March 2019
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Origins of the Black Press
Free
FREEDOM’S JOURNAL, THE FIRST BLACK NEWSPAPER WAS FOUNDED MARCH 16, 1827 Freedom’s Journal was the first African American owned and operated newspaper in the United States. A weekly four column publication printed every Friday, Freedom’s Journal was founded by free born African Americans, John Russwurm and Samuel Cornish, on March 16, 1827, in New York City. Th e newspaper contained both foreign and domestic news, editorials, biographies, births and deaths in the local African American community, and advertisements. Editorials deriding slavery, racial discrimination, and other injustices against African Americans were aimed at providing a counterweight to many of the white newspapers of the time period which openly supported slavery and racial bias. Freedom’s Journal was not born solely out of the perceived need to defend African Americans as much as a desire within the black community to create a forum that would express their views and advocate for their causes. Russwurm and Cornish placed great value on the need for reading
and writing as keys to empowerment for the black population, and they hoped a black newspaper would encourage literacy and intellectual development among African Americans. Relatedly, the newspaper sought to broaden its readers’ awareness of world events and developments while, simultaneously, strengthening ties among black communities across the Northern United States. Subscriptions were $3 per year and Freedom’s Journal at its peak circulated in eleven states, the District of Columbia, Haiti, Europe, and Canada.
“Too long have others spoken for us ... We wish to plead our own cause.” -Reverend Samuel Cornish and John Russwurm, the editors of Freedom’s Journal, proclaimed in the fi rst issue.
THE BLACK PRESS CREED The Black Press believes that America can best lead the world away from racial and national antagonism when it affords to all people – regardless of race, color or creed – their human and legal rights. Hating no person and fearing no person, the Black Press strives to help every person in the firm belief that all are hurt as long as anyone is held back.
Disability Community Looses One of Our Rock Stars Carrie Ann grew up in Windsor, Colorado and had several careers including being a teacher, ordained minister and legal assistant before becoming an attorney. Carrie graduated from Whitworth College in 1994, traveled and taught in Saipan, and then returned to the states to attend the Iliff School of Theology. She received a Master’s of Divinity with Justice and Peace Concentration from Iliff in 1999, but
BLACK PRESS: THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE AFRICAN AMERICAN VOICE! MARCH 2019
during her time there, became increasingly involved in disability advocacy. After she graduated, she started working as an advocate and later legal assistant for the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition, investigating, preparing, and monitoring disability rights cases and providing informal advocacy on a wide range of topics. While there, she was granted a full scholarship as a Chancellor’s Scholar at the
University of Denver School of Law.
See SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT, page S3
“A lie has many variations. the truth none.”~
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african proverb
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black press
African American Voice Inc. In June 2016, the African American Voice celebrated its Twenty-fifth Anniversary, printing its last hard copy and in so doing became the longest-running Black monthly newspaper ever published in Southern Colorado and the largest Black monthly newspaper serving Colorado Springs Metro, Denver Metro and Pueblo. The Voice is the brainchild of publisher and owner James Tucker, who conceived the idea while serving in Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq during the Gulf War. James’ goals then, as now, were to awaken the larger community to the needs and untapped potential of African Americans living in Colorado, while at the same time, bringing to the state broad awareness of the diverse mix of local, regional, national and international issues that have, and will continue to have, an impact upon the Black community. In addition, The Voice is committed to promoting and preserving United States history. With a primary investment of his own time and money, assistance from the former veteran-owned Hispania newspaper, Bob Armendariz, and a few advertisers, contributing writers and editors, James has not only managed to keep the paper alive, but also nurtured its steady growth. With the rise of right-wing intolerance, however, publishing has become a challenge. The racial climate for Blacks has become hostile and more unfavorable in the United States. The proof of this is in the killings of innocent African Americans by the police and recent incidents of Blacks being arrested and/or killed in public places for trespassing, when they were actually customers.
The African American Voice is now a free monthly online newspaper that has transitioned to a global presence. Focusing on issues the mainstream media will not cover, the African American Voice is determined to keep the community informed on issues that matter to them. Online only through its website: www.africanamericanvoice.net.
Meet The Publisher James Tucker, Freedom Fighter - Pleading our Cause James Tucker was born in New Madrid, Missouri, on May 6, 1951. Tucker began his crusade for justice and equality while earning an undergraduate degree in History and Political Science from Rust College in Holly Springs, Mississippi. Upon graduation, he enlisted in the Army and served three years on active duty at Fort Carson, Colorado. He also served 17 years in the Colorado Army National Guard. In 1985, Tucker received a master’s degree in Counseling and Student Development from Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama. In 1991, Tucker served during the Gulf War as a legal specialist with the 217th Medical Battalion. While serving in Iraq, Tucker started the African American Voice Newspaper, Inc., as a hobby and published the first edition in June 1991. Th e paper is published online today with the continued efforts of Tucker, an independent contractor, and volunteers. In 1996, Tucker retired from the Colorado Army National Guard. He is a decorated war veteran who received a Bronze Star. He taught social studies at Harrison High School for 24 years, retiring in 2001.
Tucker has received several honorary degrees. In 2007, Tucker received an Honorary Doctor of Management Degree from Colorado Technical University. Years later, in 2011, during a trip to Africa, he received the Honorary Degree of the Lamidat of Garoua, Cameroon, while tracing his ancestral roots. In 2013, Dr. Malcolm Newton and the Denver Institute of Urban Studies and Adult College presented Dr. James Tucker his second honorary Doctorate, a Doctor of Philosophy. Tucker recently published Our Story: Looking Back: Moving Forward which is his legacy chronicling his life in Colorado and highlighting active involvement of Blacks within the political, social and economic development of Colorado. The
book is rich in cultural attractions and includes a resource of Black Banks throughout the United States. James Tucker is also the proud father of a son with autism. He continues today with no less enthusiasm and conviction, looking forward to the future with the belief that if you are willing to set your sights high enough, you can make a difference.
“You can’t just sit there and wait for “Never limit yourself because of people to give you that golden dream.
others’ limited imagination; never You’ve got to get out there and make it limit others because of your own happen for yourself. limited imagination. -Diana Ross
”
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”
-Dr. Mae Jemison
MARCH 2019
dictatorship Lewis Reed
Steve Stenger
lost the confidence of the majority of voters. THE MAJORITY OF THE VOTERS DEMAND
Lewis Reed to:
• Oppose privatization of Lambert Airport
Election results: Reed 36% Majority 64%
Both opponents won the majority of the vote.
• Oppose the St. Louis City and St. Louis County merger • Support the recall of Mayor Lyda Krewson
The Majority of City of St. Louis voters oppose the City-County merger
would have the power of a dictator for six years. Former St. Louis Comptroller Virvus Jones said, “People in the City of St. Louis will have a mayor name Steve Stenger who we did not vote for.” Former St. Louis Mayor Freeman Bosley said, “Lyda Krewson wants to dissolve the City of St. Louis and not involve the City of St. Louis.” Bosley also called Krewson’s support of the merger a betrayal to voters. Don’t sign the petition and vote no if it’s on the ballot.
VOTE NO TO ST. LOUIS CITY-COUNTY MERGER FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS: 1. TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION: Taxes will increase for current St. Louis City residents. 2. STRIPED OF POLITICAL POWER: African Americans Aldermen positions will be eliminated negatively impacting Black representation. 3. VOTING RIGHTS: Citizens will lose political power by not having a right to vote for 6 years (UNTIL 2025). 4. UNFAIR INCREASE IN TAXES: Taxes will increase for current St. Louis City residents.
