Photos: Congressional Black Caucus Foundation

For more than 40 years, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) has proudly supported talented and deserving students in their pursuit of higher education. As we continue to build on the legacy of empowering the next generation of Black leadership, we are excited to announce that our 2025 scholarship applications are now open!

These scholarships offer nine diverse opportunities for incoming freshmen, current undergraduate students, and master/doctoral candidates to achieve their academic dreams.

Scholarships Now Open (since November 25):

·      Ally Financial Law Scholars

·      CBC Spouses Performing Arts

·      CBC Spouses Visual Arts

·      HBCU NREI

·      The Tracking Foundation Multi-Year

·      The Tracking Foundation Scholars

·      CBCF Reducing the Financial Barrier (need-based)

Scholarships Opening Soon (on December 9):

·      CBC Spouses Education

·      CBC Spouses Essay Contest

The post Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Now Taking Applications For 2025 Student Scholarships appeared first on Black Star News.

Photos: Congressional Black Caucus Foundation

We are reaching out to remind you about the incredible opportunity available for HBCU students through the Bob Marley: One Love Social Impact Scholarship in partnership with Paramount Pictures!

This scholarship is specifically tailored to support rising sophomore, junior, and senior students pursuing degrees in community organizing, nonprofit management, public policy, or social justice-related programs at select HBCUs.

Here are the key details of the scholarship:

Number of Scholarships: 10 scholarships available

Award Amount: $5,000

Eligible Academic Institutions: Bowie State University, Clark Atlanta, Dillard University, Florida A&M University, Hampton University, Morehouse College, Morgan State University, Spelman College, Texas Southern University, and Xavier University of Louisiana.

Eligibility Requirements: U.S. citizen or permanent resident, Black or African American identification, minimum 2.5 GPA, current classification as a freshman, sophomore, or junior, pursuing a degree in specified majors.

Application Deadline: April 30, 2024, by 11:59 pm ET

View The Application

Congressional Black Caucus Foundation

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Washington, D.C. – Last night, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris honored the work of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) to uphold democratic norms and institutions and chart a pathway for progress for Black Americans – while warning this work is more important than ever before in a pivotal upcoming election year. 

Speaking at the Phoenix Awards, the flagship signature event of the CBCF’s Annual Legislative Conference, President Biden said, “I chose to run because silence is complicit, and I would not be silent.” Adding that, “Democracy was at stake in 2020, and thank God, because of you, we won.” 

He added, “I wish I can say the threat to our democracy ended with our victory in 2020, but it didn’t. Our democracy is still at stake, don’t kid yourself,” before declaring, “political violence in America is never, never, never acceptable in our democracy.”

Vice President Harris said, “As a proud former CBC member, I thank you for your partnership and your leadership. The CBC has always been the conscience of our country, a truth teller; truths about where we have been and where we must go. Tonight, let us continue to speak truth. Across America, there is a full-on attack on many of the hard-fought, hard-won freedoms that the CBC has achieved.” 

President Biden’s remarks came as the winners of the Phoenix Awards were announced, giving recognition to six people who are serving as leaders and trailblazers for the Black community, creating more opportunities for the next generation in the process.

The winners of the 2023 Phoenix Awards are:

·       White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Legislative Conference Honorary Co-Chairs’ Award 

·       Mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Chair’s Award 

·       House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-8), Congressional Black Caucus’s Body Award 

·       Tennessee State Rep. Justin Jones (D-TN-52), Congressional Black Caucus Chair’s Award 

·       MC Lyte and LL Cool J, 2023 Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Culture Icon Award 

Speaking at the event, Congressional Black Caucus Chair Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV) noted that this year’s caucus is the largest ever, with 58 members, representing 82 million Americans and making up almost one-quarter of the House Democratic Caucus. 

He said, “The power of the Black community in America today is evident.  And I don’t just mean our political power, but power in every aspect of American life – in our neighborhoods, in business, in media, in the arts and entertainment, in health and science and so many other areas.  We’ve staked our claim to being a powerful force – potentially the most powerful – in our Nation, and we mean to use that power for the good of our people.” 

