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UTC History Department to co-sponsor public lecture on the legacy of Quaker enslavement

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UTC History Department to co-sponsor public lecture on the legacy of Quaker enslavement

By J. Todd Foster

Avis Wanda McClinton is co-leader of “The 339 Manumissions and Beyond Project.” Photo courtesy of Avis Wanda McClinton.
David Satten-López, a 2021 Spectrum Scholar and the former Morris Evans Post-Baccalaureate Fellow at Haverford College.

For centuries, Quakers have been known for pacifism, teetotaling and opposing slavery. But an upcoming free public lecture at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga will detail how some Quakers amassed great wealth on the whip-scarred backs of kidnapped Africans forced into slavery.

“A group of local Quakers took interest in ‘The 339 Manumissions and Beyond Project’ based in greater Philadelphia and reached out to the UTC History Department about the possibility of partnering on a public event here in Chattanooga,” said Dr. Michael Thompson, a UC Foundation associate professor of history whose courses include the antebellum American South and slavery.

“The History Department proudly partners with many community groups to not only provide our students with internship and research opportunities, but also to support educational initiatives that aim to address tough issues and better our local communities.”

The presentation “The 339 Manumissions and Beyond Project: A Reparative Search for Descendants of Formerly Enslaved Africans” will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, at the Guerry Center Reading Room, 715 Oak St. on campus at UTC.

“The 339 Manumissions and Beyond Project” is a research and educational effort in response to the release of newly digitized manumission documents at Haverford College, located just outside Philadelphia. “Manumission” refers to the legal document that freed enslaved people from bondage. 

The Quaker and Special Collections archive contains documents for 339 enslaved Africans who were freed between 1765 and 1790 by slaveholding families who belonged to the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) of the Religious Society of Friends, the central organizing body for Quaker meetings for parts of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey.

The project’s goal is “to be a restorative, healing force that connects modern descendants with their enslaved ancestors, and to understand the lives of these first generations of ‘freemen,’” the project states.

Project co-leader Avis Wanda McClinton of the Philadelphia area is working to discover what happened to these 339 “children of God” and to find their descendants. McClinton was the first and only Quaker at her home congregation in the township of Upper Dublin, near Philadelphia, and will be one of the presenters. McClinton has led efforts to create monuments to manumitted slaves to make sure they are never forgotten.

“It’s about us straightening up American history,” McClinton said in a phone interview. “This is God’s work. I feel led to do it but sometimes I think I don’t have what it takes to do this job: How to bring humanity and some dignity to them? That’s what keeps me up at night.”

McClinton said she has been physically and verbally attacked for her efforts by fellow Quakers, but the former steelworker said she is undeterred.

“White people of Quakerism have pushed back on me for airing dirty laundry. We’re not supposed to talk about race or racism during worship. Once I found that Quakers had [formerly] enslaved people in their graveyards, I made up an ad hoc group of friends to say let’s find more of these.”

Haverford contacted McClinton after digitizing their records, said David Satten-López, a 2021 Spectrum Scholar and the former Morris Evans Post-Baccalaureate Fellow at Haverford College, where he led the school’s first iteration of the website manumissions.haverford.edu.

The next step, said Satten-López–who will be presenting historical evidence alongside McClinton–is to partner with Howard University in Washington, D.C., and research its manumission documents.

“This is part of really looking at the more complicated, real history of our country,” he said. “Even though this group was one of the first American religious groups to be abolitionists, the Quakers had a very conflicted history leading up to that. There were fights, debates and discussions about this. This is always a difficult process for the white community.

“We’re looking forward and toward the partnership with Howard and getting this history out there. It’s often been of the most interest to the Quaker community, but we want to bring it back to the African American community. To do that with descendants of those enslaved would be amazing,” Satten-López said.

“To repair is to fix what was broken,” the project’s mission states. There were three aspects of Quakers and slavery: First was the violent capture and removal of people from their homes in Africa, stripping them of their freedom, families and culture. The second was wealthy Quakers’ exploitation of enslaved people, and the third was their refusal to allow freed slaves into the religion.

