Category: Atlanta, Georgia Local News

Atlanta hip-hop legend Rico Wade has reportedly passed at 52. In the early 1990s, Wade was pivotal in helping to bring Atlanta’s music scene to the forefront. 

He was the founder of Organized Noize and Dungeon Family. 

Wade’s mother house served as a the Dungeon, a studio located in the family’s basement in the Lakewood community. The Dungeon served a place where OutKast, Goodie Mob would hone their skills. As a result, the crew eventually became known as the Dungeon Family. 

Wade, along with Ray Murray and Sleepy Brown, created the production team, Organized Noize. Along with producing music for OutKast, Goodie Mob, they also produced hits for TLC, including their biggest hit, “Waterfalls.” 

Wade is also the cousin of rapper Future, who began his career as a member of the Dungeon Family. 

On April 13, Killer Mike shared words for Wade, stating “I don’t have the words to express my deep and profound sense of loss. I am praying for your wife and children. I am praying for all of us. I deeply appreciate your acceptance into the Dungeon Family, mentorship, friendship, and brotherhood.”

 

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Photos: Donna Permell

Clark Atlanta University public radio station Jazz 91.9 WCLK celebrated its 50th Anniversary with a historic “Great Day in Atlanta” photograph. The iconic image featured CAU’s 5th President George T. French, Jr., Ph.D., the Honorable Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, former Atlanta Mayors Bill Campbell and Shirley Franklin, and former First Lady of Atlanta Valerie Jackson representing the late Maynard Jackson.

The photograph imaged after the celebrated Art Kane Jazz Photo in Harlem in 1958 highlights some of Atlanta’s
premiere jazz musicians, including Kathleen Bertrand, Chandra Currelley, Milkshake Mayfield, Joe Jennings,
Ken Ford, Bob Baldwin, Phil Davis, Ragan Whiteside, Rhonda Thomas, Julie Dexter, Tony Hightower,
Cleveland P. Jones, Brenda Nicole Moorer, Antoine Knight, JFly, Madoca, Carol Albert, Kipper Jones, William
Green, Reggie Hines, Lori Williams, Dwan Bosman and many others.

With the Anniversary kickoff on April 10, 2024, the photo taken on the historic Harkness Hall steps on the Clark
Atlanta University campus presented an opportunity for WCLK to embrace the richness of Jazz culture in Atlanta.
It featured many of the station’s esteemed alumni, including media powerhouses Rose Scott, Shelley Wynter,
Joyce Littel, Juandolyn Stokes, Rene Miller, and Stan Washington.

“Today marks a significant milestone in the history of WCLK. To gather and capture this momentous occasion
with a 50th Anniversary photograph with so many dignitaries and jazz artists is overwhelming. We are grateful
for everyone who participated and for their dedication, passion, and hard work which has made WCLK the
vibrant station that it is,” says WCLK General Manager Wendy F. Williams. “We are forever thankful to be on
this year-long journey in celebration of shared memories and accomplishments.”
Following the photo shoot, the station’s 50th Anniversary Reception took place at the Thomas W. Cole Research
Building Exhibition Hall.

Several 50th anniversary festivities are taking place around the metropolitan area and will include the “WCLK AT
50” Party at The Perfect Note ATL in Marietta on Wednesday, April 24, at 8 p.m. featuring trombonist Jeff
Bradshaw and keyboardist Daniel Weatherspoon.

On Saturday, May 18, Fayetteville’s new Amphitheater, The Ville, will celebrate WCLK’s 50th with an awardwinning lineup including nationally syndicated radio personalities and award-winning jazz artists Bob Baldwin
and Ragan Whiteside, along with Ken Ford, PJ Spraggins and Latrese Bush.

Festivities continue when the Atlanta Jazz Festival presents “WCLK AT 50” to honor the station. It features GRAMMY Award-winning drummer Lil John Roberts and The Senators with An All-Star Band and Special Guests on Friday, May 24, at 8pm at Atlanta Symphony Hall. The event will chronicle WCLK’s 50-year history through songs with performances by some of Atlanta’s preeminent jazz artists, including Kathleen Bertrand, Phil Davis, Joe Gransden, Rhonda Thomas, DJ Kemit, Tony Hightower, Julie Dexter, Mike Burton, Kebbi Williams, Cleveland Jones, and others. EMMY-nominated writer and poet Jon Goode will serve as the narrator.

