Tickets for the Obama Presidential Center Museum go on sale May 6, offering timed entry, immersive exhibits, and high demand dates through November in Chicago.
By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | May 5, 2026
Tickets for the highly anticipated museum at the Obama Presidential Center will go on sale Wednesday, May 6, marking a major milestone ahead of the center’s public opening later this summer.
The ticket release offers the public its first opportunity to secure entry into the museum dedicated to the legacy of former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama. Located in Chicago, the center is designed to explore themes of democracy, civic engagement, and the broader cultural impact of the Obama presidency.
Museum admission will include access to four levels of exhibits, featuring immersive storytelling and historical artifacts. Visitors will also be able to step inside a full-scale replica of the Oval Office and visit the Sky Room, which offers panoramic views of the surrounding campus and city skyline.
According to organizers, tickets will be available beginning at 9 a.m. Central Time through obama.org. Due to expected demand, a virtual queue system will be in place to manage traffic. Visitors who enter the queue will have their place held in line as they wait to access the ticketing platform.
Tickets will be sold on a timed-entry basis, with available visit dates spanning from June 19 through November 30. Officials warn that weekend and summer dates are likely to sell out quickly and recommend that prospective visitors prepare alternative dates.
Once tickets are selected, customers will have a 10-minute window to complete their purchase. Each transaction will be limited to a maximum of nine tickets.
Pricing will range from $15 to $30, with special provisions for Illinois residents. Free admission days will be offered on select Tuesdays, with eligibility verified through zip code entry during checkout.
The opening of the museum represents a significant cultural and civic addition to Chicago, drawing national attention as one of the few presidential centers located within a major urban park setting. The project has been closely followed since its announcement, reflecting both the historic significance of the Obama presidency and the broader mission to inspire future generations of leaders.
Additional details and ticketing information are available through the official Obama Presidential Center website.
State leaders, national figures, and community members gathered beneath the gold dome of the Georgia State Capitol on May 1 to honor the life and legacy of longtime Congressman David Scott, a pioneering lawmaker whose decades of service reshaped Georgia politics and national agricultural policy.
The ceremony, held in the Capitol Rotunda, featured remarks from Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and U.S. Representative Maxine Waters, both of whom reflected on Scott’s rise from humble beginnings to the heights of congressional leadership.
Dickens emphasized that Scott’s early life shaped his approach to public service. He noted that Scott’s connection to everyday people remained central throughout his career, from his time in the Georgia General Assembly to his tenure in Congress.
Scott, who represented Georgia’s 13th Congressional District since 2003, died on April 22, 2026, at the age of 80. His passing marked the loss of one of Georgia’s most enduring political figures and created a vacancy in the closely divided U.S. House of Representatives. A special election will be scheduled under Georgia law to fill the remainder of his term.
Historic Firsts and Legislative Impact
Scott made history as the first African American to chair the House Agriculture Committee, serving from 2021 to 2023. His leadership helped direct federal attention and funding toward farmers, rural communities, and historically Black land-grant institutions.
Among his notable achievements was securing $80 million in the 2018 Farm Bill for scholarships at 19 historically Black colleges and universities with agricultural programs. He also played key roles in housing assistance programs, veterans’ benefits, and financial protections for homeowners.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries described Scott as a “trailblazer” who served his district with dedication and integrity, emphasizing his commitment to delivering results for Georgia families.
From Rural Roots to National Leadership
Born in 1945 in Aynor, South Carolina during the Jim Crow era, Scott’s early life was marked by frequent moves and hard work. He later graduated from Florida A&M University and earned an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.
After launching an advertising business in Atlanta, Scott entered politics, first working on Andrew Young’s congressional campaign before winning election to the Georgia House in 1974 and the Georgia Senate in 1982.
His rise to Congress in 2002 was supported by prominent figures, including civil rights leader Andrew Young and baseball legend Hank Aaron, reflecting the broad coalition behind his political ascent.
A Career of Service and Advocacy
Throughout his career, Scott focused heavily on constituent services, hosting job fairs that connected thousands to employment and health events that expanded access to screenings and care. He also secured hundreds of millions in federal funding for transportation and community development projects across metro Atlanta.
