Civil Rights Legend, Ron Walters, Leaves An Enduring Legacy
By Hakim Hasan: Dr. Ronald Walters, 72, one of the foremost authorities on Black-American politics, died on Friday (September 10) of cancer. He was born on July 20, 1938 in Witchita, Kansas, a grim period in American life when blacks could not vote and were subjected to blatant racism. This, undoubtedly, shaped his lifelong and evolved worldview as a political scientist and activist. Although Dr. Walters held many visiting professorships at major universities during his distinguished academic career, he spent the majority of  his career as a professor and chair of the political science department at Howard University from the mid-1970s until 1996. From 1996 until his retirement in 2009, he was a professor of political science and Director of the African-American Leadership Institute at the University of Maryland. Herb Boyd, “New York Amsterdam News†reporter, soberly recalls: “Most recently I was with him at Howard University where he was summoned to participate in the making of a documentary about the history of the NAACP. His analysis, like his historical insight, was concise, crisp, and to the point. Nothing wasted. No fanfare or one-upmanship.†One of the enduring legacies of Dr. Walter’s scholarship and activism was his constant struggle to marry political theory to civic engagement and the grueling practicalities of electoral politics (“the tightrope†that politicians have to walk.) For example, his essay “Leverage Rainbow Politics,†which appeared on the Independent Politics Network website in 2008, can be read as a prophetic understanding of the right-wing—and even liberal—backlash against President Barack Obama. He writes, “Blacks can be tricked because the attraction of the first black or the first woman to do this or that seemingly fits into the legacy of civil rights, a syndrome that can be disastrous if it turns out wrong.†Dr. Ron Daniels, former Executive Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights in New York City and Distinguished Lecturer at York College makes the pointed observation: “No one more than Dr. Ronald Walters hammered home the relevance of “leverage politics†as a time tested vehicle for organized interest groups and constituencies to extract benefits from the American political system. He created a living laboratory for his leverage theory of politics as the Issues Director and principal strategist for Rev. Jesse L. Jackson’s electrifying campaign for President in 1984.†Dr. Walters published well over one hundred scholarly papers and many books including Black Presidential Politics, which won the Ralph Bunche Prize and Best Book Prize from the National Conference of Black Political Scientists. To the general public, however, Dr. Walters is probably best remembered as a constant fixture and engaging political analyst on major television news programs especially when he served as a major advisor to the Reverend Jesse Jackson when he ran for president in 1984. A public viewing and memorial service for Dr. Walters will be held at Crampton Hall at Howard University in Washington, D.C. on September 19 (3:00-5:00 P.M.). Reverend Jesse Jackson will preside over the funeral services on September 20 held at Shiloh Baptist Church (10:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M.) in Washington, D.C. Hakim Hasan writes frequently about social issues and politics. He is the former Director of Public Programs at the Museum of the City of New York. Click here to view photos: RELATED: Long serving Howard Professor Ron Walters Dies At 72
Professor Condemns Will.I.Am’s Use Of Blackface At MTV VMA [AUDIO]
![Professor Condemns Will.I.Am’s Use Of Blackface At MTV VMA [AUDIO]](http://www.kulturekritic.com/wp-content/themes/city-desk/timthumb.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fkulturekritic.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F02%2Fa59bWill.I.Am-and-Nicki-Minaj-006-150x150.jpg&q=90&w=160&h=106&zc=1 "Professor Condemns Will.I.Am’s Use Of Blackface At MTV VMA [AUDIO]")
At the MTV VMA’s this past weekend, Will.i.am caused controversy with his appearance in blackface. Recently, Newsone contributor Bakari Kitwana spoke with Associate Professor of Visual Studies at the State University of Buffalo, John Jennings, about recent visual images of Blacks on the American popular culture scene—from Will.i.am’s Blackface to the signage at the recent 9/12 Tea Party Rally in Washington, DC. Jennings offers a crash course in media literacy, and stereotypes that he says continue to reproduce themselves in American culture. He likens the Tea Party signs to previous eras where American racists target Jews, Irish, etc and says of blackface: “Because of the deep history of minstrelsy throughout history, I don’t think you can take it out of the history of racialization.†Such stereotypes, he says, “are like logos.†Curator, Illustrator, Cartoonist and Graphic Novelist, John Jennings is Associate Professor of Visual Studies at the State University of New York Buffalo and the author of the new book Black Comix: African-American Independent Comics, Art and Culture, which he co-wrote with Damian Duffy. He teaches graphic art and design and his research focuses on challenging African-American stereotypes in the media and popular culture. Bakari Kitwana is CEO of Rap Sessions and author of the forthcoming Hip-Hop Activism in the Obama Era. Click here to view photos: RELATED: Can the youth vote trump the Tea Party in midterms Bakari Kitwana discusses Obama’s stimlus