CBCF President and CEO Nicole Austin-Hillery added that the CBCF has been using investment, education, and new initiatives to improve the lives of Black Americans – in keeping with this year’s ALC theme, “Securing Our Democracy. Protecting Our Freedoms. Uplifting Our Culture.”

She said, “In a wide variety of social justice and public policy issues – health care, the economy, the disproportionate effects of climate change, and many more – we’ve used education, investment, and new initiatives to make a real difference in the lives of Black Americans. Nothing is more important in that effort than continuing our scholarship and internship programs.  They’ve given hundreds of young people the opportunity to work in public service and public policy, and we’ve given financial assistance to gifted and motivated young leaders in CBC districts.” 

CBCF Board Chair, Rep. Terri A. Sewell (D-AL) added that this year’s #ALC52 conference comes at a pivotal moment, where backsliding in democratic norms is gathering momentum ahead of a Presidential election year. 

She said, “This ALC 52 is much more than a hashtag we want trending, it’s a moment of resistance to the times we are living in. At a time of increased attacks against Black history and Black people, there’s never been a more important time to uplift and empower the mission of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation—to create ‘a world in which all communities have an equal voice’.” 

Here are some of the comments delivered by the recipients of the 2023 Phoenix Awards.

Karine Jean-Pierre: “I would not be here today if it were not for the generation of barrier-breaking people before me. This is really a truly humbling experience, and I stand on their shoulders. I have learned from their excellence and benefited from their sacrifices, and I am forever grateful to them.” 

Mayor Karen Bass: “It wasn’t an easy decision to leave Congress, but I had to because Black folk in Los Angeles are 8% of our city and 30% of the people on our streets. In Los Angeles, that’s 46,000 people who sleep on the streets every night, and every night five of them don’t wake up. But CBC will always be in my heart, and even though I might not be a member of Congress I still consider myself part of the CBC family.” 

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries: “Thank you for this incredible honor. Since 1971, the CBC has fought for racial justice, social justice, economic justice and to bring the American dream to life in every single zip code. We will continue to speak up, we will continue to show up, we will continue to stand up until we reach the promised land of liberty and justice for all.”  

State Rep. Justin Jones: “I’m so honored to be standing in this tradition of good trouble, this legacy of liberation, and this reminder that we are a people of progress. On April 6, I was the youngest Black lawmaker, and my colleague and I were expelled fighting for a nation to protect kids and not guns. I’m so humbled to receive this award; not for myself but for the movement of which we are a part.” 

LL Cool J: “In hip hop culture, we’re not always politically correct but we are always artistically correct, and so this love of this culture and this love of this art wouldn’t be anything without all of your support. I want to commend you on everything that you’re doing to make dreams come true around the country for Black men and Black women like myself, and I’d just encourage you to go after your dreams.” 

MC Lyte: “Thank you to the entire CBC for your dedication to change. Because you do what you do, and you take care of the heavy lifting in our communities, we in hip hop get to do what we do and that’s to entertain.” 

For updates on ALC and CBCF, follow CBCF on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter).

About CBCF   

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the global Black community by developing leaders, informing policy, and educating the public. Established in 1976, CBCF is committed to creating and maintaining an equitable society for all. To learn more, visit cbcfinc.org.   

The post Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Phoenix Awards: Biden, Harris Warn That American Democratic Norms, Freedoms Are At Stake appeared first on Black Star News.

WASHINGTON — The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. (CBCF) announced today that it is launching a search for a new President and CEO. Executive search and talent solutions firm, Korn Ferry has been retained to lead the search to replace Tonya Veasey, who will step down from her role at the end of September following the CBCF Annual Legislative Conference.

During her tenure as a transitional CEO, Veasey developed a strong infrastructure of people, policies, fundraising and best practices that has enabled the CBCF to carry out its mission at a critical moment in the history of American social and racial justice.

