RezaRitesRi.com

By Marco McWilliams

“The government has failed us. You can’t deny that. If you live in the twentieth century and are still walking around here singing, “We shall overcome”, the government has failed you.”
-Malcolm X

(Prism of praise choir performs at this year’s RI Civil Rights Roundtable’s annual Martin Luther King birthday event on January 14, 2007. To view more photos, click here.)

PROVIDENCE, RI - When my editor asked me to write a reflection piece in anticipation of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I could not help but think back to a confused adolescent I met recently. In response to a question I posed about Dr. King’s identity, this youth responded that Dr. King is “that guy who said that speech, I have a dream or something like that.” As I peek at all the *events scheduled for this weekend, like those in Providence, Woonsocket, and Cranston, I can’t help but wonder - what will be discussed during speeches and presentations this year? Will individuals and organizations map out cogent strategies toward civil and political action? And – what I most wonder – how thoroughly and accurately will the historical accounts be delivered?

I ask this last question as I consider that adolescent as well as research I’ve done that documents that what was proudly called the “Black Freedom Struggle” has over the course of decades been conveniently renamed the “Civil Rights Movement” by the purveyors of dominant American culture. Moreover, we have all bought into this co-option via its changed nomenclature. The movement was called the “Black Freedom Struggle” because it was not merely a struggle for the acquisition of civil rights but, indeed, human rights; the human rights of black people living under the domination of white supremacist policies and politics as second class American citizens.

In America, we often have an aversion to calling things what they are. I’d call it political correctness gone mainstream.

When it comes to history this can be a dangerous thing. By renaming the movement a “Civil Rights Movement,” commentators and historians engage in a deceptive form of erasure. This practice denies subsequent generations the right to view the full blueprints of critical and transformative history from which they can derive the inspiration, courage, knowledge and strategy to fulfill the very dream of which Dr. King spoke.

Today’s African-American leaders often comment on, not only the lack of political motivation among much of the black youth but also their failure to appreciate the society that has been bequeathed to them by the blood, sweat, and tears of just one generation past. On the other hand, our youth can give us detailed analysis about topics that range from finding deals on mobile gadgets at local shopping malls to finding music and romance on the website community, myspace.com. This, in the minds African-American leaders, constitutes a harmful if not shameful generation gap.

(Members of comedy troupe, Inhouse Freestyle, who performed at this year’s RI Civil Rights Roundtable’s annual Martin Luther King birthday event on January 14, 2007. To view more photos, click here.)

I might argue, however, that perhaps it is not that black youth do not appreciate the sacrifices of their parents and grandparents, but rather they do not fully comprehend the true nature of their grandparent’s struggle. And what I find perhaps most troubling is the youth’s diminished access to relevant and critical American history. For example, much of Civil Rights teaching today means that our youth, both black and white, learn that blacks were arrested in the south for sitting in public places where they were prohibited by law to do so. Ok, fine. However, rarely is this contextualized in a critical fashion. Thus, much of what we understand today as the Civil Rights Movement is understood by youth as unfortunate and somewhat isolated events in the American south. The Civil Rights Movement’s historical narrative needs to be repositioned for our youth so that they understand that it was not merely water fountains and restaurants, but an international, national, regional, and local system; that it was enforced by or within government, law enforcement, health, business education, etc.

I acknowledge that more progressive and objective historians, both black and white, have begun to do so, but our youth need to conceive of the Black Freedom Struggle as a mass, organized, mission that, as ambitious as it was, was even more incredible because it involved or eventually drew in segments of both black and white, men and women, and rich and poor of American society. It should be clear to our youth that this struggle became one that informed revolutionary thought everywhere, becoming a catalyst for surges in feminist movements and the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, and Transgender) movements just to name two.

Youth are rarely taught that during critical stages of the movement students their own age would walk out of school not to go hang out at the mall but to march in protest and action against white supremacist policies and laws. Embedded in this goal, and often lost in stories of the Civil Rights Movement, was a radical critique of the entire American religious, social, political, judicial, and economic way of life. Black Freedom Strugglers of all ages and eventually races comprehended, publicly articulated, and rebelled against white American society’s design of blacks situated at the bottom of an American society that imagined itself as egalitarian.

Just accurately retelling the history of the Civil Rights Movement – or Black Freedom Struggle – is a perfect recipe for political action when you’re talking about changing the status quo, for it all pertains to challenging dominant ideologies and prevailing power structures. Nevertheless, the real one is a hard story to tell, because in many ways, it lies in direct opposition to the ways in which history has been popularly positioned - to reflect what those on the far right would call “our American way of life”. The question must be asked, then, does the modern telling of the Civil Rights Movement describe our story? Can it? For to tell that story white America would have to indict its treasured history. That would take profound courage, particularly in a global environment where we view ourselves as the exemplars of democracy and freedom; the kind of courage many will celebrate this weekend.

* For a listing of events happening in RI to celebrate the birthday of Dr. King, click on Just So You Know: Listings on the front page.

Marco McWilliams is a double major in African/Afro-American Studies and History at Rhode Island College. He works in RIC’s multicultural affairs department as an African American Studies specialist. He has developed the college’s first ever cultural and socio-political film series with both a domestic and international focus. He also lectures on North American enslavement, critical Black history, the politics of hip-hop, and media literacy.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Rhode Island Young Professionals invites submissions to its 4th Annual Winter Soiree & Silent Art Auction.

