Recap #BlackLivesMatter Trinity Chicago Protest

Black Lives Matter Trinity Chicago Protest

Trinity United Church of Christ Chicago celebrated its 53rd Anniversary  on Sunday, December 7, 2014 with a  peaceful  solidarity protest  #BlackLivesMatter lead by our  Pastor,  Rev. Otis Moss III and his wife First Lady Monica Moss. We chanted and marched from the church down 95th Street to the Red Line Train Station. TUCC was one of several churches to protest on this Sunday in wake of the Eric Garner non- indictment of the police officer who choked him to death in New York City. and the shooting death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. by a police officer who was also not indicted by a grand jury.

I have been sharing on social media the videos, photos and articles since August of this year when the Ferguson police attempted to blackout the media by shooting at their camera equipment and damaging their battery pack. The Ferguson Police did not want the story to get out about their attack on the Ferguson Canfield Residents where Mike Brown who was unarmed was shoot by a police officer. The police allowed Mike Brown's body to lie on the ground for 4.5 hours in view of the Canfield Residents. It was subtle signal to the residents that this could be you.

The members of TUCC Chicago lead Rev. Otis Moss III and his wife First Lady Monica Moss participated in a die-in at the 95th Street Red Line Station for 4.5 minutes to represent the 4.5 hours that Mike Brown laid on the ground after his death.

Peaceful protest begin in Ferguson with residents chanting "Hand Up Don't Shoot" which symbolizes Mike Brown's surrender to the police as he was shot to death by the police officer. We also chanted "Black Lives Matter" which is a statement demanding that White America recognize that the lives of Black People are not equally valued in the United States of America.

Pastor Otis Moss III lead the hundreds of church members who participated in the peaceful protest in prayer and the youth spoke about the number of Black lives that are lost every hour to police shootings.

My thoughts are that Black Lives Matter because we are all God's children. The color of our skin should not be a death warrant in America. Black people deserve education and jobs. We live in Chicago, a city in which our Mayor Rahm Emmanuel closed 50 schools effecting 10,000 students many who fear going to school. This past summer 96% of Black youth ages 16 to 24 years old were unemployed, the lack of education and jobs are also hurting us. We protest for a better future for our youth just as we protested in the 1960's.





America has broken its promises once again of civil rights, the civil rights act was temporary it was not a law. America has taken back out civil rights. During the 1960's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lead a March on Washington and lead marches around cities in America to fight for education, jobs, housing and equality. White America has turned its back on those promises. Today White America refuses to fund education for Black People through the tax laws. White America closes our schools and builds jail cells based on the number of black and brown students who can not read in the third grade. The prisons are the new slave plantations with new chains taking away our freedom. Once the protests have stopped will the same thing happen again? Will the 1964 Civil Rights Act become a law? Will White America change the tax laws to  fund the education of African American and Latino children? Will the building and funding of prisons instead of schools  stop? Will the killing by police of our black  bodies stop? Will White America cure itself of the mental illness of racism and truly make Black Lives Matter?


Related Articles:

What are the Races Depicted on the Library of Congress?

Library of Congress Depicts 5 African Faces of 33 Races

57th Presidential Inauguration Parade Pictorial

Celebrate President Barack Obama's Inauguration with Local Brunch in Washington D.C.

New Orelans African American History Museum & Treme Walking Tour

New Orleans African American Museum

The site was once part of the plantation of Claude Treme where the first brickyard in New Orleans had been established in 1725 by the company of the Indies.

The site was once part of the plantation of Claude Treme where the first brickyard in New Orleans had been established in 1725 by the company of the Indies.

Meilleur-Goldthwaite House
Ercted 1826-1829
Residence of WM. F. Goldthwaite, Antiquarian 1859-1889

Interior of New Orleans African American Museum

The mission of the New Orleans African American Museum is to preserve, interpret and promote the African American cultural heritage of  New Orleans, with a particular emphasis on the Tremé community.