“While we celebrate that Quakers came to recognize the humanity of these enslaved people and the immorality of participating in the institution of slavery … the damage from these breaks comes down to us today, as people whose ancestors were enslaved are cut off from their family histories, and Quakers continue to struggle with full participation by people of African descent in their church,” the project states. “Our Quaker-led project is a reparative project as we seek to restore the family histories of those descended from people enslaved by Quakers and answer the question of what happened to these newly freed Americans and how they survived?”

The UTC presentation is spearheaded by local Quakers with the Chattanooga Friends Meeting of which Laura Seeger has been a member for nearly 20 years. She is the clerk of its ad hoc committee for the 339 Manumissions presentation.

“The Religious Society of Friends (better known as Quakers) has a history/reputation of being abolitionists,” Seeger said. “While there is some truth to this–it is not the whole story. When Quakers first came to this country, many benefited from the slave trade. I think it is important that we acknowledge our whole history–not just the parts that make us look good. I hope through this presentation we can talk more honestly about history, specifically Quakers’ role and how we might approach reparative justice for the descendants of folks that were enslaved by Quakers [and make] steps in the right direction to a more just and loving society.” For questions or additional information, contact chattanoogafriendsmeeting@gmail.com.

Coco Gauff Wins the U.S. Open Championship

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Coco Gauff Wins the U.S. Open Championship

On Saturday, (Sept 9th) Coco Gauff won the Women’s U.S. Open championship by defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the final 2-6, 6-3, 6-2. Gauff, 19 years old, became the youngest woman to win the championship since Serena Williams won the title in 1999, at the age of 17 years old. 

Gauff’s impressive triumph comes after facing a challenging lineup of opponents throughout her U.S. Open journey, attracting many viewers to her matches. She emerged victorious against some of the world’s top players, including her final opponent who held the second rank in the tournament.

Gauff delivered a thrilling performance and emerged victorious in her final set. Overcome with emotion, she fell to the court and shed a few tears before saying a quick prayer. She then sought out her parents, coaches, and other family members in the stands to celebrate with them. During her match on Saturday at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Gauff was cheered on by a supportive crowd who chanted “Let’s go Coco” between sets. Despite being a fan favorite, Gauff remained modest after beating Sablenka and acknowledged that she still has room to grow as a player. However, she has also learned to accept and appreciate herself on a personal level.

“I learned how to just stay within myself but also embrace it… Before I tried to ignore it, but now I’m really embracing it and I still feel like I have long, long ways to develop as a player. Today was nowhere near my best, but it was just enough that I needed to win in that moment,” Gauff said.

Gauff appeared on the TODAY Show Monday morning to discuss her surreal victory.

“It’s still crazy… Even last night I was telling myself, ‘You’re a Grand Slam champion,’ and it doesn’t feel real at all,” Gauff told TODAY.

The outpouring of support for Gauff from former players and high-ranking officials shows no signs of slowing down. Even former President Barack Obama took to social media to offer his congratulations, saying “Congratulations to US Open champion, @CocoGauff! We are immensely proud of you both on and off the court, and we know that you have even greater things in store.” Meanwhile, tennis icon Serena Williams expressed her excitement over Gauff’s win by posting a photo of her on Instagram Story with the caption “Ahhhhh!!!! Amazing!!!!”

Coco Gauff began her tennis journey at six years old. She made her professional debut in 2018 and gained national attention after defeating Venus Williams in Wimbledon that year. After facing a slight setback during the 2023 Wimbledon season after a very surprising early exit. She told the media that she had to go back to the drawing board after her loss.  “I have to go back to the drawing board and see where I need to improve and how to do the right drills to do that,” Gauff said.

It was evident that she had made the necessary modifications after her impressive performance at the U.S. Open. Despite receiving immense support, Gauff remained composed throughout her journey. Her speech conveyed her gratitude for the opportunity to play the sport she adores at the U.S. Open.

