The Russian invasion of Ukraine shows racism has no boundaries -Rayshawn Ray Thursday, March 3, 2022

 Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is “

undisguised terror,” as described by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. In a matter of days, hundreds of people have been killed, thousands are displaced, and hundreds of thousands are aiming to flee to border countries that accept refugees. Newborn babies are being placed in underground bunkers and men over the age of 18 are barred from leaving and asked instead to pick up arms and fight. There are images of courageous women staying in Ukraine to do the same.

Rashawn Ray

Senior Fellow - Governance Studies

@SociologistRay

The United States and many other countries have instituted severe economic sanctions to try to deter Russia’s offensive military tactics. And yet, Vladimir Putin seems set on trying to reclaim Ukrainian land through strong military force. At his first State of the Union address, President Biden enhanced sanctions by “closing off American airspace to all Russian flights.” The economic impacts on the Russian economy will be far-reaching and the human impacts will be generational.

So far, Russia does not seem deterred by the sanctions. Videos of the brutality are painful to watch. And the images of people trying to flee battle-stricken areas and cross the Ukrainian border into other countries further highlight the stain and peril of human survival. This journey has proved to be particularly challenging for Black people who, even during a life-and-death situation, have found themselves running into racist barriers to their safety and freedom.

There are many reports of Black people being refused at border crossings in favor of white Ukrainians, leaving them stuck at borders for days in brutal conditions. Ukraine stated they would first allow women and children on trains and transport out of the country to flee the Russian invasion. However, it seems they meant Ukrainian and European women and children. Videos show Black people being pushed off trains and Black drivers being reprimanded and stalled by Ukrainians as they try to flee. There are even reports of animals being allowed on trains before Africans.

Black students and athletes are not exempt from these racial barriers. Professional Ukrainian basketball player, Maurice Creek, who is originally from Maryland and played college basketball for Indiana University and George Washington University, was stuck in a bomb shelter in Mykolaiv, Ukraine. He is headed for Romania to try and get a flight to the United States. Ukrainian medical student, Korrine Sky, who is from Zimbabwe and lives in Great Britain, stated that trying to leave Ukraine is like “Squid Games” with Ukrainians and Europeans at the top of the hierarchy, people from India and the Middle East in the middle, and Africans at the bottom. Though Sky’s perspective is disturbing, there is relevant history that people may not know.

Africans attending schools in what is now Ukraine date back to the 1920s, and the Soviet Union (now Russia) started formally recruiting Africans to attend college and professional schools in 1957. Not a coincidence, 1957 was the year that Ghana gained its independence from Great Britain. The Soviet Union wanted to try and build more positive relations with African countries and showcase to the world their growing diplomacy. When Ukraine gained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, scholarships to African students substantially decreased. However, African students still found schools in the area appealing. Today, over 16,000 African people are studying in Ukraine, accounting for more than 20% of Ukraine’s international students.

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Though the pathway to a visa in Ukraine and less expensive education costs are appealing to African students, economic depressions in southeastern Europe resulted in the rise of anti-immigrant prejudices and racial discrimination against Africans. Following a series of race-related murders of Africans in 2007, Ukraine passed anti-racism legislation. Hate crimes decreased to a certain extent. Still, Africans report regular occurrences of racial prejudice and name-calling (like “monkey”).

Comments made by Ukrainian officials and journalists covering the conflict reveal this deep-seated racial bias. In describing the traumatic impact of the Russian invasion to the BBC, Ukraine’s former deputy general prosecutor David Sakvarelidze stated: “It is really emotional for me because I see European people with blue eyes and blond hair being killed, children being killed every day with Putin’s missiles.” Al Jazeera English news anchor, Peter Dobbie, described people in Ukraine who were fleeing to Poland, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova: “We are playing some of the latest pictures of refugees on trains trying to get on trains or get out of Ukraine. And what’s compelling is just looking at them the way they are dressed. These are prosperous, middle-class people. These are obviously not refugees trying to get away from areas in the Middle East that are still in a big state of war. These are not people trying to get away from areas in North Africa. They look like any European family that you would live next door to.” On CBS News, senior correspondent Charlie D’Agata reporting from Kyiv stated: “With all due respect, this not a place like Iraq or Afghanistan that has seen conflict raging for decades. This is a relatively civilized, relatively European, I have to choose those words carefully too, city where you wouldn’t expect that or hope that it’s not going to happen. So it’s partly human nature…”

“European” has become a code word for white and a justification of the primary reason that people should care about the conflict, displacement, and killing. Bloody conflicts in Syria, Somalia, and other places have not received the wide-reaching international media coverage—or urgent international government action—that the invasion of Ukraine has inspired. This is not surprising. We simply have to look to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and which groups of people, communities, and countries have had equitable access to testing, treatment, and vaccination. Much like how the history of African enslavement in the United States still haunts our country in many ways, the legacy of African colonization in Europe is still surfacing, even amid a war that threatens the very existence of an entire country.

