Atlanta Daily World

‘Sound Off’ Cadence Creator Duckworth Remembered

Special to the Daily World
SANDERSVILLE, GA (Real Times News Service) — In the winter of 1944, Private Willie Lee Duckworth Sr. of Sandersville, Ga., forever changed the landscape of U.S. Army marching drills when he created what's now called the Duckworth "Sound-Off" Chant.
As a member of the nation's segregated Army, Duckworth, later recounted that it all happened while marching with his fellow Black soldiers during a cold day at Fort Slocum, N.Y.

According to Duckworth's oldest daughter, Connie Duckworth Pinkston, her father was ordered to drill his fellow troops by his White commanding officer that believed the soldiers needed more pep in their proverbial steps. What resulted was the Duckworth "Sound-Off chant or cadence.

Young private Duckworth proceeded to create a rhythmic chant which helped his fellow soldiers keep time, in addition to infusing motivation and morale into their attitudes, said Pinkston, one of five Duckworth children.

Pinkston resides in Sandersville where her now-deceased father is a household name throughout this small, rural community of about 6,000 residents located 65 miles southwest of Augusta, Ga.

"My father was a humble man," said Pinkston. "He never talked much about his accomplishments, but we knew enough about it when we were growing up," said Pinkston, a veteran 911 emergency dispatcher with the Washington County Sheriff's Office.

In the Oct. 28, 1951 edition of The New York Times, the headline reads 'Tired GI's chant becomes song hit'. The story's dateline is New Rochelle, NY, where writer John Stevens, refers to 200, weary-legged soldiers, dragging home after a 13-mile walk.

An except from the news article states:

"Today the staccato sounds of Private Duckworth's "Sound Off,"resounds from radio and TV loudspeakers from the brass sections of college football bands and from juke boxes throughout the land. Squads of marching youngsters shout or bark it in the streets - one - two- three - four.
Duckworth's composition has been recognized by the American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers since 1951, according to ASCAP's Repertory department in New York City. The actual cadence rendition reads as such: "Ain't no use in goin' home, Jody's got your gal and gone. Ain't no use in feelin' blue, Jody's got your sister too. Sound off, One-two, Sound-off, Three four."

In a 2002 newspaper interview with the Macon Telegraph, Duckworth said the cadence, "Made me famous for a while. And, it put some money in my pocket."

Duckworth grew up as a sharecropper's son and worked in a sawmill before being drafted into World War II. After leaving the Army, he used royalty checks from his "Sound Off" song to help purchase equipment to start his own pulpwood business, of which he ran up until his death in 2004, at age 80.

John "General" Mills a former professional boxer and Sandersville native, is credited with instigating a movement to get Duckworth the publicity and attention he so rightly deserved.

"I heard about Willie Lee's accolades, but I didn't see anything in the town that gave him any credit. Heck, I figured if Harlem (Ga.) could give comedian Oliver Hardy a museum and Macon could name a bridge for Otis Redding and James Brown has his own street in Augusta, then we needed to step-up and give our guy some attention too," said Mills, who lived most of his adult life in Long Island, N.Y., until returning to Georgia after the 911 tragedy of 2001.

The Mills-led committee, along with community activist Rosby Gordon, through state, city and community cooperation, was able to successfully honor Duckworth with the renaming of Georgia Highway 242 to the Willie Lee Duckworth Highway where Duckworth grew up. The committee also raised enough capital to honor Duckworth with a granite marker that was visibly placed on Washington County courthouse grounds.

Georgia Rep. (D) Mack Jackson also presented Duckworth's wife, Edna Duckworth, with a legislative resolution honoring her late husband. The document was signed by members of the Georgia House of Representatives. Edna Duckworth died in April.

Layne Kitchens, president of the Washington County Historical Society in the county seat of Sandersville, said, "We are very proud that Mr. Duckworth is from Washington County and of his accomplishments that put us on the world map."

After leaving the Army; Duckworth bought a tractor, wood truck, saws and developed his own pulpwood company. Both Pinkston and Mills credit Col. Bernard Lentz, the superior officer at Fort Slocum who recognized that Duckworth's creation warranted copyright protection and saw to it that his works were legally protected by ASCAP.

