Black History Archives - The Truth Seekers Journal

SHADOW BALL: Learning More About Negro League History

March 10, 2026

One of my main passions in Negro League baseball research is endeavoring to assist the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum to have better representation of Negro League “players” in their plaque gallery. Currently there are 28 Negro League “players” inducted in the Hall of Fame and 137 players inducted who had played in the traditional Major Leagues (as defined by MLB as “major” in 1969) prior to April 15, 1947. (I should note that only 125 of those players fully earned their plaques during MLB’s Segregated Era, 1876-1946)

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a 501(c)3 not‑for‑profit educational institution, dedicated to preserving history, honoring excellence, and connecting generations. The question becomes does a 5 to one ratio properly “preserve (the) history” of baseball prior to 1947. Does having only 18% of all players prior to ’47 adequately educate the public on the National Pastime’s history?

Consider the following background facts:

Oral history is full of Major League players, including Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, and Honus Wagner (the first three inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame), who extoled the talents of Negro League players.
Despite Commissioner Landis doing his best to ban Major League teams from playing Negro League teams … hundreds of games between “so called “Major League and “so called” Negro League teams were played and, as historians and accountants will do, records were kept. I have seen a half dozen or so such composite accounts and the Negro League teams have the edge in every one of them.
On December 16, 2020, “Commissioner of Baseball Robert D. Manfred, Jr. announced that Major League Baseball is correcting a longtime oversight in the game’s history by officially elevating the Negro Leagues to “Major League” status.” Designating 7 Negro Leagues – Negro National League, Eastern Colored League, American Negro League, East-West League, Negro Southern League, Negro National League II, Negro American League – as Major.
On May 29, 2024, MLB officially absorbed select Negro League records. Amazingly and interestingly, they show virtually identical slash lines for the two sides of the ML color line. Now, this would not have a lot of probative value if not for the other supportive facts in this litany.
Jackie Robinson and Roy Campanella were the first two players inducted in the Hall of Fame having debuted in the NL/AL after ’46. Including that pair, just about 41% of all Hall of Famers debuting in either the AL or NL since then are players who would not have been permitted to play prior to the reintegration of the game.
In 2025, just under 41% of major league opening day rosters were players who would not have been permitted to play prior to the integration of the game. Keep in mind, unlike pre 1947 a significant amount of baseball talent is siphoned off by the National Football League or National Basketball Association.
As for the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum it also has done spectacular work in telling both the history (and quality) of the Negro Leagues in every corner of the museum except the plaque gallery. In 2024, a Black baseball initiative was unveiled which included a new exhibit ‘The Souls of the Game: Voices of Black Baseball’; unveiling of a new Hank Aaron statue titled “Keep Swinging”; creation of a webpage called ‘We Play’ geared to 8 to 12 year olds which tells the story of Black baseball and its role in the Civil Rights movement; in addition additional educational outreach programs for older students are delivered to classrooms across the country; the Hall of Fame East-West Classic: A Tribute to the Negro Leagues All-Star Game (sadly this spectacular event was not continued annually – it is never too late; during ’24 the Hall began a collaboration with Dr. Geral Early, Washington University of Saint Louis, on a book published in 2025 “Play Harder” which sheds light on the early Black influence on baseball … for me, the year was capped when the Hall of Fame invited SABR’s Negro League Research Committee to hold its annual Jerry Malloy Conference in the Hall of Fame.

Surely, Negro League players must have made up more than 18% of the best players prior to 1947.

It is time for Hall to answer Major League Baseball’s action of ’20 and ’24 by bringing the Hall of Honor UpToDate by inducting all deserving Negro League baseball players with all deliberate speed. Not two this year, none the next, and then another, then another two … already most of the players are gone and at such pace even the historians and ancestors will be gone.

Last week’s Shadow Ball Significa question: Submitted by Shadow Ball fan, Will Clark): The 1969 New York Mets had a player (a key one at that) whose stepfather played in the Negro Leagues. Name the player and the Negro Leaguer who was his stepfather. The 1969 New York Mets player was Donn Clendenon. He was a key contributor and 1969 World Series MVP. Clendenon’s stepfather was Nish Williams Nish Williams raised him, mentored him, and shaped his athletic discipline. Clendenon often credited Williams with instilling the work ethic that carried him through his MLB career and ultimately helped power the Miracle Mets to their championship. Both Clendenon (2005) and Williams (1968) are deceased.