Black Law School Graduate Ends Hunger Strike
In this exclusive interview, NewsOne contributing editor Bakari Kitwana spoke with Zenovia N. Evans, JD, who started a hunger strike on August 5 th to protest law school transparency. Speaking about developments with the movement to hold law schools accountable to graduates with rising debt and declining job opportunities, she confirms that she ended the strike on Saturday under medical advice—after losing sixteen pounds. Graduate student protest blogs like Ms. Evans’s unemployedjd.com want law schools to make public salary and employment data of recent graduates. “The strike is over, but the protest continues,†she says. Zenovia N. Evans, JD is a 2009 graduate of Thomas M. Cooley Law School. She started the blog unemployedjd.com writing under the pseudonym Ethan Haines. Click here for exclusive audio of interview Click here to view photos: RELATED: Daughter Of Civil Rights Lawyer William Kunstler Release Tell All Documentary
Housing Vouchers, Despair And Reclaiming The Dream
We often see the images of starving children and impoverished families flashing across our TV sets. Many times, they are huddled in massive groups waiting for food handouts, safe housing or any other basic necessity. Whether it’s following a devastating natural disaster, civil unrest or sheer poverty, the scenes of chaos remain imprinted in our minds despite the fact that they are occurring in distant lands. Until recently, most of us here in the United States remained lucky enough to never even fathom such desperation. But last week, when some 30,000 people near Atlanta, GA braved the tumultuous heat for hours just for a slim shot at housing relief, the rest of the nation watched on in horror as these acts of despondency occurred right in our own backyard. And just like all moments of human despair and misery, just a few minutes of that footage highlighted grave challenges that many wish would be swept under a rug somewhere. The city of Atlanta is often referred to as the city of paradoxes. Comprised of the fastest growing millionaire population, it simultaneously has one of the highest child poverty rates in the country. Last week, just outside Atlanta in East Point, GA, these 30,000 folks gathered – many of them nights before – just to receive an application to be placed on a waiting list for Section 8 housing. The East Point Housing Authority currently has 455 vouchers that are all being utilized, so everyone who showed up last week can only hope to get on this list for a chance at affordable housing, and many will remain on the list for years. The massive explosion of folks left over 60 in need of medical attention, and 20 transported to a hospital – including a baby who went in to seizure because of the excessive heat. There was yelling, screaming, pushing, cursing and chaos as the throng of folks fought to merely garner an application. And in order to receive these section 8 vouchers, a family must not make more than 50% of the areas’ median income, which stands at just around $31,847. In the end, about 75% of the housing vouchers will go to those who make less $9,500 a year. Text continues after Atlanta gallery: Now, let’s put this in perspective. Thousands convene in the extreme heat and fight their way to receive an application for just a chance at survival. This wasn’t a group of people fighting over mundane things, or even attempting to get a shot at the American dream. These were mothers, fathers and families who have fallen on hard times and make barely enough money to put food on the table. How can we sit by idly and watch such catastrophic events take place? When Black unemployment rates are more than double the national average in many areas, how can we be complacent? When foreclosures have left our families homeless, how can we not speak up? When scenes of utter despair like East Point play out on our TV screens, how can we not do something? When the dream for freedom, equality, opportunity and advancement is yet to be fully realized, how can we not take a stand? Join the National Action Network on August 28th in Washington, DC. as we RECLAIM THE DREAM that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. envisioned nearly 47 years ago. Enough is enough. We can no longer choose to ignore the harsh realities right before our eyes – for the tragic scenes like East Point, GA are now etched in our minds. Join us on the 28th as we seek sustainable solutions to our housing crisis, economic woes and unemployment epidemic. Stand with us as we march for unity, freedom, justice and humanity. RELATED: Al Sharpton, Progressive Organizations, To Hold “Reclaim The Dream†Rally “Reclaim The Dream†March: Calls Attention To Violence, Immigration, Education Al Sharpton: Rangel Is Victim Of A “Political Crucifixionâ€
Reclaim The Dream
