On Monday, June 19, the People’s Organization for Progress (POP) will hold a march and rally in Newark, New Jersey, to call on the state’s lawmakers to pass bills and begin the process of reparations for descendants of slavery.
The event will host representatives from POP, the New Jersey Institute For Social Justice, elected officials, and community members. This annual march and rally’s primary goal is to secure reparations for African Americans who are descendants of formerly enslaved people.
“The demonstration is being held to once again demand reparations for African Americans for the centuries of enslavement of our ancestors, nearly a century of apartheid Jim Crow segregation, and institutionalized racism, inequality, oppression, and exploitation that continues to this day,” Lawrence Hamm, POP chair stated.
Hamm said the current goal is to pass bills S386 and A938 in the New Jersey legislature, both of which would establish a “New Jersey Reparations Task Force” to examine the role of slavery in the state and its ancillary effects on current education, labor, and housing systems.
While lawmakers and activists have argued reparation bills for consideration throughout history, recently, New York and California have established coalitions to address the residual effects of slavery, according to an article for the Associated Press.
New York still awaits the signature of Gov. Kathy Hochul, who can sign the bill into law and fully establish the task force. In California, economists have estimated that over $500 billion is owed to slavery descendants, but they did not specify amounts due to individuals or a timeline of said payments.
Hamm said that whether reparations be lump-sum payments, annuities, or the provision of economic resources, reparations will likely take many different forms for African Americans. He also mentioned legal precedent for reparations citing the payments towards Native Americans for colonialism and genocide as well as the payments for the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.
Hamm says the march and rally will commemorate Juneteenth, which was federally recognized in 2021 but was first celebrated 158 years ago, in 1865. He encouraged New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy to sign the two bills into action, and he hopes Congress can pass HR 40 and S40, which would mandate that lawmakers examine the lingering effects of slavery on the federal level.
“We urge the New Jersey legislature to follow the example of the New York legislature which passed a reparations bill last week. We demand the New Jersey legislature pass the reparations bill and that Gov. Murphy sign it into law,” Hamm said.
Amidst the sobering statistic that merely 3% of businesses from Harlem to Hawaii are owned by African Americans, a renowned celebrity Harlem chef, Marcus Samuelsson. Samuelsson is stepping up to support an initiative aimed at transforming the trajectory of minority-owned retailers and restaurateurs. This groundbreaking effort seeks to redefine the landscape of lease agreements, providing…
In recognition of Juneteenth, the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund (AACHAF) announced 3.8 million in funds would be granted this year among 40 different African American U.S. sites. The AACHAF is the largest fund dedicated to supporting and preserving historic sites in the U.S. that represent African American history such as locations like homes, museums, centers, schools, and more.
One of the sites to receive funding was the United Order of Tents Eastern District No. 3, the oldest Black women’s fraternal organization in the U.S. The funds will be used to preserve their historic headquarters at the mansion home located at 87 MacDonough Street in Brooklyn’s Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood.
The AACHAF is the largest U.S. fund dedicated to preserving African American historical sites. It is a program within the National Trust For Historic Preservation, first created in 2017.
In a press release, they announced the other new elements of the grants include a focus on conserving Black modernist sites designed by Black architects and further preserving HBCUs.
The funding for the United Order comes after there was widespread news coverage earlier at the end of last year about the leaders’ ongoing fight to preserve their location at the Bed Stuy mansion as it was reportedly facing various financial hurdles and disrepair of the property.
Action fund awards range from $50,000 to $150,000 per site. However, it is unknown how much funding the organization received and how far it will be able to go toward preserving the site.
The United Order of Tents were founded by two formerly enslaved Black women, Annetta Minkins Lane of Norfolk, Virginia and Harriet R. Taylor, of Hampton, Virginia. According to the website, the group was founded in 1847. Other reports date the official incorporation of the organization to have come later in 1867.
The organization existed as one of the various secret societies created by freed Black people during enslavement for the purpose of fighting for liberation and providing support to other Blacks. Some of their early work included caring for the elderly, burying the dead, and helping enslaved Black people obtain freedom.
