Pulse of the Community

Question of the Week: “Name one of your favorite Black historical heroes and why?”

Photos and question by Yvonne Kemp

Monica D. Payne: “Billie Holiday, ‘Lady Day,’ because she gave so much in her short time. Through her struggles with addictions she showed grace. She was a strong Black woman with talent, beauty and knowledge.”

Terence Goodman: “WEB Dubois. (He was) a true inspiration to the Black community because he intellectually challenged the status quo. He was the first African American to earn a doctorate from Harvard.”

Clark Lovell: “Nelson Mandela. For someone to be born in the year 1918 and persevere through all that he has (racial hatred, prison, etc.) inspires me to be the individual that I am.”

 Tamera L. Ellis: “Dr. Benjamin Carson. He was a true trailblazer laying the foundation for many others to follow. He was a surgeon who graduated from John Hopkins University and was the first surgeon to separate Siamese twins.”