In a recent New Pittsburgh Courier article, Pittsburgh Police Chief Nate Harper challenged Pittsburgh’s religious leaders to address violence in the Black community. He said the density of African-American churches in neighborhoods troubled by crime and violence should serve as a catalyst in deterring these problems.

EBENEZER BAPTIST CHURCH—With “a church on every corner,” Chief Nate Harper challenged religious leaders to address the ongoing violence. (Photo by J.L. Martello.)

In an effort to get a response from a variety of religious denominations, the Courier contacted approximately 15 religious institutions. It was difficult to get representatives from every denomination because Allegheny Alliance, Covenant Church of Pittsburgh, Pentecostal Temple COGIC, Macedonia Baptist Church, Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses and Bishop Donald Clay of Petra International Ministries did not respond to several requests for comment. Those who did respond said their churches and religious organizations were engaged in preemptive measures geared toward youths in order to stem the tide of Black-on-Black crime.

Just hours after a press announcement on his department’s participation in a new anti-violence efforts Pittsburgh police Chief Nate Harper found himself announcing that two of his officers were involved in the fatal shooting of a North­view Heights teen.

“Anytime a life is taken, it’s a tragedy,” he said. “It’s a shame the actor didn’t drop his weapon.”

JEROME WILLIAMS

According to police, Jerome Williams, 15, was one of three young gunmen involved in a home invasion in the 700 block of Mt. Pleasant Road, Sept. 27. He died following a shootout with officers a few blocks away after the homeowner called 911 around 2:45 p.m. and said there were three armed men in her house.

In what Director Tim Stevens called a “groundbreaking” agreement, the Black Political Empowerment Project and its Coalition Against Violence have announced partnerships to combat neighborhood violence with the Pittsburgh police, the Shuman Juvenile Detention Center and the Allegheny County Jail.

CHIEF NATE HARPER

“The work to significantly decrease the violence in our communities must be an ongoing, consistent, coordinated and multi-front collaborative,” said Stevens. “Today we have some concrete commitments from these key community stakeholders, aimed at impacting the violence that continues to pervade our communities.”

(Los Angeles, Calif.)—Venerated music industry titan Dick Griffey died Sept. 24, in Los Angeles from complications of quadruple bypass surgery. Griffey founded SOLAR Records in the late 1970s and went on to become one of the preeminent Black music pioneers of the 20th century, breaking records and recording artists that ushered in the era of contemporary crossover Black music. A music mogul before the term entered popular culture, Griffey’s talent for picking hit songs and superstars defined the music business for more than two decades. Griffey spent the last 10 years of his life in West Africa involved in commodities and international trade.

ENTERTAINMENT ICON—SOLAR Records founder Dick Griffey was one of the most successful independent Black recording moguls of the post-Motown era.