“I’m in a very privileged position, I’m getting paid to do what I love and getting support to do what I love. That’s something that I don’t take for granted… I have a lucky life and so I should enjoy it,” Gauff said. “…I know there are millions of people who probably want to be in this position that I am now, so instead of saying why this, why that, I should just be, like, ‘Why not me? Why am I not enjoying this?’ I should,” she continued. You go Coco! (Source: BlackDoctor.org by Robyn Craig)

Jones Named to NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Committee

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Jones Named to NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Committee

Chattanooga Mocs Senior Associate Athletics Director Ken Jones is serving his first of four terms on the NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Committee in 2023-24.  He represents the East Region as part of his duties. 

Jones is in his 10th year at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, working as the lead compliance officer for the Mocs.  In addition to those duties, he is the administrative oversight of the men’s and women’s golf programs and serves as an integral member of the athletics executive team.

“Ken is a talented member of our team and does an excellent job as oversight of our golf programs,” stated Vice-Chancellor for Athletics Mark Wharton.  “It is exciting to see members of our staff serve in leadership roles in the NCAA, and I know he will do a great job on the committee.”

The six-member committee is responsible for the selection and seeding of the competing teams in the NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championships. Jones and the committee work with the Golf Coaches Association of America regarding NCAA Championships format, scoring, media and factors influencing NCAA men’s golf. Jones helped lead the hiring search that brought current men’s head coach Blaine Woodruff to Chattanooga.  That move paid off well with the Mocs advancing to the NCAA Championships in Woodruff’s first season.

Affordable Housing, Homeownership, and Generational Wealth – It’s Critical

Robin Smith
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Affordable Housing, Homeownership, and Generational Wealth – It’s Critical

What’s got a megachurch pastor buying land for affordable housing? Simply, the man of God knows what that government has failed to honor and understand: Work and ownership creates immediate provision but also generational wealth.

“We need affordable housing” is spoken by those whose properties are hit by increasing property taxes or those who see homes leveled for more pricey units for rent, lease, or sale by developers in the process called gentrification.

Whatever the influencing factor, the reality is that homeownership has been difficult in the African American community and has worsened.

Bishop T.D. Jakes, lead pastor of The Potters House in Dallas, Texas, established an enterprise which includes a real estate venture company. The TD Jakes Group purchased almost 100 acres in Atlanta in 2022 to assist in making homeownership a greater likelihood for African Americans who couldn’t otherwise afford to own or attain lending.

The development is the first of a joint effort with Wells Fargo and Jakes, whose devotion to facilitate financial literacy and independence is often woven throughout his ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Atlanta endeavor launches a 10-year agreement of about $1 billion in investment of “mixed-income housing with an array of living choices such as single-family homes, townhomes and apartments positioned in well-designed neighborhoods with ample amenities aimed at enhancing the quality of life through healthy food choices, healthcare options and other wraparound services.”

Some may applaud the business acumen of the highly driven and intelligent pastor. Yet, his plan is not just biblical, it’s supported by economists and reality.

The entire Old Testament records God’s people in a land of their own with the priority of family as the foundation of all society. Remember, there was no “church” until Acts 2, so God used family and generational wealth to establish His people.

The fight, then, was against warring nations that demanded their loyalty and servitude. That battle continues as families sometimes literally fight to own their own homes in an overtaxed, over-regulated environment with constant pressures on the family unit itself.

Economic experts on African American wealth and ownership:

  • “The benefits from homeownership have not been shared equally. In the second quarter of 2022, the homeownership rate for white households was 75% compared to 45% for Black households, 48% for Hispanic households, and 57% for non-Hispanic households of any other race…the Black-white gap in homeownership rates was the same in 2020 as it was in 1970” (US Treasury, Sept 15, 2022).
  • “The Black-white wealth gap in the U.S. shows that progress on closing the gap has all but stalled since the 1950s and inequality is on track to grow moving forward” (Princeton’s Ellora Derenoncourt, PhD, Wealth of Two Nations).
  • “In 2019, the median net worth of white families was $188,200–7.8 times that of their Black peers, at $24,100” (US Federal Reserve).

