BlacksinDallas.com Blog

New Blog, Nothing New

2006-08-21T21:34:00.000-07:00

OK so my new blog has nothing new. But I have been busy. I actually created this blog last month but just put it up today. In the meantime I have been recreating my entire website from scratch with some new software I got my hands on. We'll see what happens.

2006-07-21T19:26:00.001-07:00

Friday, July 27th 2006
8:59 PM
What's New

I've added three new pages to the website. Not only did I split the city and suburban pages but I also added content. Plano, Frisco and Carrollton now have more information. There is a new History page that detials some local black history. Some minor cosmetic changes were made as well. I am still working on the site to improve content and have more information available for all who are looking to make a move here. I have heard the cry for more School and job related info and I am working on it. In the meantime feel free to contact me blacksindallas@mail.com or post to the message board.

2006-07-21T19:26:00.000-07:00

Friday, July 21st 2006
6:22 PM
New Message Board
The Message Board has been migrated to a new forum at http://blacksindallas.proboards34.com. Feel free to post or just read comments posted by others.

2006-07-21T19:25:00.000-07:00

Sunday, April 16th 2006
8:18 PM
Local Black Senator Moves up.

Local state senator Royce West was selected to be President of Pro Tempore of the Texas senate. This puts him second in line of succession to the Governor of Texas. He has served the senat for 13 years and four re-elections. He is also responsible for the new University of North Texas at Dallas campus currently being constructed in Oak Cliff.

2006-07-21T19:24:00.000-07:00

Sunday, April 9th 2006
4:01 PM
Dallas absorbs New Orleans population without much trouble

As we come close to another hurricane season more than half of the New Orleans population is still displaced, many permanently. Although they have lost their homes and everything they knew, many N.O. evacuees found themselves living in better economies with more opportunity to make a better living. Housing in Texas is also new compared to that of New Orleans. I found that out when I moved here from NY. Newer housing can make a difference in your standard of living even if you rent.I see several Louisiana license plates every day and have met many of the folks who have made the journey. All of them miss home, but most say they are happy to have gained employment and housing here in the Dallas area. I read that Houston has absorbed more than 150,000 evacuees as current residents. They are having a harder time accommodating all of them.

Houston residents think they have been a strain on their services and economy. Dallas on the other hand probably has less than 75,000 and no complaints other than a few skirmishes in some Dallas High Schools. It's not too difficult to spot someone from N.O. The accent is distinctive and many of the black men wear dreadlocks. I feel sorry for everyone who lost their home, culture, and even family. But I am glad many of them have a second chance which may provide them with a better future.

2006-07-21T19:22:00.000-07:00

Sunday, April 9th 2006
3:59 PM
Dallas has a HBCU

Paul Quinn College is currently celebrating 134 years as a HBCU. This is the school nobody thought was going to make it. The school moved to Dallas from Waco in 1990 to the abandoned Bishop College campus. The first few years in Dallas were difficult. I know because I was a student there. I lived in a dorm that was only 1/3 open at the time. But thanks to Local businessman Comer Cottrell (Founder of Pro-line Corp) and his dedication to seeing the school thrive things have improved much at the school. More than 2000 students have graduated since the move to Dallas. Paul Quinn is located in Southeast Oak Cliff just off of interstate 45. It is the only HBCU in North Texas.Paul Quinn College is a four year, undergraduate, coeducational, Christ-centered liberal arts institution, affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
CAMPUS ADDRESS 3837 Simpson Stuart RoadDallas, Texas 75241
Telephone: 214-302-3520
(Admissions)Fax: 204-302-3613
ADMISSIONS ADDRESS
Telephone: 214-302-3575
Toll-free: 800-237-2648
Fax: 204-302-3613
Total Enrollment: 741
ACCREDITATIONPaul Quinn College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Applied Science degrees.
COSTS PER YEAR 2002â€“03 Tuition: $4080Room and board: $1400 (room); $2400 (board)Special fees: $1120Books: $700Estimated total cost: $9700
STUDENT BODY PROFILE Total enrollment: 741In-state: 665Other regions: 5 states, 3 internationalUndergraduate students (men/women): 274/467Ethnic/racial makeup: African American, 674; Hispanic, 7; Other/Unclassified, 60
FACULTY PROFILE Number of faculty members: 58Student-teacher ratio: 12:1Full-time faculty members: 50Part-time faculty members: 8 Degrees Offered Accounting, Biology, Biology Education, Business Administration, Communications, Computer Science, Criminal Justice, Elementary Education, Engineering Technology, English, English Education, History, History Education, Liberal Arts, Mathematics, Mathematics Education, Music, Organizational Management, Philosophy, Physical Education, Secondary Education, SociologyIntercollegiate Sports: menâ€™s baseball, basketball, football, track and field, and volleyball; womenâ€™s basketball, track and field, and volleyball