As it was illegal for groups of Black people to congregate in New York State, they would have to function in secrecy and hold meetings in tents, which is where their name is derived from.
Chapters existed across the North and the South in states like Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York with its height reaching 50,000 during the 20th century. Their work included providing food, shelter, and nursing for members of the community.
Today, the group has a continued emphasis on social issues, community service and Christian values and is looking to become a non-profit.
“Our mission is to care for the sick, comfort those in distress, bury the dead, provide a home for the aged and infirmed women and the orphans of deceased women of all races and nationalities. In addition, uplift fallen or less fortunate women and [uphold] women to the highest standards of Christian living and to strive to achieve for women high standards within our nation. To work with and encourage young girls to achieve their maximum potential in society,” a statement from the website reads.
The group is currently looking for support in adding membership. According to a New York Times piece in December, membership had increased from only eight women to up to 24 recently, with “tents as young as 25.” The website lists an application that one can fill out.
The site at MacDonough Street was first built in 1863 and became the headquarters of the organization in 1945. The mansion, also referred to as their Meeting House, is where they would historically hold meetings and discussions on issues and ways to further their activist work, in addition to using it “to perform their ceremonies and rituals that signified their sisterhood.” They still use the site today, however only at “certain times of the year” as a result of its current physical state.
NYC Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Department for the Aging (NYC Aging) Commissioner Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez. This includes the New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell today marked World Elder Abuse Awareness Day by announcing that an older adult liaison has been designated to every police precinct from Harlem to Hollis, as…
The Hudson River Park Trust announced today the reopening of Hudson River Park’s newly renovated Chelsea Waterside Park section just 40 minutes from Harlem. The extensive overhaul of the space reimagines this heavily used section of the Park through the thoughtful addition of new features and plants. The park area now includes a new public…
Harlem Bespoke: One of the majestic brownstones on West 144th and Convent Avenue returns to the market for new season and the grand 21 foot wide home is also a rare semi-detached townhouse. Number 452 West 144th Street is now available for $3.65 million $3 million and the 2-family home appears to be in turnkey condition with lots of original details within. We have been writing about this block for over a decade now and buyers who want to live on one of the most charming neighborhoods in Manhattan should definitely check out one of the open houses in the coming weeks. Restaurants, cafes, supermarkets and the express train stations are minutes away by the 145th Street corridor. More details and contact information can be found on Streeteasy: LINK
On June 9, 2023, at PAL’s New South Bronx Center, winners of the Police Athletic League 2023 Science Fair were announced from a field of hundreds of children in 5th through 8th grades from PAL centers from Harlem to Hollis. Young people explored the “World of Engineering” and were challenged to create a functioning prosthetic limb that…
Keep your dog happy by avoiding hot spots. Learn everything you need to keep your dog’s skin safe and healthy while treating hot spots on his body. You’ve come to the right site if you’re wondering how to treat a hot spot on a dog. Many dog owners are unsure about the best way to…
When the spouse of a famed icon passes, tears are shed among a wide panorama of people, organizations, and communities.
Born in 1937 in Orangeburg, South Carolina, Mae Catherine Haynes came up north at age 11, and eventually met and married Ralph Duncan in Brooklyn, New York. They had three children: Khaba Sahu Re, Randall Duncan, and Robynn Duncan. The marriage was dissolved and she found love again, marrying Robert “Sonny” Abubadika Carson and receiving the title Queen Tetisheri. They were married for more than 30 years, until he died in December 2002.
Carson was the grassroots activist who inspired a movie, “The Education of Sonny Carson,” and thousands of articles and radio and television news segments.