As the United States and the world offer their support to Ukraine in their fight for freedom, we cannot abandon the equitable deployment of civil and human rights. All people, regardless of race or nationality, must be equally allowed access to cross borders to safety. As we pray and hope for an end to the Russian invasion, I hope we realize there is much work to do during peacetime to ensure that everyone has equitable access to the same civil rights and dignity during conflict. We should care about the humanity and lives of people regardless of their race, ethnic origin, nationality, education, or social class background.

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Documentary focuses on longtime hearth of Black Community of Thomasville, Ga. Courtesy of timesenterprise.com

 

    

THOMASVILLE — From the early 1900s through the 1970s, the 200 and 300 blocks of West Jackson Street, known locally as The Bottom, were the heart of Thomasville’s African American community. 

On Friday, June 11, as part of the continuing effort to honor this historic district, the City of Thomasville will premiere “The Bottom: Stores and Stories of West Jackson Street,” a documentary that provides history, memories, and reflection of the district through the eyes and hearts of members of the Thomasville community.

“The documentary tells the story of the important role that the district played in the lives of Thomasville’s African American community,” said Sherri Cain, public outreach manager. “The Bottom was home to African American doctors’ offices, entertainment venues, eateries, barbershops, and many other businesses that still live in the hearts of our African American community.”

According to the documentary’s producer Austin Reams, programming and ad sales manager for CNSNext, viewers will hear memories and experiences from community members whose lives were impacted by the district. 

“What makes this tribute special is the voices of our community members,” said Reams. “A variety of citizens, such as Carolyn Henry, Jack Hadley, Elizabeth Elzy, Nate Tyler, and others share their memories of times they spent in The Bottom. From watching movies at the Ritz Theater to eating at the Tasty Shop, their memories reflect on a time when The Bottom held a real sense of community for local African American residents.”

At its peak, West Jackson Street was a mix of African American, Greek American, and Jewish-owned businesses that all came together to form a caring community. 

“The conversations we had with those interviewed painted the picture of the close-knit community that made The Bottom a special place,” Reams said. “African American citizens felt as if they not only had families at home but that many other adults looked out for them in The Bottom. It was these life experiences that formed the vision we had for this documentary.”

The Creative District Vision Plan was developed in 2014 through an extensive public engagement process. From this initial plan, three important projects were developed including The Ritz Amphitheater and Park, the Community Trail trailhead, and the West Jackson Streetscape Project. 

“One of the most important elements requested in the design of the streetscape was to highlight the history of the district,” said Christy Owens, Main Street and Events manager. 

“The first phase of commemorating the history of the district came in 2018 when the Thomasville City Council voted to officially name this business district as The Bottom and the amphitheater and park after The Ritz Theater, which was the entertainment venue for African Americans for many years,” said Owens. “We are honored to continue to pay tribute to this historic district while fulfilling the public’s desire of highlighting the cultural significance of The Bottom.”

“Sidewalk plaques to honor the notable businesses of the area have been installed in the 300 block of West Jackson Street, and plans for a commemorative wall and storyboards at the amphitheater are in the works. Honoring the historical significance of The Bottom was an important part of the West Jackson Streetscape project,” added Owens.

“We need the help of our community in order to complete phase two of the streetscape project,” said Cain. “While working with the Thomasville History Center and the Jack Hadley Black History Museum, we realized that we need more photos and oral history of the area. We have created a page on our website, Thomasville.org, where citizens can submit their memories and any photos they may have of The Bottom. In particular, we need photos of the Ritz Theater.”

The free premiere of the documentary and a panel discussion will be held on Friday, June 11 at 8:30 p.m. at The Ritz Amphitheater located at 131 South Stevens St. The community is encouraged to attend with their friends and family. It will also air on CNSNext Channel 6 and will be available for viewing on Thomasville.org, the City’s Facebook page, and the CNSNext Facebook page.

Source: Thomasville Times-Enterprise

Remembering The Election of 1964

The election of 1964 impacted blacks unlike any before as it set the stage for how African Americans would vote for generations to come.

It placed Civil Rights at the forefront, with people of color making gains that had not been seen since Reconstruction. Congress passed the historic Civil Rights Act as the election went into high gear, ending a century of Jim Crow throughout the land. The new law sought to put blacks and whites on an even playing field with equal access to goods and services in the South and the North. 

Although spearheaded by President Lyndon Johnson, a Democrat from Texas, and the Northern wing of his party, it was pushed over the finish line by Republicans. The bill was signed during an elaborate ceremony in the East Room attended by Martin Luther King and other dignitaries.