“WCLK AT 50” Partners include Clark Atlanta University, The Atlanta Jazz Festival, The Perfect Note ATL, The
Ville: Fayetteville Amphitheatre, and The Atlanta Voice.

 

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by Frankie Bailey, University at Albany, State University of New York

With the death of O.J. Simpson, I can’t help but wonder whether the media has learned any lessons from its coverage of his trial, in which the ex-football star was acquitted of murdering his ex-wife and her friend.

In many ways, the “trial of the century” brought out some of the media’s worst impulses.

As criminologist Gregg Barak explained, the O.J. Simpson case was a true “spectacle” – essentially a nine-month live news broadcast. At the same time, because of Simpson’s celebrity, the case was being followed as popular culture.

Of course, crimes have always attracted morbid interest, generating media attention and inspiring true-crime narratives.

But since the late 20th century, this has occurred more often – sometimes even before a trial has ended. The lines between news and entertainment have become increasingly blurred – what criminologist Ray Surette calls “infotainment” – with race, class and the quest for ratings influencing which crimes get covered and how they get portrayed.

Trial by media

Whenever I teach the O.J. Simpson trial in my criminal justice classes, I bring up a late-19th century murder case involving a white, upperclass woman named Lizzie Borden.

Both Simpson and Borden were accused of double murder – and both of their trials became a media circus.

In August 1892, Andrew Borden, a wealthy businessman, and Abby, his second wife, were hacked to death in their home in Fall River, Massachusetts. Accused of killing her father and hated stepmother, their 32-year-old daughter, Lizzie, became the subject of exhaustive media coverage.

A century before O.J. Simpson hired what the media called a legal “dream team,” Borden had a star-studded defense team that included a former governor and the Borden family lawyer. Like the Simpson case, the legal strategies of the prosecutor and the Borden defense team were subjected to much media scrutiny.

Most of the evidence against Borden was circumstantial; in the end, she was acquitted by an all-male jury that may have found it difficult to believe a respectable spinster could commit such a horrific crime.

Yet, Borden was never able to escape the stigma of having been accused of murder. Upon being set free, she found herself ostracized by former friends. For years, newspaper coverage documented Borden’s life after her acquittal. Since her death, the countless books, articles, a made-for-TV movie – even a recent TV series about Borden’s life after the trial – demonstrate the staying power of the high-profile, 19th-century trial.

Like Borden, Simpson was able to use his class and wealth to his advantage. But he also was excoriated during and after his trial.

Celebrity crimes make good TV

Of course, there was no television in Borden’s time.

On Oct. 3, 1995, an estimated 150 million Americans tuned in to hear the jury’s verdict in the O.J. Simpson trial. It marked the culmination of 16 months of wall-to-wall, prime-time television coverage.

On the evening of June 12, 1994, Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ronald Lyle Goldman, were slashed to death outside Nicole Simpson’s upscale condo in Los Angeles, California. After the police pursued O.J. Simpson’s white Bronco in a low-speed car chase that mesmerized TV viewers, O.J. Simpson was arrested and charged with the murders.

For the broadcast networks and their fledgling cable news counterparts, it was a recipe for high drama – and high ratings.

With a captivated nation glued to their TVs, radios and newspapers, media outlets rolled out a slate of trial experts to offer daily commentary. This template would become the norm for future celebrity trials, as a cottage industry of legal pundits would appear on the airwaves to comment on cases ranging from Tom Brady’s “Deflategate” lawsuit to the indictments of former President Donald Trump since he left office in 2021.

Post-trial research has found that audience perceptions of guilt or innocence in the Simpson trial were shaped by the amount – and type – of media consumed. The more someone became sucked into the daily happenings of the trial, the more likely they were to become emotionally invested in O.J.’s life. Developing what’s known as a parasocial bond, they became more likely to believe in his innocence.

How the media colors crime and race

When the jury declared Simpson innocent, reactions largely fell along racial lines. Throngs of white Americans responded with shock, dismay – even anger – while crowds of Black Americans responded with elation.

