Monday, April 24, 2023
Kwame Brathwaite; Gone but not forgotten
Today, I attended the funeral of Kwame Brathwaite, the preeminent ” man behind the lens “. Long before James Brown was singing,”I’m Black and proud “ the Brilliant Brothers Kwame and Elombe were concretizing it via words and images “Black is Beautiful. But then, Black Is Beautiful “ as Omowola of the D 12 movement said at the funeral, was more than a slogan, it was a statement of self determination. The Brilliant Brothers were an essential part of the Freedom Movement. Back in the fifties, they were using pen and camera as weapons to fight racism and all its evil manifestation.
Tuesday, April 25, 2023
Kwame Brathwaite; Gone but not forgotten
Part Two
As I was posting part two of Kwame’s funeral, I was informed that Harry Belafonte had made his transition. Then, the news reminded me that I had heard last night that attorney Alton Maddox had joined the Ancestors. Both of these Freedom Fighters were my long time friend and comrade in the Struggle to advance our People. I will give each his own space later. But let me finish with the Brilliant Brothers.
Elombe and Kwame were among the Activists on the scene when I arrived. They were models or they set the exa
mple for commitment of ever we are blessed to have, talent, skills resources are to be used for our people’s progress. Away back, the Brilliant Brothers were frequent visitors to our Church, in the various programs, rallies are often as a lecturer. I never met or heard anyone as knowledgeable as Elombe regarding African history and affairs. In fact, I named him the Walking Encyclopedia.
It is hard to separate the Brothers, but it is Kwame’s funeral.I will post excerpts from his obituary. He was inspired by the writing of Marcus Garvey and the teaching of Carlos Cook. His photography created the visual overture for the “Black is Beautiful Movement “ in the early 60s and 70s. He energetically spread this idea through his writing and photography as well as his activities in the two organizations he helped to co-found: AJASS(1956) and the Grandassa Models (1961).
We were deeply involved in international Freedom struggles , in Africa, South Africa, Namibia, a moving letter was read during the funeral from Sam Nujomo, President of Namibia.
When Arthur Miller was choked to death by the police,(1978) Elombe used his influence with the Organization of African Unity (OAU) now African Union (AU) through its Secretary General to publicly criticize the U.S. by comparing Arthur Miller’s to Steve Biko in South Africa. Also, in the Caribbean and Cuba, Haiti was very active, they were very through an organization they founded the Patrice Lumumba Coalition and I through the National Black United Front (NBUF).
The funeral profoundly moving with the perfect balance of serious solemnity, an occasional humor with a deep emotion always present. There were remarks by Veterans of the Movement: Dr. Jeffries and his wife Dr. Rosaland, Omawole, Bob Law and others. The music and singing set proper tone and the Eulogy by Dr. Ras haas Hoggard was powerfully comforting and challenging, he said in his conclusion, “I charge you to leave here with an assignment Kwame Brathwaite has set the example go and do likewise!”
So long old Struggler, you fought a good fight, you finished your assignment, and now, May band of Angels sing you to your rest!
We learned that Belafonte died today and Alton Maddox while in the Timbuktu Learning Center and discussed it at 7pm EST.
Wednesday, April 26, 2023
I dictated to my typist Sharman about Harry Belafonte - The Tallest tree in the Forest
I talked with my publisher Checole from Africa World Press, who indicated the book would be released in June 2023.
Worked on Daily Prayers with Melanie
Timbuktu Learning Center was health night and Sister Leslie spoke about kidney health and diseases.
We are thrilled to announce that Herbert Daughtry Global Ministries will be hosting a powerful event to celebrate and honor the life and legacy of Kwame Ture. Kwame Ture was a visionary leader, activist, and scholar who dedicated his life to the fight for justice, equality, and liberation for all people. He left an indelible footprint on this earth, and his teachings and insights continue to inspire and inform social justice movements around the world.
Stay tuned for more details, in the meantime, please mark your calendars and spread the word to your friends, family, and colleagues. We look forward to seeing you there!
“Every generation needs a cultural revolution.” At the conference, we hope to initiate an annual event that would research, study and teach the Black Power movement (I like to call it the Afrocentric movement if by Power we mean the usual understanding of that term).What the movement included was culture, self affirmation, self determination, African history, etc.
The Black Power/ Afrocentric movement started with Kwame Ture, giving forceful, passionate verbalization to the term expression in Mississippi 1966 BLACK POWER!!
The expression was the modern version. The desire for BLACK POWER has been an expression and desire for hundreds of years. One could say, it came with the slave trade or one could say it came on the African continent by the first captured Africans.
Hence we hope to express our gratitude and appreciation to the Black nationalists/ Pan-Africanist veterans for their contribution to our struggle for freedom and to build a better world.
Thursday, April 27, 2023
Shared our Organizing Meeting & Membership Drive
There were four important topics that I wanted to post but didn’t and they were:
A Surge at the Southern border as immigrants try to gain entrance into the US.
Russia attacks the Southern region of Ukraine.
US Nuclear submarine protecting South Korea
Rock throwing at cars on the highway in Colorado. Another form of violence causing death.
