SCLC Magazine - Convention 2023 Issue

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The Southern Christian Leadership Conference has lived out the spirit of numerous civil rights leaders since its founding by educating communities on advocacy and civil rights, including the right to vote. Alabama Power is honored to partner with the SCLC to continue achieving social, political, and equal justice for all.

We proudly support the SCLC 64th national convention.

NATIONAL EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

Dr. Charles Steele, Jr. President & CEO

Martin Luther King Jr. Founding President

Ralph D. Abernathy President 1968 - 1977

Joseph E. Lowery President 1977 - 1997

Martin Luther King III President 1998 - 2003

Dr. Bernard LaFayette, Jr Chairman

Fred L. Shuttlesworth President 2004

Dr. Charles Steele, Jr. President & CEO

Howard Creecy Jr. President 2011

SCLC Leader Calls on Citizens of Faith to Lift their Collective Voice to Fight for Better Laws

By: Dr. Charles Steele Jr., SCLC National President & CEO

I am dedicating this President’s Corner to the millions of people in America that will never benefit from affirmative action. If not for affirmative action, we would not have some of the most influential minority and women leaders throughout this country. Affirmative action has granted access in education to some of the most prestigious schools in the country. This is one more sad moment in America and another step backwards for people of color and women.

“A Sad Moment in America, but the Supreme Court is Not the Last Word,” Says SCLC president and CEO Charles Steele, Jr.

ATLANTA – Dr. Charles Steele, Jr., president and CEO of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), called on Americans, who follow the Christian faith and those who believe in a higher power, to come together and rally against the U.S. Supreme Court, whose members voted 6-3 to overturn affirmative action on college campuses in the United States.

Dr. Steele, who heads the organization co-founded and first led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said collectively the voice of righteousness will overcome the voice of racism and hate that continues to uphold practices that oppress African Americans and the nation’s poor.

“It’s a sad moment in America, and the action of the Supreme Court is an attack against the African American community, but the Supreme Court is not the last word,” Dr. Steele said. “There is a higher power. If you are Christian and believe in the trinity, The Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit, or a person of faith who believes in a higher power, you have seen the works of

God in our past and continuous struggle in this country to become free, equal and financially healthy as all citizens. The Supreme Court decision keeps Black Americans oppressed and enslaved. We cannot expect God to come down from heaven and get into politics, but he will give us the collective strength to take action and let this country know we are not going to take this treatment any longer.”

It was the same Supreme Court, Dr. Steele said, that supported slavery. It was the same Supreme Court, he said, that allowed Jim Crow to last 150 years in America, and it was the same court that upheld separate but equal in the 1896 Plessy vs. Ferguson case.

Racism, he said, is the only reason the court continues to take such actions that slows the progress of Black people in a land where the same courts have always granted privileges to White Americans.

“There has always been affirmative action for white folks, but attacks on black folks,” Dr. Steele said. “Whites could go to college at predominantly white institutions when African Americans had no institutions. They still have affirmative action under legacy status, where students do not have to qualify as long as their parents or grandparents have a relationship with the school.”

Economics are behind the Supreme Court decision, Dr. Steele said. Whites control 99 percent of the wealth in this country.

“In 1878, Black folks controlled one percent of the wealth in America,” he said. “From 1878 to 2023, that wealth gap continues. They say the playing field is even. Now, how can you level the playing field when African Americans represent 40 percent of the homeless in this country, and when you are an entrepreneur, and you cannot obtain a loan from a bank? They discriminate against us in every aspect of this society.”

He added, “America must be healed from racism. The Supreme Court just exemplifies what the majority of people feel within this country, because we have not dealt with the racism to eradicate it from our society. When you talk about not wanting African Americans to know their history, there is a reason for this mindset, and it is the same mentality that led to the court’s action on affirmative action. If you do not know your history, you do not know the indicators that are moving to take you back to that enslavement that has taken place in this country. We cannot go back, so it is time to unite.”

FROM THE FIRST LADY

The only Lady on the Stage

By: Mrs. Cathelean Steele, Founder, Justice for Girls

I am blessed that I had the opportunity to meet and converse with Dr. Dorothy Height, a tireless crusader for civil rights and equality for women and African Americans. After earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from New York University she became a leader of the Harlem Young Women’s Christian Association and the United Christian Youth Movement of North America. Dr. Height’s involvement with these organizations were ignited when she was accepted into Barnard College but was denied entry when she went for her interview because they had already filled their quota of two black women.

In the 1950’s and 60’s her involvement in civil rights expanded as she sought to empower and uplift women. Dr. Height was a passionate advocate for equal pay for women, housing, child care programs and educational opportunities.