Forty-seven years ago, our nation was in the midst of uncertainty, trepidation, fear, frustration, anger and unrest. Forty-seven years ago, we were simultaneously hopeful, dedicated, ambitious, determined and resilient. Forty-seven years ago, people of all races gathered on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. to urge their federal government to live up to the standards and ethos embodied in our Constitution. Forty-seven years ago, we demanded equal access to education, voting rights, desegregation across the board, just employment opportunities and equanimity in society. And forty-seven years ago, men and women from all walks of life, and from all ethnic persuasions rallied and marched for a larger federal government to intervene because states were failing to ensure our basic human civil rights. It was on Aug. 28th, 1963, that the great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. unequivocally summarized the sentiments of the over 250,000 attendees and millions across the country at home when he delivered his ‘I Have a Dream Speech’. Now forty-seven years later, it is time to Reclaim that Dream. National Action Network and I invite you to join us on Aug. 28th in Washington, D.C as we mobilize along with other progressive leaders, clergy, activists and dream keepers to unanimously Reclaim The Dream. We will meet at 11 AM at Dunbar High School and then march forward in the same peaceful manner as Dr. King did on that historic day. When most people reflect on August 28th, 1963, they often forget the premise of why Dr. King and other leaders organized such a massive congregation to begin with. Billed as the ‘March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom’, the Aug. 28th rally pushed for the federal government to take more direct action in enforcing laws and policies that would end institutional racism and create a level playing field for all people despite race, color or creed. The three-hour long program at the Lincoln Memorial united civil rights leaders like John Lewis and Dr. King himself to present a unified front in the quest for justice. And the following year, the success of that day and Dr. King’s relentless work were realized when Congress passed the Civil Rights Act, and one year later passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Dr. King undoubtedly understood the necessity of immediacy. He knew that despite the emancipation of slavery, ‘One hundred years later, the Negro is still not free’, and that ‘One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity’. Today, with incomprehensible unemployment rates as high as 50% in places like NY, unequal access to decent education and housing, astronomical arrest and imprisonment rates, skyrocketing foreclosures and remaining strongholds of racial injustice, African Americans are still vying to fully realize Dr. King’s dream. With ridiculous state laws like Arizona’s anti-immigration SB 1070 bill, Latinos and other minorities are welcoming federal intervention to fully realize Dr. King’s dream. And as women still fight for higher wages and an end to discriminatory policies, the dream must still be fully realized. Text continues after Pictures of the Week gallery: Join us at Dunbar High School at 11 AM as we mobilize once again those that refuse to settle for injustice and inequality. In honor of Dr. King, we will again march in the country’s capital as we call on our federal government to ensure our inalienable rights when states sometimes fail to do so. But we will in no way be deterred by those dividers like Glenn Beck and other Tea Party members who are attempting to tarnish the legacy of this historic day and our impeccable leader. We will not allow them to hijack the dream, nor destroy Dr. King’s mission. And we will not give credence to this disturbance, and distraction – for that is all that it is. In true non-violent Dr. King fashion, we will not be silenced. We again are living in tumultuous, volatile times, but we again remain hopeful and vigilant that change is just around the corner. It begins with laws and policies that create opportunity and impartiality. And it begins with each one of us. On Aug. 28th, 1963, Dr. King infamously stated: “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’†Let everyone who believes in justice join us in Washington on the 28th as we RECLAIM THE DREAM. RELATED: Al Sharpton, Progressive Organizations, To Hold “Reclaim The Dream†Rally “Reclaim The Dream†March: Calls Attention To Violence, Immigration, Education Housing Vouchers, Despair And Reclaiming The Dream
RAP SESSIONS: Bediako And Kitwana On Dearth Of Black TV News Anchors
Bakari Kitwana speaks with Lisa Fager Bediako about the absence of African Americans in mainstream prime time positions as anchors and hosts on cable and network television. Reflecting on the recent provocative CNN Reliable Sources segment, Bediako takes us inside the industry that she’s both worked in and monitored for years. From recent telecommunications legislation and new trends, she describes where things have gone wrong, reflects of what the dearth of representation means for the Black community and suggests ways for moving forward. Media justice activist Lisa Fager Bediako is the co-founder and president of Industry Ears (industryears.com), a watchdog group that focuses on the impact that the media has on communities of color.  Bakari Kitwana is CEO of Rap Sessions , Editor at Large of Newsone.com and author of the forthcoming Hip-Hop Activism in the Obama Era. (Third World Press, 2010)  See CNN story on the dearth of black television anchors  RELATED: Rap Sessions: Conrad Tillard on Charlie Rangel’s Fight for Congressional Seat Rap Sessions: Quannell X Rails Against Wave of Police Brutality in Houston
