African American Reports Founder, George Cook Honored For His Work Helping Black Students Attend College

George Cook Recieving Frank Bolden Award From UCCF Chair Deborah Enix-Ross

African American Reports founder, George Cook was honored with the 2024 Frank Bolden Honorary Award for his work helping Black students attend Union College Of New Jersey by raising funds for the school's Close The Gap Fund. Mr. Cook has raised over $12,000 to date to help Black students attend the college to date. Mr.Cook was honored alonside Angela Adderley who was awarded the 2024 Community Leader of the Year award.

Mr. Cook is a trustee on the Union County College Foundation, where he has served since 2018.

During his acceptance speech George thanked the Union County College Foundation for it's work in helping Black students achieve and acknowledged the founders of the Close The Gap Program, Deborah Ennix-Ross, Susan Hairston, and Sandra Rice. Watch some of Mr. Cook's speech below:

George L. Cook III has lived in Hillside for over 40 years. He is a 1986 graduate of Hillside High School and has always maintained a connection to his community as a public servant, most recently as Councilman-At-Large.

Former Councilman Cook started his public service in 2010 after being elected to the Hillside Board of Education. He served two terms on the Board and during his tenure served four years as Board President and two years as Board Vice President. He was also appointed to the New Jersey School Board of Directors in 2015.

Following his service as a School Board member, Cook ran for local office and was elected to the Hillside Township Council in 2017. During his tenure on the Council, he has served as Chairman of the Personnel Committee, liaison to the Zoning Board of Adjustment and Council Vice President in 2018, 2019, and 2020.

George's public advocacy is only matched by his volunteer work, specifically, his efforts to serve the youth of Hillside. He has been a volunteer basketball and football coach for the Recreation Center and has sponsored State legislators visiting with residents. He led the Juneteenth Ceremony and African American flag raising during Black History Month in 2020.

George has been a member of the Hillside Scholarship Fund since 1986, the Lions Club since 2017, and the Union County College Foundation where he has been a tireless advocate for our students and has lead a number of fundraising efforts to support theClose the Gap campaign. He also served in the United State Army New Jersey National Guard from 1991-1994.

If you would like to donate to the Close The Gap Fund please use the GoFundMe widget in the upper left side of this page to do so. Any amount would be appreciated.

2024 CLOSE THE GAP Fundraiser Photos

George Cook and his wife Quanda

George Cook Acceptance speech

From Left to right CTG Founder Susan Harrison, George Cook, AngelaAdderly, CTG FounderDeborah Enix Ross, and CTG Founder Sandra Rice

George Cook and UCCF Executive Director Doug Rouse

Can you donate $10 to help Black students attend and finish college?

Can 1000 of us give $10 to help support Black college students in need?

Hi, my name is George L. Cook III. I am a trustee on the Union County College Foundation, and we help students finish college.

I am raising money for the Union County College Close The Gap Fund. The Close The Gap Fund helps Black students attend and finish college through grants or micro scholarships that they DO NOT have to pay back. Many African American students at our college struggle to finish school not because of academics but because of finances.

I am asking that 1000 of us give 10 dollars to raise $10,000 to support the Close The Gap program.

Many of these students struggle with their stay in school but not due to grades. They need help with paying for classes, books, transportation, and even paying for lunch.

Your contribution can make an impact on a student's life. Donate by using the widget below or at this link: https://gofund.me/333a2d28

Watch a message from George Cook below:

New book by Black poet: "The Blood is On Your Hands": Poems Against Gun Violence In America

Paperback ------ Kindle

"The Blood is On Your Hands": Poems Against Gun Violence In America

George L. Cook III is a former Councilman Board of Education member from Hillside, New Jersey.

Mr. Cook watched the news of the massacres at Buffalo and Uvalde in horror as many of you did.

He watched on May 19, 2022 when a coward entered a supermarket in Buffalo, New York and gunned down ten people for no other reason than they were Black. The bastard believed in White Replacement Theory, a white supremist notion that whites will be replaced by “minorities”.

On May 24, 2022, like most of you, he watched in shock as the news of the shooting in Uvalde, Texas was reported.

He watched a parent’s worst nightmare in shock and anger. He watched and cried as reports of 19 dead children between the ages of 9 and 11 flooded my television, computer, and smartphone screen.

He grew angrier as the hours and the days went by. He grew angrier because he realized no matter what the politicians said, no matter how many thoughts and prayers they gave, he knew nothing would change.

In both cases the 18-year-old gunmen were able to buy AR-15s days before or literally hours before the attacks. How is that even possible?

The CDC lists guns as the #1 cause of death for children in the United States. Yet, those in Congress do nothing.

Things must change and change now!

This anger inspired George Cook to write his book, The Blood is on Your Hands: Poems Against Gun Violence.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...The poems are beautiful and visceral. It is clear that Cook feels passionately about this subject, and he knows how to communicate that passion across the page."
 
From the Union County  (NJ) Local Source newspaper.

I just read this book. I thought it was brilliant. It Speaks life Into existence as to what is happening in this world...These poems are fabulous, the dedication and respect that George Cook put on them is wonderful. We need to pass these to other people. We need to pray for other people to read this. 
 

Reverend Cherenna Dale-Rawls Community Church of God Plainfield NJ

...The poems are written in memory of the victims. The message is for lawmakers.

Adam Darsky TAPInto Hillside.net

This book written by George L. Cook, and was clearly written, not to raise money,  but to raise awareness to systemic racism and abuse by those in power.