On foreign policy, Scott supported NATO alliances and international cooperation, while domestically he advocated for food access, education funding, and economic stability for working families.
News of his passing was first shared during a Congressional Black Caucus meeting by Chair Yvette Clarke. Flags at the White House were lowered to half-staff in his honor.
A Legacy That Endures
Scott’s death comes amid broader national conversations about aging leadership in Congress, as he was among several lawmakers over 80 still serving. Despite facing calls to step aside in recent years, he remained committed to his role, often stating that he was focused on “doing the people’s work.”
He is survived by his wife, Alfredia Scott, their two daughters, and grandchildren.
As Georgia prepares for a special election and reflects on his decades of service, Scott’s legacy remains defined by his historic leadership, policy achievements, and unwavering connection to the communities he served.
Era
Position
Key Focus
1975–1982
Georgia State Representative
Gun safety and “Peachcare” children’s health.
1983–2002
Georgia State Senator
Environmental protection and school prayer.
2003–2026
U.S. Representative
Agriculture, HBCUs, and Veteran affairs.
2021–2023
Chairman, House Ag Committee
First African American to hold the post.
Truth Seekers Journal thrives because of readers like you. Join us in sustaining independent voices.
This column exists for only one purpose; 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 do not 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.
Freddie Oliver of McKeesport, PA, posed the following question for me this week: who were the best umpires in the Negro Leagues?
Not sure I am qualified to rank ‘em but after Rube Foster’s decision to hire Black umpires in 1923 they enjoyed just over three decades of excellent arbitrating with just as many complaints as umpires come to expect. I will briefly mention three of the Men in Blue that serve to bookend both the history of the Negro Leagues and the legacy of African American umpires in Black Baseball.
W.W. “Billy” Donaldson
Billy Donaldson was the quiet architect of Negro League umpiring professionalism. When Rube Foster decided in 1923 that Black umpires should call Black baseball, Donaldson was one of the first men he trusted. He worked with a calm, deliberate style — never rushed, never rattled — and players respected him because he respected the game. Donaldson helped establish the standards that would guide the leagues for decades: crisp signals, firm control, and a sense that the umpire was part of the game’s dignity. His name does not ring out like the stars he officiated, but the league’s stability in its early years owes much to him. Donaldson officiated in two East-West Classics in 1936 and 1937.
Bert Gholston
Bert Gholston was the steady hand beside Donaldson, a man whose reputation rested on consistency. He was not flashy, and he did not need to be. Gholston worked some of the most heated games of the 1920s and ’30s, and he did it with a temperament that players trusted. He was the umpire who kept arguments from becoming brawls, who could defuse a dugout with a look, who understood that the best umpires are remembered not for their calls but for their control. Gholston helped give the Negro National League its backbone during years when the league’s survival depended on professionalism. Gholston worked well into the 40s. In 1923 he debuted with Donaldson as part of the Negro National League’s first all‑Black umpiring crew.
Bob Motley
Bob Motley brought a sense of theater to the Negro Leagues, but it was never empty showmanship — it was authority earned the hard way. A Marine who survived the Battle of Okinawa returned home with a presence that players felt the moment he stepped on the field. Motley called games in the Negro American League’s final years, working All‑Star contests and barnstorming tours with the same crisp mechanics and booming voice. He understood that the umpire’s job was to keep the game honest, and he did it with flair, humor, and absolute command. When the leagues faded, he became their great storyteller, carrying the memory of Monarchs, Grays, and Crawfords into the 21st century. Motley worked at least three East-West Classics. Often called the “last surviving Negro League umpire.” Mr. Motley passed away in 2017.
All three of these umpires – the Alpha’s Donaldson & Gholston and the Omega Motley – do indeed bookend Negro League history. All three received votes in an ongoing poll – the 42 for ’21 poll – of Negro League fans, researchers, writers, artists, collectors, historians, and students. Donaldson and Gholston finished tied for 115th among 154 players and personages considered in the poll. Bob Motley, more current, finished tied for 42nd.
