Oakland Tribune from Oakland, California • 5

4 0 4 4 A 4 A Wfa 4 4 i 4 4 If Lt ft ft 4 4 4 LOCAL SUNDAY January 27 2008 THE OAKLAND TRIBUNE NEWS 5 'r Wl tr' fes iJ rfL Clt fi Jill Z23 T1 i'l i HI 'la i Hi sj 4 Ji ysg wir iiip 4vi lid SeRHPvhT SIH KRISTOPHER SKINNER Staff AS COMCAST PRODUCTION TECHNICIAN rank Ross videotapes and Richmond City Councilman Nat Bates listens Betty Reid Soskins describes some family photos at her home in Richmond on Tuesday Reid Soskins is interviewed by Bates (below) in a series that feature pioneering black leaders in Richmond Black history happens here official says Nat Bates videotapes interviews with past leaders By Katherine Tam STA WRITER They were the first blacks elected to public office in Rich 1 mond helping to craft policies that shaped the city They 1 pitched in on the homefront during World War II lobbied for change ruffled some feathers and rallied the community City Councilman Nat Bates is on a mission to put the stories of Richmond's black leaders on record and ensure the past is remembered i While national figures are justifiably recognized and appre ciated there are a lot of local people just next door you can touch and talk to who are making significant contribu tions who no one seems to be aware said Bates the fourth elected black coun cilman also important to know the heroes in our own Accompanied by a earner aman and with microphone in hand Bates has been chatting with prominent black residents since last summer Each interview will be edited into a 30 minute segment ex pected to air on KCRT Channel 28 starting in ebruary to coin cide with Black History Month Men and women Elected offl cials and people never held public office Democrats and a Republican The 20 or so interviewees tell a collective story of the strides blacks have made over time George Carroll Rich first elected black coun cilman turned municipal Betty Cash a retired health care worker who was elected to the board of Doctors Medical Center eight times and once organized a inarch pro testing police brutality also Betty Reid is Soskin who worked at a union A lr tv ajar hall for black shipyard workers on Barrett Avenue during World War II She was 20 at the time watching thousands of men and women from around the country converge on Richmond to as semble warships And yet didn't feel like a Soskin told Bates as the camera rolled in her dining room referring to the "Rosie the Riveter" character that became a symbol of the women who took on tough jobs during the war years But she watched Richmond sprout from a town of 23000 to a bustling city of more than 100000 She watched the tides of so cial change with women and blacks in the war effort Segre gation was still rampant then said Soskin whose great grand mother was born a slave in the mid 1800s Now 86 and still sprightly Soskin is a National Park Service ranger at Rosie the Riv eter World War II Homefront National Historical Park Carroll recalls the public re sponse when he became a mu nicipal judge in 1965 got a lot of said Carroll 85 came from the East Coast where I was well aware of black judges It was all part of the Civil Rights Time islending urgency to give them a sense of who our community leaders are in addition to Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks not stated enough so they tiave any orientation of going on Charles Ramsey Board member West Contra Costa Unified School District the project Some prominent black residents have died Bates hopes to corral family members and colleagues to talk about their contributions Once completed Bates hopes to have the taped interviews available at the public library and in schools so children can learn about the leaders Bates said he has learned something new even though he knows many of the people he in terviewed well and even shared a council dais with a few of them Charles Ramsey who sits on the West Contra Costa Unified School District board and was among those Bates interviewed said he will help get the seg ments into classrooms give them a sense of who our community leaders are in addition to Martin Luther King and Rosa said Ramsey the first black man elected to that school board not stated enough so they don't have any orientation of what's going on Reach Katherine Tam at 510 262 2787 or ktambayareanews groupcom Art exhibits feature prominently during Black History Month A VARIETY of events are taking place in Oakland throughout ebruary In conjunction with Black History Month and many of these are listed on jl Jk the Web site wwwoaklandnetcomcele brations At the Craft and Cultural Arts Gallery in the State of California Office Building Atrium 1515 Clay St the works of selected artists are currently featured The show is called Connections" and has been or ganized as a satellite exhibit of Art of Living Black" an annual non juried exhibition and self guided art tour that showcases Bay Area artists of African descent The popular series now in its 12th year is sponsored by the Richmond Art Center In addition to gallery shows there will be two week ends of self guided open studio tours with 75 partici pating artists event organizers say The first weekend March 1 and 2 1 1 am to 5 pm will feature Berkeley Emeryville Oakland and San rancisco studios The second weekend March 8 and 9 will cover Lafayette Martinez Pinole and Richmond The Art of Living Black (TAOLB) concept was the brainchild of artist and community organizer Rae Louise Hayward who unfortunately succumbed to cancer Jan 3 just as the exhibitors and participants were gearing up to mount this year's show said Di Anne Love co curator of the satellite location in the State Building Love and her fellow curator TheArthur Wright de cided to include a spe cial tribute altar ded icated to Hayward as part of the State Building gallery show "Her work and her ideas were such an in spiration to all of us" says Love will be deeply missed but thanks to her spirit and energy the TAOLB cele brations will live on" The late journalist Chauncey Bailey is also receiving tribute at the State Building gallery this year Love said Conncc lions" will be on view through eb 29 with a reception featuring sev eral of tlie artists taking bi I Annalee ALLEN If you go Walking tours of down town Oakland for Black His toty Month are scheduled for eb 6 and 16 The tours will begin at the African American Museum and place on eb 21 from 5 Library 659 14th St until 6:30 pm There will be performances by Mechelle LaChaux and Rodney Bell as well Love said A free walk through downtown on Wednesday eb 6 sponsored by the Oakland Tours Program will be making a stop at the State Building gallery giving partici pants yet another chance to meet one or two of the art ists TheArthur Wright will be on hand to talk to tourgoers about one of his works in the show called the Seal of Legend has it that in mythical times a black Amazon warrior queen called Califa ruled over an all female na tion on a far off island with a rocky coastline and im pregnable cliffs Their weapons it was said were all of gold Early in the 16th century a Spanish novelist Garci Rodriquez de Montalvo wrote of the female warrior so ciety and their tempting stashes of gold Based on this and other fabulous descriptions of far off lands the Spanish explorers launched their ships in search of the treasure say the history files During the 1630s Captain Hernando Cortez led ex ploratory expeditions along on the western coast of Mexico The Baja Peninsula and later territory to the north would be called California by the explorers say the files in honor of the mythical black queen The eb 6 tour begins at 10 am at AAMLO the Af rican American Museum 659 14th St Reservations are strongly recommended To make a reservation or for more information call the tour hot line 238 3234 or visit wwwoaklandnetcomAvalkingtours To learn more about The Art of Living Black events and exhibits visit wvvwtaolborg The State Building gal lery hours are 10 am to 5 pm Monday through riday Call 622 8190 for more information Please visit us online insidebayareacom I Community Calendar u' TODAY 1 Jan 27 White Elephant Preview Sale Oak land Museum's preview sale for bargain hunters first chance at merchandise $1 250 door 10 am to 4 pm White Elephant Sale Warehouse 333 Lancaster St Oakland Winter Concert irst Congrega tional Church hosts Oakland Youth Or chestra's 44th Season Winter Concert 3 pm $1 2 students and seniors 2501 Harrison St Oakland 832 771 0 wwwoyoorg I ood ood Addicts in Recovery Anonymous based on the 12 steps ot alcoholics anonymous features no dues weigh ins or fees 8:30 to 10 am Summit Campus Merritt Pavilion Cafeteria Annex 350 Hawthorne Oakland 523 4361 MONDAY I Jan 28 Lakeview Writers Group All are welcome to attend monthly work shop led by Jeanne Lupton 6 to 8 pm Oakland Public Library Lakeview Branch 550 El Embarcadero Oakland 238 7344 Book Discussion Group A spirited conversation about this book Oakland Public Library: 3 pm Golden i Gate Branch 5606 San Pablo Ave 597 5023 7 pm Melrose Branch 4805 oot hill Blvd Oakland 535 5623 wwwoak landlibraryorg Public Speaking Training Develop skills in public speaking and leadership in kT a friendly supportive environment 7 4130 Telegraph Ave Oakland 652 5912 Chess Workshops and Drop In Play The Oakland Public Library hosts a teen chess workshop for all ages (K 1 2) and adult chess mentors free 3 to 7 pm Eastmont Branch Eastmont Town Ct Suite '21 1 Oakland 615 5726 www oak landlibraryorg Knitting Group Learn to knit ask i questions and get answers if you are stuck or just knit and chat in the company of others 3 to 4 pm Oakland Public brary Piedmont Branch 160 41st St Oak land 597 501 1 wwwoaklandlibraryorg Cancer Center Salon Alta Bates Summit Medical Comprehensive Cancer Center and the American Cancer Society hosts cosmetologists and wig con suitants to demonstrate ways to cope with appearance changes and physical side ef fects of cancer treatment 10 am to nocn free Cancer Center Salon Herrick Campus 2001 Dwight Way Berkeley 204 4785 Tai Chi Ongoing Tai Chi class at the Downtown Oakland Senior Center free 9:30 to 10:15 am 200 Grand Ave 238 3284 Preschool Storytime The Oakland Public Library hosts stories songs and fin gerplays for children 3 to 5 years am Main Library Room 125 14th St 238 3615 TUESDAY I Jan 29 Navigating the Mekong River REI hosts river explorer Mick who tells of his solo kayak adventure from Tibet to the south China Sea 7 pm 1338 San Pablo Ave Berkeley 527 41 40 ood Addiction ood Addicts in Recovery Anonymous based on the 12 steps of alcoholics anonymous has no 1 dues weigh ins or fees 7 to 8:30 pm Summit Campus Merritt Pavilion Cafeteria Annex 350 Hawthorne Oakland 523 4361 Knitting Group Oakland Public Li brary hosts a weekly group of knitters of any experience level free 12:30 to 2 pm Rockridge Branch 5366 College Ave Oakland wwwoaklandlibraryorg '2 Teen Comic Club Join comic book fans as they venture into the world of su perhero entertainment middle school age students and older 3:30 to 5 pm Oak land Public Library Martin King Jr Branch 6833 International Blvd Oakland 615 5726 Lakeview Chess Club The Oakland Public b'brary hosts a chess club for all ages and experience levels free 3:30 pm to 5 om Lakeview Branch 550 El Embar cadero Oakland 238 7344 wwwoakland libraryorg Send listings two weeks in ad vance to the Community Calendar co The Oakland Tribune 7677 Oak port St Suite 950 Oakland 94621 call 510 208 6450 fax 510 208 6477 or mail ribCaloakfandtrib unecom Done RIGHT Too 50 off Veterans Transfers Medical Marijuana Physician EvaiuaiionswWoxg Medical Clinic see websiteppp (415) 681 0823potdoccom Primary Education Center A Private Preschool Elementary School Nurturing Young Minds Building Great utures Since 1971 NOW ENROLLING for the 2008 09 School Year Lx An affordable quality education program with a culturally relevant curriculum Small class sizes Quality facility qualified staff BeforeAfter school care Nutritious snacks and hot lunches Join us for our Admissions Open House Wednesday January 23 2008 from 6:00 7:30 pan or more Open House dates and other information visit us at wwwsheltonsprimarynet 3339 MLK Jr Way Berkeley CA 94703 (510) 652 6132 SPECshcltonsprimarynet.