The Dallas Examiner
DALLAS
To celebrate Black History Month, McDonald’s of Greater North Texas will host African American Read-In events every Saturday in February with the Dallas Chapter of Continental Societies Inc., an organization dedicated to the socioeconomic and cultural welfare of underprivileged youth.
“Throughout the year, McDonalds of Greater North Texas is committed to supporting education throughout the DFW area,” said Cliff Johnson, local McDonald’s owner and president of the Black McDonald’s Owner Operators Association-North Texas chapter.
“This Black History Month, we’re proud to partner with Continental Societies to further that pledge and promote reading and literature to our African American community.”
The first Read-In events were held Feb. 4 and Feb. 11 at the McDonald’s located at 10320 Lake June Road in Dallas and 5404 S. Cooper St. in Arlington. Representatives from the city of Dallas, the Dallas Police Department and other city leaders will read books and short stories by African American authors to families and children attending the event.
Also, while supplies last, McDonald’s will provide each child attendee with one McDonald’s backpack filled with school supplies and a book written by an African American author.
The next two events will be Feb. 18 at 11:30 a.m. at the McDonald’s located at 2575 E. Arkansas Lane in Arlington, and Feb. 25 at 11:30 a.m. at the McDonald’s located at 8333 S. Lancaster Road.
DALLAS
Local legends will be honored during a Black History Month celebration Feb. 19 at 3 p.m. at Southwest Center Mall, located at 3662 W Camp Wisdom Road.
The community will join the family and friends of the recipients, keynote speaker and pastor of St. Paul Baptist Church Rev. Ledious Johnson and his choir as they pay tribute to these outstanding Dallasites.
Honorees include Mattie Nash, former city councilperson and community activist; Joyce Ann Brown from Champion of the Incarcerated; Connie Davis; Joseph Rhodes, first African American president of Bishop College; C.B.T. Smith, pastor of Golden Gate Baptist Church, and Ernest Banks, professional baseball player and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
DALLAS
State Rep. Helen Giddings was reappointed Feb. 9 to the three most powerful committees in the Texas House: State Affairs, where she serves as the vice-chair, Appropriations and Calendars.
Giddings represents various counties in her district, including Cedar Hill, Desoto, Lancaster, Glenn Heights, Hutchins, Wilmer and sections of Dallas and Duncanville.
“It is an honor and privilege to serve the citizens of Texas in these capacities once again,” she said.
“The appointment to Appropriations is a critical responsibility that calls on us to be responsible stewards of the state budget. We have a particular responsibility to invest in the many unmet needs in this state from public education, to making college more affordable, to expanding our transportation systems and access to healthcare. I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure the important issues of our state get timely debate on the House Floor.”
DUNCANVILLE
Texas State Representative Yvonne Davis will serve as Mistress of Ceremonies for the 2017 African American Education Hall of Fame Program and Luncheon April 8 at noon at the Hilton Garden Inn, located at 800 N. Main St.
The African American Education Archives and History Program Steering Committee will be recognizing people who have made outstanding contributions to the education of African American students in Dallas County. This year’s honorees are Joseph T. Brew, Dr. Lois Harrison-Jones Fears. Michele Anderson Goady, Kathryn Mitchell, Lucious Leon Newhouse Jr., Shirley Ison-Newsome, Jimmy V. Scales, and the late Mildred Newton Finch and Annie Heads Rainwater.
Reservation deadline is March 30. The public may make tax-exempt contributions “in honor of” or “in memory of” any person they choose by March 23.
For more information on ticket prices and reservations, call Melvin Traylor at 214-376-9673, Gwen Brantley at 972-298-6980, or Roscoe Smith at 972-741-8213.
DALLAS
The Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center will host a free panel discussion focusing on the challenges minority women face while serving as leaders in the public sector and in Corporate America Feb. 23 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the MLK Recreation Center, located at 2901 Pennsylvania Ave.
This year’s theme, “Expose to Greatness,” extends the event’s mission to inspire, educate, celebrate, and galvanize the community of South Dallas and surrounding areas.
“February is a month for citizens to remember and learn that if it had not been for a great historian named Carter G. Woodson creating Negro History week in 1925, there would be no Black History Month. This gives the community a chance to embrace its culture in a nation that is diverse and is built on immigration,” said Pamela Jones, manager of the MLK Community Center and panel moderator.
Panelists include Councilwoman Tiffinni Young; Zeronda Smith, director of Risk Management for the city of Dallas; Dallas County Constable Tracey Gulley; Froswa Booker-Drew, director of community affairs and strategic alliances for the State Fair of Texas; and Shari Hicks, vice president of corporate banking at Frost Bank.