By Marie Brown The closed congressional primary is history and candidates are preparing for the general elections in November. Unofficial turnout in Ouachita Parish on June 27 was only17% which was pitiful to say the least. As we approach…
Category: Editorial
Our Rich Black Heritage: Henry Adams
By Garry Blanson Former colored slave who is considered to have led Louisiana’s first civil rights campaign Recently, I signed a petition to recall Governor Jeff Landry. When I got to the location where the signing was being held, they…
Landry’s veto of HB125 unfair to the wrongfully convicted
In 1979, the State of Louisiana convicted a 17-year-old Wossman High School student named Gerald Manning for the murder of Vonda Harris. The DA stacked the case against him, manipulated witness testimony, and set him up. He was wrongfully convicted,…
Our City, Our Community
By Marie Brown The recent shooting in downtown Monroe that claimed a life and left others injured has once again left our community grieving, frustrated, and searching for answers. While we mourn for the victims and pray for their families,…
Mayor Ellis’ repeated stands against Blacks are troubling
On the surface, Mayor Friday Ellis projects the image of a progressive leader. He speaks the language of economic growth and, to his credit, has advanced major development initiatives. However, a troubling paradox defines his administration: this progress stalls abruptly…
Our Rich Black Heritage: The “Involuntary Loss” of “Black-Owned Land” in Louisiana
By Garry Blanson Well, well, well, when it comes to the ways Black people lose their family land involuntarily, it seems that eminent domain and the forced selling of heir property head the list! While I have included in my…
Our City, Our Community
By Marie Brown The University of Louisiana Monroe has a proud athletic tradition, and no basketball player has contributed more to that tradition than Calvin Natt. As the all-time leader in both scoring and rebounding, a first-round NBA Draft selection,…