Black to Black

By Barney Blakeney The only way the Charleston County Republican Party Second Annual Black History Banquet could have been any better is if all of Charleston could have been squeezed into The Citadel Holliday Alumni Center on Hagood Avenue in downtown Charleston February 8. That way, our entire community could have witnessed one of the…

By Barney Blakeney I recently had the distinct honor of participating in a panel discussion on racial disparities in Charleston County as part of a Black History Month program put on by the Town of Mount Pleasant Historical Commission at Friendship AME Church in Mount Pleasant. But the distinction was bittersweet. Being asked to participate…

By Barney Blakeney A few years ago I lived near the first location of the Meeting Street Academy School on King Street. The school was across the street from my house. Each weekday morning I was awakened by the sound of children playing before classes began. It was a joyful sound. Them lil sapsuckers would…

By Barney Blakeney It’s the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday and I’m just getting around to writing something about the celebration of that great man’s life and work. I’m not much for celebrating holidays anyway, but King’s day usually is a work day for me. I think he actually asked that people remember him not…

By Barney Blakeney I had to ask myself, “What have we done?” after receiving the police report about the 26-year-old man accused of shooting two people two years ago at a West Ashley Chuck E. Cheese’s Family Fun Center and Arcade and the January 3 shooting of another man in North Charleston. A few days…

By Barney Blakeney This thing about racial intolerance long has been out of hand, but it’s become scary! As a Black man in America I learned a long time ago that this country is run by racists. It was founded by racists, developed by racists and is perpetuated by racists. I’m sorry, but there just…

By Barney Blakeney Sometimes I tell myself, “Self, get a life!” As a reporter I cover so much stuff that brings me down, I have to remind myself there’s an awful lot of great stuff going’s on (as the late great comedian Bernie Mac might say). I don’t do a lot of fluff stuff. My…

By Barney Blakeney A few weeks ago when I heard Charleston County School District for the first time had received accreditation I thought, “What the what?” I was both surprised and concerned. I had never imagined our county school district until then was not accredited. I knew that Charleston County School District has some low performing…

By Barney Blakeney It was good getting the call from Mrs. Delaris Risher, former C.A. Brown High teacher and widow of the late Burke High and Charleston Rec. Dept. icon, Modie Risher. A fascinating and dedicated woman, Mrs. Risher is one of those women when in her presence, no matter how wild and crazy a…

By Barney Blakeney I just celebrated another birthday – turned 66 November 24. Never in any stretch of my imagination did I ever conceive of being 66. What’s it they say – youth is wasted on the young? I don’t know how true that may be, but as a young man I never thought of…