On behalf of the Brooklyn Legends family, it is an honor to pay tribute to the life and legacy of Linda Brown, the lead named plaintiff in Brown v. Board of Education – the 1954 landmark case which led to the outlawing of school segregation.
Linda Brown passed on Sunday, March 25, 2018. She was 76 years old. Her actions, and those of the other students represented in the case, charted a new course in America’s educational system.
In 1950, the NAACP asked a group of African-American parents, that included Linda’s father – Oliver Brown, to attempt to enroll their children in all-white schools with the expectation they would be turned away. Mr. Brown honored this request and set out to place Linda, who was in 3rd grade, in Sumner Elementary School. As anticipated, she was was not allowed to attend. This action set the strategy for the civil rights group to file a lawsuit on behalf of the 13 families, who were from different states. Since Linda Brown’s name appeared at the top of the list of plaintiffs, the case was known as Brown v. Board of Education and would be argued before the United States Supreme Court. The lead attorney working on behalf of the plaintiffs was future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.
An important objective of Brown was to dismantle the precedent that was set in place by the 1896 decision of Plessy v. Ferguson, which sanctioned the idea of “separate but equal” facilities for racial divisions. When the Court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in Brown v. Board of Education, their decision disavowed the notion of “separate but equal” and concluded that segregated facilities deprived African-American children of a richer, and fairer, educational experience.
Life for Linda after the ruling
When the Court reached its decision, Linda Brown was in junior high school student, which was a grade level that had been integrated before the Brown decision. In 1959 the Brown family moved to Springfield, Missouri. In 1961 Oliver Brown died and Mrs. Brown moved the girls back to Topeka, Kansas shortly thereafter. Linda Brown went on to attend Washburn and Kansas State universities.
To learn more about Linda Brown’s life and legacy, please follow thislink.
“Sixty-four years ago a young girl from Topeka brought a case that ended segregation in public schools in America,” he tweeted. “Linda Brown’s life reminds us that sometimes the most unlikely people can have an incredible impact and that by serving our community we can truly change the world.”
Kansas Governor Jeff Colyer
Eunice Johnson, 1991, Ebony Fashion Fair via Ebony.com
Dear Readers,
I am pleased to join my friends and colleagues in honoring Black History Month. While everyday is a great moment in history, I must acknowledge our longstanding struggle for equality and justice against enormous odds. For every accomplishment there are several stories to tell and we are obligated to continue to write the narrative.
Today I am proud to salute Mrs. Eunice W. Johnson, creator of Ebony Fashion Fair, a highly celebrated fashion extravaganza that traveled to nearly 200 cities each year. This eagerly anticipated show featured haute couture and ready-to-wear fashion for a mostly African-American audience throughout the United States, Canada and the Caribbean.
Ebony Fashion Fair Ad via Flickr
Ebony Fashion Fair started in 1958 when Mrs. Johnson responded to a friend’s request to raise money for a hospital in New Orleans. For the next fifty years Ebony Fashion Fair would become an iconic fashion show that also served as a major fundraiser for the United Negro College Fund, several Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), sickle-cell research and hospitals. Mrs. Johnson exposed audiences to the latest designs from major fashion houses including: Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Oscar de la Renta, Pierre Cardin, Valentino and Emanuel Ungaro.
Eunice Johnson, Yves Saint Laurent 1972 Johnson Publishing Co.
Mrs. Johnson also used Ebony Fashion Fair as a platform to introduce emerging Black designers including: Lenora Levon, Quinton de’ Alexander, L’Amour, Patrick Kelly and Steven Burrows. African-American models Pat Cleveland, Judy Pace and Terri Springer were also featured in the show.