With the help of Northern college students during Freedom Summer 1964, blacks across the South geared up to take advantage of their newfound freedom.  Voter registration projects, literacy training, and economic empowerment seminars were held, especially in Mississippi, which crossed over into neighboring States as blacks tested the limit of the new law.

However, efforts to help blacks in Mississippi become first-class citizens did not come without a cost.  African Americans accused of aiding the so-called outside agitators were beaten, their churches burned to the ground or murdered in a hate-filled environment by suspected Klan members that included the high-profile murders of civil rights workers Andrew Goodman, a white organizer from New York, Michael Schwerner, a white protester also from New York, and James Chaney, a black Mississippian who knew the lay of the land. They traveled the backroads together to register voters and investigated a church burning in Neshoba County as a final act of courage.

After going to the church, the men were arrested for an alleged traffic violation and taken to the Neshoba County Jail. Upon their release, the trio went Missing and organizers feared the worst. They pressured the federal government to get involved, knowing they were on the Klan's radar. Their burnt-out vehicle was discovered a few weeks afterward, hidden in the brush near an Indian Reservation. Searches of nearby woods and rivers turned up bodies of at least eight black men who had recently vanished, not surprising to blacks who lived the daily trauma of life in Mississippi. 

The FBI infiltrated the Klan, which they suspected was involved, to get to the bottom of the case. After intense interrogations, Klan informants cracked under pressure.  They admitted to ambushing the three Civil Rights workers on a country road, luring them to an isolated location,  shooting them, and burying their bodies near a dam site, where their remains were unearthed. Against this backdrop occurred one of the most crucial elections in American history.

As the election progressed, it became evident who embraced the Civil Rights Act students and others fought for.  The Republican nominee for president, Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona, voted against the Civil Rights bill on the grounds civil rights should be left to the States to decide.  Blacks picked heavily outside the Republican Convention as black delegates suffered the wrath of the most hostile GOP gathering in history.  As a result, King, Abernathy, and other prominent Civil Rights leaders defected from the Republicans and advised other blacks to do the same. 

Also, at the convention, liberal Republicans like Nelson Rockefeller and George W. Romney pushed for Civil Rights. Former Vice President Richard Nixon also favored a middle-of-the-road approach. However, they were shouted down by hardline conservatives who saw Goldwater as a once-in-a-lifetime candidate.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Convention suffered setbacks of its own.  Blacks in Mississippi, who still faced challenges at the polls like poll taxes and literacy tests, decided to form the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party along with others, who selected delegates of their own in opposition to the all-white Democratic Party.  

A showdown ensued at the convention over which delegates should represent the State.  The Mississippi Freedom Party argued its delegates should be seated since they were democratically elected and represented a cross-section of citizens as demonstrations took place on the floor on their behalf.  The request reportedly angered Johnson, who believed it would cause him the South, as Southerners planned to walk out if the matter was not decided in their favor.  The issue was referred to the Credentials Committee.

The committee convened live hearings on network television to determine the outcome.  It allowed Americans to hear an impassioned plea from Fannie Lou Hamer, one of the founding members of the MFDP, who detailed the dangers faced by her and others in the State for simply trying to vote or register others.

She shared how she and others in 1963, while on their way home from a voter registration project, were pulled over on a back road by law enforcement who had been tipped off by local officials.  After being questioned concerning their whereabouts, they were loaded into vehicles and hauled off to the county jail without probable cause, which was customary for Civil Rights workers of the era.

Behind bars, she recounted the torture they received for not staying in their place or toeing the line of racial segregation.  According to Hamer, jailers ordered two Negro male inmates to restrain her as she lay face down. Then they were instructed to take turns striking her with batons while one held her legs to keep her feet from moving. She added the beatings continued until the men were exhausted, resulting in lifelong injuries, including to her kidneys. She also could hear screams from MFDP members in nearby cells. She indicated, "All of this was on account we wanted to register to become first-class citizens."

She concluded her dramatic testimony by stating, "...if the Freedom Democratic Party is not seated now, I question America. Is this America, the land of the free and home of the brave where we have to sleep with our telephone off the hooks because our lives be threatened daily because we want to live as decent human beings, in America?"

President Johnson preempted the proceedings with an announcement in the East Room. However, the networks carried it in its entirety later. Her words sent shockwaves across America as the Whitehouse was inundated with phone calls demanding blacks be given their full rights.

As a compromise, Johnson directed his lieutenants to draft a plan that short-changed the MFDP.  They were offered two at-large seats with no decision-making privileges on the floor. It was swiftly voted down, prompting Hamer to utter her famous words, "...we didn't come all this way for no two seats." They went back to their home State empty-handed.

Even though things didn't go as planned at the convention, Blacks voted overwhelmingly for Democrats in the Fall because Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law, which the Republican nominee rejected.  As a result of Hamer's speech, President Johnson introduced the Voting Rights Act a year later and persuaded Congress to pass it. It revolutionized African American participation in the political process, which benefited Democrats for generations to come.

