ePluribus: America is an on-line contemporary American culture magazine that incorporates the original concept of our nation's motto to provide cultural news coverage of America. Our motto is Humanity Starts With Culture.
Every 10 years, political bodies across the U.S. go through the process of reconciling population changes detected in the latest census with district maps that govern how voters elect public officials. Sometimes populations grow in some districts and shrink in others as people take on new jobs, start new families or follow trends in migration. The reapportionment of districts is supposed to ensure that voters maintain equal power at the ballot box, regardless of where they live.
In Abbeville, Louisiana, voting rights advocates have spent years trying to get the City Council to redraw its districts to comply with the legal requirements of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the 14thAmendment. But that has not happened. Instead, after the 2020 census, the city kept a map based on the 2010 census – when the Black population was just over 40% – that has just one Black-majority district out of four districts, even though Black people now make up nearly 43% of the city’s residents. During the same period, the white population fell from 53% to 49%.
In Abbeville, as elsewhere, the makeup of voting maps can have a very tangible impact on the lives of voters. Local officials determine everything fromwhether a street is pavedto how far someone has to travel to visit a park or playground – and how well maintained those public works might be. “There’s a complete difference or two different worlds in the city of Abbeville,” said Linda Cockrell, president of the Vermilion Parish NAACP chapter in Abbeville. “I was told that in the higher-up neighborhoods, city workers are in these neighborhoods at 3 or 4 o’clock in the morning washing down the roads, removing trash, and everything else.”
Frustrated by the city’s action, the NAACP chapter, represented by the Southern Poverty Law Center, has filedsuitin federal court to force the city to adopt a more balanced voting map. The lawsuit cites the principle of “one person, one vote” that is laid out in the 14th Amendment and requires districts within a political subdivision to be roughly equal in population.
“Abbeville City Council’s decision to not reapportion following the 2020 U.S. census denies equal representation,” said SPLC Staff Attorney Ahmed Soussi, who filed the complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana on Oct. 17.“This is an abuse of power that undermines the voting rights of the residents of District B, including Vermilion NAACP members. We are suing to end this illegal and harmful practice.”
FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE
The suit follows years of discussions, hearings and outreach over two city administrations. Reapportionment generally begins once the U.S. Census Bureau releases its block-level maps, which can be a year to 18 months after the national count is finished. Because of the COVID pandemic and the political disarray surrounding the presidential election, the 2020 effort faced some challenges.
After the city of Abbeville began its reapportionment process, it received a report from its demographic firm, Sellers and Associates, that laid out maps showing a population drop of more than 1,000 residents, from 12,257 in 2010 to 11,186 in 2020. Council members and then-Mayor Mark Piazza claimed the numbers were wrong because the census takers did not do a “good job.” Instead of moving forward with the reapportionment process with a public comment period and adoption of new maps, the council stalled efforts until a year later. Last December, the council decided to use the existing map from 2010. Despite having no data to back up the claim, a representative of the Sellers demographic firm claimed that the 2020 census was not accurate.
Neither the council members nor the consultants said how many people the city may have lost or from which districts. The 2020 census data showed a deviation of 19% among some districts. Throughout the years-long debate, members of the NAACP chapter had presented maps with districts that had little or no deviation in population. Additionally, the SPLC presented a map with a far less egregious 6% deviation.
And although current Mayor Roslyn White said the city was “potentially going to make a change,” that did not occur. It is also not the first time the city has been forced to reapportion due to deviations in the size of its council districts. In 2010, the council map showed a 50% deviation, making the city apply for preclearance of its 2010 map under the requirements of the Voting Rights Act in place at the time.
RACIAL GERRYMANDERING
When most people think of voting district maps, the idea of gerrymandering – the process of drawing oddly shaped districts to create voting blocs that favor a particular candidate or party – is the first thing to come to mind. But there are other concerns addressed in federal voting law. In this case, the lawsuit specifically cites the “one person, one vote” provision of the 14thAmendment. Under that clause, people in voting districts should have the same or at least similar voting power. To accomplish that, districts should have roughly the same population. Generally, anything over 10% is considered per se, or “in itself,” unlawful.
Because the City Council simply adopted its old map, a district with fewer people in Abbeville can still elect one council member and have the same representative voice as a person voting in a district with a larger population. For example, under the current map, the median district size should be 2,797 residents. District B gained 10%, rising to 3,086 people, according to the 2020 census. District C, however, lost 9% of its population, dropping to 2,544. So theoretically the vote of a person in District C now carries more weight than one of a voter in District B.