2006-07-21T19:20:00.001-07:00

Thursday, March 9th 2006
11:09 PM
Nation's only African American-owned telephone network expands to Dallas

Nation's only African American-owned telephone network expands to Dallas
By GORDON JACKSON, The Dallas Examiner

Kirkland Dudley's mission is to play with the big boys. He feels he's seasoned and ready. After playing on other teams, he's put together one of his own, determined to rise from the bush leagues to the major league.

We're not talking sports, but telecommunications and the new GVCwinstar, now the only minority-owned facilities based telephone company in the nation.

The Detroit-based corporation held a grand opening last week at their new regional headquarters at 2323 Bryan Street in downtown Dallas. The ownership is trying to reach out and touch someone through their own telecommunications firm. ..... full story .. http://www.dallasexaminer.com/cgi-bin/examiner/display_story.cgi?business/story1.txt

2006-07-21T19:20:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, March 8th 2006
8:35 PM
Myth about Oak Cliff

Many of the black folks who move here choose either North Dallas or the northern suburbs. Many never even make it to southern Dallas at all. Before they know it they will be commuting back and forth to work for weeks, months, maybe years. From time to time they will hear about Oak Cliff. Maybe from someone will lives there, but most who don't will have nothing but negative remarks about it. I remember hearing things like "Oak Cliff! Oh you don’t want to go down there". "I heard that's the ghetto". And these were black folks, some who grew up in places like Chicago and St Louis.

Well, Oak Cliff is not just a neighborhood. It is a Very Large section of the city of Dallas with dozens of it's own neighborhoods. North Oak Cliff alone has 21 neighborhoods. Yes there are rough parts of Oak Cliff. Yes there are high crime areas in Oak Cliff but that does not mean Oak Cliff is a high crime area. The Media still lumps the entire section of the city together. 300,000 people live here and new housing is being erected in Red Bird and Mountain Creek as we speak. Also people are spending thousands with renovations occurring in Lake Cliff and other North Oak Cliff areas.
Yes- Oak Cliff is bigger than it’s reputation and its time we check it out.
http://oakcliff.com
http://www.ooccl.com
http://www.winnetkaheights.com

2006-07-21T19:18:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, March 8th 2006
8:06 PM
Erykah's Black Forest Theater in South Dallas
http://www.supportblind.org/scrollInfo/pressScroll3.html
Badu's work enters a new stage
By DMN Published April 15, 2004

Erica Wright spent weekends as a child watching movies at the Forest Theater, part of a small South Dallas shopping center on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, which used to be known as Forest Avenue. "I went to the movies with my uncle as a kid. I saw Coffy with Pam Grier, Godzilla movies and Bruce Lee's Enter the Dragon. Our community really needed that theater. It was our outlet for entertainment." The little girl matured and reinvented herself as the Grammy Award-winning R&B vocalist Erykah Badu. And now she's reinventing the theater. Badu took over the lease last year and renamed the building the Black Forest Theater. "I became interested in the theater all of a sudden," Badu says. "I don't know why, but sometimes things move you to a certain direction." That direction includes using the theater as a headquarters for her nonprofit foundation, called Beautiful Love Incorporated Non Profit Development, or B.L.I.N.D. "It's going to take a lot of work, because it's a very old building," she says. "We don't have the funds to purchase the building right now, so we'll be doing several fund-raisers this year in order to move toward purchasing it. I really believe it will happen." One of those fund-raisers takes place tonight at Gilley's Dallas. Badu will perform. Proceeds will help renovate the theater and pay for future community programs there. Badu says the mission of B.L.I.N.D. is to provide community events, entertainment and youth programs; foster creativity; and support emerging leaders in the community. It's not quite ready for major concerts yet, but the Black Forest can be rented for banquets and private parties. Damond Fields, owner of nearby Sankofa Cafe, says he is glad to see Badu's involvement with the theater. "We definitely need economic power in the southern sector," he says. "She's from this area, and with her name, it's going to draw attention." DMN