SUPPORT THE RECALL OF
ST. LOUIS MAYOR LYDA KREWSON Remove Mayor Krewson because she supports the merger! MARCH 2019
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The New Abolitionist Movement requests your help! Please forward ASAP. 2,000 men in Angola prison serving 10-2 sentences will die in prison
STAND WITH US: Louisiana United International “UNANIMOUS IS NOT ENOUGH CAMPAIGN” The Struggle Continues:
RALLY AND PACK THE COURTROOM.
Non-unanimous jury scheme: The men at Angola State Penitentiary take a stand--Referred to during the election campaign as “the shame of our state,” the non-unanimous jury scheme will no longer be used in Louisiana courts, but it was not applied retroactively. So the approximately 2,000 people serving 10-2 sentences will die in prison unless the law can “get all the way right,” ... The state is not cooperating and is sealing all jury polling records to hide the truth of the Black lives unjustly taken and still incarcerated by the non-unanimous jury scheme.
RALLY SATURDAY, MARCH 16, 2019 TBA RALLY & COURT HEARING MONDAY, MARCH 18, 9AM LOUISIANA 40TH DISTRICT COURT 2393 HIGHWAY 18, EDGARD, LOUISIANA. Last November 6, 2018 65% of Louisiana’s voters passed Amendment 2 which now requires a unanimous 12 instead of 10 of 12 jurors to convict someone of a felony. While the new law went into effect on January 1, 2019, anyone arrested and charged prior to that date is still subject to the old law even though their trial may be in 2019. The old Jim Crow 10/2 jury law was just as wrong on January first as it was before that. Free those who were wrongfully convicted or give them new trials. Help fight for justice by spreading the word. Rally and pack the courtroom. For info contact: Belinda Parker Brown (269)369-4751/Joseph Peery (312)788-0380
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MARCH 2019
HEALTH
Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Heal
Over the past 4 decades, numerous scientific reports have examined the relationships between physical activity, physical fitness, and cardiovascular health. There have been expert panels such as the American College of Sports Medicine, (ACSM), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the American Heart Association (AHA) that continually reinforce data driven evidence that there is a definite link between physical activity and cardiovascular health. The reports continue to show that the more active you are, the less likely you are to develop heart disease or if you do develop heart disease it will likely occur at a later age and will be less severe. Read these tips to stay on track with your healthy living plan:
activity that is similar in intensity to brisk walking at a rate of about 3 to 4 miles per hour although many different types of activities will do. The most important thing to keep in mind is that it needs to be something that you like doing, safe, and convenient for your particular lifestyle. If you like playing outdoor games with your kids great! If you prefer the treadmill at the gym, go for it! As long as you are incorporating moderate intensity movement into your day for at least 30 minutes, then your heart will appreciate it and you will start to feel positive changes taking place in your body. If you already meet these standards then you will receive additional benefits from more vigorous activity.
Exercise has a direct effect on your heart. Being sedentary is one of the 5 major risk factors (along with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking and obesity) for cardiovascular disease. We have mounds of evidence to support that reducing these risk factors will decrease your chance of having a heart attack since it has a positive and favorable effect on the established risk factors. Since exercise can promote weight loss, reduce your blood pressure and reduce the ‘bad’ cholesterol levels in your blood then it can reduce your risk of heart disease. Of course one session of exercise won’t do the trick but consistent exercise over time combined with a healthy eating plan will.
Begin your exercise program by making sure your doctor approves. If you currently have heart disease or you are over 45 years old, have 2 or more risk factors (immediate family member with heart disease before age 55, cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol levels, diabetes, sedentary lifestyle, or obesity), you should consult your physician before starting any type of exercise. If you know that you won’t set aside 30 minutes to exercise, try starting with 15 minutes or at the very least incorporate more movement by working it into your day like taking the stairs, walking short distances instead of driving, standing instead of sitting, etc. The most important thing to do right now is to start. Now! There is no need to wait to get started with your exercise program, but if you need motivation invite a friend along. Set reminders for yourself that will help you remember the reason why you need to exercise such as ‘I want to live longer’ or ‘I need more energy to do everything I want to do’. Making an emotional connection will help you stay consistent and to do it even when you don’t really feel like it. The obvious benefits of exercise may not be enough to keep you going but your own personal reasons can. With heart disease being the number one cause of death for men and women, we must be proactive to prevent it. Have fun while exercising and you’ll forget that you are! Thanks for reading!
Exercise brings positive physiological benefits. Your body’s ability to improve its muscular function and strength, and its ability to take in and more effectively utilize oxygen as it is transported through your circulatory system is positively affected. If you have ever been diagnosed with heart disease, exercise will help you move through your daily living activities with less fatigue. Your muscles will become better trained to use the oxygen you take in allowing you to perform better, longer. Improvements in bone health, back pain, sleep cycles, stress levels and other physiological functions have been studied and proven. The amount of exercise matters! Based on several reports and studies including the Surgeon General’s Report, a joint CDC/ACSM consensus statement, and a National Institutes of Health report, the benefits of exercise will generally occur by incorporating at least 30 minutes of modest activity on most, preferably all, days of the week. Modest activity is defined as any
MARCH 2019
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Health information provided by Mile High Fitness & Wellness
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Kim Farmer is the president of Mile High Fitness & Wellness. Mile High Fitness & Wellness offers in home personal training, wellness challenges, onsite corporate fitness classes and seminars including cooking demos.
President
Stay in the KNOW! Join our Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/milehighfitness for special offers and timely fitness and nutrition tips! Mile High Fitness & Wellness was founded by Kim Farmer whose primary mission is to bring fitness and nutrition to anyone, anywhere, anytime. Mile High Fitness & Wellness is the proud provider of many municipalities, private companies, school districts, non-profits and other groups located in and outside of Colorado. She has partnered with many practitioners to travel to various locations to provide high quality, professional personal training and nutrition programs, corporate wellness initiatives, assessments, workshops, speeches and more.
Sign up at www.milehighfitness.com to schedule a consultation for in home/at work fitness and nutrition support.
Contributor: Kim Farmer of Mile High Fitness & Wellness. Mile High Fitness & Wellness offers in-home personal training and corporate wellness solutions. Vi s i t w w w. m i l e h i g h f i t n e s s . c o m / personal training or email inquiries@ milehighfitness.com
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FINANCIAL By Charlene Crowell
Education Department Helps Loan Servicers Instead of Borrowers
In an increasingly competitive global economy, highly skilled workers have a sharp advantage in securing and keeping employment. And as technological advances result in life-long learning in many occupations, many worker-students turn to federal student aid, the largest source of funding for higher education, to expand and/or hone their value in the marketplace. But a newly-released audit report finds fault with how the Department of Education (Department) is managing both its loan funds and its 15 contract student loan services. According to an Office of Inspector General (OIG) report released on February 12, “borrowers might not have been protected from poor services, and taxpayers might not have been protected from improper payments.” That statement covers a range of student loan concerns and include loan payments, loan consolidation, principal and interest payments and repayment options like incomedriven repayment plans and forbearance. But its content takes direct aim at the Federal Student Aid (AID) division of the Department, charged with being a thrifty steward of the billions of dollars dedicated to higher education. Could it be that the current student loan crisis is facing the same threat today that was rampant a decade ago during the mortgage crisis? Are borrowers’ payments being properly applied? Or are unchecked and unaccountable loan services bilking consumers into unwarranted costs and payments? I’m betting that the 44 million borrowers who together owe more than $1.4 trillion in student loan debt seriously want to know. “FSA’s not holding services accountable could lead to services being paid more than they should be (the contracts with services allow FSA to recover amounts paid for loans not serviced in compliance with requirements),” states the report.