Polls and surveys later found people’s reactions to the verdict reflected not only their opinion about Simpson’s guilt or innocence, but also their beliefs about race and the fairness of the country’s criminal justice system.

Scholars today also realize that the media, when constructing narratives about crime and justice, will often fall back on tropes and stereotypes.

Shaped and reinforced by the media, these constructs influence how offenders and victims are perceived. For example, one 2004 study revealed that newspaper coverage tends to depersonalize female victims of violent crimes. And a 2018 study found that the race of a mass shooter will color how the media covers the crime and the accused, with the violent acts of white criminals depicted as unfortunate anomalies of circumstance and mental illness.

Simpson’s own relationship to race was always complicated.

In a 1970 New York Times article titled “For the Black Athlete, New Advances,” reporter Robert Lipsyte quoted Simpson describing how he had overheard a racial slur while attending a wedding with mostly white guests. Lipsyte wrote that race relations would have to improve dramatically for Simpson “to be able to transcend blackness in his public image.”

In a controversial 1994 Time cover photo, O.J. Simpson’s skin was purportedly darkened. Time

By the 1990s, Simpson seemed to have done just that. A middle-aged O.J. had achieved celebrity status, and he appeared to have transcended this blackness by distancing himself from poor and working-class black people, while gaining the acceptance of white people who saw him as a celebrity immune to the trappings of racial stereotypes.

Despite some incidents of domestic violence, Simpson had been able to maintain this genial reputation – until he was accused of the murder of his white ex-wife and her friend.

Simpson’s fall from grace was symbolized by a controversial 1994 Time magazine cover photo, which some claim was altered to make Simpson’s skin appear darker.

By 2014, the gap between how Black people and white people viewed Simpson’s verdict had narrowed: Black people were far more likely to believe that Simpson was guilty.

However, Simpson’s fragile public image was a reminder of the limits of his ability to transcend race. And there’s no indication that Black Americans have any more confidence in the U.S. criminal justice system today than they did in 1995.

This is an updated version of an article originally published on Feb. 3, 2016.

Frankie Bailey, Professor of Criminal Justice, University at Albany, State University of New York

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Spelman College, the premier HBCU nestled within the Atlanta University Center, marked a significant milestone in its illustrious history with the celebration of its 143rd Founder’s Day. 

Founded in 1881, Spelman has stood as a beacon of empowerment, education, and sisterhood for generations of students, alumni, faculty, and staff.

“Spelman has been a place of promise, a place of outsized ambition, where women walk into Spelman’s embrace. That is exactly what our founders Harriet E. Giles and Sophia B. Packard envisioned,” said 11th President of Spelman College, Dr. Helene D. Gayle.  

The Founder’s Day celebration serves as a poignant reminder of Spelman’s enduring legacy and commitment to excellence. This year, the Spelman community came together on campus for a day filled with traditional and celebratory activities aimed at fostering community, strengthening the sisterhood, and commemorating the past.

One particularly special highlight of this year’s celebration was the inclusion of a special guest, 17-year-old Arianna ‘Ari’ Hargrove. Her wish to tour Spelman College was granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. 

Ari, hailing from Lexington, Massachusetts, accompanied Spelman students in the Founder’s Day activities. Providing her with an authentic peak into the tradition, sisterhood, and community that define the Spelman experience.

The festivities commenced with the Founders Day Convocation and Alumnae Viewing Party at Sisters Chapel and Manley Atrium. A procession of students dawning crisp white dresses and black heels walked to Sisters Chapel, kicking off the event. Afterwards, a continental breakfast was served for family, friends, and the women of Spelman. 

Following the convocation, the celebration continued with the Spelman College birthday party at The Oval. Led by the Granddaughters Club of Spelman College, attendees participated in the traditional cutting of the college’s birthday cake. This symbolic gesture honors the college’s commitment to academic excellence and service, passed down through generations from its Founders.

As part of the Founder’s Day celebration, Spelman College also pays tribute to individuals who exemplify the institution’s core values of leadership, scholarship, and service. The Forever Blue Founder’s Day 2024 Honorees included:

– Dr. Ruha Benjamin: The 2024 Honorary Degree recipient, is a distinguished alumna of the Class of 2001. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology and anthropology from Spelman College. Continuing her academic journey, she pursued advanced studies at the University of California, Berkeley, where she obtained both a Master of Arts and a Doctor of Philosophy in sociology.