Ebony Fashion Fair, Pat Cleveland in Valentino – via splendidhabitat.com
As a girl, I remember attending Ebony Fashion Fair at the Hilton New York Hotel (then the New York Hilton Hotel & Towers) and the Savannah Civic Center. I loved to see the models strut down the runway in their fabulous outfits. When I attended Audrey Smaltz was the commentator and she ran each show with great style and precision. For me, the highpoint of the evening was the wedding scene. Once I saw the bride walk down the runway in her trendy gown I was ecstatic.
Ebony Fashion Fair, Bob Mackie Wedding Gown, via splendidhabitat.com
Ebony Fashion Fair – Guardianlv.com
Ebony Fashion Fair – Museum of Design Atlanta – via splendidhabitat.com
Mrs. Johnson died on January 3, 2010 in Chicago at the age of 93 years old. She was among the first business owners to create and market a line of cosmetics for women of color. I still remember purchasing my first foundation from Fashion Fair Cosmetics. When I opened the pretty pink case, I knew that I was on my way to becoming an adult.
In 2013, the Chicago History Museum curated a special exhibition, Inspiring Beauty: 50 Years of Ebony Fashion Fair, as a tribute to Mrs. Johnson’s life and accomplishments. Presently, the exhibition is on view at the Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester now through April 24, 2016. For further information, please access thislink to the exhibition.
Ebony Fashion Fair exhibit via chicagohistorymuseum.org
Brooklyn Legends is pleased to join the world in saluting Mrs. Eunice W. Johnson for breaking down barriers and creating opportunities in the fashion and cosmetics industry.
Fondly,
Monique
Credits:
New York Times – January 9, 2010 article by Dennis Hevesi
Huffington Post – May 29, 2012 article by Julee Wilson, Senior Fashion Editor
Ebony.com – Additional information regarding Mrs. Johnson and Ebony Fashion Fair
Brooklyn Legends is proud to commemorate the life and accomplishments of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King was born on January 15, 1929 at his family home in Atlanta, Georgia. This year he would celebrate his 87th birthday.
From December 1955 until April 4, 1968, Dr. King was the leader of America’s Civil Rights Movement. By all accounts this was among the most tumultuous periods in our history. Yet despite the many acts of hatred and violence, Dr. King remained steadfast in his commitment to lead a non-violent campaign. He received support from men and women worldwide.
Here in the United States, there were many who stood with Dr. King and the architects of the Civil Rights Movement. These men and women gave their time, legal and professional services and money. They would join thousands of African-Americans in this fight for equal rights. While today many challenges persist, we cannot deny the progress that was achieved. These life-changing events have shaped my life and my ancestors.
As I was preparing for this post, I spent some time looking through the archives on The King Center’s website. In addition to extensive historical information, there are many photos, letters and telegrams for visitors to see. All information has been digitally preserved through the generosity of JP Morgan Chase. Today I would like to share few letters sent to Dr. King from children thought the world. I have also included a few condolence letters sent to Mrs. King shortly after Dr. King was assassinated. When you have a moment, I encourage you to visit the site which can be found by following this link.
Fondly, Monique
A student in India sends greetings on Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday
Students in France requesting an interview of Dr. King
A student in Chicago requests information about Dr. King’s Church
A student who wants to be a Pediatrician references Dr. King’s book “Strength to Love”
Via Bauman Rare Books – referenced in Gregory William’s letter to Dr. King.
Letter sent to Mrs. King after Dr. King was killed.
Sent to Mrs. King from a student in NYC after Dr. King was killed.
Sent to Mrs. King from PS 32 in NYC after Dr. King was killed
Sent to the SCLC in Dr. King’s honor with a donation from a high school in Beverly Hills, CA.
Credits:
All information obtained from The King Center’s website – Thekingcenter.org.
Soon we will bid adieu to 2015 and welcome 2016. This year has been filled with many highs, but there have been some sad days too. Dear friends who started this journey with me have since made their transitions. I firmly believe they will always be with us as long as we love and honor them.
Each year on New Year’s Eve, I share this post commemorating Watch Night, a tradition that is deeply rooted in the history of people of African descent throughout the United States, in memory of my grandparents and the many elders who helped raise me.