Other noteworthy umpires include former players such as Oscar Charleston, Bullet Rogan, Mule Stuttle, Phil Cockrell, and Hurley McNair. Veteran arbiters like Fred McGreary and Virgil Bluett, each of whom worked a dozen East-West Classics or fabled legends like Jacob Francis, who performed in the 1885 New York State League, and is considered the earliest Black umpire in an otherwise White professional league. The National Baseball Hall of Fame is very much behind in terms of inducting Negro League players and managers; I wonder if they could find room for one of these competent umpires?
Last week’s Shadowball Significa Question of the Week went unanswered: What feared slugger was the first to hit a home run in a Negro League East-West Classic? The Classic was the official name of the Negro League All Star game. None of my readers produced George “Mule” Suttles who took Sam Streeter to the upper deck in the 4th inning of the initial Negro League All Star game in 1934.
The Shadowball Significa Question of the Week: Seven players have appeared in both a Negro League East-West Classic and a National League/American League All Star game, six of them have been inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Name the 7th who is not inducted? Send your answer and any comments on the Negro Leagues to shadowball@truthseekersjournal.com or Shadow Ball, 3904 N Druid Hills Rd, Ste 179, Decatur, GA 30033
Ted Knorr
Ted Knorr is a respected Negro League baseball historian, a longtime member of the Society for American Baseball Research’s Negro League Committee, and the founder of the Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference as well as several Negro League Commemorative Nights in central Pennsylvania.
Beyond his research and organizing work, Ted is frequently invited to speak at sporting events, community programs, family gatherings, and educational forums, where he brings Negro League history to life. His deep knowledge of the players, teams, and cultural impact of Black baseball has made him a trusted voice for audiences who want to understand the legacy and significance of the Negro Leagues.
Support open, independent journalism—your contribution helps us tell the stories that matter most.
… 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.
Last week’s The Shadowball Significa Question of the Week: Who was the first African American pitcher to toss a no-hitter in Major League baseball? Sounds like a straightforward question but due to the peculiar history of Negro League baseball it is not so straight. Turns out there are three answers that I find acceptable: very acceptable. Let’s take a look at them in order.
On May 12, 1955, New York Giant right hander Sam Jones became the first African American to toss a Major League no hitter when he held the Pittsburgh Pirates hitless in a 4-0 victory. Shadowball favorite Will Clark nailed this one just half a day after it was posted.
Sam Jones had a solid big-league career. In addition to the no hitter, Jones had several other distinctions. Him & Quincey Trouppe formed the first African American battery in the American League. Jones was the runner-up to Early Wynn for the 1959 Cy Young award and tops in the NL. Sam Jones career strikeouts per 9 innings (7.5) was higher than all Major League pitchers with as many or more innings pitched than he had when he pitched his last game on October 3, 1964 (i.e. more than the Big Train, Rapid Robert Feller, Rube Waddell, Dazzy Vance and everyone else in MLB history).
Shadowball reader Matt Garvey offered some info that led me to an answer I had not considered but should have. He mentioned that Bill Gatewood had several no hitters. That got me to take a look at Gatewood. Negro League historian Phil S. Dixon offers that Gatewood may have authored as many as twenty no hitters at various levels of competition throughout his career. Phil has found documentation on six of them. One of them occurred on June 6, 1921, and, since December 16, 2020,when MLB designated 7 specific Negro Leagues (including the Negro National League in 1921) as Major. So, the first Major League no hitter by an African American was thrown by big Bill Gatewood in 1921, the second season of “Major” Negro League baseball.
I have one more possibly correct answer in mind – Charles Leander “Bumpus” Jones who, in his major league debut, took the ball for the Cincinnati Reds against the Pittsburgh Pirates 0n October 15, 1892. Ol’ Bumpus went on to be the only pitcher to toss a big league no hitter in first game in the majors. It also was the last game pitched from a pitcher’s box, instead of a mound, 50 feet way from home. It also, if local newspaper sources (as well as early family census records) are accurate he was the first Major League pitcher of African descent. He was referred to as mulatto in the census and colored in local newspaper articles.