WARWICK, RI - On Saturday, January 27, 2007, from 6:30 PM to 12:00 AM at the Radisson Airport Hotel in the city of Warwick, the Rhode Island Young Professionals (RIYP) will hold its annual signature event, the Winter Soiree. As in previous years, RIYP’s 4th Annual Winter Soiree will include a chance to win specially donated items from business supporters, and a showcase of local artists during a Silent Art Auction. Photographers, painters and other visual artists of all amateur and professional levels are invited to donate works for the auction portion of the evening. All are encouraged to attend to celebrate and find out about the organization.

RIYP is a tax-exempt, non-profit organization that was formed in the winter of 2002 as an outlet to unite Rhode Island’s young professionals between the ages of 21 and 40. It is an auxiliary to the Urban League of Rhode Island (ULRI) and a chapter of the National Urban League’s Young Professionals. This year’s Winter Soiree theme, “Economic Empowerment: Investing In Our Communities & Investing In Ourselves,” targets one of our national five-point empowerment agenda items.

Keeping with tradition, the evening will include a keynote address by a young professional with an outstanding level of success as well as the following: dinner and a cocktail hour; recognition of important community leaders and programs through its annual award-giving; music and dancing at the end of the event; and a donation to a youth community group in the state of RI.

Business and art donations will be accepted until Friday, January 19. Ads for the Winter Soiree program booklet will be accepted until Monday, January 15, and tickets are on sale now for purchase of individual seats, full tables, or donations to support the attendance of students from the Year Up program. Artists interested in donating one or more pieces should email ray06@yahoo.com or call 401-338-7606. For more information about RIYP, ticket sales, ads for the program booklet, or business donations, visit www.riyp.org, email info@riyp.org or call 401-608-2568.

1. Nehassaiu de Gannes

2. Seven Akbaar

3. Marvin Novogrodski

4. Dorothy, Aaron, and Rachael Jungels

5. Christopher Johnson

6. Iyaba Mandingo

7. Judge O. Rogeriee Thompson

8. Charles Clemons

9. Terry Gresham

10. Iyeoka Okoawo

11. Belkis Raquel Paulino

12. Ricardo Pitts Wiley

13. Rick Benjamin

14. Nate Lopes

15. Tessa Spencer

16. Baby J

17. Curtis Dann-Messier

18. Kohei Ishihara

19. Bishop Michael Tolbin

20. Ivette Luna

21. George Lima

22. Mark Messam

23. Peter Dante

24. Baby Matt

25. Blade Mon

26. Ras Attitude

27. Batch

28. Moon the Digital Ancient

29. Julian Dash

30. Alex Moore

31. Cynthia Langlykke

32. Sidney Tillet

33. Shane Flox

34. Andy Trench

35. Marie Popko

36. Dave Pereira

37. Mike Montanaro

38. Elizabeth Montanaro

39. Chuck D.

40. Maya Breuer

41. Anne Edmonds Clanton

42. Bill Jiacovelli

43. Michelle LeBrun

44. Tricia Rose

45. Ronia BlueAzul Peguero

46. Angel Quinonez

47. Keith Briggs

48. Luna

49. Nada Samih

50. Ghada Ageel

51. Rela Mazali

52. Shireen Kamis.

53. Jacob Pace

54. Marco McWilliams

55. Jerome Thompson

56. Michael Clifton

57. Thomas Duffy

58. Vanessa Gilbert

59. Laura Jacqmin

60. Molly Rice

61. Trista Baldwin

62. Melissa Flaherty

63. Jennifer Lawless

64. Asif Ullah

65. Joe O’Connor

66. Curt Columbs

67. Hope Alswang

68. Andrew “Moon” Bain

69. Angel Quinonez

70. Chachi

71. Randy Hein

72. “Big” John Tierney

73. Romen Rok

74. Sterby Rock

75. Al Bums

76. Dox

77. Storm Davis

78. Symmetry

79. Jon Hope

80. Minister Ref

81. Kevin Gibbs

82. CL Smooth

83. J-Scratch

84. Justin Case

85. Araab

86. Merk

87. Raidge

88. Nuncio

89. Animal

90. Lee Wilson

91. Lexcano

1. RIYP

2. Rites and Reason

3. The Black Rep

4. J&W

5. Sigma Lambda Gamma

6. Everett Dance Theater

7. Perishable Theater

8. Urban Music Awards program

9. Connecting the Dots

10. The Met School

11. Mixed Magic Theater

12. Da Breakfuss Club

13. Hot 106/Citadel Broadcast

14. VIPs

15. PrYSM

16. (RI) Catholic Diocese

17. Ocean State Action

18. Black Men Can Fly

19. WRIU

20. Ocean State Reggae Festival

21. The Zioniers

22. Sound Session

23. Lustre Kings

24. RI HUD Tenants Project

25. GENS

26. Housing Works

27. Loom Gallery

28. Montanaro Gallery

29. URI/Honor’s Colloquium

30. The People’s School

31. Harkin Productions

32. AS220’s Rhode Show

33. RI College Students for Justice in Palestine

34. Partners for Peace

35. RIC’s Unity Center

36. Housing Works

37. Ocean State Action

38. HoodRich Flight Foundation

39. The Hi Hat

40. Women’s Fund of RI

41. The Raise Your Voice Campaign

42. RISD Museum

43. WRNI

44. Trinity Theater

45. RI Foundation

46. Zawadi

47. PrYSM

48. Dysfunctional Family

49. Flobots

50. Off da Curb

51. Case Closed

52. Big East Music Entertainment, LLC (BEME)

53. The Living Room

54. Soul Optics Entertainment LLC