THE HISTORY *The Forest Theater, opened in 1949, began as a state-of-the-art suburban movie palace that catered to a white clientele. It closed down several years later. By the time it reopened in 1956, the neighborhood was primarily black. *The building remained a movie house until the late '60s, then became a nightclub called the Central Forest. It hosted many of the top soul and blues acts of the era, such as B.B. King, Al Green and Bobby "Blue" Bland. The club closed in the '70s. *For the next several decades, the building alternated between standing vacant and hosting a variety of nightclubs and theaters. It was empty and dilapidated by the time Badu took over the lease.

THE LOOK *"It was in bad shape when Erykah took over," says Tom McGrew, the primary contractor-artist-carpenter guiding the building-renovation efforts. "There were parts of the building you couldn't walk through because there was so much trash and stuff piled up, holes in the walls and no lights." *The building is early art deco in style, characterized primarily by the rounded edges and soft curves of the original stucco walls, McGrew says. The concert area or main hall is about 7,200 square feet. *The theater seating has been removed, and there is a three-tiered area separated by brass-colored banisters. Two raised sections stage left and right are planned as V.I.P. seating areas.

2006-07-21T19:17:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, March 8th 2006
7:10 PM
Black Replublican's in Collin County

GOP club for blacks seeks a voice in politics
09:30 AM CST on Tuesday, March 7, 2006
Dallas Morning News (subscription) - TX,USA
............Fred Moses would like to change that.
He's president of the fledgling African-American Republican Club of Collin County. It formed about six months ago and now has 40 members.

With the county's rising population and growing ethnic diversity, the time is right for minorities to take part in county politics, he said.

"There are conservative African-Americans living in Collin County," said Mr. Moses, who owns an electrical supply company. "When we get the right message out, I think we'll see more and more of them involved in politics and more and more running for office."

For more than 20 years, Republicans have had a lock on county government. Democrats have not held any offices during that period.

Still, some people are surprised that Collin County blacks are organizing under the banner of the Republicans, instead of Democrats.

"I've been a member of the Republican Party for a number of years," said Reedy Macque Spigner, an attorney who is a member of the new club. "It's gratifying to see one started that addresses African-American issues.

"I think it will provide a voice and opportunity for us to be heard as a group."
Deinde Peters is one of about 10 blacks in the 200-member Collin County Republican Men's Club. He's also president.

He isn't involved in the new African-American club, although he supports it.
"We, as Republicans, haven't done a very good job of telling our story," said Mr. Peters, who owns a uniform company. "African-Americans have this negative idea about the Republican Party."

Even though members of the new club say they agree with the Republican platform, they're also being pragmatic in aligning with the GOP.

"The reality in Collin County is, if we're going to make some headway as African-Americans, we need to be involved in the Republican Party," Mr. Moses said.........

Ed Housewright covers Collin County government, and his column is published every other

Tuesday. He can be reached at ehouse wright@dallasnews.com or at 469-330-5624.
See Article Here

2006-07-21T19:16:00.000-07:00

Monday, February 13th 2006
11:35 AM
African American Museum/ Site updates

Last week I went to the Africam American Museum in Historic Fair Park. This is mostly an art museum and I am not a big fan of adstract art. I did enjoy the exhibit for Freedman's Cemetary and Freedsman Town. The photos, artifacts, and videos about what life was like in that community kept me there for almost two hours. I still have to go back and finish the videos. The museum is free and open all week.