If you are keeping score here is a list of select Major League baseball no hitters pitched by African Americans:
#1 10/15/1892 Bumpus Jones National League
#2 O6/06/1921 Bill Gatewood Negro National League
#3-21 numerous pitchers, including Satchel Paige, Hilton Smith, Leon Day, and a combined no no by Jose Mendez and Bullet Joe Rogan.
#22 05/12/1955 Sam Jones National League
Ol’ Sam Jones went to his grave thinking he was the first.
The Shadowball Significa Question of the Week: What feared slugger was the first to hit a home run in a Negro League East-West Classic? The Classic was the official name of the Negro League All Star game. Send your answer and any comments on the Negro Leagues to shadowball@truthseekersjournal.com or Shadow Ball, 3904 N Druid Hills Rd, Ste 179, Decatur, GA 30033
Ted Knorr
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.
Support open, independent journalism—your contribution helps us tell the stories that matter most.
Obama Presidential Center announces 2026 ticket sales, offering immersive exhibits, free campus access, and historic experiences celebrating Barack and Michelle Obama’s legacy.
By Milton Kirby | Chicago, IL | April 7, 2026
The Obama Foundation has announced key ticket sale dates for the highly anticipated museum at the Obama Presidential Center, marking a major milestone as the campus prepares to open to the public this summer.
According to the Foundation, Founding Members will gain early access to purchase museum tickets beginning April 21, while general public ticket sales will open on May 6.
The broader campus, located in Chicago’s historic Jackson Park, will officially open June 19, offering free access to a wide range of public amenities. Visitors will be able to explore walking trails, gardens, a Chicago Public Library branch, and nearly 30 commissioned works of art, along with scenic views of Lake Michigan.
The museum itself will serve as the centerpiece of the campus, featuring immersive, four-floor exhibits dedicated to the presidency of Barack Obama and the influence of Michelle Obama. Through interactive storytelling and multimedia installations, the experience is designed to explore both the accomplishments and ongoing challenges tied to American democracy.
Among the museum’s featured attractions is a full-scale replica of the Oval Office, allowing visitors to sit behind the Resolute Desk, as well as exhibits highlighting Michelle Obama’s fashion legacy and the broader impact of the administration’s two terms.
Special film installations will also spotlight campaign volunteers who helped build the Obama movement and Americans whose personal letters received direct responses from the president.
General admission tickets will be priced at $30 for adults and $23 for children ages 3 to 11, with free entry for children under two. Illinois residents will receive discounted pricing and will also have access to free admission every Tuesday beginning June 23, though advance reservations are strongly encouraged due to expected demand.
All museum visits will be timed-entry, and officials recommend reserving tickets online ahead of arrival. Initial ticket availability will cover dates from June 19 through November 30, 2026.
For visitors seeking a more in-depth experience, the Foundation will offer a 90-minute Campus Experience Tour. The guided tour includes museum admission, priority access to key exhibits, and behind-the-scenes entry into select non-public areas of the facility.
Foundation CEO Valerie Jarrett emphasized that the Center is intended to be more than a museum. It is designed as a civic space rooted in community, learning, and inspiration.
The project represents a significant cultural and economic investment in Chicago’s South Side, with leaders noting its potential to generate long-term economic growth while creating a global destination tied to the legacy of the nation’s first Black president.
As anticipation builds, the Obama Presidential Center stands poised to become both a historical landmark and a living space for civic engagement—inviting visitors not only to reflect on history, but to shape what comes next.
The Obama Foundation has announced a major youth programming partnership with After School Matters, positioning Chicago teens at the center of its mission as the Obama Presidential Center prepares to open this summer.
The partnership will bring paid, hands-on programs to teens across Chicago’s South Side, marking a significant investment in youth development, workforce readiness, and community engagement. The initiative will operate through the Center’s Teen Action Lab, a dedicated space designed to empower young people with practical skills, mentorship, and leadership opportunities.
According to the Foundation, the programs will launch in July with two initial offerings: Basketball, Health & Wellness and Volleyball, Health & Wellness. Both programs will take place at Home Court, a key facility on the Presidential Center campus, and are open to high school students ages 14 to 18 from South Shore, Woodlawn, and Washington Park.
