Page 21 - Florida Sentinel 1-19-18

National
Surviving Memphis Sanitation Workers From 1968 Strike Honored
MEMPHIS, TN —- On Tuesday, January 9, the 14 surviving sanitation workers who participated in the piv- otal 1968 Memphis Sanita- tion Workers’ Strike were honored by the NAACP in Memphis and received the organization’s vaunted Van- guard Award in conjunction with the 49th NAACP Image Awards, that was broad- casted live on TV ONE on Monday.
The NAACP is the first major organization to recog- nize the workers as part of the “I AM 2018” campaign launched by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the Church of God In Christ (COGIC).
“We are humbled and hon- ored that the NAACP has chosen to honor the Mem- phis workers as well as Bill Lucy,” said Lee Saunders, President of AFSCME.
Retired AFSCME Secre- tary-Treasurer, William
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was in Memphis in March 1968 to support the strike by Black sanitation workers. Violence broke out, that led to Memphis police killing a 16 year old teen. Dr. King returned to Memphis in April to support the strike when he was assas- sinated at the Lorraine Hotel 50 years ago. Some of the men met with President Obama in 2011.
“Bill” Lucy, was a leader in organizing the Memphis san- itation workers in 1968. He was presented with the pres- tigious NAACP Chairman’s Award during the Image Awards broadcast.
“Imagine the courage it took for African-American municipal employees in the Jim Crow South to defy the local power structure and go on strike – not just for a liv- ing wage, and not just for de- cent working conditions. These brave men were strik-
ing to demand dignity and re- spect; to demand racial jus- tice and economic justice.”
The I AM 2018 campaign is a grassroots voter education and mobilization campaign that will train thousands of activists to create change in their communities and carry on the legacy of Dr. King and the sanitation workers.
“I AM A MAN” was the slo- gan that the 1968 striking sanitation workers adopted to shine a light on their de- grading working conditions
and to assert their humanity. The I AM 2018 cam- paign will continue the un-
finished work of confronting prejudice, poverty and ad- vancing the freedom of all working people today.
“As we approach the 50th anniversary of these history- making events, we need to tell the story of Memphis again,” said Saunders. “I AM 2018 is about drawing inspiration from the heroes of Memphis, but it isn’t just a reflection on the past. It’s an
urgent call to fight poverty and prejudice, an urgent call to advance the freedom of all working people and to re- mind America of the inextri- cable link between racial justice and economic jus- tice.”
The campaign is designed to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the strikers, in observance of the 50th anniversary of the as- sassination of Dr. King, who was in Memphis to support the workers in April of 1968.
South African Group Trash H&M Store After ‘Coolest Monkey In The Jungle’ Goes Viral
SOUTH AFRICA —- People are still up in arms over H&M putting a young black child in a green hoodie that said, “coolest monkey in the jungle.” The Swedish clothing giant lost celebrity partnerships with The Weeknd and G-Eazy, and now they have consumers not only protesting, but com- pletely trashing a store in order to prove their point...and the pictures of the damage are serious.
Members of an organiza- tion known as the Economic Freedom Fighter (EFF) tar- geted an H&M store at the
H&M store in South African mall was trashed by angry group.
mall in South Africa on Satur- day. EFF’s Donald Mabunda said about the protest, “We are here to just remind them that the mon-
keys own this place. We are here to inform them, if you want to undermine the black people in this country, these are the results.”
H&M HR manager Ran- dall April apologized on be- half of the company outside the store in Canal Walk, Cape Town. He informed those
protesting that the “Coolest monkey in the jungle“ t-shirts will be recycled, after which protesters exited the mall singing happily.
NAACP Investigating Arrest Of 70 Young People When Less Than 1 Ounce Of Weed Found At Pajama Party
CARTERSVILLE, GA —- The NAACP is investigating the response of the Bartow County Law Enforcement in the arrests of 70 people for less than an ounce of mari- juana.
At least 63 people at a house party in Cartersville, Georgia were arrested over the week- end on suspicion of posses- sion after police were unable to identify the owner of the drug stash found inside the house.
Cartersville police said they arrived at the “lingerie-theme” 21st birthday bash party at about 2:20 a.m. after receiving a 911 call about possible gun- shots. Police reportedly called in the county drug task force to assist in the investigation. They also claim to have found
Some of the 70 people were arrested when no one would claim the marijuana found.
two firearms at the scene, in- cluding one that had been re- ported stolen in Detroit, as well as “several smoking de- vices” and “suspected co- caine.”
Four men were also booked on suspicion of felonies not re- lated to drug possession.
The Georgia NAACP said it was launching an investiga- tion into the arrests. The or- ganization has also backed a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for the arrested partygo- ers, described as the “Cartersville 70.”
“Some of these young peo-
ple need money to make bail and all of them need assis- tance with their legal fees. A good majority of these individ- uals are college students and members of the U. S. military who were visiting home over the holiday break, and decided to attend a party to catch up
with old friends while in town.
“ Some of the arrested par- tygoers were reportedly mis- treated by police, telling WSB that they were “tied up with zip ties” and “threatened with tasers.” Several men said they’d been “locked in cages.”
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