The Shadow ball Significa Question of the Week: What manager has been named to the Baseball Hall of Fame for Negro League performance? Send your answer and any comments on this issue’s Shadow Ball to shadowball@truthseekersjournal.com or Shadow Ball, 3904 N Druid Hills Rd, Ste 179, Decatur, GA 30033

Ted Knorr is a Negro League baseball historian, longtime member of the Society for American Baseball Research’s Negro League Committee, and founder of the Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference and several local Negro League Commemorative Nights in central Pennsylvania. You can send questions for Knorr on Negro League topics as well as your answers to the week’s Significa question to shadowball@truthseekersjournal.com or Shadow Ball, 3904 N Druid Hills Rd, Ste 179, Decatur, GA 30033

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SHADOW BALL: Learning More About Negro League History

February 24, 2026

Dear Shadow Ball: “Where would you place Rap Dixon in a list of the greatest Negro League outfielders? — Al Davis, Rensselaer, NY

… this column exists for only one purpose and that is to answer your questions on Negro League baseball history. To that end, I need your help … if you are reading this column and enjoy it and want it to continue and you don’t already know everything about Negro League history … then please submit a question on any aspect of Negro League history. Your questions are the lifeblood of Shadow Ball—they shape where we go next.

– players, teams, events, and more – and, in so doing, you will direct where this column goes moving forward. Your participation is important and appreciated. The very existence of this column depends on you. Submit your questions to shadowball@truthseekersjournal.com.

Dear Al: As you (as well as anyone paying attention to me) knows Rap Dixon is my favorite Negro League player thus it is no surprise that I rank him at the top of the list of Hall of Fame worthy outfielders. There are seven Negro League outfielders already in and I have no quibble ranking all of them ahead of Dixon – Oscar Charleston, Turkey Stearnes, Cristobal Torriente, Pete Hill, Willard Brown, and Cool Papa Bell. Monte Irvin, the 1^st put into the Hall as an outfielder, I would prefer him to be listed as a shortstop where he played 47% of his games with only 41% of his games being played as an outfielder.

After the already inducted group I support the results of several polls including SABR’s Negro League Committee, the 42 for ’21 poll, and the Negro League Centennial Team as well as opinions of both Oscar Charleston and Cool Papa Bell all of which name Rap Dixon as the next outfielder to be inducted. The 1952 Pittsburgh Courier poll offers only Clint Thomas (among eligible outfielders) ahead of Dixon. Monte Irvin prefers Wild Bill Wright over Dixon. Other outfielders deserving induction (not consideration but induction) include, both Thomas and Wright, Alejandro Oms, Fats Jenkins, Spottswood Poles, Roy Parnell, Chino Smith (with an Addie Joss waiver), and Hurley McNair. Leaving others for future consideration including Heavy Johnson, Sam Jethroe, Ted Strong, Henry Kimbro, Pancho Coimbre, and others.

In closing I must point out that since the integration of the game only six outfielders have debuted and earned induction (Mantle, Kaline, Snider, Yastrzemski, Ashburn, and Walker) that would have been permitted to play in the AL or NL prior to 1947 … and 24 outfielders have debuted/earned induction who would not have been permitted to play in either of those leagues prior … my list of recommended inductees above includes only nine, There is plenty of room in Cooperstown for Justice.

Last week’s Shadow Ball Significa question: Who took over as Commissioner of the Negro National League immediately after Rube Foster resigned in November 1926? Unlike last week where we got two correct answers; this week’s question produced none. The immediate successor to Rube Foster was Dr. G. B. Key who took over immediately after Rube Foster for the remainder of 1926.

The Shadow Ball Significa Question of the Week (submitted by Shadow Ball fan, Will Clark): The 1969 New York Mets had a player (a key one at that) whose stepfather played in the Negro Leagues. Name the player and the Negro Leaguer who was his stepfather.

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Shadow Ball: Learning More About Negro League History

February 19, 2026

Dear Shadow Ball: “Who would be “your” choice for the next three Negro League inductees for the Hall of Fame?” — Jerry Hoover, Asheboro, NC

Dear Jerry: By “your” Mr. Hoover was asking about “my” choices and I have been clear for several years now – my choice for the most deserving player has been John Beckwith, multi-position slugger of the Baltimore Black Sox, Chicago American Giants, and the Harrisburg Giants. My choice among non-players is Gus Greenlee, owner Pittsburgh Crawfords, builder of Greenlee Field, one of the founders of the East-West Classic, founder of the 2^nd Negro National League, and an organizer of the United States Baseball League a “historically significant but marginal” latter day Negro League. Last, my favorite Negro League player and my third answer to your question, is buried in the Township in which I live, played Major League home games on a Lancaster, PA, field where I played midget football, is outfielder Rap Dixon. All three are absolutely no brainer inductees. Since 30 to 50 additional no brainer Negro League induction candidates exist in my view — it is time for the National Baseball Hall of Fame to get busy.