In 1957 at the age of 25 Dr. Height met First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and Mary McLeod Bethune, founder of the National Council of Negro Women. Dr. Height became the fourth president of this esteemed organization. In her position as president she organized “Wednesdays in Mississippi,” in which black and white women from the North traveled to Mississippi to meet with Southern women in an effort to ease racial tensions and make efforts to bridge the gap between the races. Dr. Height was the first person in the movement to recognize that the problems of equality for White women and African American women were somewhat the same. Her life’s work and her commitment to African American liberation were deeply rooted in the fight for human liberation.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. recognized her work and she became one of the civil rights’ most influential leaders. She was the only woman to serve alongside the Big Six helping to plan the 1963 March on Washington and other major civil rights projects. Dr. King referred to her as the matriarch of the movement and others referred to her as the God Mother of Civil Rights Movement. The press frequently ignored her work with the “Big Six”. However, she would continue her work for African American Rights and Women’s rights regardless of color of their skin.

I read that one of her favorite quotes was written by the 19th century abolitionist Frederick Douglass, who said the three effective ways to fight for justice are to “agitate, agitate, and agitate.” I believe that she lived her life practicing what Douglass preached.

I was reading from the book Gutsy Women and found these words written by Hillary Clinton. “Ms. Height was elegant but with no airs; brilliant without a trace of arrogance; passionate, but never overheated. And though she spent much of her later years sitting down, she was never sitting still. Because when Dorothy Height set her mind to something, there was no stopping her.”

During the 1963 March on Washington, Dr. Dorothy Height was the only lady on the stage. The microphone at the march was dominated by men, but the march might never have happened without Dorothy Height. The question that is always on my mind is simply this, why wasn’t she allowed to speak?

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Chairman’s Corner

60th Commeration of the March on Washington

Written By: Dr. Bernard Lafayette, Chairman of the Board

This coming July 25, I am honored an humbled to be I was recently honored and humbled to be recognized at the International Civil Rights Center & Museum in Greensboro, NC. This museum is built around the sit in movement at the Woolworth’s lunch counter with students who dared eat at a “White Only” lunch counter. The theme for the event was “The March Continues to Washington” as it was only about month before the 60th Commemoration of the March on Washington. The honor moved my thoughts to these moments in history and how we should use the past to inform the present. I am minded of my own personal history of the March on Washington, which I address in my book, In Peace and Freedom; My Journey in Selma.

I went back and forth in my mind about whether or not to go to the march. Someone in a leadership position needed to be on hand in Alabama to deal with any problems that might occur in response to the march. So after a discussion of the situation with SNCC members and local leaders in Selma, a decision was made for one of us to remain in Alabama in case there wany backlash from this national and historic event. And that someone was me.

Often, people mistakenly think that movements are about marches. Marches have been and continue to be important, however, if there are not organized foot soldiers on the ground doing the overlooked but important work on nonviolent civil disobedience, those marches would fall on deaf ears. For instance, my friend, Diane Nash who had done so much for the March but like me, was unable to be in Washington because she was still mobilizing in Birmingham with her then husband James Bevel. She was recognized as on the six women who were Women Freedom Fighters but couldn’t be there in person. That, in many ways, embodies the true work of the movement.

Of course, watching Dr. King deliver the “I Have a Dream Speech” to the nation was inspiring. Seeing the masses come to DC and deliver a message that the people were united and speaking loudly that we wanted our freedom, and we were not going to idly sit by as second-

class citizens in this country any longer reminded me of why I myself had endured so many nights in prison and beatings in my own life.

As I reflect on the events of the time, I am surprised to find myself as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. I am honored to serve along side our current National President/CEO Dr. Charles Steele, Jr. Together we have endured some rough patches and challenges. It is not as easy to keep an organization alive that the world often wants to see through the lens of history but not with the activism of today. But that is the indeed the message of today…That the March Continues to Washington. Commemorations of the past have their place, but what keeps me fighting is knowing so many people in this country and worldwide still yearn for those two principles the Southern Christian Leadership Conference were fighting for in August 1963; Jobs and Freedom. It should be noted that even then, those of us in the movement saw the need for economics to go hand in hand with the pursuit of freedom. It is a sentiment that ultimately ended up with the SCLC and Dr. King launching the Poor Peoples Campaign, a campaign that I headed at the behest of Dr. King as we were bringing again a message from the masses to Washington DC.

As the SCLC descends into Washington DC, not just for the 60th Commemoration of the March on Washington but also our 64th Annual Convention of the SCLC highlighted on August 25th with the Presidential Address and Awards ceremony it is my sincerest hope to see many of you reading this commentary to join us. If not in person, join in spirit, membership, and movement to the SCLC. The commemoration of these historic moments is not complete if we do not remember the organizations and people who made history. The groups known as the “Big 6”, A. Phillip Randolph Institution, CORE, SNCC, NAACP and the National Urban League. Organizers, such as Diane Nash and Bayard Rustin. The historic speeches including Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” and John Lewis’ fiery speech from a then 23-year spokesperson for SNCC. The history of the moment is immense. But if we forget the organizing on the ground, the insistence on jobs, and that it is more important to work than to be seen in the movement then these pivotal historic moments will have been for naught. That is why I continue to fight, and I will keep on marching until we all get to Freedom Land.

