The first Black coach in Major League Baseball, John Jordan “Buck” O’Neil, was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday night. 

The baseball legend will be inducted into the Hall of Fame Class of 2022 on July 24, 2022. 

As a player in the Negro American League, where he played for 10 seasons, O’Neil was mainly with the Kansas City Monarchs. During his time on the field, he was named to three All-Star Games, according to KSHB. 

O’Neill served as a scout for the Chicago Cubs following his career as a baseball player. He was later named the first Black coach in Major League Baseball by the team. His list of accomplishments doesn’t stop there—he helped found the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri. 

In 2008, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum honored O’Neil with the Buck O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award and a permanent, life-size bronze statue. Recipients of the award receive a miniature version of the statue, which sits in the Negro League Baseball Museum.

“The Board of Directors of the National Baseball Hall of and Museum is thrilled to honor Buck O’Neil as the first recipient of this award, named after him,” Jane Forbes Clark, chairman of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, said in a press release during the announcement of the namesake award. “Buck touched every facet of baseball, and his impact was among the greatest the game has ever known. The Board recognizes this impact Buck had on millions of people, as he used baseball to teach lessons of life, love, and respect. His contributions to the game go well beyond the playing field. This award will recognize future recipients who display the spirit Buck showed every day of his life.”

To be eligible for the Hall of Fame election, candidates needed to receive 75% of the ballots cast by the Early Baseball Era Committee—O’Neil received 81.3%. His name was on 13 of the 16 ballots cast.

Others considered for election for the 2022 class included Bill Dahlen, John Donaldson, Bud Fowler, Vic Harris, Grant “Home Run” Johnson, Lefty O’Doul, Dick “Cannonball” Redding, Allie Reynolds, and George “Tubby” Scales.

• Business

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December 3, 2021

Master Businessman: Master P Set To Release Touchscreen Ice Cream Machines

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There is no limit to what Percy “Master P” Miller can do as a businessman.

The No Limit Soldier has given us clothes, films, a Louisiana-themed food product line, and now he’s at it again with yet another business venture—and this time he’s bringing ice cream machines to the masses. 

In a recent Instagram post, Master P revealed his new endeavor, and it’s a pretty sweet—an on-demand ice cream machine called “The Ice Cream Shop” that serves up delightful flavors, toppings, and sauces in a cup. 

 

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“The ICE CREAM MAN taking over! Our new technology and Ice cream machine @romeomiller When you put God first, nothing is impossible. #TheIceCreamShop We going to take this company public soon.. The more we make, the more we give. It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. Trust the process #TheFuture We creating economic empowerment, join the movement,” he wrote on Instagram. 

Master P and his son, Romeo Miller, are seen in the video post snacking on cups of ice cream in front of the machine. Before grabbing his order, Master P selected an array of flavors, toppings, and sauces by pressing on the touchscreen menu. 

“We’re going to take over the whole ice cream game,” he said while selecting. “This technology. Then, I’m going to take this company public real soon, so my people can eat off of this.”

“We got ice cream machines going to be in 7-Eleven, malls, schools, the celebrity houses,” he shared. 

“This the future, pops,” Miller said. 

Once his cup of ice cream was dispensed, Master P showed viewers that the spoon comes attached underneath the cup. 

“The future,” he said after tasting his ice cream. 

Last year, Master P introduced himself to the cereal industry with the release of “Hoody Hoos Cereal.” The cereal was named after a 1999 song released on No Limit Records by TRU, “Hoody Hooo.” Flavors for the cereal include Honey Drip, Tropical Fruit and Marshmallow, and Cinnamon Apple.

“Hoody Hoos Cereal is not only a delicious breakfast or snack but is making a difference,” Miller said, the founder and CEO of P. Miller Enterprises. “A percentage of every cereal box sold goes to providing inner-city kids in the community with education, resources, and activities to help build their future.”

• Lifestyle

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December 3, 2021

6-Year-Old Kendall Rae Johnson, Georgia’s Youngest Certified Farmer, Gifted $10K To Water Her Sprouting Future

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A few months ago, BLACK ENTERPRISE shared the story of 6-year-old Kendall Rae Johnson, who made history as Georgia’s youngest certified farmer. And the good news continues.

Johnson was recently awarded $10,000 on Good Morning America (GMA) to support her sprouting future in farming. 

Johnson has a deep love for produce. With the help of her mom, she started a business called “aGROWKulutre.” She also became a member of several organizations, including Georgia Grown and Georgia Farm Bureau. 

“She started out in a patio garden and the patio garden grew from a little bitty something to, by the time her fourth birthday came, we had a full-fledged garden in our backyard,” Kendall’s mother, Ursula Johnson, told BLACK ENTERPRISE in October. “And then we moved, and now she has a farm.”

