SOS! Urgent call for African diaspora help!

**Jahness** · 04-12-2005

SOS! Urgent call for African diaspora help!

The Black Studies Departments at Colleges and Universities in the present were fought for in the 60s and 70s. These battles on campus, were together with the anti-war activists on those same campuses. It was 'the 60s', as Joe Williams explained in my previous forward.

At San Francisco State College the Black Students Union [Jimmy Garret et al] sponsored by Nathan Hare, and Harry Edwards at San Jose State, Marvin X at Fresno State fought these batters as an appendage to the Black rebellions occurring in the urban ghettos: 'cities aflame in the summer time': thus the armed Black Student's Rebellion at Cornel and the Black Students Alliance in Los Angeles that took on the LAPD in response to pigs raiding Carver Junior High School beating children: Harry Truley, Babu, Dedan, Harry Carey, Baba, Ndugubidi, Gumu, Melvin X.

These Black student uprisings were on the part of Black working class collage kids. They were based in Black working-class communities. Deputy Minister of Defense of the Black Panther Party, Bunchy Carter, and LA Panther Minister of Information John Jerome Huggins were assassinated at UCLA. The brothers and sisters at these colleges and universities risked their very lives, some were killed. Nathan Hare, Harry Edwards and Marvin X, among others were/are 'Blacklisted' to this day.

The objective of these struggles was not to produce 'Black professors' at class based predominantly wealth White kids at Ivy League universities, teaching 'black pride' to the White children of the ruling class. That's not so important, however. What is important, is that if the Black working class sufferings and rebellions are the basis for the 'affirmative action' programs that enables these Blacks to enter colleges and universities, as students, and stay there as professors, that they recognize that they owe the Black working class and poor, big time.

Sam Anderson in New York is teaching at Community College: he is as serious about education contributing to Black liberation today, as he was yesterday. Marvin X operates a Drug Rehabilitation Ranch. As Gil Scott said: 'No one can do everything; but, everyone can do something. Ron Keranga still has his Sunday Gatherings of Black nationalism every weekend. Whether or not I personally agree with Keranga is not the issue. The issue, is that those who exploit Black misery to get into colleges and universities, and are subsequently professional scientists or professionals need to commit themselves to eradicating poverty, but in any case teach in the 'hood at least one semester every two or three years: teach at schools in the hood. Other wise Black community workers ought to see these affirmative action self-advancing Negroes for what they are: poverty pimps.

It would be great, if the CSPAN and CNN Black professors were to commit themselves to, say every other year, teach classes in their specialty in the inner-city schools, and make a big thing of it having press presence when they do so. At these press conferences, Skip Gates, Cornel West, Angela Davis, Manning Marable and the others,

Lil Joe

-----Original Message-----
From: Sekhmet50@aol.com [mailto:Sekhmet50@aol.com]
Sent: Monday, April 11, 2005 7:24 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: SOS! Urgent call for African diaspora help!

To all people who are African,
Once again we are asking for your help in saving not only another brother in crisis but also an institution of higher learning. For the last three years I have been bragging about Dr. Kofi Lomotey, President at Ft. Valley State University, a historically Black college. We finally achieved the impossible by having a centered brother over a HBCU who was determined to make changes like starting an African World Studies Institute at a "Black" institution. Dr. Lomotey began with a small push trying not to upset the negroes of Georgia, but making steady progress by adding an African lecture series for students, faculty and community. He is one of very few of our scholars who has power in a Black institution. Most of our elders are in European institutions that have African Studies/Black History departments. How is it that our people fight learning about themselves and are comfortable trying to be wannabes.

Dr. Lomotey offered his resignation today because the chancellor feels that there is a lack of support from faculty and alumni. I don't believe that these people are in the majority. Usually, the only people that are vocal are the ones who complain. Therefore, I am asking that we show the chancellor the majority - US! Please write today to the chancellor and let him know that we support Dr. Lomotey and send this to any and all of your friends that have graduated from any historically Black college or university because this is one striving for excellence by teaching our heritage and culture and not a curriculum of the oppressor. We must act now. Each day I wonder if we're going backwards rather than forwards. We need UNITY! Also, copy Dr. Lomotey to let him know that we are with him.

The addresses for each are:
Dr. Thomas Meredith, Chancellor
Office of the Chancellor
Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia
270 Washington Street, SW
Atlanta, Georgia 30334
chancellor@usg.edu
ph: 404/656-2202
fax: 404/657-6979

Dr. Kofi Lomotey, President
Fort Valley State University
1005 State University Drive
Fort Valley, Georgia 31030
Lomoteyk@fvsu.edu
Ph: 478.825.6315
Fax: 478.825.6266

Asante Sana
Freya A. Rivers
Sankofa Publishing Company
3863 Waverly HIlls
Lansing, MI 48917
517-484-0428
775-239-2042 fax

www.sankofapublishing.com
www.afrocentricschoolsassociation.com

sshule2@aol.com - business
sekhmet50@aol.com - personal

Posted in the Spirit of Sharing & Learning

One Love & Respect Always

**Baba Ahmed** · 04-12-2005

Damnit! I was speaking with a brutha a month ago or so about their Degreed African Studies program. He, former college professor, told me it'd b a matter of time, before Shujaa and the rest would be outta there.... however I will send this call along my grapevine.... thanks

Baba Ahmed

Note: I hope this will light our fires to organize and establish independent private schools. Some will probably go the Charter School route; others dealing with Not for Profit shelter, if so; we gotta do what we can. However, we can support our own educational efforts. The signs are clear: more HBCU's bcoming "State Universities" in the wakes of Tenn. St. and Tuskeegee Inst., and last year Morris Brown all but bit the dust, losing its accreditation; while Clark College is run by former Corporate biggies, even call the head of Librarian program a C.E.O. and it closed down or is closing down its only Black Librarian college program.

Patch work ain't gon get it. One day more of us will realize that Black Colleges with Eu-rope-an curriculums produce confused Black scholars ala the same "scholars" mentioned above; i.e. Skip Gates and Cornel West in particular. We don't need confused "scholars" who live in ivory towers and flip flop btween b n Black and b n integrated at home.

I will send this alarm on, tho

**OKULAJA** · 04-13-2005

Got it!!! Uhuru

**Baba Ahmed** · 04-13-2005

Sasa!!! Ase Ase Ase-oooooooo

**Jahness** · 04-13-2005

Greetings Baba Ahmed & OKULAJA

Thanks to you both for responding to the call for help on this very important issue.

We really as a people have to do something. We will always be a victim to this type oppression unless we build an dcreate our own.

Just having Afrikan Studies departments in colleges and universities alone is not enough, especially if we always have to be dependent on the system in one way or the next.

In one way or the next they always have us walking on thin ice, waiting to see when or how an issue will offend them before we are put out, kicked out or simply get fed up and walk out.

How many of our HBCU's are actually owned and independently operated by our people. Where are our rich people of Afrikan decent? Can't they help us build or start some of these schools and universities that we controll 100%.

I mean I understand that what we have right now is better than nothing, but why does our bright and most brillant always have to be running around looking for work or waiting to get into someplace to be recognized. And when they are recognized they can't be too outspoken because some high ranking university board member or someone who has to answer to someone else, can then dictate what statements can and cannot be made. To me that is highclass nonsense and an insult to our professors and their other colleagues.

THIS IS ANOTHER WAKEUP CALL TO OUR PEOPLE TO GET UP & BUILD THERE OWN!

Thanks again Baba & OKULAJA for helping to spread the word.

One Love & Respect Always