“The Bigger We Is The Better We”

As we commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, this nation is facing increased backlash to racial progress. From the banning of books to the elimination of Black History curriculum and affirmative action in our schools, to the attacks on racial equity and DEI work in public institutions and agencies, the need for racial justice is more evident now than ever.

Democracy, and a vision of a multiracial democracy where all people can have the same outcomes, is on the line, and America must wrestle with how to transform systems to be more equitable. As Glenn Harris, president of Race Forward, says, “We can’t get to a multiracial democracy without racial justice and we can’t get to racial justice without a multiracial democracy.”

While racial justice is the vision, racial equity is the process of eliminating racial disparities. It is the intentional and continual practice of changing policies, procedures, systems, and structures by prioritizing measurable change in the lives of people of color and other underserved populations.

In these times of deep polarization across this nation, how do we get there? We must build the collective power to transform our institutions, policies, and practices across sectors. We must put forth a more endearing and enduring narrative of how we all thrive when no group of people are left behind. In essence, “The Bigger We Is The Better We.”

To achieve “The Better We,” we must not lose the momentum begun in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd. In the six months following his murder, our research shows the term “systemic racism” was used more than it had been in the previous 20 years. Yes, people were seeing the injustices caused by centuries of racial disparities. And, they wanted to talk about ways to eradicate these disparities.

Addressing systemic racism requires normalizing conversations about race, organizing within our communities and institutions for policy change, and operationalizing these changes. We cannot become preoccupied with individual actors versus the broader system. What Americans need today is substantive action that will lead to systemic change.

We know that the federal government has an immense opportunity to lead on racial equity and commend the Biden Administration for taking bold steps to do so with his historic issuance of two executive orders mandating federal agencies and departments to create and implement Equity Action Plans to eradicate policies and systems that for centuries have resulted in inequitable outcomes for people of color.

Those of us in the community have work to do also. We must continue registering and voting for local, state, regional and federal candidate who share our vision of a just, multiracial society. The power of local officials became evident earlier this year in Tennessee when they reinstated State Representatives Justin Jones and Justin J. Pearson after they were expelled for protesting gun violence.

We cannot lose hope. Not for a single moment. There is a real opportunity to elevate the conversation and move to action.

If you need tools to help you become part of the movement for racial justice, we offer Building Racial Equity trainings. Visit raceforward.org/training-%26-events/training-overview.

The Recent Supreme Court Rulings Against Economic Inclusion are the Result of Relentless Efforts by the Forces of Intolerance and Hatred

By:Kevin Kimble, Esq., DC Bureau Chief, SCLC and Executive Director of Southern Christian Leadership Global Policy Initiative (SCL-GPI)

The Supreme Court’s recent decision to nullify Affirmative Action in education is another episode in a long-standing narrative of economic disparity. This move is far from being the last of the incessant attempts to undermine economic inclusion—a right that is foundational to every American citizen. Over the years, the forces of intolerance and hatred have consistently and vehemently opposed the establishment and nurturing of economic inclusion and empowerment. Historical cases from Croson to Adarand elucidate how these factions have leveraged the legal system to prevent African Americans from effectively engaging in the United States’ economic activities, thereby widening the gap of economic disparity.

Before the Supreme Court’s recent ruling, America was once again wrestling with its deeprooted history of racial discrimination, significantly contributing to persistent economic disparities. According to a 2020 study by the Brookings Institution, the net worth of a typical white family is nearly ten times greater than that of a Black family. As the nation attempted to reconcile with its past, these opposing forces re-emerged, attempting to sabotage government efforts aimed at extending opportunities to minorities and reducing economic disparities.

Consider these cases:

1. A group of white farmers lodged a lawsuit against the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). They contest the department’s loan forgiveness program aimed at assisting farmers of color, alleging it is race-based discrimination. The USDA reports that in 2017, white farmers received 97% of the government’s farm aid payments.

2. Business owners and advocates in Tennessee and Texas sued the Small Business Administration (SBA) over the 21-day exclusive application opportunity for minority-owned restaurants under the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. They raised objections even when data showed that less than 1% of SBA funds had been directed to minority-owned businesses.

In stark contrast, a report from the Federal Reserve revealed that 41% of Black-owned businesses had been shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

3. A conservative group launched a “reverse discrimination” lawsuit against the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), arguing against its board diversity proposal. This challenge arises despite numerous studies showing that diverse boards improve company performance. For instance, a 2020 McKinsey & Company report indicated that firms with diverse executive teams were 36% more likely to outperform their peers in terms of profitability.

Furthermore, the enduring issue of redlining continues to constrain the economic rights of African Americans. From real estate appraisal bias—where a Brookings Institution report found that homes in Black neighborhoods are undervalued by an average of $48,000—to zip code discrimination in automobile and homeowner insurance, African Americans continue to face systemic economic disparity. It is expected that these cases, or ones of a similar nature, will eventually reach a Supreme Court appearing to favor policies reminiscent of the Jim Crow era.

