Black to Black

By Barney Blakeney I’ve been reluctant to weigh in on the Brett Kavanaugh nomination for Supreme Court Justice. As my former editor might remark, what more can be said. In reality, now that Kavanaugh’s appointment has been confirmed, there’s probably a whole lot more to be said. As Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearing played out, like most…

By Barney Blakeney I recently met with Charleston Parks Conservancy Executive Director Harry Lesesne to talk about some exciting new changes coming to several peninsula Charleston recreational centers – Corrine Jones Park (Hester Park), Hampton Park and St. Julian Devine Community Center. All three have undergone upgrades in the past couple of decades, but are…

By Barney Blakeney The subject of affordable housing came up recently when a lady called me about being displaced from a complex intended to provide senior citizen housing. For the past few years, I’ve been focused on affordable housing, so her call hit a nerve. As a senior citizen, I know personally there ain’t no…

By Barney Blakeney   We’re about two months from the November 6 general election. It’s time to get serious, folks! Candidates are going into the back stretch heading to the finish line. If you don’t already know them, this is a good time to get to know the candidates. The hard and heavy campaigning is…

By Barney Blakeney Lately, I’ve been focused on the future. I keep asking myself where our society is headed. I recently participated in a survey where the interviewer me asked what I’d see about our community if I was clairvoyant. That was a tough question. There are so many possibilities. Then I read an op-ed…

By Barney Blakeney The road to hell is paved with good intentions. I was watching an evening news broadcast about the August 24 groundbreaking ceremony for the new Charleston fire station #11 at 1835 Savannah Highway adjacent to the Charleston 9 Memorial Park when I heard something that made me stop in my tracks. A…

By Barney Blakeney I was talking with a friend yesterday telling him about recent stuff going on in my life. Some of it was stuff we’ve shared in our more than 50-year friendship and some was personal. We talked about our former high school teacher Mrs. Marjorie Howard’s 106th birthday and other stuff. When I…

By Barney Blakeney   Lately I’ve been in that melancholy mood I sometimes get when I’m depressed about the future of Black folks. Over the past few days there were five murders in the same number of days in North Charleston. All but one of the victims was Black. And if it ain’t enough for…

By Barney Blakeney I got the phone message from a lady at William Enston Homes in downtown Charleston a couple of weeks ago. She was expressing frustration at the Charleston Housing authority’s announcement that some residents would be moved out of their apartments as they are renovated. She felt the Charleston Housing Authority, which owns…

By Barney Blakeney I first met with some folks about Holy Spokes Bike Share a year ago. Speedwell Foundation’s Mike Messner wanted some help in making more people aware of the initiative that allows riders to rent a bike to get around the peninsula. Messner wanted more low income residents to access the option. It’s…