In February 2017, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) sued Navient Corporation and two of its subsidiaries for allegedly using shortcuts and deception to illegally cheat 12 million borrowers out of their rights to lower loan repayments. These practices, according to CFPB, led to an additional $4 billion in borrower costs. Much of the unnecessary costs were the result of Navient’s widespread use of forbearance that boosted corporate profits by minimizing time spent advising distressed borrowers. For example, three-years of deferment on $30,000 in student loans would cost a borrower an additional $6,742. Navient also had another dubious distinction. In 2017, more consumers filed complaints about Navient than any other student loan servicer. Complainants identified dealing with the servicer or lender as the key issue, compared to only 34 percent whose problems were based on an inability to pay their loans. “The Inspector General’s damning revelations that the Department of Education failed to track all instances of non-compliance or to hold services accountable for errors demonstrates its lack of commitment to protecting student loan borrowers”, said Persis Yu, director of the National Consumer Law Center’s Student Loan Borrower Assistance Project. “Unfortunately, this revelation is consistent with the Department’s prior actions, which have repeatedly put the interests of big business ahead of the interests of student loan borrowers. Many consumer advocates would agree with the Trump Administration’s mounting actions that favor businesses before consumers. The recently-announced rule reversal on payday loans is another example. In 2018, guidance that protected people of color from discrimination in auto loan financing is yet another. “Policies and practices must assure student success while minimizing costly debt errors that become unnecessary burdens,” said Whitney Barkley-Denney, a policy counsel with the Center for Responsible Lending. “In this past year, Department of Education has justified its aggressive steps to shield student loan services from liability by claiming that it rigorously oversees its services,” added Yu. “This report from the Inspector General demonstrates that claim is false.” Charlene Crowell is the Center for Responsible Lending’s Communications Deputy Director. She can be reached at Charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org.
“The path to
your success is not as fixed and inflexible as you think.
”
-Misty Copeland
James Tucker James Tucker Publisher
Publisher Phone: 719.528.1954
Phone: 719.528.1954 james.tucker@africanamericanvoice.net james.tucker@africanamericanvoice.net
Undray Tucker Undray AssociateTucker Publisher Associate Publisher Reginald Watson Reginald Watson WebMaster
Reginald WebmasterWatson
Webmaster Craig Morris, Jr. Rubbie Artist Hodge Graphic Rubbie Hodge Copy Editor www.morrisjrcraig.com Copy Editor Columnist
Charlene Crowell Kim Farmer Columnists: Mr. Harry Alford & Ms. DeBow Columnists: Charlene Crowell Alfonzo Porter Charlene Crowell Julianne Harry C.Malveaux Alford
Harry C. Alford
“FSA management rarely used available contract accountability provisions to hold services accountable for instances of noncompliance,” continued the report. “By not holding services accountable for instances of noncompliance with Federal loan servicing requirements, FSA did not provide services with an incentive to take actions to mitigate the risk of continued servicer noncompliance that could harm students.” According to OIG, all student loan servicer contracts are supposed to be awarded on the basis of performance measures in five weighted areas. Two factors, borrower satisfaction and the percentage of borrowers who were not more than five days delinquent, together account for up to 60 of the contractors overall score. Services are also evaluated on the percentage of borrowers whose loans were more than 90 days late but less than 271, and a percentage who were more than 270 days delinquent but less than 361, and an FSA employee satisfaction survey. Although the Department has 15 student loan servicer contracts, four were the biggest beneficiaries during the OIG’s audit period. As of September 30, 2017, federal student loan debt was $1.147 trillion with 93 percent of those loans assigned to PHEAA ($319 billion), Great Lakes ($236 billion), Navient ($215 billion), and Nelnet ($180 billion).
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“We need to do
a better job of putting ourselves higher on our own ‘to do’ list.
”
-Michelle Obama
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The African American Voice is published Themonthly African by American VoiceAmerican is published The African monthly by Th e African American Voice Newspaper, Inc. The contents of Voice Newspaper, The contents ofe this publication areInc. copyrighted by Th this publication are copyrighted by Th e African American Voice Newspaper, Inc. African American Voice Newspaper, Inc. Reproductions or use of content in any manner Reproductions or use ofprior content in any manner is prohibited without written consent. is prohibited without prior written consent.
Contact us at 719.528.1954 or Contact us at 719.528.1954 or james.tucker@africanamericanvoice.net james.tucker@africanamericanvoice.net
www.africanamericanvoice.net www.africanamericanvoice.net The Black Press Creed The Black Press that Creed The Black Press believes America
The best Black believes that America can leadPress the world away from racial can best lead antagonism the world away from racial and national when it affords andallnational it affords to people antagonism – regardlesswhen of race, color to creed all people – regardless race,rights. color or – their human andof legal or creedno– person their human and legal rights. Hating and fearing no person, Hating no person fearing no person, the Black Press and strives to help every the Black Press to all help person in the firm strives belief that areevery hurt person firmisbelief as long in as the anyone held that back.all are hurt as long as anyone is held back.
MARCH 2019
special supplement march 2019
The African American Voice salutes the first Tuskegee University woman President.
Be a part of Tuskegee University history as we inaugurate our eighth president — and first female president — during a variety of events March 15 and 16. President Lily D. McNair invites you to join with her as Tuskegee embarks on a new era — one where we combine our mission of knowledge, leadership and service with her vision for excellence in every way. Information about all of our inaugural events, as well as available event sponsorship opportunities, is online at www.tuskegee.edu/inauguration.
MARCH 2019
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Free
“VISIONARY WOMEN: Champions of Peace & Nonviolence.”
In 1987, after being petitioned by the National Women’s History Project, Congress passed Pub. L. 100-9 which designated the month of March 1987 as Women’s History Month.[4] Between 1988 and 1994, Congress passed additional resolutions requesting and authorizing the President to proclaim March of each year as Women’s History Month.[4] Since 1988, U.S. presidents have issued annual proclamations designating the month of March as Women’s History Month. State departments of education also began to encourage celebrations of Women’s History Month as a way to promote equality among the sexes in the
classroom.[4] Maryland, Pennsylvania, Alaska, New York, Oregon, and other states developed and distributed curriculum materials in all of their public schools, which prompted educational events such as essay contests. Within a few years, thousands of schools and communities began to celebrate of Women’s History Month. They planned engaging and stimulating programs about women’s roles in history and society, with support and encouragement from governors, city councils, school boards, and the U.S. Congress. In March 2011, the Obama administration released a report, Women in America: Indicators of Social and
Economic Well-Being,[5] showing women’s status in the U.S. in 2011 and how it had changed over time. This report was the first comprehensive federal report on women since the report produced by the Commission on the Status of Women in 1963. Some organizations have issued statements marking Women’s History Month, for example the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee. The 2019 National Women’s History month theme is “VISIONARY WOMEN: Champions of Peace & Nonviolence.” Nationally, it is an opportunity to honor women who have resolved conflicts in their homes, schools, and communities. Women who have rejected violence as counterproductive and stressed the need to restore respect, establish justice, and reduce the causes of conflict to work toward peace. From legal defense and public education to direct action and civil disobedience, women have expanded the American tradition of using inclusive, democratic and active means to reduce violence, achieve peace, and promote the common good. Would you like to sponsor the Women’s History Month events? Contact Kelly DiGiacomo to lock your sponsorship in. Kelly can be reached at 970-946-3130 or at events@wrcdurango.org. National Women’s History Alliance 730 Second Street #469 PO Box 469 Santa Rosa, CA 95402 707-636-2888 (phone) 707-636-2909 (fax) Email: info@nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org
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special supplement
Black Women Sororities
Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Incorporated
A seasoned Delta leader, Smith has an extensive history of serving the Sorority on local, regional and national levels. She has served on and chaired numerous committees nationally along with being certified as a Delta Internal Development and Membership Intake trainer.