Organizations like the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) must provide vigilant, courageous, and uncompromising leadership during these challenging times. The fight against the unrelenting forces of intolerance and economic disparity is far from over. In fact, it seems we are currently in some of the most critical chapters of this ongoing struggle, pushing for economic equity in the face of deeply entrenched systemic biases.

Mr. Kimble is a 25-year veteran of Capital Hill and has held positions as chief of staff for a senior member of congress and chief lobbyist for one of the nation's largest fi nancial services fi rms. As current D.C. Bureau Chief for the national chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), Kevin has unparalleled access to minority communities and civic leaders around the country. He is routinely called upon and advises members of congress on policy and legislative issues and has been asked to speak to state and local government and testify at hearings.

The working men and women of the UAW proudly support the SCLC and your commitment to achieve social, economic, and political justice.

The Southern Christian Leadership Conference will be hosting it's annual Presidential Address and Awards Ceremony August 25th at 6:30pm at the Crown Plaza Hotel Arlington/Crystal City VA.

We salute those who are being recognized this year

SCLC President’s Award |Avery Friedman, Civil Rights Lawyer and Law Professor

Our National President/CEO selects the President’s Award for Individuals or Organizations that have made an impact on our country that positively effects advocacy of the poor and disenfranchised, speaks for the unheard and boldly stands for truth and justice. This year’s awardee embodies those ideals.

Attorney Avery Friedman is a prominent Civil Rights Lawyer, Law Professor and journalist. Noted media powerhouses such as TIME magazine and the venerable Wall Street Journal have applauded Attorney Friedman for both his professional work for the poor in areas of housing discrimination and civil rights as well as his mastery of his profession, often being called a “Walking Reference Guide” for Civil Law. He has been an analyst on CNN, served as Special Counsel of Texas Human Rights Commission, inducted into the Ohio Civil Rights Hall of fame and a trusted friend and advisor to National SCLC Board Member and President of the Cleveland SCLC, Rev. E. T. Caviness.

SCLC Government Relations Award| Kevin Kimble, Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

Understanding the various levels of government from the federal, state, county and municipal perspective is a skill set that is invaluable to any organization, but particularly for groups that work in the space of civil rights. Our Government Relations Award is given to persons who are to nimbly navigate our governmental system understanding that government can be either an ally or opponent for justice.

This year’s awardee is none other than SCLC’s own Washington, D.C. Bureau Chief, Mr. Kevin Kimble. As Principal Consultant of the KBK Consulting Group, Mr. Kimble brings over 25 years of experience and success in political affairs and lobbying to his work with SCLC. He is an expert at building and managing relationships with senior level government officials, business executives, key members of trade association/think tanks, and community organizations.

Mr. Kimble has acted as the lead lobbyist for an international financial Services firm in addition to acting as the lead relationship manager for multiple small businesses, trade organizations, and community groups located in the US.

SCLC Evelyn G. Lowery Award | Mrs. Kate LaFayette

The Evelyn G. Lowery Award is named after the esteemed former First Lady of SCLC, Mrs. Evelyn G. Lowery. Mrs. Lowery embodied the role of “first lady” and was noted and praised for her advisement, support and role in partnership with her husband, Rev. Joseph Lowery. However, she also went beyond traditional roles and was a leader and advocate for social justice in her own right, for not only issues relative to women’s rights but the community as a whole.

This year’s recipient goes to Mrs. Kate LaFayette. Mrs. LaFayette has dedicated her life to training people in Dr. King’s Six Nonviolent Principals and Strategies, early childhood education and social justice in her own right. She has advanced graduate studies work at Auburn University and Harvard along with a Master’s in Education from Tufts University and has held several roles in the field of education. These roles include being a Director for Head Start and a Johnson Management Fellow at the University of California and an Executive Director for KLH Child Development Center in Cambridge, MA . She received her Level II Certification in Kingian Nonviolence from the University of Rhode Island.

SCLC Chapter Leadership Award | Josephine Mourning, President/Chairperson, Prince George’s County Maryland Chapter

This award is given to chapters that show a dedication to the history and legacy of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference by doing the grassroots work, protests and advocacy that has made the SCLC the preeminent civil rights groups of its time.

Prince George’s County Maryland President, Ms. Josephine Mourning more than amply fits the bill. As the chapter closets to our nations capital and in one of the most influential bastions of Black leadership and influence she has boldly and gracefully leads our Prince George’s County chapter. Known for her ability to strategize and coordinate, she also is keen in her ability to build relationships in the professional and political spaces. Under her leadership her chapter has grown in membership, facilitated scholarships to children in her county and beyond. She also has been a “go to” for the National Office of the SCLC for projects coming out of both Atlanta and our Washington DC Bureau.

Ms. Mourning’s vision for her chapter, tenacity for doing right by the community and candor endears her to those who know her and commands their respect.

We believe in equal opportunity for all regardless of race, creed, sex, age, disability, or ethnic background.

SDI Technologies Inc.

Associated Grocers Inc.

Arcade Beauty

Farmers Furniture

Federated Hermes Inc.