“We all appreciate Tonya’s notable contributions during her tenure,” said Lori George Billingsley, chair of the CBCF Board of Directors. “She, along with our board and entire leadership team, are committed to continuing to do the essential work of fulfilling CBCF’s mission while the CEO search is underway. We are excited about what’s ahead for the CBCF and look forward to finding our next leader who will build on and augment the organization’s solid foundation.” To receive updates on CBCF news, research, programs and events, subscribe to receive the e-newsletter and follow @CBCFinc on Twitter and Instagram. A

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Incorporated (CBCF), established in 1976, is a non-partisan, nonprofit, public policy, research, and educational institute, committed to advancing the global Black community by developing leaders, informing policy and educating the public.

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The Center for Policy Analysis and Research (CPAR) at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. (CBCF) today released the second issue of a multidisciplinary journal focusing exclusively on public policy issues related to Black politics in the United States.

Entitled “Africa – America 2021: Re-envisioning Liberation for the Global Black Diaspora,” this edition of the biennial publication presents scholarship and perspectives that chart course for the future of Black leadership and advocacy and captures the spirit of modern Black movements.

Written by scholars and practitioners for a general, non-specialist audience, the Journal of the Center for Policy Analysis and Research (JCPAR) follows the standard of a peer-reviewed, social science publication and serves as a conduit between research and policy. With just over 10 entries, this issue has a special focus on topics including in-depth and innovative approaches to help advance the study of Black identities, ethnicities and diasporas, and in turn highlights how these perspectives inform representative governance and public policy.

“The CBCF is committed to informing policy and educating the public, and this issue of the JCPAR presents in-depth historical research and perspectives that serve our mission to advance the global Black community,” said CBCF President and CEO Tonya Veasey. “This issue also includes a foreword written Congressional Black Caucus leadership. CBC Chairperson Rep. Joyce Beatty provides insight into the Black agenda and the role of the largest-ever CBC during the 117th Congress,” Veasey added.

Published every two years, the Journal explains and helps readers better understand the factors, policies and socioeconomic conditions affecting African-Americans and people of African descent in the United States and across the globe.

“The Journal of the Center for Policy Analysis and Research provides an active intellectual collaboration and necessary space to explore solutions to systemic discriminations and injustices,” said Dr. Patrice Johnson, vice president, Policy Analysis and Research and the Leadership Institute, CBCF. Dr. Johnson serves as the Journal’s co-managing editor.

The publication also includes a special section devoted to the legacy of Dr. Ron Walters, a preeminent scholar of Black political studies, noted civil rights activist, and one of the founding architects of the CBC. Members of the publication’s editorial board represent organizations and education institutions across the country including JCPAR Editor-in-Chief Dr. Ivory A. Toldson, president and CEO of the QEM Network and professor at Howard University.

For more information and to download the publication, visit the Journal of the Center for Policy Analysis and Research.

The post CBCF: Re-envisioning Liberation for the Global Black Diaspora appeared first on Black Star News.

New York Congressman Hakeem Jeffries was present at Friday’s celebration for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation.

On Friday, the Universal Music Group (UMG), Motown Records and The Root, along with special guest House Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), celebrated the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) with a reception as part of the 2019 CBCF Annual Legislative Session in Washington, D.C.

The reception followed a panel discussion focused on the arts and activism. The panel premiered a new visual take of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On,” representing the first video from Universal Music Group’s “Never Made” project.

The project is a series that creates compelling content for songs that never had an accompany music video. The video, directed by Savanah Leaf and presented by Motown Records, explores current issues through Gaye’s nearly 50-year-old classic song and Leaf’s visual storytelling. The panel conversation explored the relationship between the arts and activism, highlighted ways artists empower their audiences to engage in the political process, and discussed the ongoing influence and cultural impact of arts and entertainment.

Shot over the course of four days in Detroit and Flint, Michigan, the video features many community members. Savanah Leaf, whose directorial credits include the award-winning short film The Ayes Have It and music videos for Common and Gary Clark Jr., explains, “We wanted a place that resonates with the song and the history of Motown, while also remaining relevant to the sociopolitical issues in the music video. It was very important for us to find real people that resonated with the stories, rather than casting actors.”

Flint mayor Karen Weaver and pivotal activists involved in the Flint water crisis – including Ariana Hawk, who was featured on the cover of TIME with her young son at the height of the crisis – can be seen in the video. Steve Smith, who also has deep roots in the community and worked for Motown as one of the recording engineers on “What’s Going On,” also makes an appearance. Gun violence, the shortcomings of the American healthcare system, police shootings and other topics are also addressed by the video.

