Photo Bio Series: History of the National Black United Front
On January 25-26 1980, we had a unity meeting in Chicago, IL. It was the gathering of the Veterans of the Nationalist/Pan-Africanist Black Liberation Movement some of whom are listed in the photo.
The primary issue to be resolved was the role of the Veterans of the Movement in what we had started with younger or non-veterans which has created legitimate tension. We organized the local Black United Front in July 1978. We were so successful. We, primarily Jitu Weusi, Sam Pinn, Assemblyman Al Vann, but the major players were Jitu and I.
On December 11, 1978, at the rally we identified four persons and asked them to join us at the church and consider organizing a National Black United Front. We met in the chapel of the House of the Lord Church. The four persons were Skipp Robinson who was organizing in Tupelo, MS; Charles Koin who was organizing in Cairo, IL; Florence Walker who was organizing in Philadelphia, PA; Ron Hernon who was organizing in Portland, OR. I had visited Ron who was doing the same kind of organizing we were doing in New York. Jitu and I went over the plans for organizing a National Black United Front module on what we had successfully done in New York and other states starting in Brooklyn. We agreed that we would be an organizing committee for a National Black United Front. Throughout the year we began a tedious hard work of traveling and organizing.
As we were gaining members to the idea of a NBUF which would be held in Brooklyn. Tension erupted between some veterans of the movement. However as the word spread and We considered that we could never organize with veterans because of the wounds felt among the veterans as they disagreed with each other. Plus, Edgar Hoover, then Director of the FBI had put together what was called the Counterintelligence Program(COINTELPRO), whose objective was to disrupt, neutralize and destroy primarily the Black Liberation Movement and all protest activism.
All night long we met, and finally came up with a solution.The veterans would be advisors to the organizing committee for a National Black United Front. We then had their endorsement to move ahead with the organizing.
The Central Committee in Kansas MO 1984 To my right is Oba T'Shaka, also to my right, directly behind me is Michael Amon-Ra aka Seed, further to my right is Jitu Weusi. Still to the right next to Jitu is Dr. Conrad Worrill who succeeded me as Chairman, next to him with glasses is Ajama, Kansas City Chair.
Comments