Tea Party Runs Counter To The Civil Rights Movement
When we study the intense struggle for civil rights in this nation, we quickly – and rightfully so – find ourselves analyzing the life and legacy of the great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We learn of his tireless efforts to achieve equality and justice for all of humanity, as we pass on anecdotes of sit-ins, marches and boycotts to our children. Our schools highlight the selfless sacrifice of Dr. King in rooting out the stains of racism and achieving integration across the country. But what we as a collective sometimes forget to impress upon the next generation is the depth to which Dr. King was an advocate for federal government as he knew it was the only effective way to ensure a unified system of equality in every state. Today, the Tea Party stands to break that national stance on justice and in turn, break the crux of what the civil rights movement symbolized and what Dr. King fought and literally died for. Long observing a consistent pattern of racist comments and behavior within the Tea Party, the NAACP recently voted on a resolution urging leaders of the Party to denounce such inflammatory elements of their organization. What has ensued is a back-and-forth between between the two groups with a national discussion surrounding race and race relations. But in this much needed conversation, we cannot glance over what the Tea Party as a whole stands for: smaller government and states’ rights. It is a group so ardently focused on state sovereignty that talk of secession and state self-regulation has become as commonplace as the bigoted signs visibly present at their gatherings. And it is an ideology that should raise alarm bells to anyone who believes in true freedom and justice for all. Text continues after Right Wing Protesters gallery: During the struggle for civil rights in the 1950’s and 1960’s, it was more often than not, the federal government that intervened when state policies failed us. At Clinton High School in Tennessee, it was National Guard troops that protected Black students as they entered a desegregated educational facility for the first time. And it was the federal Supreme Court that ruled segregation resulted in unfair and unequal practices to begin with in the infamous Brown vs. Board of Education decision. It was federal policies that allowed Blacks and other folks of color to exercise their right to vote and voice their opinion in the politics and social issues of the day. It was national regulation of discriminatory housing and zoning laws that afforded the marginalized a shot at the American dream. And if we take it all the way back to the days of emancipation, it was a President and a federal government that ended the abhorrent institution of slavery. On August 28th, 1963, Dr. King went to Washington and held a rally for the precise purpose of pushing for increased federal action and involvement to nullify all discriminatory state and local practices. As we prepare to mark the 47th anniversary of his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech on this date, Glenn Beck and others push for an expansion of states’ rights – the exact antithesis of the civil rights movement and Dr. King’s legacy. We can already clearly see the detrimental effects of state regulation with the recent passage of Arizona’s immigration bill SB 1070. And when members of the Tea Party like Rand Paul state that it is perfectly permissible for private businesses to discriminate on the basis of race, we have a serious problem. The NAACP was inarguably justified to call out racist elements of the Tea Party, but we must also ensure that we question the legitimacy of the Party’s foundation itself. As the chants for states’ rights and secession get louder, we must all ask ourselves if we would truly like to return to a period where there was less federal involvement?? In the tradition of Dr. King and the civil rights movement, I urge for more – not decreased – federal intervention. This is, after all, the United States of America; let’s start acting like it. RELATED: Joe Biden: “Republican Tea Party Will Be Rejected Come November†The 5 Types Of Tea Party Racists [OPINION] VIDEO: New Footage Emerges Of Tea Party Racists
Awaiting Justice
