Friday Updates in Early September of 2019.

There is always a Georgia connection with my relatives. Many years ago, I didn't know that my cousins traveled into Georgia. Now, I do. My paternal cousins definitely traveled into Georgia, and this is their history. My 2nd great grandfather Adam had a daughter named Leatte. Leatte gave birth to a great woman named Beatrice Latrice Williams (1918-2010). In the near future, I will describe more of her life. She traveled with his husband including their children from North Carolina (as my paternal ancestors originated from North Carolina) into Connecticut by 1956. They were a very religious family. Beatrice Latrice Williams (who lived in Waterbury, Connecticut) had a daughter name Joyce Ann Jones. She married Glastone Fyffe (at June 6, 1980), and had the following children: Shua Fyffe-Wally, Marlond Fyffe, and Earl Fyffe. Earl, Shua, and Marlond Fyffe live in Atlanta, Georgia (including other parts of Georgia) with their families. Marlond Fyffe's wife is Lanna Fyffe. Both sons have wives and children. Shua has a husband whose name is Morro Wally and children.

Members of the Lowe family in my maternal family live in Georgia too. Zilphy Claud was my 5th great grandmother. Her daughter was Lydia Claud. Lydia Claud's daughter was Louisa A. Sykes and her son was Charlie James Lowe (1901-1967). His son was the well known Theopolis Melton Lowe (1925-2016). He was born in Suffolk, Virginia on June 7, 1925. His mother was Willote Lowe.  Theopolis was raised in East Orange, New Jersey. He taught school in North Carolina. Later, he married Bobbie Mae Smith on January 30, 1950. They had three children named Willote Lowe, Rosina Lowe (she was born in 1956), and Timothy Lowe (who lives in Atlanta, Georgia now). Rosina Lowe married a man named William Roundtree. Their child was Willette Roundtree (or my 5th cousin). She married a man named Alex Shalishali. Later, Theopolis moved into Georgia where he found his second wife named Laura Lowe. Theopolis Lowe was involved in the Civil Rights Movement and was a common innovator of Columbus, Georgia. He taught Chemistry at a Columbus, Georgia high school. Theopolis and Laura Lowe had one child named Ophelia. The family had an adopted son named William Killings too. Theopolis' daughter Willotte P. Lowe (born 1953) is my 4th cousin. Her daughter is Josina Pittman-Green (and she is my 5th cousin). Josina Pittman-Green's husband is Derrick Green and their child is Reece Joseph Greene.

It is certainly important to place the Popeyes situation into context. While people shouldn't obsess with this story over more important issues. It is important to make it clear that Popeyes have used racially charged coded language in their commercial to promote their chicken. The Washington Post mentioned that Popeyes explicitly targeted urban areas with their products. We know that the vast majority of black Americans are not involved in the Popeyes' chicken sandwich situation, but it is vitally clear that we shouldn't be distracted. Wealth disparities, education, health issues, foreign policy matters, etc. take precedent above and beyond Popeyes. Other people want to use the Popeyes story as an excuse to blame the entire black community which is nonsense. Even some who claim to be "woke" have used that argument. The few is not indicative of the majority. All of us shouldn't be blamed for every problem in the world. It is the essence of reactionary respectability politics to indict a whole group of people based on some folks' restaurant choices. I do believe that this discussion should inspire us to support more enterprises owned by black people. Celebrating our scholars, lawyers, doctors, teachers, scientists, social activists, and other heroes makes perfect sense. They make inventions, establish new modes of thinking, and critically analyze the world around us. Civilization is enhanced by intellectual thinking.

I disagree with Max Kellerman on his recent statement that track and field athletes are "failed athletes." Many track and field legends have been very successful on multiple sports. One example is the later football legend Bob Hayes. He revolutionized the football wide receiver position with his speed. Bob Hayes won gold during the Olympics. He won two gold medals in fact in 1964 at Tokyo for the 100m and the 4 X 100 m race. Usain Bolt can play cricket and soccer. The legendary Wilma Rudolph could play basketball and track and field. Jackie Joyner-Kersee is one of the greatest athletes of all time, and track and field is a diverse sport. Max Kellerman is way off base. He may be an excellent commentator on boxing but not on the sport of track and field.

Right now, the Bahamas is experiencing a humanitarian crisis. Many people have started to run out of water. Many neighborhoods have been filled with water completely. Some people survived only by cutting down their roofs in the top of their homes. Families are struggling to survive literally. Humanitarian aid is always important. Now, Walmart is set to limit ammunition sales after the recent mass shootings in Texas, Ohio, California, and in other places of America. The NRA has of course criticized the decision. The NRA lobbyists are against the overwhelming majority of Americans want, which is federal background checks and other commonsense gun reforms. It is important to note that the NRA originally believe in gun control until the late the 1970's with the far right wing coup of the organization.. Defending the Second Amendment has nothing to do with allowing people to own any gun at any circumstance, even criminals. It is also important to acknowledge the unsung heroes who improved American society. We must reject the 2 extreme views of either every American being irredeemable or the other extreme view that view all facets of America as perfect. America at its greatest is when it self reflects and uses the revolutionary power of the working class, the poor, the oppressed, etc. in unity to combat oligarchy, militarism, and injustice. We want liberation for the human race without apology.


By Timothy