Leaf notes, “This is a historic song for an important moment in history, and what’s beautiful is that its message is timeless and universal. It’s about human emotions, human relationships and a coming together. My hope is that our music video will remind people to continue asking the question Marvin Gaye asked in 1971.”

About Universal Music Group

Universal Music Group (UMG) is the world leader in music-based entertainment, with a broad array of businesses engaged in recorded music, music publishing, merchandising and audiovisual content in more than 60 countries. Featuring the most comprehensive catalog of recordings and songs across every musical genre, UMG identifies and develops artists and produces and distributes the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful music in the world. Committed to artistry, innovation and entrepreneurship, UMG fosters the development of services, platforms and business models in order to broaden artistic and commercial opportunities for our artists and create new experiences for fans. Universal Music Group is a Vivendi company. Find out more at: http://www.universalmusic.com

The post NY REP. HAKIM JEFFRIES AND UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP CELEBRATES CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS FOUNDATION appeared first on Black Star News.

Members of the National African American Reparations Commission (NAARC) were enthusiastically received in Atlanta June 10th and 11th for two days of meetings, designed to intensify the movement to win reparations for African Americans for centuries of enslavement and generations of damaging discriminatory policies.

The primary purpose for the gathering was to give people from the Atlanta area and region an opportunity to hear and make recommendations on the Commission’s Preliminary 10 Point Reparations Program -which was presented at a Community Hearing and Town Hall Meeting at the historic Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC).

“People of African descent have no reason to be shy about demanding reparations,” said actor, humanitarian and activist Danny Glover
during a press conference at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights (NCCHR). “Compelling the U.S. government to formally apologize for slavery and make restitution in the form of resources to repair the damages done to our people is part of the process of achieving justice and reconciliation.” 

Mr.. Glover, who recently addressed the Organization of American States on the subject of Reparations, received a rousing welcome at a Benefit Reception for NAARC at NCCHR.

Janae Bonsu indicated that there are 30 organizations associated with the Movement for Black Lives, including her organization Black Youth 100 Project (BYP100), preparing a major platform demanding reparations, for release in mid-July.

Keenan Keller, Senior Counsel, House Judiciary Committee, who spoke on behalf of Congressman John Conyers, reported that a revised version of HR-40, the Reparations Study Bill, is being prepared for introduction in the new Congress in January of 2017.  “There have been a tremendous number of developments since Congressman Conyers first introduced HR-40 the Bill in 1989,” Keller said. “There have been tons of studies documenting the damaging effects of slavery and its lingering effects on African Americans. Therefore, the intent of the new Bill will be to examine appropriate methods of remedy.”

The revised version of HR-40 will be unveiled at the Reparations Braintrust of the  Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc.’s Annual Legislative Conference in September.

More than 300 participants attended the Community Hearing/Town Hall Meeting during the day Saturday June 11th at ITC to hear presentations on reparations and have input. 

Don Rojas, Senior Advisor to Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice-Chancellor/President of the University of the West Indies, delivered an inspiring message on his behalf. Professor Beckles was scheduled to deliver the Keynote Address for the proceedings, but was unable to attend due to pressing administrative matters at UWI. Quoting from the speech prepared by Professor Beckles, Don Rojas said: “We grossly devalue the lives of our ancestors who were kidnapped and used as chattel, property, to create enormous wealth for Europe and the United States if we do not wage an unrelenting struggle for reparatory justice.”  Professor Beckles remarks received a protracted standing ovation even in his absence.

The gathering also heard encouraging words from Rev. Dr. Tyrone Pitts, General Secretary Emeritus, The National Progressive Baptist Convention and Chairman of the Morehouse School of Religion. He informed the audience that the Clergy/Faith Leaders Roundtable, which was incorporated into the proceedings, resolved to mobilize faith leaders across the nation to support IBW/NAARC and to collaborate with the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference, to engage congregations in building a grassroots movement to win reparations.

