According to reports, Latimer’s campaign is receiving support from the Global Strategy Group (GSG), a polling and public relations firm with ties to the corporate wing of the Democratic Party. GSG has a history of anti-union activities, including working for Amazon against unionization efforts. Despite this, GSG has been involved with various Democratic clients, including some progressives.
The controversy surrounding GSG erupted in 2022 when it was revealed that the firm had been hired by Amazon explicitly for its efforts to prevent unionization at the Staten Island JFK8 fulfillment center. Reports detailed GSG’s dissemination of anti-union materials, including flyers and videos for captive-audience meetings, actions that are illegal under labor laws. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, strongly criticized GSG’s involvement, especially considering the firm’s past work against the AFT on charter school initiatives funded by the Walton and DeVos families.
Real progressives in CD16 are saying George Latimer is a MAGA Democrat because of Republican-funded groups aiming to spend nearly $100 million in the 2024 races to unseat Black and Brown electives around the county. Specifically, Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York’s 16th Congressional District is a prime target. He faces a well-financed primary challenge from George Latimer, supported by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)..
The article highlights the irony of corporate consultants like GSG supporting efforts to unseat progressive incumbents, contrasting it with past criticisms of progressives for similar actions. It also raises concerns about the influence of pro-Israel groups like Republican funded AIPAC in Democratic primaries and the Democratic Party’s response to such challenges.
History in school teaches us that Harriet Tubman freed the slaves and Martin Luther King Jr., had a dream every February but skipped over so many other African-American achievers. Confining our history to 28 days not only diminishes the significance of our contributions but also allows the greater truth to be erased. There is nothing as motivating as knowing that people who look like you have achieved great things.
On July 5, 1852 Frederick Douglass gave a speech that is now known as the “What To The Slave Is The 4th Of July” speech. Douglass was asked to give a speech on July 4th during a commemoration of the Declaration of Independence. However he choose to give one on July 5th instead. When Douglass gave his speech he acknowledged the signers of the Declaration of Independence but he made it clear that there was too much work to be done before the 4th of July would be a day of celebration for Blacks.
…But such is not the state of the case. I say it with a sad sense of the disparity between us. I am not included within the pale of glorious anniversary! Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us. The blessings in which you, this day, rejoice, are not enjoyed in common.ÑThe rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence, bequeathed by your fathers, is shared by you, not by me. The sunlight that brought light and healing to you, has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn. To drag a man in fetters into the grand illuminated temple of liberty, and call upon him to join you in joyous anthems, were inhuman mockery and sacrilegious irony. Do you mean, citizens, to mock me, by asking me to speak to-day? If so, there is a parallel to your conduct. And let me warn you that it is dangerous to copy the example of a nation whose crimes, towering up to heaven, were thrown down by the breath of the Almighty, burying that nation in irrevocable ruin! I can to-day take up the plaintive lament of a peeled and woe-smitten people!…
We celebrate Black History Month in February, but Black History is 365/24/7. But we must remember never to stop celebrating the accomplishments and work of the Black community in our society. February should not be the only time we acknowledge all the ways Black individuals in this country have left their mark. We must never let the energy die. We must keep fighting, keep learning, keep going, keep being an activist, keep supporting and buying from our Black-owned businesses and we must do our part in continuing to learn and teach others about Black history.
We at Black Westchester challenge you to learn something new about Black history every day. Whether that means reading a book by a Black author, listening to music from an African-American artist you’ve never listened to before, or just researching the achievements of African-Americans who came before us. With that in mind, we share with you some events, dates, and achievements that took place in the month of July!!!
In July 1905, a group of Black activists and intellectuals met on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls to discuss the issue of civil liberties for African Americans. That meeting was the start of The Niagara Movement. The group had planned to meet on the New York side of the Falls but were forced to change locations after being denied accommodations. The organization, formed by W.E.B Du Bois and William Monroe Trotter, was made up of critics of Booker T. Washington, President of Tuskegee Institute. During this period, Washington was viewed by most as the authority figure on issues that concerned Black Americans. Washington’s view that Black Americans should help themselves while being patient and accommodating was denounced by members of the Niagara Movement, who demanded that blacks be granted the same rights and liberties as whites.