Participants will not only gain access to structured athletic programming, but also receive stipends—an important feature that reflects a broader commitment to valuing teens’ time, effort, and growth.
“This is about more than sports,” said Valerie Jarrett, CEO of the Obama Foundation, in the official announcement. “It’s about building skills, strengthening communities, and inspiring the next generation of changemakers.”
The collaboration signals a deeper alignment between two organizations with long-standing commitments to youth empowerment. For more than 35 years, After School Matters has provided Chicago teens with access to after-school and summer programs spanning the arts, STEM, communications, and leadership development. Its project-based model, led by industry professionals, has reached hundreds of thousands of young people across the city.
Mary Ellen Caron, CEO of After School Matters, emphasized the broader impact of the partnership, noting that programs like these create safe, welcoming spaces where teens can grow both personally and professionally.
“Sports can be a gateway,” Caron said. “They build confidence, create connection, and open doors to mentorship and opportunity that extend far beyond the court.”
The Teen Action Lab is expected to expand over time, with additional programming and partnerships already in development. Organizations such as My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, Girls Opportunity Alliance, Chicago Public Schools, the Chicago Park District, the Chicago Public Library, and Laureus USA are all expected to contribute to a growing ecosystem of youth-focused initiatives at the Center.
The announcement underscores the broader vision behind the Obama Presidential Center—not just as a museum or tourist destination, but as a living civic space rooted in community impact. Located on Chicago’s South Side, the Center aims to generate economic opportunity while serving as a hub for education, leadership, and public engagement.
For teens in surrounding neighborhoods, the opportunity is immediate and tangible: paid programs, skill-building experiences, and direct access to mentorship—all within a space designed to reflect their potential.
Applications for the Teen Action Lab programs are now open, with limited spots available. Interested students must complete a Program Interest Form and participate in an interview process.
As the Obama Presidential Center prepares to open its doors, this partnership offers an early glimpse into how the campus intends to function—not just as a symbol of history, but as an active investment in the future.
A few weeks ago, I asked readers: What manager has been named to the Baseball Hall of Fame for Negro League performance? Nobody offered a guess, so I gave everybody credit because just like umpires, second baseman, right fielders, and true left fielders — there are no managers in the Hall for Negro League play. To be clear, 24 of the 37 Negro League Hall of Famers did manage but none of them are in for that role.
This begs the question – which Negro League managers do deserve – like John McGraw, Connie Mack, or Ned Hanlon – induction in Cooperstown.
My favorite Negro League Hall of Fame Managerial Candidates:
#5 Frank Duncan, jr – true baseball lifer … guided the Kansas City Monarchs to a World Series win as a rookie manager in 1942 … 86 games over .500 … captured another pennant after the war in ’46. Managed five Hall of Famers. Ranked 59th most eligible candidate in the 42 for ’21 poll.
#4 Frank Warfield – a favorite of mine but not a first ballot candidate … among his strengths: his career record is 84 games over .500, with three pennants (with two different franchises) and a 1925 World Series title with the Hilldale Club. Manage 8 Hall of Famers. Ranked 56th in the 42 for ’21.
SLAM DUNKS:
#3 Dave Malarcher – perhaps a stronger candidate as a third baseman … succeeded Rube Foster as American Giant manager during the ’26 season; stabilized the team capturing 2nd half flag, defeating the Monarchs in the playoff before winning the World Series over Atlantic City. Repeated in ’27 over those same Atlantic City Bacharach Giants. Won a 3rd pennant in ’32. Managed 4 Hall of Famers. 22nd in the 42 for ’21 poll.
#2 Candy Jim Taylor – 13th in the 42 for ’21 poll (although 3rd in his family behind Hall of Famer Ben Taylor and 11th place C.I. Taylor) … managed more games in Negro League play than all other managers … like Connie Mack, Candy Jim had a losing record but did capture two World Series and three pennants … managed 14 Hall of Famers
#1 Vic Harris has the best winning percentage of any Major League manager with more than 370 games in the dugout … Only three managers (McGraw, Mack, McCarthy) during the Segregated Era have won more than his seven pennants. He is ranked 6th in the 42 for ’21 poll and has managed 15 Hall of Fame players.