Jelly Belly Candy Company

Farmers & Merchants Bank

Johnson Automotive

Clay County Board of Education

Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau

Merit Brass Company

First Palmetto Bank

Associated Production Services Inc.

Cooperative Energy

Carl Buddig & Company

Suther’s Food Service Inc

Maime King: Champion of the Children’s Movement

By: Aaron McCarthy, SCLC Detroit Chapter President

The National Office of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Dr. Charles Steel Jr. joined SCLC-Detroit in bidding farewell to one of Alabama’s and Detroit’s most famous civil rights era heroines, and one of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference's most recognizable participants and heroines in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s Birmingham Campaign and the 1963 Children’s March and Crusade: Mother Maime King Chalmers who passed away on November 29, 2022 in Detroit Michigan where she made her home after her iconic participation in one of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s most famous Campaigns.

Mother Maime Zwadie King’s famous image of being brutally battered by the powerful hospitalizing force of fire hoses, after being chased across the street from Kelly Ingram Park, to a locked doctors office doorway, by vicious police dogs, turned on her by the self proclaimed racist and public safety officer Theopollis Eugene Bull Connors, who had personally identified and singled her out, re-directing the high powered fire hoses on her, permanently damaging the hearing in her left ear while calling out her name, as told by her recently in an interview.

As an up front leader in all of the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights protests, Bull Connors knew Maime King and in his mind had falsely connected Maime King to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as a relative, and in her own words: ‘was afraid of her” and directed his attention to her at every local protest that she attended, and as an upfront leader she attended all of them, and was arrested several times before her famous image was caught on international news programs around the world, causing international outrage.

Fed up with the extreme segregation and racist treatment inflicted upon black citizens of Birminhham Alabama, it’s white only water fountains, it’s white only restroons, it’s white only restaurants, it’s white only lunch counters, back door only service, and not being able to try on clothing, or return them to department stores if they didn’t fit; former SCLC National President Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth and his local Birmingham civil rights organization: Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights, had planned to boycott all white merchants and businesses one year earlier during the second busiest season of the year, Easter, but because of the up coming Mayoral election that moderately liberal candidate Albert Botwell defeated self proclaimed racist Theopolis Eugene Bull Connors in, the boycott was cancelled that year.

With Dr. King and The Southern Christian Leadership Conference joining and expanding the impact of Alabama Christian Movement for Human Right's intentions on boycotting the businesses of white Birmingham merchants by adding nonviolence training and mass organizing meetings at the 16th street Baptist Church, with church kneeling and activities that made the local effort a much more impacting protest and march.

Mother Maime King and her entire family met with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and The Southern Christian Leadership Conference's Direct Action and Nonviolence Education Director, James Bevel, to sign up and receive nonviolent marching training to participate in a peaceful march and protest being planned to march to Mayor Botwells office, and on into downtown to protest and boycott white Birmingham businesses for the segregated conditions and segregated treatment of black Birmingham Alabama citizens.

The idea of utilizing children, an untapped source of protest power, was presented by SCLC National Direct Action and Nonviolence Education Director James Bevel at a mass meeting, attended by Mother Maime King and her entire family, who were also members of the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights, and regularly made lunches and brought food to protest participants, during protests. She was present when Dr. King told parents to let the children go if they wanted to be arrested too, and that they would be alright. She was also present and participating on April 2nd 1963 when over a thousand students skipped school to join the protest, and was also sprayed with high powered waterhoses and hit with police batons, and threatened with vicious police dogs, and was arrested right along with adults as they attemptef to peacefully march into downtown Birmingham.

On April 3rd 1963 the following day while Mother Maime King and another group of protesters gathered in Kelly Ingram Park, almost five thousand more children skipped school and joined the historic march and were arrested and held in warehouses, pig pens, and anywhere they could put them, to take them out of the protest that continued to grow without stopping, resulting in the name: Children’s Crusade and March of 1963, with Dr. King himself being arrested on April 12, 1963, for continuing the march after it was ordered illegal, resulting in the famous April 16th “Letter From a Birmingham Jail, all of which was a part of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s 1963 Birmingham Campaign, that by the end of the campaign would have adopted names such as the Birmingham Truce, the Birminhham Movement, and the Birmingham Confrontation, all of which the iconic image of Mother Maime King Chalmers whose iconic image caught on international and national news channels all over the world being brutally battered by the hospitalizing force of high powered water hoses with five thousand black school skipping children joining the march and protest that was originally started by the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights, and was expanded to the point of world wide recognition and outrage, resulting in the 1963 desegregation of Birmingham Alabama, as well as the 1963 march on Washington that she also attended, as part of the Movement that led to the 1964 Voting Rights Act, played a major part in all of it.

Spending five more days in jail without food, Mother Maime King Chalmers was released and immediately returned to the protest again, even with the lost of hearing in her left ear, where

the high pressure and force from the water viciously pounding against her head and body, revealing an image to the world that caused international outrage and the intervention by President John F. Kennedy and the Justice department.

