Ossie and Ruby Chosen as Marian Recipients

Ossie Davis was there that day in 1939 when opera star Marian Anderson, barred by the Daughters of the American Revolution from singing in the Capitol's Constitution Hall, performed her famous concert at the Lincoln Memorial.

Here's the full story from the Philadelphia Daily News.

Marian Anderson Photo credit: National Coalition to Save Our Mall

Another Circle Completes for The Mason

The story of the USS Mason has been typified by circles. Circles of completion as their story finally gets told. From the ship's commissioning in Boston to a 1995 reunion ... African American World War II veteran Ossie Davis portraying a veteran in Proud ... Fashion Icon Tommy Hilfiger financing a film about Lorenzo DuFau who worked in New York's Garment District in his first job out of the Navy ...

The Men of the Mason, like all sailors, loved liberty (time off the ship.) And can you imagine a better place to take liberty than at the Apollo Theater in Harlem in 1944 or 1945?

And now, all these years later, another Mason circle completes as the Apollo hosts Proud on August 2nd as part of the Second Annual Hollywood in Harlem Film Festival.

Apollo Theater Photo Credit: Apollo Theater

EBONY Presents Hollywood in Harlem Film Festival
PROUD

Tuesday, August 2, 2005
Apollo Theater
253 West 125th Street Harlem, New York
Sponsored by Cadillac

5:30 pm VIP Reception
7:00 pm Tributes to Ossie Davis
8:00 pm Film Screening

Black Theatre Fest to Honor Ossie Davis

The 25th National Black Theatre Festival, featuring over 100 performances, workshops, and seminars -- and a special tribute to the late Ossie Davis -- will kick off Aug. 1 in Winston-Salem, N.C., transforming the small city into a thriving hub of African-American theatrical art.

Read the full story ...

Irish America Magazine

Here's a good story from the latest issue of Irish America magazine. Director Mary Pat Kelly reminds us how Hollywood and media will shrug off stories that are different whether the topic is Northern Ireland or African Americans in World War II. Also, producer Ally Hilfiger talks about being inspired by Mason crewmember Lorenzo DuFau.

NAACP Armed Services and Veterans Awards Dinner

On July 12, 2005 as part of the NAACP Annual Convention, a clip from PROUD will be shown at the Armed Services and Veterans Awards Dinner.

Many thanks to LT Jeff Burrell of the Navy Equal Opportunity Office for including PROUD in this year's event and inviting the Men of the Mason to attend.

Ossie Davis Interview March 2003

While doing one of my regular Google searches for new stories about the USS Mason, I found this video on democracynow.org. (You can also listen or read the transcript if you have a slower internet connection.)

The interview is from March 2003 and there's Ossie Davis, wearing his USS Mason cap. Eloquent as ever, he is talking about the war in Iraq and his days in the military during World War II in the context of a favorite Ossie Davis theme: peace.

Watching a now two year old interview, I am struck that sadly, not much has changed.