After planting the seeds for her new business, the young farmer became eligible for grants and scholarships to support her farming endeavors. Good Morning America gave her a great head start when they awarded her a check. 

“My goal is to meet new friends, make new things and inspire other kids,” Johnson said in an interview with GMA. 

She stood with her mother and host Michael Strahan behind a table full of vegetables she’d grown in her backyard on the show. The young farmer, who’s been selling vegetables since May, said her bestsellers were collard greens and sweet potatoes this season. 

Johnson said they’re using the profits from her sales to build an outdoor agriculture science lab and more. 

“We are also partnering with the University of Georgia and 4-H,” she said. “She is the first to charter her own 4-H program for her neighborhood so that she can teach them how to grow their food.”

After Strahan hinted at a surprise for Kendall, Ginger Zee brought out a Honey Bunches of Oats-sponsored check for $10,000. 

Kendall screamed and shouted, “thank you!” 

“This is a great start. We are excited about this. Thank you guys so much. We can’t wait to see the kids’ faces when they come to the farm,” Johnson said smiling. 

• News

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December 2, 2021

14-Year-Old In Search Of Sickle Cell Anemia Donor Surprised With A Wheelchair-Friendly Van And $10,000

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A 14-year-old with sickle cell anemia, his mother, and his sister were surprised with a new wheelchair-friendly van and $10,000 on Good Morning America. 

Joshua Biyoyouwei had a stroke when he was a baby and hasn’t yet found a bone marrow match, which is the only potential cure for his condition, Hello Magazine reported. 

GMA host Robin Roberts shared that the family has faced some challenges with Joshua’s wheelchair. The show gifted the family a Rollx Van specially designed to support wheelchair users. 

Joshua’s mother, Vera, told Robin the van is going to “help us immensely.” 

“I’ll be able to take him wherever, to the grocery store, wherever I can take him,” she said in tears. 

That wasn’t all GMA had in store for the family, to her surprise. Ginger Zee appeared from behind a wall holding a large check to honor Vera, a nurse, and her children. 

“Our sponsor, Honey Bunches of Oats, is celebrating you because you make a bunch happen in your community,” Zee said while holding the check. “So, we wanted you to have this $10,000 check so you can do a bunch more.”

Joshua and his sister, Jaira, smiled from ear to ear as their mother hugged them and thanked the hosts. Vera was left speechless. 

The family are advocates for Be The Match, a platform that encourages people to register to help others find their life-saving cure. 

“I came here to find a match for my son, and we’re praying people go out there and join the registry,” she shared.

In 2012, Robin used Be The Match after being diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome. She received a life-saving bone marrow transplant. Her sister, Sally-Ann Roberts, was her donor. Her journey was documented on GMA and earned the show a Peabody Award.

A mother-and-son duo in Twinsburg, Ohio, advocates for Black boy joy through the release of their Black boy doll line called Our Brown Boy Joy. 

Demetrius Maurice Davis Jr., 9, motivated his mom, Luciana Gilmore, to start the company after questioning why her mentorship only involved girls. At her engagements, he’d be the only boy present, Cleveland.com reported. 

“I was the only boy at these conferences,” Demetrius told Clevland.com. “My mom was also doing these Zoom meetings with them, and I felt left out.”

After “Lil D” questioned his mom, she went to work thinking of ways to support Black boys. She explored project ideas for weeks and then began to pray for answers. One evening it came to her—baby dolls that looked like Demetrius. 

“I started shopping around for dolls of color and discovered there was nothing that looked like my son,” she said. “I knew then we were on the right track and began all the legalities of starting a business.”

Gilmore said he always liked plush animals and superhero dolls. 

“It never occurred to me to think boys might want dolls that look like them. He has older sisters, and I knew to always look for dolls of color for them,” the former Cleveland Metropolitan School District principal said. 

In June of 2020, Gilmore and family gathered around Demetrius and presented him with a folder holding documents. He became the founder and CEO of Our Little Brown Joy on that day. 

 

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Now the owner of a doll line dedicated to Black boys, Lil D decided to use it as a platform to pay homage to 17-year-old Trayvon Martin who was shot and killed by a neighborhood watch captain in Sanford, Florida, in 2012. He also wanted to honor Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old playing at a park when he was fatally shot by a police officer in Cleveland in 2014.

Tamir was a student of Gilmore’s. Demetrius became interested in their stories following the death of George Floyd by police. 

The “My Friend” dolls resemble Demetrius and are clothed in hoodies and Timberland boots to honor Trayvon, who wore a hoodie the night George Zimmerman took his life. 

Gilmore said people need to know Black men and boys “have joy too, but like most, joy can turn to anger. I want people to smile when they see the doll.”.

The first round of dolls were produced in February of 2021. Prices range from $49 to $59 and can be purchased online. 