Valerie Hollingsworth-Baker 25th International President info@zetaphibetasororityhq.org (202) 387-3103
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated
Beverly E. Smith National President & CEO dstemail@deltasigmatheta.org Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, (202) 986 - 2400 Incorporated had its humble beginnings as the vision of nine college students on the campus Zeta Phi Beta of Howard University in 1908. A committed Life Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha with over four decades of leadership and service, Dr. Glover has served in several capacities, including International Vice-President, International Treasurer, and Treasurer to the Educational Advancement Foundation EAF). Chi Eta Phi Sorority is a professional organization of registered nurses and nursing students. Aliene C. Ewell, RN organized the Sorority on October 16, 1932 with the assistance of 11 other courageous registered nurses. Priscilla J. Murphy is a passionate leader who has an extensive history of serving Chi Eta Phi Sorority, Incorporated on the local, regional, and national levels.
Dr. Glenda Baskin Glover, Ph.D, JD, CPA International President akawebnet.aka1908.net
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. was founded January 16, 1920, at Howard University, Washington, D.C. Five coeds envisioned a sorority which would directly affect positive change, chart a course of action for the 1920s and beyond, raise consciousness of their people, encourage the highest standards of scholastic achievement, and foster a greater sense of unity among its members.
Priscilla J. Murphy, LPCMH, MS, MEd, BSN, RN SUPREME BASILEUS pmurphmscc@comcast.net
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. was founded on January 13, 1913 by 22 collegiate women at Howard University to promote academic excellence and provide assistance to those in need.
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Sorority, Incorporated
Valerie is a Diamond Life Member who has shown her dedication to Zeta since her induction in 1982, and has held numerous positions on the local, state, regional, and national levels of the organization, including the Atlantic Regional Director, Chairman of the National Executive Board and National Director of Strategic Planning.
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Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. was organized on November 12, 1922, in Indianapolis, Indiana, by seven young educators. It’s mission to enhance the quality of life for women and their families in the U.S. and globally through community service, civil, and social action. Our goal is to achieve greater progress in the areas of education, health awareness, and leadership development. Deborah Catchings-Smith International Grand Basileus dstemail@deltasigmatheta.org (202) 986 - 2400
“If women want
any rights more than they’s got, why don’t they just take them, and not be talking about it.” -Sojourner Truth
MARCH 2019
special supplement Disability Community Looses One of Our Rock Stars
Carrie Ann Lucas
The disability community lost one of it’s fiercest advocates on 2/24/19. Carrie Ann Lucas, a disability rights attorney who pioneered representation for parents with disabilities, died after an arbitrary denial from an insurance company caused a plethora of health problems, exacerbating her disabilities and eventually leading to her premature death. She was 47 years old. Carrie Ann Lucas is known around the state and the country for her strong advocacy. CarrieAnn grew up in Windsor, Colorado and had several careers including being a teacher, ordained minister and legal assistant before becoming an attorney. Carrie graduated from Whitworth College in 1994, traveled and taught in Saipan, and then returned to the states to attend the Iliff School of Theology. She received a Master’s of Divinity with Justice and Peace Concentration from Iliff in 1999, but during her time there, became increasingly involved in disability advocacy. After she graduated, she started working as an advocate and later legal assistant for the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition, investigating, preparing, and monitoring disability rights cases and providing informal advocacy on a wide range of topics. While there, she was granted a full scholarship as a Chancellor’s Scholar at the University of Denver School of Law. Following her graduation from law school in 2005, she was awarded a prestigious Equal Justice Works fellowship to create a program to combat discrimination that impacts parenting for parents with disabilities. This program, initially started within the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition, spun off to be Disabled Parents Rights, one of the only organizations in the country devoted to this issue. She also became a national expert and trainer on the rights of parents with disabilities and, through her legal advocacy, secured decisions upholding and promoting those rights here in Colorado. Most recently she was recruited by the Colorado Office of Respondent Parents Counsel to help set up a program to train other lawyers around the state to replicate the sort of
MARCH 2019
impact she was making. In addition to these professional activities, Ms. Lucas was an advocate with the disability rights groups ADAPT and Not Dead Yet, speaking, teaching, writing, testifying, and protesting on disability justice and the rights of people with disabilities to healthcare and respect. She was also a talented photographer and cook. Carrie Ann was an activist at heart. She graduated from EMERGE, ran for Windsor City Council in 2017, and was planning on additional political activity. She was chair of Colorado Democrats with Disabilities for the past several years. She was a member of the ADAPT group that protested in Cory Gardner’s office and got arrested to help save the Affordable Care Act in 2017, particularly Medicaid. She served on the Board of Directors of the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado. She was active with Not Dead Yet and fought hard against physician assisted suicide and the notion that life with a disability is not worth living. She demonstrated every day how amazing life with a disability can be. She was given the Intersectionality Award from The Civil Rights Education and Enforcement Center in 2016. She was a leader in passing HB 18-1104 which changed Colorado law to make sure that disability was no longer a reason to remove a child from a parental home. There is much, much more. Carrie became a lawyer to practice family law after lived experience of discrimination against parents with disabilities firsthand. In 1998 fostered and later adopted her oldest daughter, Heather Lucas. Heather has significant developmental disabilities and was languishing in another state. She fostered and was preparing to adopt a second child, but that was disrupted due to prejudice against parents with disabilities. Where most people might be upset and feel helpless, Carrie Ann was furious and went to law school to represent parents with disabilities. Carrie adopted three more children over the years, Adrianne Lucas, Azisa Lucas and Anthony Lucas. All of her accomplishments centered on her dedication to her children and her role as a mother. All of her children have significant disabilities and Carrie Ann always made sure that they were not only educated and included in their communities, but that they were loved, respected, and supported in their individual hopes and dreams. Carrie had a severe neuromuscular disease, a rare form of muscular dystrophy. She relied on a power wheelchair, and had used a ventilator for years. However, her death was premature and caused by inappropriate and brutal cost containment procedures of an insurance company. Because Carrie Ann worked for the state, she had
use state insurance which was primary ahead of her Medicare and Medicaid. In January of 2018 she got a cold which turned into a trach and lung infection. Her insurance company United Healthcare, refused to pay for the one specific inhaled antibiotic that she really needed. She had to take a less effective drug and had a bad reaction to that drug. This created a cascade of problems, loss of function (including her speech). United Healthcare’s attempt to save $2,000 cost over $1 million in health care costs over the past year. This includes numerous hospitalizations, always involving the Intensive Care Unit which is par for the course for ventilator users. Carrie Ann had hoped to spend a lot of time in 2019 using her tragedy to work to fix our broken health care system. Her blog www.disabilitypride.com provides more details. For all intents and purposes a shero of our community was murdered in the name of cost containment. This is why we MUST fight these measures with all we have. Insurance companies and government programs must not be allowed to deny people what they need. Just last month she was having to ration
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her insulin for her type 1 diabetes because of the same insurance company and how impossible it is to work between private insurance and Medicare and Medicaid. This is a great example of why people with disabilities should not be forced into insurance or health plans and why we need Medicaid as the primary health delivery system for this country. In addition to her four children, Carrie Ann is survived by her sister Courtney Lucas, her parents Lee and Phil Lucas, her nephews Gavin and CJ Lucas, Gavin’s wife Kathleen and their daughter Emily. She is also survived by her partner Dr. Kimberley Jackson, a CCDC Board member and activist in the disability community. She will be missed by a wide circle of friends and colleagues throughout the country. http://www.ccdconline.org
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special supplement MEET THE BLACK WOMAN WHO DISTILLS, OWNS, AND OPERATES A NATIONALLY DISTRIBUTED VODKA BRAND After retiring, she came up with the idea to launch her own vodka brand business. According to her website, existing Black Momma brand products earned a total of $2.5 million in online sales last year and sold to 26,000 customers. Some of her clients include the Marine Corps MWR and U.S. embassies in Russia, Colombia, and Libya. The success of Black Momma Vodka led to her branching out to make and sell her own tea. Braxton has developed a Franchise Division Black Momma Tea and Café building, the first flagship location in Long Island, New York, with plans to build at least 150 locations in the future. The mother of three is also building four additional manufacturing facilities in the U.S.
