The Greene County Democrat

Category: Newswire

  • Newswire : Rep. Jolanda Jones: ‘We’re not going anywhere’ as Texas Democrats fight racial gerrymandering

    Texas Rep. Jolanda Jones

    By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

     

    Texas State Rep. Jolanda Jones said she isn’t budging—not until Republican lawmakers end what she calls a blatant effort to strip voting power from Black and Brown communities.
    “We’re all safe and we ain’t going nowhere,” Jones declared during an interview on the Let It Be Known news show, just hours after a bomb threat forced an evacuation of her hotel. “This is about racism. This is about taking Black folks back to before we had voting rights and before we had the Civil Rights Act.”

    Jones, a Democrat elected to the Texas House in 2022, blasted the GOP-led redistricting push as a targeted attack on communities of color. “Let me be clear,” she said. “The only way they get the five seats that Trump wants is if they go find Black people and Brown people where they are concentrated in Houston and Dallas and crack our communities and put us in districts with a whole bunch of white folks. It’s that simple.”

    She called the effort “racism 101” and rejected criticism that she’s playing the race card. “I grew up playing Spades. I’m from Texas. And guess what? I’m going to pull that card from the bottom of the deck, the top of the deck, the middle of the deck,” she said. “If I have to pull it from those French cut sections, I’m gonna pull a race card every single solitary time—as long as you’re a racist. If you don’t want me to pull a race card, then stop being racist.”
    Jones is part of a group of Texas Democrats who have once again broken quorum, denying the Republican majority the minimum number of lawmakers required to conduct legislative business. She said the GOP may have the votes, but without a quorum, they have no power. “There are 150 of us in the state House. It takes 76 votes to pass anything. There are 88 Republicans and 62 Democrats. The key is they have to get 100 people there to conduct business, and they only have 88,” she explained. “So, they need 12 of us to show up. That’s not going to happen.”
    In response to Governor Greg Abbott’s threat to arrest the Democratic holdouts, Jones, a lawyer for more than 30 years, dismissed the possibility. “There is no warrant that goes outside of Texas. Most warrants in Texas only go 150 to 200 miles. Let somebody arrest me. I’m suing them,” she said. “Trump ain’t the only person who can sue people.” She said quorum-breaking isn’t a crime, but a tool the minority party has when it’s otherwise powerless. “They’re mad and they’re whining because they have the numbers to pass it if we get back—but we’re not coming back,” she said. “Y’all might have the numbers, but we got the power.”
    Jones spoke of the long history of resistance that informs her actions—from the Montgomery Bus Boycott to the civil rights marches across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. “I’ve been Black all my life. It’s been a struggle all my life. But I can’t let this struggle stop me,” she said. “I Facetimed with my granddaughter last night. I miss her, but I’m doing this for her.” She called out the national consequences of unchecked gerrymandering, pointing to North Carolina, where GOP redistricting flipped three seats, giving Republicans a narrow House majority.
    “Congress is the only place that can stop the president. We can investigate him. We can impeach him,” she said. “And every day he’s alive, he’s doing something illegal.” Jones didn’t hold back on Trump, calling him “racist” and warning voters to believe what he says. “He told y’all what he was gonna do. When somebody tells you who they are, believe them,” she said. “Who thought he’d be deporting U.S. citizens? Who thought a backpack that used to be $15 now costs $50?”
    While focused on the quorum break, Jones confirmed she is running for Congress in Texas’s 18th District, a seat long held by Democrats. Her run was planned before the current standoff, she noted, and she’s continuing to serve her constituents remotely while fighting on the front lines of the redistricting battle. “They’re saying we abandoned our duties. Boy, bye,” she said. “My district office is working. I’m in constant communication with my staff. We didn’t abandon anything.” Jones credited her public education, legal background, and life experiences, including witnessing her father’s suicide and losing multiple family members to violence, as shaping her resilience and commitment to public service.
    “Any day above ground is a good day. God helped me see through the tragedy of my life. And I think God made my life really hard for this moment in time where I would not be sad,” Jones exclaimed. “If I can survive that, these people threatening to arrest me or calling me names—sticks and stones.”
    She urged the public to support the fight by donating to www.riggedredistricting.com and her campaign at www.jolandajones.com. “I’ll take anything—a dollar, five dollars. I’m the same wherever I go. I ain’t scared,” she said. Jones, the first openly LGBTQ Black member of the Texas Legislature, said she represents more than just a political district.