The site was once part of the plantation of Claude Treme where the first brickyard in New Orleans had been established in 1725 by the company of the Indies.

The site was once part of the plantation of Claude Treme where the first brickyard in New Orleans had been established in 1725 by the company of the Indies.

Meilleur-Goldthwaite House
Ercted 1826-1829
Residence of WM. F. Goldthwaite, Antiquarian 1859-1889

Treme Viall Meilleur New Orleans African American Museum of Art Culture and History

Meilleur-Goldthwaite House
Ercted 1826-1829
Residence of WM. F. Goldthwaite, Antiquarian 1859-1889

Meilleur-Goldthwaite House
Ercted 1826-1829
Residence of WM. F. Goldthwaite, Antiquarian 1859-1889

Milton Guide of Treme Walking Tour 

Mr. Robinson former proprietor of  the Historiuc Little Peoples Place

Milton Tour Guide at New Orleans African American Museum

Little People's Place in Treme

Treme Walking Tour Guide sharing history of area

Memorial  of the Unknown Slave at Saint Augustine Church

Movie Set of  HBO TV Series Treme

Creole Townhouse Built Circa 1850 Listed on Register of National Historic Places

View of  Slave Quarters

Faubourg Treme was founded in 1810 as a prosperous community of free people of color.
Treme is the oldest Black neighborhood in the United States. Treme is also known for the birth of jazz and brass bands. The pioneers of jazz Louis Armstrong and Sidney Bechet created jazz solo traditions. Some more modern New Orleans jazz musicians from Treme are the Marsalis family of  Wynton, Branford, and Delfeayo; Harry Connick Jr., Trombone Shorty and The Soul Rebels.

Trombone Shorty Treme Scenes from TREME HBO TV Series

NOAAM - New Orleans African American History Museum

1418 Governor Nichols Street

New Orleans, LA 70116

504-566-1136

www.noaam.org

Tip: Call the NOAAM before you visit to verify the times of the guided tour and Treme Walking Tour

Have you ever heard Trombone Shorty cry out "NOLA" "TREME" "WHO DAT?" before his playing his concert?

Bronzeville History at the Chicago's Home of Chicken & Waffles

Fried Chicken & Waffles - The Saint

Chicago's Home of Chicken & Waffles

Fried Catfish, Mac n Cheese, Greens, Sweet Potatoes and Cornbread - Chicago's Famous Soul Food Dinner

Chicago's Home of Chicken and Waffles is located in one of the last remaining buildings from the Chicago Blues/Jazz History. The corner of 39th  King Drive (South Parkway) and Oakwood Boulevard is the site of the former Ritz Hotel and Ritz Lounge. Some of the great musicians who stayed at the Ritz Hotel are Fats Waller, Earl Hines and Duke Ellington. Chicago native and Wendell Phillips High School Alumni Dinah Washington performed at the Ritz Lounge which was owned by Jimmy Cooper.

These are stories about the Historic Ritz Hotel and Ritz Lounge as told by author Dempsey Travis "An Autobiography of Black Jazz".

As related by Tenor Saxophonist Franz Jackson, "Waller usually had a portable organ in his room. He often tole me the story about the Christmas Eve he spent in Chicago at the Ritz Hotel located on South Parkway (King Drive) and Oakwood Boulevard. That night after he finished work he went to his room with a friend and started working out on the organ. The room was literally rocking when it slowly began filling up with piano players. Duke Ellington, who was staying in the hotel, was the first to drift into Waller's room, followed by Earl Hines, who was working next door at the Terrace. Billy Kyle, the pianist with John Kirby's Orchestra, was also staying at the hotel, and he came downstairs to Waller's room feeling good and just flopped down on the bed. Not too much time had passed before Duke pulled out his handkerchief, pretending to wipe his nose. Earl Hines started rubbing his eyes as though they itched. There was not a dry eye in that room because all the "cats" had become homesick and were moved by Waller's sensitive rendition's of "Silent Night" and other holiday songs."