As a child growing up in Savannah, Georgia, I remember my grandparents would make their way to church every New Year’s Eve. This was a solemn time for them. Looking back on those days, I also remember how their voice would change as they recounted the painful stories their parents and grandparents shared. I would also grow to appreciate how they were able to quiet their spirits whenever they heard the song “How I Got Over”. When I look at my life, I have so much to be thankful for. There has never been a day when I have not said I’m grateful!
The summary below is reprinted from the African-American Registry. This site is a wonderful resource for African-American history and culture. I am including the link to the site for your reference.
The Riverside Church – Watch Night, NY Daily News
New Year’s Eve at Brooklyn Tabernacle
Aretha Franklin – Album includes How I Got Over
Mahalia Jackson- “How I Got Over”, lyricsmusic.com
Watch Night, Dec. 31, 1862 – the Clayton Museum
theoldblackchurch.blogspot.com
Photo reprint, Watch Night 1862- The Illustrated London News, 5 Dec. 1863
Watch Night 1862 via The Examiner
Watch Night Attendees, African-American Registry haytheheritage.com
Date: Wed, 1862-12-31*
* On this date in 1862 the first Watch Night Services were celebrated in Black communities in America.
The Watch Night service can be traced back to gatherings also known as “Freedom’s Eve.” On that night, Black slaves and free Blacks came together in churches and private homes all across the nation awaiting news that the Emancipation Proclamation actually had become law. At the stroke of midnight, it was January 1, 1863; all slaves in the Confederate States were declared legally free. When the news was received, there were prayers, shouts and songs of joy as many people fell to their knees and thanked God.
The article goes on to explain that Blacks have gathered in churches annually on New Year’s Eve ever since, praising God for bringing us safely through another year. It’s been over a century since the first Freedom’s Eve and tradition still brings us together at this time every year to celebrate “how we got over.” This celebration takes many African-American descendants of slaves into a New Year with praise and worship. The service usually begins anywhere from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and ends at midnight with the entrance of the New Year. Some people come to church first, before going out to celebrate, for others, church is the only New Year’s Eve event.
There have been instances where clergy in mainline denominations questioned the propriety of linking religious services with a secular holiday like New Year’s Eve. However, there is a reason for the importance of New Year’s Eve services in the black experience in America.
Wishing you peace and joy in 2016!
________________________________
Reference:
The African-American Desk Reference, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture Copyright 1999 The Stonesong Press Inc The New York Public Library John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Publishing
From time to time, we each need to be reminded just how important our contributions are. We may not have a public platform, but what each of us has to offer has a greater impact than we could ever realize.
As we recognize the 86th birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I wanted to share this video on the Dignity of Labor with you.
As you go about your plans to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy, please remember to celebrate yourself, and each other!
Martin, Coretta, Dr. and Mrs. King, Sr., – imagecollect.com
Rev. Dr. King, President Johnson and civil rights leaders
Dr. King with his family via Life Magazine
Lena Horne & Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King
Coretta Scott King via Life Magazine
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – nobelprize.org
Dear Readers,
On Monday, January 19, 2015, America will commemorate the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., civil rights leader, beloved husband and father, who is regarded by many to be one of America’s favorite sons. If he were alive Dr. King, who was born on January 15, 1929, would be 86 years old.
Many public tributes have been planned in Dr. King’s honor, especially in Brooklyn. If you are still contemplating what to do on this day, we have a few recommendations for you.
Have you considered spending the day at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM)? There is always tremendous buzz around BAM’s tribute to Dr. King, which is one of the largest tributes in New York. Brooklynites are always excited to be a part of this annual celebration which is co-sponsored by Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and Medgar Evers College.
This year’s keynote address will be given by Dr. Cornel West, noted author professor and activist. What would a celebration be without music? In addition to Dr. West, guests will be treated to performances by Sandra St. Victor & Oya’s Daughter, former lead singer of The Family Stand, and the New York Fellowship Mass Choir led by Rev. David Wright, son of Rev. Timothy Wright, who is also known as Brooklyn’s Godfather of Gospel who died in 2009. After his address, Dr. West will sign copies of The Radical King, his new collection of Dr. King’s writings. Sound interesting? For additional information, please be sure to visit BAM’s website.
Brooklyn is New York City’s largest borough and celebrations in honor of Dr. King will take place in several neighborhoods. When making your plans, please remember to look for events that are scheduled for Saturday, January 17th and Sunday, January 18th. For a complete guide please clickhere. We encourage you to celebrate with your fellow neighbors from Bedford Stuyvesant, Sheepshead Bay, Central Brooklyn and downtown.
Nationalservice.gov
Each year President Obama and the First Family join Americans throughout the country in recognizing Dr. King’s birthday as a National Day of Service. If there is a favorite cause you would like to take consider, this weekend will provide a perfect chance for you to get involved. Lastly, if you are out and about, and love to take pictures, may we ask you to share them with us? We would love to see how the day unfolded through your eyes.
We at Brooklyn Legends are proud to join the world in this year’s celebration of Dr. King’s birth. We celebrate his legacy.
Recently I shared with you some popular New Year‘s Eve celebrations that many will observe. For this post, I will focus on Watch Night, a tradition that is deeply rooted in the history of people of African descent throughout the United States.
As a child growing up in Savannah, Georgia, I remember my grandparents would make their way to church every New Year’s Eve. This was a solemn time for them. Looking back on those days, I also remember how their voice would change as they recounted the painful stories their parents and grandparents shared. I would also grow to appreciate how they were able to quiet their spirits whenever they heard the song “How I Got Over”. When I look at my life, I have so much to be thankful for. There has never been a day when I have not said I’m grateful!
The summary below is reprinted from the African-American Registry. This site is a wonderful resource for African-American history and culture. I am including the link to the site for your reference.
Aretha Franklin – Album includes How I Got Over
theoldblackchurch.blogspot.com
Watch Night Attendees, African-American Registry haytheheritage.com
Mtpleasantworship.com
The Riverside Church – Watch Night, NY Daily News
Mahalia Jackson- “How I Got Over”, lyricsmusic.com
Date: Wed, 1862-12-31*
* On this date in 1862 the first Watch Night Services were celebrated in Black communities in America.
The Watch Night service can be traced back to gatherings also known as “Freedom’s Eve.” On that night, Black slaves and free Blacks came together in churches and private homes all across the nation awaiting news that the Emancipation Proclamation actually had become law. At the stroke of midnight, it was January 1, 1863; all slaves in the Confederate States were declared legally free. When the news was received, there were prayers, shouts and songs of joy as many people fell to their knees and thanked God.
The article goes on to explain that Blacks have gathered in churches annually on New Year’s Eve ever since, praising God for bringing us safely through another year. It’s been over a century since the first Freedom’s Eve and tradition still brings us together at this time every year to celebrate “how we got over.” This celebration takes many African-American descendants of slaves into a New Year with praise and worship. The service usually begins anywhere from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and ends at midnight with the entrance of the New Year. Some people come to church first, before going out to celebrate, for others, church is the only New Year’s Eve event.
There have been instances where clergy in mainline denominations questioned the propriety of linking religious services with a secular holiday like New Year’s Eve. However, there is a reason for the importance of New Year’s Eve services in the black experience in America.
Wishing you peace and joy in 2015!
Monique
________________________________
Reference:
The African-American Desk Reference, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture Copyright 1999 The Stonesong Press Inc The New York Public Library John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Publishing
I hope that you enjoyed Thanksgiving with your family, friends and loved ones. In a few weeks we will celebrate Christmas throughout the world and I am truly excited.
I find Christmas to be one of the most magical times of the year. Perhaps it is my overall disposition, but I sense that most people are gentler and kinder. While tragic, recent events have taken their toll, I do feel that people are trying their best to welcome the holidays. I am not suggesting that “all is calm,” but I would prefer that you take this as my prayer for peace and my hope for reconciliation.
As you might have noticed, it is very easy for me to get caught up in the joy of Christmas. I am looking forward to the holiday decorations I have selected; exchanging gifts with my husband, friends and family; attending several of the holiday concerts I have been invited to and watching Disney’s A Christmas Carol – which is one of my favorite holiday rituals.
At the same time, I cannot forget those for whom the holidays are filled with reminders of what they currently do not have. If you walk the streets of New York City, or take public transportation, you will encounter those who are in need in everyday. However, in addition to those I encounter daily, there are hundreds of individuals that I would never see or know about if it were not for theNew York Times Neediest Cases Fund.
Ana Reifman – Hiroko Masuike, NY Times
Ana Miguel – Sam Hodgson, NY Times
Emie Payen – Kevin Hagen, NY Times
Roderick Bradshaw – Edwin Torres for NY Times
Linda Malloy – Angel Franco, NY Times
Natasha Mohammed – Andrew Spear, NY Times
A Brief History of The Neediest Cases Fund
On December 25, 1911, New York Times publisher Adolph S. Ochs went for a walk after dinner. He met a shabbily dressed man who received Christmas dinner at the Y.M.C.A., but he had no place to sleep. Ochs gave him a few dollars and his business card. He told the stranger, “If you’re looking for a job, come see me tomorrow.”
This chance encounter left Ochs feeling charitable and curious as to whether or not this feeling could be the basis for a city’s goodwill. The next year he sent a reporter to several of New York City’s private welfare agencies to collect stories about the poor. His objective was to publish articles about the Hundred Neediest Cases in New York. The appeal would be made not with a direct request for donations, but with the facts of their lives. As it turned out, these stories sounded a powerful call. The campaign, which began on December 12, 1912, was soon adopted by other publishers in the United States and abroad. The idea was brilliant in its simplicity – a newspaper would make a general appeal for the needy and help the City’s welfare agencies solicit funds.
How You Can Help
After reading the profiles ofEmie Payen, a 55-year-old woman who has defied a short life expectancy for decades; Roderick Bradshaw, a father who found a path to success while raising his 5-year old son; Ana Miguel, a woman who overcame surges of addiction and instability, and is now encouraging others to do the same; Anna Reifman, a woman who for many years was trapped within her own anxieties before learning she was not alone; Natasha Mohammed, a mother who is praised for stoking her children’s creative tendencies while struggling to say warm and Linda Malloy, a grandmother who is savoring sobriety and working to rebuild her life, it is clear that New Yorkers need help year-round.
If you are looking for a cause to adopt this season, I encourage you to consider the New York Times Neediest Cases Fund. Since its inception more than 100 years ago, the fund has worked closely with several New York City charities and has raised more than $275 million. The present campaign began on November 2, 2014 and runs through January 23, 2015. Here is a list of the participating organizations.
It is in this spirit of reflection that I write today’s post. I know that there are thousands of organizations, not featured on this list, that are making a difference in the lives of New Yorkers everyday. We at Brooklyn Legends salute these organizations and extend our best wishes to the people they serve.
The article featured here was originally posted in 2014 in honor of Ms. Susannah Mushatt Jones. Earlier today Ms. Jones made her transition just a few months shy of her 117th birthday. Here is a link to coverage from the BBC news outlet informing the world of the Passing of Susannah Mushatt Jones. We are so thrilled to be able to claim her as one of Brooklyn’s most cherished daughters!
Original article:
On July 6, 2014, Brooklyn super-centenarian Susannah Mushatt Jones celebrated her 115th birthday. A few days later there was a celebration for her at the Vandalia Senior Center in Brooklyn, New York. Ms. Mushatt Jones is the oldest resident of New York State, the second-oldest American and the third-oldest person in the world.