Possessing personal property and wealth is critically important to lift all. Innovative solutions to remove barriers and threats to these biblical and American rights are ones to applaud.

Hey, Best and Brightest Tennessee Students, the UT System Wants YOU

Robin Smith
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Hey, Best and Brightest Tennessee Students, the UT System Wants YOU

The University of Tennessee Board of Trustees’ September 8 meeting had as its first agenda item, “Admissions Policy Proposal.” That meeting concluded with a news release approving “a guaranteed admissions standards proposal that would impact all UT undergraduate campuses.”

So, what does that mean to all Tennessee students?

These guaranteed admissions standards are aimed “to expand access, recruit more of Tennessee’s best and brightest students to its campuses, promote greater geographic representation, and further its land grant mission,” according to the University of Tennessee’s system President Randy Boyd.

It seems that Tennessee’s land grant university, established in 1794 as Blount College two years before Tennessee was even a state, wants to actively seek the best and brightest minds that are homegrown in the Volunteer State.

What are these new guaranteed admissions standards that were made effective upon Board of Trustee passage and through the Fall of 2024 class?

The Board of Trustees approved President Boyd’s presented admissions changes as follows:

The approved proposal means all UT undergraduate campuses would guarantee first-year admission to all Tennessee high school students who meet any of the following eligibility criteria:*

  • Finish in the top 10% of their high school’s graduating class; or
  • Achieve a 4.0 or higher cumulative GPA.

Additionally, UT campuses in Martin, Pulaski, and Chattanooga would add a third criteria:

  • Achieve a 3.2 or cumulative higher GPA and have an ACT composite score of 23 or higher (or an SAT score of 1130-1150 or higher).

Applying these new criteria to the 65,580 public high school students, about 10% would have guaranteed admission with almost 28% of Tennessee high school students scoring a 23 or higher on the ACT admissions test. Students who are looking to attend a four-year higher education setting within the next year, schedule a meeting with your guidance counselor or start browsing now at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga or the University of Tennessee Knoxville websites (https://www.utc.edu/about/admissions or https://admissions.utk.edu/apply/) to begin your process.

VOTE_VOTE_VOTE!!

Terry Howard
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VOTE_VOTE_VOTE!!

 Justice delayed; justice denied!

My two recent columns on the killings of Emmett Till and Rev. George Lee in Mississippi seemed to bother “Fred,” who identified himself as a frequent reader. Here’s a recap of our recent exchange:

FRED: Look, with so many other pressing issues today, why on Earth do you keep taking us back in history? It’s awful what happened to them but why should we be reminded of the fate of Till and Lee? Give us a break, will you!

ME: Nice to hear from you Fred. Well, given that we’re in the midst of a rancorous election for the next president, let alone acts to suppress the right to vote, I thought it important to remind folks of the ultimate price paid by many to secure and exercise that right.

FRED: Okay but don’t you think that it’s time to move on?

ME: Actually, I have one more Fred. This time it’s about Lamar Smith. Perhaps you’ve never heard of him. So here it is.

To contextualize this narrative, it seems that death by suicide has a way of cheating survivors out of the justice they deserve. That’s the thought that raced through my mind when I heard that the killer of three innocent African Americans in Jacksonville, Florida took his own life by the gun he used to snuff out the lives of his victims. You could hear that frustration from the mouths of Jacksonville’s police chief and many others who seized and screamed into microphones.

Similarly, the Jacksonville tragedy got me thinking about death by natural causes as was the case of the killers of Emmett Till and Rev. George Lee, Mississippi men I wrote about in previous columns who died before facing justice. Although it took decades of case dismissals, Byron De Beckwith, the assassin of Civil Rights activist Medgar Evers, was finally convicted for his heinous crime. Of course, Beckwith’s conviction was the exception in those days in the deep South.