    “If I go to Congress, when Medicaid or Medicare ain’t working, or your private insurance isn’t working, it’s a problem,” she said. “We paid into it. How dare you, Donald Trump, take what we’ve paid into. You are literally stealing from our savings. This is no different than Enron.” As the fight drags on, Jones said she and her colleagues are prepared to stay away for as long as it takes. “We’ll take it day by day. It’s not the best situation, but we’ve overcome more as Black people,” she said. “And I’ve been Black all my life.”

     

  • Newswire : What Trump’s control of D.C. Police means for the City, Its Mayor, and Black Residents

    National Guard arrive in Washington, D. C.

    By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

    Donald Trump today seized direct control of Washington, D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department, removing authority from Mayor Muriel Bowser and placing the force under the command of Attorney General Tom Cotton. The move comes under a “crime emergency” declaration that allows the president to invoke Section 740 of the D.C. Home Rule Act — a rarely used law that exists only because the District lacks full statehood.
    For Mayor Bowser, this means she no longer has operational control of her own police department. All decisions on how and where officers are deployed now run through the Justice Department. That includes the ability to redirect D.C. police from neighborhood patrols to guard federal buildings, secure national monuments, and police protests — even if it leaves fewer officers in local communities. For African Americans in the District — who make up nearly half the city’s population — the change places local policing under the direct control of a president who has repeatedly called for racial profiling, attacked other predominately Black-led cities such as Baltimore and Chicago, and used “law and order” policies that disproportionately target Black communities.
    Residents could see federal priorities override local crime prevention strategies, with increased policing around demonstrations and broader latitude for aggressive enforcement tactics. Trump justified the takeover by citing D.C.’s 2024 homicide and vehicle theft rates, even though other cities he has singled out — all with large Black populations and Black leadership — have seen major crime reductions this year. The order has no end date, meaning the District’s police could remain under federal command indefinitely. This is only possible because D.C. is not a state — a political reality that leaves its leadership vulnerable to federal override and its residents without full control over their own local government.

  • Newswire : Statue of Confederate general, Albert Pike, toppled in 2020 to be reinstalled in D.C.

    Demonstrators tore down and burned statue in 2020

    By NBC Washington

    WASHINGTON — A statue of a Confederate general that demonstrators toppled and burned in D.C. in 2020 will be reinstalled, the National Park Service announced Monday.
    The bronze statue depicting Confederate Gen. Albert Pike is being restored, the Park Service said in a statement Monday. Officials shared a photo of a worker removing corrosion and paint.
    “The restoration aligns with federal responsibilities under historic preservation law as well as recent executive orders to beautify the nation’s capital and re-instate pre-existing statues,” the agency said in a statement.
    In June 2020, demonstrators used ropes to tear down the statue outside Metropolitan Police Department headquarters. On live TV, they doused the statue in lighter fluid and set it ablaze.
    Mayor Muriel Bowser at the time decried property destruction and defended city police. Donald Trump, in his first term, called for the statue to go back up less then a week later.
    Now crews are aiming to have the statue up in October, the Park Service said.
    “Site preparation to repair the statue’s damaged masonry plinth will begin shortly, with crews repairing broken stone, mortar joints, and mounting elements,” the statement said.
    The Pike statue, dedicated in 1901, has been a source of controversy for years. The Confederate general also was a longtime leader of the Freemasons, who revere Pike. It was built at the request of Masons, who successfully lobbied Congress to grant them land for the statue as long as Pike would be depicted in civilian, not military, clothing.
    D.C. officials tried to remove the statue for years. The D.C. Council said it first called for its removal in 1992. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton introduced multiple bills in Congress to get it removed.
    One proposed resolution calling for the removal of the statue referred to Pike as a “chief founder of the post-Civil War Ku Klux Klan.” The Klan connection is a frequent accusation from Pike’s critics and one which the Masons dispute.