Vanessa Braxton is more than just the CEO and president of Black Momma Vodka and Black Momma Brand. She’s one of the few, perhaps even the only, African American woman distiller, master blender, and operator of a nationally distributed vodka in the country, as well as the owner of a tea and beverage manufacturing facility. Although she’s made history, her journey into entrepreneurship was happenstance. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Braxton earned a bachelor of science degree in construction management and engineering from Pratt Institute in New York. She later enrolled in the executive program in negotiation at Harvard Law School and consortium with MIT. Braxton started her professional career working in the corporate and government industries where she managed construction and engineering contracts worth over $350 million for the New York State government. In addition, Braxton was VP of Business Development and elected to sit on the NY State Board of the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials. Braxton, however, has always been a hustler at heart. She told Black Enterprise that years before launching her vodka business, she obtained a liquor license while in college and sold drinks to her peers.
Known for our gluten-free loose leaf tea selections, biodegradable tea bags, CBD hemp tea and organic flavored agave, Black Momma Teas offers all that you need to savor every last drop without the guilt. Proudly 100% made in the USA, the all natural syrups, gluten-free flavorings and organic tea blends we carry are high in quality and guaranteed fresh. Whether you’re a daily sipper looking for eco-friendly tea bags or a casual tea drinker on a diet, you’ll find all of the purest essentials for stocking your collection right here at Black Momma. We have even developed a gluten-free tea vodka, allowing gluten-sensitive individuals the ability to enjoy a flavorful adult beverage. We don’t use any Chemicals, Flavoring Additives or Preservatives in our products. Browse our online tea shop to discover the assortments that appeal to your taste buds and lifestyle! Normally, our office is open: 10 am - 6 pm Monday - Friday. We are closed on Weekends. In any event, E-mail is typically the best way to catch us, but you’re always welcome to call (if you get our voicemail, we’ll be sure to ring you back just as soon as we can). Old-fashioned SnailMail works, too. E-mail: info@blackmommateas.com Snail- Mail: 25876 The Old Road, STE #250, Stevenson Ranch, CA 91381 or 1488 Deer Park Avenue, Suite #382, N. Babylon, NY 11703 We’re happy to answer questions or help you with returns.
“Feminism involves so much more than gender equality and it involves so much
more than gender. Feminism must involve consciousness of capitalism (I mean the feminism that I relate to, and there are multiple feminisms, right). So it has to involve a consciousness of capitalism and racism and colonialism and post-colonialities, and ability and more genders than we can even imagine and more sexualities than we ever thought we could name.
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-Angela Davis
MARCH 2019
Week in Malveaux WHITE PRIVILEGE AND BLACK POWER: Ilhan Omar Checks Elliott Abrams
By Julianne Malveaux
Ilhan Omar (D-MN) is a member of Congress. Let me repeat that. Ms. Omar is a member of Congress. So how dare Elliot Abrams, 45’s nominee as Venezuelan envoy presume to interrupt the Congresswoman as she made a statement and interrogated him? He was relatively docile when white people questioned him, but was angry and ignorant in his response to the Congresswoman. His behavior was disgraceful. He said he “would not respond to a personal attack,” although he was the one who pled guilty to withholding information from Congress and was later pardoned for his perfidy. I must commend Congresswoman Omar on her focused and poised interrogation. I must condemn Mr. Abrams for his rude defiance to the Congresswoman. Their exchange is illuminating because it encapsulates the change in tone and tenor in Congress. Old white men can hold onto their privilege, but younger women, some women of color, aren’t’ having it. They are doing what they need to do to provide for the people who elected them. Congresswoman Omar’s interrogation of Elliot Abrams has a back-story. Last week she tweeted that the blind Congressional support of Israel is “all about the Benjamins.” Jewish people were disturbed that her remarks were anti-Semitic (I don’t necessarily think so), and she apologized in the face of pressure. But now the deranged “leader” in the White House has called for her resignation (despite his own hateful, racist, anti-Semitic and other statements) and Vice-President Pence said there should be “consequences” for her comments (although no one has ever experienced consequences for genital grabbing). There
MARCH 2019
have been calls for Omar to lose her seat on the House Foreign Relations Committee. She prevailed, with dignity, in her questioning of the corrupt Elliot Abrams. She is to be applauded. Again, let me say, how dare that man! How dare he disrespect a member of Congress, something he would not have done if a white man were questioning him! How dare he interrupt her, how dare he talk over her, but thank you, Elliot Abrams, for projecting the many experiences that Black women and other women of color have had in corporate boardrooms and in other places where our voices are not valued. Abrams, you are a pardoned liar. You are a shady scandal. You ought not to be walking out among free folks, but 45 has pulled you out of the disgraceful slush pile (yes, Hillary was right when she called some folks “deplorables”) to help our country interfere in yet another free nation, Venezuela. You needed to sit at that table and behave humbly, but humble is not in your vocabulary when your white privilege collides with the Black power of a Congresswoman who has the right to interrogate you. I get it; you didn’t like it not one bit. So here’s a message you need to send back to your circle of aging troglodytes – get ready for it! Here’s the deal and here’s the bottom line. There are 110 women in Congress. There are congressional committees co-chaired by women on both sides of the aisle. These are women who are not planning to put up with your over talking shenanigans. These are women who are out of time regarding you. And while democratic and Republican women aren’t always on the same page, the fact that of the 110 women in Congress, only 13 are Republican speaks to the failures in your party. With 435 members in the House of Representatives, equity means that at least 217 are women. On the Democratic side, this increasingly means women of color, who are staring down your white privilege and eviscerating it.
So that man who occupies the People’s House has the temerity to call for Rep. Ilhan Omar’s resignation oblivious of his own moral depravity. She had the right response in a tweet, “You have trafficked in hate your whole life—against Jews, Muslims, Indigenous, immigrants, black people and more. I learned from people impacted by my words. When will you?” The fact is that 45 doesn’t learn. If he did, he would stop tweeting. As Omar has noted, “Anti-Semitism is real.” At the same time, it is important to note that criticism of Israel is not anti-Semitic. The Israeli occupation of the West Bank is simply wrong and violates every notion of human rights. The backlash against Angela Davis, Marc Lamont Hill, Tamika Mallory, and Alice Walker is also wrong. While we must address Anti-Semitism, we must also address the ways that Israel has been oppressive to Palestinians and the ways that Israel advocates have, especially, attempted to shut down Black voices that embrace the human rights of ALL people, including Palestinians. We must also address the ways that a white male criminal was allowed to behave badly and arrogantly when an elected member of Congress made a statement and asked reasonable questions. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar is to be commended for her work. Elliott Abrams is to be condemned for his rude and futile clinging to his sick white privilege!