The city has four council districts and one citywide at-large district, for a total of five council seats. Of those, District A and District C each saw losses between the 2010 and 2020 census while districts B and D saw increases. Both A and C are majority-white districts while District D is predominantly Black. In District B, the majority of voters (53.7%) are people of color, but the white population is within a few percentage points.
Overall, 38.5% of Abbeville’s voting-age residents are Black, as are nearly 43% of the residents overall. But those Black residents are mostly packed into one of four single-member council districts, District D, which has a 78.2% minority population. That leaves the others with majority-white or near-parity populations. The council also has a fifth member who is elected on an at-large basis.
FORCING THE ISSUE
SPLC lawyers have reached out to the city of Abbeville with offers to settle the claims without resorting to litigation. Those offers were roundly rejected. “The council maintains the opinion that the current districts are substantially equal, and there was not substantial change requiring redistricting,” City Attorney Bart Broussard said in his response to the latest offer to settle the claim without litigation.
But his response does not address the fact that there is a discrepancy in the size of the districts that violates voting laws. It also does not address the challenges that Black voters already face, like access to polling places and efforts to limit the number of days early voting is allowed. Cockrell said apathy among Black voters is part of the problem when it comes to overcoming racial gerrymandering. “There’s a lot of Black people that’s going around telling other Black folks, ‘What you want to vote for? You’re voting for nothing. You’re not gonna get nothing,’” she said.
One positive note was the election of Councilman at Large Carlton Campbell, which, along with District D Councilwoman Terry Broussard, gave the Black community two voices on the council. But having a voting minority elect a candidate of their choice for an at-large seat is not always a given. “I would like to see two Black districts,” Cockrell said. “I would like to see the city look at every citizen the same regardless of their financial status. We have a lot of work that needs to be done.”
On Tuesday, October 3, In a surprising turn of events, Kevin McCarthy, the Republican leader and Speaker of the House, was voted out of his position in a significant reshuffling of the political landscape. McCarthy’s tenure as Speaker has been marked by controversy and challenges, making this change a significant moment in American politics. This article delves into the circumstances surrounding McCarthy’s removal and its potential implications for the future of the United States Congress.
The Buildup to McCarthy’s Ouster
The ousting of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House did not happen overnight; it was the result of a culmination of factors. McCarthy has been a polarizing figure in American politics, often seen as a staunch defender of former President Donald Trump and his policies. While this alignment with the Republican base endeared him to some, it also drew criticism from those who saw him as being too closely aligned with the former president’s divisive and controversial actions.
Another major factor contributing to McCarthy’s removal was his leadership during critical moments in the House. The most significant of these was his handling of the January 6th Capitol riot. Many saw his reluctance to condemn the attack on the Capitol as a turning point, eroding confidence in his leadership abilities and diminishing his credibility in the eyes of some members of his own party. McCarthy has also been accused by members of his Party of being untrustworthy and taking part in backdoor deals with Democrats.
The Vote and Its Implications
The vote to remove Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House took place after a long and heated debate within the Republican caucus. In a close and historic vote, McCarthy was defeated by a majority of his fellow Republicans, a charge led by his arch nemesis and chief rival Matt Gaetz, of Florida. The details of the vote remain a subject of debate, with various reports indicating that some Republicans who had previously supported him had lost confidence in his leadership.
The implications of McCarthy’s removal are profound and far-reaching. The Speaker of the House is one of the most influential figures in American politics, wielding significant power and responsibility. McCarthy’s departure leaves a void at the top of the Republican leadership, setting the stage for a potentially dramatic shift in the party’s direction and priorities.
The Future of the Republican Party
With McCarthy’s ouster, the Republican Party faces a crossroads. Many are speculating about who will step into the leadership void and how they will steer the party moving forward. The party’s direction could shift, with potential implications for issues like immigration, healthcare, and tax policy. Since McCarthy’s ouster, both Jim Jordan and Steve Scalise have failed to fill the vacancy.
The relationship with former President Trump remains a central issue for the GOP. McCarthy’s close alignment with Trump and his ‘America First’ agenda had been a hallmark of his leadership. However, some Republicans may see this as an opportunity to redefine the party’s platform, possibly distancing themselves from the controversial elements associated with the Trump era.
