First Black Percussionist in a Major Orchestra, Elayne Jones, Dies At 94
Facing racism caused her to second guess her talents and intelligence.
Elayne Jones, the first Black percussionist to hold a principal position in a major symphony orchestra, died at age 94 on December 17, after a long career as an acclaimed drummer.
According to Local 802, in which Jones was a member of for 66 years, the timpanist integrated the High School of Music & Art in NYC in the 1940s, choosing the violin as her instrument before the strings teacher told her she was too skinny and should consider the drums.
“I recommend you study the drums,” the teacher said. “We all know Negroes have rhythm.”
Jones grew a passion for percussion, which led to her winning the Duke Ellington Scholarship in 1945. The scholarship allowed her to study with principal percussionist of the New York Philharmonic, Saul Goodman, as she attended Julliard.
Goodman was intrigued by the “little Black girl” on stage with the big percussionists, and chose her to play timpani for the Juilliard Orchestra’s final concert, Brahms’ First Symphony.
Although Jones’ talent raised concerns for orchestra managers who felt she was offending the sensitivities of their white subscribers, she was granted positions in the New York City Opera and New York City Ballet orchestra following her graduation from Julliard in 1949.
Jones auditioned for the timpanist position in the San Francisco Symphony, becoming the first Black musician to hold such a position in a major orchestra, after joining in the 1970s.
Although she was constantly hidden by the orchestra’s manager, she received great feedback from critics. The orchestral committee denied Jones’ application for tenure on May 15, 1975, leading her to file a discrimination lawsuit, which she lost.
She continued to play for the orchestra until her retirement in 1998, where three white male orchestra members accompanied her to her pension meeting. Jones secured a second-place amount, instead of the normal fifth-place timpanist pension.
“It has been quite difficult,” Jones said in a television interview in 1977, according to sources. “Not only playing but trying to live through all this, and living with myself too, which is kind of hard because you begin to question, well, am I really a good performer, am I worthy person?”
“I listen to other people, and I have more confidence in myself,” the late Jones added.
Brown included a few photos showing her smiling alongside her son throughout his life.
The date and the exact cause of Lane’s death were not shared. Brown has been private about the details, but has been remembering her son on social media.
Many took to the comments section to send their condolences to Brown and her family.
“@mslatoshabrown this is so sad,” singer Maxwell wrote. “you changed the geo-political environment for so many and this is just tragic and heartbreaking. we got you sis forever and ever . LOVE.”
“I am so sorry to hear this sad news. Sending prayers of comfort and strength to her and her family during this difficult time,” added someone else.
In the wake of Lane’s passing, Brown created a fund to launch a scholarship for Lane’s children.
“God gave me a gift when I birthed Keambiroiro “Keambi” Rashidi Lane,” she shared on the page. “I am forever grateful for the 29 years that I had to create memories with my one and only son.”
“He was the light of my life and his transition leaves a void that will never be filled,” she continued. “His legacy will live on through his two adorable sons Trenton (eight) and MeKhi (two).”
Brown explained how the scholarship would be used and how it would aid her two young grandsons.
“This scholarship fund will be used to cover their educational expenses,” she shared. “Thank you, for thinking of us. Your thoughts and prayers are sustaining us through this time.”
Brown’s Black Voters Matter is known for its work on the 2017 U.S. Senate special election in Alabama and its influence during the 2020–21 Georgia state elections.
Black Influencers: Proposed TikTok Ban Threatens to Limit Exposure, Financial Opportunities for Black Brands
TikTok has become the mega app for social media users to market their brands to a massive audience. However, influencers don’t know what to make of the changes they fear could come their way on the content platform.
Black influencers opened up about how a possible ban on the platform in the U.S. could affect their livelihoods.
According to Forbes, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) recently introduced legislation to completely block and prohibit transactions from all social media companies within or under the influence of foreign countries that have sparked concerns, including China and Russia.
“We know [TikTok] is used to manipulate feeds and influence elections,” Rubio said in a statement.
“We know it answers to the People’s Republic of China. There is no more time to waste on meaningless negotiations with a CCP-puppet company. It is time to ban Beijing-controlled TikTok for good.”
