Summer 2014 Part 2

Pan African History



Learning about pan-Africanism is important since pan-Africanism is part of our history and world history too. It has inspired revolutionary movements globally not just in Africa. There are many people who influenced pan-African thought. Also, shout to my Homegirl Beka Shakur for her words on pan-Africanism. Her courage and work in helping black people will forever be admired by me. Sister, you have my total respect. One of the greatest scholars and leaders of pan-Africanism is named Kwame Nkrumah. To learn about modern African thinking fully, you have to learn about Nkrumah regardless. Kwame Nkrumah was a great hero of black people. We have to learn about our history too. We should learn that Queen Nzinga of Angola/Congo led a war against slavery. We know about the slave revolts from the 1500’s well into the 20th century. We know that the anti-slavery movement spread globally, especially in Haiti. There is the paper called, "Pan-Africanism: Haiti as a Birth Place of the African Revolution." The Haiti Revolution inspired much of the Pan-African movement globally. In fact this Haitian freedom movement is called Haitianismo. Haitianismo is the foundation of Pan-Africanism. Pan-Africanist thinking spread under Marcus Garvey (he was right to say that black is beautiful), George Padmore, W. E. B. Dubois, and Kwame Nkrumah. There have been other black revolutionary leaders among many eras too like Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Fannie Lou Hamer, Nelson Mandela, Paul Robeson, Richard Wright, Oliver Cox, Angela Davis, George Jackson, etc. George Jackson saw himself as both a Nkrumahist and a Fanonian. He admired both men as revolutionaries, and highly regarded their insightful critiques of neocolonialism. This is evident both from SOLEDAD BROTHER (his collection of letters) and BLOOD IN MY EYE (his treatise on revolution and revolutionary warfare in which he draws upon Nkrumah and Fanon, as well as Giap and Che Guevarra). “AFRICAN PHILOSOPHY: ESSENTIAL READING” is a book written by Tsenay Serequeberhan, a well known brother philosopher from Eritrea. Dr. Gamal Nkrumah has written great articles too. One person was Franz Fanon. He wrote about colonialism and imperialism (and how it has harmed many black people in the world). He wrote four books. One complication book entitled, “TOWARD THE AFRICAN REVOLUTION” was a complication and it appeared posthumously. There is a very good biography on the man entitled, “FRANTZ FANON: A PORTRAIT” by Alice Cherki, co-worker and comrade of Fanon during the Algerian Revolution. Fanon’s strength was that he evaluated the wicked psychology of colonialism in a great sense of depth. He studied Philosophy, Psychiatry, etc. at the University of Lyon. His work dealt with philosophy including Cabral. Fanon made the great point that decolonization starts at the being.




The Black Panthers were grassroots Brothers and Sisters that wanted to fight police brutality, economic inequality, poverty, health care issues, educational problems, and racial injustice. They allied with anti-imperialist movements globally and they sought even free health clinics for human beings. The FBI instituted COINTELPRO and other programs to violate the civil liberties of not only the Black Panthers, but other activists who disagreed with the aims of the status quo. At the end of the day, we either have power to the people or power owned heavily by the one percent. There were a lot of women not just men who were leaders in the Panthers too. Fred Hampton and others were unjustly murdered by policing authorities nationwide. The old school BPP may be gone, but their ideals are still in the hearts and minds of freedom loving peoples. Their revolutionary spirit is still within the souls of Brothers and Sisters all over the world. The oligarchs violating the human rights of activists back then are really deplorable. The Black Panthers were heroic human beings that wanted revolutionary change in the world.