July 1, 1889 – Frederick Douglass named Minister to Haiti July 1, 1960 – Ghana becomes a republic July 1, 1982 – Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five release the rap song “The Message.” “The Message” was an early prominent Hip-Hop song to provide social commentary. The song’s lyrics describe the stress of inner-city poverty. In the final verses, a child born in the ghetto without prospects in life is lured away into a life of crime, for which he is jailed until he commits suicide in his cell July 2, 1777 – Vermont became the first American colony to abolish slavery. Vermont’s legislature agreed to abolish slavery entirely, and it also moved to provide full voting rights for African American males. July 2, 1872– Inventor E. McCoy received Patent No. 129,843 for the lubricator for steam engines. July 2, 1908 – U.S. Supreme Court, Thurgood Marshall (1908-1993) was born. Marshall made history by becoming the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. July 2, 1943 – Charles Hall becomes the first African American fighter pilot to down enemy aircraft July 2, 1964 – President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law, preventing employment discrimination due to race, color, sex, religion, or national origin. Title VII of the Act establishes the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to help prevent workplace discrimination. July 3, 1950 – The Hazel Scott Show premiered on the DuMont Television Network, making Trinidadian-born Hazel Scott the first African American woman to have her own television show. July 4, 1827 – New York State abolishes slavery July 4, 1881 – Tuskegee Institute was founded in a one-room shanty near Butler Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. Thirty adults represented the first class, with Dr. Booker T. Washington as the first teacher. July 4, 1910 – Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight champion, successfully defended his title by knocking out Jim “The Great White Hope” Jeffries, who had come out of retirement “to win back the title for the White race.” July 4, 1963 – Marian Anderson, opera star, and Ralph Bunche, diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, are awarded the first Medals of Freedom from President John F. Kennedy, the creator of the award. July 4, 1989 – “Fight the Power” was released by Public Enemy on the Motown Records label. It was created for the movie ‘Do the Right Thing’ by Spike Lee. July 5, 1975 – Arthur Ashe defeats Jimmy Connors to win the men’s Wimbledon singles championship and becomes the first African American male to win the title. July 6, 1957 – The first Black woman tennis champion wins Wimbledon. Althea Gibson won the women’s singles championship at Wimbledon. July 9, 1955 – E. Frederic Morrow became the first African-American to serve in an executive position on a United States president’s cabinet in the White House joining President Eisenhower’s staff as Administrative Officer for Special Projects from 1955 to 1961. July 10, 1893 – Dr. Daniel Hale Williams performs the world’s first open-heart surgery on a young man named James Cornish. James was rushed to Provident Hospital in Chicago with a stab wound. July 10, 1927 – David Norman Dinkins born in Trenton, N.J. Dinkins became the first black mayor of New York City, serving from 1989 to 1993. July 16, 1947 – Activist Assata Shakur is born July 17, 2014 – Eric Garner dies after being put in a chokehold by New York City police, following suspicion he was selling untaxed cigarettes in Staten Island. The video is captured with Garner saying “I can’t breathe,” which becomes a rallying cry for criminal justice and police brutality reform. A grand jury chooses not to indict Officer Daniel Pantaelo, but Garner’s family later settles a lawsuit against the city for $5.9 million. July 18, 1918 – Freedom fighter, former President of South Africa, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nelson Mandela born in Mvezo, Umtata South Africa. He first attempted to change South Africa’s policy of Aparthied by non-violent means. After realizing that this method would not bring about the change he sought, he pursued guerrilla activities, which led to his imprisonment for 27 years. After his 1990 release from prison, he became his country’s first black President in 1994. July 20, 1967 – The first Black Power Conference was held in Newark, New Jersey with over a thousand in attendance. July 20, 1967 – First coast-to-coast black-owned and operated radio network: The National Black Network (NBN) begins operations. July 21, 1864 – The New Orleans Tribune, the first Black newspaper to be published daily is launched July 21, 1896 – Mary Church Terrell is elected president of the newly founded the National Association of Colored Women in Washington D.C. July 26, 1948 – President Harry Truman issues Executive Order 9981 to end segregation in the Armed Services. July 28, 1866 – Section 3 of the Act of Congress authorized the formation of the two regiments of cavalry composed of “colored” men. These regiments would be later nicknamed as “Buffalo Soldiers.” July 30, 2002 – WNBA player Lisa Leslie of the Los Angeles Sparks became the first woman to dunk in a professional game. May 22, 1967, Langston Hughes died in NYC from complications after abdominal surgery, related to prostate cancer, at the age of 65 July 31, 1874 – Father Patrick Francis Healey, was named President of Georgetown University and became the first African American to be named President of a Major US University. He was also the first African American to receive a Ph.D.