This could spell trouble for Black creators like those who relocated to Atlanta, a hotspot for influencers or the Black influencers of the Collab Crib who gave up their college careers and 9 to 5 jobs to create full-time.
“Many people have been able to gain income through the creator fund as well as different brand deals,” TikToker Simone Umba, who owns SimplySimone and works full-time as an influencer in digital creation spaces, said in a statement. “The ban willhave a domino effect because when you have one state do something, the other ones are going to look at it and say that that plan is adaptable for them.”
Pandemic skater and hip-hop dancer “Katera” Couch, who has gained over 1 million likes and 74,200 followers on TikTok, believes the ban isn’t solely about protecting national security.
“It’s like everything good we have, they take from us,” Couch says. “Look at what they did to Jalaiah [Harmon] and that was right here in Atlanta. Those girls went on to have millions of followers and deals that they gained off the backs of Black creators. Now that all the white people are rich, they are ready to ban the app.”
Fox 55 reported in June that the Black influencers of the Collab Crib, a group of content creators under one house, cashes in on the platform, helping them pay for their monthly rent and other bills. The members are not signed to talent agencies, so they use social media to market themselves.
“We have a strategy, and that strategy is to work 100 times harder than everyone else,” said Keith Dorsey, the Collab Crib’s manager.
“We’re young Black creatives, and we do this on our own. We’ve become our own agency,” Dorsey added, sharing a 2021 study that found that Black content creators make less than their white counterparts and barely get credit for their original content.
TikTok has attracted a monthly rate of more than 80 million users in the United States. Reportedly, more than half of the platform’s users are under the age of 34 or identify as millennials. Globally, Black users make up nearly 30% of the total users on the app.
Grateful Brittney Griner Handwrites Letter to Supporters to Advocate for Wrongfully Detained Americans
During her nearly 10-month detainment in Russia, Brittney Griner says she never lost hope, thanks to her supporters. Now, she wants the support to be directed to other Americans who are wrongfully detained.
In a heartfelt letter, the Phoenix Mercury star expressed her appreciation for the people who helped her get through such a hard time through their uplifting letters. She posted the handwritten acknowledgment on Instagram for her 671,000 followers.
“Thanks to the efforts of many, including you, I am home after nearly 10 months. You took time to show me you cared and I want to personally take the time to write you and say that your effort mattered,” Griner’s letter began.
“Your letters helped me to not lose hope during a time where I was full of regret and vulnerable in ways I could have never imagined. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Because of you I never lost hope.”
Griner’s release, by way of a prisoner swap earlier this month, came just in time for her to spend the holiday season with her wife, Cherelle Griner, and her family. As BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported, the two-time Olympian’s homecoming has already included a barbecue “feast” ordered by her dad, Ray, beverages courtesy of Dr. Pepper, and a haircut courtesy of the San Antonio Spurs’ barber.
Griner’s letter noted that not everyone will have the same luxury. She asked her followers to offer advocacy to Paul Whelan, a Michigan corporate security executive currently serving 16 years on espionage charges.
“My family’s whole now, thanks to you. We are fortunate to get to spend the holidays together. However, there remain too many families with loved ones wrongfully detained,” she wrote.
She continued: “I hope you’ll join me in writing to Paul Whelan and continuing to advocate for other Americans to be rescued and returned to their families.”
Griner’s request is her second grateful message posted to Instagram since her return to the United States on Dec. 9. She wanted to thank her wife, WNBA family, the Bring Our Families Home Campaign and President Biden, and others.
How Hustle Clean Scores Big in the Booming Personal Care Sector
Justin Forsett, a former Pro Bowl running back for the Baltimore Ravens, is a prime example of a high-achieving athlete who has leveraged his prowess from the gridiron to the business arena.
After nine years in the NFL, Forsett officially traded in his cleats to become a full-time entrepreneur in 2017. Today, he runs the Fresno, Texas-based small business Hustle Clean, a personal hygiene company that produces and sells body wipes and eco-friendly mineral bath soaps, among other products. “They are sold to both men and women who are runners, gym goers, campers, hikers, and anyone on an adventure,” says the athlete entrepreneur.
At only 5’ 8” and 195 pounds, Forsett was not the usual hulking pro football player. However, his eagerness and competitiveness made up for his size. He would train three times daily but often didn’t have time to shower between workouts. “We were always taught to produce results at all costs, and that led to burnout, anxiety, depression, and bad hygiene practices within our community.”
