Sankofa Community Affairs w/ @SalimAdofo - #DCFerguson on Fire @DCFergus...

@NBUF Rally H-Town 4 Mike Brown

#DCFerguson to rally at Mt. Vernon Square the 'day after' if no indictment!

Point of Contact: Salim Adofo                                                                                         

301-836-1826

#DCFerguson will hold a rally, 7pm at Mt. Vernon Square in Washington DC, the “day after” if the grand jury in Ferguson, Missouri, does not indict Officer Darren Wilson for the murder of teenager Michael Brown.  #DCFerguson continues to stand in solidarity with the Michael Brown family and the sisters and brothers in Ferguson that are continuing to protest and resist the police murders of Black and Latino people every 28 hours in America. 

ANSWER Coalition organizer Eugene Puryear says,"The murder of Michael Brown and the situation in Ferguson can and should be a turning point. Where we finally come to terms with the root causes of these issues and address social deprivation and oppression and the police brutality that comes with it."

The initial sponsors of #DCFerguson include the National Black United Front, the ANSWER Coalition, We Act Radio, the Party forSocialism and Liberation and the American Muslim Alliance, as well as independent organizing networks that have sprung up in the wake of Michael Brown's killing.

NBUF Launches a new TV Show "Sankofa Community Affairs w/ @SalimAdofo"

Creating a more progressive Black presence in media, the National Black United Front (NBUF) has launched the"Sankofa Community Affairs Show with Salim Adofo." Sankofa is a West African word from the culture of Akan, which means to learn from the past, in order to move forward.

Moving in the tradition of ancestor Gil Noble, the show highlights the contributions of progressive grassroots organizers, entertainers and issues challenging the Black community in America. With so many negative images and misinformation consistently being disseminated across the airwaves about the Black community, it's important to have an independent voice that can give a fair and objective view. Additionally, with corporate conglomerates controlling the flow of information, a media presence that can speak to the on the ground issues, is another reason why NBUF created the show. 

The show features prominent scholars such as Dr.Greg Carr, chair of the Afro-American Studies Department of Howard University and Raymond Winbush, author and educator at Morgan State University. Hip Hop artists and activists such as Bomani Armah and Kymone Freeman will be featured too.

 Sankofa Community Affairs with Salim Adofo can be seen every Wednesday night at 8pm in the nations capital on the Washington DC TV Network (channel 95) or viewed via live stream on DCTV.org. It will air on Fairfax Public Access TV, channel 10, at 10pm in Northern Virginia, every Wednesday as well. There are encore airings on Saturdays at 6 am and Sundays at 9:30 am in Northern VA and Thursdays at 11am in Washington DC.

For areas of coverage in Northern VA, please click here.

DC Ferguson protest Rally for Mike Brown

No More Mike Browns!

Justice for Mike Brown March & Rally Washington DC

March and Rally to Demand Justice for Michael Brown

For Immediate Release

Press Contact:
Salim Adofo 347 422 7823

August 22, 2014

March and Rally to Demand: “Justice for Michael Brown”

Saturday, August 23 Rally at 7:00 p.m. in Mt. Vernon Square March to Chinatown

On Saturday, August 23 beginning at 7:00 p.m. demonstrators will gather in Mt. Vernon Square for a brief rally before marching to Chinatown to demand “Justice for Mike Brown” and stand in solidarity with the people of Ferguson, Missouri. As daily protests continue in Ferguson, people around the country are likewise continuing to show their solidarity, and join the call for justice and in opposition to police brutality that is rampant nationwide.

The District is no exception. Rallies and marches have been taking place across D.C. over the past 10 days, from Howard University’s campus to Malcolm X Park to the White House. Saturday’s rally in Mt. Vernon Square and march to Chinatown will build on all of these events, bringing together many organizations and individuals. The initial sponsors of the event include the National Black United Front, the ANSWER Coalition, We Act Radio, the Party for Socialism and Liberation, as well as independent organizing networks that have sprung up in the wake of Michael Brown’s killing. Saturday’s march and rally are specifically demanding the arrest of Officer Darren Wilson, the demilitarization of the police, and the institutionalization of civilian review boards of the police with the right to hire and fire.

 The Call to Action for Saturday explain: “Residents of the District of Columbia, just like millions around the country recognize that at the root of Ferguson are the social, racial and economic injustices that exist nationwide. They know that Ferguson could really be anywhere and Michael Brown could be any young Black male. According to a report by the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, every 28 hours a Black person is killed by a police officer, security, or vigilante in the United States. There is almost complete impunity for the perpetrators of most of these crimes.

The political marginalization and racialized poverty that exist in Ferguson are replicated in communities across the country. “The murder of Michael Brown and the situation in Ferguson can and should be a turning point. Where we finally come to terms with the root causes of these issues and address social deprivation and oppression and the police brutality that comes with it.”
                                                                             ###

Sankofa Community Affairs with @SalimAdofo Malcolm X

Sankofa Community Affairs w/ @SalimAdofo and @AfricanaCarr - The Importa...

NBUF Launches TV Show - Sankofa Community Affairs with @SalimAdofo

As a result of the large decline of a progressive Black presence in media, the National Black United Front (NBUF) created the Sankofa Community Affairs Show.  Sankofa is a West African word from the culture of Akan, which means to learn from the past, in order to move forward.  Hosted by NBUF National Vice Chairperson of Organizing and Training, Salim Adofo, the show highlights the contributions of progressive grassroots organizers, entertainers and issues challenging the Black community in America.

With so many negative images and misinformation consistently being disseminated across the airwaves about the Black community, it’s important to have an independent voice that can give a fair and objective view.  Additionally, with corporate conglomerates controlling the flow of information, a media presence that can speak to the on the ground issues, is another reason why NBUF created the show.

The first season of the television series will feature Dr.Greg Carr, chair of the Afro-American Studies Department of Howard University, media personality, Dr. Justine Love and Senghor Baye, President-General of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA-ACL).

Sankofa Community Affairs with Salim Adofo can be seen every Wednesday night on Fairfax Public Access TV, channel 10, at 10pm in Northern, Virginia.  There is an encore airing on Saturdays at 6 am and Sundays at 9:30 am.  The show will begin to air in Washington DC and Arlington VA, in September.  For those that out of the Washington DC Metro area, the show can be watched online at: 

http://www.nationalblackunitedfront.org.  

For more information, please contact blackunitedfront@gmail.com 

What to Black people is the 4th of July? Why We Need Reparations

What to Black people is the 4th of July?  Why We Need Reparations

By Salim Adofo

National Vice Chairperson

National Black United Front

On July 5, 1852, in a meeting sponsored by the anti-lynching society, Frederick Douglass gave the speech "What to the slave is the 4th of July?" In his speech, he illustrated the terrible conditions that Black people face, living in America. He showed the contradiction of white America celebrating freedom, but at the same time denying it to Black people.

During the time of Frederick Douglass, the dominant society denied people of African decent access to a quality education, access to resources to build quality homes, and access to affordable healthcare.

In fact, according to the Supreme Court of the United States, in what became known as the Dred Scott Decision, Black people did not have any rights that a white person was bound to respect.

Now, 162 years later, one must ask the question, "What to Black People is the 4th of July?" Do Black people have a reason to celebrate the freedom and independence of America? Are Black people owed reparations?

In 2014, Blacks may no longer face "Jim Crow"; however, Blacks are confronted with a more sophisticated version titled "James Crow the II." Overt acts of white supremacy have been replaced, in some cases, with Institutional White Supremacy.

Criminal Justice System

For example, mainstream America will have you believe that the 13th Amendment of the Constitution freed African people from slavery, however it only legalized it. The 13th Amendment reads:

Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

Therefore, if one is convicted of a crime, you can be subjugated to "legal slavery."

This has proven to be very significant, because Black people are less than 20% percent of the population, yet are over 40% of the prison population. Once a Black person has a felony record, she or he is often denied government jobs, can no longer qualify for financial aid for college, disqualified from residing in government housing, and in many states disqualified from voting.

If one is unable to have a place to live, work, obtain a job, pay for school or is unable to vote to change the laws, she or he is being maneuvered into an illegal activity, just to survive.

Housing

In the area of housing, billionaire Donald Sterling was sued by the US Department of Justice for housing discrimination against Blacks in Los Angeles California in 2009.  Also in 2009, Bank of America was also sued for forcing bad mortgages of Black people and then foreclosing on their homes.

Education

When it comes to the quality of education that Black people are receiving has improved, but there is a very long way to go.  In 2012 the Daily News reported that in NYC public schools, Black students have less advance placement classes, as well fewer science labs.  NPR reported in 2013 that Historically Black Colleges and Universities are receiving less funding than primary white institutions. Schools such as Morris Brown and St. Paul’s College have already closed their doors.

162 years later, Blacks are still people suffering political oppression, economic exploitation and social degradation because of the institutionalized racist policies and practices of the dominant society. This only strengthens the entitlement to reparations that people of African decent in America deserve.  The National Black United Front (NBUF) will address this issue during its town hall meeting titled “Gentrification and Discrimination in Housing and Education: Why We Need Reparations.”

The town hall meeting will take place during the 35th National Convention of NBUF at Howard University from July 10 – 13.  The town hall meeting will feature Leah D. Daughtry CEO of the 2008 Democratic National Convention Committee, Omowale Clay of the Non Governmental Organization (NGO) December 12th Movement International Secretariat, and Dr. Ray Winbush author of Should America Pay and director of the Institute of Urban Research at Morgan State University. The program will also feature Eugene Puryear, at large candidate for city council in Washington DC.

This event is free and open to the public.  For more information on the convention, please on the visit http://www.nbufdc.org

25 Anniversary of the Tribute to the Ancestors of the Middle Passage

NBUF 35th National Convention Outline

NBUF National Convention Outline

Thursday July 10

6:00 pm – 10 pm

National Town Hall Meeting
Omowale Clay, Dr. Ray Winbush and Eugene Puryear
 Gentrification & Discrimination in Housing and Education:
Why We Need Reparations

Friday July 11

6:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Dr. Leonard Jeffries & Dr. Conrad Worrill
– African History as a Tool for Liberation

Saturday July 12

9:00 am

Registration

9:30 am Opening Ceremony

·       Prayer

·       Libation

·       Pledge to the Red Black & Green

·       National Anthem

Adult Track

10:00 am – 11:30 am

Buy Black Empowerment Initiative

11:30 – 12pm
Lunch/Vendors

12pm – 1:30pm
History of the NBUF

1:45pm – 3:15 pm
Baba James Small – Spirituality, Culture and the Liberation Movement

Youth Summit (Young Adult Track)

10:00 am – 11:30 am

Ajamu Youth Investment Group

11:30 am – 12pm
Lunch/Vendors

12pm – 1:30 pm

Sex, Hip Hop & Mass Media

1:45 pm – 3:15 pm

Nation of Gods and Earths Influence on Hip Hop

Young Child (ages 12 and under)
10:00 am - RBG Art Project

11:30 – 12pm
Lunch

12 pm – 1:30 pm
Leon Dixon Youth S.T.E.M. Science Fair

1:45 pm – 3:15 pm

African Dance

Saturday July 12

6:30 pm – 10pm
NBUF National Unity Dinner & Award Ceremony (***$25***)

Sunday July 13

9:00 am

Registration

9:30 am Opening Ceremony

·       Prayer

·       Libation

·       Pledge to the Red Black & Green

·       National Anthem

10:00 am – 11:50 am

State of NBUF: Convention Analysis

12pm – 3pm

Marimba Ani - Spiritual Warfare

6:30pm – 10pm (***$10***)

NBUF Political Prisoners Performing Arts Show – Featuring the Last Poets & Taalam Acey

All events are free with registration, unless otherwise noted.

For online registration, ticketed event purchase and vending, please visit: nbufdc.org

Suggested Convention Hotels:

Hilton Crystal City at Washington Reagan Rational Airport

2399 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington VA 22202 (703) 418 6800

Vegetarian and Non Vegetarian food options will be available.

There are activities for adults, and workshops for adults and children of all ages.

Mass Incarceration and Political Prisoners