Rev-elution offers independent, Black journalism for residents of Durham, North Carolina. Carl W. Kenney II was named Serious Columnist of the Year for his work in the Durham News, a former community paper of the News & Observer. Please support Rev-elution by contributing at: Cash App, $Cmizzou, or Venmo, @Carl-Kenney-1
SEVENTY-FIVE PEOPLE STOOD in front of the Durham County Administration building on the day Elaine O’Neal filed to be placed on the ballot to become Durham’s next mayor. It was a mixed group of family members and people searching for fresh leadership.
O’Neal brings the energy of a person born and raised in
Durham. She has witnessed her hometown change overnight. Her West Durham roots
took her to the old Hillside High School where she was a member of the marching
band. Like many Black Durhamites, she matriculated as both an undergraduate and
law student at North Carolina Central University.
She remembers the Hayti district before Durham Freeway 147
displaced hundreds of black businesses to activate decades of declining Black
prosperity. She remembers smelling the fumes of tobacco from The American
Tobacco and Ligget Meyers Tobacco companies where Black residents made decent
salaries to provide for their families.
Rev-elution interviewed 50 Durham residents regarding their
perceptions after U.S. News and World Report ranked Raleigh and Durham combined
the second-best place to live in America. Some people wonder if the U.S. News
and World Report reflects what Durham is becoming more than what they loved
most before the construction of the 27 floor One City Center – the building that
symbolizes the purging of the dirty that made Durham an oasis for Black people.
Most of the people interviewed see the upcoming municipal
election a referendum on what Durham is becoming. They speak nostalgic
regarding the strength of Durham’s past – the Black Wall Street, the vital
political machinery of the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, the
culture and support system of Hillside High School and the sway of Black
churches and families in providing a support system for youth.
O’Neal’s candidacy is perceived to be about more than the
platform of a former Superior Court Judge. It’s about removing politicians
dismissive of the history and legacy of Black Durham. It’s about fixing things
before it’s too late.
O’Neal is the overwhelming choice for mayor among the people
interviewed. Filing for municipal election ends on August 13th. As
of the posting of this article, Jahnmaud Lane, a GOP activist and HAVC
technician, is O’Neal’s only competition. People are deeply invested in
electing a city council willing to press a more practical agenda.
Rev-elution identified five critical concerns among the
people interviewed.
What is driving a candidate’s decision to run for office?
Residents noted a lack of trust in candidates after Nida Allam voted in solidarity with Wendy Jacobs and Heidi Carter not to extend the contract of former Durham County Manager Wendell Davis. Many Black residents question the motives of Leonardo Williams, candidate for City Council Ward III. They also question Marion Teniade Johnson’s ties with Mayor Pro Tem Jillian Johnson. Johnson, who hasn’t filed as of posting this article but has a campaign website, is challenging incumbent DeDreanna Freeman for City Council Ward I. Waldo Fenner, a political novice who is critical of Durham Housing Authority Director Anthony Scott, and Libertarian Elizabeth Takla, have filed for Ward I. Lane, a Black man, can expect stiff criticism for his support of Donald Trump. Lane is the host of Mind of Jamal. His Twitter account was suspended due to inappropriate content. As of this posting, Ward II City Council member Mark-Anthony Middleton has not filed, and he has no challengers.
Do you know what the job involves?
It is vital that candidates for public office understand the
role and function of the city council comparative to other elected offices. Takla
misses the mark on her campaign website in mentioning public education funding as
part of her platform. Education is an important
issue, but doesn’t fall within the jurisdiction of the city council.
How well do you know Durham?
It’s a complicated question due to the vast difference between
what Durham used to be and what it is becoming. For some, Durham is a testing
ground for progressive models. C.J. Davis, a highly qualified and effective
police chief, left Durham to lead the Memphis Police Department. She departed
during tense conversations regarding police funding and an increase in homicides.
Many respondents shared concerns of Durham politicians making decisions devoid
of real conversations with the people most impacted.
Finally, what are the real issues?
The next city council has layers of unfinished business. Respondents
listed a few:
·
What are the next steps following the McDougald
Terrace debacle? $9,066,649 was spent to transfer hundreds of residents of the
Durham public housing units to hotels after carbon monoxide leaks were
discovered. A portion of the $95 million housing bond approved by 76 percent of
Durham voters will go toward building new public housing. How will this impact
the goals originally identified when voters were presented the housing bond?
·
What can and will the city council do to curtail
increases in rent?
·
What are the plans to finally fulfill the
promise of revitalizing the Hayti Business district after urban removal displaced
more than 100 Black-owned businesses?
·
Who will the city council select as Durham’s
next Chief of Police? Will the city council function in collaboration with the
new chief, or will they micromanage in ways that make it difficult for the next
chief to lead?
Good luck voters. There’s a lot to digest in preparation of the
October 5th primary election