All three of those Harris, Taylor and Malarcher should have been in the National Baseball Hall of Fame years ago.
Others deserving consideration: Quincey Trouppe, Felton Snow, Grant Johnson, C.I. Taylor, John Reese, Jose Maria Fernandez, Dizzy Dimukes, Piper Davis, and Winfield Welch. Many of these also should be considered as executives (Taylor) and/or players (Johnson, Trouppe, Davis). I guess my main point would be the Hall of Fame has some work to do in honoring Negro League players in general and Managers specifically.
The Shadowball Significa Question of the Week: Who was the first African American pitcher to toss a no hitter in Major League baseball? I will accept two answers for this question for reasons that will be obvious next column – dateline April 14th, 2nd Tuesday of the month. Send your answer and any comments on the Negro Leagues to shadowball@truthseekersjournal.com or Shadow Ball, 3904 N Druid Hills Rd, Ste 179, Decatur, GA 30033
Ted Knorr
Last week’s The Shadowball Significa Question of the Week: Who was Major League slugger Barry Bonds Godfather? No one offered a guess, but it was another five tool outfielder Willie Mays. I hope some more folks offer a guess to this week’s Significa question above.
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.
Atlanta’s Civil and Human Rights Center offers a powerful journey through America’s past, confronting injustice, honoring resilience, and challenging visitors to reflect and act
By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | March 22, 2026
Two white women stood still, silent, and visibly shaken.
They had just stepped out of the “Broken Promises: Reconstruction” exhibit at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. What they had seen—lynchings, merciless beatings, and the systematic unraveling of freedom—had left them searching for words.
That moment captures the power of the Center—a place where history is not simply displayed, but felt.
“Does history remind those who would try to erase it of their sordid past?” the exhibit seems to ask. For many who walk through these doors, the answer is a sobering yes.
Broken Promises and the Legacy of Reconstruction
Inside, visitors encounter a sweeping narrative of American history—one that refuses to look away from its darkest chapters.
The “Broken Promises” gallery examines Reconstruction, a period when newly freed Black Americans briefly gained political and social ground before those freedoms were violently stripped away. The exhibit forces visitors to confront a recurring pattern in American history: progress followed by backlash. Progress followed by backlash… Progress followed by backlash…
Photo by Milton Kirby – Freedom Riders Mugshots
From walls lined with mugshots of jailed Freedom Riders to the intimate, handwritten sermons in A Committed Life: The Morehouse College Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Collection, the Center functions as both a treasure trove of artifacts and a mirror to the soul of a nation.
In “A Committed Life,” Dr. King emerges not just as an icon, but as a man navigating pressure, faith, and responsibility with unwavering conviction.
A Modern Expansion for Ancient Truths
Following a $58 million renovation completed in late 2025, the Center expanded by 24,000 square feet, adding two new wings and six galleries including the Norfolk Southern-sponsored “Freedom Room.”
The goal is clear: engage a new generation through immersive, interactive learning.
But while the building is new, the stories remain raw. The expansion deepens the exploration of the “machinery of Jim Crow” and the resilience of those who dismantled it.
Mary Turner: A Story the Nation Tried to Forget
Perhaps no exhibit is more gut-wrenching than the memorial to Mary Turner.
In 1918, a white mob in Brooks County, Georgia, murdered 21-year-old Turner, a Black woman eight months pregnant after she threatened to seek justice following the lynching of her husband.
The brutality is difficult to comprehend. Turner was hung by her ankles, set on fire, mutilated, and shot hundreds of times. Her unborn baby was cut from her body and killed. Her killers were never punished.
While the Equal Justice Initiative records at least 4,075 Black Americans lynched in the South between 1877 and 1950, Turner’s death remains a singular wound.
Her death became a national flashpoint. It helped galvanize anti-lynching activism and build support for federal legislation. The Emmett Till Antilynching Act was signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 29, 2022. This historic legislation officially made lynching a federal hate crime in the United States, punishable by up to 30 years in prison. It passed the House on February 28, 2022, and the Senate on March 7, 2022 more than 100 years after Mary Turner’s gruesome death.