The song appeared in a 1949 film called 'Battleground' and the 1952 movie, 'Sound Off,' starring Mickey Rooney. The title song was recorded and sung by RCA-Victor vocalist and bandleader Vaughn Monroe, a film and TV star from the 1940s and 1950s. Moore attended Jeanette High School and attended Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh before becoming a recording artist.

Adrian King a Georgia music educator and Army veteran said he's recalls barking the Duckworth Chant while stationed at Fort Jackson, S.C. "We recited the cadence primarily during boot camp. It was motivational and also served to bond our unit," said King, adding that he never realized the composer was also a native Georgian.

The chant has since been used in several TV commercials, including Dick's Sporting Goods, according to Mills. The "Jody" phrase also appears in recordings by R&B singers Titus Turner, Johnnie Taylor and on TV's 'SpongeBob SquarePants' children's program. Mills says it's vital that young soldiers realize the true origins of 'Sound Off'.

"Amazingly, you've got drill sergeants all over the nation thinking that the 'Sound Off' cadence was created by some hot-shot soldier at West Point, when it was really written by a young, Black private from a small, country town in Georgia. It's a phenomenal accomplishment," said

ATLANTA CITY COUNCIL ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF TANGELA M. WILLIAMS AS NEW COUNCIL STAFF DIRECTOR

Special to the Daily World
The Atlanta City Council, under the leadership of Council President Ceasar C. Mitchell, has announced the appointment of Ms. Tangela M. Williams as the new Council staff director.

The Council staff director is responsible for supporting the City Council and the Council legislative process by directing research into issues of interest to members of the City Council; managing the drafting and preparation of Council legislative documents and coordinating the required review and scheduling of discussion of legislative items. The director also prepares the operating budget for the legislative branch and works with City department executives, the Mayor's staff, and City legal staff to assure thorough and extensive research is conducted into proposed legislation and legal issues.

Williams, a certified public accountant, brings to city government a wealth of experience in management accounting, budgeting, strategic planning, forecasting, financial analysis, relationship building, training and management.

"I am pleased to welcome Ms. Williams to our team," said Council President Mitchell. "She brings with her an extensive amount of professional experience that will undoubtedly strengthen the City Council's operations and overall effectiveness as a deliberative body."

Williams, an Atlanta native, said her experience allows for the development of new and innovative ways of serving the needs of the citizens of Atlanta.

"I hope to bridge my corporate experience with the public sector for the best of both worlds," Williams said.

Prior to joining city government, Williams served most recently as Vice President of Finance for Atlantic Capital Bank in Atlanta, where she managed the $1 billion bank's budgeting and forecasting processes, line of business and relationship manager reporting and cost allocations. She was also instrumental in the implementation of a new budget, planning, and management reporting system.

Williams earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Georgia in Athens and a Master's of Business Administration degree from Georgia State University.

Who's Who In Black Atlanta Welcomes Thomas Dortch Jr. As Foreword Writer

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Who's Who In Black Atlanta welcomes Thomas W. Dortch Jr., author, entrepreneur and community activist as the foreword writer for the 14th edition.

"We are very excited to have Thomas W. Dortch Jr. join us as the foreword writer for the 14th edition of Who's Who In Black Atlanta," says Carter Womack, vice president of marketing and development. "His impact with the progression of the African-American community over the years falls right in line with the vision of Who's Who Publishing. We are excited about his contribution."

Dortch, who is the chairman and chief executive officer of TWD, Inc., and managing partner of FAD Consulting, LLC, established the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc. and co-founded the Georgia Association of Minority Entrepreneurs (GAME) to fill a void as an advocacy organization for minority business development. In 1990 he became the first African American to serve in the role as state director and served as chief administrator for United States Senator Sam Nunn. He has served in other positions such as president of South West Investment Group (SWIG), chief executive officer of Atlanta Transportation Systems, Inc., chairman and chief executive officer of Cornerstone Parking and chairman of Lancor Parking Management, LLC. He was chairman of the 100 Black Men of America from 1994-2004 and is currently chairman emeritus.

