Organizing, reparations and Farrakhan

In a time when the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan is challenged with regaining his health, many of us in the Reparations Movement are eternally grateful for the role he has played in elevating the issue of Reparations over the last few years. Let me briefly review that role.

With the passage of Plessy vs. Ferguson in 1896, the Black struggle in America united for over 70 years in its resolve to end racial segregation under the law. This united effort resulted in the legal dismantling of racial segregation under the law in 1955 (Brown vs. Board of Education) and the Civil Rights Legislation of 1964 and 65.

In the aftermath of this victory, ending racial segregation under the law, through the momentous Civil Rights Movement, the question arose, "What major issue should the Black Movement unite on today?" Those of us in the Reparations Movement have been advocates, since the end of racial segregation under the law, that what is needed is "repair" of the damages inflicted upon us. That is, we say the unifying issue today should be the demand for reparations. Even though racial segregation under the law no longer exists in America, racism, discrimination and white supremacy is still deeply embedded in the institutions and public policy retrenchments aimed at taking back the gains made by the Civil Rights Movement.

What we need at this hour in history is total repair through our demands for reparations. In this regard, on May 31, 2003, I wrote the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan a letter requesting that the "tremendous impact of [his] your leadership be used to assist us in a defining moment in history in the Reparations Movement in America."

Further, I wrote to Minister Farrakhan, "as you know, I have been working deeply, and committed much energy to this issue and it is my observation that the personality clashes, the ideological differences, the competition and the lack of communication and other factors are inhibiting the leadership in the Reparations Movement to advance our cause at the level that it should be."

Continuing, I wrote, "We have learned from the 1960s Minister Farrakhan, we know that we must bury our egos, put in check our ideologies and resolve our conflicts and differences in the backroom."

We were humbled and honored that Minister Farrakhan agreed to convene, and host, a private, invitation only meeting of some of the major organizers, researchers, scholars, and organizational representatives in the Reparations Movement in America.

The meeting was held on Saturday, July 26, 2003 at the Salaam Restaurant in Chicago, Illinois. More than fifty sisters and brothers representing the broad spectrum of the Reparations Movement throughout the United States accepted the invitation and were in attendance. As we met all day, more than 28 participants in the meeting were given an opportunity to share the work in the Reparations Movement in which they had been engaged.

Dr. Ron Walters, longtime scholar, activist, professor of political science and director of the African American Leadership Academy at the University of Maryland was not able to attend the meeting, but sent a paper tided, Unity in the Movement for African Reparations in America.

In his paper, Dr. Walters explained that, "Our unity is old; before Europe and before America were born. The foundation of our political system was rooted in the concept of consensus. For example, when important issues were called for in the Ashanti culture, the chief called a meeting known as the asetena kese, which means 'the big sitting down.' In South Africa, among the Nguni, the practice is known as the ndaba."

Due to the success of this meeting, the participants agreed to establish the "NDABA Movement." With the backing of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam, thousands of Black people across the country participated in rallies, town hall meetings and workshops on the issue of reparations in the following places: Jackson, Mississippi from March 3-4, 2003; Houston, Texas, March 19-20, 2004; Baltimore, Maryland, October 29-30, 2004; and Atlanta, Georgia, March 18-19, 2005.

In each one of these cities, Minister Farrakhan gave a keynote address on the topic of reparations. More than 100,000 people heard the Minister speak at these Reparations rallies.

The issue of Reparations was also infused into the organizing work of the Millions More Movement.

The NDABA Process facilitated a network of "Working Groups" that are still interacting with each other in organizing around the many projects and strategies in the Reparations Movement.

Currently, the impact of the Reparations Movement can be observed in the following initiatives:

1. The recently released Wilmington Race Riot Commission Report of 1898. (This followed the Rosewood and Tulsa Race Riot Reports).

2. The Slavery and Justice Committee Report oj Brown University, documenting the university's ties to slavery and the slave trade.

3. The establishment of the Illinois Transatlantic Slave Trade Commission (ITSTC; a state version of HR40).

4. The Corporate Reparations Lawsuit Appeal under consideration in the United States Court of the 7th Circuit in Chicago, Illinois.

5. Brother Bob Brown's lawsuit aimed at forcing the City of Chicago to enforce the Slavery Era Ordinance Legislation successfully led and passed by Alderman Dorothy Tillman (3rd Ward).

The Reparations Movement is alive and well.

Thanks again, Minister Farrakhan, for helping to add fuel and fire to this Movement with your unselfish and dedicated support. Reparations Now!

[Author Affiliation]

by Dr. Conrad W. Worrill

[Author Affiliation]

Conrad Worrill is the National Chairman of the National Black United Front (NBUF).