Last week’s Shadow Ball Significa question: A Hall of Fame Negro League slugger had a nephew who sang with, and co-founded, a legendary R&B vocal group of the 1940’s and 1950’s. Name that slugger. Will Clark, a reader who submitted this week’s sought slugger Buck Leonard and singer and founder of The Orioles Sonny Til his nephew. Both Leonard (1972 Baseball inductee) and Til (1995 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee with other members of The Orioles) are Hall of Famers. No one got that answer correct; however, Kevin Johnson, Broken Arrow, OK, offered a different but just as compelling correct answer: slugger Mule Suttles’s nephew Warren Suttles, baritone lead, and co-founder, of The Ravens. Gotta wonder – given the strong connection between culture and baseball – if there are more “correct” answers for this one.

The Shadow Ball Significa Question of the Week (submitted by Shadow Ball fan, Kevin Johnson): Who took over as Commissioner of the Negro National League immediately after Rube Foster resigned in November 1926? Let us see how many correct answers we can get this time.

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Rev. Jesse Jackson, Civil Rights Leader and Political Trailblazer, Dies at 84

Rev. Jesse Jackson, civil rights icon and presidential candidate, dies at 84, leaving a legacy of justice, hope, HBCU pride, and athlete equity reform.

By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | February 17, 2026

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a towering figure in the modern Civil Rights Movement and two‑time presidential candidate who reshaped American politics, has died at the age of 84. Jackson passed away peacefully at his home in Chicago, surrounded by family, according to his daughter Santita Jackson. The family has not released a cause of death, though Jackson publicly disclosed in 2017 that he had been battling Parkinson’s disease.

Born Jesse Louis Burns on October 8, 1941, in Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson later adopted the surname of his stepfather, Charles Henry Jackson, at age 15. From humble beginnings in the segregated South, he rose to become one of the most recognizable moral voices in America.

A graduate of North Carolina A&T State University, Jackson returned to his alma mater as commencement speaker in May 1984, just months after mounting a historic presidential campaign that energized millions. I was among the graduating seniors that day, watching him fuse faith, politics, and possibility in a message that was not simply celebratory but urgent and instructive. His words carried the cadence of a movement and the clarity of a mandate.

Jackson stood beside Martin Luther King Jr. at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis when King was assassinated in 1968. In the aftermath, he carried forward the unfinished work of economic justice, voting rights, and dignity for the poor. Through Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity) and later the Rainbow Coalition now the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition Jackson pressured corporations to open their boardrooms to minorities and women and demanded that public policy reflect the needs of the marginalized.

His fiery oratory and signature phrases “Keep Hope Alive” and “I Am Somebody” became rallying cries. For many young Americans watching from public housing and underfunded schools, his presidential campaigns in 1984 and 1988 signaled that national leadership was within reach. His efforts helped widen the political pathway later walked by Barack Obama and other leaders of a new generation.

Jackson’s influence extended far beyond electoral politics. Decades before today’s debates over athlete compensation, he questioned the economic structure of college sports, criticizing universities for generating millions from football and basketball programs while players many of them young Black men saw none of the revenue beyond scholarships. His argument, once controversial, laid intellectual groundwork for what would later become Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) reforms, allowing college athletes to profit from their own brands.

On the global stage, Jackson negotiated the release of hostages abroad, including Americans held in Syria and Cuba, and engaged world leaders in diplomatic efforts rooted in human rights. His ministry blended spiritual conviction with political activism, bringing poetry and prophetic power into the public square.

U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock said, “America has lost one of its great moral voices… As a kid growing up in public housing while watching him run for President, Rev. Jesse Jackson gave me a glimpse of what is possible and taught me to say, ‘I am somebody!’”

Tributes echoed across political and generational lines. President Donald Trump called him “a force of nature like few others before him.” Al Sharpton described him as his mentor and “a movement unto himself.” Bernice King posted a photo of Jackson beside her father with the words, “Both now ancestors.”

Jackson’s life was not without controversy. He publicly acknowledged fathering a child outside his marriage, a revelation that tested his public image. Yet even amid personal trials, he remained a relentless advocate for justice.

He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Jacqueline Brown, and their five children: Santita, Jesse Jr., Jonathan, Yusef, and Jacqueline.

From Greenville to Memphis, from Chicago to Greensboro, Jesse Jackson spent more than half a century urging America to expand its moral imagination. He did not simply preach hope. He organized it. He demanded it. And for more than fifty years, he kept it alive.

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Uncle Nearest to Remain Under Federal Control as Judge Evaluates Competing Claims of Solvency

From inside federal court, TSJ reports judge keeps Uncle Nearest in receivership, sets March 5 deadline amid $164M debt concerns and affiliate scrutiny.