The recipient of numerous awards, Dortch has been listed in the 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 May editions of Ebony magazine as one of The 100 Most Influential African Americans and has also been listed in the Atlanta Business Chronicle as one of The 100 Most Influential Atlantans for the past 11 years. In 2008 he received the Community Service Professional of the Year Award and was inducted into the 2010 Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau's Atlanta Hospitality Hall of Fame.

Dortch earned a bachelor's degree in sociology and pre-professional social work from Fort Valley State University and a master's degree in criminal justice administration from Clark-Atlanta University.

Who's Who Publishing Company was founded in 1989 and highlights the achievements of African Americans and other minority groups across the country through its brand of Who's Who signature publications. Who's Who Publishing is a subsidiary of Real Times Media, a leading source of African-American related news, entertainment and lifestyle information.

75 Local Teens Contribute To Community And Economy Thru Summer Jobs Program

Special to the Daily World
Bank of America has announced that 80 local students have been chosen to participate in two local summer job programs. First, the Bank of America Summer Youth Employment Initiative is a partnership with Mayor Kasim Reed that provides 75 at risk teens with job opportunities at local nonprofits, and Bank of America has awarded the City of Atlanta $100,000 in grant funding to support this initiative.

"These young people are going to have an opportunity they didn't have before," Mayor Reed said. "The $100,000 grant from Bank of America is literally putting dozens of youth to work this summer. This investment is another example of the strong partnerships between the City and the private sector that make a real difference in the lives of residents in neighborhoods across Atlanta every day."
Second, The Bank of America Student Leaders® program, now in its ninth year, provides 225 community-minded high school juniors and seniors across the U.S. – including five from Atlanta – with a paid eight-week summer internship at local nonprofit organizations. In addition, Student Leaders attend a weeklong Bank of America Student Leadership Summit in Washington, DC, in July.

"Teens have been disproportionally affected by the recession with unemployment rates at an all-time high," said Cheryl Lomax, Georgia market manager, Bank of America. "Summer jobs provide more than just a paycheck to young people. Connecting these outstanding young leaders to work experience helps them gain additional skills and build their network as they develop further as leaders, while helping to strengthen Atlanta during a time when an increased number of people need assistance."

Despite gains in the overall job market, the national rate of unemployment for youth aged 16-19 remains high at 24.6 percent. Georgia's rate is 27.9%, ranking it among the worst states for youth unemployment. Taken together, these two programs demonstrate the Bank's ongoing philanthropic commitment to providing high performing students with access and exposure to critical resources that will bolster their work and life skills while also benefiting the community.

The Summer Youth Employment Initiative and the Student Leaders program are part of Bank of America's philanthropic investments in local communities. Local nonprofits also benefit from the program. The 2012 Nonprofit Finance Fund State of the Nonprofit Sector survey reports that 88 percent of nonprofits responding expect an increase in demand for services this year, while funding resources remain tight. The extra capacity provided by the students will help nonprofits meet this increased demand.

Following are the participating Student Leaders, all of whom are interning at Teach for America Atlanta: Mohini Chakravorty, Woodstock, a rising senior at The Walker School; Joshika Money, Alpharetta, an incoming freshman at the University of Georgia and graduate of Northview High School; Fahim Thawer, Alpharetta, is an incoming freshman at the University of Georgia and a graduate of Woodward Academy; Ciara Shaw, Stone Mountain, an incoming Freshman at Clark Atlanta and a graduate of Stephenson High School, and Terrence McKenzie, Stone Mountain, a rising senior at Druid Hills High School.

During the Student Leadership Summit in DC, Student Leaders will participate in a service learning project and through a series of interactive workshops, including Capitol Hill briefings, sessions on financial education and leadership development skills, the summit broadens students' understanding of how service creates positive change and how corporate, nonprofit and government collaboration is instrumental in community revitalization.

This year alone, the Bank of America Charitable Foundation is investing more than $1 million in the Student Leaders program. Since 2004, the company has committed more than $9 million, recognizing more than 1,600 students in 44 U.S. cities.