But after observing name-brand products for hydration, apparel, and supplementation in the locker room, he focused on the need for an anti-bacterial body wipe to meet the personal hygiene and self-care needs of everyday athletes and fitness enthusiasts.
(Image: Black Enterprise)
Carving a niche in the self-care space
Filling that void led to Hustle Clean. He initially launched the company in 2014 as ShowerPill by Forsett, partnering with Wale Forrester and Wendell Hunter, his University of California – Berkley football teammates. However, Forsett says he found the ShowerPill name limiting and re-branded the business as Hustle Clean in 2020. His goal: Develop a line of convenient, time-saving products and find a niche for the company in the $87 billion personal care industry. “We took a deep look into our mission and our core customers and decided the name Hustle Clean provided us with the opportunity to gain experience and serve our community more authentically.”
Now, Forsett is CEO, while Forrester serves as president of the enterprise. (Forsett says Hunter is no longer active in the business.)
Launching a charity to provide young athletes with resources
Giving back to the community is a large part of Hustle Clean’s focus. Forsett says its global Shower2ThePeople campaign supplies products to communities hit by natural disasters and without clean water, like those in Flint, Michigan, Ukraine, Puerto Rico, and Haiti.
In 2021, Hustle Clean launched Free Play, a charity that provides resources for youth athletes priced out of competition. “We have helped kids all over the country participate in sports they love by providing scholarships so they can travel, register, or have the equipment they need to play sports because we don’t believe money should be a barrier for youth sports.”
Overcoming challenges and focusing on growing the business
It was no easy feat for Forsett to make it to the goalpost with the launch of Hustle Clean. Forsett says educating consumers were among the greatest challenges. “We spent a lot of time, energy, and resources on making sure our end users could truly see the value we were offering them.”
Another obstacle came in 2018 when Hustle Clean pitched its product line on Shark Tank but failed to gain even a nibble from the panel of investors. Forsett admitted it was very tough being rejected on national TV, but he and his team used the experience as a motivational tool.
“We took ownership of things that weren’t our strengths and had some realignment within the business,” he says. “At the end of the day, we view that moment as an inflection point for Hustle Clean because even though we didn’t get a deal, the show gave us great exposure. and refined how we operated.”
Most notably, Forsett leveraged his career with the Seattle Seahawks and the Ravens to get the venture off the ground. Early on, he also used access to media to build exposure and brand awareness, while. And his background helped with raising capital by allowing him to make more pitches than not. So far, he has raised $1 million from former and active NFL players, including Ronnie Lott, Steve Smith Sr., Kyle Juszczyk, Jonathan Stewart, Cliff Avril, and Prince Amukamara – all of whom are partners in the firm.
Now, his products are sold throughout Amazon’s store and at several big-box stores. Forsett says the business has generated more than $4 million in revenue over the past two and a half years. Asserts Forsett: “We’ve been able to grow with extreme focus, strategically expanding our product offering and successful partnerships.”
Collaborating with Amazon to boost customers and revenue
The athlete-cum-entrepreneur says Hustle Clean has developed a long-term partnership with Amazon since 2012, which included doing preliminary research before launching his business two years later. And he says next steps include product line expansion and using Amazon to gain access to potentially millions of new customers it might not otherwise have reached in a cost-efficient way.
He also maintains that Amazon has given Hustle Clean a competitive advantage with the recognition of being among the top brands in its category. “That has been a game changer because it allows us to stand out among other brands and helps increase our revenue,” Forsett says.
So what is Forsett’s revenue forecast for the business within the next five years? “I would love to see Hustle Clean as a 9-figure revenue business,” he says. “I believe we will get there by increasing distribution and staying obsessed with our customers.”
Kyrie Irving in Talks with Black-Owned Company to Create, Distribute Signature Sneakers
Brooklyn Nets basketball player Kyrie Irving was dropped by sneaker giant Nike earlier this month after he tweeted a link to Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America!, a film that some considered anti-Semitic.
