Chatham/Avalon Park Community Council: MLK Holiday Celebration / Oldest Black Travel Agency / $100 Millionto Education

MLK Holiday Celebration / Oldest Black Travel Agency / $100 Million to Education

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TBTNEWS HEADLINEMLK Holiday Celebration

The DuSable Museum of African American History will celebrate The Drum Major For Justice during a full-day of activities honoring the late Civil Rights Leader and Noble Peace Prize winner, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., on Monday, January 18. Exciting, educational events suitable for the entire family are on the schedule, from 10:00 AM until 6:00 PM. The event will take place at the Museum, located at 740 East 56th Place (Chicago).

The day-long event designed to “elevate your consciousness”will include: The Young Chicago Authors' Louder Than A Bomb poetic salute to Dr. King; Youth and Family Make& Take Art Project Workshops; films dedicated to Dr. King’s legacy;Let’s Meet Dr. King performed by Marcus Gentry; performances by the Najwa Dance Corp, RH Performing Arts School and Oakdale Covenant Children’s Choir, and “live”remote broadcasts by radio stations 106.3 Chicago’s R&B and WVON-1690 AM.

In addition, there will be Civil Rights Storytelling with Linda Gorham; Songs of the Civil Rights Era with Ann Ward and a special performance by Congo Square Theater Company. Special event admission prices. For information, visit: www.dusablemuseum.org, or call 773.947.0600. For details on the Museum and its programs, call Raymond Ward at 773.947.0600 ext 228 or rward@dusablemuseum.org.

Kim Foxx

TBTNEWS ALERT

A group of African American business, civic and political leaders has announced that it will hold a fundraising reception for Kimberly Foxx, Candidate for Cook County State's Attorney on Thursday, January 14, from 5:30pm - 7:30pm at the South Loop Hotel, 11 W. 26th Street (Chicago).

Event co-chairs are retired Illinois State Senate President Emil Jones Jr., and retired Cook County Board President Bobbie L. Steele. Host committee members include Mark Durham, Jacky Grimshaw, Robert F. Harris, James E. Hill, Clarence Jenkins, Nikol Miller, Monica Faith Stewart, Craig K. Wimberly, and Carole Wood. For more information, contact Craig at 773.350.9315 or ckw@govstrategicsolutions.com.

CTU Honors Dr. King

With growing demands from citizens for a boycott of a breakfast hosted by the Mayor, to commemorate the life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis will host an alternative, “people-centered”celebration of the civil rights leader on Friday, January 15. at 9 a.m. at Local 399 Operating Engineers hall, 2260 S. Grove Street (Chicago).

The CTU continues its tradition of highlighting prophetic and controversial voices in labor, politics and social justice, which is why the Union has asked the Rev. Dr. Osagyefo Uhuru Sekou, religious scholar, author and leader of the Ferguson, Missouri protests, to be its keynote speaker. In addition, President Lewis will honor activists who have been vocal in the wake of the Laquan McDonald scandal. The event is free and open to the public.

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Amy Poehler wore a chic black Stella McCartney dress on the red carpet at Golden Globes

Candidate for State's Attorney Kim Foxx with Black Girls Lead's Dominique Turner

J. Lo avoided the normal black and whites, popping color and make it sparkle at Golden Globes Awards

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Employees at Rodgers Travel Bureau

TBTNEWS REPORTOldest Black Owned Travel Agency in the US

Rodgers Travel Bureau opened their doors in 1949. The company was started by Harold Rodgers, an African American medical student who was working as a porter for TWA at Philadelphia International Airport to help pay for medical school. He knew the business well, and when he opened his agency, he was the only black-owned travel agency in the U.S.

Business was booming, largely due to Rodgers' loyal black customer base. Rodgers provided a valuable service for black customers at a time when the "whites only" segregation rules made it difficult to impossible for blacks to travel. Even after desegregation, his customers remained loyal. By the late 1960’s, the company was able to open a Rodgers Travel location in Washington, D.C. that targeted affluent African Americans and was a great location to black organizations who had headquarters in D.C.

In 1954, William Griffin purchased the business from Rodgers and soon added partner Fred Russell to manage the business. By the 1970’s, Russell’s daughtersNorma Pratt and Joanne Ussery joined the management team. When their father passed away in 1980, his two daughters took over.

It was now company president Pratt who took the lead to secure the company for further growth. She took advantage of SBA’s 8(a) business development program to enter into the federal government marketplace. In 1991, she bid on and received Rodgers’ first federal government contract - a $10 million per year contract servicing Scott AFB.

The company is pleased that they have not only secured a place in history but also secured the future of the company. For more details aboutRodgers Travel Bureau, visit www.rodgerstravel.com

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings

EDUCATION NATIONNetflix CEO Giving Away $100 Million to Education

Special Correspondent: Alexei Oreskovic

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings is starting a new $100 million philanthropic fund that will focus on education, he announced recently.

He's been interested in education reform, for a long time. He helped write a 1998 California initiative that made it easier to start charter schools, and was the president of the California board of education from 2001 through 2005.

The new Hastings Fund will operate through the Silicon Valley Community Foundation to expand educational opportunity. "Currently, too many children do not have access to amazing schools. Our aim is to partner with communities to significantly increase the number of students who have access to rich and holistic educational experiences," the fund writes on its website.

Hastings' new fund is the latest example of high-tech CEOs focusing on education. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has made education reform a big part of his philanthropic activities. The Hastings Fund is starting off with a $1.5 million gift to the United Negro College Fund and to Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley that is intended to support college education of Black and Latino students.

"I’m so blessed to be able to do this, and I hope to do more in the future. Thanks to all of you who are Netflix members or employees for making this possible," Hastings wrote.

TBTNEWS UPDATE

Good afternoon, throughout Cook County, many taxpayers have expressed a growing concern about their property taxes and ensuring they are not being overtaxed, but paying their fair share. As Commissioner of the Board of Review, I share in those concerns, which is why my office will host a Property Tax Assessment Appeal Forum. The free Property Tax Assessment Forum is tomorrow, Thursday, January 14 at 6 PM at Museum Park, 1331 S. Prairie Ave. (Chicago). To locate a complete list of Forumevents, please visit: www.cookcountyboardofreview.com or call (312) 603-5540. -Sincerely, Larry Rogers, Jr.