The year 2007 was one filled with shocking announcements, ground-breaking surprises and unexpected deaths. Following is a quick look at some of the major things that impacted the past 12 months of our lives:
• Former Mayor Bart Peterson announced his $85 million crime-fighting plan. The plan focused on aggressively fighting crime, drugs and gangs by keeping more police officers on the street; paying off the city’s looming unfunded public safety pension obligation and decades of financial problems; funding various prevention programs; and giving property tax relief to residents. The plan was considered fairly controversial because several ministers within the Black community wanted the city to fund $25 million to them for their own crime-prevention efforts.
• Two minorities announced they would run for president of the United States: Illinois Sen. Barack Obama (a Black man) and New York Sen. Hillary Clinton (a white female). It was the first time that two minorities were serious contenders for the U.S. presidency. Obama and Clinton dominated the lists among Democratic voters throughout the year.
• History was made when two African-American NFL coaches made it to the Super Bowl. Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy and Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith became the symbol of evolution and accomplishment amongst the Black community when their teams squared off against one another. Dungy and his Colts went on to win the championship with a score of 29-17. While doing so, America was introduced to the power of prayer when Dungy very publicly proclaimed his spiritual beliefs during the historic game.
• The Greater Indianapolis Branch of the NAACP revamped its image and vision with the announcement of new President Cornell Burris. Throughout 2007 Burris elevated the chapter to a level that local residents hadn’t seen in years.
• In March members of the Tuskegee Airmen were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest recognition bestowed by Congress. Nearly 300 of the surviving airmen gathered at the Capitol Building in Washington to receive the honor from President Bush.
• Several “pea-shake” houses were raided throughout the early part of 2007 in an effort to curb illegal gambling. The efforts of local law enforcement officials were met with mixed reviews as some in the community supported police efforts to rid the area of crime, while others felt police needed to focus on other more serious offenses such as raiding crack-houses and combating gang violence. Although activity in the raided pea-shake houses decreased somewhat; many of the informal gambling places continue to operate on a regular basis.
• Powerful legislation was approved in the Indiana General Assembly that would require most schools to provide information to parents of sixth grade girls about the vaccine against human papillomavirus, or HPV. HPV is a sexually transmitted disease that can cause cervical cancer. The bill passed the House with an 81-14 vote.
• Radio host Don Imus was fired by NBC and his show “Imus in the Morning” was cancelled because the shock-jock “jokingly” referred to women on the Rutgers University basketball team as “nappy-headed hos.” The comments resulted in heated debates and conversations about cultural competency amongst individuals as well as entertainers. The incident also instituted a tremendous level of activism from many women and other minorities. Imus publicly apologized for his comments. In November of 2007 he was hired by another network to host his show. In an effort to be more accountable, Imus hired two African-American comedians as regulars on his controversial radio show.
• A week following Imus’ lewd comments, Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita made controversial comments about African-Americans and the Democratic Party. During a dinner in the southern part of the state Rokita compared strong African-American support for the Democratic Party to a master-slave relationship. “How can that be?” Rokita was quoted saying. “Ninety to 10. Who’s the master and who’s the slave in that relationship?” Following his remarks Rokita went on a damage control campaign including speaking with members of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus (IBLC). Eventually the IBLC accepted Rokita’s comments.
• Thirty-two Virginia Tech students were killed April 16 at the hands of fellow student Seung-Hui Cho, who also killed himself. Cho was a senior at the university and had previously been treated for severe anxiety disorder. He’d also been accused of stalking two female students and was considered mentally ill. The Virginia Tech massacre was the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history.
• A delegation of Indiana Black Expo representatives visited South Africa in an effort to increase HIV/AIDS outreach, economic development and form longtime partnerships. The delegation also visited Senegal for many of the same reasons. Both trips across the ocean were also to help bridge the gap that exists between Africans and African-Americans.
• Genarlow Wilson gained national notoriety when he was found guilty of having aggravated child molestation when he received oral sex from a 15-year-old girl when he was 17. Both he and the young girl said the sex was consensual, however, because of a strict Georgia law, Wilson was sentenced to a mandatory 10-year prison term. He served over three years before being released in November 2007. Georgia lawmakers changed the law in 2006 to make oral sex amongst teens a misdemeanor. This was credited to the attention that Wilson’s case garnered.
• The city renamed the familiar Airport Expressway after Sam Jones, the late civil rights leader who was also the first president and CEO of the Indianapolis Urban League.
• In September more than 50,000 individuals from around the nation converged on the town of Jena, La., to hold demonstrations in support of the so-called “Jena Six,” Black teenagers facing prison time for beating a white teenager following a series of intense, racially-charged events. In Indianapolis a coalition of students from IUPUI, Butler University and Ivy Tech held their own rally in support of equal justice for the Jena Six on the IUPUI campus.
• Indiana Black Expo CEO Joyce Rogers resigned after three years of bringing the organization to international prominence and financial solvency. She accepted an executive fundraising and outreach position with Ivy Tech Community College.
• Indianapolis Public Schools announced a new uniform policy for students and a sweeping redistricting plan that will close a handful of schools while establishing new magnet learning centers in high schools.
• On Nov. 8 the election for Indianapolis mayor and City-County Council produces stunning results. Two-term Mayor Bart Peterson was defeated by retired Marine, businessman and educator Greg Ballard in a stunning upset. Republicans regained a three-seat majority on the City-County Council. Rozelle Boyd, the city’s longest serving Black elected official, is voted off the council along with fellow African-Americans Lonnell “King Ro” Conley, Ron Gibson and Sherron Franklin. New African-American faces are elected to the council, including Democrats Andre Carson and Jose Evans, and Republicans Kent Smith and Barbara Malone.
• Three-year-old TaJanay Bailey dies as a result of abuse allegedly committed by her mother Charity Bailey and boyfriend Lawrence Green. The situation sparked an outcry in the community against the local child welfare system, which many criticized for releasing Bailey from foster care and placing her back in the care of unfit providers. The case also generated public attention on living conditions at the Phoenix Apartments complex where Bailey died, prompting the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Departments to set up sub-stations inside the complex.
• In December the Indiana Black Expo board announces that Tanya Bell has been named the new president and CEO. Bell had served as a member of the organization’s board since 2001. At a news conference she pledged to bolster the organization’s fundraising base to offer more programs to the community.
• Martin University’s Father Boniface Hardin completed his final month as president of the institution he founded 30 years ago. He was replaced by Algeania Freeman former president of Livingstone College in Salisbury, N.C.