Don’t Strain Your Drain is a public service campaign in Mount Vernon to collect residents’ used cooking oil at Mount Vernon Fire Stations for recycling. Mount Vernon Youth Community Outreach Program (YCOP) students who participated in the Environmental Leaders of Color (ELOC) Student Summer Energy and Environmental Program for Teens are initiating this oil collection campaign as their entry in the Bedford 2030 Greenlight Prize.
From January 27, 2024, to March 23, 2023, residents may collect their cooking oil, and we hope to get approval for deposits at Mount Vernon fire stations. When poured down the drain, cooking oil solidifies and clog drains. Water pools in basements and yards during rainstorms when sewer drains are clogged. Water inside homes compromises the structure’s integrity and can lead to the growth of toxic mold and mildew, which is harmful to humans and pets. The cost to homeowners and municipalities for oil removal and its consequential damage can be millions.
For three years, ELOC has offered its Student Summer Energy & Environmental Program for Teens to high school students from socially and environmentally vulnerable communities about climate change, its impact, mitigation, solutions, and workforce requirements. This past summer, students from community-based organizations in Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, Yonkers, Portchester, Ossining, and Peekskill learned about water and all its possibilities. At the end of the summer, a team of students from Mount Vernon YCOP won first prize for their final project, The Dangers of Pouring Cooking Oil Down the Drain.
The students discovered that for the more than 394,000 households in Westchester County, there is only one site, Westchester County Recycling Household Material Recovery Facility, where residents may discard harmful household waste; furthermore, the site is inaccessible to residents without cars and appointments must be made before each visit. The Mount Vernon YCOP team presented their findings to the Westchester County Board of Legislature – Housing Committee and were subsequently invited to participate in the Bedford 2030 Greenlight Award Prize.
According to Dr. Diana Williams, Acting Executive Director of ELOC and the student’s Faculty Advisor, “These brilliant students have identified a costly problem and devised a simple solution. The Don’t Strain Your Drain campaign will educate Mount Vernon residents about proper cooking oil disposal and secure accessible disposal sites at fire stations. In 2024, ELOC students will expand this program throughout Westchester County. ELOC is committed to providing our young people with the skills and tools to work together to solve environmental issues in their communities.”
Raymond ‘C2’ Fowler appeared on Black Westchester’s People Before Politics Radio Show, joining Damon K. Jones and AJ Woodson on Sunday, February 4, 2024, to talk about his fight for justice and accountability for the death of his son, Jarrell Garris at the hands of New Rochelle Detective Steven Conn.
On Monday, July 3, 2023, the day before this country celebrates its independence, 37-year-old Jarrell Garris was shot and killed by New Rochelle Police Detective Stephen Conn, after allegedly stealing some fruit.