Mother Maime King Chambers having been arrested on several different occassions during this historic campaign, and never forgetting the invaluable lessons learned from attending every single mass meeting called by the Reverend James Bevel and the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., continued her life as an activist fifty nine more years after her famous image with two men that she didn’t know stepping in front of her trying to take the force of the water off of her young body and causing the international outrage, that helped the Southern Christian Leadership Conference with it’s successful desegregation of Birmighham Alabama, the state that Dr. King once called “the most segregated state in the country. ”Paying homage to her and showing how much she was appreciated, loved, and respected by the City of Detroit, a helicopter flew over and dropped thousands of rose pedals on her casket when it was being loaded into the hearst that carried her body to her grave site.

Continuing to travel around the country and world educating and sharing the reality and truisms of the civil rights era and stories of her Birminhham Campaign and Children’s March and Crusade on programs, in colleges, and universities, on television, and on programs like the one she just recently appeared in on September 10, 2022 in Silver Springs Pennsylvania, where the Harmony Symphony Foundation presented her with a much deserved “Living Legend Award”.

Mother Maime King Chalmer's love for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference has never left her as was evident when her daughter Lasuria King Allman contacted Reverend McCarthy personally and asked him to speak at her mother's funeral, and at her Charles Wright African American Museum Memorial service for at least twenty minutes, as the representative of her beloved Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and to not present The Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s Proclaimation until her memorial service at the Charle Wright Acrican American Musem instead of presenting it with the ones being presented by other organizations at her funeral service, because of it’s special meaning to the family.

SCLC-Detroit President: Reverend Aaron McCarthy: representing the National Office of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the Civil Rights Organization responsible for the historic Children’s March and Crusade, the Birmingham Campaign, the Birmingham Movement, the Birmingham Truce, and paying respect to former SCLC National President: Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth and his Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights, and the desegregation of Birmingham Alabama was spoke for twenty minutes while TV2 and Channel 7 news captured twenty minutes of Southern Christian Leadership Conference history and what Mother Maime King and her participation in the Birmingham Campaign and Children’s Crusade and March meant to the Historicity of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the desegregation of Birmingham Alabama before presented the family of Mother Maime Zwadie King Chalmers with a proclaimation from the National Office of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Dr. Charles Steele Jr: S loCLC National President and CEO.

Making

Georgia-Pacific

Building and Maintaining Relationships Through the Bars

By:Danielle Steele, Founder of For the Lives of Prison Wives

On March 2005, my life changed in a way I never expected. At the time, I was pregnant with my son and I had a daughter that was 2 1/2 years old. I received a collect call from the Montgomery County Jail. I immediately knew that my fiancé had messed up drastically!! See, I was in the courtroom with my fiancé when the judge advised him not to mess up again. The judge informed him that if he appeared in his courtroom again that he would receive a minimum of 10 years in prison. That day, I knew that my fiancé heard the judge, but I knew his soul was tied to the streets and he more than likely would be back before the judge soon.

Well, soon came in March of 2005 and he was sentenced to 22.5 years in prison for money laundering, conspiracy to distribute, and gun charges. Now I was faced with a decision, do I wait, or do I go? Yes, I know, the average female would have run for her life but not me. I prayed and asked God to guide me. I made one of the most difficult decisions I’ve ever made and decided to wait for my fiancé.

I had no idea of what prison life was like nor had I thought about the hardships families face when they have a loved one incarcerated. I just knew they missed their loved one and that was an adjustment for families. I soon learned of the hardships of incarceration and the criminal justice system. Criminal justice reform has been a hot topic for years, but very seldom do we hear about the struggles of the families of incarceration such as the financial burden, visit or lack thereof, grief, limited communication, etc.

As I waited for my fiancé, I had the support of my family, but I still felt alone. I searched for people that were in my situation and had no luck. I did find women going through the same thing online but no real support or guidance as to how to navigate this journey. I began my search in my 11th year of the wait. I found a website where a young lady named Danielle like me talked about her journey. I was teaching at the time and couldn’t wait to read her story about her and her loved one. She also was a teacher like me. We both taught school and wanted so much more for our students than they wanted for themselves. I think by having loved ones in prison, we felt an extra special connection to the kids that were labeled “at-risk” because we knew that they could very easily follow the path that our loved ones chose. Long story short, I rushed home one day to go to the website, and it was no longer there. At this point, I believed I had enough experience to give the help that I knew I needed on the Prison Wife journey. Yes, we eventually got married in prison.

I stepped out on faith and shared our story and eventually started For the Lives of Prison Wives. From stepping out on faith, a criminal justice reform organization, FAMM (Families Against Mandatory Minimums)

reached out to us and wanted to share our story. They also invited my children and myself to Washington D.C. to lobby for and share our story in support of the First Step Act which eventually passed in December 2018. After sharing our story on my blog forthelivesofprisonwives.com, I started a Facebook Group for Prison Wives and began offering the support I longed for. Since then, I started subscription boxes for wives and children, I have published three books, Prayers of a Prison Wife, Prison Marriage Bootcamp Workbook for Him, and Prison Marriage Bootcamp Workbook for Her. I also have an online course that goes along with the workbooks. Prison Marriage Bootcamp focuses on building and maintaining relationships through the bars and is based on biblical principles. It lays the foundation for the couple while the loved one is on the inside as well as when they reenter society.

