Vel Phillips Research Paper

Understanding a person’s life and struggles helps explain his or her character and leadership qualities. Smallwood E. Williams was born on October 17, 1907 in Virginia. He moved to Columbus, Ohio with his mother and stepfather when he was only eleven years old. Williams lost his father when he was an infant (Taylor 50). Upon moving to Columbus in 1918, his mother joined Bishop Robert Lawson’s Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith (COOLJC) and began taking Williams there every Sunday. A few years later, at age fourteen, Williams started preaching at the church while attending school. In fact, people started calling him “Boy-Wonder Preacher” mainly after his travel to New York City to preach at Lawson’s Refuge Church of Christ

Fans of Bringing Up Bates know that Lawson has been working on his music career. It turns out that Lawson is now working to start a country music career on his own without the family. Lawson has relied on the family a lot, but he is stepping out of his comfort zone. Fox News got the chance to talk to Lawson Bates and find out what is going on with him. Lawson already has some music out there and has been on reality television for four seasons now.

Think of the many innovative black people out there. Although you have your typical, well known black athletes and musicians, consider other ways africans americans have made groundbreaking discoveries. African american in the medical field are especially underrated to many people. One surgeon by the name of Daniel Hale Williams deserves some recognition for what he has done for black surgeons and doctors.

James J Walker is a man that is put down in history as one of New York City’s mayors. Still James J Walker had a darker side to him that the public didn’t witness. James J Walker better known as Jimmy Walker was born June 19, 1881. A young boy that grew up in poverty, not being a great student, and dropped out of college later was graduated from New York Law School in 1904 and later went into politics and joined the State Senate. After many years in the Senate, Jimmy set his sights in on the 1926 elections for Mayor of New York.

William Johnson was born a slave in the year 1809 but was freed by his owner, probably his father in 1820. His owner had earlier released William’s sister and mother. William Johnson upon being freed became a barber apprentice in Natchez town. William’s brother-in-law had a barbershop which he took over in 1830 and later on got married to Amy Battles. They had eleven children. Amy was a free person and just like William was black (National Humanities Center Resource Toolbox, 2007). William Johnson went on to operate several barbershops, owned land, and rented buildings. He also had a bathhouse and regularly loaned white and black people money which was paid at an interest. Like other free blacks in the South, William Johnson owned slaves and at times sold them too. The diary is a record of his daily personal endeavors, majorly about the payment of his debts, the items he bought and the running of his family. William was murdered by a free black man, Baylor Winn, with whom they had a boundary conflict. Despite his murderer being identified, he escaped prosecution since according to his evidence, he was a white man, and so no black man could testify against him (Humanities Center Resource Toolbox, 2007).

Billy Gene Phillips Sr. was born to Clara Faye and Carl James Phillips on January 15, 1958 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. My grandfather grew up in Oklahoma City for the most part of his life. He was raised with three siblings, James Dean Phillips, Donna Faye Conway, and Virginia Ann Terry. He was the second to youngest child in his family. At the age of sixteen he met my grandmother Bonnie Walker, which later married on February 6, 1976 at the age of nineteen. They lived in Dibble, Oklahoma, where they raised five kids, David Phillips, Billy Phillips Jr., Bonnie Phillips, Regenia Phillips, and Virginia Phillips. He had seven grandchildren. In 2003 he fought his son Billy Phillips Jr. In a custody battle for three of his grandchildren, because he didn't believe they were given the best life.

Junior Guard Jonathan Norfleet has taken the basketball scene by storm this past season. Maybe he was being taken for granted before but after this season everyone should know his name. Norfleet led Salem all the way to the semifinals in this year’s playoffs. Norfleet has put everyone on notice after he stepped up in many big games this season. Most notable battles were against conference foes in Green Run and Maury where we saw Norfleet is capable of playing with the best talent around. Norfleet has received most of his recognition from the AAU side.

Robert Davis was an African American man. He was not a “thug,” he was not a “drunk,” he was a retired school teacher from New Orleans who was in his sixties. He was brutally attacked by three police officers. He suffered a broken nose and other broken bones in his face. The incident was recorded and went viral. Davis was arrested but faced no charges. Three police officers were charged but only two went to trial. In the end, two of the police officers were fired — the third never made it to trial because he had committed suicide. Davis was compensated for the assault.

DeVante Parker is an American football wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League . He played college football for the University of Louisville Cardinals.

Richard Wayne Penniman was born on December 5th, 1932 in Macon Georgia. He was third of twelve children in his family. He was born to Charlie and Leva Mae Penniman into the impoverished area of the city. The Penniman family was very religious, with both Richard's father and grandfather working as preachers in the area. In fact, church is where his singing career began when his parents formed a family singing group called 'The Penniman Singers' that consisted of Richard, his parents, and his siblings. Continuing in his religion, Richard had the opportunity to experience many different types of religion and churches. His favorite was the Pentecostal church because of its fun, dancing, and music. Richard also became a 'faith healer' in the church so that he could place his hands on people, pray for them, and they claimed to feel better afterward.

Russell Edwards, the owner of a 126-year-old shawl, which was claimed to have been found at one of Jacks murder scenes, states that he has found DNA evidence identifying Jack. The shawl was believed to have been found at Catherine Eddowes’, the fourth victim, murder scene. Edwards claims that he has a letter that proves that the shawl belonged to Sergeant Simpson, who was on duty the night of Eddowes’ murder (Conner). According to record, Simpson never washed the shawl of the blood and put it into storage, where it stayed until being sold to Edwards. With the DNA samples and the descendants, the blood found on the shawl was a match to Eddowes, and upon discovering semen on the shawl, a match was made to the Kosminski family. Jari Louhelainen,

According to James Ison, John Parker was sold at the age of 8 and moved to Richmond, Virginia. Soon after he was sold again and walked to Mobile, Alabama, where he was bought by a physician to work as his house servant. The physician’s two sons taught John to read and write although they were breaking Alabama’s laws. The two sons stole books from their father’s library to give to John to read. While still enslaved, John developed a great joy for the works of Shakespeare and the English poets (Ison).

It was the summer of 1997, a young man named Shaun Parker was born in the Windy City itself, Chicago. As an infant Shaun seemed to love basketball. Any time he was watching basketball on TV and someone tried to change it he would scream at the top of his lungs. He also loved to get basketball themed toys. At this age it was pretty clear what he wanted to be when he grew up. A NBA Superstar.

Andre Jacobs was born on April 5, 1995. He lives with his mom and two brothers in the south side of Chicago. His dad was killed in a drive by shooting when he was only three years old. The entire family lives in a one bedroom apartment that they rent out from Andre’s best friend, Reggie. His youngest brother, Willie, has leukocytosis, a condition that has a high level of white blood cells in the blood, and he is deteriorating and requires medical attention often. His mother, Diana, works three jobs, and over eighty hours a week. Andre is often watching over his younger brothers and taking care of them. Andre has hopes of playing in the NBA one day. On February 13, 2002, Andre gets called home early from school to find out that Willie has died.

Spending much of her childhood in the German Coast of Acadiana, Darleen Jenkins holds on tightly to her family traditions. Moving from Luling to Houma, down to Dularge and back up to Houma again, she has been able to spot differences in the regions’ foods based on both time and place. She reminisces fondly of times when her family came together to share in meals and memories. Speaking with her one couldn’t help but to want to hear more about her childhood and transitions through adulthood.