Now, according to The Sports Rush, the NBA player and his agent have met with the designer and owner of the Black-owned company, SIA Collective, about a partnership for his signature sneakers. SIA Collective, which stands for Somewhere In America, is owned by Delvin Carter and has almost 400,000 followers on Instagram. The brand has loyal “supporters” who contribute to selling out every shoe that the company releases.
“Kyrie Irving’s agent & managers have met with Designer & owner of the Black owned shoe company SIA Collective discussing a potential partnership after Irving’s departure from Nike’s shoe deal. – Black Millionaires Exclusive!”
Kyrie Irving’s agent & managers have met with Designer & owner of the Black owned shoe company Sia Collective discussing a potential partnership after Irving’s departure from Nike’s shoe deal. – Black Millionaires Exclusive! pic.twitter.com/31d0iAVn4x
The CEO of Black Millionaires, James Hill, also addressed the possible partnership on his YouTube page. Hill, who stated that he had a direct conversation with Carter, went into detail about what was discussed between the two parties.
BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported that, according to ESPN, Nike released a statement to the media that said, “Kyrie is no longer a Nike athlete.”
Shetellia Riley Irving, who represents Irving as his agent, also released a statement saying that the decision to sever ties was a mutual one.
“We have mutually decided to part ways and wish Nike the best in their future endeavors,” she informed CNBC at that time.
The Brooklyn Nets had previously suspended the mercurial New Jersey native for eight games, stating that Irving was “currently unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets” for his “failure to disavow antisemitism,” after NBA commissioner Adam Silver expressed disgust and criticized Irving for not offering “an unqualified apology.”
Shedeur Sanders Joins Dad Deion Sanders at University of Colorado Boulder
In a move that comes as no surprise, Deion Sanders‘ quarterback son has officially announced he will join his father at the University of Colorado Boulder this upcoming football season.
Former Jackson State University (JSU) starting quarterback Shedeur Sanders released a video on his Twitter account showing him outfitted in a Colorado Boulder football uniform.
Earlier this month at a press conference introducing Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders as the new football coach for the University of Colorado Boulder, Sanders announced that he was taking his son with him as the team’s starting quarterback.
Although some may see it as nepotism, other signs point to the younger Sanders’ talent.
Shedeur Sanders did such a formidable job as the quarterback at JSU that he was awarded the Jerry Rice FCS National Freshman of the Year award as well as the SWAC Freshman of the Year trophy last season. In his second year at the HBCU, he improved. The super sophomore threw for 3,383 yards and 36 touchdowns in 12 games. He led the JSU Tigers to the last two Southwestern Athletic Conference titles.
Deion Sanders’ record at Jackson State University over three seasons was 27-5,. This season, the team was undefeated until it lost the Celebration Bowl earlier this month. Shedeur Sanders also completed 70.2 percent of his passes and threw just six interceptions. For good measure, he rushed the ball 76 times for 174 yards while adding five rushing touchdowns.
Coach Prime’s hiring may be a great thing for the school, but not for now-former football players at his new school. At least 13 students from the class of 2023 had their scholarships revoked after Sanders was hired. At the press conference where he announced his hiring, the head coach told the players in attendance that some of them should enter the transfer portal because he was bringing players with him.
Black Activist With Disability Faces Trespassing Charges for Protesting Confederate Statue
Last week, a Black community activist and former journalist was arrested while protesting the removal of the remaining Confederate statues in Jacksonville, Florida.
Ben Frazier, 72, president of Northside Coalition of Jacksonville, attended a City Council Meeting following a rally at a nearby park, The Daily Beast reported. He addressed the council during the public comment portion of the meeting, but he spoke longer than his allotted time. Council President Terrance Freeman then notified him that his time had expired.
“The defendant refused to stop and continued repeatedly speaking loudly, which began to gain a reaction from attendees in the crowd,” according to the police report.
Moments later, police officers attempted to remove Frazier before he dropped to the floor. Officers said they asked and ordered him to stop resisting and peacefully leave, but he refused.
“Remove Confederate monuments,” Frazier chanted as he was apprehended. “Take them down.”
Frazier, who has a non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis, uses a mobility scooter to transport himself. He was taken to the back of a police cruiser alongside elderly activist Bob Rutter.
“City Council President Terrence Freeman asked Mr. Frazier be escorted out of the meeting,” Frazier’s attorney, John Phillips, said in a statement. “Instead, he was arrested and taken to jail without his [American Disability Act] assistance devices.”