I am constantly adding info and photos to the current website. On the culture page I added soem history of other "freedman" towns in the Dallas area. Also, some new info was added about the northern suburbs.

2006-07-21T19:15:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, January 24th 2006
11:24 PM
Updates/DeSoto News

WOW, It's been a minute. I havent had much time or energy to make any updates recently due to some health issues. But today I spent a few hours uptating the links page on the website. I have also been working on revamping the entire site but it weel be about a month or so before I complete that (If I like it).

There was quite a stir among Desoto's black residents regarding some local government officials and a proposal to add dense multifamily housing. This is something all residents of DeSoto have been against for years. However the government paid someone to asses the benefit of redeveloping some of the older retail along Hampton. The concluded that Desoto needs more residents to support more retail. Some Black residents see this as away for govt officials and developers to make some quick cash. The point was also raised that maybe it is time for more blacks to run for Council seats. Currently Desoto is 51% black but only has one black city council member. All council member were unapposed in the last election. I stick with my prediction that the DeSoto Govt will be majority black by 2010.

2006-07-21T19:14:00.000-07:00

Saturday, September 3rd 2005
10:16 PM
Black population in Dallas swells overnight

Before Hurricane Katrina thousands of New Orleans and Gulf coast residents drove to the Dallas area to get out of harms way. But on Thursday night Texas governor Rick Perry told officials in the city of Dallas that he promised the Feds that Texas would take 75,000 of the "evacuees" between Friday and Saturday. As of Saturday Dallas received about 20,000 and counting. All of the space in Dallas is now full. Fort Worth took 4000 and Collin County took 2000. Tulsa, OK will take 4000. Dallas is looking to the church communities and to other nearby cities. Most Dallas suburbs have declined citing lack of space and facilities.

Some businesses including my job have moved their Gulf Coast operations to Dallas and are housing families in hotels and apartments.

What does this mean for the future of Dallas? Well, 67% of New Orleans is Black and 25% are poor. 50% of New Orleans residents rent and own no property. The section of New Orleans where the majority rent is still under water. Renters who lost everything have less incentive to return and actually may have more opportunity here in Dallas. The economy in New Orleans has not faired well over the last 20 years. Louisiana has lagged behind most of the south when it comes to economic growth. Several Dallas employers have already stepped up to the plate offering streamlined hiring process to get people to work as fast as possible.

I predict that a good percentage of them will never return. Dallas is already full of folks from New Orleans. They’re everywhere. Some of the first people I met here were from there.
Well to everyone out there who's lives suddenly changed and don't know what's around the corner, Good luck. Stay positive and trust in God. It reminds me of when I was diagnosed with Leukemia almost two years ago. The time after that was uncharted territory. And that’s where many of you are right now. Just remember one thing......I'm still here 2 years later

2006-07-21T19:13:00.000-07:00

Sunday, August 28th 2005
6:58 PM
Web Site Updates
I am currently working on updating the web site. First I will add more information about Blacks in Northern Dallas. Including some more details about Irving Plano, Carrolton, Frisco, Richardson, and North Dallas communities. According to the survey half of BlacksinDallas.com visitors are interested in these areas.

I have also been looking over the 2004 population estimates and will gradually update those. The stats on this site are from the 2000 census. I plan on adding more information about schools for all areas. I found about 15 more links to organizations that are active in the local black community.

2006-07-21T19:12:00.000-07:00

Thursday, August 18th 2005
8:35 PM
The Growth of the Black Mega-Church
I went to church last night. Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship Church in Red Bird, which has about 7,000+ members. It has stadium seating and a brand new school across the street. The Dallas police dept direct the traffic at the beginning and end of service and they have buses that take people to church from the parking in front of the plaza down the street on Sundays. Such has become typical in today's so-called Mega-church in black communities across the nation.
But the really exciting thing is taking place inside these huge buildings. Church is no longer for old folks. My generation is in the process of rediscovering our faith. The largest age group in these churches is 25-35 year olds, around half are single, 30-40% are males, and all are working towards self-improvement.