Impact on Congressional Dynamics
The removal of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House could also have far-reaching effects on the functioning of Congress. The Speaker plays a crucial role in setting the legislative agenda, facilitating debates, and working with the Senate to pass legislation. McCarthy’s successor will need to navigate these challenges, which may require a different leadership style and approach.
Kevin McCarthy’s ousting as Speaker of the House marks a pivotal moment in American politics. The circumstances leading to his removal and the implications for the Republican Party and Congress at large are significant. As the political landscape continues to evolve, the nation will be watching to see how this change affects the balance of power, legislative priorities, and the overall direction of the Republican Party. Only time will tell how this historic event will shape the future of American politics.
Contributor: ASIA OGNIBENE with Together New Orleans
Across the Southeast, hundreds of thousands of people are without power in the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia – a situation all too familiar to us. As the storm made landfall in Florida, something incredible was happening in New Orleans. Dozens of dedicated Together New Orleans volunteers were engaged in a disaster simulation at the Broadmoor Community Church – the very first Community Lighthouse that opened this spring.
We held the training Wednesday during the church’s regularly scheduled food pantry to simulate an active scenario and test the system. Volunteers were told the details of the disaster scenario and given roles to play, and the simulation provided many valuable “lessons learned” that will inform the work of Lighthouses throughout the city and state.
Together New Orleans has opened four Lighthouses and aims to complete a dozen more as part of an initial pilot phase. In total, we’ll install a network of 86 across the city so that every resident lives within a 15-minute walk of one. It’s not stopping there! Together Louisiana’s regional organizations are expanding Lighthouses throughout the state. North Louisiana Interfaith is piloting two and plans to create a network of 20 in Caddo Parish. And just last week, Together Baton Rouge secured funding for its first three and is already working on plans for the next three. Other regions are also working to launch pilot programs in the near term.
This week of record-breaking heat also marked the anniversaries of Hurricanes Katrina and Ida – somber reminders of the significance of our work. As we continue to open more and more Lighthouses, we’re empowering our communities to weather the storms that will come our way and to better do what we’ve always done: help one another.
Thanks to everyone who volunteered for this week’s training. If you’d like to be part of a volunteer rapid response team, email asia@togetherla.org.
The March On Washington happened 60 years ago today. It was a call for a just America, like the one Langston Hughes poetically envisioned for Black people long oppressed by racism and terrorism under the American system of white supremacy law and governance. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his powerful I Have A Dream speech that fateful day. Its powerful message of hope for mankind is still a transcending tenor for future generations and a better humanity to come. As we reflect on the 60 year anniversary of the March on Washington, contrasting the issues of that time and today, it is crucial We, The People apply a critical and objective eye at the pace and sincerity of pragmatic change.
We can never forget how Dr. King delivered that powerful oration on this day 60 years ago. And sadly, and as hate would have it, we can also never forget that his iconic I Have A Dream speech didn’t prevent the killing of four girls in the racial bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, just a few weeks after the March on Washington. And 60 years later, despite the blood, sweat and tears, Black folks are still being terrorized by white supremacist, as the nation marks another mass shooting of Black people at a store in Florida two days ago.
60 years later, the time is ripe to ask our leaders where they are leading us.
Editor’s Note: From the archives of the Library of Congress.
The March on Washington
For many Americans, the calls for racial equality and a more just society emanating from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Aug. 28, 1963, deeply affected their views of racial segregation and intolerance in the nation. Since the occasion of March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom 50 years ago, much has been written and discussed about the moment, its impact on society, politics and culture and particularly the profound effects of Martin Luther King’s iconic speech on the hearts and minds of America and the world. Several interviewees from the Civil Rights History Project discuss their memories of this momentous event in American history.
Click HERE to read more about the Library of Congress Civil Rights History Project.
Last year, 48% of Prince George’s County residents reported being food insecure, according to data from the Capital Area Food Bank’s Hunger Report. And the ministry of Iola and Keith Johnson who have a food pantry serving families and individuals who have fallen on hard times or are recently unemployed and need assistance to make ends meet, are bridging the gap despite all the noise surrounding their county.
With help from local business partners and farms, eager to help and even teach community members on food sustainability and farming, their ministry, Great Commission Change Of Life Ministries, provides food and other services to meet basic nutritional and other needs for those less fortunate.