Even today, the tension remains. A memorial plaque erected in 2010 was riddled with bullets within a year. A simple steel cross now stands in its place—a quiet testament to a broken promise.
Confronting the Legacy
The Center’s impact is often measured in silence.
One visitor, a woman in her thirties who asked to remain anonymous, described feeling “mortified” when reflecting on the actions of her ancestors. She said the experience has changed how she moves through the world—choosing to step away from conversations where racism surfaces.
The Center does not assign guilt. But it does demand reflection.
Reclaiming History Through Art
In Reclaiming History, the Center highlights Black Southern artists from the 1980s who carried the spirit of the Civil Rights Movement into a new era.
Through paint, sculpture, and mixed media, they confronted police brutality, voter suppression, and the lingering weight of Jim Crow.
Some works speak plainly. Others whisper through abstraction. All are rooted in resilience.
The message is clear: art is not just witness, it is catalyst.
Beyond the Museum Walls
The Center is not static. It is a living institution.
Programs like Truth on the Rocks, Cup of Truth, and Reel Truth transform the space into a forum for dialogue, culture, and community:
Truth on the Rocks blends nightlife with history through music, cocktails, and after-hours access
Cup of Truth creates intimate conversations with artists and community leaders
Reel Truth uses film to explore overlooked stories and spark discussion
Photo by Milton Kirby – Center for Civil and Human Rights
A New Era of Partnership and Access
In 2025, Norfolk Southern pledged $500,000 to support the Center’s expansion, reinforcing its role as a national hub for civil and human rights education.
To expand access, the Center is also participating in Bank of America’s Museums on Us program, offering free admission on the first full weekend of each month to eligible cardholders.
A Space for Reflection—and Accountability
The National Center for Civil and Human Rights is more than a museum.
It is a mirror. It is a memory. It is a movement. It is where history refuses to be erased. It is where truth lives.
Why It Matters Now
At a time when debates over how history is taught continue to intensify, the Center stands as a counterpoint.
It insists that history cannot be erased without consequence.
It reminds visitors that the past is not distant—it is embedded in the present.
And it challenges each person who walks through its doors to leave not just informed—but transformed.
Truth Seekers Journal thrives because of readers like you. Join us in sustaining independent voices.
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.
Last week’s Shadow Ball Significa question: Last week’s Shadowball Significa Question of the Week: What manager has been named to the Baseball Hall of Fame for Negro League performance?
Since no one submitted the correct answer, everyone gets credit for being correct since there, in the 55 years since the Baseball Hall of Fame began inducting Negro Leaguers no Negro Leaguer has been inducted as a manager. Hence, this week’s topic. Last week I opined that there should be between 58 (i.e., 30 additional) and 80 (or 52 more than at present) Negro League players in the Hall. This week, as a follow up I thought I should suggest who a few of those players – and others – should be. Below I list two candidates (and their overall rank in the 42 for ’21 poll) for each category:
3rd Baseman John Beckwith (4) Oliver Marcelle (18)
Shortstop Dick Lundy (7) Home Run Johnson (8)
Outfielder Rap Dixon (1) Wild Bill Wright (23)
The Shadowball Significa Question of the Week: What Negro League player was Barry Bonds Godfather? Send your answer and any comments on Negro League topics to shadowball@truthseekersjournal.com or Shadow Ball, 3904 N Druid Hills Rd, Ste 179, Decatur, GA 30033
Ted Knorr
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
Support open, independent journalism—your contribution helps us tell the stories that matter most.
The Obama Presidential Center will open June 19, 2026 in Chicago with four days of celebrations, public events, and a civic campus designed to inspire future changemakers.
By Milton Kirby | Chicago, IL | March 11, 2026
The long-awaited Obama Presidential Center will officially open to the public in June with four days of celebrations designed to highlight civic engagement, culture, and community on Chicago’s South Side.
The Obama Foundation announced that the grand opening festivities will run June 18 through June 21, 2026, beginning with a global dedication ceremony and continuing with public celebrations, performances, and family-friendly activities across the new 19.3-acre campus.
