civil rights

As you may know, I am the new Associate Minister for Mission, Social Justice, and Community Action at Middle Collegiate Church.  I am pleased to announce that Danny Glover is supporting our mission by participating in a benefit for our mission.  Our work includes a long-standing meal and community hour for those living with HIV, feeding the homeless in Tompkins Square Park, working with LGBTI homeless youth, a long-term commitment to the just rebuilding of the Gulf Coast, and expanding justice works in the Middle East and Africa.  Please purchase your tickets to support our mission today.

Until justice reigns,
Rev. Osagyefo Uhuru Sekou

Emmett, Down in My Heart featuring Danny Glover, Kathleen Chalfant, Kenny Leon and the Middle Church Jerriese Johnson Gospel Choir

October 6th, 8pm
Judson Memorial Church
55 Washington Square South
New York, New York

We've written before about Bayard Rustin, FOR's racial justice organizer (and war resister) who led the 1947 Journey of Reconciliation and became a chief adviser to Dr. Martin Luther King on the use of nonviolent social change tactics.

Yesterday was the 22nd anniversary of Rustin's death. Artist Phil Blank has created a poster illustration of Rustin (at left, click to enlarge and read description), featuring the story of his 1947 arrest as part of the Journey of Reconciliation. (Read more about this historic action against segregation.)

Incredulous, unbelievable, unreal and surreal were a few of the thoughts, I am able to place in print, that fleet through my mind as I listened to the verdict handed down by Judge Arthur Cooperman on Friday, April 25, 2008, in a Queens courtroom in New York City. The previous evening when discussing the case with friends and relatives, some who are current police officers said the officers would not be found guilty, but would walk. I guess my naiveté and belief in the judicial system, in this case, gave me hope that the jurist would give the family some justice. As a man who is a descendant of the African Diaspora, this verdict reinforces the adage that there is a war on black males, as well as others of color in the streets of the city and the wider country.

"Have you heard?" Paul asked me. "No," I responded, but I knew I needed to know. "They got off," he sadly replied. "All three?" I asked. "All three," Paul repeating me. "Damn," I thought aloud.

I was immediately overcome with a deep sense of fear. I feared for my life. I was so glad that after my philosophy of religion course at Union Theological Seminary that I would be getting on train and leaving New York City. Ironically, I would feel safer as Black man in the D.C. with the Bush administration. It was one of those moments that reminded me of that peculiar pole of patriarchy that renders Black male bodies dangerous and warranting deadly force by male police officers. I was glad that my sons, particularly my eldest did not live in New York with me.

It's not often that I get to cross-post entries to my work blog (here) and my local politics blog (in Chapel Hill, NC), but I am thrilled to do so today!

On Monday night, local activist and historian Dr. Yonni Chapman, PhD petitioned the Chapel Hill Town Council to support the Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP's effort to have a historical marker placed at the location of the former bus station that was visited by Bayard Rustin and others during the 1947 Journey of Reconciliation, which is now known as "the first freedom ride." What follows is an excerpt of his presentation (PDF). I recommend reading the proposal which has more context and details.

This is a really great story, and I am especially proud of the amount of support the riders saw from Rev. Charles Jones and other progressives in Chapel Hill, although it was in the face of some well-connected racists, from the bus driver to the judge, who made sure that Rustin and his supporters paid a price for challenging white privilege.

C. Scott Vanderhoef, Rockland County Manager, was the guest of honor and recipient of Nyack College’s 2008 Social Justice Day award last Friday. He was being recognized for his long career of caring efforts for the needs of people of all classes and communities in Rockland County. Given the center seat at the head table, tall and with a strong aura of presence, featured guest, Scott was still humbled and overshadowed by a substitute keynote speaker and the presentation of a token of Rockland County history.

Today's New York Times featured a fabulous profile of long-time FOR leader George Houser. "Following a Kindly Light, and Casting One" by Peter Applebaum, appearing in his enjoyable "Our Town" Sunday column, highlighted a bit of the legacy of this extraordinary human who we are incredibly proud to call one of our own.