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Herb Boyd, a stalwart of American journalism, education, and activism, has spent his life elevating the narratives of the African American community. Born on November 1, 1938, in Birmingham, Alabama, Boyd’s journey led him from the turbulent racial tensions of Detroit, Michigan, to becoming a celebrated figure in academia and writing.

His life is a testament to the indomitable spirit of a generation that stood up for civil rights and social change. Further, his connection to Malcolm X, a transformative leader, shaped his path early on. In a riveting interview inside the National Newspaper Publishers Association’s (NNPA) headquarters in Washington, Boyd discussed his life and career, which include authoring 30 books but, perhaps most importantly, fighting for freedom, justice, and equality.

“I call myself a Triple-A man. Not the automobile club, but activist, academic, and author,” Boyd said while inside the NNPA’s sprawling studios filming an episode of the PBS-TV and PBS-World show, The Chavis Chronicles. “The activist came first, and that put me in the streets and in contact with many vibrant leaders,” he recalled.

While not precisely a “Johnny Come Lately,” Boyd was in lockstep with other activists. But one has always touched him more deeply than any of the others. “Malcolm is my centerpiece; my activism grew out of him,” Boyd asserted.

It was in the early 1960s that Boyd met Malcolm X and attended one of his lectures at the Detroit Temple No. 1. He said the experience left an indelible mark on him, igniting his passion for activism. Malcolm’s emphasis on education led Boyd to enroll at Wayne State University, aligning his academic pursuits with his activist ideals.

Boyd’s leadership during Detroit’s activism-rich period of the 1960s set the stage for his subsequent contributions to academia and journalism. He said the parallel rhythms of Detroit and Harlem, both significant hubs of African American culture and political engagement, deeply resonated.

“These cities became the crucibles in which my ideals took shape,” Boyd insisted. A columnist for the New York Amsterdam News, Boyd’s work includes a prolific collection of books that delve into African American history, culture, and civil rights struggles.

Titles like “Autobiography of a People,” “Jazz Space Detroit,” and “African History for Beginners” stand as monuments to his dedication to preserving and amplifying the stories of the marginalized. Writing, for Boyd, is a form of activism – a way to give voice to those who lived through history and to expose the injustices that must be confronted.

Throughout his career, Boyd has garnered numerous awards and honors, including the American Book Award in collaboration with Robert Allen and several first-place awards from the New York Association of Black Journalists.

“Our history is a testament to our resilience,” Boyd stated. “From the horrors of slavery to the civil rights movement, African Americans have never wavered in their pursuit of progress. Our challenges today require unity and a commitment to healing and progress. Just as the 1960s were a vital period, we’re still grappling with understanding that era’s impact and lessons. The path forward involves learning from history, bridging divisions, and continuing the fight for justice with hope and determination.”

Watch Boyd and others this fall on The Chavis Chronicles on PBS.

The post Herb Boyd: A Lifetime of Activism, Writing, and Legacy appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.

* This article was originally published here

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was originally published on June 30, 2019

Several dyears ago, Louis Sharp called the Amsterdam News seeking assistance on a historical item. He was trying to verify something he remembered from his past.

In 1963, he was a volunteer working with Bayard Rustin, the key coordinator of that year’s March on Washington. He wanted to install a plaque in the Apollo Theater, where the headquarters of the march was located, but to do so, he needed proof that Rustin operated from this site.

A reporter at the AmNews was able to find two sources to show that Rustin indeed worked out of the Apollo, but he also worked out of Friendship Baptist Church on 130th Street, where the Rev. Thomas Kilgore was the pastor, and where James Kilgore, of no relation, is the current pastor.

“The offices were staffed by more than a hundred volunteers and paid workers,” wrote Jervis Anderson in his biography of the great leader “Troubles I’ve Seen.”

Now that Sharp, who doesn’t recall working at the church, has his proof, it’s a matter of getting the Apollo to accede to his wishes. If that doesn’t work, he should consider placing the plaque at the church. One of the most famous photos of Rustin at work, with a phone in one hand and a cigarette in the other, was taken at the church.

It was from this station that the irrepressible Rustin coordinated one of the largest demonstrations in U.S. history. Orchestrating the transportation alone—the hundreds of buses scheduled to descend upon the nation’s capital—was enough to exasperate the most inexhaustible worker.

But this was nothing for the tireless Rustin, who, as A. Philip Randolph’s right-hand man, was also significantly involved in the threatened March on Washington in 1941, one in which President Franklin D. Roosevelt surrendered to with the promise to end racial discrimination, particularly in plants so important in the manufacture of military weapons and material.