On July 5, 1852, Frederick Douglass explained what the Fourth of July means to an African American, “a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciations of tyrants, brass-fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade, and solemnity, are, to him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy—a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody, than are the people of these United States, at this very hour. . . .”
Garris died a week later, on Monday, July 10, 2023, and eight months later, his family is still demanding justice. Still waiting for a response from New York Attorney General Tish James, while the officers responsible for his death sit at home on administrative leave with pay.
172 years after Frederick Douglass uttered the words above, Garris’s family is still reminded of “the gross injustice and cruelty to which [Black People are still] the constant victims. Reminded of “boasted liberty,” “an unholy license,” and how the “shouts of liberty and equality” of the Fourth of July are a “hollow mockery.”
Eight months later, Raymond Fowler and his family still have not seen the boasted liberty that is celebrated every July 4th, and the celebration of the holiday will always be a sham, as Douglass described. Mr. Fowler exclusively shares his loss last summer and his unrelenting quest for justice and accountability of his son.
Black Westchester presents The People Before Politics Radio Show – Episode 387 with Damon K. Jones and AJ Woodson. The first hour will be Mount Vernon Youth Community Outreach Program (YCOP) students who participated in the Environmental Leaders of Color (ELOC). In the second hour, we will have Raymond Fowler, the father of Jarrell Garris, the unarmed Black man who was killed last year by New Rochelle Police.
In a recent Facebook post, the organization, the Westchester Black Political Conference (WBPC), challenged County Executive George Latimer to address a New York Times exposé on Israeli demolitions of Palestinian buildings. The article described how Israel destroyed hundreds of buildings that could prevent residents from returning home in violation of humanitarian law.
Given the Times’ reporting and Latimer’s ties to pro-Israel donors,The organization named him “Genocide George” for refusing to address his foreign policy’s human impact. Latimer called the post a “vicious and unfair attack.” I wondered why questioning the loss of Palestinian life is an attack while his social media ignores the pain of the Palestinian people, including those here in Westchester, specifically the Palestinian people who live in CD16.
Latimer: I support the release of kidnapped hostages and Hamas renouncing violence to murder Jews. What do you support?
WBPC: “the organization denounces all terrorism but asked him to also denounce Israel’s “acts of genocide” cited in International Court of Justice.”
WBPC: Do you believe that all Muslims are members of HAMAS?
WBPC: Do you think it’s fair to bomb Christian churches, mosques, and hospitals and desecrate cemeteries?
Latimer accused me, Damon K. Jones, of launching an attack without listening. I’m not entirely sure how my name got involved in this, but it seems convenient to assign blame. Perhaps because I’m known as one of the outspoken individuals in Westchester, it’s easy to point fingers in my direction.
In all honesty, I am a proud member of WBPC. Why shouldn’t I be? I’m Black. But isn’t it only natural that we should prioritize our community above party affiliations?
Even Latimer’s supporters endorse this concept of prioritizing community over party; it’s prominently featured on their website. They even encourage Republicans to switch to the Democratic Party to defeat Jamaal Bowman. So, why is it seen as an attack when a Black man echoes this very same belief? The fact of the matter is that this is another way for George Latimer’s Republican supporters to suppress the Black and Brown vote in DCD16. The persistence of double standards is a question we must address, and George Latimer and his campaign must be accountable.
While running as a candidate to represent the entire district of CD16, George Latimer’s dismissal of valid questions about his political stance is undemocratic.
This is particularly concerning given his connections to pro-Israel Republican MAGA donors. These questions are straightforward: Where is his compassion in light of allegations involving:
The deaths of Palestinian civilians,
The demolition of 36 hospitals,
The displacement of 2 million people,
The destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure,
Acts of violence and oppression in the West Bank,
And the incitement of settler attacks that have resulted in numerous deaths?
One of the straightforward questions he could have addressed was acknowledging that not all Muslims are members of HAMAS. However, he chose not to respond or acknowledge this question.