These resources are significant since one out of two people have been impacted by incarceration in the United States. The U.S. has the highest incarceration rate, and the impact is the greatest in the African American community. Most incarcerated loved ones will return home. Therefore, it’s imperative that they return to society with a state of mind that will keep them from returning to prison and allow them to support themselves and their family in a healthy manner that will be beneficial to everyone. The most important person that can make the most impactful difference is the companion of the incarcerated/returning citizen’s life. The recidivism (reoffending) rate decreases if the returning citizen has the proper support. This is the purpose of For the Lives of Prison Wives. I had no idea that listening and obeying God would take me down this much needed path. But I can honestly say the wait was not in vain. My husband came home six years early and is so driven, laser focused, and continues to reach his goals. As I’m typing, he has just received news of a second promotion within a month’s time at a Fortune 500 company. Our family was able to maintain and build bonds and make new memories, our children are in college and doing well, and I continue to support others that were in our situation. If you’d like to help the families of incarceration visit our gofundme:

Danielle Steele Williams, Founder of For the Lives of Prison Wives. Prison Marriage Coach. Certified Biblical Counselor. Certified Kingdom Marriage Christian Coach. BS Biology. MS Counseling Psychology.

By: Ms. Alexandria Forsh

Tools for Schools

Phases of Autism knows that it is crucial to the autistic community that help is being stretched out to them. We need money to help more teachers obtain supplies for our children. These supplies are expensive , but necessary. We are a 501c3 organization and giving the tools is the first phase of what we do. This will be done annually, every August. Dianne Forsh is the CEO and Alexandria Forsh is the CO-Owner. We both have taught autistic individuals and have 5 people in our family diagnosed with autism. Our lives have been dedicated to advocating for autism over three decades and now we are asking that others donate to the cause. We need you to help provide the supplies that these schools and daycare centers need to help our children succeed and become more inclusive in society.

Do you remember the commercial “Where’s the Beef?” Teachers are asking “Where’s the Money?” Not money for their salary, but money to help buy supplies for the students they teach every day. When it comes to autistic children, their numbers are increasing each year. It is not fair for the teachers to have to come out of pocket, while receiving such a low income.

Kemp allotted $125 dollars twice during Covid. Teachers, according to research, spend from $500 to $1000 yearly just on supplies for their classroom(Chokshi, 2018). Despite the low salary, teachers continue to purchase supplies for their classroom. Classes for autistic children are growing and so are the supplies needed to assure that they receive the quality of education they deserve.

Any help for the teacher is a benefit to our children. We need you to help provide the supplies that these schools and daycare centers need to help our children succeed and become more inclusive in society. If you would like to contribute, send to pay pal under phasesofautism21.com.

LitChokshi, N.(2018). 94% of U.S. Teachers Spend Their Money on School Supplies, Survey Finds. The New York Times.

Dianne Forsh CEO

Alexandria Forsh Co-Owner

Mr. Maynard Eaton: The OG

By Okeeba Jubalo

Where should I start, and how do I write about a legend who covered so much ground within the journalism industry? I am no stranger to genius and excellence, while being very clear about the sacrifices that are made for us to do what we do at an extremely high level.

It is not easy. If it was easy, everyone would do it. Mr. Maynard Eaton’s accomplishments as an eight-time Emmy Award-winning journalist transcend anyone’s personal opinions about him. I will not focus on that because I did not have a full window into his personal life.

In the moments when the opportunity presented itself, I always intentionally turned away from getting too deeply into his personal life. It's not that I was afraid to open myself up or have him open himself up more; I just felt that, out of respect for him and his family, I should keep our relationship within a certain space.

The space that I created was one of honor and trust. I told him what I thought about him through my actions. An older man who has seen a great deal along these roads while making a name in his field as the best of the best doesn’t need to hear more words. Actions matter.

We met under professional circumstances nearly seven years ago. I always referred to Mr. Eaton as the OG, and my respect was and still is true.

He contacted me in 2016 about conducting an interview for the Saporta Report about my life as an Atlanta-based artist, husband, father, and former hustler. One of my collectors, Mr. James Jackson, provided my information, and everything went from there. I was honored to speak with the OG about my life and vision for the Black Arts movement in Atlanta.

Unfortunately and fortunately, the owner of the Saporta Report did not like the transparency of my story. They terminated their working relationship, and when I found out, I stepped up to create Mr. Eaton’s own journalism platform, The Maynard Report. This would allow him to have his respect and be the captain of his own ship.

It is tragic for any journalist with the OG’s credentials to be discredited by someone who hasn’t done half of what he has accomplished. A few months later, together, we launched his online show, Georgia Power. This carried his brand into a new area; after all, he was a newsman. I felt like he needed his own television show, so I created it for him.