Mae Duncan Carson, his “quiet revolutionary” wife, made her transition on June 2, 2023. Many of the speakers at the wake and at the Mount Sion Baptist Church told of their interactions on their journey to Ghana, and how that spiritual trip to Africa gave them an even greater appreciation of this strong, fearless, beloved lady. Pastor Linwood Boyd smiled as he told the congregation that he so admired Sonny and Mae’s commitment to Afrocentric culture, be it through clothes, politics, or social emphasis. And there, dressed in white, in the open casket, was Mae, grasping her Ankh and wearing her turban. A devout member of the King Emmanuel Baptist church, the wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother “was the esteemed matriarch of five generations.”
She worked at the Cullen & Dykman Law Firm for more than 35 years until she retired in 2016. She endured many health challenges.
Respected on so many levels by work colleagues, blood and church family, neighbors, and friends in the Movement, she was memorialized for two days over the weekend, both at the Grace Funeral Home and Mount Sion Baptist Church. Paying respects were community activists and educators, including Professor James Small, Rahim Allah, Viola Plummer, and Colette Pean.
At her funeral service on Saturday, June 10, 2023, there were scripture readings, speeches, and poems by James Carney, Ashanti Rodney, Tracy Carson, Jomo Duncan, and Sati Rogerson, as well as musical selections sung by family members and the King Emmanuel Baptist Youth Choir, and Kweku Payton’s African drum tribute.“I sat at the foot of many elders and I’ve heard many stories. I said ‘See you later’ to my buddy Mae Duncan Carson yesterday on this worldly side,” family friend Santina Brown-Payton told the Amsterdam News on Sunday. “She was a God-fearing woman who has a connection with him. She will join her mate Sonny Abubadika Carson…And since this fight on this side is not over, there are many who will carry this torch. The Struggle continues, and although God has plucked some special flowers in our garden, he is building another army stronger than the last one. God will never leave us and neither will our ancestors!”
“Mae Carson … was the quiet resolve behind the scenes needed by such an enigmatic community leader. Their union lasted over 30 years until his transition in December 2002,” daughter Robynn Duncan told the Amsterdam News. “Mae was a beautiful, graceful, and selfless woman to all who encountered her. She was always willing to give of herself and go the extra mile for those she loved, even strangers. She exemplified tremendous courage in her lengthy health battles and always personified strength, resilience, and optimism to face the unknown. She was the esteemed matriarch of five generations. We honor and celebrate her ability to fearlessly stand in the storm for others while navigating her own storms without complaint. It is this amazing and inspiring attribute we will forever revere and hold dear in our hearts.”
She concluded that “the Carson family extends our sincere gratitude and thanks to everyone for their acknowledgments, sacrifices, heartfelt condolences, offerings, and blessings during this time.”
There were a number of memorable moments in the nearly weeklong commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the assassination of Medgar Wiley Evers, including the home of Medgar and Myrlie being enshrined as a national monument. During the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Institute of Courage and Justice Gala from June 7–12 in Jackson, Mississippi, the Rev. Al Sharpton put it all in perspective in his address to the crowded ballroom. “Our struggle is about continuity,” he said. “It’s about celebration, commemoration, and continuity. For every step we take forward, there’s a step back, and that’s why we got to keep moving.”
Moving forward is something that Evers emphasized on each and every occasion during the festivities. At the very beginning of the celebration, she reflected on the past, recalling those harrowing moments after her husband’s assassination. “Standing next to me is one of my strongest supporters: our daughter Reena Evers-Everette,” she said at the podium. “It must have been a day after her father was killed and Reena came in, put her arms around me, and she said ‘Mom don’t cry, I will take care of you.’ I have never forgotten that. Thank you, Reena.”
Evers asked, “How much time do I have to speak?” to loud laughter from the crowd. “No, I’ll make it brief.” She noted that “this is a very emotional time…because Medgar is still very much a part of me and he’s still here. Emotional because of the personal struggle our family has had over the years.” She went on to recall that she thought her life was over when her husband was shot. “But now, I realize it was just beginning,” she continued. “There were three children looking up to me and others.”
Toward the close of her speech, she recounted the conversations she had with Medgar about how he could love Mississippi so deeply, and he would explain to her that he was born there just as she was born in Vicksburg. “I stand before you today and I know I am aging, and I don’t know if I’m aging with grace, but I know I am strong.”