After a marathon six-hour hearing, Judge Atchley orders supplemental briefing on missing records and “commingled” funds.

By Milton Kirby | Knoxville, TN | February 15, 2026

“The status quo shall remain unchanged,” the court wrote. “The Receiver continues to possess all the powers granted to him … and the receivership retains its original scope.”

In plain terms: the court‑appointed receiver remains in complete operational control of the company while the judge evaluates the evidence presented during Monday’s hearing.

Federal Judge Charles E. Atchley Jr. kept the Uncle Nearest receivership firmly in place Monday after a six‑hour hearing that among other issues, revisited questions about the company’s finances, governance, and record‑keeping. From my seat inside the courtroom, it was clear the judge saw enough unresolved issues to maintain full federal control while he reviews the new testimony and evidence.

Collins Challenges the Receiver

Much of Monday’s questioning was led by Michael Collins, attorney for Uncle Nearest. His direct examination of Receiver Phillip G. Young, Jr. focused sharply on three themes:

Whether the Receiver and his consultants were effectively managing the company
Whether the Receiver had been transparent about the company’s solvency
Whether the receivership itself was harming the brand’s operations

Collins pressed witnesses on financial assumptions, operational decisions, and communications with vendors. The strategy was clear: challenge the narrative that Uncle Nearest is irreversibly insolvent and question whether the Receiver’s management has improved or worsened the situation.

Anthony Severini’s Testimony

One of the most striking moments came during testimony from Anthony Severini, CFO of Global Genesis the company responsible for processing Uncle Nearest’s payroll.

Severini testified that Global Genesis believed in the Weavers and the long‑term viability of Uncle Nearest. Because of that trust, Global had processed payroll and extended 60‑day payment terms prior to the receivership, applying payments to the oldest outstanding invoices.

According to Severini, after the Receiver was appointed, he was told that pre‑receivership debts would effectively be stayed and that future payroll processing would be paid when due. He said the Receiver offered no assurances about prior balances.

Severini further testified that during an early conversation, the Receiver indicated he planned to sell the company by the end of 2025. He also said the Receiver described himself as “right‑sizing the ship” and suggested control would eventually return to company leadership.

In one of the more serious allegations presented in open court, Severini stated that the Receiver “lied” to him about the company’s financial condition. He testified that he did not learn of significant cash‑flow concerns on the part of the Receiver until January 2026.

These statements were presented as part of Uncle Nearest’s broader argument that the Receiver’s communications and management decisions have contributed to instability.

Notably, neither the Receiver’s attorney nor counsel for Farm Credit Mid‑America chose to cross‑examine Severini, leaving his testimony including his statement that the Receiver “lied” to him unrebutted in the record.

The Receiver’s Position

The Receiver, by contrast, has asserted that Uncle Nearest faces approximately $164 million in debt, missing documentation, and troubling intercompany transfers — including funds that flowed through Grant Sidney Inc.

The court has not ruled on the truth of these competing characterizations. Instead, Judge Atchley ordered supplemental briefing focused specifically on “new evidence and testimony” introduced at the hearing, including issues involving erased records, fund transfers, and solvency.

The “Affiliated Seven” and Scope Expansion

The hearing was also intended to address whether seven related entities including Humble Baron should be brought under receivership control.

Time constraints prevented full oral argument. The judge directed attorneys to address “flow of funds” and “commingling” concerns in written briefs due:

February 26, 2026 — Supplemental briefs
March 5, 2026 — Responses

After March 5, the court is expected to issue a decision on whether the receivership:

Continues
Expands
Or is terminated

The Funding Variable

The ruling also preserves a key condition tied to emergency financing.

Creditor Farm Credit Mid‑America has indicated it would provide $2.5 million in funding only if the Receiver remains in control. By maintaining the current structure, the judge ensures that option remains available while the dispute unfolds.

What Was Clear in the Room

From inside the courtroom, one thing was evident: this case is no longer just about numbers on a balance sheet.

It is about credibility of leadership, of management, of financial reporting, and of the receivership process itself.

Judge Atchley did not telegraph a decision. Instead, he signaled caution.

For now, the Receiver stays. The founders wait. And the future of one of the nation’s most prominent Black‑owned spirits brands remains under federal court supervision.

Once the March 5 filings land, Judge Atchley will decide whether to maintain the status quo, widen the receivership’s reach, or return control to the founders. TSJ will continue monitoring the docket and reporting developments from Knoxville.

“The status quo remains unchanged while the Court evaluates competing claims over solvency, transparency, and control.”

