Black Reparations Times Volume 1, Issue 2 July 25, 2003 N’COBRA 14TH NATIONAL CONVENTION N’COBRA ELECTIONS N’COBRA Holds 14th Annual Convention REPORT By J.Damu The Annual Meeting included the DALLAS—A Five year Plan has tives to build increased support for election of two at large National been adopted by the nation’s princi- Congressman John Conyer’s African- Board Members, the National Board ple reparations organization to bring American Reparations Study Bill (H.R. Secretary and the male National Co- the issue of black reparations before 40), the launching of Black Fridays to Chair. N’COBRA members had the the people and Congress of the support black businesses and a opportunity to submit nominations by United States. strengthened media approach to repara- completing forms circulated to chap- tions will take the ter chairpersons, regional representa- reparations movement tives and national board members to a new level, said prior to the annual conference. The Ajamu Sankofa, the forms were also circulated during the newly elected National conference, to ensure all interested Secretary of N’CO- members were given an opportunity BRA. to participate in the process “Now N’COBRA The following people were elected to members, let’s seize the National Board of Directors: this time and roll up our sleeves and get Hannibal Afrik – busy implementing National Board Co-Chair this plan. Our plan will not work if we do not Ajamu Sankofa – work the plan. We are National Board Secretary moving to the next higher level of Repara- Herman Ferguson – tions activism! The Hannibal Afrik ▲ Lady Nelson ▲ Ajamu Sankofa National At Large Board Member ancestors are pushing us. Can you feel it?” Lady Claudia Nelson – National In addition to the legal work already he said. At Large Board Member being implemented by the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations Dorothy Benton Lewis, N’COBRA’s in America (N’COBRA), new initia- national co-chair said “Now we must go forth and multiply.” IN THIS ISSUE of Black Reparations Times Discussion and reports within the well Building The National Reparations United Front 6 attended convention seemed to indicate Achieving Reparations: H.R. 40 10 the two most significant accomplish- ments of N’COBRA during the past George W. Bush, Goree Island and Reparations 20 London Festival Targets Capitol’s Slave Trade Past 29 (Continued on page 17) 1 Black Reparations Times ® A Quarterly N’COBRA Publication of the Information & Media Commission DEDICATED TO BRINGING YOU REPARATIONS INFORMATION IN ALL ITS VARIED FORMS AND APPROACHES N’COBRA Table Of Content Information & Media Commission P.O. Box 716 Washington, DC 20044-0716 Legislative Commission Workshop 3 Keslie Spottsville Email : [email protected] Asante Sana N’COBRA Board 4 Phone: 202.466.1622 Jahahara Amen-RA Alkebulan-Ma’at Building The National Reparations United Front 6 managing editor & producer Baba Hannibal Afrik Wautella ibn Yusuf Unity In The Movement For African Reparations 7 editors Dr Ron Walters Kibibi Tyehimba Achieving Reparations: H.R. 40 10 Dorothy Benton Lewis Kibibi Tyehimba Contributors A Year of Black Presence (AYBP) Update 11 J. Damu, Kibibi Tyehimba, Keslie Spotts- Lisa Davis ville, Lisa Davis, Al Pertilla, Rashad Drake- ford, Antoinette “RAS” Anderson, Melodye Building The Grass Roots Movement 12 Micëre Stewart, Jahahara Amen-RA Alke- Al Pertilla bulan-Ma’at, Ahati N. N. Toure, Dr. Ron Walters, Harmony Hussey, Wautella ibn Testimony for Reparations at the Texas State Capitol 13 Yusuf, Leroy Pletten and others. YOUTH CORNER 14 MISSION Battle For Reparations Continues! Rashad Drakeford The Commission will serve as the official organiza- tional link for the dissemination and exchange of Toronto Youth Organizes for Reparations information on N’COBRA policies, Reparations is- Reparations According To: 16 sues, strategies and actions important to winning Ahati N. N. Toure Reparations for African descendants in the U.S. and the Diaspora; assist in educating N’COBRA mem- bers and the general public about our just demands; GW Bush , Goree Island and Reparations 20 and assist in the development of mass based support Black Legal Scholar-Activists for Reparations. Reparations Movement News 25 DEPARTMENTS Black Reparations & Restitution Categories 21 Publishing Team Wautella ibn Yusuf Publications: REPARATIONS NOW! Ask The Editor 22 {Quarterly Membership Newsletter} ENCOBRA{Annual magazine/journal} J. Damu & Vic Nickson BLACK REPARATIONS TIMES London Festival Targets Capitol’s Slave Past 29 {Quarterly publication} Internet/IT Team Black Fridays Campaign 34 N’COBRA Website: NCOBRA.org & OfficialNcobra.org We encourage public discussions, led by the injured, to determine an equita- (both .org are same) ble remedy for the African Holocaust of Enslavement. All African descen- Listserv – news egroup dents have a right and responsibility to work towards defining and achieving [email protected] Reparations. The opinions and actions reported in Black Reparations Times Public Relations