As the years rolled by, having his own platforms helped him gain traction again within Atlanta’s market. I was proud of him and what we accomplished together.

Sadly, we live in a time that doesn’t truly value excellence. Eight Emmy Awards aren’t a mistake or an accident. Throughout the years, I witnessed a number of institutions and people within the OG’s professional circle treat him unjustly. Atlanta is a very hard market that does not appreciate excellence and credibility. Atlanta’s fickle took a toll on the OG. He remembered a time when Atlanta had more soul and focused on the people. His words documented the city’s reality and identity in a way that no one else could.

Everyone doesn’t have the opportunity to really watch a legend at work. How he presented his questions and prepared for his interviews taught

me a great deal about getting to the truth of the matter. Watching him with his students at Clark Atlanta University also reinforced within me the importance of teaching the next generation of media professionals.

I do not and have never considered myself a journalist. My truth and focus are on building the platforms for our people to be their authentic selves without any professional compromises. Shortly before his passing, I had the opportunity to interview the OG within my city of North Charleston, South Carolina. His wife, Robin Eaton, brought him to my gallery, and I was honored to have the last actual interview with him. We spoke about his early life and so many other things.

It felt like we were just sitting around talking, the young blood soaking up the game from an OG who had seen it all. The cameras were filming, but I was more interested in what he was talking about than producing this content. I knew it was important, and I am glad that the time was made for us to have this important part of American history.

Mr. Maynard Eaton was the example for all of us to learn from. Perfection and excellence are still possible, and I am thankful for all that I learned throughout our relationship.

Thank you OG.

Rest in power and excellence.

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the SCLc

The USW represents 1.2 million active and retired members across North America employed in many industries that include metals, rubber, chemicals, paper, oil refining, the service and public sectors and higher education.

in its mission to build strong communities and promote social, economic and political justice

To Professor Eaton

By: Bella May

9 months is approximately two hundred and seventy three days and thirty-nine weeks. It wasn't until 9 months ago that I encountered a legend. Through his three stages of life, we will discuss this legend today. For those who don't know me, I'm Bella May, a rising junior and journalism major at Hampton University. I was fortunate enough to be taught by the great Professor Eaton. However, in his first stage of life, he was simply Maynard Eaton from Orange, New Jersey. A man with a plan. An eight-time Emmy winner and the first black newsman at Channel 13 in Hampton. I don’t think you heard me. He was an eight-time Emmy winner and the first black newsman at Channel 13 in Hampton.

From entertainers to civil rights activists, he conducted numerous high-profile reports and interviews. During this time, he received numerous awards and accolades. He served as the president of the Eaton Media Group, the senior writer for the Spelman Messenger, the national communication director for SCLC, the editorin-chief for SCLC, and faculty editor for Hampton University's JAC magazine, and the faculty advisor for Hampton Script. He has also taught at Clark Atlanta. Following his undergraduate degree from Hampton University, he earned a Master of Arts from Columbia University. Although most of you know this information, I had to mention it because when I refer to him as a legend, you understand why. In Professor Eaton's second stage of life, he returned to Hampton University, his home by the sea, after 52 years to teach journalism students.

This is where we met. When he walked in, his strong presence was felt, and his reputation preceded him. Every day, he asked us what was happening in the news. Sometimes I would wake up an hour before class to check. I know.. what a great journalist I am. He also said you gotta know how to write in this field. I liked ELA growing up, so I was like I got this until he gave me a paper with a C + on it. Oh, there’s a difference between essay writing and journalism writing. Professor Eaton wasn't afraid to tell you the truth because it made you better, and when he couldn't, he would bring journalists from the field like Eugene Daniel from 13NewsNow to speak to us. This prepared us for the future.

Now that he is in his final stage of life, I don't know exactly what it looks like for him, but I know how much he contributed to society and me. See Professor Eaton was there when I interviewed Hampton University's 13th president, he was there when I became the 2023 recipient of the Jovita Moore Memorial Scholarship to which he wrote me a recommendation, and he was definitely there when I lost all of my footage for a story I was doing on him. Therefore, I am thankful for him in every stage of life. I am grateful to his parents for making him, to New Jersey and Atlanta for shaping him, and to

Mrs. Eaton and everyone else in between for sharing this legend with me and Hampton University. Professor Eaton, both a legend and my mentor, only took 9 months, two hundred and seventy three days and thirty-nine weeks to touch our heart.

I am Bella May, a third-year journalism student at Hampton University with an area of emphasis in Spanish. My goal is to become a news anchor at one of the world's leading news stations. My biggest accomplishments include being on the Dean's List for my first two years of college, interviewing Hampton University's 12th and 13th President, and receiving the Jovita Moore Memorial Scholarship in 2023. This is only the beginning.

Latonya Crisp Recording Sec’y

Lynwood Whichard Administrative VP

John V. Chiarello Sec’y Treasurer

Richard Davis President