A Federal Judge Weighs Control, Cash Flow, and Confidence at Uncle Nearest

Is the Cure Worse Than the Crisis? Judge Weighs Uncle Nearest Receivership

Fight for a Billion-Dollar Brand: Weavers Move to Halt Receiver’s Actions

Uncle Nearest: A Billion-Dollar Brand, a $25 Million Question & The Unanswered Future

Receiver’s Report Says Uncle Nearest Can Be Reorganized

Uncle Nearest at Legal Crossroads

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John Stewart Rock: A Life Of Brillance Against The Odds

John Stewart Rock—physician, lawyer, and abolitionist—challenged racist science, affirmed Black dignity, and became the first Black attorney admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Physician. Dentist. Lawyer. Abolitionist. Pioneer of Black dignity.
Born: October 13, 1825 — Died: December 3, 1866

By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | February 1, 2026

Long before the civil rights movements of the 1960s, John Stewart Rock stood in the cradle of liberty, Boston’s Faneuil Hall, and demanded that the nation recognize not only the humanity of Black people but also the race’s inherent beauty, intellect, and strength. At a moment when the Supreme Court had attempted to erase Black citizenship through the Dred Scott decision, Rock asserted a higher authority: the undeniable truth of his own identity and the dignity of his people.

His March 5, 1858, address was both scholarly and incendiary. Drawing on his medical training, he dismantled the era’s so-called “scientific” racism, rejecting the notion that whiteness defined beauty or superiority. Instead, he celebrated what he called the “beautiful, rich color” of Black people and argued that true excellence was measured by character and resilience, not complexion.

Even more provocative was Rock’s call for self-determination. He urged Black Americans to rely on their own strength — to “sink or swim” with their race — and to build institutions, intellect, and dignity from within. It was a philosophy rooted in pride, discipline, and an unshakable belief in Black potential. That worldview would guide every chapter of his remarkable life.

In the landscape of 19th-century America, a nation fractured by slavery, war, and racial hierarchy, few figures embodied intellectual defiance and quiet excellence like John Stewart Rock. Born free in Salem, New Jersey, Rock rose to prominence not through wealth or political power, but through relentless study, disciplined mastery, and an unwavering belief in the inherent worth of Black people. His life stands as one of the most extraordinary examples of Black professional achievement before the end of the Civil War.

Denied admission to medical school because of his race, Rock refused to be deterred. He apprenticed under two white physicians in Philadelphia, studying medicine the way many Black professionals of the era were forced to — through private mentorship rather than institutional access. When medical opportunities remained limited, he pivoted to dentistry, quickly earning a reputation for precision and skill. His success eventually opened the door to formal medical study, and Rock earned his medical degree, becoming one of the earliest African American physicians in the United States.

While practicing medicine and dentistry, Rock emerged as a commanding abolitionist speaker whose words cut through the political fog of the era. In his 1858 address, he declared:

“I am proud of my ancestry. I am proud of the black man… I believe that the time will come when the black man will be as much respected in this country as the white man is.”

His speeches consistently confronted the myth of white superiority, reminding audiences that oppression was not evidence of inferiority, but of injustice.

Years of overwork and declining health eventually forced Rock to scale back his medical practice. But instead of retreating, he reinvented himself once again, this time as a lawyer. He studied law with the same intensity he had brought to medicine and was admitted to the Massachusetts bar, offering representation and advocacy to Black clients navigating a hostile legal system.

On February 1, 1865, in the final months of the Civil War, Rock became the first Black attorney admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court. The moment represented the intellectual authority of a people long denied recognition and signaled a shift in the nation’s legal and moral landscape as the 13th Amendment moved toward ratification.

Rock’s health continued to decline, and he died on December 3, 1866, at just 41 years old. Though his life was brief, his impact was profound. His speeches, including his reflections on the Haitian Revolution.

“The history of the bloody struggles for freedom in Hayti… will be a lasting refutation of the malicious aspersions of our enemies.”

reveal a man deeply aware of the global Black struggle for dignity and liberation.
John Stewart Rock’s life is a reminder that brilliance often emerges in the margins — in the quiet determination of individuals who refuse to accept the limits imposed upon them. His achievements challenge the historical narrative that Black excellence began after emancipation.

Rock proved, long before the Civil War ended, that Black intellect, discipline, and leadership were already reshaping the nation.

John Stewart Rock at a Glance

Key Dates
• 1825 — Born free in Salem, New Jersey
• 1844–1848 — Teacher in New Jersey public schools
• 1852 — Earns medical degree
• 1855 — Admitted to the Massachusetts bar
• 1858 — Delivers landmark Crispus Attucks Day address at Faneuil Hall
• 1865 — First Black attorney admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court bar
• 1866 — Dies at age 41

Signature Ideas

“Beautiful, rich color.”