As told by Tenor Saxophonist David A. Young; "In 1942, I joined Lucky Millinder's Orchestra. It was loaded with talented musicians, "Dizzy" Gillespie and "Cat" Anderson were in the trumpet section; 'Panama' Francis was the organist. There were a total of sixteen singing cats in the band.

The Millinder band was actually a back-up touring orchestra for the Four Ink Spots who were at the height of their popularity during that period. Their "If I Didn't Care" number was still breaking up the house. But for some reason, tall, slim and handsome Bill Kenny, the lead singer and star of the "Spots", was jealous of the short, chocolate brown Deak Watson. On many occasions after they had taken their bows and were waiting offstage for the applause, Bill Kenny would haul off and hit Deak Watson in the mouth and then both of them would run back on stage as if nothing happened. Hoppy Jones, the baritone who owned and organized the group for radio station WLW in Cincinnati, would frequently remind Bill Kenny, who was born in the West Indies, that when they picked him up he was on his behind and they could leave him that same way. That would have been easy because Bill Kenny gambled away his money almost as fast as he made it. He would sometimes lose as much as $4,000 a night with Jimmy Cooper who ran a twenty-four crap game at the DuSable Hotel at 764 East Oakwood Boulevard. Charlie Cole, one of the owners of the DuSable Lounge, used to say that Bill Kenny worked to gamble,. Jimmy Cooper made enough money out of those games to buy the Ritz Lounge, which was located in the basement of the Ritz Hotel at 409 East Oakwood Boulevard, just twenty-five feet east of South Parkway [now King Drive].

I went into the Ritz Lounge in February 1947 with a six-piece combo which included Pee Wee Jackson on trumpet, Goon Gardner on alto sax, Curtis Walker on drums, Rudy Martin on piano and Bill Nettles on bass. The Ritz had a blues loving crowd. Jo Jo Adams, a blues singer, was one of the main attractions at the lounge when we started. He obtained a better gig at Club DeLisa and gave Jimmy Cooper his notice.

Billie Holiday was in town working at the Colosimo Cafe at 2126 South Wabash Avenue. Lady Day and Jimmy Cooper were very good friends. Cooper and I went down on South Wabash to persuade her to come out and work at the Ritz Lounge after she closed at Colosimo's.

Billie said; "Jimmy, I can't do it, but I know a black bitch who has never made more than a hundred dollars a week in her life who could do you a lot of good. You take this bitch and put her in your place and when she opens her mouth and starts singing, the plaster on the wall will start shivering. Here is her telephone number. Her name is Ruth Jones, but she works under the name of Dinah Washington."

Jimmy laughed. "I don't want the bitch," he said, "but I have got to have somebody."

Dinah had been a student at Wendell Phillips. She had won an amateur contest at the Regal Theater and gigged around the country with Lionel Hampton's Orchestra for seventy-five dollars a week. Her best know record up until that time was a bold and unabashed rendition of "Evil Gal Blues," which she waxed with Lionel Hampton's orchestra for Keynote Records in 1943.






Dinah Washington was the first big time act to appear at the Ritz Lounge. Her salary was $250 per week. She had not been at the club ten days before we started having standing room only crowds in that non-air-conditioned room. On weekends, people would stand in lines extending one-half block east of Oakwood Boulevard just to hear Dinah and sweat. Mike DeLisa and his henchmen from Club DeLisa would come down almost every night trying to figure out what made this black blues singer such a sensation. The two solid months that Dinah remained at the Ritz during her first engagement, the club stayed packed as tight as a can of sardines nightly. Jimmy Cooper was so glad to get her back later that year when she returned from a road trip that he increased her salary to $750."



As you dine on the  mouth-watering Southern Soul Food at Chicago's Home of Chicken and Waffles imagine the jazz and blues great performers who made the Ritz Hotel and Ritz Lounge jump with music.


