Black to Black

By Barney Blakeney I was struck by the outcome of the November 5 municipal elections in Charleston and North Charleston. They signaled changes occurring right in front of our faces – reminded me of the old Buddy Miles song. The Charleston City Council District 3 election resulted in an upset victory for Jason Sakran who…

By Barney Blakeney I find so much upsetting about the November 5 municipal elections in Charleston and North Charleston it’s hard to focus on one thing. Voting was low; only about 12,000 of about 64,000 registered voters cast ballots in North Charleston. Charleston voters showed up in higher numbers, about 26,000 of about 99,000 registered…

By Barney Blakeney I knew when I decided to write the column about support for Charleston County School District Superintendent Gerrita Postlewait I was flying into flak. The hits came almost immediately. One guy said I’m no ally of Black folks regarding public education. Another guy said the message wasn’t clear and asked if I’d…

By Barney Blakeney I was talking to a friend digging up a story. He asked, whatever I did, don’t mention how much assistance Charleston County School District Superintendent Gerrita Postlewait gives to Black folk’s initiatives. He didn’t want to stir up political wrath against her. Like any good reporter, I always try to accommodate my…

By Barney Blakeney The implosion of our national government is difficult to watch because it so much reminds me of what’s happening on the local scene. Ever since I became an adult and started interacting as a reporter in professional circles I’ve heard people refer to our community as “The Great State of Charleston”. Sarcastically…

By Barney Blakeney As we close in on another local government election, economic development has been a common thread through all the interviews I’ve had. No matter where you live in the Metropolitan Charleston area, economic growth and development is an ever present, in your face reality. As Stevie Wonder said in his song ‘Livin’…

By Barney Blakeney I often get frustrated about some of the stuff I see among young Black men – not just the crime and violence, but also some of the passive stuff that is required to take boys to men. As a cop reporter I get the incident reports about shootings, confiscation of drugs and…

By Barney Blakeney I tend to relate memories to music. Songs trigger memories for me – where I was, what I was doing, how I felt. Last Saturday made me think of Ice Cube’s “Today Was A Good Day”. The lyrics, which I sometimes think are stupid, are set to the tune of The Isley…

By Barney Blakeney I attended the 102th Annual NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet Sept. 21. A friend made it possible. The tickets were $150 bucks. That’s another story. The house was packed – for those who could afford it, the event was well worth the price of the ticket. I left having learned a couple of…

By Barney Blakeney As Charleston ramps up efforts to assist in the recovery of the Bahama Islands after their recent devastation by Hurricane Dorian, in a Monday conversation about relief efforts John Wright president of the African American Settlement Communities Historic Commission, Inc. outlined an unprecedented proposal that would move assistance to the Bahamas beyond…