Aug. 28, 1963, was clearly a glorious day in the life of Dr. Martin Luther King and Randolph. “As the thousands dispersed—there were a quarter of million in attendance—from the Lincoln Memorial, singing ‘We Shall Overcome,’ Rustin saw Randolph standing alone at a deserted end of the platform. He walked over and put an arm around the old man.” Anderson recounted. “I could see he was tired,” Rustin once recalled, according to Anderson. Rustin continued: “I said to him, ‘Mister Randolph, it seems that your dream has come true.’ And when I looked into his eyes, tears were streaming down his cheeks. It was the one time I can recall that he could not hold back his feelings.’”

Yes, it was a grand moment for Randolph and King, but we should not ignore the vital role Rustin played in bringing this enormous affair together. It was also sad that King had succumbed earlier to pressure from Adam Clayton Powell Jr.’s threat to expose Rustin’s homosexuality if his presence at the march wasn’t minimized.

Rustin may have been shoved out of the spotlight, but that was never a problem for him. Though he was a fantastic speaker and performer, he was just as comfortable and competent behind the scenes, and this is something that Randolph recognized and deeply appreciated.

Thousands gathered again to commemorate the 50th anniversary of that great day in 2013, and as they assemble, let us hope that a moment was taken to pay homage to Bayard Rustin in the same way that Louis Sharp tried to in his own determined way.

The post Bayard Rustin: the March on Washington and its ties to Harlem appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.

* This article was originally published here

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — A decade later, Simone Biles is still on top.

The gymnastics star won her record eighth U.S. Championship on Sunday night, 10 years after she first ascended to the top of her sport as a teenage prodigy.

Biles, now a 26-year-old newlywed considered perhaps the greatest of all time, posted an all-around two-day total of 118.40, four points clear of runner-up Shilese Jones. Florida junior Leanne Wong claimed third, bolstering her chances of making a third straight world championship team.

Biles is all but assured of returning to the gym where she captured her first world title in 2013. Over the course of two electric nights at the SAP Center, she served notice that even after a two-year break following the Tokyo Olympics, in gymnastics there is the one referred to as the GOAT and there is everyone else.

Biles became the oldest woman to win a national title since USA Gymnastics began organizing the event in 1963. Her eight crowns moved her past Alfred Jochim, who won seven between 1925-33 when the Amateur Athletics Union ran the championships and the events in men’s competition included rope climbing.

Yes, really.

“I don’t think about numbers,” Biles said. “I think about my performance. And I think overall, I hit 8 for 8. I guess it’s a lucky number this year.”

The sport has come a long way over the last century. No one has spent more time at the far end of the Bell curve than Biles, who has spent 10 years using her singular talents to push boundaries in more ways than one.

Peaks aren’t supposed to last this long. Most elite gymnasts at 26 — at least the ones who haven’t retired — are simply hoping to hold on to what they have.

Biles isn’t interested in that. Never has been. She finds repetition boring. She insists this time she’s doing it “for herself” and her markedly different approach to her job offers tangible proof she’s not lying.

Rather than let the world in to her journey as she eyes a third Olympics, she’s kept most of her training under wraps, more interested in sharing glimpses of her life far away from the gym.

“I like to keep (my goals) personal, just so that I know what I’m aiming for,” Biles said. “I think it’s better that way. I’m trying to move a little bit differently this year than I have in the past. I think it’s working so far, so I’m going to keep it secretive.”

There appears to be more balance in her life, leaning into the “it’s just gymnastics” mantra that helped fuel her rise.

Age hasn’t caught up to her yet, though she played it relatively safe — by her standards — on Sunday. She tweaked her right ankle in training on Saturday, leading her to opt out of doing the Yurchenko double pike vault that she nailed almost flawlessly during the opening night of the competition on Friday.

The 14.850 she received for her Cheng vault was still the highest of the night on the event. So was the 14.8 she earned on beam. The 15.400 that drew a standing ovation when she finished too.

Next stop is Antwerp in late September, where Biles will try to add to the 25 medals — 18 of them gold — she’s captured so far in her unparalleled career.

Jones figures to be on the plane too. The 21-year-old is a marvel on bars, where she thrives despite being tall (5-foot-6ish) for someone who opts to do this for a living. The crowd erupted when she nailed her dismount, her 15.000 score was tops in the meet on the event and put 10 months filled with injuries that have slowed her training firmly behind her.

Who joins Jones and Biles at worlds remains very much up in the air.

Reigning Olympic champion Sunisa Lee, who has spent most of the year battling a kidney issue her doctors are still trying to get a handle on, could have a chance as a specialist after putting together a solid balance beam routine.

Wong, one of several athletes trying to compete at the NCAA and elite levels at the same time, put together two stellar nights that included an elegant bars routine and a floor exercise that makes up for in precision what it lacks in power.

Jade Carey and Jordan Chiles, teammates of Biles’ at the 2020 Olympics, who have also spent the last two years splitting time between college and elite, weren’t quite as sharp. Chiles fell off both the bars and beam. Carey finished in the top 10 on just one event — vault — where the Americans figure to be loaded.

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AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

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* This article was originally published here