Friday, April 28th, 2023
Rev Dr. Herbert & Karen Daughtry's 61st Anniversary
Clifford Glover Street Co-naming At Last
Clifford Glover who was shot in the back by a police officer on April 28, 1973. Finally, he has a street named after him, Guy Brewer Boulevard is now co-named Clifford Glover Blvd. It was an impressive array of dignitaries including, New York City Speaker of the City Council Adrienne Adams, Mayor Eric Adams, Advocate Jumaane Williams, Senator Sanders.
The ceremony was held at Calvary Baptist Church, Reverend Dr. Hall is the Pastor, one of the most moving parts of the ceremony was when the principal gave Darlene, Clifford Glover’s sister, a middle school diploma that Clifford would have received if he lived. After the diploma was presented to Ms. Darlene with deep emotion, she spoke emphasizing how long she had waited, and how grateful she was to all of the people who made it possible. She singled out my wife Rev. Dr. Karen Daughtry who by the way is her Pastor and I for being with her comforting and encouraging her for so many years.
After the ceremony inside the church, then we walked a block and a half and posted the unveiling of the sign. Speaker Adrienne Adams had a duplicate sign made which she gave to Darlene.
Next on our agenda is the tombstone for Clifford Glover. In November we plan to have the tombstone placed at this time for all who want to donate. (Add link)
Ugandan Presidential Candidate to speak at the House of the Lord Church
It had been a busy day with the street naming of Clifford Glover. The ceremony for the street naming was from 12-4pm. The scheduled time for the street naming was 12-3pm. We, my wife Dr. Karen and I started at 11am and the ceremony ended at 4pm. So in actuality for us it was 11am-4pm. Afterwards we went directly to the church for the Ugandan meeting. The scheduled time was from 6pm-9pm but in actuality the meeting started around 7:30 pm and lasted until after 10pm.
Mr. Wine didn’t arrive until about 8pm. After photo sessions we went upstairs to a packed sanctuary. After the preliminaries, which included welcome by Dr. Karen. Remarks by myself, several other speakers and then Mr. Wine. He is a youthful 39 years old. He could pass for even younger, he spoke with youthful exuberance and energy. He talked about what had happened in the campaign that he ran, how it was taken from him. He indicated the threats that he had endured and everyday his life is in danger, but nevertheless he intends to press on.
Mr. Milton Allimadi, a noted African journalist, made the arrangements for the meeting. I was told at the IBW conference that NYU had arranged for Mr. Wine to speak at the school, but due to graduation the appointment had to be canceled. There was an emergency and a need for space. I readily offered the church and he just as readily accepted. It was an example of what makes our church/ministry different. In one day we went from a ceremony regarding the street naming of Clifford Glover to a meeting in our church regarding an international event. The far reaching comprehensiveness and diversity of our ministry is what made it unique.
Attending the meeting was Chris Noble, the son of the legendary journalist Gil Noble.
Sat, April 29th, 2023
Breakfast with my wife Dr. Karen in our favorite breakfast restaurant. I spent the day reflecting on the events of the past week. The deaths of Kwame Braithwaite, Harry Belafonte and Alton Maddox. Then I thought of other friends and comrades who have passed on Rev. Butts, Abe Snyder.
As I grew melancholy I thought of the poem:
“What are the worst of woes that we don’t age?
What stamps the wrinkle deepest in the brow?
To view loved ones blotted from life’s page and to be alone as I am now.”
I wondered who was left and who would be next, who knows maybe it would be me which comes to mind another poem Robert S.,
“Under the wide and starry sky dig me a grave and let me lie, glad I lived and gladly will I die, this be the grave that they made for me, Here he lies where he longed to be, home is the sailor, home from the sea and the hunter has come home from the hills.”
Of course I Daughtryized it a bit and said, “home is the warrior, home from the battlefield. To be welcomed by his Lord and Savior Christ Jesus.
Sun, April 30th, 2023
Sunday, was my usual Sunday program: basketball, Prayer and Words of Wisdom
The word of wisdom for this week was from William James, the father of American Psychology. He wrote, “ the happiest people are the people who have found the cause to which they could give themselves, bigger than themselves and will outlive themselves.” The road to happiness then is not how much you can get but how much you can give. After the words of wisdom we had prayer.
Next on the schedule is the Men’s Prayer (8:45am-9am), we had a female guest today who was also a minister.
Finally, is the morning worship 11:30am-1pm via conference call. We started doing conference call worship during the later part of 2019. Now we do two Sundays, first and third in person at 342 Duncan Ave in Jersey City and we do two, three when it’s a 5th Sunday via conference call. I preached on the subject the pursuit of an optimum health.
Ordinarily, on the fifth Sunday I would speak at the HOLC Englewood where my daughter Rev. Dr. Dawnique is the Pastor. I was supposed to be in Augusta, Ga over the weekend, but the trip was postponed to later in the week so I decided to do the conference all worship.
Even emphasizing health, I still continued the theme of “Happiness in serving”. We have coined the slogan, Save the Planet, Save the people and invited all to our monthly meeting and membership still carrying the theme of health and the quote from the Bible, “A merry heart doeth good as a medicine”, such happiness is like a medicine and happiness is what we all desire, therefore if we want to be healthy a road to health is happiness and a road to happiness is service, serving others.
Later, my wife and I decided that we will let the world spin without us and take a break for a few days, primarily to celebrate our 61st wedding anniversary.
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