Yes the Blood is on your hands.
Ezekiel 3:18

Elder Donald Boughton Th.B

THE BLOOD IS ON YOUR HANDS - Poems against gun violence by the Honorable George L. Cook III. This is a easy read and a great tool for all to enjoy!

NJ Assemblyman and Bishop Reginald W. Atkins

The book is available on Amazon in paperback and for Kindle:

Paperback ------ Kindle

"Blood on Your Hands", a plea to the United States Congress to act on gun violence

Hello, my name is George L. Cook III. I wrote this poem, "Blood on Your Hands" in response to the shooting in Uvalde, Texas and Buffalo, New York. I am begging the United States Congress to actually do something about gun violence in this country, and thoughts and prayers is not what I want. Watch me recite the poem in the video below.

This poem is in my new poetry book, The Blood Is On Your Hands Poems About Gun Violence available now on Amazon.

Purchase the book on Amazon:

Paperback******* Kindle

Hillside NJ host 2nd annual Juneteenth flag raising

On this past Juneteenth, which was the first to be celebrated as a federal holiday, the small town of Hillside, NJ, (which borders Union, Elizabeth, Irvington and Newark) held its second annual Juneteenth flag raising ceremony.

This is especially noteworthy as Hillside was a town that did not segregate its schools until the mid 1980s, and where Black residents, especially its Black students, couldn’t be on the "other side of the bridge" after a certain time of the day.

The event was organized by Hillside Council Vice-President George Cook who is African American, and has lived in Hillside since 1974.

During a brief speech Cook said that although making Juneteenth a federal holiday is nice that there was work to do when it came to police reform, voting rights, and social justice. He also added that we could still appreciate and celebrate Juneteenth while continuing the fight for all of those issues.

Cook also said that it was important for events like this to continue to educate the public as to what Juneteenth is.

"It's not the job of the school system to teach our children about Juneteenth, it's our job to make sure they know about it."

The event included an opening prayer from Rev. Cherrena Del-Rawles, remarks from Councilman Cook's sister and Hillside school board president, Kim Cook, a reading of the history of Juneteenth by Hillside 6th grader Khairi Miller, a Juneteenth poem read by recent Hillside graduate Douglas Nelson, and Hillside resident Sherrill Smith singing "Lift Every Voice" as the Juneteenth Flag was raised by several Hillside children.

Cook wanted to especially thank his wife, Quanda and his daughter, Brittany, who helped a lot behind the scenes, his sister Kim Cook for her crucial help setting up the event, and Hillside Democratic chair for helping with the advertising and planning the event.

Several state, county, and local officials attended the event:

NJ state senator Joe Cryan, Assemblyman Jamel C. Holley, County Commissioner Rebecca Williams , County Commissioner Angela R. Garretson, County Commissioner Andrea Staten, Councilman Donald DeAugustine , Councilwoman Nancy Mondella, Councilwoman Andrea Hyatt, School board President Kim Cook, school board member Joyce Simmons, and several Hillside Democratic Committee district leaders.

OPINION: Why the NAACP is letting Cornell Williams Brooks go.

Hi, this is George Cook of African American Reports. In case you didn't know the NAACP has decided not to renew it's President/CEO, Cornell William Brooks when his term expires on June 30. Here is my humble opinion on why the NAACP is letting a hard working man of integrity go.

Barber Shop Politics: A look back at President Obama's 2008 Presidential Campaign

By George L. Cook III African American Reports

Here is a video that I made back in 2008 that was featured on CNN.Com. I think it only right on the day of President Obama's farewell speech that we take a look back.

Barber Shop Politics: A visit to black barber shops featuring barbers and their customers explaining why they support Barack Obama.

Interview with George Cook, author of NAPPY a story book for little black girls

Here is a short interview with myself (George Cook) about my children's book NAPPY. NAPPY is a short picture book letting little black girls know how beautiful both they and their hair are.

AAR (African American Reports): How did the book NAPPY come about?

George Cook: It was actually a poem in a book of poetry I wrote back in 2009. I wrote the poem to let little black girls know how beautiful they truly are. It was also written with my daughter in mind. it was kind of prophetic because now she is trying to go natural and is completely comfortable with her hair. She is breaking my wife and I financially in the process of going natural but it's cool.

AAR: When did you have the poem illustrated?

George Cook: I actually tried to illustrate it myself in 2010. It wasn't that well drawn, okay it was badly drawn..LOL. But I promised myself that as son as I could afford an illustrator I would have the book redrawn. I was able to do that in 2013.

AAR: How has the book been received?

George Cook: Very well. The book currently has a 4.4 rating on Amazon with 9 reviews and I'm proud of that. The only thing that bugs me out is that someone gave the book a three star review because it shows that girls have the option of also perming their hair. it bugged me out because I was trying to show that girls have many options in how to wear their hair and that they are ALL beautiful.

AAR: Why did you price the book at 99¢?

George Cook: I wanted the book available to all girls and 99¢ is the lowest price that you can set at Amazon for Kindle. I hope that makes the book affordable for most. I didn't want to go the physical book route because in my opinion the cost is prohibitive and the book would just cost to much to produce on my end and to the consumer on the buying end.

AAR: where is the book available?

Currently only on Amazon for the Kindle. You can use the link below to check it out. Thanks for the interview.

AAReports is now officially African American Reports!

Hey all just wanted to let you know that after a long two year wait I was finally able to get the domain AfricanAmericanReports.com. So that means that AAReports is now officially African American Reports. But I will still shorten it at times to AAreports can I can be extremely lazy..LOL. And don't worry nothing is changing but the name.

George Cook AAreports Oops I mean African american Reports.