Chicago's Hone of Chicken and Waffles

3947 South King Drive

Chicago, IL 60653

773-536-3300

www.chicagohomeofchickenand waffles.com



Related Articles:

Visit Buxton Settlement of Descendants of Freed Slaves

Buxton National Historic Site and Museum

As we sat in the in the cabin listening to Bryan and Shannon share their history
of the Underground Railroad, our minds grappled with the story that was being told to us.

Shannon Prince demonstrating the slave collar.

Shannon said "Yes, Patricia. You have questions? I can see the wheels in your head churning."

"One More River To Cross" written by Bryan Prince is based on the life of his Great Grandfather Issac Brown, who was a slave.

Patricia replied, "It is just that we haven't heard this before. It was always Harriet Tubman makes it to Canada; end of story, end of movie, cut." We all giggled at Patricia's description of the Hollywood storybook ending of the escape to freedom. 

Inside view of the log cabin.

Patricia aptly summed up what we Americans were thinking about our new history lesson.

Our TBEX FAM trip Follow The North Star Tour had brought us to Buxton Township of the Chatham-Kent area of Ontario, Canada. 

TBEX FAM trip Follow The North Star Tour 

 We, TBEX Travel Bloggers/Writers were chosen to explore Canada's Black Heritage. Our diverse group of women travel bloggers included Jennifer Huber of Solo Travel Girl from Florida; Steph Spencer of A Nerd At Large from Ontario Canada; Alouise Dittrick of Traveler Ahoy from Nova Scotia; Melissa Hogan of Suitcase and Heels from New Foundland; Patricia Patton of Boomer Wizdom from New Jersey; Chelle Roberts of Brown Girls Fly from Chicago; Michaela Hall of Awe Inclusive from New York; Roxanne Scott of Who's World from New York; and myself Janice Temple of The Skychi Travel Guide of Chicago.

Bryan Prince, Author and Researcher lectures about North American Black Heritage.

Now you are probably wondering what truths did we uncover about The North Star Trail? Well, we learned that the story did not end with Harriet Tubman reaching Canada. As a matter of fact Harriet Tubman never made it to Buxton in Chatham-Kent which is located one hour from Detroit, Michigan. The history of freedom is a Black and White story shared by both people. The presence of the Indian is just a myth in the lineage belief of poses sing Indian blood. It is more a story of the blending of the White and Black people.

Bryan and Shannon Prince are descendants of freed slaves.

Today Buxton is a town of 500 people of which the majority are descendants of former  slaves. It was one of the most successful planned settlement for runaway slaves. It was started by a white man named Rev. William King in 1849. 

This 1861 Schoolhouse educated students until 1969. Bryan and Shannon are former students of this school.

The Buxton Nation Historic Site and Museum curated by Bryan and Shannon Prince houses a 1852 log cabin, a 1861 school house, 1858 mission church, 1975 Railroad station.

This log cabin was built in 1852.

The Buxton Museum hosts an Annual Homecoming every Labor Day Weekend. It is a 90 year old tradition that includes a History & Genealogy Conference, Family Feud Baseball Tournament, Dance Party in the park, Church Services, Living History, Parade, Sports Events, Classic Car Show, Championship Games, Children Activities, Craft Tables, and exhibits.

Buxton National Historic Site Picnic Area

Visit Buxton National Historic Site and Museum

North Buxton, Ontario, Canada

www.buxtonmuseum.com

Have you ever thought about connecting with your Canadian cousins?

Preserving the Legacy of the Black Mecca Museum

Blair Newby of the Chatham-Kent Black Mecca Museum

During a recent journey on the Underground Railroad in Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada I was impressed with young historian Blair Newby, Executive Director of the Black Mecca Museum.

Blair Newby is continuing the tradition of passing down the stories of the freed slaves who settled in Chatham to escape the slavery laws in the U.S. 

Youth listen to other young people, it is crucially important to support a young woman as Blair Newby who has the capability to motivate the younger generation. She can spark other young people with a desire and a thirst to learn about the rich cultural history of Chatham-Kent.

