o
aig
The deteriorating condition
of t m s es of African
Americans, other oppre ed
nationalities, poor and orting
people screams out for the crea­
tion of a legitimate, progressive,
independent tbird force or new
political party in American
politics.
A a proponent and prac­
titioncr of independent and
progre sive politics for more
than two decades, I have decided
to spend tbe next 12 months
vigorously exploring the
.desirability and feasibility of
a
•
n
for
re
running as an iodepc can-
didate for president in 1992.
1992 is a year that will be
laden with historical sig­
nificance. 1992 ill mar 20
years since the . . ric Gary Na-
tional Blae Political Conven­
tion and 20 years siDce the first
African Liberation Day in the
United StaleS.
1991 IS ALSO THE year
that America i poised to
celebrate the quiDlin-cen naial
of the "discovery· of America
by Christopher Columb ; an
ct of European intrusion into
this hemisphere which led to the
Hoo s urges gr�ater·
support of Blae s
ilelQalmin L. H t
Director Mep
In the 81 years that.it has
championed the cause of
freedom, equahty and
opportunity for African
Americans, one of the two
strongest -·and . most consistent
allies the side of he NAACP
been the Bl ck press. The
other beea the Bl� church.
In fair and foul times alike,
the Black church has kept alive
the spritual and moral flame that
illuminated our truggle. For its
put, the Blac press bas kept the
torch of knowledge and
alOI'llUlIb·' OIl ablaze when there
ere no other sources of
ill on.
Since 1827, when John
wwm and Samuel CorDi h
published the fll'St newspaper for
African Ameri�, "Freedom's
Jo ", the Black press
en OIl our behalf. When
iognored us, it told our
tory. When others degraded and
. nigraied it lifted us up
P'ojected the true picture of
mighty race struggling agai�t
the odds to breathe the wed aar
of freedom and liberty.
.thout the Black press,' we
d I 0 have succumbed
to despair aod hopeless . The
BI pus ould never permit
hOWever, it continued to
ory - the real tory­
tbrtQUK>Ul the years.
Today, many of our Black
ne papers, magazines .and
.radio tations are locked In a
truggle for survival. It is not
because they have n done their
job ell, but rather because of
economic and ocial factors that
they can not control.
We are resolved here t the
n tional headquarters of the
AACP, that we mu t
immediately embark upon
Project Freedom's Journal, to
turn the situation around
increa ing the strength and
viability of the Blact press.
10 accomplish this, we have
deVised three part prosram.
1. Speaking for the NAACP,
I will write leUeIs to the CEOs of
Fortune' . 500 top Adlerican
cOrporati�. they
either � their ertisiDg
budgets. foe.the Black pas, or
institute s if Done
exist.
2. We., sendi,. a circdive
to each of our 2,100 InIlCbe:s..
youth council and college
chapter asking that they
become, ore dive i their
support of the B by
becoming subscribers to the
papers and Iisteae to the
electronic media and
encouraging others to follow
suit, and in proddi local
advertisers to spead tbeir
erti· doll . BI
meci
3. We ill ig a aff
member the rcspoasibilityo
working full time ilh the BI�
JRSS in efforts bodt to �
i leaders· P i advertising
base.
'I am al 0 an no acing a
summit . of . BI
organizati are c:llpected t
this coafereace. at . e will
establish mechanism for
inform lion shariD and
program deYeJ will
launch a to e of
self-determination for the 1990
and bey
The coalition, to be
comprised of nation I
organizations and -roots
gr , is expected to tiv e
ocial programs here none
exist, duplicate effective
community programs, ad
develop strategie th t will
improve conditio for poor
Blacks.