This takes us to a little-known Lamar Smith, the World War I veteran who knew the risk of registering Black residents to vote in the deep South and encouraging them to exercise that right. I happened across the name Lamar Smith during my research into the death of Emmett Till, which led me to learning about Rev. George Lee and eventually to Lamar Smith. Briefly, Lamar Smith’s civil rights work led to his fatal shooting in 1955 on the lawn of the Brookhaven courthouse in Mississippi by three men who, like scores of others during that time in our history, were never prosecuted for the crime. His murder was one of several racially motivated attacks in Mississippi in that year. The other incidents, as cited, included the murder of George W. Lee in Belzoni (May), Emmett Till, in Money (August), and the shooting of Gus Courts (December), a civil rights associate of Lee in Belzoni. The Smith case was cited in the NAACP‘s pamphlet M is for Mississippi and Murder.

Noah Smith, Mack Smith, and Charles Falvey were arrested for Smith’s death, but were never tried. Two grand juries were convened but did not take action because witnesses refused to testify, according to FBI documents. The FBI reopened Smith’s case in 2008 as part of an initiative for unresolved civil rights era murders but closed his case in April 2010, saying that the three men were dead and unable to be prosecuted.

Now as frustrating as it is, the Jacksonville killer’s suicide snatched away any chance for justice for the survivors of his hateful act. Similarly, deaths by natural causes robbed the survivors of the killings of Till, Lee, and Smith the justice they deserved.

So let’s wrap this up with the well-recognized phrase “Justice delayed is justice denied,” one that’s often used to emphasize the importance of timely and efficient delivery of justice.

When a legal system fails to provide justice in a timely manner, it can lead to frustration, loss of faith in the system, and even further injustice. It’s hard to imagine decades waiting for justice by the families of Emmett Till, George Lee, and Lamar Smith only to see that justice snatched away by death by natural causes.

In the end, I hope that one day we won’t have to regurgitate the past to remind folks not to take the right to vote for granted, especially during the times we now live in.

And “Fred,” if you read this one, thanks for posing me with your question. Keep on reading and I promise to keep on writing.Terry Howard is an award-winning trainer, writer, and storyteller. He is a contributing writer with the Chattanooga News Chronicle, The American Diversity Report, The Douglas County Sentinel, Blackmarket.com, co-founder of the “26 Tiny Paint Brushes” writers guild, recipient of the 2019 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Award, and third place winner of the 2022 Georgia Press Award.

BLACK ENTREPRENEUR LAUNCHES LYINGCLIENT.COM, A PLATFORM THAT EXPOSES DISHONEST CUSTOMERS

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BLACK ENTREPRENEUR LAUNCHES LYINGCLIENT.COM, A PLATFORM THAT EXPOSES DISHONEST CUSTOMERS

Nationwide — Meet Tamera Preacher, the founder and CEO of LyingClient.com, a website she envisioned after having three consecutive bad experiences with difficult customers. On one occasion, her general contracting company, one of very few owned by a Black woman, had been falsely reported to the BBB, and this motivated her to create a platform that would expose dishonest and Karen-like customers. Ultimately, it would be a website that would allow business owners and entrepreneurs to report problematic customers and share their experiences.

It wasn’t easy, however, for Tamera to create the platform. She does not have a technical background, she is a military veteran, and she earned her master’s degree in Human Resources – all factors that have nothing to do with website development. But she was determined to get it done regardless.

She sought out an attorney to learn the laws about recording and displaying customers’ information. Then she began the process of finding the right website developer but initially, no one seemed to have the same passion and standards to develop the perfect website. It needed to be user-friendly, have a social media platform adjoining, and most importantly, be accessible to busy people really easily. Most individuals who work for themselves don’t have a lot of time to write about or even research a customer’s information.

Eventually, though, she found the right developer, and the site was officially launched shortly after. Now in year two, she has grown a substantial social media following and gained attention from several business owners active in their careers. Her website has even now ranked #1 on Reddit.com as the best platform to report “Karen” customers.