NAARC heard scores of recommendations from a Panel of scholars and advocates and participants in the audience.  Placing a greater emphasis on the centrality of Africa in the discourse on reparations; the intersectionality of race, gender and sexual orientation in terms of inclusive remedies for enslavement and discrimination; self-determination for Africans in America as a goal; remedies that are transformative and reflective of humanistic values; and, the international/global nature of the reparations movement were among the recurring themes in the testimonies and recommendations.

Dr. Ron Daniels, President of the Institute of the Black World 21st Century which functions as the convener and administrator for NAARC, reported that there will be additional area and regional hearings over the next 18 months. The Commission will review the input and recommendations from the Atlanta Hearing and the others to develop a Final 10 Point Reparations Program. 

“We are extremely pleased with the success of the proceedings,” said Dr. Daniels, summing up the results of the Atlanta Area/Regional Town Hall Meeting. “There was incredible energy and enthusiasm among the participants which reflects a growing conviction that fighting for reparations is not only a worthy cause but achievable. The revised version of HR-40 can be a critical focal point of the struggle in the months ahead.  And, there is a determination to push the Platform Committee of the Democratic Party to include planks supporting reparatory justice within the context of the U.N. Decade for People of African Descent. The potential for a powerful cross-generational collaboration between NAARC and Movement for Black Lives to intensify the struggle for reparations also emerged from the Atlanta proceedings.”

Dr. Daniels also announced that IBW is urging African Americans to become Reparations Advocates to support the work on NAARC in advancing a Reparations Program by signing up online at www.ibw21.org

The Following Commissioners were present for the proceedings:
Dr. Ray Winbush, Director of the Institute for Urban Research, Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland.
Rev. JoAnn Watson, Former Detroit City Councilwoman, Detroit, Michigan.
Attorney Nkechi Taifa, Criminal Justice Reform and Reparations Activist, Washington, D.C.
Dr. Julianne Malveaux, Political Economist and President Emeritus, Bennett College for Women, Washington, D.C.
Nana Dr. Patricia Newton, CEO, Black Psychiatrists of America, Baltimore, Maryland.
Yvette Modestin, Founder and Executive Director, Encuentro Diaspora and IBW Board Member, Boston, Massachusetts.
Kamm Howard, National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations In America, Chicago, Illinois.
Dr. Joyce King, Benjamin E. Mays Endowed Chair for Urban Teaching, Learning and Leadership, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA.   
Dr. V.P. Franklin, Editor, Journal of African American History, New Orleans

Contact: info@ibw21.org  — (888) 774.2921

The post Danny Glover and Leaders Of Major Groups Renew Reparations Push in Atlanta Summit appeared first on Black Star News.

Michael Nitzky, director of communications for New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer spoke truth to power: “In Fiscal Year 2013, the City procured $16.5 billion worth of goods and services and only $439 million went to Minority and Women-owned business enterprises – a mere 2.7 percent.  That’s simply unacceptable.” 

Most discussions of economic inequality focus on the need for more equity in employment and income.  There is no doubt that expanding job opportunities and providing living wages for workers in communities of color are essential to closing the great divide between the vastly affluent and the rest of us. 

But even more troubling is the huge wealth gap, invariably linked to glaring disparities in homeownership and entrepreneurship that continue to break down along color and gender lines.  The National Urban League’s 2014 State of Black America Equality Index found that Black households have just $6 in wealth for every $100 in wealth of White households – or a median wealth of $6,314 vs. $110,500.  The Obama Administration, leaders across the nation and globe and a number of progressive mayors  across the country – including New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio – have identified the need to close that gap.  A key part of the solution is increasing the number and worth of government contracts available to minority and women-owned business enterprises (M/WBE).  As Mayor de Blasio is learning, while not an easy task, he has a substantial opportunity to fix a big problem and put forth a scalable model for how New York City can and should engage with M/WBE.