Blair Newby is the first cousin to Artis Lane, a famous Chatham sculptor who has been commissioned by Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jordan and many other celebrities.  Artis Lane has sculpted the Sojourner Truth bust located in Emancipation Hall of the Capitol Building. In Washington D.C. 

The existence of the Black Mecca Museum and its funding are critical to preserving the legacy of Chatham's role and historical significance in the Underground Railroad.

Related Articles:

Revamped Black Atlas Celebrating Travel and Community

Black Atlas

AA.com/BlackAtlas Replaces Standalone Microsite BlackAtlas.com

FORT WORTH, Texas – American Airlines has launched aa.com/blackatlas, an African-American site that replaces the standalone microsite BlackAtlas.com. This site is an example of the airline’s ongoing focus to actively engage its diverse customers through the company’s largest owned communication channel, aa.com.

With the new aa.com/blackatlas, customers will learn about American’s commitment to support different communities in which the company does business, whether it’s through unique products and services or extensive partnerships with key national African-American advocacy organizations. Other relevant sections of the site include “In Our Community,” “Inspired Service,” “Upcoming Events” and “Cultural Destinations.”

Black Atlas Diversity Programs

I am overjoyed to have the new Black Atlas continue under the leadership of U. S, Airways management team. Those of us that followed Black Atlas travel stories felt we had lost a Black travel legacy. American Airlines had created the first social media site for Black travelers to connect and share stories.

This new Black Atlas promotes the connection of Black Community relationships that American Airlines has established over the years. American is a proud supporter of the UNCF (United Negro College Fund), and Urban League.

For over 35 years, American is proud to partner with the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) to help today's students become tomorrow's leaders. As part of American Airlines Kids In Need^SM program, theAA/UNCF gift card allows deserving students to obtain a quality education. For every $50 you spend, we will donate $5 to assist UNCF to help more than 60,000 students pursue their dreams.

Black Atlas and Community

Join American Airlines, official airline sponsor, at the 2013 National Urban League Conference, July 24-27, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The four-day conference brings newsmakers, policy-makers, and business and community leaders from across the country with exciting sessions and numerous opportunities for professional development and networking.

What do you think about the New Black Atlas website compared to the old one?

The BME Freedom Park

Bronze Bust of Mary Ann Shadd Cary

Mary Ann Shadd Cary was the first Canadian-American female newspaper publisher in North American. She was an abolitionist, lawyer, and teacher. This bust was sculpted by Artis Lane whose works of art have been commissioned by Oprah Winfrey.

BME (British Methodist Episcopal)  Park

Walkway to Freedom

Three individual stones represent the hundreds of thousands of families torn apart by slavery. These stones lead to a large rock representing the freedom path many slaves undertook in their escape from slavery in the United States to liberty in Canada.

BME Freedom Park

Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society presents The BME Freedom Park. This park is located on the site of the former first BME Church in Canada. This church holds great historical significance because it was owned and governed by former slaves who escaped to live in Canada. The church was also the meeting place for American Abolitionist

John Brown to recruit men for the Harper's Ferry Raid.  The BME Church was established in 1856 by Canadian members of the AME Church Conference. 

To visit please contact

Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society

177 King Street East

Chatham, ON, Canada N7M 3N1

www.ckblackhistoricalsociety.org

Blair Newby

Executive Director

Black Mecca Museum

519-352-3565

Did you know that Abolitionist John Brown gathered men for his slave revolt at the BME Church.?


Related Articles:

Why is Chatham the Black Mecca?

 A Coloured Man's Paris

A Coloured Man's Paris

Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society invites you to visit Ontario's Black Mecca

the History of Chatham's Black Community.

