The Legacy of the 1961 Freedom Riders

By Carla Thomas


A great sense of pride and excitement surrounded this year's San Francisco NAACP's annual Freedom Fund Gala at the San Francisco Hilton Hotel to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1961 Freedom Riders. Dr. Leslie B. McLemore, Director of the Fannie Lou Hamer Institute in Jackson, Mississippi served as the keynote speaker along with celebrity Master of Ceremony Ray Taliaferro of KGO Newstalk 810 talk show, a past president of the chapter.

Recipients of the SF NAACP Freedom Rider's Legacy Award were Carol Ruth Silvers, principal of the law offices of Carol Ruth Silver in San Francisco and Claude Albert Liggins of Los Angeles, who was previously active with CORE (The Congress of Racial Equality).

Actor Danny Glover, Willie Brown, Dr.Annette Shelton

"Donald Washington wrote a song, 'What a difference a day makes.'  This day is truly making a difference," smiled Liggins seated beside Silver and retired Tuskegee Airman Lt. Col. Harold Hoskins, Jr.

Cassie Cook, SF NAACP Treasurer and Gala Chair said she marched with Dr. Martin Luther King in Birmingham, Alabama and considers herself a product of the Civil Rights Movement.  “This is very special to me and I am so happy to see people of all cultures  coming together and honoring the Freedom Riders.”

Branch president and original Freedom Rider from Mississippi, Dr. Amos Brown says he was inspired to integrate honoring the Freedom Riders into this year’s theme after speaking at the 50th Anniversary Celebration in Mississippi during the summer.

“When I saw those 1500 people that came for that reunion, I said then that I wanted San Francisco and all of California, since many couldn’t get there, to experience this piece of history.  This is why I invited Dr. McLemore, who was the general chair of that celebration.  I wanted to ensure that this history is shared with our community and it must be passed on to our children’s children.”

McLemore proudly stated, “Tonight we are honoring pioneers who have made a contribution to struggle and are still on the battlefield and there is nothing better we can do than to thank those who have made our future possible.”

Representing an interracial body of courageous people, the Freedom Riders were responsible for breaking racial barriers in interstate traveling.   Traveling by bus throughout the South they risked their lives and experienced incarceration for their protests.    Brown and McElmore have fought for civil rights for over six decades.

SF NAACP Treasurer Cassie Cook & KGO Host Ray Taliaferro

“The Freedom Riders decided that they were not going to sit idly by and accept segregated interstate travel,” continued Brown.  “I thank those travelers who put their lives on the line in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana to break down those barriers in interstate travel.”

The Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., William "Bill" Campbell Chapter was honored with the San Francisco NAACP Presidential Medal of Freedom Award.

Recipients of the SF NAACP Philanthropist / Activist Award were Actor Danny Glover and Cheryl Dawson, Program Administrator of the Women’s Resource Center for the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department.  Dr. Martin Brotman, President of Sutter Health West Bay Region was presented the SF NAACP Humanitarian Award.  Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church along with First A.M.E. Zion Church of San Francisco were awarded the SF NAACP Founders Awards for their pioneering achievements in the community for over a century.

“It’s great to have the organization recognize us with other churches involved in continuing social justice for all people,"  said Rev. Malcolm J. Byrd, Jr. of the First AME Zion.

A Secret Cabal to Recall the Mayor

                                

By Gregory K. Taylor

A bird landed on my shoulder today and chirped in my ear that a clandestine meeting was held last night around 6:00pm, location unknown, regarding the recalling of Oakland Mayor Jean Quan.  Reported in attendance were four disparate factions that would normally be at each other’s throats were it not for the universal dissatisfaction with Mayor Quan.  They have all agreed to bury their respective hatchets (for now) in order to present a united front to rid Oakland of the current Mayor.  

Why does he need a gas mask?

I am told that individuals representing (1) the O.P.O.A. (Oakland Police Officer’s Assoc.), (2) former State Senator and recently defeated Mayoral candidate Don Perata, (3) Chamber of Commerce interests, and (4) a loose confederation of activist’s interests were there.  Topics discussed at this meeting were strategy and the necessary bankroll needed to finance such a recall effort.  A figure of $75,000.00 was agreed upon and Don Perata’s Bloc would supply the majority ($60,000.00) of the money.

Make shift memorial from last night's shooting

In addition, and not so secret, is an attempt by city council members to get a quorum of five for a “No Confidence” vote in the Mayor

If all the above is factual, then Mayor Quan has only herself to blame for this rebellion.  Her micro-managing of the Police Department (which led to the departure of Chief Batts) and her bungling of the Occupy Oakland encampment mess and her subsequent waffling on removing the squatters has cost the city of Oakland dollars it can ill afford.

Ina’s Blog from South Africa, Part 2

 
By Ina Taylor


Yesterday I went to a school in Acornhep.  The children were giddy and happy speaking excitedly in their native language when I would show them the pictures I had just taken of them.  They are like kids everywhere--just poorer.  As far as conditions,  I was surprised to learn that the schools had no water lines.  They have to ship their water in and put them in large cisterns.

Since they are far from the main cities, such as,  Pretoria (the capital) and the fact that they might not be of the same tribe as the president, they do not get many benefits from the government.  They rely strictly on donations from online organizations such as "Seeds of Light."  So, if you can make donations please do.

They have a garden that they cultivate and eat from and are given supplemental vitiamins.  For those who have HIV, they are too far away to get medication.  The traditional dancing and singing they did for us was a joy to witness.  We then went to a preschool where the conditions were not that good.  For those of you who are church going maybe you can start a project and donate to these schools.   Not far from the Cresh (preschool) there was a high school where I took pictures of more kids.  They are so typical and charming.  Afterward, we went across the road to a shop, where some of the women were weaving rugs, and ate a traditional-African dish. 

Today we are going back to the dam and take a boat trip on the river.  Tomorrow we will leave to go back to Joburg and then on to Cape Town--a cosmopolitan beach town.  Love and peace...Ina