Food pantry service is provided Thursdays from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. If you’re in need please call (301)785-0661 for more information on all the services they provide. To learn more about the Good Trouble Pastor Iola and Overseer Keith Johnson are taking on, please listen to our interview below and if possible, join in the fight to bring about a better world for all people.
ePa Live interview with Pastor Keith Johnson of Great Commission Change Of Life Ministries in Prince George’s County:
Jason Aldeen’s song is missing the chorus his ancestors played
BY JEANETTE LENOIR
“The prejudice against us is not because of our color, it is because of our condition. If we must have justice, we must be strong. If we must be strong, we must come together. If we must come together we can only do so in the system of organization.” – Marcus Garvey
Country singer, Jason Aldeen took his anti-Black Klansmen spirit to the airwaves, and just like Trump’s call to “Make America Great Again,” majority of the nation is standing up to salute his dog whistle. Sadly, he lacks even the most basic knowledge of American history responsible for the sociological patterns, symptoms, Black condition and “inappropriate behavior patterns” or “the Rodney King syndrome” as described by Dr. Claud Anderson in full manifestation. Instead, he has chosen to express the privilege it is to be White in America, as those who were forced to build this nation under the brutality of chattel slavery are now “free” to enjoy some of its bounty … or flip the table like a scene from reality television. Let’s break down his small town views and ignorance feigning expression reminiscent of the Key & Peele skit titled, Country Music.
Try That In A Small Town
Sucker punch somebody on a sidewalk Carjack an old lady at a red light Pull a gun on the owner of a liquor store Ya think it’s cool, well, act a fool if ya like
It’s true, we’ve seen numerous incidents of criminals wreaking havoc across the country. Our society is on full HD display thanks to our powerful media industry. Many of these images we see and read about show mostly Black people committing these types of crimes. And this strategic maneuver has been done deliberately by the media since the birth of this nation. What they won’t show or talk about? The sucker punches thrown at Black people trying to get an education, cast their vote, look for work, or the hounds they released to tare the flesh off of women and children, the poisoning of livestock, the swindling of their hard-earned pay, and the bombing of their little girls in a church.
Mourners outside funeral services for Carol Robertson, one of four girls killed in the 1963 bombing.
“By the time I was 10 or 12, I just wished to God I was white, you know, because they had food to eat, they didn’t work, they had money, they had nice homes. And we would nearly freeze, we never did have any food, we worked all the time and didn’t have nothing.” – Fannie Lou Hamer
Mainstream media also fails to highlight the numerous incidents of carjacking of innocent Black people, even old ladies, who had managed to scrunch up enough money to pay-off a car they desperately needed to rebuild their families’ lives after emancipation and during the great depression. And there are numerous historic accounts of guns being pulled on Black store owners who’s perceived “success” was so deeply offensive to their White countrymen, academics have coined this phenomenon as “white rage” to describe their outright refusal to tolerate any Black person doing better than their former enslaved status.
Cuss out a cop, spit in his face Stomp on the flag and light it up Yeah, ya think you’re tough
Well, try that in a small town See how far ya make it down the road Around here, we take care of our own You cross that line, it won’t take long For you to find out, I recommend you don’t Try that in a small town
This part of the song should remind of the march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, today a National Historic Landmark that was the site of the brutal Bloody Sunday beatings of civil rights marchers, including the late Congressman John Lewis. They were cussed out by cops who spat in their faces; symbolically stomping and burning the flag America says stands for freedom and democracy, and a beacon of hope for the rest of the world. John Lewis was marching for voting rights for Black people, a fundamental right denied to them, not just by Congressional action and inaction, but by state sponsored terrorism from unformed officers, White mobs and Klansmen. This took place in a small town, Selma, Alabama, and Aldeen is absolutely right, they didn’t make it down the road. They didn’t even make it across the bridge to meet the other side of the road. The cops took care of their own White people that day by beating down Black folks who dared to cross their racial line. And it didn’t take long for Black Americans to find out what truly goes down in small towns across America.
Even the Green Book became necessary to allow safe passage for Black folks in small towns. It became “the bible of black travel” during the era of Jim Crow laws, when open and legal discrimination against Black people was the American way, duly noted in Aldeen’s country howl. The south may have lost the Civil War but history and Aldeen’s crass tune makes clear that the country is still controlled by White racialists who voted for our last president who ran to, “Make America Great Again” for them.