• Lifestyle

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December 2, 2021

Brightening Up Lives: Virginia Grandparents ‘Make People Happy’ With 1.5 Million Lights On Their Home

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This grandfather is brightening up the lives of many this holiday season with his shining house covered in over 1.5 million lights. 

Keith Mitchell, 64, decorates his Suffolk, Virginia, home each year as part of a family tradition, Good Morning America (GMA) reported. Last year, he told GMA he put up 1.2 million lights but bumped it up to 1.5 this year after his granddaughter asked for 100 more lights. 

“It’s all about my granddaughter for me,” he told GMA about 6-year-old Samaria Johnson. “Plus, it makes a lot of people happy,” he added. 

People from neighboring states come by to get a look at the light show, including North Carolina and Missouri. Last year, the display attracted 200 to 500 visitors every night. 

Mitchell and his wife, Tammie, have witnessed some emotional events at their light display. One year, a man proposed to his girlfriend. Another year, a woman whose daughter died from cancer was moved to tears when she saw her daughter’s favorite color. 

“Her daughter was a cancer child and she died. Her [favorite] color was purple. And for whatever reason, my husband hung up purple colors that year. That woman came through, and she saw the purple colors and started to cry hard,” Tammie recalled.

The couple has been committed to bringing the display to life every year since 2018. The display takes around three months to get up, but they have the help of family, friends, and neighbors. 

They started this year’s display on Sept. 1 and finished putting it up the weekend before Thanksgiving. As far as creative inspiration goes, Mitchell said he gets inspired as he hangs. 

“I just see what I want in my mind, and I just go for it. I don’t plan anything. I just envision it,” he said.

The Mitchells’ have added a special touch to this year’s light display. They’re raising donations for the Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughter, where Samaria stayed for three weeks after she was born.

• Lifestyle

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December 1, 2021

Black Santas With A ‘Cause’: Black Woman Sells HBCU-Themed Black Santa Figurines For The Holidays

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After years of collecting Black Santas, this enthusiast has partnered with HBCUs to sell figurines themed after Black colleges and universities. 

The figurines—designed by Debra L. Mars—feature sweaters, flags, bags, and ornaments repping Howard University, Morehouse College, Grambling University and FAMU, Good Black News reported. 

The Inglewood, Calif. resident began stocking up on Black Santas more than 35 years ago. 

“I traveled the country and would pick them up whenever I saw them, especially in the Southern states,” Mars said. “My fascination came about when I reflected on how my mother only had one childhood toy; it was a white doll that looked nothing like her—that was triggering for me.”

For Mars, producing the Black Santas and sharing them with customers is about reminding people “what a precious gift they are to the world.”

“The Santa to me is symbolic of spiritual gifts and talents rather than what’s in the box under the tree,” she said. “It saddens me that so many people feel worthless and undervalued. That is why our branding tagline for the Black Santa Cause Collective is ‘unwrap your gifts’.”

Mars jumped many obstacles, including supply chain challenges, to finally live in her passion. 

For her, it’s an honor to represent HBCUs in this way. Though she didn’t attend one, while researching and finding out many great influential people, like Thurgood Marshall and Samuel L. Jackson attended, she was “so proud and a little remorseful that I did not attend a HBCU.”

“This dream was planted in me over 25 years ago to create this line. This has been a master class on perseverance. Having the opportunity to represent our sacred jewels: The HBCUs is an honor that I do not take lightly.”

Through her esty.com store, Restore The Hope, Mars also offers Black nutcrackers, Santa-themed bracelets and more holiday goodies.

First she awed the world as this year’s Scripps National Spelling Bee champ, now she’s on the cover of Sports Illustrated Kids for a new award—SportsKid of the Year. 

Zaila Avant-garde of New Orleans became the national spelling bee champion after competing for two years, but she’s always been fascinated by words. The 14-year-old has read more than 1,000 books, Sports Illustrated Kids reported. 

“I’d be reading a book and be like, What’s this word?” she told SI Kids. “So I’d go to look it up into the dictionary. And you know how they have like the links that lead you to the next word? Yeah. That was my downfall. Suddenly a quick run to the dictionary for a minute turns into diving through whole histories of countries.”

While her love for words earned her a major award, including a full scholarship to Louisiana State University, her talent goes beyond just spelling. 

Zaila is also skilled on the basketball court. She’s been featured in Guinness World Records several times for her dribbling skills. She set new records for the most bounce juggles with both three and four balls in a minute and the most bounces with four balls in 30 seconds. She tied the record for most balls dribbled at one time, which was six. 

On the cover of Sports Illustrated Kids, she’s seen dribbling three balls at once while giving the camera an easy smile. 

Zaila Avant-garde is the 2021 SportsKid of the Year!