Susannah Mushatt Jones Celebrates 115 years
Susannah Mushatt Jones was born on July 6, 1899 in Lowndes County, Alabama. This was one of the toughest times to be a person of African or Caribbean descent living in the rural south. I imagine she witnessed the cruel indignities that were designed to strip African and Caribbean Americans of all hope of ever achieving the basic civil rights enjoyed by their white counterparts. Despite these challenges, she would also witness some amazing “firsts” in Civil Rights history.
The Lovely Ms. Mushatt Jones
Ms. Mushatt Jones migrated to New York City in 1923, at the age of 24. Like those who made the journey before her, she dreamed of creating a new life filled with hope and promise. For many southerners moving “up north” this was a time filled great expectation, despite the harsh realities they would experience. This was a period when segregation was woven into every facet of life in America.
Opportunities for economic and educational advancements were non-existent. Often times, the only jobs available to African-Americans were as domestics or field workers. If exceptions were made, they were given the most laborious tasks. When using public transportation, they had to sit in the back of the bus. The same rule was in effect when traveling on the interstate.
The legal system was equally as cruel. For many, punishment for the slightest infractions could range from life in prison, to a life of hard labor. There was no hope of a fair jury trial. We also know that, during these times, lynching was the order of the day. This was truly “the worst of time.”
Thankfully, Ms. Mushatt Jones made it safely through these atrocities and settled into life in Harlem. She must have been so excited! This was the time of the Harlem Renaissance and the beginning of a whole new world on so many levels – intellectually, financially, socially and economically. She worked as a child-care provider for 42 years, until she retired in 1965. As she made her way in the world, America’s history was going through a transformation. She had a front row seat. Here are some of the wonders that she was able to see.
On the Road to Civil Rights – the mid 1950s through the 1960s.
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On May 17, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the landmark decision, Brown v. Board of Education, that segregation in public schools was illegal. I am not sure if I could articulate how Ms. Mushatt Jones felt when Earl Warren, Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court delivered the court’s decision.
Rosa Parks
Surely she rejoiced on November 13, 1956 when the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed in the case of Browder v. Gayle that segregated bus laws in Alabama were unconstitutional. This case was presented after Rosa Park’s arrest on December 1, 1955, when she refused to give up her seat on a public bus to make room for a white passenger. Ms. Parks’ defiance sparked the famous Montgomery Bus Boycott which lasted for 381 days, until the local ordinance segregating African-Americans and whites on public buses was repealed.
On August 28, 1963, she would see thousands of Americans participate in the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I wonder if she was there? This past August, we commemorated the 51st anniversary of this historic day.
Rev. Dr. King, President Johnson and civil rights leaders
One year later, on July 2, 1964, I envision Ms. Mushatt Jones rejoicing when President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act, the most sweeping civil rights legislation since Reconstruction. I can almost see her listening to the radio as the provisions were read. Title VI prohibited public access discrimination and would lead to school desegregation. Title VII prohibited employment discrimination based on race, sex, national origin, or religion. Title VIII was the original “federal fair housing law,” that was later amended in 1988.
On March 25, 1965, all eyes would focus on her home state of Alabama for the Selma to Montgomery March. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led thousands of nonviolent demonstrators to the steps of the capitol in Montgomery, Alabama, in the campaign for voting rights. Residents in Harlem led their own demonstrations to show their support. Perhaps she was among them.
Justice Thurgood Marshall
I would be remiss if I did not mention two additional milestones that took place in 1967. The first occurred when President Johnson appointed Thurgood Marshall to be the first African-American Supreme Court Justice. The second occurred when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the case of Loving v. Virginia that laws prohibiting interracial marriage were unconstitutional.
As we know, the fight for Civil Rights culminated in the 1960s but is far from over. The decades that followed would be marked with notable firsts in education, housing, criminal justice and employment.