Got a gun that my granddad gave me They say one day they’re gonna round up Well, that shit might fly in the city, good luck
Try that in a small town See how far ya make it down the road Around here, we take care of our own You cross that line, it won’t take long For you to find out, I recommend you don’t Try that in a small town
The Second Amendment continues to be a contentious national debate. We’ve seen numerous incidents where race was a factor—Philando Castille, Alton Sterling, Breonna Taylor, Tamir Rice, Walter Scott—of the law being applied, and the loud inaction or response to these cases from the powerful NRA makes this also clear. This isn’t a new line drawn in the sand, as race has always been a factor in the application of the gun law. Case in point; Cliven D. Bundy and his militiamen took up arms against the federal government and were backed by the NRA who called the confrontation, “a proper, legitimate, lawful response to illegitimate, unlawful exercise of government power.”
And here’s another reminder of our divided America: The Branch Davidians and the siege at Ruby Ridge, had Wayne LaPierre, longtime NRA head honcho whaling in defense of those he sees as true Americans, “If you have a badge, you have the government’s go-ahead to harass and intimidate, even murder, law-abiding citizens.” Miraculously LaPierre lost his voice when Philando Castille was gunned down by a cop despite being a licensed gun owner. The only difference is that he was Black and the law was never considered with him in mind. “The National Rifle Association is America’s longest-standing civil rights organization. Together with our more than five million members, we’re proud defenders of history’s patriots and diligent protectors of the Second Amendment,” reads the official NRA statement. Imagine the audacity of that assertion.
Since the inception of the right to bear arms, the law was never intended to include Black people; it was intended to keep guns out of their hands. And White mobs have a long documented history of using guns “granddad gave” them to stop Black people from crossing racial lines in their fight for justice, freedom, access and equality.
In her book, The Second; Race and Guns In A Fatally Unequal America, Carol Anderson writes, “Even for the NRA, Black people did not have Second Amendment rights. A broken treacherous rights landscape, of course, has always been the reality for African Americans. We know that the 15th Amendment, the right to vote, was undercut by poll taxes, literacy tests, violence and understanding clauses for nearly 100 years and unfortunately, since 2013 has come under assault again. Similarly, the amendments covering the justice system, the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 8th, have offered little to no protection for African Americans because of numerous Supreme Court decisions that have imbedded racism and racial profiling into policing, trial procedures and sentencing. But the Second Amendment charge for a well regulated militia and the right of the people to keep and bear arms offers a particularly maddening set of standards where race is concerned.”
She continues, “There’s almost an eerie silence on this particular amendment, which its advocates call central to citizenship. That silence is not accidental. The 18th century origins of the right to bear arms explicitly excluded Black people. South Carolina encoded into law that the enslaved could not carry or make use of firearms or any offensive weapons whatsoever, unless in the presence of some White person. Moreover, the states various militias had the power to search and examine all Negro houses for offensive weapons and ammunition. In Delaware there could be no valid earthly reason that any bought servant or Negro or mulatto slave be allowed to bear arms. Georgia was even more direct, not only were Blacks forbidden from owning or carrying firearms but White men were required to own a good gun or pistol to give them the means to search and examine all Negro houses for offensive weapons and ammunition. The distinction was clear; citizens had the right to keep arms, the slave did not.”
“Revolution is never based on begging somebody for an integrated cup of coffee. Revolutions are never fought by turning the other cheek. Revolutions are never fought on love your enemies and pray for those who spitefully or despitefully use you. And revolutions are never a wave playing we shall overcome. Revolutions are based on bloodshed. Revolutions are never a compromise. Revolutions are never based upon negotiations. Revolutions are never based upon any kind of tokenism whatsoever. Revolutions are never even based upon that which is begging a corrupt society or a corrupt system to accept us into it. Revolutions overturn systems.”– Malcolm X
Full of good ol’ boys, raised up right If you’re looking for a fight Try that in a small town Try that in a small town
Try that in a small town See how far ya make it down the road Around here, we take care of our own You cross that line, it won’t take long For you to find out, I recommend you don’t Try that in a small town
Try that in a small town Ooh-ooh Try that in a small town
Don’t kid yourself; Aldeen is right, small towns are “Full of good ol’ boys” who are always looking for an unfair fight with those they’ve been too comfortable terrorizing with each new generation learning the tricks to tie their lynching ropes. This is how they take care of their own. Ahmaud Arbery lost his life to these same “good ol’ boys” in a small town in Georgia where the likes of, Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael, William Bryan Jr. and even Jason Aldeen howl to burning crosses at night to feel supreme human.