A lot of people need to realize how much Maya Angelou loved Africa. The words from the panel are very educational. The elders are increasingly passing away and it is our responsibility to utilize the lessons from the elders as a means for us to move forward. African tradition deals with expressing stories, loving art, embracing STEM subjects, and respecting women (young black females have been inspired by Sister Maya Angelou spanning numerous generations). She was active in the struggle for real. These ideals are part of our heritage spanning thousands of years. The tyrannical policies from the one percent ought to be opposed. We must address socioeconomic issues. Since she traveled all over the world, we should learn progressively about different cultures too. We must never embrace some American superiority complex, because we can learn from others and gain understanding with people globally. In that sense, we can establish more harmony in the world as Maya would want us to fight for. This is the fight that she championed. She never championed imperialism or Empire. She believed in peace and social betterment. We can't be free unless we respect our black African heritage. RIP Maya Angelou. Malcolm X collaborated with Strong Black Women like Gloria Richardson, Fannie Lou Hamer, Selma Sparks, Vicky Garvin (who organized much of Malcolm X's travels into Africa, especially into Ghana), and yes the late Maya Angelou. Malcolm X's respect for women and respect for humanity is a blessing. He had a gift to directly expose the nefarious conditions in the world and who was responsible for it. It is very important to acknowledge the sacrifice that women and men had to express as a means to fight. He loved his family and his wife. His love for his people was admirable. I loved how he respected his wife and his children. His mindset was obviously in rejection of the lies from the status quo. He opposed the Vietnam War. He allied with the anti-colonial movements of the world. He disagreed with many of the excesses of capitalism. He wanted the youth to have a stronger voice in advocating revolutionary change in the world. So, back then younger members of the human race loved Malcolm X. The youthful spirit today is still part of the moral arc of the Universe bending towards justice. Yes, Malcolm X never wanted to be menacing. He just believed in self-defense, which is an inherit human right. Also, Maya Angelou would want us to continue in our revolutionary thinking. Reform can never solve our problems comprehensively. Yet, revolutionary solutions can assist humanity in a great deal. There are many books and documentaries (like Citizen King, The Black Power Mixtape, Malcolm X: Make it Plain, Day of the Gun, Slavery By Any Other Name, All Power to the People, At the River I stand, DEATH OF A REVOLUTIONARY: GEORGE JACKSON SOLEDAD BROTHER, etc.) that describe the Black Revolutionary movement in the world. We see that the parasitical corporate elite has stolen wealth from the common people. People now are working more and harder than they did forty or fifty years ago (and they are relatively poorer than they were forty or fifty years ago). The great divide between the super rich and the rest of us have been greater than before. The thieves of our wealth are the plutocratic 1%. True wealth must be restored to the common people who created it. We need economic empowerment and self determination, but this will require the transcendence of capitalism. If we want real change, then we have to build bridges of understanding across people globally and allow people to be made accountable for their actions. Also, we should pay attention to the evil deeds of others, so that we can do the opposite of the wicked deeds of extremists and bigots in the world. We should use proactive action in opposing institutions of oppression and we ought to give more inspiration to our people (in saying that they are black and beautiful. There has to be more mentorships, apprenticeships, cooperatives, and other programs that can improve the lives of our people. Our past has been filled with awe inspiring, excellent contributions in the realm of world history and we are fighting for a great future as a community. All members of the human race certainly deserve respect and dignity). Maya Angelou was a brave woman. She overcame so much and she achieved so much during her inspirational life. She inspired women to express excellent intellectual talent not only in literature, but in a wide range of other endeavors (from science, medicine, and to engineering). Maya Angelou was a great voice for the social movements during the 20th and 21st centuries. Her life is a reflection of the power of the human spirit and of the strength of black people. First Lady Michelle Obama's words were potent too. Bless her children. :) Regardless of our agreements or disagreements on issues, no one should be questioned of their humanity in an unfair way. Maya Angelou taught us that we may walk along different roads, but we are still part of one human family. The words from Maya Angelou are permanent. Her spirit is still around and her grace plus her compassion will never be forgotten.

RIP Maya Angelou.

Ruby Dee walked her talk. She was an active person in the black liberation struggle. She was a true, real Black Queen who expressed honesty, dignity, strength, and courage in her life. She and her husband Ossie Davis were a great team. When I was younger, I saw their movie specials every weekend. They educated, inspired, and showed love to human beings. The elders are increasingly passing away and we in this time have the responsibility to do our jobs. Ruby Dee had done excellent actions when she was alive. Ruby Dee was a friend to Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. too. She is now reunited with her husband forever more. We are the future without question. My friend and great Sister Courtney is right to mention that we should outline what our job is (in dealing with helping our communities, doing real action, etc.) to the ones behind us. :) Ruby Dee was a true humanitarian. Her social activism from fighting police brutality to defending human rights is inspiring. I have a great respect for intelligence, human decency and dignity too just like others. Too many people are concerned with selfishness instead of true human character. Her husband was a fighter like her. Ossie Davis gave a great, eloquent speech about Malcolm X too. The bond between Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis was unbreakable. Ruby Dee knew that she would never find a man like Ossie Davis. That strength, which each person had, is real. It is amazing to understand the excellent contributions of the Queens Ruby, Maya, and Cicely Tyson. Yes, Cicely Tyson is still alive. Also, Ruby had a wonderful life and a great spirit. Her spirit is still with us, her spirit is in the rest of our people, and her spirit is in the entire human family. Ruby Dee was a great actress too. Ruby Dee would want us to have fun and to be conscious of real issues and our purposes in life. :) Their romantic story is a blessing. True love will last a long time. The love that each human being had is eternal. Yes, African Americans have every right to have romance. LOL. :) You can tell that Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis' love was for real. Respect for both genders is a key part of human existence. The couple certainly represents what a real marriage is all about and the necessity for us to continue their work. They wanted economic justice, civil rights, and the love of Africa to be placed in our hearts.