Rock’s rejection of “scientific” racism and his affirmation of Black beauty decades before the phrase Black is beautiful entered the cultural lexicon.

“Sink or swim with our race.”

His call for Black self-determination, institution building, and intellectual independence.

“A lasting refutation.”

His insistence that Haiti’s revolution proved Black capability and courage on the world stage.

Professional Firsts

• Among the earliest African American physicians
• Practiced both medicine and dentistry
• One of the first Black lawyers in Massachusetts
• First Black attorney admitted to argue before the U.S. Supreme Court

Why He Matters

Rock’s life demonstrates that Black excellence did not begin with emancipation — it was already flourishing in the shadows of slavery. His achievements challenge the nation’s historical amnesia and reclaim a lineage of brilliance too often overlooked.

“I am proud of my ancestry. I am proud of the black man.”
— John Stewart Rock, 1858

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House Of Representatives Passes 13th Amendment, Abolishing Slavery

Reflecting on the 161st Anniversary of the 13th Amendment – A Nation at War Takes a Defining Step Toward Freedom

By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | January 31, 2026

Today marks a date that should be etched into the mind of every American who values the sanctity of the law and the progress of human liberty. On this day, January 31, 1865, the United States House of Representatives sat in a chamber thick with the scent of tobacco and the heavy weight of history. They were there to decide if the “peculiar institution” of slavery would finally be purged from our national charter.

The amendment’s language was stark in its clarity:
“Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude… shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”

As we at The Truth Seekers Journal spend our days digging through modern court authorizations and federal actions, it is vital to look back at the most significant “court-authorized” action in our history: the passage of the 13th Amendment.

A House Divided, A Gallery Overflowing

The atmosphere in Washington 161 years ago was electric. The Civil War was grinding toward its bloody conclusion, but President Abraham Lincoln knew that his Emancipation Proclamation was merely a wartime measure, a temporary fix that could be undone by a future court or a hostile peace. He needed a “King’s cure,” a permanent constitutional seal that would ensure freedom was not just a policy, but a foundational right.

The vote was far from a sure thing. Just months earlier, the House had failed to reach the necessary two-thirds majority. But through the relentless political maneuvering of James Mitchell Ashley and the unwavering moral clarity of Thaddeus Stevens, the tide began to turn.

When the final tally was announced—119 to 56—the House erupted. Reports from the time describe a “tumult of joy” that broke all decorum. Members wept openly. The galleries cheered so loudly the rafters shook. For the first time, the word “Slavery” was used in the Constitution not to protect it, but to abolish it forever.

The vote came nearly four years into the Civil War, at a moment when the Union’s military fortunes had begun to turn and the moral urgency of abolition had become inseparable from the nation’s survival. President Abraham Lincoln, who had issued the Emancipation Proclamation two years earlier, had long argued that only a constitutional amendment could permanently end slavery across all states including those loyal to the Union.

The Power of the Record

What strikes me, as I review the FBI’s recent confirmations regarding election record custody in Union City, is the parallel of accountability. In 1865, the struggle was over the custody of human lives; today, our struggle is often over the custody of the truth and the integrity of our democratic processes.

The 13th Amendment succeeded because of a transparent, recorded vote. It succeeded because men like Lincoln and Stevens weren’t afraid to push against the status quo to ensure that the law reflected the will of a free people.

Why We Remember

At The Truth Seekers Journal, we believe that history is a living document. When we ask the FBI about the statutory basis for a search warrant, we are standing on the shoulders of those who demanded that the federal government operate under the light of constitutional authority.

The 13th Amendment didn’t just end a dark chapter; it set a precedent that the Constitution belongs to the people, and its amendments are our tools for course correction.

As we continue to investigate the events unfolding at the Fulton County Election Hub, let us remember the lesson of January 31, 1865: Truth and transparency are the only path to a more perfect union.

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From D.C. to Dubai: The Rise of a Global AI Governance Leader

Aliyana Isom is named Global Lead for Security Professionals in AI Governance by WiAIG, marking a milestone in ethical, secure, and inclusive global AI leadership.

By Milton Kirby | Washington, D.C. | January 28, 2026

At 10:00 a.m. Tuesday morning at Dulles International Airport, Aliyana Isom boarded a plane bound for Dubai. The destination is more than a city. It’s a signal. In a matter of hours, she will moderate a global leadership panel at the January 31, 2026 Corporate Women Summit, bringing culture, accountability, and governance into a room where decisions ripple across borders.