  • Newswire : Trump memo asks recipients of federal funds to ban DEI programs

    By Reuters

    WASHINGTON — The U.S. Justice Department issued a memo on Wednesday that asked recipients of federal funds to ban diversity, equity and inclusion programs, which President Donald Trump has aimed to dismantle since taking office in January.
    Trump has already issued executive orders aimed at restricting DEI but Wednesday’s memo laid out specific examples of actions that it said federal fund recipients should restrict — such as some training sessions and policies aimed at protected groups. It also said federal funds should not be used to support third parties that engage in DEI.
    Recipients of federal funds range from schools, colleges and universities to nonprofit organizations and private firms that are government contractors. The memo was released publicly by the Justice Department.
    In an example to support one of its recommendations, the memo said that “a scholarship program must not target ‘underserved geographic areas’ or ‘first-generation students’ if the criteria are chosen to increase participation by specific racial or sex-based groups.”
    It added: “Instead, use universally applicable criteria, such as academic merit or financial hardship, applied without regard to protected characteristics or demographic goals.”
    In another recommendation, it said a program targeting low-income students “must be applied uniformly without targeting areas or populations to achieve racial or sex-based outcomes.”
    Federal law already bars discrimination on grounds of race, gender and ethnicity. The Trump administration has eliminated DEI-related programs in the government and fired many people who worked in those initiatives. It has faced some legal pushback. Several private firms have rolled back such initiatives in recent months.
    DEI programs have been part of workplace diversity efforts to ensure fairer representation for groups seen as historically marginalized, such as African Americans and other ethnic minorities in the United States, LGBTQ+ community members, women, and people with disabilities.
    Civil rights advocates say DEI helps address the continued effects of historical and generational inequity and aims to remove systemic barriers for groups affected by a legacy of racism, sexism and xenophobia.
    Trump and his allies say DEI unfairly discriminates against other Americans, including white people and men, and weakens the importance of merit in job hiring or promotion. DEI practices include training on how to combat discrimination, addressing pay inequity along gender or racial lines and broadening recruitment and access for underrepresented ethnic groups.
    The Trump administration has threatened to cut federal funds given to institutions over a range of issues like pro-Palestinian protestsagainst U.S. ally Israel’s war in Gaza, climate initiatives, transgender policies and DEI programs.

  • Newswire : Trump fired the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics based on weak July job report

     Erika McEntarfer

    By Blackmansstreet Today

    President Donald Trump on Friday fired Erika L. McEntarfer, the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, based on a weak July jobs report, after alleging that she manipulated the numbers to make him look bad.
    A stunning government report showed that hiring had slowed down significantly over the past three months.
    Taking to Truth Social, Trump took the report personally and attacked McEntarfer.
    Trump claimed that the country’s jobs reports “are being produced by a Biden appointee” and ordered his administration to terminate her.
    “We need accurate Jobs Numbers,” Trump wrote. “She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified. Important numbers like this must be fair and accurate; they can’t be manipulated for political purposes.”
    He intensified his attack in a later post, writing: “In my opinion, today’s Jobs Numbers were RIGGED to make the Republicans, and ME, look bad.”
    An administration official told NBC News shortly after the post that McEntarfer had indeed been fired.
    The deputy director of BLS, Bill Wiatrowski, who took up the role during the Obama administration, will become the acting director “during the search for a replacement,” Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said.
    McEntarfer, whose research focuses on job loss, retirement, worker mobility, and wage rigidity, had previously worked at the Census Bureau’s Center for Economic Studies, the Treasury Department’s Office of Tax Policy, and the White House Council of Economic Advisers in a nonpolitical role.
    She has a bachelor’s degree in Social Science from Bard College and a doctoral degree in economics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.