Mayor de Blasio took office in January 2014 determined to “leave no New Yorker behind.”  But a recent article by freelance journalist John Surico concludes that “the contracts between the city’s bureaucracy and its businesses do not reflect a commitment to diversity.”  Surico adds, “For thousands of companies in New York City, obtaining a city contract is one of the most important financial benefits of civil government.  Last year alone, roughly 40,500 transactions between the public and private sectors translated into this $16.5 billion in revenue for vendors.”  While M/WBE firms comprised 7 percent of New York City’s vendors and were awarded 23 percent of the City’s sub-and-prime contracts in 2013, they only received $439 million, or 2.7 percent, of total contract dollars. 

Despite the existence of the federal Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) and dedicated minority business development offices in New York and most major cities, this disparity is echoed throughout the country.  Reasons for this include cumbersome and complicated contracting rules and the often prohibitively high cost of navigating the procurement process.  Unfortunately, too many minority and women-owned businesses also still find it difficult to secure critical bank loans.   Everyone agrees that small and minority-owned businesses are essential to America’s economic recovery, but not everyone has stepped up to give them the support they need to succeed. 

That is why the National Urban League has made entrepreneurship support, tax credits and small business financing a key part of “Jobs Rebuild America,” our $100 million partnership across the public, private and nonprofit sectors to improve outcomes for job seekers, vulnerable youth and entrepreneurs in hard-pressed urban communities.  We were also pleased that last year, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation invested $5 million in five Black-owned banks across the country both to support the dwindling number of  Black banks and to strengthen the ability of these financial institutions to make loans to neighborhood businesses.  We also applaud measures taken by the Obama Administration, including the current effort by the MBDA to bring more minority businesses into high growth industries such as green technology and clean energy.

Mayor de Blasio has pledged to increase New York City’s usage of minority businesses from three percent to 10 percent.  He shares our understanding of the importance of minority and women-owned businesses to revitalizing struggling urban communities, closing the wealth gap and improving the American economy.  But none of us can do this alone and good intentions are not enough.  Washington, local governments, big banks and major corporations across cities and the nation must do more to remove barriers and erect stronger incentives to unleash the entrepreneurial potential of minority and women-owned businesses.

The post United States: A Tale Of Two Countries appeared first on Black Star News.

[Commentary: Vantage Point]

A few days before this year’s Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. Annual Legislative Conference (CBCINC-ALC), I received a call to ask my opinion as to whether the Reparations Issues Forum should be on the agenda.

The Forum has been standard fare every year as a way of promoting HR-40, the Reparation’s Study bill, championed by Congressman John Conyers, Jr., and as a vehicle to discuss strategies for the coming year.

The question was understandable given the relatively moribund state of the Reparations movement in the U.S.; a reality that is the consequence of the passing/transition of some of the key leaders of the movement, the decline of reparations advocacy organizations and the difficulty of gaining traction on the issue with the first African American President in the White House.

However, none of these factors negate the validity and relevance of the issue. Therefore, I answered in the affirmative but strongly suggested that the Forum highlight events or developments that might provide a new spark to the U.S. Reparations Movement. In the past State Senator Bill Owen’s proposal that the Massachusetts legislature pay reparations to African Americans in that state; Deadria Farmer-Paellmann’s legal campaign against U.S. corporations that benefitted from slavery; the National Black United Front’s “We Charge Genocide” Petition Campaign; December 12th Movement’s Millions Reparations March; Randall Robinson’s highly acclaimed book The Debt; and, The National Coalition for Reparations for African Americans’ (N’COBRA) Reparations Legal Team are examples of actions and events that breathed life into the movement and gave it momentum at particular moments. 

Unfortunately, in recent years there has been no significant action or event to keep reparations on the front burner of the discourse about Black interests and aspirations. Indeed, the election of the first African American President has likely had a chilling effect in terms of advancing the issue.

But, as I informed the conveners of the Forum, recent developments in the Caribbean have the potential for dramatically changing the tide in the U.S. and Pan African World.  Spearheaded by Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines,  in July Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders “agreed to the formation of a region-wide Reparations Commission to seek compensation from Europe for native genocide and enslavement of Africans during colonization.”

Subsequent to this historic resolution, PM Gonsalves convened a major Reparations Conference, September 15-17th in St. Vincent. The delegates agreed to form Reparation Commissions in each Caribbean nation.  In addition, PM Gonsalves and several Caribbean leaders utilized the annual convening of the U.N. General Assembly as a platform to boldly incorporate the demand for reparations into their speeches.