“The white man prefers to keep the black man at a certain human remove because it is easier for him thus to preserve his simplicity and avoid being called to account for crimes committed by his forefathers, or his neighbors.” – James Bladwin
Nonetheless, Black people must also take account of their part in the global enslavement of Africans, the racial struggle and dominance by Whites. From Africa, throughout the middle passage and into the New World, Black people have consistently taken part in their peoples own misfortunes and subjugation. Africans were instrumental in the slave trade, even trading manila currency with Europeans and Arabs in exchange for sending captured Africans to their enslavement across the globe. There’s even an account of a 19-year-old African male stopping a slave ship revolt on a slave vessel called The Eagle, and taking a machete blow to protect his White captures. Upon arrival, “he was rewarded and recognized for it and he personally benefitted at the expense of his own people,” said Dr. Claud Anderson in his lecture, A Road Block to Empowerment. And believe it or not, the first person to own a slave named John Casor for life in America was a free Black man from Angola named Anthony Johnson who came to the colonies in 1621 aboard the slave ship James after his capture by Portuguese slave traders. He even acquired land under the Headrights system.
After the assassination of Malcolm X ordered by the man he once worshipped, Elijah Muhammad, who led the Nation of Islam (NOI) from 1934 until his death in 1975 said, “The way I see it, Malcolm is the victim of his own preaching. He preached violence and so he become the victim of it. So Malcolm met with just what he preached. This death of Malcolm, god himself had something to do with that. And I think the people will learn that this was some work of god himself.”
Evidently, the god Muhammad prayed to didn’t see fit to plague Whites for their crimes against humanity, but somehow this so-called god is responsible for the killing of one of the greatest Black leaders America has ever known. Malcolm X sought to lead his people to freedom like Moses led his people from the Pharaoh, and true to Black conditioning, the NOI made sure he didn’t succeed.
And these stories and historical accounts aren’t unique to America. Africa has its own sins to atone for, including the murder of Patrice Lumumba, the first Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He was killed by his own people by order of the Belgium’s, and even America and Great Britain played a role in his assassination. His crime? He spoke out about the suffering of African people at the hands of their European oppressors. In other words, the truth he spoke to power made him a threat, even to his own fellow Africans desperate for personal power and a seat next to their oppressors, or a place in the master’s home. In 2022, Belgium returned Lumumba’s tooth after holding it as a trophy for 61 years, similar to a serial killer keeping items from their victims to mark and reminisce of their evil.
“Dead, living, free, or in prison on the order of the colonialists, it is not I who counts. It is the Congo, it is our people for whom independence has been transformed into a cage where we are regarded from the outside… History will one day have its say, but it will not be the history that Brussels, Paris, Washington, or the United Nations will teach, but that which they will teach in the countries emancipated from colonialism and its puppets…a history of glory and dignity,” – Patrice Lumumba
The dignity Lumumba talks about has yet to arrive. Just look around you and take in the state of our American culture. Last week, two White males, 38-year-old Daniel Walls and a 17-year-old, were arrested and charged with Civil Rights intimidation for posting Ku Klux Klan recruitment flyers outside of three Black churches in Columbia, Tennessee. A Black “influencer” who goes by the name Sassy Trucker is being held in Dubai for the ratchet behavior she’s known for on social media. And the other latest embarrassment is called Carlee Russell, a Black woman who created a kidnapping hoax for attention. Not only did she lie, she made sure to ask for thoughts and prayers from real victims of this particular crime. And to further stick her finger in the nation’s eye and worsening the stigma for Black folks, she made sure to crack a smile in her mug shot. Making matters even worse, a dozen Black teens have just been arrested for a unprovoked brutal and horrific attack on a Black man at a gas station, followed by indiscriminate shooting with automatic weapons. This is our America today, despite the blueprint left by Black giants like the Black Panther Party who started the school lunch program and fought against police brutality.