Frazier is facing misdemeanor trespassing and nonviolently resisting charges. According to Phillips, Frazier was released on his own recognizance without bond, but it has not been announced whether the state has dropped the charges, which were advised by the court, per First Coast News.
The judge set a court date for Jan. 9.
Today, a Confederate monument stands in Springfield Park. Community activists have rallied to have their voices heard about its removal as well as the base of the monument in James Weldon Johnson Park across from city hall, News4Jax reported.
“We knew to not do something or do something without involving the community is absolutely the wrong thing to do,” City Councilman Aaron Bowman previously said. “So, we said you know what, we got to look this issue head-on. Have the public meet and get educated and then we will take action letting everybody talk about it and bring in a committee together.”
82-Year-Old Brazilian Soccer Great Pelé Hospitalized With Colon Cancer
The health of soccer icon Pelé is worsening, according to Albert Einstein Jewish Hospital in São Paulo, Brazil, where he is hospitalized.
According to CNN, Pelé requires greater care due to the progression of his cancer. The 82-year-old soccer great was admitted to the hospital Nov. 29 for a respiratory infection and “re-evaluation of the chemotherapy treatment over the colon cancer identified in September 2021.”
This week, the hospital released a statement saying that Pelé “presents progression of the oncological disease and requires greater care related to renal (kidney) and cardiac dysfunctions.”
Earlier this month, The Independent reported on the condition of the Brazilian soccer great. He was placed in the hospital at the time to re-evaluate his treatment for colon cancer. Doctors who are treating Pelé have released a statement that was posted to his Instagram account reassuring fans that he is “still undergoing treatment and the state of [his] health remains stable.”
NBC News reported that Pelé’s daughter, Kely Nascimento, said he will be spending the Christmas holiday at the hospital. She posted the news on her Instagram account Wednesday.
“Insta family, our Christmas at home has been suspended. We decided with the doctors that, for various reasons, it would be better for us to stay here with all the care that this new family at Einstein gives us!!
“We, as always, thank you for all the love you show us here in Brazil as well as around the world! Your love for him and your stories and prayers are a HUGE comfort because we know we are not alone.”
Last September the beloved soccer legend, who won three World Cups with Brazil, had surgery to remove a tumor. In an updated report from The Independent earlier this month Nascimento said that Pelé had COVID-19 about a month ago, which led to a respiratory infection.
Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Killing Former New York Jets Player Joe McKnight
Ronald Gasser, who killed former New York Jets football player Joe McKnight during a 2016 road-rage confrontation in Louisiana, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter, according to NOLA.com.
He has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.
McKnight was gunned down by Gasser at a Terrytown intersection after a 5-mile rolling-road-rage confrontation. Gasser took the guilty plea before the Jan. 3 retrial.
Judge Ellen Kovach of the 24th Judicial District Court in the New Orleans suburb of Jefferson Parish gave the 10-year sentence Tuesday The Jefferson Parish District Attorney’s Office released a statement: “This plea brings finality to Mr. Gasser’s conviction for the killing of Joe McKnight on Dec. 1, 2016.”
Gasser, 61, was originally convicted of manslaughter in 2018, but the conviction was overturned two years ago by the U.S. Supreme Court. The 10-2 verdict was ruled unconstitutional because it was a split jury decision.
He was originally sentenced to 30 years in prison. Gasser was initially charged with second-degree murder, after being accused that he was the aggressor in the confrontation. The two men went back and forth yelling obscenities at each other while driving their vehicles side-by-side. At the intersection of Behrman Highway and Holmes Boulevard in Terrytown, Gasser, while still in his car, shot McKnight while the former football player stood at the passenger-side window of Gasser’s car.
Gasser’s attorneys said he acted in self-defense when he suggested that McKnight made an “aggressive” move through the passenger window. Yet prosecutors proved through forensic and ballistic evidence that McKnight wasn’t as close to Gasser as the shooter said he was.
Although he beat the murder charge, the jury convicted Gasser on a lesser charge of manslaughter.
At the time of his death, McKnight was 28 and a father of one. The running back was drafted in 2010 by the New York Jets. He also played for the Kansas City Chiefs.