– Marian Rucker-Shamu: The 2024 Founders Spirit Award recipient retired after dedicating 56 years to service in public, special, and academic libraries. Rucker-Shamu has been a notable figure in the field of library science. As a music major with a secondary education minor at Spelman College, her contributions have been invaluable. 

– Edwin ‘Pete’ Varner: The recipient of the 2024 Spelman College True Blue Award, recognizing his remarkable 18 years of dedicated service to the Spelman College community.

Dr. Benjamin gave an empowering speech when accepting her honorary degree. “Dare to dream beyond the impressive systems that sought to limit their opportunities, to limit their imagination and crush their spirits 143 years ago,” she said. 

As Spelman College celebrates its 143rd birthday, it remains steadfast in its commitment to empowering future generations of leaders through an unwavering dedication to academic excellence, sisterhood, and service.

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This week, the Super Bowl of golf is taking place in Augusta, Georgia. The Masters stands as golf’s most important annual event. However, the Augusta National Golf Club hasn’t always been inclusive, accepting its first Black member in 1990, nearly 60 years after it first opened. 

Racism at golf clubs has marred the sport, but the rise of Tiger Woods and diverse golf groups has helped to add more inclusion. 

Golf enthusiast Roger Steele is using culture and his love for golf to introduce the sport to a new generation. With videos that have gone viral on social media and wearing “Golf is Dope” T-shirts, Steele has proven that golf can be cool and fun for diverse demographics. 

“Before I built the platform on social media, I recognized that golf lacked real diversity,” Steele said in an exclusive interview with ADW. “There were so few Black people that were in the game. But a lot of times, those who were on the golf course would do a lot of code switching to fit in. I wondered, ‘Why are you letting golf change the essence of who you are?’ When I started creating content in the golf space, I just wasn’t afraid to speak to the audience the way that I would speak to one of my homies. And I think that’s something that served me very well. As long as you understand the rules and the etiquette of the game, that’s the beautiful part about it is because, you know Golf has the ability to connect you to people that are completely different.”

Steele’s ability to stand out in golf has led to him making content with NBA All-Star Steph Curry and NBA Champion, J.R. Smith. He’s been able to reach more people by being himself while on the course. 

“I don’t care how good I would have gotten in basketball or football, there’s no way that I would have had opportunities to interface with some of these guys,” Steele says. “The way to bring myself closer to my heroes was this thing that I was trying to run away from the whole time. The ability for golf to connect you to people that you never thought was possible is insane. Steph Curry is like a larger than life figure for me. I hold him in a very high regard as a player and as a matter of skill. During a video shoot, he told me that he had been watching my stuff on social media. So it’s just crazy to think about the power of this game. Like once you love it. Once you really love it. The opportunities for you to connect with people are just unprecedented.”

Although golf has allowed Steele to create his own path, he initially hesitated with embracing the sport as a youth. He credits his father with helping him fall in love with the sport. 

“I had a very forced relationship with golf early on,” he reveals. “My father was a police officer at the time. He’s retired soon, but he really saw the benefit of the game. His whole community was built through the game of golf around the time that I was born. So it was really no way for me to avoid it. But it was tough for me being a young Black kid, growing up in Chicago during the Michael Jordan era. All of my friends wanted to be some version of a basketball player. And so golf was not something that I really saw myself in early on. So him introducing me to golf and making sure that I had a support system of people that cared and looked out for me, it was important. It wasn’t that way in the beginning. But But I do appreciate it deeply now.”

When it comes to introducing golf to the next generation, Steele believes that making the sport cool and accessible will help to bring in more diverse groups. 

“There’s so many interesting and compelling stories in golf, but not just in the sport of golf but in the periphery of golf,” he says. “Now that we’re starting to see how golf intersects with all of these different spaces. I’m inspired by how so many different verticals converge in golf, and how compelling and interesting a lot of these narratives are. And so I’m just I’m interested to just connect the dots with as many different factions of coaches as possible. ‘m trying to see how we could plant that message and get a lot of them to come over to the golf side of things.”

 

 

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