Jason Aldeen’s melodic words certainly sting, but he’s serenading the consciousness and condition of Black people in America. The only missing chorus is the role his White ancestors played in the shaping of our divided nation. Similar to Florida under Ron DeSantis who is feverishly working to rewrite history to make slavery look like a benefit to Black people, Aldeen’s country tune separates itself from truth too, like oil refuses water.
“You can’t do anything by legislation, it takes education. The White men in this country need to be reeducated so that his behavior patterns towards non-whites will change. And the Black men in this country also need to be reeducated so our behavior pattern and attitude toward ourselves will change.” – Malcolm X
The Galileo Project lead, Professor Avi Loeb, world-renowned astrophysicist at Harvard University and best selling author of Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth spent years studying the skies for signs of extraterrestrial life and says he has found proof of their existence at the bottom of thePacific Ocean. Professor Loeb just completed a $1.5m expedition searching for signs of a mysterious meteor dubbed IM1 (Interstellar Meteor 1) that crashed off the coast of Papua New Guinea in 2014 and is believed to have come from interstellar space.
Professor Loeb and his colleagues have discovered at least 50 tiny spherical iron fragments near the fireball path of the first recognized interstellar meteor, IM1. They discovered the 50 tiny spherules, or molten droplets, using a magnetic sled that was dropped from the expedition vessel the Silver Star 2km beneath the surface of the pacific ocean.
ePa Live had the opportunity to speak with Professor Loeb, a returning guest on the program, about his monumental findings that could answer the age old question: Are we alone?
As we head further into the summer months, many will be looking to fill their calendars with fun activities and adventures. Here’s a fun, informative and family friendly idea: Egypt on the Potomac. It is an educational field trip across Washington, D.C. showing a direct architectural link to ancient Egypt or Kemet. Author and historian, Anthony Browder, created the program as part of the IKG Cultural Resource Center he founded in 1981.
Thanks to the incredible work of Browder, folks can sign up for a fun-filled, educational and empowering field trip across Chocolate City to learn all about the architecture, masonic history and the African inspired, (in some cases a complete copy) design of this great city.
Here’s a short clip of the educational field trip that will hopefully inspire you to grab your own boarding pass to journey across Washington, DC. Oh, the mindful and empowering places you’ll go, as you discover and clearly see all the contributions made to current civilization and humanity, thanks to those who gave both to the world; Africans.
As the world turns, communities from across our oceans are longing to connect with each other. This is especially true for many African Americans taking the leap to journey back to Africa. The back to Africa movement is not new. After emancipation Abraham Lincoln sought to relocate newly freed Black people back to Africa. Although the move was largely rejected by many Black leaders of that time, the honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey was instrumental in the push to make this a reality for Black people in the western hemisphere.
“Marcus Garvey and his organization, the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), represent the largest mass movement in African-American history. Proclaiming a black nationalist “Back to Africa” message, Garvey and the UNIA established 700 branches in thirty-eight states by the early 1920s.”
Today, the best way to make this dream for some a reality is with sincere preparation. And thanks to Professor Joseph Mbele of Olaf College in Minnesota, who has amassed decades worth of knowledge on the subject, including being an expert on culture and folklore, created a study guide to help those journeying back to the Motherland.
After the recent ban of Affirmative Action by the current Supreme Court 6-3, when discussing the historical context of Supreme Court justices, it is important to acknowledge that some past justices owned slaves and played a role in supporting or upholding discriminatory laws. Here are just a few anti-Black Supreme Court justices:
1. John Rutledge (1739-1800) – Owned several slaves and participated in drafting the U.S. Constitution, which allowed for the continuation of slavery.
2. James Moore Wayne (1790-1867) – Supported the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which allowed the capture and return of escaped slaves.
3. Roger B. Taney (1777-1864) – Authored the majority opinion in the infamous Dred Scott v. Sandford case (1857), which denied citizenship to African Americans and declared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional.
4. Joseph P. Bradley (1813-1892) – Supported the majority opinion in the Civil Rights Cases (1883), which struck down the Civil Rights Act of 1875 and perpetuated racial segregation.
5. Horace Gray (1828-1902) – Supported the majority opinion in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), which upheld racial segregation under the “separate but equal” doctrine.
It is crucial to recognize the historical impact of these justices’ decisions, as they contributed to the maintenance of discriminatory laws and practices and biased anti-Black ideological agendas.
Note: authored by, Ken L. Harris, Ph.D., President/CEO The National Business League | Historian | Economist | Black Business Influencer