That flight marks a milestone. Isom has been named Global Lead for Security Professionals in AI Governance by Women in AI Governance (WiAIG) a role that places her at the center of one of the most consequential conversations shaping technology’s future.

A Role That Signals Trust

This trust underpins WiAIG’s appointment. Their decision recognizes more than résumé lines: it’s confidence in Isom’s ability to translate risk into policy, and policy into practice. As Global Lead, she will grow and support a worldwide community of security practitioners working to ensure AI systems are built and governed with trust at their core.

Security professionals are essential to AI governance because artificial intelligence systems must protect confidentiality, preserve integrity, and remain resilient from design through deployment. Isom’s mandate is to align security risk management with ethical, legal, and operational frameworks so organizations can adopt AI responsibly without sacrificing public trust.

Roots and Resolve

Isom’s path to global leadership is grounded in service and systems. A proud U.S. Air Force veteran and former Senior Cybersecurity Program Manager at Nike, she has spent her career navigating invisible infrastructures that shape real lives.

“I realized it when I saw how invisible systems could directly affect real people’s lives,” Isom says. “Someone had to be accountable for that power.”

Working close to innovation clarified the stakes. “AI can scale harm quickly if governance isn’t built in from the start,” she explains. Mentors trusted her with complexity. Communities reminded her that her voice mattered even when she was the only one in the room.

Making Sense of AI Governance

At its core, AI governance is a framework of policies, procedures, and ethical standards that ensure AI is developed and used responsibly. It addresses bias, privacy, security threats, and accountability—balancing innovation with safety.

Trust, Isom argues, comes from controls, transparency, and accountability especially when systems fail. Governance is not about slowing innovation; it is about building guardrails early so damage does not have to be repaired later..

Representation and Responsibility

Stepping into this role as a Black woman in tech governance carries weight and purpose. “My presence expands what leadership can look like in these spaces,” Isom says. From her community, she carries resilience, discernment, and an awareness that decisions made in global rooms affect people far beyond those in the room.

To young women watching, her message is direct: “You do not need permission to lead. Preparation and competence will open doors.”

Dubai: Leadership in Action

In Dubai, Isom will moderate a session at the Corporate Women Summit from 11:15 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. titled “From the Office Cubicle to Navigating Foreign Territories.” The panel explores what it takes to succeed in a new country, including understanding cultural nuances and building networks from scratch.

She will guide a conversation with Tatjana Markovic, Paulina Mercader, Sophie McBaiden, and Donna Forte-Regis, leaders whose experiences navigating unfamiliar systems mirror the same challenges facing global AI governance.

Cross-cultural leadership, Isom notes, requires the same discipline as governing artificial intelligence: the ability to assess risk in unfamiliar environments, build trust across differences, and design systems that remain accountable even when contexts change.

“The practitioners who are responsible when theory meets reality are often missing from global conversations,” Isom says. In Dubai, she brings those voices forward, grounding dialogue in outcomes rather than abstraction.

The Vision Ahead

Looking ahead, Isom is focused on building a safer AI future, stronger global standards, inclusive leadership pipelines, and systems that protect communities rather than exploit them.

“Responsible AI must be explainable, auditable, and challengeable,” she says. “Innovation can move fast, but trust has to move faster.”

As the plane descends and the heat of Dubai rises, Isom’s journey comes into focus. This is more than her career advancing; it is about bringing accountability and purpose to the forefront of global technology leadership.

This article was first published in The Truth Seekers Journal.

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Shadow Ball: Learning More About Negro League History

January 27, 2026

Dear Shadow Ball: “Who was the last Negro Leaguer to play in MLB?”
— Will Clark, Hackensack, NJ

Dear Will: If by play one means debut, according to baseball-reference, the answer is Ike Brown who briefly played for the Kansas City Monarchs in the early sixties before beginning a lengthy stay in the Detroit Tigers system, including four years in the AAA International League, finally debuting with the parent club on June 17, 1969 thereby becoming the last player from the Negro Leagues to break in to MLB.

Ironically, at the time of Brown’s debut only one former Negro Leaguer was active – Hank Aaron who had just two months earlier broke Babe Ruth’s career home run record with a round tripper off Al Downing on April 8, 1974. Hammerin’ Hank would play his MLB final game on October 3, 1976, becoming the last Negro Leaguer to play in MLB.

Late in that 1976 season the Chicago White Sox, under the forever showman Bill Veeck, utilized 52 year old Minnie Minoso, a Negro League All Star third baseman in the 40s, as a designated hitter in three games all preceding Aaron’s finale but four years later Minoso would appear as a pinch hitter on October 5, 1980 in his last appearance in the bigs (and Bill Veeck’s last game as an owner.)