It has been a year and a half since the fateful night a New Year’s celebration turned deadly for a 22-year-old Black man in California. He wasn’t engaged in a gang transaction gone wrong, nor was he evading police or hiding somewhere as a fugitive. No, Oscar Grant was handcuffed face down on the ground with a police officer’s knee pinning his neck when another cop decided to draw his weapon and shoot him in the back. The single bullet ended his young life as his friends and a train station full of people watched on in horror. And now, on the heels of a verdict in the trial against the accused officer, Johannes Mehserle, the revulsion only intensifies. Oakland, CA has long endured racial strife, and relations between law enforcement and the community can be described as uneasy at best. But for a handcuffed man to be killed in front of dozens as he lay on a train station platform floor, the calls for justice have taken on new heights. Unfortunately, in our still unequal criminal system, the cards are still largely stacked against Oscar, despite several bystander videotapes clearly depicting officer Mehserle discharging his weapon into Grant’s back. As everyone anxiously awaits the verdict in his trial, I ask, when will the system begin to work for us? When will people of color be respected and granted the same privileges as those who still choose to oppress us? And when will the individuals who are sworn to serve and protect us be held to the same standards they so readily impose on others? Text continues after Pictures of the Week gallery… Almost immediately after the 2009 shooting took place, officer Mehserle fled California to Nevada – though his attorney maintains he wasn’t running away and ‘was not a flight risk’. Once his trial began, it was quickly moved from Oakland where the tragic death occurred, to far away Los Angeles because the defense ‘didn’t feel they could get a fair case in Oakland’. In Los Angeles, among the jury of his peers, not a single juror is African American. There are numerous reports of journalists, activists and others being kicked out of the courtroom and in some cases arrested – as was a correspondent from Youth Radio who was in contempt of court ‘for charging a device that had the ability to record’. The Judge in Mehserle’s trial, Judge Robert Perry has eliminated first-degree murder charges, and has instructed the jury to consider second-degree murder, manslaughter or an outright acquittal – all of this taking place in the same criminal courthouse where the infamously polarizing OJ Simpson trial occurred years before. And then there are reports that officer Mehserle’s own track record of abusive behavior has been systematically left out of the court proceedings. Just weeks before Oscar Grant lost his life, an individual by the name of Kenneth Carrethers says Mehserle viciously beat him for criticizing BART police officers (which is where Mehserle served). Carrethers was treated at a hospital before Mehserle took him to jail, but following Oscar Grant’s death, the charges against him were dropped. As the jurors in Los Angeles deliberate, will this history of violence at the hands of police play in their minds? Just as victims have their entire lives dissected in courtrooms all across this country, should we not do the same to those with a badge and shield? Why are their lives held to a different standard? It has been a year and half of mourning and immeasurable suffering for the Grant family. And with each passing day, each insulting act of disregard and each violation of their child’s civil rights, the quest for a semblance of justice continues. As we await this jury’s final decision, let us not rest until we do obtain justice in Oscar’s name. We will not take to the streets and riot should a negative outcome occur, but rather march peacefully and plan our next steps in a nonviolent strategic manner as the great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would have wanted us to. As I always say: justice delayed is justice denied. Justice for Oscar Grant and the many other voiceless victims out there. RELATED: OPINION: Oscar Grant Trial Highlights Importance Of Law & Mutual Respect No Black Jurors Selected For Oscar Grant Murder Trial Video Takes Center Stage In Oscar Grant Trial
RAP SESSIONS: ACLU Lawyer Condemns Arizona Law & Racial Profiling
Bakari Kitwana speaks with Chandra Bhatnagar about the legal ramifications of racial profiling as it relates to recent legislation targeting illegal immigrants. Bhatnagar reflects on the recent lawsuit filed by the ACLU against Arizona and questions how constitutional and international law experts might respond to recent legislation in Massachusetts that would create a hotline for anonymously reporting on suspected illegal immigrants. Chandra Bhatnagar is staff attorney with the American Civil Liberty Union’s Human Rights Program. He’s also the principle author of “The Persistence of Racial and Ethnic Profiling in the United States,†a report recently submitted to the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination . Bakari Kitwana is CEO of Rap Sessions , Editor at Large of Newsone.com and author of the forthcoming Hip-Hop Activism in the Obama Era. (Third World Press, 2010) READ Chandra Bhatnagar’s CNN blog on Arizona immigration law, SB1070 here. RELATED: RAP SESSIONS: Quannell X Rails Against Police Brutality In Houston RAP SESSIONS: Another Black Harvard Professor Defends Elena Kagan, Supreme Court Nominee RAP SESSIONS: Conrad Tillard On Charlie Rangel’s Fight For Congressional Seat Click here to view photos:
