Page 10 The Skanner February 28, 2018
News
The Black Press Remembers ‘Before the Mayflower’ Author, Freedom Fighting
Journalist Lerone Bennett Jr.
By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire
P
erhaps no other
voice—or
pen—
captured the real
life of Africans and
African Americans like
Lerone Bennett Jr., the
former editor of EBONY
and Jet magazines who
died on Wednesday, Feb-
ruary 14 at the age of 89.
Chicago
Sun-Times
reported that, Bennett
suffered from vascular
dementia.
Among
his
many
hard-hitting and com-
pelling works was the
exposé,
“Before
the
Mayflower: A History of
Black America,” in which
Bennett traces Black his-
tory from its origins in
western Africa, through
the transatlantic journey
and slavery, the Recon-
struction period, the Jim
Crow era, and the Civil
Rights Movement.
The book was later
re-issued five more times
and ultimately included
life in the 1990s.
Bennett would go on
to pen at least 10 books,
including the eye-open-
ing, 2000 book titled
“Forced into Glory: Abra-
ham Lincoln’s White
Dream,” which, for some,
shattered centuries-old
myths about America’s
16th president’s involve-
ment in the freedom of
slaves.
A description of the
book on Amazon.com
said: “Beginning with the
argument that the Eman-
cipation Proclamation
did not actually free Afri-
can American slaves, this
dissenting view of Lin-
coln’s greatness surveys
the president’s policies,
speeches, and private ut-
terances and concludes
that he had little real in-
terest in abolition.”
Pointing to Lincoln’s
support for the fugitive
slave laws, his friendship
with slave-owning Sena-
tor Henry Clay, and con-
versations in which he
entertained the idea of
deporting slaves in order
to create an all-White na-
tion, the book, concludes
that the president was a
racist at heart—and that
the tragedies of Recon-
struction and the Jim
Crow era were the legacy
of his shallow moral vi-
sion.
“Smart man and great
author. His book [about
Lincoln] changed my
life,” said comedian Sin-
bad. “Before the May-
flower’ educated me
about the need to re-
search our true history.”
Others too expressed
their sadness and pro-
found gratitude for Ben-
nett.
“I am personally sad-
dened by the death of Le-
rone Bennett Jr. We have
lost another great jour-
nalist who will be sorely
missed,” said Dorothy R.
Leavell, the chairman of
the NNPA and editor and
publisher of the Crusad-
er newspapers in Chi-
cago, Illinois and Gary,
Indiana. “We knew him
as the conscience and
voice of EBONY and Jet
magazines and through
the many books he pub-
lished. The world is rich-
er, because of his work
here on earth and we are
grateful for his many
contributions.”
Bennett counted as an
elegant scholar and free-
dom fighter who used
the power of his pen to
awaken millions of peo-
ple to the true history of
African people in Amer-
ica and throughout the
world, said NNPA Presi-
dent and CEO Dr. Benja-
min F. Chavis Jr.
“Bennett’s journalistic
genius will be missed,
but his contributions to
documenting the strug-
gles and triumphs of
Black men, women and
children will continue to
be cherished by genera-
tions far into the future,”
Chavis said.
Community
Business Directory
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY/CC
Historian and former editor of EBONY and Jet passed
away Feb. 14
BEAUTY SALON &
BARBERSHOPS
We’re Here and We’re
Not Going Anywhere
Veteran journalist Lerone Bennett Jr. died on February 14 from
advanced vascular dementia. He was 89.
“The NNPA salutes the
living legacy of Lerone
Bennett Jr. with a com-
mitment to pick up his
pen and put it into the
hands of today’s freedom
fighting publishers, edi-
tors and journalists.”
Bennett worked for EB-
ONY for nearly 50 years,
after starting at Jet in
1951 and then moving to
the sister publication in
1953. By 1958, he was the
executive editor.
“Lerone worked side
by side with my father
in establishing EBONY’s
voice,” EBONY CEO Lin-
da Johnson Rice told the
Chicago Sun-Times.
“He was the guiding
light for the editorial vi-
sion of EBONY. Lerone
was not just essential
in the formation of EB-
ONY’s historic trajecto-
ry, he was a pillar in the
Black community.”
The Griot reported:
“In addition to being re-
membered as an editor
for these two magazines,
Bennett, a graduate of
Morehouse College, is
known for his books,
many of which cover
the Black experience in
America and the civil
rights movement.”
Bennett’s
footprints
are cemented at the In-
ternational Civil Rights
Walk of Fame in Atlanta
and he once served on
President Bill Clinton’s
Committee on the Arts
and Humanities. The
veteran journalist and
historian also served as
an early adviser to the
Smithsonian’s
Nation-
al Museum of African
American History and
Culture.
In a tweet, the Rev. Jes-
se L. Jackson Jr., praised
Bennett’s work.
“A classmate & biogra-
pher of Dr. King, during
the turbulent 60’s, his
was a pen that mattered.
As historian, author of
‘Before the Mayflower’,
editor of Ebony maga-
zine, the most read voice
of the freedom struggle,
his impact will long be
felt and remembered,”
Jackson tweeted.
From
its
official
Twitter account, the
NMAAHC tweeted, “it is
with great sadness and
profound sense of loss
that we share the news of
the death of Lerone Ben-
nett Jr., a gifted historian
and journalist.”
On Twitter, Bernice A.
King called Bennett a be-
loved and brilliant man.
Deans Beauty Salon
& Barbershop
OREGON’S OLDEST
BLACK BEAUTY SALON
& BARBERSHOP
Serving our community since 1954
215 & 213 NE Hancock
Portland, OR 97212
503.282.3379 Salon
503.282.3388 Barbershop
STYLISTS:
Kim • Sylvia • Kaycee • Pearl
BARBERS:
Curtis • Pearl
DOCTORS
INSURANCE
Portland International Airport (PDX) Parking Additions and
Consolidated Rental Car Facility (PACR)
HQ Employee Lot & Pedestrian Tunnel Mods
JE Dunn Construction invites written Bids from qualified Trade Partners to provide
construction services for HQ Employee Lot and Pedestrian Tunnel Mods on
the PACR project.
A complete copy of the Bidding Documents can be obtained by emailing
Robert Means at Robert.Means@jedunn.com. Bids may also be delivered by email
to Robert Means.
Bids due: 2:00pm, March 23, 2018
Any Bid received after the specified date and time will not be considered.
Non-mandatory, Pre-Bid Conference will be located at the PDX Conference Center,
7000 Airport Way, St. Helens B Conference Room, on March 16, 2018 at 2:00 PM for
answering questions regarding the Scopes of Work on the Project.
JE Dunn Construction reserves the right to select the best value response, negoti-
ate with multiple bidders, or reject all responses. This is an Equal Opportunity and
encourages Minority, Woman, Veteran, and Emerging Small Business participation
2-28-18