Mary L. Fair Gleaner
Branch crowns queen
Quincie Mcknight takes a moment to take photos after being crowned 2016
Mary L. Fair Queen, during the Queen's Contest held at the Katie B. Reynolds
Education Building last weekend. ? v
OES event held
to raise funds for
local female youth
group
BY TEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
Last weekend talented
young ladies from around
the city competed for a
chance to be crowned the
2016 Gleaner Queen dur
ing the first ever Queen's
Contest.
Themed "Black
Butterflies," the event was
hosted by the Mary L. Fair
Gleaner Branch #137, the
female youth group of
Bivouac Chapter #530.
Order of the Eastern Star,
serves as a fundraising
event to assist participants
with expenses to travel to
the State Youth Assembly
held in Raleigh later this
year.
During the pageant
style event held at the Kate
B. Reynolds Education
Building, A'Nayjah
Bullard, Jayla Herndon,
Londyn Hunt, Quincie
McKnight, and Madison
Murrell made it known that
they all are worthy of wear
ing the crown.
Each of the contestants
was presented with a gift,
but only one could be
crowned 2016 Mary L. Fair
Gleaner Queen. That honor
went to Quincee
McKnight. Second runner
up was Londyn Hunt and
first runner up was
Madison Murrell.
Following the Crowning
and a brief photoshoot fea
turing the contestants,
emcee for the event. Judge
Denise Hartfield,
announced that combined
the participants raised more
than $2,000.
Similar to the big nam?
pageants held across the
country, the Queen's
Contest featured three dif
ferent portions which
included a fashion show, a
talent portion and a formal
entrance where contestants
walked the makeshift run
way in their best evening
gowns. .
The pageant also fea
tured performances from
other talented young ladies
who were not competing
for the crown.
Committee supervisor
and coordinator for the
event, Lisa W. Smith, said
that aside from raising
funds for the organization,
the Queen's Contest is a
great way for the girls to
interact with each other and
display their many talents.
"We have some amaz
ing, talented young ladies
here in Winston-Salem,"
she said. "This event high
lights the talents and beau
ty of the young people in
our community."
Smith noted the contest
will also encourage the par
ticipants to continue to be
smart and soar to higher
heights.
Committee chairperson
Vaness Lyerly applauded
the participants for all then
hard work. Lyerly men
tioned that she expects the
contest to grow and include
more participants in the
future.
"You are all winners
today," said Lyerly, "I am
proud of you all. You are
all queens."
Theologian to deliver Livingstone College commencement address
Dr. Pierce
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
SALISBURY, N.C. - A scholar who
earned her degrees from Ivy League
schools and is the director of the Center
for Black Church Studies at Princeton
Theological Seminary will deliver the
2016 Commencement address at
Livingstone College.
The Rev. Dr. Yolanda Pierce will
address Livingstone graduates on May 7
inside Alumni Memorial Stadium.
Commencement begins at 9 a.m. and will
be moved to Varick Auditorium in the case
of inclement weather.
Also during commencement. Pierce
and a few other individuals will be award
ed honorary doctorate degrees.
Pierce, the Elmer G. Homrighausen
Associate Professor of African-American
Religion and Literature at Princeton
Theological Seminary, has a bachelor's
degree in English from Princeton
University. She earned two masters
degrees from Cornell University and a
Ph.D. in English, also from Cornell.
Pierce's academic and teaching interests
include African-American religious histo
ry, womanist theology and literature and
religion.
Her most recent book, "Hell without
Fires: Slavery, Christianity & the African
American Spiritual Narrative," and her
forthcoming book, "Religious Ecstasy &
African-American Cultural Expression,"
focus on the historical and contemporary
significance of the African-American reli
gious tradition. Pierce is an accomplished
writer who has penned more than 40 criti
cal essays and articles in academic and
trade journals.
An ordained Christian minister, Pierce
is also a dedicated mentor, community
activist, board member of a foster care
agency and a commentator for MSNBC
and CNN. She is a member of various pro
fessional organizations, including the
Modern Language Association, the
American Academy of Religion and the
Society for the Study of Black Religion.
Pierce has been a frequent guest on the
Melissa
Harris-Perry
show on
MSNBC and
is known for
being candid
when speak
_ing about
race in
America,
particularly
? when writ
ing on her
b 1 o g ,
Reflections
of an Afro
Christian
Scholar.
"We are
proud and for
tunate to have an intellect of such high
acclaim to serve as our Commencement
speaker," said Livingstone College
President Dr. Jimmy R. Jenkins, Sr. "Dr.
Yolanda Pierce doesn't mince words, and I
am confident she will impart some sage
and thought-provoking words of wisdom
for our graduating seniors on May 7.
Livingstone was founded by the African
Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, so it is
highly apropos to have a speaker who truly
understands the church, as it relates to
African-Americans, to speak at
Commencement. We look forward to hav
ing her on our campus and to establishing
a relationship with her."
Approximately 110 students are
expected to graduate from Livingstone
College on May 7. In keeping with tradi
tion, the institution will also hold its
"Golden Graduates" ceremony, which rec
ognizes graduates who earned their
degrees 50 years ago. The Golden
Graduates dress in gold robes and, after
the undergraduates receive their degrees,
walk across the stage to receive, certifi
cates from Jenkins in what is always a
highlight of Commencement.
ANSEL ADAMS
' v ;? <fjs 1 -2
ELOQUENT LIGHT
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