Unfortunately, George Latimer avoided addressing the question on social media. He stated that he would not respond to a straightforward query question of whether he believes all Muslims are part of HAMAS. This behavior resembles traditional political “Ali Shuffle” tactics, possibly influenced by his status as a top recipient of AIPAC donations amounting to $353,000.
Some argue that such significant contributions may indicate a lack of concern for the well-being of people of color and a belief that all Muslims are associated with HAMAS. The question raised here is whether these actions align with the actual values of the Democratic Party in Westchester. It’s disheartening to see how far the party may have fallen in the eyes of some observers.
It is disappointing that George had a clear opportunity to correct misconceptions but failed to acknowledge the positive contributions of Muslims to our communities. Muslims serve as police officers, county correction officers, firefighters, doctors, EMS workers, and law-abiding citizens in CD16. George has refused to acknowledge their positive impact and has not shown them the humanity of recognizing that not all Muslims are associated with HAMAS.
As a newspaper publisher who has frequently supported you, George Latimer, during your time as County Executive, we are responsible for seeking genuine answers without allowing you to dismiss this as an unjust attack. With 40 percent of your funding coming from Republican MAGA pro-Israel organizations, it becomes evident that you may not be able to represent the entire district fairly.
MLK, THE BLACK POWER ICON, A LION IN THE MIST OF CUBS
As a young black man, I was always taught that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a go-along-to-get-along leader. As I became a man, I learned that what the media and many black leaders were teaching us about Dr. King was entirely wrong! Dr. King was much more than the “I Have a Dream” speech.
Dr. King wanted America to be held accountable for its “Promise.” The creed “all men are created equal” means that people keep certain inalienable rights that are innate in all human beings, according to the Constitutional Rights Foundation. This stems from the idea of natural rights, meaning people are naturally free to make their choices and prosper.
STANDING ON ACCOUNTABILITY – “We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 1963
Dr. King was a revolutionary. He went to Washington not to just sit at the counter with white people; MLK demanded America to make good on its promise. He required a CHECK! Not for himself, not for his organization but the poorest people of the nation.
ON REVOLUTION –“For years I labored with the idea of reforming the existing institutions of the South, a little change here, a little change there. Now I feel quite differently. I think you’ve got to have a radical reconstruction of the entire society, a revolution of values.” MLK 1967
He also recognized the unjustification of many black people and the unwillingness of the US government to solve the problem. He demanded black people to “redistribute the pain” by economic boycotts. Dr. King recognized our financial strength by promoting cooperative economics. Something for the most part Black Leadership has failed to improve as a whole.
Many Black Preachers have refused to come from behind the pulpit or the walls of their cities and challenge injustice and speak truth to power like Dr. King, but love to claim him every holiday and Black History Month.
Whatever prejudice affects the Black man in Mount Vernon, affects the Black Man in White Plains, and whatever affects the Black Man in White Plains, has an impact on the Black Man in Yonkers. Dr. King saw no boundaries in fighting for injustice.
SPEAKING OUT ON INJUSTICE –“But more basically, I am in Birmingham because injustice is here. Just as the prophets of the eighth century B.C. left their villages and carried their “thus saith the Lord” far beyond the boundaries of their home towns, and just as the Apostle Paul left his village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of the Greco-Roman world, so am I compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own home town. Like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid.
Moreover, I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial “outside agitator” idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds.” MLK 1963
Dr. King also knew that the fight against injustice must be brought out in the open for the world to see.
ON COMING FROM BEHIND THE PULPIT – “We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive. We bring it out in the open, where it can be seen and dealt with. Like a boil that can never be cured so long as it is covered up but must be opened with all its ugliness to the natural medicines of air and light, injustice must be exposed, with all the tension its exposure creates, to the light of human conscience and the air of national opinion before it can be cured.”