Here are some of the website’s features:

Real-time Scam Alerts: Stay informed and avoid falling victim to scams by accessing real-time alerts about fraudulent customer activities.

Directory of Terrible Customer Experiences: Make informed decisions with a comprehensive directory of negative customer experiences.

Advertising for Your Business: Showcase your services to a targeted audience of like-minded professionals on the platform.

Legal Aid Page: Provide legal resources for starting a business, maintaining a business, and legally securing your business.

Tips against Hackers: Safeguard your data and online presence with best practices.

Tips for Cybersecurity: Enhance your cybersecurity knowledge to protect sensitive information effectively.

Like most things, when it gains notoriety not everyone will understand the purpose. Recently she was racially attacked and cyberbullied for her firm stance on exposing Karen customers. The platform’s significance has been acknowledged by its ranking as #1 on Reddit for its innovative approach to addressing the issue of “Karen” customers—individuals displaying unreasonable demands. After much litigation though, the website is still here and ready to provide services to the general public. For more details and/or to sign up for membership, visit LyingClient.com

It’s About Combating Hate

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It’s About Combating Hate

Thursday, October 5, 7:00 p.m.

UTC University Center Auditorium

Open to the public; No cost to attend

The Jewish Federation of Greater Chattanooga with event partners: B’nai Zion Congregation, Mizpah Congregation, Chabad of Chattanooga, University of Tennessee of Chattanooga, Department of Philosophy and Religion and Chair of Excellence in Judaic Studies, Northminster Presbyterian Church, Unitarian Universalist Church, and Second Presbyterian Church presents:

Keynote Speaker Eytan Davidson, ADL Southeast Regional Director

Topic: The State of Hate and Antisemitism

Davidson, originally from New York, has called Atlanta home since 2008. He is the grandson of Holocaust survivors and Jewish refugees from Eastern Europe. In his most recent professional role, Davidson was the Vice President for Communications and Policy at Purpose Built Communities, where his work focused on counseling outstanding leaders in dozens of neighborhoods across the country focused on breaking the cycle of intergenerational urban poverty. Before that, Davidson worked for Atlanta BeltLine, Inc., serving as the Communications Director, stewarding the transformational BeltLine project from vision to reality. Eytan started his career in New York as a campaign staffer for Michael Bloomberg, where he served for nearly five years in his Mayoral administration in several high-impact roles.

 “After the pink billboards brought to Chattanooga by the Jewish Federation, we want to continue this important conversation about antisemitism, hate and discrimination.”, states Michael Dzik, Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Chattanooga.

               ADL is the world’s leading anti-hate organization. Founded in 1913 in response to an escalating climate of anti-Semitism and bigotry, its timeless mission is to protect the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment for all. Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of hate with the same vigor and passion. A global leader in exposing extremism, delivering anti-bias education, and fighting hate online, ADL is the first call when acts of antisemitism occur. ADL’s ultimate goal is a world in which no group or individual suffers from bias, discrimination or hate. The Jewish Federation of Greater Chattanooga works diligently to educate and fight against antisemitism and all forms of hate.  We create partnerships with civic, business and faith communities to build understanding and respect for all.

National Voter Registration Day

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National Voter Registration Day

Officials of The Southern Christian Leadership Conference Seek to Strengthen Alliance Between Black Americans and Jews

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Officials of The Southern Christian Leadership Conference Seek to Strengthen Alliance Between Black Americans and Jews

Civil Rights Organization Commits to Fulfilling Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s 55-Year-Old Promise To The Jewish Nation

ATLANTA – Ten days after he was assassinated on a hotel balcony in Memphis, Dr. Martin Luther King, Dr., the co-founder and president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), was scheduled to make a return visit to Israel, where he was fostering stronger alliances between Black Americans and Jews, two groups that shared a common history of discrimination, racism, and oppression.