  • Newswire : The Washington Post sees major exodus of Black Journalists

    By Lauren Burke, NNPA Congressional Correspondent

    The Washington Post, which has long defined itself as the “paper of record” alongside its competitive rivals, The New York Times, is now witnessing a major exodus of Black journalists. Though the U.S. is becoming more diverse, the Post isn’t.
    The Post’s headquarters sits in the middle of the District of Columbia, which has a 43 percent Black population and a historic Black university less than two miles away. Yet The Post has never had a history of staff diversity. The recent departure of Black journalists is seemingly related to an anti-diversity backlash led by President Trump after the 2020 George Floyd “racial reckoning”. Trump’s executive order, signed less than 48 hours into his second term on January 21, declared policy war on the diversity and inclusivity of historically marginalized groups.
    Trump’s George Floyd backlash, alongside separate claims of defamation by the president, has led to his targeting of law firms, media organizations, and academic institutions. Several media companies, such as ABC and CBS, have capitulated to Trump. The Washington Post appears to be doing so in advance, as Post owner Jeff Bezos has business before the federal government related to his ownership of Blue Origin and Amazon.
    The current moment now witnesses an exodus of Black journalists not seen in the paper’s history. In recent years, journalists Vanessa Williams, Wesley Lowery, and Kevin Merida have departed The Washington Post. But the current departures include journalists with decades of experience and several Pulitzer Prizes. The current exodus is noteworthy even by the Post’s low standards for diversity. The Post went for close to a year without a single Black member of the Editorial Board. Currently, the only Black member, the obscure Keith Richburg, is in Hong Kong. The National Association of Black Journalists noted the issue in a July 26 press release.
    NABJ stated that they are “closely monitoring the recent wave of departures and voluntary exits from several legacy media institutions, including The Washington Post. This ongoing disruption has far-reaching implications for newsroom diversity, representation, and the future of Black journalists.” The list of departures includes two Pulitzer Prize winners: Jonathan Capehart, an opinion columnist who has been with the Post since 2007 and is taking a buyout offer. Capehart also recounted a racial episode in 2024 in his book related to his former colleague Karen Tumulty, who was deputy opinions editor at the time. Tumulty has now been promoted to lead the Post’s politics coverage.
    Post editorial board member Karen Attiah announced on social media on July 22 that she was “the last Black staff columnist left in the Washington Post’s opinion section.” On July 21, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Toluse Olorunnipa, who was the White House Bureau Chief for The Washington Post, announced he was now a writer at The Atlantic. Olorunnipa won the Pulitzer for the book “His Name is George Floyd” in 2023 for General Nonfiction. Several Post journalists have fled to The Atlantic. Other departures include Eugene Robinson and Krissah Thompson, who was the only Black managing editor on the masthead.
    “After 24 years at The Washington Post, I’m turning the page on this chapter of my career. I’m grateful for the wonderful experience that I’ve had and the contributions that I’ve made over 24 years as a reporter, editor, and news leader,” Thompson wrote on her Instagram page on July 23. Trump’s executive order, which called for the termination of all federal government programs relating to “diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility,” appears to have been obeyed even by private sector actors under no obligation to comply.
    Post CEO Will Lewis has remained in charge despite a 2024 controversy surrounding his connections to a scandal related to the illegal phone-hacking of members of the British royal family. Many recent hires at the Post have been in some way connected to the more conservative The Wall Street Journal. The latest round of buyouts ends on July 31, so many more departure announcements are expected this week.

  • Newswire : Jobless rates for Black men and women jump under Trump’s cuts and tariffs

    By Blackmansstreet Today

    Payroll employment rose a disappointing 73,000 in July, and the unemployment rate changed little at 4.2, but the Black jobless rate for both men and women jumped as the Federal government continued to cut jobs, like at the Department of Education.

    The U.S. job market slowed sharply in July and was substantially weaker than first estimated for prior months, suggesting President Donald Trump’s trade policy may be stifling hiring.

    The U.S. economy added just 73,000 jobs last month, and the monthly totals for May and June were revised downward by a combined 258,000 jobs.

    The prior two months’ revisions were “stunning,” said Diane Swonk, chief economist at KPMG, in an interview with CNN. May’s estimated 144,000 net gain was revised down by 125,000 to 19,000; and June’s preliminary tally of 147,000 was slashed by 133,000 to 14,000, according to data released Friday from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    The jobless rate for Black men was 7.0 percent in July 2025 compared with 6.7 percent in July 2024. The employment rate of Black women was 6.3 percent in 2025 compared to 6.2 percent in 2024.

    Black workers continued to face a disproportionately high unemployment rate at 7.2 percent—nearly double the rate for White workers, which remained at 3.7 percent. Hispanic workers saw a jobless rate of 5.0 percent, while Asian workers had a jobless rate of 3.9 percent.