This is one of the reasons the young don’t have faith in our leadership because they don’t see our leadership openly addressing the injustice that our youth see every day.
Would Dr. King have publicly supported Democratic candidates that were responsible for Mass Incarnation of Black People, inadequate legislation and the poor economic development of many Black cities run by Black Democrats?
ON BLACK POLITICIANS – “The majority of [Black] political leaders do not ascend to prominence on the shoulders of mass support… most are still selected by white leadership, elevated to position, supplied with resources and inevitably subjected to white control. The mass of [Blacks] nurtures a healthy suspicion towards this manufactured leader.” 1967
Dr. King believed in our unity as black people to gain power politically and economically, not from dealing with a position of political, and economic weakness that we do today.
ON POLICE BRUTALITY – We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. MLK 1963
Dr. King also admonished Black Pastors for being silent on the issue of Police Brutality.
BLACK PASTORS BEING PASSIVE ON POLICE BRUTALITY – “You warmly commended the Birmingham police force for keeping “order” and “preventing violence.” I doubt that you would have so warmly commended the police force if you had seen its dogs sinking their teeth into unarmed, nonviolent Negroes. I doubt that you would so quickly commend the policemen if you were to observe their ugly and inhumane treatment of Negroes here in the city jail; if you were to watch them push and curse old Negro women and young Negro girls; if you were to see them slap and kick old Negro men and young boys; if you were to observe them, as they did on two occasions, refuse to give us food because we wanted to sing our grace together. I cannot join you in your praise of the Birmingham police department.” MLK 1963
Here we are decades after the life and death of Martin Luther King Jr. still marching, singing, and fighting for jobs, justice and to be recognized as human beings in the eyes of white people.
Maybe if we told the true story of Dr. King, the real issues he fought for and stood up against, and emulated not just his words but his actions, we could finally say one day “Free at Last.”
“The Arc of the Moral Universe is Long, But Bends Toward Justice” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Race is still a problem in the 21st Century manifested economically, socially, educationally, and in many other ways. America’s long history of racial injustice has produced substantial differences between Black and white students in most measures of educational potential and performance.
Diversity inside higher education does not represent a national consensus. The use of race as a factor in college admissions is waning. The fact is that being “Black” in America places one at a substantial disadvantage in one’s life prospects. This is contrary to any basic notion of equality of opportunity or equal life chances. The disadvantage of African Americans is a legacy of explicit racism and discriminatory policies. Affirmative action is necessary because the negative effects of racism persist that affect minorities daily in their personal and professional lives.
The American Dream
With the election of President Obama in 2009, black millennials were encouraged in the belief of the American dream. This belief is based on that hard work will provide a seat at the table. But, the envisioned path of upward mobility is proving impassable. Persons of color are still grappling with the enduring legacy of institutional racism and systemic discrimination. Elite and ordinary whites have racially framed and organized American society to prevent access to real liberty and socioeconomic advancement for people of color. From the beginning, affluent white men have constituted almost all the top positions including the White House. Consider the action that had to be taken by the U. S. Supreme Court that whites automatically enjoy at birth:
1938 Missouri ex rel Gaines v Canada – Missouri violated the 14th Amendment & required to admit Lloyd Gaines to the Univ. of Missouri Law School.
1948 Shelley v. Kraemer – prohibits racially restrictive housing covenants.
1948 Sipuel v. Oklahoma – challenged the segregation policies at the Univ. of Oklahoma.
1950 Sweat v. Painter – challenged the separate but equal doctrine of racial segregation. Heman Sweat was admitted to the University of Texas Law School.
1950 McLaurin v. Oklahoma – public institutions of higher learning could not provide different treatment to a student solely because of race.