The opening marks a historic milestone for the presidential center created to preserve the legacy of Barack Obama while also serving as a living civic campus focused on leadership, community engagement, and democratic participation.
“This is not a monument to the past,” Obama said in a video announcing the opening. “It is a living destination for people who refuse to accept the status quo.”
Four Days of Celebration
The opening events begin Thursday, June 18, with a dedication ceremony at John Lewis Plaza, named for the late civil rights leader and longtime congressman John Lewis. The ceremony will be livestreamed globally and will include performances by international artists and remarks from prominent leaders.
The campus will then open fully to the public on Friday, June 19, allowing visitors to explore the museum and public spaces for the first time.
Community celebrations will continue on June 20 and June 21, featuring live music, art, food vendors, storytelling, and activities across the campus grounds in Chicago’s historic Jackson Park.
The opening weekend will also include special gatherings for volunteers, supporters, alumni of Obama-era programs, and young leaders connected to the Foundation’s initiatives.
A Campus Built Around Public Access
Unlike many presidential libraries, the Obama Presidential Center was designed as an open civic campus rather than a traditional archive-focused facility.
Most of the campus will be free and open to the public, including outdoor spaces and several community-oriented facilities.
Visitors will be able to explore:
The Forum, a building dedicated to public programming and events
A new branch of the Chicago Public Library
An accessible playground for children
Public art installations across the campus
Landscaped park spaces and walking paths connecting to nearby lagoons and the Museum of Science and Industry
Additional features include the Women’s Garden, Great Lawn, Eleanor Roosevelt Fruit and Vegetable Garden, picnic areas, and a wetland walking trail.
Visitors will also be able to dine at a café and restaurant on campus and shop at the center’s retail store.
Museum Tickets Coming This Spring
While most of the campus will be free, admission to the Obama Presidential Center Museum will require a timed entry ticket.
Tickets will go on sale in spring 2026, with prices expected to align with other major Chicago cultural institutions. The Foundation says the museum will include discounts and designated free days for Illinois residents.
A Symbol of “Hope and Change”
The announcement of the opening date was made on March 7, the anniversary of the historic Selma voting rights marches that helped shape the modern civil rights movement.
During the 50th anniversary commemoration of those marches, Obama delivered one of his most widely remembered speeches, calling on Americans to continue what he described as the “glorious task” of improving the nation.
Those words now appear engraved on the exterior of the museum building.
Valerie Jarrett said the center is intended to inspire visitors to take that mission into their own communities.
“We have always believed in the power of ordinary people to come together to make extraordinary change,” Jarrett said. “The opening of the Obama Presidential Center will be a beacon of hope to the world.”
More Than a Presidential Library
Unlike traditional presidential libraries managed by the National Archives and Records Administration, the Obama Presidential Center will be operated by the Obama Foundation as a community-focused civic institution.
Foundation leaders say the center will host year-round programs, leadership initiatives, and public discussions aimed at strengthening democracy and empowering the next generation of changemakers.
“The Obama Presidential Center is about the everyday people who make our democracy work,” Jarrett said.
For many supporters, the June opening represents more than the unveiling of a new cultural destination. It is the culmination of more than a decade of planning and construction tied to the legacy of the nation’s first Black president and the community that helped shape his rise.
A National Destination with Local Roots
When the gates open in June, the center is expected to draw visitors from around the world to Chicago’s South Side — a neighborhood that played a defining role in Obama’s early career as a community organizer.
The Foundation says the campus is designed to reflect that history while looking toward the future.
As Obama said in announcing the opening:
“If you feel that something better awaits and you’re willing to work for it, this is your invitation to join us.”
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
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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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 1st 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.
Ted Knorr
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
Support open, independent journalism—your contribution helps us tell the stories that matter most.
Dear Shadow Ball: “Who would be “your” choice for the next three Negro League inductees for the Hall of Fame?” — Jerry Hoover, Asheboro, NC
… 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 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 2nd 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.
Ted Knorr
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
Support open, independent journalism—your contribution helps us tell the stories that matter most.
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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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.”
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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