Because of these large Black middle-class and working-class congregations, they have the resources to become more involved with the community within and around the church. Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship requires that all members become active in one of their many outreach or ministry programs. They deal with everything from economics to family building. TD Jakes' Potter House in SW Oak Cliff has 30,000 members, 10,500 who are called The Potter's House Men's Ministry aka AMEN (Adullam Men's Empowerment Network) with a 400 voice men's choir. His Metroplex Economic Development Corp (MEDC) is a separate non-profit corp created to bridge the gap in underserved communities. The First Baptist Church of Hamilton Park in North East Dallas has several outreach programs and an Agape Ministry.
Although there are hundreds of black churches throughout the Metroplex, most of the Black Mega-Churches such as Friendship West Baptist and IBOC (Inspiring Body Of Christ) are located in Oak cliff. Red Birds IBOC has completed raising money and is building a new campus. Other churches in the area have just completed construction or expansion.
http://www.ocbfchurch.org/
http://www.fbchp.org/Churchmain.asp
http://www.thepottershouse.org/
http://www.medc-dallas.org/
http://ibocjoy.org/home.htm
http://www.friendshipwest.org/

2006-07-21T19:09:00.000-07:00

Thursday, August 18th 2005
8:22 PM
Black wealth blossoms in suburbs D-FW ranks among top U.S. areas for well-off professionals
This Series was created by James Ragland of the Dallas Morning News. I think he did a pretty good job.
ABOUT THIS SERIES The Dallas Morning News spent several months examining the dynamics of affluent black households in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan region. The News analyzed U.S. census data from 1990 to 2000, comparing the growth in upper-income black households locally and nationally. Reporters interviewed families, demographers, economists and educators, as well as civic, business and religious leaders about the status of black residents in the region. YOU MUST REGISTER WITH THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS TO READ THE FULL ARTICLES. REGISTRATION IS FREE

FROM THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS
JUNE 26: Black wealth blossoms in suburbs
• Gulf grows between haves, have-nots
• CEDAR HILL: Starting a business, finding a new home
• COPPELL: Clean, safe city is a plus
• LANCASTER: Fast commute, serenity lured analyst
• MANSFIELD: Good schools, home value drew couple
• PLANO: Good job plus shopping bliss
• ROWLETT: City puts out welcome mat
JUNE 27: Black elite faces school-choice dilemma
• Parents picking private schools
JUNE 28: The moneymakers in D-FW
• Top black-owned businesses
JUNE 29: Counting their blessings in suburbs
• Newcomers found oasis at Richardson church
• LINKS: Black churches in the suburbs
• Political talent emerges in suburbs
JUNE 30: Groups keep area blacks connected
• RAGLAND: Series' goal to freshen black experience
JULY 3: Roundtable discussion with area black professionals
• AUDIO EXCERPTS:
• Defining 'black wealth'
• Suburbs vs. the city
• Public school vs. private school
• Political influence on wane?
WFAA-TV INTERVIEWS
Joy Wallace/J.O.Y. Foods (2003)
Dumas Simeus/Simeus Foods International (2000)
King Group (1999)
CONTACT USSend your questions and thoughts about this series to project editor James Ragland.

2006-07-21T19:08:00.000-07:00

Monday, August 15th 2005
1:05 PM
Group wants to foster future political leaders
Dallas: Activists eye '07, when terms of 3 black council members expire
09:49 PM CDT on Saturday, August 13, 2005
By GROMER JEFFERS JR. / The Dallas Morning News
There are four black members of the Dallas City Council, and none of them are younger than 50.
Given this reality, a newly formed activist group called IKOJA held a forum in South Dallas on Saturday to kick off a crusade to get more young adults involved in politics.
Council members Don Hill and Leo Chaney Jr. and Dallas school trustees Ron Price and Hollis Brashear led the panel discussion. State Sen. Royce West and state Rep. Yvonne Davis also attended the forum at the Black Forest Theater in South Dallas.
"We want to show our elected officials that the young adult group from 18 to 35 years old is a viable group," said Casey Thomas, the group's political organizing chairman. "There are many of us that are socially aware and politically involved. What we want to do is determine how we can be more of an active part of the city."
The word Ikoja is derived from West Africa's Yoruba language and means to move or transition.
Mr. Thomas hopes younger people will become a part of the political process, particularly in 2007, when three black incumbents will leave the council because of term limits.
"We want to be a training ground for identifying talented individuals who will be interested in running for office," Mr. Thomas said.
The group, which now has about 15 permanent members, invited public officials to attend the meeting, even though some of them are long in the tooth.
"We want them to help us begin the process of preparing individuals who will step in and take their place when they can't run because of term limits," Mr. Thomas said.
The development of IKOJA followed the May 7 municipal election, when black voters turned out in record numbers to defeat a proposal that would have given Mayor Laura Miller broader powers.
.........I thought this was interesting. It's good to see my generation holding the current leadership responsible for their actions and getting involved. Letting the establishment know we exist is the first step. Since many of us in Dallas are spread out it is difficult for economically disadvantaged area such as South Dallas to make sure they are heard. I wish this new organization well.
Read_Full Article