Team are those of the person(s) representing them and in no way should be viewed as N’COBRA’s unless clearly stated. © 2003 all rights reserved 2 www.NCOBRA.org Black Reparations Times LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION WORKSHOP Saturday, June 21, 2003 Submitted by Keslie Spottsville Attendees: Barbara Leonard (New Orleans), Ella Forbes (Philadelphia), Harold Hunter (DC Metro), Stephanie Patterson (Indianapolis), Akuyaa Addy (Houston), Keslie Spottsville (Kansas), Jamila Onyeah (Chicago), Joe Epps (Indianapolis), Al Pertilla (Metro NY), J. Damu (San Francisco), Obidike Kamau . J. Damu and Milton McGriff co-chaired the workshop 2. DIVISE ACTIONS TO ATTRACT COMMU- in the absence of co-chairs Nkechi Taifa and Kibibi NITY SUPPORT. Chapters should create actions in Tyehimba. their community designed to get positive attention and garner community support. For instance, after An overview of A Year of Black Presence (AYBP) meeting with a Congressional member or aide, a was provided which addressed several challenges chapter may feel it beneficial to hold a demonstra- ahead for AYBP. Milt McGriff spoke briefly about a tion, do informational picketing, or something else to campaign being developed in Philadelphia to remem- let the community know about N’COBRA, AYBP, ber approximately 5,000 Ancestors lynched between HR40, and the congressional member all at once. 1859 and the present. The Philly chapter has started Philly N’COBRA found that creating forums with placing their individual names on plaques. Several keynote speakers such as Rep. John Conyers, Tran- hundred paper plaques were developed for the AYBP sAfrica president Bill Fletcher and author C.J. Mun- visit to Capitol Hill on May 21 and presented to sev- ford were helpful in attracting support. Any chapters eral congresspersons in asking for their support for taking this route should certainly feel free to contact HR40. them. The participants agreed by consensus 3. LOCAL CONCRETE EF- that there should be an action agenda FORTS. Increase membership. Get after we return to our chapters. A your Congressional representatives “A companion bill to HR40 contact list was created and Keslie signed on to HR40 as a co-sponsors. Spottsville agreed to serve as the must be introduced in the The bill needs 218 votes, but we communications center for those in Senate (which is all white)” would like to end this year with be- attendance. The participants agreed tween 60 and 70 co-sponsors. Sched- on five points to report back to the ule meetings with your Representa- plenary session: tives and ask for their support. Si- multaneously, have people in the Congress member’s 1. FUNDRAISING. Fundraising should be a top pri- district call and write (by fax if you’re sending it to ority for N’COBRA generally and for the AYBP effort the DC office; they are still having post-9/11 delivery specifically. Approximately $22,000 was spent on problems). A companion bill to HR40 must be intro- AYBP in 2003 and that much more will be needed for duced in the Senate (which is all white). Start devis- 2004. A fundraising plan will be developed by ing a similar strategy to get to your senator’s sup- McGriff over the summer for Philly N’COBRA that port. It’s harder to get someone to introduce a bill will be available to all chapters, along with materials than to sign on as a co-sponsor, but it still has to get obtained from the Association of Fundraising Profes- done. sionals. Chapters are urged to join AFP. (Note: There is also an organization called the Council of Fund 4. ORGANIZE AN AYBP COALITION IN YOUR Raising Executives (CFRE) that provides essentially CHAPTER. Appoint or vote on an AYBP coordina- the same kind of educational information to its mem- tor in your chapter (YOU are an excellent candidate!) bers.) Also meetings are scheduled with the National and approach other organizations about joining the Center for Black Philanthropy, Inc. As we develop a AYBP effort as we prepare for 2004. In 2004, we well-trained cadre, we may be able to train our own (Continued on page 30) fundraisers within a few years. 3 www.NCOBRA.org Black Reparations Times ASANTE SANA N’COBRA Board, Members and Reparationists From Brother Jahahara Amen-RA Alkebulan-Ma’at Greetings of IMANI (FAITH) Esteemed Elders, Sister and Brother Leaders, Youthful Warriors, Wrong-fully- Imprisoned Soldiers, and Unjustly-Incarcerated Family Members: May our magnificent Mother-Father Creator Of All and In All—and beloved Ancestors from yesteryear and yes- terday—find you and (y)our Afrikan nations in the best of spirit and health. i feel so blessed to be with you this weekend in the capitalist prison state of texas, for our 14th Annual N’COBRA Convention. Likewise, i join with you in commemorating the 138th Anniversary of Juneteenth Emancipation Day (the result of another in a series of crimes against our humanity by this government, which did not inform and implement for over two and a half years its proclamation “freeing” Afrikans from chattel enslavement).