    Historically, Black women have been overrepresented in the federal workforce, in positions that have offered stability, security, and more pay equity. Black women constitute about 12 percent of federal workers, compared with 7 percent of civilian workers.

    They are also more likely to be in the departments that have been most targeted for cuts by DOGE (The Department of Government Efficiency), including the Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Housing and Urban Development.

    For example, take a look at the Department of Education, which Trump wants to destroy. U.S. Department of Education has 4,133 employees, according to the administration’s numbers.

    Nearly 600 workers have since chosen to leave, by resigning or retiring. And this week, more than 1,300 workers were told they’re losing their jobs in a Tuesday purge.

    That leaves 2,183 remaining department staff, according to the administration. Which means the Education Department will soon be roughly half the size it was just a few weeks ago.

    Black women made up 28 percent of the education department. They also made up many of the diversity, equity, and inclusion, or DEI, positions that Trump set out to eliminate during his first day in office.

  • Newswire : Black Church and Black Press unite to empower Black America

    Rev. Boise Kimber, President of the National Baptist Convention and Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr, NNPA CEO

    Nashville, TN — July 25, 2025: In a historic announcement, a coalition of leading Black faith organizations and the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) unveiled a strategic partnership and plan to confront systemic disparities impacting African American communities nationwide.

    Dr. Boise Kimber, President of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.; Bishop J. Drew Sheard, Pre- siding Bishop of the Church of God in Christ (COGIC); Dr. Samuel Tolbert, President of the National Baptist Convention of America; and Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., veteran civil rights leader and President of the NNPA, are leading this collaboration between the Black church and Black Media.
    “There is strength in unity. There is power in our collective voice. There is hope in our actions,” said Dr. Boise Kimber.

    For generations, African American communities have endured deep-rooted inequities in healthcare, education, criminal justice, economic opportunity, and access to capital. These challenges are not new. The coalition intends to put an end to fragmented responses and speak with one clear, concise and consolidated voice.
    The Black Church and Black Media, two institutions that have long anchored and uplifted Black America, are now coming together with renewed focus and purpose.
    This partnership is grounded in shared values, spiritual conviction, cultural empowerment, and an unwavering commitment to truth, justice, and progress.
    The coalition will focus on five core initiatives:

    Shaping a unified national narrative that challenges harmful stereotypes and amplifies stories of Black resilience, excellence, and innovation
    Mobilizing faith-based and media networks to address community disparities through solutions-focused advocacy and outreach
    Holding corporate America accountable by demanding responsible reinvestment in Black communities through sustainable partnerships, economic equity, and community-led development
    Empowering the next generation by reclaiming our narratives and creating new pathways for education, leadership, and entrepreneurship
    Holding elected officials accountable by spotlighting those whose policies do not align with the interests of the Black community. To earn our votes, they must heed our voices.

    “This is more than a symbolic gesture; it is a strategic and spiritual alignment.” When the Black Church and Black Media speak as one, we can ignite a movement. When we organize as one, we can shift the narrative. When we act as one, we cannot be ignored or denied,” the coalition stated.
    The coalition invites all stakeholders, faith leaders, media professionals, community organizers, educators, business leaders, and concerned citizens to join this movement for unity, justice, and progress.


    Trump claimed that the country’s jobs reports “are being produced by a Biden appointee” and ordered his administration to terminate her.

    “We need accurate Jobs Numbers,” Trump wrote. “She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified. Important numbers like this must be fair and accurate; they can’t be manipulated for political purposes.”

    He intensified his attack in a later post, writing: “In my opinion, today’s Jobs Nu

  • Newswire : Scott Bill targets USDA Discrimination as Trump ends DEI protections

    By Stacy M. Brown
    Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

    As the Trump administration moves to eliminate key diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) protections at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Democratic Congressman David Scott of Georgia has introduced legislation aimed at safeguarding the future of Black farmers and reversing decades of systemic discrimination.

    On July 17, Scott, a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee, introduced the Black Farmers and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers Increased Market Share Act of 2025. Illinois Democratic Congressman Jonathan Jackson, also a member of the committee, co-sponsored the bill, which aims to expand market access and enforce civil rights protections for farmers who have historically been denied equitable treatment by the federal government.