T Black
pre identi cam ign in 1992
ho Id not be cc a an end in
and f itself but a am ans to an incl ding proportional repre-
end Such a camp ign a com- entation for African Americans
pon nt of an 0 erall human at aO levels of government and
rig ts cru ade i Jt would eNS TIT IT UTI 0 N A l
seIVF everal fun ions. TEES to protect t
: First and fore ost an ind ':' of the African minori
pendent Black pre idcntial cam- . o�. violation by the whit
paign must cd • e the pcopl majo �y.
about the centrad ction in the
American pol tical and
An inspired teaehe in trou lied times
iden
•
In
seizure of the "Americas" from
the indigenous people and the
eventual initiation of tbe Trans­
Atlantic Slave Trade.
This "discovery" opened the
door to the ruthless annihilation
of entire nations of Native
Americans and the greatest
hOlocaust in human history -
the destruction of some 100 mil­
lion sons and daughters of
Africa.
While America prepare to
. celebrate its discovery and set­
ties in for yet another season of
polities a usual,. African
American hould lead a m
sive campaign to inten ify tbe
human rights turggJe.
WE N .. : .. tn TO USE I 2 to
mobilize and organize to expo
American's crimes against
Africans in America, Latinos,
Native Americans, Asian
Americans, poor and working
people to the world.
1992. given the hyp of a
presidential election year, will
be an opportune moment to util­
ize prote I politics and electoral
polit cS to heighten t� fight1dr
• • .... I .. • ••• #. I �
genwne political and economic
democracy in America.
In 1988 the Democratic Party
rewarded the brilliant campaign
of the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson by
"1 love children and I know
that all children can learn," says
Anne J ckson, a Washington,
D.C. public school teacher, "It's
a matter of commitment and
making student believe in
themselves."
I We need more teachers who
share these ideals, who are com­
mitted despite frustrating work­
related prob ems. Teachers and
chools must meet all educa­
tional need because our
children's futures depend on
them.
Statistics OD Blac student
achievement in public schools is
extremely disturbing:
r By 3rd gr de, the average
student is already six months be­
hind.
- By 6th gr de, they are one
year behind.
- By 8th grade, they are two
. years behind.
Now more than ever,
children need our encourage­
ment to remain in school and
succeed. Black children can
achieve t the same high levels
as anyone else - if we expect it
of them and provide them op­
portunity and support.
The jobs that will be created
in the coming decades will
demand more education and far
ackson and in
Blac Nation to
ratic Party or
ught in the -
ver again. It is
new NDE-
ssive force be
crystalize the
I
ICHIGAN CITIZEN PAGE 5
I
economic system and inspire
lh confidence tbat we can and
m t build a new and more
humane SOCiety. M ive politi­
ca education must be a major
element of the camp ign.
Secondly. the campaign
must uplift andbokny . dv nee
a progressiv Black Agenda
t basic foundation of the cam­
paign; a cutting edge aganda
wi an emph i on REP ARA­
TIONS; a MULTI-BIL�IO
oou . .AR DOMESTIC MAR­
SHrsL PLAN; reversing the.
LO T OF BLACK LAND in
the South; no retreat on
AlRMAT1VE ACTION;
M RATOR1UM ON PRISO
CO STRUcnON and n end
to t e WAREHOUSING of the
Bl k . victims of. Americani m
in' overcrowded jail and
pri ns; STATEHOOD FOR
W HINGTON, D.C.; EQUI­
TY nd POWERS HARING
..
t:ontinued 0
,
pital, nearly
istr ict of.
school stu-
e Jack on is
Quid no be
up on �er
I
I
commitment to educatio
'Wi • e others have giWD up
the mands of teaching, AnIle
Jac n can be proud of her 21
year of exp ieace. and to
hono her su d it­
men, she w s re ce tly
pres nted with the Ward?
Teac er ofthe Year Award.
M . Jackson c res deeply
abou children, and devote
much f her time and energy to
help em succeed. She m de
the ecision to give up her
Saturdays because she would
not let the high dropout rates
claim her tudcnts. "One of the
primacy goals is to build self-es­
teem," she ys. "When s dents
believ they can achieve, they
will chieve,"
Maran Wright Edelman is
president of the Children'
Defense Fund, Q national voice
for chi�dTtn.