Sources:

Britannica

Learning for Justice

Time Magazine

Zinn Education Project

 

Right On!, Jet and Others: A time to Remember

As a kid in the Seventies, I enjoyed Right On!, Jet, and other black magazines that were the gateway to the African American Community.  

I was thrilled to see my favorite stars grace the pages of these beloved publications, including the iconic Top Twenty Countdown of Soul, Funk, and Jazz artists that caught the eye of music lovers everywhere, and articles on politics, healthcare, and other events that impacted the black community.

Over time, they would fade into the background or cease to exist, like the memorable Right On! magazine that black teens loved. It depicted top musicians and entertainers with stories about their lives. I remember Switch, a popular RNB/Funk group, making the cover in 1978, which I looked at daily.  We lived vicariously through them or copied their style to seem cool. 

Like many other African American youth, my wall was filled with pictures from Right On!, such as the Jackson 5, Earth, Wind and Fire, and others too numerous to mention. Seeing them on Soul Train and American Bandstand was the icing on the cake.

I also enjoyed their coverage of acclaimed black actors from television and the big screen. They received the notoriety they richly deserved.

Unfortunately, Right On! ceased publication in 2014 and exists in digital format for future generations.

Jet Magazine, another African-American publication, focused mainly on current events. It was Launched in 1951 by the late John H. Johnson, who created the Johnson Publishing Company in 1942, which included other well-known black magazines. It was published weekly in digest form.

Billed as the news magazine for Black America, it delved into the Civil Rights Movement from start to finish, paying special tribute to the Emmitt Till Murder of 1955, and covered everyday black citizens. 

Men looked forward to the legendary Jet "Centerfold." Likewise, the infamous Top Twenty countdown of singles and albums of black musicians during the Soul and Funk era excited many. 

As of 2014, Jet Magazine, after sixty years of service, can no longer be found on magazine stands but has amassed a loyal internet of music lovers and those who care about the world around them.

In 1948, Johnson Publishing debuted Ebony Magazine, its flagship publication, as the motherload of all things black. It specializes in politics, fashion, and lifestyle. It also reports on campus life, Hollywood celebrities, and other issues of importance to black Americans. During its heyday, Ebony could be found in black homes everywhere. Despite experiencing hard times, it's still around today, although published by a different owner.

Decades later in the 1990s, the company followed up with Ebony Man Magazine. It was considered the male version of Essence Magazine for Black women and debuted during a renaissance in black popular culture. EM portrayed black men's relationships, fashion, and sports. In addition, it portrayed black men in business, music, and Hollywood at the height of the Hip-hop era.

Although short-lived, it garnered a loyal following of African American men from all backgrounds, including myself. A favorite issue of mine featured Rapper LLCool J on the cover as he embarked on an acting career. 

Unlike Ebony Man, Essence has survived decades as a voice for black women. Since 1970, it has provided fashion, business, and beauty tips for women of color and covered entertainment and culture from an African American perspective. It was introduced during the black power/women movement of the late sixties and early seventies.  With more than 2,000,000 current subscribers, their thought-provoking articles have even caught the attention of men. I have enjoyed Essence for many years, as it ranks as one of the best publications in circulation.

Essence also sponsors the annual Essence Awards Show for influential African Americans and other cultural events to enjoy.  Needless to say, Essence is going strong with no end in sight.

Similarly, Black Enterprise Magazine caught my eye at a young age. I bought a year's subscription in high school and have always admired African Americans who own businesses or have succeeded in the private sector. Despite what some may say, it is the bedrock of the black community.

Created by Earl Graves Sr. in 1970, it dominates the market for African Americans on how to succeed in corporate America or start a business in any climate. Moreover, it analyzes jobs, housing starts, and inflation. It also provides tips on stocks and bonds and the best time to adjust a 401k or retire with a company pension. It can still be found in print and digital form for business-minded and financial enthusiasts.

Georgia Southern recognizes integration of the University with commemorative marker | Newsroom

Georgia Southern recognizes integration of the University with commemorative marker | Newsroom: A new commemorative marker on Georgia Southern University’s campus pays tribute to a special part of Georgia Southern’s history and the University’s first African-American students who courageously paved the way and provided hope for a better way of life for students who followed. The Integration of Georgia Southern marker, prominently placed on Sweetheart Circle in

The Strength of Southwest Georgia

Southwest Georgia is a predominantly African American part of the State. It includes communities like Dawson, Moultrie, Thomasville, Leesburg, and Cuthbert, with  Albany being its flagship city. It has an abundance of African American farms, landowners, and a beautiful historically black college.  SOWEGA made a name for itself during the Civil Rights Movement as it was thrust into the national spotlight. Although beset by poverty and neglected by those in leadership positions, the area survives and holds its head high.