"Chatham was not a Mecca only. In a broader and truer sense, it was the colored man's Paris." - Rev. Richard R. Disney, AME Church

H. Blair Newby, Executive Director of Chatham-Kent Black Mecca Museum holding a bell on a slave yoke.

Chatham Fugitive Slave Narratives: Found in Benjamin Drew's "The Narratives of Fugitive Slaves in Canada

Narrative of Mary Younger

(A Former Slave & Chatham Resident)

"I was reared a slave, and have seen a great deal of barbarity in the State I came from. Many a time I have looked out in the moonlight, and seen my little children, just able to walk to the fields, carrying buckets of water to the hands. They used to carry the buckets on their heads: they would wear off the hair, and I used to make pads to protect the sore places where they carried the buckets.

If those slaveholders were to come here, I would treat them well, just to shame them by showing that I had humanity. A woman who lived near us, used to beat her cook, and burn her with hot irons. I have seen the burns with these eyes. The same woman whipped at different times

three of her slave women to death. The last one I was sent for by her mother to see: I found her dying. She does while I was standing by. Her mother wanted me to shroud the corpse: but the mistress interfered, and made the dead woman's mother so it. The house where these cruelties occurred, was so near outs that we could talk over the palings.

If a white man passes by a house, and a person is whipping a servant, he goes straight by-- he don't see it. I did not know when I was slave, that any white person had any sympathy for me. I thought all white people were alike, and had no sympathy for colored people. I did not know the difference until I reached a free State, when I saw the white people use the colored people like folks. I did not hear such terms applied as 'wenches', 'heifers', etc. Where I was raised, my children were often whipped till the blood ran, and then they would call me to see if I looked rumpled about it, and unless I looked pleased, I knew they would whip me.

I often wish that people from the North could just go through the southern country at harvest time, and see and hear what is done there.

There was a man whipped there one day, and at night I took pity on him and greased his back,--he died on my floor.

The barbarity of slavery I never want to see again. I have children now who have got the yoke on them. It almost kills me to think they are there, and that I can do them no good. There they are--I know how it is--it brings distress on my mind--there they are, working till late at night; off before day; and where there is no humanity--where the lash is not spared."

Welcome to Downtown Chatham-Kent

Five Black families settled during the 1800's in "the Forks" along McGregor's Creek, which is known today as Chatham. The 1850 Fugitive Slave Law was the impetus for the Chatham Black Population to grow into the Black Mecca for both free and enslaved Blacks. During 1851, Chatham Census recorded a Black population of about 350 out of  a population of 2070. Then the Black population mushroomed to 1700 out of 4500 with ten years. 

Free Blacks also came to Chatham.

 After Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, allowing former slaves to be recaptured, after years of living in freedom. Chatham numbers increased dramatically.

First Baptist Church site of the American Abolitionist John Brown's Convention.

John Brown chose to come to Chatham on April 30, 1858 because of the large affluent Black population. Chatham is also situated near two other Black Settlements of Buxton and Dawn. The goal of the John Brown Convention was to create a settlement for slaves in the United States similar to the Indian Reservations today. 

BME Church in Chatham, site of the first John Brown Convention

Rev. Toyer of the British Methodist Episcopal Church in Chatham refused John Brown access to the church when he learned of Brown's plans.

Harper's Ferry Virginia

During John Brown's second meeting which was held at the First Baptist Church in Chatham, he planned the Harper's Ferry Raid. In order to create the independent slave community, John Brown and his followers planned to raid an arsenal in Harper's Ferry, Virginia to arm slaves and create a slave revolt.

On October 16, 1859, Brown and his followers attacked the arsenal but they were quickly defeated. Several men died including two of John Brown's own sons.

John Brown was captured and put to death for treason against the United States government. Osborne Perry Anderson who survived the Harper's Ferry Raid returned to Chatham and wrote a book about it.

John Brown Festival

Every year the Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society hosts the John Brown Festival during the first weekend in May.

For More info Contact:

Chatham-Kent Black Mecca Museum

 Executive Director Blair Newby 

177 King St. East

Chatham, ON Canada N7M 3N1

www.ckblackhistoricalsociety.org

Follow the North Star Tour  was a Fam hosted by TBEX, Toronto Tourism, and Chatham-Kent Tourism.

Have you ever heard about Chatham - The Black Mecca?

Related Articles: