(If I've got something screwed up on this list - charge it to exhaustion and not my heart...Bye...Bye)
10
BLACK MEN THAT WE SAID GOODBYE TO IN 2013
In 2013 we said goodbye to a Cincinnati legend, William
L. Mallory, Sr. We also said goodbye, although not because of death to several
prominent black men who left a legacy, a bad taste in our mouth, at least one
we applauded because of his abrupt exit, and one couldn't leave his post fast
enough.
The top man on this list is probably kicking down from
heaven at my head after seeing who I put him on a list with, or maybe not
because he was a loving and kind man who will be dearly missed.
William L. Mallory, Sr. Departed this life December 2014
Mr. Mallory was a Cincinnati icon. Period. When people remember him, they will
probably think three things. He spent his career in politics. He loved his wife, children
and raised each to pursue the path to success, and he loved the community.
In 1966, William Mallory was
elected to the Ohio House of Representatives. He spent 28 years as an Ohio
legislature. He was the first African American elected as Majority floor
leader.
He rarely missed an opportunity to
mentor, provide guidance, teach or share words of advice.
“I met Mr. Mallory for the very first time
about a decade and a half ago at some fancy party hosted by Melody Sawyer Richardson. I was with my
boss and I surveyed the party for someone who looked like me, not black,
someone who didn’t look like they came from old money and there appeared a well
dressed black man looking like new money. He came up to me and introduced
himself. We laughed and talked the entire night as if we were old friends. I
remember my boss asking me two questions: Did I know the man I was talking to
and did I know who he was. My answer was
no and no. You see this gentle man was so unassuming and down to earth. Later I
found out who he was and met his lovely wife. Over the years I’d run into them
on occasion and his wife always pinched my cheeks and they greeted me warmly….ahhh
sweet memories.” FBK
R.I.P Dear sweet Mr. Mallory
Mayor Mark Mallory left office
December 2013
In 2005 Mark Mallory became Cincinnati’s 68th mayor and he was the first
directly elected black mayor in 50 years that was not a council member. In
2013, Mayor Mallory said adios after serving two terms.
Perhaps
he’ll be remembered for the success of the Banks project and Cincinnati being
dubbed the “trendy” city. He is a well liked politician, always impeccably
dressed and
could throw a mean baseball, well maybe not.
He
cared deeply about the young people community. I had the pleasure of serving as
part of Mayor Mallory’s Young Professional Kitchen cabinet. Also, his yearly youth job fairs were a runaway
success.
Milton Dohoney left office December
2013
Milton Dohoney was hired as the City’s Top Administrator in 2006 by Mayor
Mallory. His laid back, stay out of politics
style made him a very successful and level-headed visionary who focused
like a laser beam on economic development.
He put together the following deals (Dunnhumby, the Banks, Eurostampa, Grater’s Medpace, Omincare.
Nielsen). Those projects created over 4,000 jobs for Cincinnatians. He was instrumental in bringing everybody’s favorite upscale soul food restaurant - Mahogany’s to the Banks. And he brought us Chief Craig.
James
Craig left office May 2013
James Craig was the first
chief in the Cincinnati Police Department’s 200-year history to be appointed
from outside the city’s ranks. He began
his career in the Detroit Police Department in 1977. Since then, Craig has
worked in the Portland, Maine, and Los Angeles police departments. When Craig was appointed Cincinnati's top cop
in 2011, it ruffled feathers because he was African American and an outsider.
Many either loved or despised him.
He was instrumental in launching
a Citizens on Patrol in Avondale, for which I am a proud member.
In May Craig to become
police chief in his hometown of Detroit, where he began his career.
Director Will Carden left December 2013
It took
lifelong Cincinnatian and 27-year city employee, parks director, just a few days
to say a big Whitney Houston, “hell-to-the-nah” to the city manager’s job. It took less than a week for this black man to
withdraw his name after Mayor John Cranley appointed him. Here’s what he said,
“I ain’t nobody’s yes man and if that is what Cranley thinks, then he has me
(curse word removed) up. I’m a keep my
black behind right where I’m at. I ain’t
getting into Smitherman or Cranley’s mess. I ain’t taking a beatin’ from those
clowns down the dial. They can’t pay me
enough!”
Seriously,
here’s the official statement, "After
consulting with my family, we have come to the personal, private decision that
it is best for me to remain as the director of the Parks Department,"
Carden said in a statement. "John Cranley is going to be a great mayor and
this is a difficult decision for me. But it’s simply about what is best for me
and my family. As a personal matter, I would ask that you respect our family's
privacy."
Cecil Thomas left April 2013
Cincinnati city
councilman, Cecil Thomas stepped down from council in April. He was term limited, and first elected in
2005. Thomas is a likable guy, but some believe he was an ineffective council
member. Lately, he’s receiving a lot of
well-deserved praise for his work as Greater Cincinnati Chapter of the National
Action Network (GCCNAN) position as chair of political awareness. In that position he has exposed the misuse of
drug forfeiture funds by Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters and he keeps the
spotlight on exposing the politicians and media assassin who are gunning for
the Honorable Judge Tracie Hunter. His strong and effective leadership skills
around the Hunter case are the reason many believe he will be elected to the
Ohio Senate.
Dusty Baker got the ax October 2013
Good ole’ Johnnie B. “Dusty” Baker came to
Cincinnati at the end of 2007. He led the Reds to three playoff appearances in
four years. But he never took the team to the World Series. In 2013 the team won 90 games, but after the
6-2 defeat to Pittsburgh Mr. Dusty got the boot. He’ll be missed.
Odis Jones resigned July 2013
You probably have never heard of this black man. I
think I heard of him once on the radio.
He was director of Economic Development for the City of Cincinnati since 2012. He left his position shortly after James Craig
to take the CEO position with the Detroit Public Lighting Authority.
It is reported that Jones was popular with city
council members and the development community.
Dr. Ronald Jackson resigned November 2013
He arrived as Dean of Arts & Sciences in July
2012 and was gone by November 2013. I’m
not sure what the hell happened to the black man that headed up the college I
graduated from, but reported allegations say he was the victim of crude and
racist caricatures flyers that were distributed on the campus. At least two of
the 20 faculty department heads sent a letter to administration calling for
them to ask him to resign or be reassigned. I don’t know what happened to the black man
with the impressive resume. He graduated
from high school at 15. He earned a bachelor’s
and master’s degree from UC and joins the 2% club of people in the world
(World) with a Ph.D.
Christopher Smitherman resigns from NAACP Dec 2013
They say the road to hell is paved with good
intentions. I was not a part of the
group that pulled the coup d’état on
former NAACP president Edith Thrower.
However, I did become an Executive committee member during Smitherman’s
first year and every year thereafter. During
the early years it was great to serve and make a difference in the community
with the fiery Smitherman. What
happened? Chris Finney, attorney for the anti-streetcar (local tea party) group
Coast happened and somehow the oldest civil rights organization in the country
merged with the local hate filled group.
End of story. In December a press
release was sent out announcing that as expected, Smitherman was resigning as
president of the NAACP turning over his post to a sexually charged, illegal
immigrant. Oh, boy.