Last month, SCLC’s First Lady Cathelean Steele, and Dr. Charles Steele, Jr., the civil rights organization’s president and CEO, finally made good on the SCLC’s return to Israel. First Lady Steele was honored by Israeli leaders and was a guest speaker at three events, including one on a street named after Dr. King and one outside a popular forest where a section is named after Dr. King’s late wife, Coretta. During the SCLC’s 54th Annual Conference on August 25 and 26th, Ms. Steele and Dr. Steele  provided highlights of that historic trip.

Today, they announced next steps for strengthening relations between both communities, which includes educating Black Americans about the historic alliance and the need for it to continue as well as supporting efforts that encourage Black Americans to travel to Israel where they can learn first-hand about the reason Black Americans and Jews have a bond that cannot be broken.

This renewed focus comes during a time when tensions have developed between the Black and Jewish communities following comments by high profile individuals from both sectors that are perceived antisemitic and anti-Black.

In an effort to address the discourse and to repair damage to decades of Black Americans and Jews uniting to address injustices, many Black and Jewish organizations across the nation have been holding symposiums and other meetings where the discussions center on honest dialogue about the state of the alliance. The SCLC is one of the latest internationally recognized Black organizations and one of the most legendary to place the spotlight on strengthening the alliance, because its ties to working closely with Israeli leaders date back to Dr. King’s visit in 1959.

With major civil rights gains being reversed and attacked and with the heightened racial tensions in the U.S., Ms. Steele and Dr. Steele said the SCLC made a commitment with Israeli leaders that the organization is committed to completing Dr. King’s vision of building a stronger collaboration between the two communities.

“We still need each other,” Mrs. Steele said about the alliance with Israel. “We need to work together. We need to realize our past, and we need to make sure our future is better than our past. I believe that Dr. King’s dream and Mrs. Coretta Scott King’s dream is being fulfilled. The history of African Americans and the history of our Jewish brothers and sisters is not that different. Slavery is slavery. I don’t care what name you call it by.”

She added, “We are fulfilling the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to bring African Americans to Israel. Our job is to bring us back together because of the history we share.”

During her visit to Jerusalem, Ms. Steele shared a passage Dr. King shared about the SCLC’s commitment to Israel.

“Peace for Israel means security, and we want to stand with all of our might to protect its right to exist. It’s territorial integrity. I think Israel, and I never mind saying it, has one of the great outposts of democracy in the world and a marvelous example of what can be done… how desert land can almost be transformed into an oasis of brotherhood and democracy. Peace for Israel means security and that security must be reality.”

Ms. Steele, one of a delegation of 600 women, including 150 women leaders from the U.S., said the SCLC will be working through an organization called the Covenant Daughters International, who is working closely with the First Lady of Israel Michal Herzog to bring African Americans on a continuous basis to Israel.

Dr. Steele said the alliance would also include focus on economics, because Dr. King recognized a few months before his death that the movement had focused on integration and voting rights and left out economics.

“He thought integrating people in society and putting them in political positions would bring about economic equality,” Dr. Steele said. “You cannot have the right to vote without economics.”

Ms. Steele and Dr. Steele said education is the key to building the foundation for a stronger alliance with Israel, something that Ms. King was intentionally about in her quest to root out communism and antisemitism until her death.

“She believed there was an educational benefit reassuring that Black and Jewish youth understood the struggle that each group experienced as two of the most repressed groups in the world,” Ms. Steele said. “Dr. Steele and I agree, and we are committed to strengthening the alliance so we can eradicate all injustices.”

ABOUT THE SCLC: Established in 1957, the SCLC, whose first president was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is an international organization made up of chapters and affiliates with programs that affect the lives of all Americans: north, south, east, and west. Its sphere of influence and interests has become international in scope because the human rights movement transcends national boundaries. For additional information about the SCLC, visit www.nationalsclc.org.To arrange an interview with Ms. Steele and Dr. Steele, contact Jerry Thomas at jerry@jerrythomaspr.com, or (312) 804-7999.

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