    “Generations of Black farmers have lost their land and livelihoods because of systemic discrimination and the federal government’s failures to meaningfully intervene,” Scott said. “Whereas they comprised over 14% of all U.S. farmers less than a century ago, they now represent less than 2%.”

    In 1920, there were nearly one million Black farmers in the United States. But today, fewer than 50,000 remain, Jackson said. “That’s a staggering 95% decline. This did not happen by accident — it is the result of broken policies, discriminatory lending practices, and a lack of market access,” he stated. The bill establishes a competitive grant program to support new and expanding food hubs that enable Black and minority farmers to access wholesale, retail, and institutional markets.
    It offers a 25% tax credit for agricultural products purchased from those food hubs. It also requires the USDA to prioritize procurement from socially disadvantaged farmers and establishes an independent Office of the Civil Rights Ombudsperson to assist farmers through civil rights claims. Additionally, the measure reforms USDA policies to provide monetary relief to farmers denied access to loan and payment programs due to discrimination.
    The bill’s release follows a sweeping policy reversal by the USDA, which recently announced it will no longer use the term “socially disadvantaged” to define farmers affected by racial, ethnic, or gender-based discrimination. That designation, first adopted in the 1990 Farm Bill, had been a critical foundation for programs that served Black, Hispanic, Native American, and Asian producers. According to Capital B News, the agency’s decision came in response to executive orders issued earlier this year by President Donald Trump that eliminated any mandates or programs supporting DEI. The USDA stated that it has “sufficiently” addressed its history of discrimination and that moving forward, it will adhere to a race- and gender-neutral framework.

    Lloyd Wright, a Virginia farmer and former USDA official, stated that the change will disproportionately affect Black farmers. “They’re eliminating socially disadvantaged and anything else dealing with DEI,” Wright told Capital B. “[The government] is going to take back the money — the little bit we were getting—and some of the outreach money will be clawed back.”
    Rep. Shontel Brown of Ohio, a vice-ranking member on the House Agriculture Committee, added that the USDA’s decision was part of “Trump’s resegregation agenda.” She called the rule “a deliberate and disgraceful step backward,” and said the “socially disadvantaged” label was long overdue recognition of the systemic denial of land, credit, and opportunity. Rep. Shomari Figures of Alabama said the administration should be working to ensure Black farmers are never subjected to such discrimination again, not reversing policies that acknowledged that history.
    Tiffany Bellfield El-Amin, founder of the Kentucky Black Farmers Association, noted that while the label itself may have had flaws, its removal leaves Black farmers more vulnerable. She said Black producers are often left to navigate USDA programs without the same outreach given to white farmers, and that many with large operations were never disadvantaged to begin with. The USDA’s move comes in response to pressure from white farmers and conservative legal groups. A Wisconsin farmer, Adam Faust, has sued the administration, claiming he faced reverse discrimination in multiple USDA programs. Faust previously led a successful lawsuit against the Biden administration in 2021, halting a $4 billion loan forgiveness program aimed at aiding farmers of color.
    Black farmers continue to challenge federal agencies in court. The Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association recently sued the USDA for allegedly excluding them from the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program, which provided help to over 43,000 farmers who suffered discrimination before 2021.

    Senator Raphael Warnock of Georgia said the administration’s actions amount to political theater. “Instead of working to create more certainty for our nation’s farmers and adopting a stable trade agenda, this administration is focused on divisive publicity stunts that will hurt our agriculture industry long-term,” he said.
    Scott’s bill builds on years of advocacy, including his efforts to expose that just 0.1% of a $26 billion USDA pandemic relief package went to Black farmers.
    As Farm Bill reauthorization talks continue in Congress, Scott said this moment must be used to embed equity into agricultural policy. “Congress has a responsibility to reverse the decades of inaction by restoring trust, creating new market opportunities, and ensuring USDA supports our Black and socially disadvantaged farmers,” Scott said.