RIP Ruby Dee.

Caribbean History & Culture Part 2

Now, I am learning even more information about the Caribbean. Caribbean history, culture, and music are excellent displays of human expression. The history of the Caribbean began obviously with the Native American people. Far too often, some forget the value of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, but I will always comprehend the intrinsic value of Native Americans. The Native Americans of the Caribbean migrated heavily in the Caribbean region. Many of the indigenous human beings in the Americas worshiped polytheistic religions. They established great music and other great civilizations. They were diverse. Many have talked about the Tainos, the Caribs, and other indigenous human beings. European imperialists from Columbus to others have invaded lands, abused Native Americans, and even exterminated tons of Native Americans in the Caribbean. The Western imperialists wanted territories and resources to advance their respective Empires. Native Americans were heavily used as slaves for the purpose of labor exploitation. Later, Africans were used as slaves since the Native American population in the Caribbean was so depleted by the eighteenth century. The good news is that the peoples of the Caribbean (which included Africans, Native Americans, and Creoles. Creoles in Caribbean terminology refers to those people of color who were born in the Caribbean centuries ago) stood up to the brutal oppression of slavery, imperialism, and colonialism as a means for these human beings to fight for freedom. Many of the revolts and revolutions in the Caribbean were successful in establishing nations like Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba, Trinidad, etc. That is great news. We also conversely realize about the complications in the Caribbeans. These issues deal with poverty, income inequality, Western corporate exploitation, debt issues, human rights issues, etc. There have been stories about the many problems in the Caribbean. Yet, the Caribbean people are very resilient and many Caribbeans have made great strides in their lives. So, I have hope for the future. The Caribbean region has a beautiful landscape with tons of down to Earth, progressive human beings. I know many acquaintances of Caribbean heritage. I have Caribbean heritage on the mother’s side of my family. Caribbean heritage is very diverse culturally and ethnically. There are those of Black African descent, Native American descent, Indian descent (as in from the Indian subcontinent), European heritage, and those of other backgrounds. The strength of the human family is truly beautiful and inspiring. Also, it is important to respect the Afro-Caribbeans who made a great contribution not only in the history of the Americas, but in the history of world history too. I am a black African American, but I have a great appreciation and respect for Caribbean human beings.



It is kind of ironic that some have mentioned information about the Dominican Republic, because I did my own research on Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Henry Louis Gates' Black in Latin America documentary blatantly proves that racism is a serious problem in the Dominican Republic (with even some stores selling caricature dolls of black people in offensive ways). Henry Louis Gates came into the DR and Dominican professors in the country admitted that many Dominicans considered themselves whiter Spaniard than black. The DR has a statue of the imperialist Bartholomew Columbus (or the Brother of that criminal Cristobal Colon). Many Dominicans deny outright their black heritage. Also, the dictator Rafael Trujillo killed black Haitians via the Parsley Massacre of 1937. Anybody of black African heritage or who had dark skinned complexion was killed outright by Dominican government forces in that massacre. Rafael was a sick man (and he promoted racist anti-black Haitian propaganda in DR textbooks and in their media for years) and ironically he had some black blood, but he was a stone cold overt racist. Henry Louis Gates also documents the courageous actions of the Haitian Revolution. Now, not all Dominicans are racists (as many Afro-Dominicans and black Haitians have protested DR's recent xenophobic court ruling), but many of them are. I won't place all Hispanics into one box, but we have every right to condemn racism and oppression. I do not agree totally with others on the issue of immigration (like I reject the views of the reactionaries on the issue of immigration), but we do agree that racism is a serious issue in the Dominican Republic like in the States. I am in solidarity with any person of black African descent globally that wants liberty, justice, and freedom. Also, we have to acknowledge heroes who fought for our liberty too. Afro-Brazilian Sister Benedita Silva has fought for black liberation for years and decades. There are Afro-Latino anti-racism organizations that legitimately want liberation. Henry Louis Gates even interviewed an Afro-Cuban Brother who raps and fights against the racism found in Cuba. Also, racism is a disgrace. I am in unison with those who believe that there has to be a boycott of the DR if they continue to do racist actions. In Israel, Ethiopic, Sephardic, and other Jewish peoples have been mistreated. That is documented. At the end of the day, the dignity of all human life has to be respected. All people born in the Earth have equal value irrespective of their creed, their race, their gender, or their nationality.

By Timothy