1954 Brown v. Board of Education – segregation in public schools is inherently unequal.
1964 Civil Rights Act – ended segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination.
1965 Voting Rights Act – signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson.
1967 Loving v. Virginia – laws prohibiting interracial marriage were unconstitutional.
1968 Fair Housing Act – signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Manipulation
The above cases are only a small number of legal actions in which persons of color had to fight for to secure basic and fundamental rights. This white birthright of privilege exists from the cradle to the grave – not so for African Americans. A majority of ordinary whites have allowed themselves to be adeptly manipulated by the elite. Powerful whites have assisted ordinary whites in thinking that persons of color are the reasons for their socioeconomic problems. Even women are oppressed by white male elites. The social cost of systemic racism and sexism are great and deep. Racial and gender subordination creates diminished creativity, unfair competition, unjust enrichment, and massive violations of fundamental human rights.
Notwithstanding that African Americans have experienced unprecedented success individually, including the election and reelection of a black president of the United States, the Supreme Court has significantly slowed the pace of racial progress. Beginning with the school case Milliken v Bradley, the busing of public-school students across district lines and the Univ. of California v Bakke outlawing specific racial quotas in college admissions.
My purpose in writing this article is to educate the reader on how America was built and operates. Education is still the key to upper mobility but education alone will not fully eliminate institutional racism and systemic discrimination.
Black Experience
The black experience in America in the face of egregious discrimination is based on a strong faith and hope. For example, the late Jake Gaither famed football coach at Florida A&M University, had a newspaper article that he saved from a black newspaper published around America’s entry into World War I. It expresses unshakable faith, hope, and patriotism that rings true to this very day:
“We go to make the world safe for Democracy. We are going in spite of discrimination and prejudice, we are going in spite of mob violence, we are going in spite of Jim Crowism, we have no bitterness, no hate is surging in our breasts, even though these injustices cry out to high heaven, our faith is steadfast, our hearts beat true. It is our hope that out of this awful struggle a true Democracy will rear its altar giving out shining hope and promise to the black man in America, a real Democracy that knows no creed nor color… a Democracy which shall fold its protecting mantle about the shoulders of all men.”
In 1952 Gaither addressed the black workforce of a wood pulp company:
“I want to talk to you not as Negroes but as American citizens who have a glorious past and a rich and fertile future in the development of this great country. This is your land. The country that you helped build and develop. The country that you must live and die to protect. You are somebody. You are an American. I love to think of my people fighting in the war of Revolution – giving birth to the greatest democracy the world has ever known. I like to think of my people following Teddy Roosevelt in the battle of San Juan Hill. I like to think of the part my people played in the War to Save the Union. I like to think how valiantly my people fought in the Argonne Forest of the First World War. I like to think of the courageous stand of my people in the Battle of the Bulge. I like to think of the glorious history the Negro has.” (Samuel G. Freeman, Breaking the Line, 2013 P.24-26)
African-American history is America’s history. The very fabric of our country has been formed by the outstanding contributions of African Americans in many fields.
My mission in life is not merely to survive but to thrive and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.
About the Author: James A. Johnson is an accomplished trial lawyer and an active member of the Massachusetts, Michigan, Texas, and Federal Court Bars. Jim concentrates on serious Personal Injury, Insurance Coverage, Sports & Entertainment Law, and Federal Criminal Defense. He can be reached at www.JamesAJohnsonEsq.com
The article originally appeared in the February 15, 2020 issue of Black Westchester Newspaper.
County Executive George Latimer is running against Representative Jamaal Bowman, a Democrat from New York. It’s important to note that the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s Political Action Committee (AIPAC PAC), a Republican-funded action committee, provides significant financial support to Latimer’s campaign. AIPAC has contributed over $600,000 to Latimer’s campaign, which makes up 42% of his total campaign contributions of $1.4 million as reported to the Federal Election Commission.
If a candidate receives more financial support from Republicans than Democrats, can they still be considered a Democratic candidate? I remember a similar situation when former Mayor Andre Wallace, a registered Democrat, took the Republican party’s endorsement to remain in the mayoral race. However, he was criticized by the Democratic leadership in Mount Vernon, who accused him of being an undercover Republican. Accused by many of the same Democrats that are now supporting Latimer or silent about his GOP financial campaign support!