Julianne Malveaux is an author and economist. Her latest
“You don’t
make progress by standing on the sidelines, whimpering and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas.
”
-Shirley Chisholm
book “Are We Better Off? Race, Obama and Public Policy” is available via www.amazon.com for booking, wholesale inquiries or for more info visit www.juliannemalveaux.com
“once you carry your own water, you will learn to value every drop” ~african proverb
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Beyond the rhetoric
By Mr. Alford & Ms. DeBow The Trump Administration is wisely addressing the dismal situation in Africa. To let China come in and economically exploit this continent would directly be a national security problem for the rest of the world – especially the United States. Chinese exploitation is alive and real in every one of the 54 nations within the continent. Allow us to give you a few examples that we experienced from our journeys to the Motherland. The Africa Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) is a free trade program involving the nations of Africa and the United States. It was written by Congressman Crane of Illinois (Republican) and Congressman McDermott of Washington (Democrat). President William Clinton sat on it for awhile, but President George W. Bush enacted the program. Under the provisions of the agreement products made from the United States and Africa can be traded with one another with tariff-free activity (free trade). The savings can be immense and mutually beneficial to all nations involved. It didn’t take long for China, with its wicked ways, to figure out how it could exploit the program. Eventually, China would actually “hijack” AGOA. We saw a shining example of what was going on right before our eyes. We took a trade mission to Kenya. When we arrived at our hotel in Nairobi, we were surprisingly met by the Kenya Cotton Growers Association. They were frustrated and asked for our assistance. Their own nation was refusing to help them trade their cotton crops with the United States under AGOA. We were shocked and confronted this matter with the Kenya Minister of Trade the next day. He went into denial and started giving lame excuses. Members of the Kenya
Chamber of Commerce knew what was going on and took us to a new textile factory. The place was massive and very impressive. It didn’t take us long to realize that all the managers were Asian. They were making childrens’ clothing for shipment to Target, Walmart and J.C. Penney’s. The machinery was high tech and brand new. They were producing in
running their products through this plant and shipping to the United States duty-free. I sarcastically asked the tour guide, “Who owns this operation – Kenya President Kibaki?” He replied, “Actually it is in his sister’s name”. It would not take long before we discovered such AGOA fronting was rampant throughout the continent. Such elaborate schemes devised so that billions
mass quantities. Quite conspicuous were the stacks of cotton bails stacked up to the ceiling. Each bail had a stamp that read “Product of China”. That was the “smoking gun”. This was a Chinese operation running Chinese raw materials through this building in Kenya and shipping it to the United States as if the whole operation was African not Chinese. It was a big front at the expense of Kenyan cotton farmers. We would soon realize that the laborers were being paid Kenya minimum wage which is $1.50 per day. The Chinese owners were making massive profits
of products can be shipped duty-free to the United States. Meanwhile, our Congress thinks the program is African operated. Soon China lobbyists would convince a few members of the Congressional Black Congress to assist in the charades. We started seeing exceptions to the program popping up here and there and in various nations throughout the continent. They would even declare the island nation of Mauritius to be African territory even though it is over a thousand miles away in the Indian Ocean. Thus, China would start running products through Mauritius and
get credit through AGOA. It has even spread to other free trade programs like CAFTA – the Central American Free Trade Agreement. A member of the CBC lobbied for Haiti to be a part of CAFTA even though it wasn’t in Central America. A big sham was exposed when the great earthquake hit Haiti. There was a huge textile factory (like in Kenya) that was destroyed. The whole world was amazed how China came to the rescue. It chartered 747 cargo tankers to bring in new equipment and contractors/engineers to replace the facility within 3 days! It was fascinating. As it turns out it was a very profitable operation. This factory in little Haiti was taking China cotton, silk, etc. and producing fine men’s apparel for Joseph Banks stores throughout America. Of course, it was coming in duty-free. If you have a Joseph Banks suit look at the inside label. It may say “Product of Haiti”. We have one! Haiti is still poor while China is getting “fat”. So, when President Trump complains about the Trade Imbalance with China, it is worse than he thinks. If the African Diaspora is to become truly great, we must get China out of our “pockets”. Let us support his efforts in making this a reality. Mr. Alford is the Co-Founder, President/CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce ®. Ms. DeBow is the Co-Founder, Executive Vice President of the NBCC. Website: www.nationalbcc.org Emails: halford@ nationalbcc.org kdebow@nationalbcc.org
Mission Statement The National Black Chamber of Commerce® is dedicated to economically empowering and sustaining African American communities through entrepreneurship and capitalistic activity within the United States and via interaction with the Black Diaspora.
Organization Profile The National Black Chamber of Commerce® was incorporated in Washington, DC in March 1993. The NBCC is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, nonsectarian organization dedicated to the economic empowerment of African American communities. 140 affiliated chapters are locally based throughout the nation as well as international affiliate chapters based in Bahamas, Brazil, Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, France, Botswana, Cameroon and Jamaica and businesses as well as individuals who may have chosen to be direct members with the national office. In essence, the NBCC is a 501(c)3 corporation that is on the leading edge of educating and training Black communities on the need to participate vigorously in this great capitalistic society known as America. The NBCC reaches 100,000 Black owned businesses. There are 2.6 million Black owned businesses in the United States. Black businesses account for over $138 billion in revenue each year according to the US Bureau of Census. The National Black Chamber of Commerce® is dedicated to economically empowering and sustaining African American communities through entrepreneurship and capitalistic activity within the United States.
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4400 Jenifer St. NW Suite 331, Washington, DC 20015 Phone: 202-466-6888 | fax: 202-466-4918 Info@nationalbcc.org | www.nationalbcc.org
“Struggle is a never ending process. Freedom is never really won, you earn it and win it in every generation.”
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-Coretta Scott King
MARCH 2019
know your history A Chronicle of Pain, Suffering, Struggle, Defiance, Resistance & Ultimate Triumph
Our 400 Year Sojourn: (1619-2019) Part 1 of 5
By Alfonzo Porter The history of African Americans in the U.S. has always been a mixed bag. Historically, we have been forced to accept our experiences as presented through the lens those who possessed little, if any, real interest in representing the truth about the struggles of our people. As American history tells us, it was in 1619 that a small group of about 20 Africans stepped ahore off the coast of what is now called the State of Virginia. It is how the stage was set for the telling of our story and how our community came into being by white historians. While there is room for the 1619 narrative, it fails to chronicle the entirety of the events as they unfolded. The way our introduction to this nation has been presented over the past centuries fails to provide an adequate understanding of the beginnings of the institution of slavery. Indeed, for far too long students in American schools have been fed a pack of mistruths about the timeline and the role Africans played in the early days of this country. While 1619 is the widely accepted marker for our arival in the new world, there is strong evidence that Africans were in the North America nealry 100 years prior to 1619. The broad assumption that these first arrivals appeared in the new world only as servants or slaves robs us of the idea that they were here seeking the same thing the Europenas were seeking: freedom. Were they shackeled or in chains and presented for sale? Simply because they were black we have been conditioned to presume that they could be nothing more than slaves. These unquestioned assumptions have had enromous repercussions that impact our existence in this nation to this very day. It renders the idea that they could have been here on their on volition a moot point; that these black people could not have possibly been actors in their own right. By some accounts, some 500,000 Africans had already been dragged acrossed the Atlantic prior to 1619. This information renders the “we arrived in 1619’ narrative somewhat suspect. Therefore, for educators and others to blindly accept 1619 as our first introduction to this new nation may be far more sinister than it is informative. It was not the first time that black people could be found in an Atlantic colony. Reportedly, as early as in 1526, just a few decades after Columbus, a group of enslaved African who were a part of a Spanish expedition off the cost of what we now know as South Carolina, started a rebellion that all but destroyed the settler’s ability to sustain their colony. S not only were we present, we were resisting the conditions immposed upon us. This is counter to the narrative and images we have become familiar with through our educational experiences.