I would love to know what her reaction was when, in January 2009 and January 2013, Barack Obama was sworn in as President of the United States of America. His beautiful wife Michelle would take her place as America’s First Lady. When Ms. Jones was growing up the word “lady” was not given to African-American women. What a celebration this was for her on so many levels. She lived through a century of firsts with years to spare.
This list is by no means finite. I have presented it in this manner to provide a glimpse of what she lived through. I also imagine that she played an important role in securing many of the freedoms that we now enjoy.
As we help Ms. Jones celebrate another milestone, in addition to serenading her with the traditional “Happy Birthday” another song that was popular during the civil rights movement also comes to mind, “Someday We’ll All Be Free” by Donny Hathaway.
Please join Brooklyn Legends in wishing Ms. Mushatt Jones a very Happy Birthday!
_____________________________________________
Credits:
Photos of Ms. Mushatt Jones – The New York Times
Photos of The Little Rock Nine – images via Yahoo.com
Photo of James Meredith – Wikipedia.org
Photo of Richard and Mildred Loving – Time.com
Photo of Jackie Robinson – via Pinterest, Mary Kay Ward
Photo of Justice Thurgood Marshall – images via Yahoo.com
Photo of The March on Washington – via Googleimages.com
Photo of Rev. Dr. King and President Johnson – via img.dooyoo.co.uk
Background information – Wikipedia and Google.com
Rosa Parks on the bus in Alabama – via Pinterest, Linda Wallace
So much time has passed since my last post. I truly miss connecting with you. Now that summer is almost over, and my vacation and travel schedule has leveled off, you will be hearing from me much more often.
Michael Brown – New York Daily News
Throughout my travels I have been following the events of the past few weeks. The first incident that comes to mind is the tragic death of Michael Brown, and the impact on his family and the people of Ferguson. I also find myself thinking about Michael’s friends and classmates. How will they cope? Will steps be taken to ensure that his classmates have access to grief counselors? How will history record this horrific incident? Most important off all, after the media leaves, and the 24 hour news cycle moves to the next breaking story, who will speak for Michael Brown? Will he and his parents be treated with the grace and respect that they so rightly deserve?
This tragic end to a young life, filled with hope and promise, has cut to our core; giving way to a resurgence of issues we naively hoped were in the past. Despite the best efforts of our civil rights leaders, academics and influencers, prejudice, hatred and fear still exist. Unless we can create a space where honest conversations can take place around issues of race and perception, these emotions will continue to confront and challenge us.
Shortly after the news of Michael Brown’s death was publicized, men and women from all over America made their way to Ferguson. As with all tragedies, there are always opportunists and detractors, but I believe that the people who made the journey were motivated by a sincere desire to stand in unity with Michael’s family. At the end of the day, their precious gift has been taken from them. Nothing will take away their pain, but we can help hold them, and surround them with love up at a time when they need it the most. I watched as Michael Brown’s parents spoke to the world with such great composure and “dignity.” To be completely transparent, I spent the past few days searching for that word, which I have not heard used much since my grandmother died. I remember hearing her words “dignity is the one thing no one can take away from you, unless you surrender it.”
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The next few months will be long and arduous for Ferguson, particularly as the world will be watching. While those who made their way to stand in solidarity at the beginning of this tragedy will eventually focus on other events in their lives, new strangers will come to take their place. They will stand united in their grief, their anger and their disbelief. They will stand because this is what we, as people of African-American descent, have done throughout our fight for social justice in this country. This most recent situation brings to my mind a quote on dignity:
I have the audacity to believe that people everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, quality and freedom for their spirit. I believe that what self-centered men have torn down, other-centered men can build up.
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
almighty-yellowplant.blogspot.com
We at Brooklyn Legends join the world in celebrating the life of Michael Brown. We stand united with his family and we pray that God grant them peace.
Brooklyn Legends 