In the current election, we see a similar scenario with George Latimer. He is receiving contributions from Republican sources and even hosting fundraisers with prominent Donald Trump MAGA donors. This should raise questions among Black Democrats, especially in Mount Vernon, traditionally a Democratic stronghold. It’s sad that in this day and age in politics, Black Democrats in Mount Vernon and the rest of Westchester County are not asking themselves how it is possible for a candidate backed by MAGA supporters to have the same interest for me and my community.
It’s worth noting that this situation may be reminiscent of past events, and some are concerned that a candidate funded by Republicans may sway the Democratic party. It’s a situation that some find surprising, considering the legacy of figures like the late Reginald Lafayette, the former Democratic Chairman, who is up above looking on with dismay at how easily Democrats are being attracted to a candidate with racist Republican financial backing.
AIPAC, which Republicans fund, is providing significant financial support as part of its strategy to spend over $100 million to influence elections and challenge progressive Black and Brown Democrats in the House of Representatives. These progressive representatives, often collectively known as “The Squad,” are known for their criticism of Israel’s actions concerning human rights abuses against Palestinians which has been supported by the International Court of Justice’s ruling.
Lets not forget AIPAC has a history of active involvement in campaign finance and has even established a super PAC called the United Democracy Project, which spent millions opposing progressive candidates during the 2022 election season. AIPAC faced criticism for endorsing over 100 Republicans who supported overturning the results of the 2020 presidential election during that time.
To emphasize once more, George Latimer has received campaign donations from an organization that supports attempts to overturn the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. These endorsements have raised concerns about whether the Westchester Democratic Party has been influenced or infiltrated by Republicans.
Latimer’s campaign has also received contributions from various donors, including venture capitalists, private equity partners, attorneys, and consultants. Some notable contributors include political strategist Bradley Tusk, who donated the maximum allowable amount of $6,600; oil trader Shai Barnea, who contributed $5,000; and Michael Benn, a partner at the corporate law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, who donated $3,300. Black Democrats, Hello! He is not your candidate!
Why this has not raised concerns, especially within the Black Democratic community, as it appears that some voters may not be fully engaged despite the abundance of available information. Supporting a candidate who is backed by Republican funding is contradictory to the values and principles typically associated with the Democratic Party.
Furthermore, there’s added complexity to the situation as Latimer’s campaign also has donor support aligned with the MAGA movement. These donors aim to challenge and defeat Black and Brown Democratic candidates across the county who advocate for transparency and human rights for Black and Brown individuals, particularly in the Gaza conflict.
In this context, it is so unfortunate that Black Democrats in CD16 may inadvertently express self-hate, a lack of self-awareness, and a disconnect from their community by supporting a candidate who appears to be influenced by MAGA donors while wearing a Democratic facade.
If these Republican-funded groups can use the slogan “Community First” and encourage Republicans to switch their party affiliation to diminish the Black vote while being the main contributors supporting George Latimer’s campaign to challenge the first Black Congressman in CD16. In that case, we can counter with our own “Community First” approach and reject their influence.
In Honor of Black History Month, the Greenburgh Human Rights Advisory Committee will present an intimate afternoon with Sarah Bracey White – poet, essayist, playwright, performer and highly published author. Sarah is also Greenburgh’s longtime Director of Arts and Culture. She has been honored with many awards for her community service.
The title of her talk is One Writer’s Life: Meeting the Challenges Head On.
This special event will also offer participants an opportunity to view Imagez of Jazz, an exhibit by photographer Hubert Williams that displays images of jazz artists through the years.
The in-person event will take place at the Greenburgh Public Library, 300 Tarrytown Road, Elmsford, NY 10523 on Saturday, February 24th from 2:30 until 4 pm. The event is open to the public.