  • Newswire : Bill Cosby pays tribute to Malcolm-Jamal Warner

     Bill Cosby and Malcom-Jamal Warner on the Cosby Show

    By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

     

    In a wide-ranging and reflective appearance on the Black Press of America’s Let It Be Known, Bill Cosby—long regarded as television’s most iconic father figure—shared his thoughts on the death of Malcolm-Jamal Warner, the actor who portrayed Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show.
     Warner, 54, reportedly drowned, and his passing has struck a deep chord with generations who grew up watching the groundbreaking series. Speaking with his trademark blend of intellect, personal memory, and cultural clarity, Cosby honored Warner’s legacy while revisiting the impact of The Cosby Show, a series that helped reshape how Black family life was portrayed on television.

    “I heard about Malcolm’s drowning,” Cosby said. “And then Pam [Warner’s mother] called me about a day after Malcolm drowned… She picked up the phone. I said, ‘Hello.’ And then I heard a sound… it was weak. She didn’t say a word at first. Then she said, ‘Oh, Bill.’ I did not stay on the phone much longer. That was enough.” Cosby described Warner’s mother, Pamela, as a devoted parent who played a central role in guiding her son’s life and career. “She laughs and she jokes, but she doesn’t play,” Cosby said. “She was very hands-on. And her love for Malcolm was unwavering.”
    He also shared that Phylicia Rashad, who played Claire Huxtable, reached out to him following the news of Warner’s death. “There was a call from Claire Huxtable—that is, Phylicia. She made the same call,” Cosby recalled, providing a sense of the emotional toll the loss has taken on the close-knit cast. Cosby explained that the character of Theo was drawn directly from his real-life son, Ennis, and their conversations about education, responsibility, and identity. “Ennis once said, ‘I just want to be regular people,’” Cosby said. “Smoke began to form between both ears.” That real-life experience became one of the most famous on the show— with Cosby’s character telling Warner’s, “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”
    The iconic television star praised Warner’s discipline, intellect, and dedication. “Malcolm was very intelligent, very efficient, and he loved life,” Cosby recalled. “He and Ennis became close friends. We developed Theo’s character together, based on real life.” The conversation expanded beyond individual memories to a larger examination of The Cosby Show’s cultural mission.
    Cosby spoke in detail about the importance of platforming Black professionals, Black family structure, and historically Black colleges and universities. “We didn’t buy tickets to get here,” Cosby said, referring to the historical journey of Black Americans. “Our ancestors were brought here to work for free. And for Cliff and Claire Huxtable to come from one floor in the South and become a doctor and a lawyer—this was about dignity, about love, and about excellence.”
    Cosby, who broke barriers in the 1960s with the television show, “I Spy,” also spoke about education as a life-long pursuit—both in and outside the classroom. He recounted his son’s challenges with dyslexia and how those experiences shaped the show’s themes, particularly in episodes focused on learning styles and academic self-confidence. And he credited Warner for bringing those stories to life on screen with care and truth. “He was free,” Cosby said. “And that tape needs to be heard,” referencing a performance Warner gave with the Minnesota Symphony. “He called me after the concert and said, ‘I did exactly what I wanted to do.’” When asked about the possibility of remakes of classic films like Let’s Do It Again or Uptown Saturday Night, Cosby didn’t hesitate.
    “There’s no sense in remaking something just because you liked it,” he said. “Talk about your own life. You’d be surprised how interesting your own life is.” Cosby closed the interview not with sorrow, but with purpose. “This is not to get angry,” he said. “This is to celebrate a man—54 years old, asphyxiated, swept out to sea. His life, and where he wanted to go, should be remembered.”
    He added, “It’s difficult to work against heaven.” Cosby also acknowledged civil rights legends like Dick Gregory and Rachel Robinson and spoke about why he has always stood with the Black Press. “Dick Gregory told me, always remember the Black Press,” Cosby said. “Take out ads, do the interviews, support them. And I have.”
    In one of the most striking moments of the interview, Cosby shared a lesson from his grandmother—an uneducated woman in formal terms, but, as Cosby made clear, a profound thinker. “She asked me, is the glass half full or half empty?” Cosby recalled. “I told her that’s what we were discussing in class. And she said, ‘Well, it depends on if you’re pouring or drinking.’ That’s the kind of wisdom we come from.” He ended the conversation with a charge to everyone: to reflect, to create, and above all, to tell their own stories.
    “All you have to do is celebrate,” he insisted. “And do the correct thing.”