The CARICOM Reparations Initiative is a historic development, a potential game changer, not only in terms of the  potential impact on the Reparations Movement in this country, but the prospect of a resurgent progressive Pan-Africanism, with a renewed focus on the root causes of the “underdevelopment” of people of African descent on the continent and in the Diaspora.

Another development which could spark a renewed interest in the U.S. Reparations Movement is the discovery of a little known speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that addresses the issue.

On the morning of the Reparations Issues Forum, I received an urgent email and voicemail message from SIRIUS/XM Radio Talk Show Host Mark Thompson, urging me to listen to an excerpt of a speech by Dr. King. Mark obviously felt it would be relevant to the subject. He was absolutely correct.

In the space of two minutes, Dr. King recounts a range of benefits provided to European immigrants and White farmers like the Homestead Act that were systematically denied to the formerly enslaved Africans. In so doing, he emphatically lays out the equivalent of a rationale for reparations and concludes by proclaiming, when we come to Washington “…we’re coming to get our check.”

When we played the clip the audience was stunned and exhilarated. Never before had the participants heard such a ringing rationale for reparations, coming from the lips of the world’s most revered civil rights leader. Everyone instantly recognized that these words from Dr. King could be invaluable in providing legitimacy to the righteous demand for reparations.

I was delighted to moderate the Reparations Issues Forum this year because the developments above could well breathe new life into the quest for Africans in America to achieve a yet unfulfilled aspiration – reparations to repair the cultural, psychological, spiritual and physical damage to our people as a direct consequence of the holocaust of enslavement.

Moreover, with the input of a Panel consisting of City Councilwoman JoAnn Watson of Detroit, Dr. Julianne Malveaux, Black America’s leading political-economist and Attorney Nkechi Taifa, Senior Policy Analyst, Open Society Foundations, an action agenda to revitalize the U.S. Reparations Movement was devised. 

The action agenda includes: the widespread circulation of Dr. King’s speech which provides a rationale for reparations; an Open Letter to President Barack Obama from Congressman John Conyers, Jr. requesting that the President support HR-40, the Reparations Study Bill; a series of four community-based regional hearings on HR-40, chaired by Congressman Conyers with a stellar Panel of Resource People like Dr. Claud Anderson, Dr. Ray Winbush, Dr. Julianne Malveaux, Professor Charles Ogletree, Dr. Iva Carruthers, Attorney Nkechi Taifa and Councilwoman JoAnn Watson to mention a few; utilizing Dr. King’s assessment as a framework, the convening of a Special Hearing in Selma, Alabama with Black farmers, many of whom still feel aggrieved despite the settlement with the Department of Agriculture; an invitation extended by Congressman John Conyers, Jr. to Dr. Ralph Gonsalves to be a Special Guest and Keynote Speaker for the 2014 CBCINC-ALC Reparations Issues Forum; finally, the Institute of the Black World 21st Century (IBW) will contribute to the process by establishing a Reparations Resource Center on its website www.ibw21.org where interested parties can access important articles, documents, speeches and other relevant materials that might be useful for education, advocacy and organizing.  

Inspired by the incredible developments noted above and armed with a feasible action agenda, we have an opportunity to revitalize the Reparations Movement in the U.S.  In remembrance of our ancestors, a luta continua –the struggle continues!

Note: PM Ralph Gonsalves is slated to be the Keynote Speaker at the Opening Session of IBW’s National/International Symposium on the Future of Democracy and Development in Africa and the Caribbean, Thursday, October 17th, at the historic Metropolitan AME Church in Washington, D.C. The Session will be webcasted at www.ibw21.org at 7:15 PM. 

Dr. Ron Daniels is President of the Institute of the Black World 21st Century and Distinguished Lecturer at York College City University of New York. His articles and essays also appear on the IBW website www.ibw21.org and www.northstarnews.com To send a message, arrange media interviews or speaking engagements, Dr. Daniels can be reached via email at info@ibw21.org

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