Black to Black

By Barney Blakeney It’s been a tough couple of weeks. Good thing I’ve decided not to have any more bad days – some may be better than others, but I don’t have bad days anymore. Still, the past couple of weeks have challenged that outlook. I was just coming down with some kind of ‘bug’…

By Barney Blakeney Often I’ll read stuff I already know which distresses me nonetheless. That happened last week while reading a report on a study written by NNPA reporter Stacy Brown. The study was about the economic and financial progress made by African Americans over the past five years. You hear it said some Black people…

By Barney Blakeney I recently was thinking of something a friend says to me about being prepared – poor planning produces poor performance. The thought initially came to me regarding the recent three-day Southeastern Wildlife Exposition that came to town last month. Begun in 1983, each year some 40,000 visitors converge in Charleston for the…

By Barney Blakeney I write little notes to myself to remind me of stuff. As I get older I don’t depend on memory as much anymore, although I still have a pretty good memory. It’s a gift that’s allowed me to work this newspaper gig. When I started reporters didn’t have voice or video recorders.…

By Barney Blakeney They say that the third time is a charm. The Third Annual Charleston County Republican Party’s Black History Banquet proved there’s validity in the saying. I’ve attended all three of the party’s Black History Month Banquets. Each time I’ve been more amazed than before. That Charleston County Republicans put on a Black…

By Barney Blakeney The South Carolina Department of Transportation vows it will be more considerate of the impact highway construction has on the minority communities it impacts. In the past highway construction usually went right through minority – Black – communities. Mrs. Lucas, my old sociology professor at Knoxville College said there was a reason…

By Barney Blakeney Here we go again. I got a call Sunday morning asking if I’m writing a story about Elliott Summey’s appointment as executive director of Charleston County Airport Authority. The issue actually wasn’t a priority for me. We’ve been here before. Powerbrokers do their do then Black folks get mad and want to…

By Barney Blakeney I got flashbacks of some really fond memories recently while watching a segment on the CBS news Magazine “60 Minutes” the other night. For me Sundays are workdays and news programs are resource materials. From the Sunday morning news shows to the late night repeats I’m watching and taking notes. So Reb,…

By Barney Blakeney I had been thinking of writing about education for some time. I had a rare Facebook discourse recently in which I said quality education might positively impact crime in Black communities. One guy responded that what happens in our schools won’t change the dynamics that plague Black communities. I agree. But education…

By Barney Blakeney I recently ran into an old friend, a white guy, who just moved to Charleston’s Eastside. I’ve known the guy for years. We share a lot in common, but grew up in different environments, different parts of the country, different socio-economic backgrounds and different cultures. And now he lives in my old…