2006-07-21T19:02:00.000-07:00

Thursday, August 11th 2005
7:44 PM
Texas Makes the News and School starts
Well, you may have heard the news. Texas is no longer a white majority state (technically). The white population of Texas has dipped below 50% followed by Hispanic, Black, and Asians. It joins the ranks of states like California, and New Mexico. Next in line is New York, Georgia, and Florida.
What does this mean for Blacks in Dallas? Not much. We are pretty much in the same position we were in 10 years ago. Because of the way the districts are drawn I don't foresee and changes in city council in the near future. The black population growth in the Southern suburbs outpaces any other ethnic group in the area. North Dallas and the Northern Suburbs will remain multicultural, which includes a still growing black population. The Hispanic population will continue to grow in South Irving and Southeast Plano and Far Northeast Dallas. Whites will continue to gentrify the Hispanic Old east Dallas and the entire area between downtown and Highland Park. And McKinney and Frisco will grow to be as large as Plano and Garland.
So it's just news. Just like 10 years ago when they announced that Texas outgrew New York to become the second most populous state.
Anyway, everyone around here is gearing up for school next week. Although some started this week, most kids start Monday including mine. I went to the school today and met the teachers. This is a new school for my daughter but I feel she will be fine. I have also been invited to join the Dad's Club. To me that's a sign of a good school district.
There is some bad news. The all black run Wilmer-Hutchins school district was closed down by the state and their kids will be shipped to Dallas schools for at least one year. W-HISD is made up of two small towns and a small section of Oak Cliff with a very low tax base. Since it's mostly poor and working class families in older small homes with some truck stops they have been unable to pay the bills. There was a suggestion by the Dallas Morning News of some shady stuff going on with the superintendent who made well over $100,000. But it’s not always fair to believe the mainstream papers because they thrive on controversy. When I find the truth I will let you know. I feel for the kids though.
Meanwile near-by middle-class Black districts Lancaster and Desoto are expanding their districts and building new schools. DeSoto made the news last year but it turned out to be much less than the media pumped it up to be. I will tell what happened later.
Anyway I would like to highlight a few things about Black Dallas and our upcoming challenges. But I've said enough for now. Good Night.

2006-07-21T19:00:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, August 9th 2005
2:49 PM
1st Post
I figured I would start with my bio info and take it from there. I turned 34 years old yesterday and I’m happy that I made it. I'll tell you why later. I have a wife and 2 kids and we live in the Valley Ranch area of Irving TX. Valley Ranch is a planned and somewhat pricey area. It has two good school districts and the schools here range from 10% black to 44% black. There are also many Asians mostly Indians but many East Asians too. It's probably about 50% white or more through the entire neighborhood. Almost all Valley Ranch residents are transplants from other cities. All are professionals and belong to very strict homeowner associations. The way they manicure lawns here is a bit beyond ridiculous if you ask me. The community boasts several parks and a nice landscaped canal with a trail. They spend hundreds of thousands maintaining the parks and canals every year. Valley Ranch is a dense community of about 30,000 residents. More that half live in Apartment Complexes. As a matter of fact most blacks here live in apartments including me. More later. Gotta Go...