The following chronicles some of the important occurences that framed our expeiences over the the centuries:
1600s
This century saw the introduction of black people as indentured servants arriving through the port of Jamestown as recounted in our history texts. The first documented “slaves” were recorded around 1640 when James Punch was sentenced by the Virginia Governor’s Council to serve his master for life after an escape attempt. According to DNA records released by Ancestry.com in 2012, it is suggested that Punch was the 11th great-grandfather of President Barack Obama on his mother’s side. His family name would eventually be changed to Bunche. His descendants also included famed diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Ralph Bunche.
In the 1660s, using the principle of Partus Sequitir Ventrum, the Virginia colony declared that children born of a slave mother was considered a slave, regardless of their father’s race. Previously, English Common Law allowing children to take their father’s status. Therefore, if the father was a free man the children would benefit from his social status. Later, in 1676, enslaved Africans fought in Bacon’s Rebellion which historians define as the first colonial rebellion against English rule.
Around the 1760s, Benjamin Banneker, in correspondence with Thomas Jefferson, argued that blacks were the intellectual equal to whites. Banneker later would go on to work with Pierre L’Enfant, a French architect and engineer, to survey, layout and design what would become Washington DC. The work of the first black published author, Jupiter Hammon, was released. Around the mid 1760s colonies, in an effort to protest British economic dominance, adopted Importation Agreements to stop importing goods from England. This would also include the importation of slaves. Ultimately, it would lead to the banning of the slave trade in the north. Shortly thereafter, during the Boston Massacre, Crispus Attucks, a black man, would become the first casualty in the lead up to the American Revolution.
1700s
Contrary to popular belief, enslaved Africans didn’t simply accept the conditions imposed upon them. Many fought back—violently. Early in the 1700s the introduction of slave codes were adopted by colonies fearful of uprisings among their slaves. These codes, adopted in some measure by all 13 colonies, were designed to humiliate terrify blacks and reduce any instance of violent rebellion; saving the most horrific punishment for
“ the youth can wa l k fa s t e r , b u t the elders know t h e r oa d ” ~african proverb MARCH 2019
those who would not comply. A prime example was the New York Slave revolt in 1712 where an uprising resulted in the death of nine slave owners. Later hunted down by a militia, several slaves reportedly committed suicide rather than face a life of servitude. Defiance continued with events such as the Stono Rebellion in South Carolina in the late 1730s where slaves staged an armed march for their freedom.
The publishing of Phyllis Wheatley’s poems in the early 1770s, as the first African American female author, firmly established the intellectual heft of black people in the colonies and in Europe. It was also during this time that we began to see the first organized Baptist congregations in South Carolina and Virginia. Since that time the black church has continued to be the hub for black political and economic activity. In 1775, The Society for the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage, the first abolitionist society was formed. When the American Revolution erupted in 1776, more than 25,000 slaves fled their
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plantations and joined the British to fight against the colonies. They were promised freedom in exchange for their loyalty and were later relocated as free men to British territories like Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Jamaica and the West Indies following the war. In 1777, Vermont officially becomes the first colony to abolish slavery—and in 1780, Pennsylvania becomes the first U.S. state to abolish the practice.
Born into slavery, Elizabeth Freeman and Quock Walker successfully sued the State of Massachusetts for their freedom. In 1781 the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled in their favor and declared that slavery was not consistent with the state’s Constitution. In 1783, the state officially banned slavery. A few years later, in 1787 The Northwest Ordinance officially prohibited the expansion of slavery into U.S. territories east of the Mississippi River and North of the Ohio River. As we entered the 1790s, the manumission of slaves became a reality. Many slaveholders in what was then called the Upper South, freed their slaves. The percentage of free black people increased from one percent that year to over 10 percent. Over the course of the next 20 years, that number swelled to over 75 percent of black people being free from bondage. Even in the Old Dominion of Virginia, nearly 10 percent of blacks gained their freedom during this time. As with any progress, there are setbacks. In 1793, Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Acts which essentially authorized the recapture of runaway slaves once they made it to free territories and the return to their owners. The laws also allowed for harsh penalties for anyone assisting runaways to freedom. Clearly, many free black men and women were caught up in the dragnet of this legislation and transported to the south as a slave. These laws would remain in effect until passage of the 13th amendment in the mid 1860s. The introduction of the Cotton Gin in 1794 made cotton the nation’s number one commodity. The demand for slave labor increased dramatically. As a result, more than a million slaves were sent back to the Deep South. It was also around this time that independent black churches began to develop. The African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas of Philadelphia and Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church would become the first black denominations in the See KNOW YOUR HISTORY, page 10
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Continued from KNOW YOUR HISTORY page 9
country and would continue to play a major role in the African American community through this very day.
1800s
At the beginning of the 1800s ironically, President Thomas Jefferson, a slave owner pressed for the Act Prohibiting the Importation of Slaves. This measure made it a federal crime to bring slaves into the U.S. from abroad. Soon, around 1816, a movement called the American Colonizing Society was created to assist free slaves in their quest to return to Africa; specifically to what we now know as the nation of Liberia. In 1820, the Missouri Compromise paved the way for the prohibition of slaves in the north and for Missouri to enter the union as a slave state. Maine would enter the union at the same time as a free state.— hence the compromise. The next year, in 1821, the British established the West Africa Squadron whose job it was to patrol the African coast in pursuit of slave traders. The AME Zion Church makes its introduction that same year. It was officially headquartered in New York but had been operating for years prior to 182. Today, the congregation numbers more than 1.4 million.
Denmark Vesey’s plans for a violent slave revolt in South Carolina, in 1822, were discovered and suppressed. It was during this period that many black publications began to appear decrying slavery and continuing the movement for abolition. In 1829, David Walker published Walker’s Appeal calling for black unity and self help in the fight against oppression. Josiah Henson, the inspiration for Harriet Beecher-Stowe’s, Uncle Tom’s Cabin continued his fight for freedom. At the same time, the publication of The Liberator decried the ownership of slaves a grave sin. These publications, many believe, led to Nat Turner’s revolt, in Southampton, Virginia in 1831. It resulted in the deaths of more than 50 slave holders and hastened abolitionist’s activities.