A dazzling dribbler, a spectacular speller and a scintillating scholar: @Basketballasart can do it all https://t.co/Flq6IhUlKG pic.twitter.com/MTp9ntCsch

— SI KIDS (@SIKids) November 24, 2021

Zalia started hooping at the age of 5. She’d dribble for hours at a time, often while listening to an audiobook. Over time, she started adding balls. 

When the ninth grader plays on the court with a team, she loves “to pass and give assists because I love to get my other teammates involved and just make them happy and make their days go better,” the point guard said. 

After winning the spelling bee, the talented teenager was given a tour at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. While there, she met astronauts and landed a spaceship simulator. She sees NASA as one of the places she imagines herself working.

• News

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November 30, 2021

Five Black Businessmen Gift East Atlanta School Basketball Team With New Bus

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After a small Islamic school in Atlanta struggled to get its basketball players to games, a group of five local Black business men gifted the school a new bus. 

Farad Abdurrahman, a basketball coach at WD Mohammed in East Atlanta, told Atlanta Black Star that he’s been talking about the need for a bus for two years. 

“We had to get to the games, so I used to have my assistant coaches packing up the cars, most times we were in cars, and a few times we took Uber and Lyft but most times we pack them up in my minivans and two other people’s cars, a couple of parents and we drive them all around, and we have to play everywhere, so these are long rides,” Abdurrahman said. 

WD Mohammed is a K-12 school with around 120 students. The school’s basketball team is doing well, with some players showing potential for Division 1 college recruitment. 

Gary Weems, an assistant coach at WD Mohammed, helped put the team’s transportation problem to rest when he reached out to philanthropist and entrepreneur Jason Lobdell, who then contacted other men in the “Circle of CEOs.”

 

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“I called my brothers and said, ‘Look, there’s this school and they need help getting to their games,’ and so I thought, ‘What better way than to get them a bus,’” Lobdell said.

Abdurrahman spent a month searching before the new $27,000 bus was revealed with the team’s logo on the side. Weems said the players were “holding back the tears” in appreciation for the gift that will allow them to relax comfortably on long rides to games. 

The bus is an example of charity, a pillar in the Islamic faith, Abdurrahman said. 

“I’m constantly telling the kids, ‘Listen, it is your duty once you get older and become successful to give back to this community,'” he said,

• Business

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November 27, 2021

The Family of a Black Restaurant Owner, John Young, Says He Was Never Credited As The Originator Of World-Famous ‘Buffalo’ Wings

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A Black man who once lived on Buffalo, New York’s East Side spent the last few years of his life fighting to be credited as the creator of the world-famous buffalo wings. All the while, a local Italian family says they’re the originators. 

John Young was the owner of a busy restaurant on Jefferson Avenue in the 1960s, which was considered Buffalo’s Black Main Street during segregation. He was first known for his whole, breaded wings before his tangy “mombo”-sauced wings became a hit.

Today, the spicy “buffalo” wings are known by their buttery hot sauce mixture.

Theodore Clyburn, 74, recalls chowing down on Young’s saucy orange-red wings after he graduated high school in 1964, USA TODAY reported. 

“Anybody that was around back then will tell you that John Young was the originator,” Clyburn told USA TODAY about the owner of John Young’s Wings and Things. 

By 1970, Young left the city. Due to riots and racial tension he didn’t feel it was a safe place to live. When he returned a decade later, the hot wings were all the rave and all the credit had gone to a local Italian restaurant, Anchor Bar, which sat just a mile from Young’s restaurant. 

“They wouldn’t have dared claim they invented the wing while my father was still around,” Young’s daughter, Lina Brown-Young said. “They just wouldn’t.”

After going back into wing business, Young told his story to any newspaper around, including the New Yorker in 1980. 

“I am the true inventor of the Buffalo chicken wing,” he told Buffalo News food critic Janice Okun in 1996, two years before his death. “It hurts me so bad that other people take the credit.”

As some tell it, Frank and Teressa Bellissimo—owners of Anchor Bar—invented the buffalo wings in their decades-old restaurant. 

There are several renditions to what exactly happened. In one version of the story, set in 1964, the Bellissimo’s son Dominic walked in the spot on a Friday night with a group of friends. They were hungry and looking for something new. It’s said his mother improvised with what she had on hand. 

“They looked like chicken wings, a part of the chicken that usually went into the stock pot for soup,” the bar’s official history read on a placard outside its door. “Teressa had deep fried the wings and flavored them with a secret sauce. The wings were an instant hit.”

Now a multi-state franchise, Anchor Bar sells bottled sauce sold as far away as Japan.

“If you talk about one of the hallmarks of Buffalo’s cultural contributions when it comes to food, chicken wings, there was an African American man there who—if it was parallel circumstances, or some kind of linear progression—he was doing it on the East Side,” City of Buffalo councilman James Pitts said.

“He was serving up stuff to his community because he couldn’t get to any other community.”