the qual­
ity o f your purchases. It maybe to
your advantage to stop participat­
ing. However, if you choose to
continue you should purchase a
greeting card with a nice message,
enclose a simple gift certificate and
keep it moving.
Everyone has the right
to breathe dean air,
espedally our children.
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My best friend w recked my car. I
d id n 't have insurance at the time.
She agreed to gi ve me the money to
get my carrepaired. I d id n 't want to
drive the car so I paid for the repairs
and we made an agreement that she
would pay me monthly payments.
O ur friendship is suffering because
instead o f paying me. she has pur­
chased a new television, clothes
and I lost it when she got a new car.
She is ignoring my calls and I want
to know what I should do next. —
Furious Friend; On-Line Reader
Dear Furious:
You got w hat you deserve for let­
ting som eone drive your vehicle
without insurance. If you d id n ’t get
an agreem ent in w riting you have
nothing but an em pty prom ise.
O bviously she has money because
sh e 's enjoying leisure purchases
and slapped you further with a new
car purchase. Your best bet is to
approach her and seek a prom ise in
writing. If she w o n 't com ply, take
her to small claim s court but be
w illing to kiss the friendship good­
bye in the process.
Dear Deanna!
My son and his wife are living in our
basement. T his was nice at firs,
because we w anted them to save
money and prepare to g e , their own
home. A few m onths turned into
two years and now they have a
baby on the way. I want them to
leave because th ey ’re ready from a
financial stand point. T hey have
jo b s, vehicles and good credit.
W hen I bring it up, my son and I
argue and my wife accuses me of
throwing them in the street. How do
I win this battle? -T ied Up Hus­
band; Indianapolis, Ind.
Dear Husband:
As the man o f the house, it’s ti me to
give your son an eviction notice. It
sounds as if you 'v e been patient
and equipped him with tools to be
successful. In other w ords, you
have allow ed the free loading to
last long enough and they need to
ge, out now so they'll have a place
for their baby. If your wife insists
they m ust stay, then create a lease,
begin to collect rent and utilities
and watch the door because they'll
soon leave ju st as you wish.
A sk Deanna is written by Deanna
M. Write Ask Deanna! Email:
askdeanna l@yahoo.com or 264
S. LaCienega Blvd. Suite 1283
Beverlv Hills, CA 90211. Website:
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