know your history Society with Frederick Douglass as its leader. The society’s activities lead to the development of African Institute in 1837 which advocated for black higher education. Ultimately, the organization would morph into what we know today as Cheney University. In 1839, the famed case of La Amistad was heard before the Supreme Court resulting the freedom of the Africans onboard the illegal slave ship. The case may have set the stage for Prigg v Pennsylvania of 1842 that ruled that states were not required to assist in the hunting and recapture of slaves. It was a major blow and seriously weakened the Fugitive Slave act of 1793. The following year, a woman by the name of Isabella Baumfree changed her name to Sojourner Truth and waged an effective campaign against slavery. Her efforts were augmented by Henry Highland Garnett in his famous address titled Call to Rebellion that same year. Frederick Douglass publishes the acclaimed North Star in 1847 and Joseph Jenkins Roberts becomes the first President of Liberia. A couple years later in 1849, we saw efforts to integrate northern schools in the case of Roberts v Boston. That same year, Harriet Tubman would escape to Pennsylvania and develop the Underground Railroad. Of course, the country continued to fight for the institution of slavery when Congress passed yet another Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 requiring federal officials to arrest anyone “suspected” of being a runaway. President Franklin Pierce signed the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854 which effectively repealed the Missouri Compromise allowing slavery in the new territories. The president’s action resulted in the formation of the Republican Party and its official anti-slavery platform. The sacking of Lawrence Kansas is recorded in 1856. The town was founded by antislavery settlers hoping to make Kansas a free state. This led to the Pottawatomie Massacre by John Brown in response to the Lawrence incident. Yet, progress continued with the establishment of Wilberforce University that same year. The following year, 1857, the U.S. Supreme Court upholds slavery in the famed Dredd Scott v Stanford decision. This decision, many believed, set the stage for the American Civil War. In 1861 the Civil War rages with some 180,000 black soldiers fighting in the Union Army. President Lincoln announces Emancipation Day in Washington DC, in 1862. General Sherman announces Special Field Order 15 allocating land in South Carolina and Georgia for black settlement. In 1865, with the war ending, the 13th Amendment to the Constitution prohibits slavery throughout the nation Alfonzo Porter, Reprint Urban Spectrum Denver Urban Spectrum P.O. Box 31001 Aurora, CO 80041 303-292-6446 Office
National African American Reparations Commission Applauds Recent Statements of Interest by 2020 Presidential Contenders Calls on all the Candidates to Support HR-40
1833 saw increased activity surrounding the ending the institution of slavery with the creation of the American Anti-Slavery
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The National African American Reparations Commission (NAARC) applauds several Presidential contenders for their recent expressed interest in reparations and calls on all the candidates to prioritize reparatory justice as an issue of importance to Black voters in the weeks and months
NAARC is also calling on all 2020 candidates, as well as other lawmakers, to support HR40, the reparations bill authored by former US Cong. John Conyers, which has languished in Congress since 1989. HR40, which was reintroduced in the 115th Congress, was developed in consultation with NAARC. It calls for establishing a federal commission to study reparations proposals for African Americans that would repair the horrific socio-economic damages caused by the enslavement and generations of racially exclusive/discriminatory policies and practices post-emancipation. The current reparations conversation is especially relevant in light of the fact that 2019 marks the 400th Anniversary of the arrival of Africans in chains in Virginia, which opened the era of slavery, one of the most sordid chapters in U.S. history. “In general, the recent statements by presidential candidates are a positive development,” said Dr. Ron Daniels, Convener of NAARC and President of the Institute of the Black World 21st Century (IBW). “They reflect an increasing body of scholarship that definitively draws the connection between the enslavement of Africans and the persistent wealth-gap and underdevelopment of Black America.” Candidates are also responding to the growing, multifaceted reparations movement in this country and to the fact that in recent public opinion polls, reparations now enjoys the support of a majority of African Americans as well as from a growing percentage of young white millennial voters. “NAARC stands ready to educate and orient candidates and legislators on the definition, background, process, internationally accepted norms and historical precedents for reparations to repair damages inflicted on peoples and nations. Hopefully, this will enrich the public dialogue on this vital issue,” added Dr. Daniels. NAARC was established in April 2015 at a National/International Reparations Summit convened by IBW in New York City. The nonpartisan Commission is comprised of distinguished Black leaders from across the U.S. in the fields of law, education, public health, economic development, religion, labor, civil and human rights. For decades, the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America Americans (NCOBRA) has been a leading force advancing the struggle for reparations in the U.S. Kamm Howard, National CoChairperson of NCOBRA and a NAARC Commissioner, welcomes the surge in support for reparations by the presidential candidates but insists that the discussion and debate be centered around reparations as full repair. “The international standard holds that reparations ‘must wipe out all consequences’ of the wrongful acts committed against enslaved Africans,” said Howard. “To get us to full repair, policies programs and practices must be developed to produce the following outcomes: cessation and guarantees of non-repetition, restitution, compensation, satisfaction, and rehabilitation. These are the intended outcomes of HR 40. The candidates, some of whom are Senators, should craft a Senate companion bill. This can be done now if they are serious about their support for reparations.” To help frame the public discourse and as a guide for action by governmental and private entities, NAARC has devised a comprehensive and detailed Ten-Point Reparations Program that addresses the issues of repair and restitution. The creation of a National Reparations Trust Fund is among the proposals outlined in the NAARC Reparations Program. The Authority would
receive grants of funds, scholarships, land and other forms of restitution to benefit the collective advancement of Black America. It would be comprised of a cross-section of credible representatives of reparations, civil rights, and human rights, labor, faith, educational, civic and fraternal organizations and institutions. The Authority will be empowered to establish subsidiary trust funds to administer projects and initiatives in the areas of culture, economic development, education, health and other fields as deemed appropriate based on the demands of the Reparations Program (https://bit.ly/2T0MhZt). To increase public awareness of the Program, NAARC has convened initial Hearings and Town Hall Meetings in Atlanta and New Orleans and plans to hold additional sessions in a number of cities across the country. Pan-Africanist and international movements in support of slavery reparations have emerged across the globe, from the Caribbean and Latin America to Africa, Asia, and Australia. In that regard, it is significant to note that NAARC works closely with the CARICOM Reparations Commission (CRC) which is claiming reparations from the former European colonial powers for Native genocide and African enslavement. Advocates for reparatory justice explain that the issue covers both the past and the present and it contains the potential to defend and protect American democracy at a time when it is being threatened by a rise in white nationalism, autocracy and oligarchy. In a recent meeting, NAARC Commissioners also took note of the fact there are external forces that seem intent on sowing confusion within the American electorate to suppress the Black vote to favor the ascendancy of these reactionary forces. NAARC Commissioner Dr. Iva Carruthers, General Secretary of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference stressed that, “reparations is a process that affirms the humanity of people of African descent and the healing of communities from transgenerational trauma. It is unquestionably the right and just thing to do. Reparations also carries a gravitas that the country as a whole can benefit from as it searches for a moral compass to guide it through these turbulent times which are exacerbated by deeply entrenched bigotry, institutionalized racism and structural economic disparities.” “As the richest country on the planet, America has more than enough resources to sustain a comprehensive, national reparations program,” says NAARC Commissioner Dr. Julianne Malveaux, noted politicaleconomist and educator. “America needs to accept its moral responsibility to repair and rectify the lingering damages of African enslavement and racially discriminatory policies after Emancipation.” Dr. Ron Daniels concluded that “reparations is as relevant to our political agenda as any other issue. Finally receiving our ‘40 acres and a mule’ is a matter of ‘national emergency’ when dealing with the profound crises afflicting marginalized Black communities across this nation. The time for reparatory initiatives based upon the principles of justice and equality is now, and NAARC calls on all of the 2020 presidential candidates to endorse and vigorously support HR-40 as a vehicle to move the United States towards redressing one of the original sins of its founding.” Contact: Email: naarc@ibw21.org Website: https://ibw21.org/naarc/
MARCH 2019
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St. Louis city and St. Louis County Boycott For Economic and Social Justice
The St. Louis County and St. Louis City Boycott consist of grassroots organizations dedicated to exposing the injustice and unfair treatment of African Americans. Missouri is ground zero for the modern day civil rights movement.
Remember, Missouri was a slave state.
Arab Businesses
*Study the history of slavery and SLU
St. Louis Galleria in Richmond Heights
“We have tried everything else, now it’s time for an economic boycott,” organizer Rev. Dinah Tatman said in a statement. “Since we are a nation where all men are upposed to be created equal, it’s time to redistribute the pain.”
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President, veteran human rights activist and leader of the Universal People Organization “We support the boycott.” -Zaki Baruti
We ask conscious people to support the boycott! www.africanamericanvoice.net
MARCH 2019