On several occasions, she recalled her partnership with Medgar, his love for children, and how devoted he was to their family. She thanked all those who turned out for the event “because Medgar is still very much with us.”
To some extent, Medgar’s presence was felt in the music provided by the band from the New Orleans National Historical Park, particularly when they summoned the Staple Singers with their version of “I’ll Take You There.”
Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, among a coterie of dignitaries at the event, said the city is planning to remove the statue of Andrew Jackson. “Condoleezza Rice was right: We can’t change history, but we can change who we choose to honor,” he said to loud applause.
Diane Regas, president and CEO of the Trust for Public Land, explained her organization’s key role in making the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument possible, and said similar moves are being made in many places across the country. Billy Thornton, vice president of the Mississippi Power Company; Haley Fisackerly, president and CEO of Entergy; Ruth Hernandez Prescott, National Park Foundation chief of staff; and Keena Graham, National Park Service superintendent, were other speakers whose organizations and institutions were vital to the success of the dedication.
Equally festive was a brunch at the Sheraton near Jackson’s Medgar Evers International Airport, where a choir from the Voices of Courage and Justice concert resonated gloriously, especially when their lead singer rocked the place with his rendition of “Stand.” It was a louder version of the “stand” that Myrlie expressed in her presentation.
Bishop William Barber, as he has done so eloquently in his Moral Mondays travels, gave the moment a special reverence by placing the Evers family in the powerful matrix of the struggle for human and civil rights.
To capture the full impact of the gala requires a separate article and the lineup alone would exhaust most accounts, most notably Sharpton, the Rev. Mark Thompson, Lumumba, and countless others who appeared in videos, including Smokey Robinson; former U.S Attorney Eric Holder, who said, “We must be warriors for justice like Medgar and Myrlie”; former President Bill Clinton; and Lonnie Bunch, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. It was wonderful to see Rep. Bennie Thompson and James Meredith dressed so splendidly for the occasion. The interludes from Bi Biz Band gave the evening a jazzy bounce as a few attendees eagerly awaited Kenny Lattimore.
A parade and march of silence were other scheduled events to mark what Sharpton cited as several days of celebration, commemoration, and the continuity of struggle. Some of the spirit of the event was captured during a panel at Millsaps College, where yours truly shared the stage with Jerry Mitchell, author Diane McWhorter, and WLBT anchor Howard Ballou on the role of the press in the struggle for freedom and justice. As usual, Myrlie was right down front. As she listened intently to the panelists, there was a quiet strength that also prevailed later at the gala when she recounted her determination to prove to the world that despite the color of her skin, she was going to excel.
Joining her in the audience were filmmakers Keith Beauchamp and Loki Mulholland, who with civil rights activist Joan Trumpauer Mulholland were ubiquitous, attending nearly every event. Accompanying Beauchamp, who is still on the theater circuit promoting the film “Till,” were Debrorah Watts and her daughter Terri of the Emmett Louis Till Legacy Foundation; and attorney Jaribu Hill. Dr. Brenda Greene, a professor at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, enjoyed the various events, along with Professor Richard Jones, executive director of the College.
There were numerous honorees in addition to Bunch, Holder, Meredith, and Thompson. Other distinguished recipients were Gloria Steinem, writer and activist; Mildred Bond Roxborough, a veteran stalwart at the NAACP; LaJune Montgomery-Tabron, president and CEO of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation; William Bynum, CEO, Hope Credit Union; Marian Wright Edelman, founder and president emerita, Children’s Defense Fund; Dr. Hazel Dukes, president and CEO, NAACP New York State Conference; Secretary Deb Haaland, U.S. Secretary of the Interior; Ray Mabus, former Secretary of the U.S. Navy; and Andrew Young, former U.S. Ambassador to the UN.
At 90, Myrlie has lost none of the zeal and commitment, none of that dedication and determination to complete her mission and fulfill her promise to Medgar and her children to ensure the legacy of their name and love for the people.