Thus, the last former Negro Leaguer to debut in the Majors is Ike Brown, the last to play regularly is Hank Aaron and the last to appear in any role – gimmicky or otherwise – is Minnie Minoso.

Last week’s Shadow Ball Significa question: Which Negro League team introduced night baseball five years before Major League Baseball adopted it? No one submitted the correct answer, but I will give it because we have a guest with a significa question this week. The Kansas City Monarchs first played night baseball in 1930, using J.L. Wilkinson’s pioneering portable lighting system, the first of its kind.

The Shadow Ball Significa Question of the Week (submitted by Shadowball fan, Will Clark): A Hall of Fame Negro League slugger had a nephew who sang with, and co-founded, a legendary R&B vocal group of the 1940’s and 1950’s. Name that slugger.

Ted Knorr is a Negro League baseball historian, longtime member of the Society for American Baseball Research’s Negro League Committee, and founder of the Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference and several local Negro League Commemorative Nights in central Pennsylvania. You can send questions for Knorr on Negro League topics as well as your answers to the week’s Significa question to shadowball@truthseekersjournal.com or Shadow Ball, 3904 N Druid Hills Rd, Ste 179, Decatur, GA 30033.

Truth Seekers Journal thrives because of readers like you. Join us in sustaining independent voices.

Shadow Ball: Learning More About Negro League History

January 13, 2026

Dear Shadow Ball: I have a question about Negro League stats being entered into the Major League Baseball record book. It is my understanding that in 1969 four pro leagues’ records, in addition to the American and National Leagues, were entered into the record book. Were the Negro Leagues considered at that time by the committee and rejected, or were they completely ignored or overlooked (and we had to wait 50+ years for it to finally happen)?
— Chris Hansen, Ogden, Utah

Dear Chris: I happen to know the answer to that question very well. On July 1, 2017, at the 47th annual convention of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) in New York City, I had the opportunity to pose that very question to two men who knew the subject as well as anyone alive: John Thorn, Major League Baseball’s Official Historian, and David Neft, the driving force behind the 1969 Macmillan Baseball Encyclopedia. Neft was in the room in 1969 when MLB’s Special Baseball Records Committee (SBRC) designated six professional leagues — the National League, American League, Players League, Federal League, American Association, and Union Association — as “major.”

Both Thorn and Neft welcomed questions from the audience, and asking mine was one of the principal reasons I attended SABR 47. When my turn came, I asked: “Did the Special Baseball Records Committee consider, at all, the Negro Leagues to be a Major League?” Thorn answered immediately — exactly as I expected — with a single word: “No.” Both men then expanded on the criteria the SBRC used in 1969, and why the Negro Leagues were not even discussed. (If interested the Q & A occurs at the 47:32 point in this mp3 SABR47-David_Neft-John_Thorn-Baseball_Records_Cmte.mp3 | Powered by Box and lasts about three minutes. If you have time the hour-long conversation between Thorn & Neft is well worth the listen) Years later, Neft told The Ringer: “The one thing that I am absolutely certain about is that there never was any SBRC discussion about treating the Negro Leagues as major leagues.” Major League Baseball itself confirmed this in its December 16, 2020 press release announcing the elevation of seven Negro Leagues to Major League status: “It is MLB’s view that the Committee’s 1969 omission of the Negro Leagues from consideration was clearly an error that demands today’s designation.”

In short: The Negro Leagues were not rejected in 1969 — they were ignored. This was before Robert Peterson’s seminal Only the Ball Was White (1970), before SABR’s Negro Leagues Committee (1971), and before the sustained scholarly work that finally brought the Negro Leagues into proper historical focus. On December 16, 2020, MLB corrected that omission by recognizing seven Negro Leagues as Major: Negro National League I, Eastern Colored League, American Negro League, East West League, Negro Southern League, Negro National League II, and the Negro American League.

Last week’s Shadow Ball Significa question Who was the last surviving Atlanta Black Crackers player?
Answer: Dr. Leslie Heaphy of Canton, OH, nailed it — Red Moore. Moore also led the franchise in career batting average, walks, and sacrifice flies. Born and died in Atlanta.

The Shadow Ball Significa Question of the Week: Which Negro League team introduced night baseball five years before Major League Baseball adopted it?

Ted Knorr is a Negro League baseball historian, longtime member of the Society for American Baseball Research’s Negro League Committee, and founder of the Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference and several local Negro League Commemorative Nights in central Pennsylvania. You can send questions for Knorr on Negro League topics as well as your answers to the week’s Significa question to shadowball@truthseekersjournal.com or Shadow Ball, 3904 N Druid Hills Rd, Ste 179, Decatur, GA 30033

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