Julie Belafonte (seated), Dr. Betty Shabazz at the podium, Rev. Dr. Karen Daughtry, Winnie Mandela (seated) Weusi Imam, Chief of Security (standing), Michael Amon-ra Chief of Staff for the National Black United Front and we supplied the security. (Standing near front) After reading Gina Belafonte's profoundly moving tribute to her mother Julie Belafonte it conjured up delightful memories of my interaction with Julie. I've gotten to know Julie very very well during Nelson and Winnie Mandela's first visit to the United States, in particular New York City. My wife, Dr. Karen Daughtry and Julie were co-chairpersons of the Women's section of the Welcoming Committee. I had known Harry for a long long time, at least, I first met him back in the mid 1940s. He was singing at BirdLand in Manhattan, the famous nightspot. It was where all the great musicians would display their artistic skills. I was too young to enter, I had to be 16, however my elders who considered me a young man with promise, in all the negative things of life, would sneak me in. And across the years, I've gotten to know Harry not only in his artistic role but also as an activist. I liked Harry very much. He was as everyone knows a superlative artist but equally he was an activist doing and going wherever there was a struggle for freedom and for human rights. What I really admired about him was that though he was internationally known and moved at the highest circles of human achievements. At the same time he was always available for the injustices on the street. He was active in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn where Yusuf Hawkins was killed and Reverend Sharpton led the organizing. Harry had called a meeting with all of the leaders both Black and white, in an attempt to bring peace and unity. On another occasion when a young man named Dontae Johnson was shot by the police in the Bronx. His mother had mentioned that as a result of the police bullets, her son was unconscious in the hospital. When I visited Dontae in the hospital, and continued to visit and to pray for him and his family. I discovered they had roots in Jamaica, West Indies. I thought that it would be a wonderful gesture if Harry would visit the hospital and meet with Dontae and his mother. When I made the request to him, he readily agreed. He visited and spent considerable time at the hospital. I am sure that it helped Dontae's recovery. And of course Harry was active in the civil rights movement as well as international liberation struggles, especially in South Africa. So, after years of marching, rallying, demonstrating and civil disobedience, screaming, advocating, arguing in the free South Africa/Free Mandela Movement -- Nelson was finally freed. A welcoming Committee was formed in NY to receive Nelson and Winnie's and their entourage. Harry Belafonte, Bill Lynch (Mayor David Dinkins Chief of Staff), Jim Bell (Black Union Leader) and I , Dr. William Howard, religious leader and I were among the welcoming committee and as I stated, Julie and my wife headed the Women's section which included Hazel Dukes, President of NAACP; Dr. Betty Shabazz, wife of Malcolm X; Virginia Fields, Organizer; . You can well imagine the internal tension on getting the Mandela's to various places, near and dear to the hearts and minds of members of the committee. In other words, everyone wanted the Mandelas' at his/her venue or favorite meeting place. In the women section there was no tension. When the request came for Winnie Mandela to speak at the House of the Lord Church, there was a unanimous vote on the proposition. So Julie and my wife went about their organizing and programming with consummate skills and sensitivity. I remember Julie, always so gentle and her movements were of artistry in action. But behind that ready smile and soft tones there came through a woman who could be tough when the occasion demanded. She and my wife like the proverbial "two peas in a pod", together they were the perfect pair. When they requested Winnie come to the church, the Mandela delegation put forth one stipulation, they didn't want Winnie to speak. This demand triggered a furious rejection, both Julie and my wife insisted that Winnie come to the church with no strings attached and these two lionesses had their way. Not even the tough, fearless, freedom fighters of South Africa could withstand the insistence of Dr. Karen and Mrs. Belafonte. They not only organized Winnie's presence at the church and did a great job putting together a rather impressive program. The only rule or part Harry and I played was throughout the program, whenever there was a pause we would shout, "Keep the Pressure on" and the audience would respond. There was this thunderous reverberation"Keep the Pressure on","Keep the Pressure on". Harry and I stood in the balcony, shouting, "Keep the Pressure on", "Keep the Pressure on".  At the time the government of South Africa and Nelson Mandela's organization African National Congress were negotiating the transference of power. As I stated, in addition Julie and my wife organized the program at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. They knew that the church would be too small to invite everybody to Winnie's visit. So to the church, they invited leadership, primarily women leaders. Then graciously they invited the leadership of the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) to be a part of Winnie Mandela's visit. They organized how everyone could come to the program at BAM. And they had the leadership of the Academy to pretty much have their way with the program. At both places, the House of the Lord Church and BAM was standing room only and the program itself was superbly arranged without a misstep or a blunder. Everyone was perfect in her/his role. Primarily, almost exclusively it was Julie and my wife's handiwork. They put it all together. There wereseveral other times I was in the presence of Julie. My wife and I were visitors at their apartment in Manhattan. We sat for long hours listening to Harry relate his involvement in the Civil Rights Movement, especially with Dr. MLK Jr. Julie would talk of her travels and experiences at the various dance groups and events. It so happened that in the Caribbean island where Harry, Julie and their family home in the very island that was the favorite place of my wife and I.  So we would drop in and spend time with Julie and Harry talking about "the good old days" riding around the island. Always, Julie was the perfect host. Harry called us "their new best friends". Julie  had a personality that made everyone feel comfortable. Though she was an international celebrity, known worldwide for her artistic genius, especially her dancing. But there was never any ostentatious or "look at me I'm Julie Belafonte". She would talk to or interact with anyone who happened to be present or around her at the time. It was the joy of a lifetime watching my wife and Julie interacting together thinking, planning, etc. When the Mandela's left for their next stop I guess it was a toss-up as to whether we were sorry to see them leave or sorry that the role Julie and my wife had played was no longer necessary. But a life-long friendship evolved and we will always remember the gentle lady, with so much class, compassion and love for her family, especially Harry, the love for the people. And she loved the work she was doing, contributing to make the world a better place.  So long Julie, it is easy for some of us to believe in the great mansions above, where heavenly choirs sing, but they needed a dancer and I you are the perfect person Julie. Get your copy of my latest book Passing of the Giants of the Human Spirit via Amazon. See Link: https://www.amazon.com/Passing-Giants-Rev-Herbert-Daughtry/dp/B0CQ4FM159 Harry and Julie Belafonte will be included in Volume II of the Passing of Giants.

Continuing in My Beloved Community Chapter Four; Part II: The Origin of Jesus Christ Mizraim — Egypt — Ethiopia’s Daughter Let us now tum to Ham's other son, Mizraim, which means "Egypt." No one argues against the accomplishments of Egyptian civilization. The only argument heard in a few quarters is whether or not the early Egyptians were black. Those who hold out for whiteness or anything but blackness manifest the same mentality that refuses to yield its illusion of divine sanction in the exploitation of other people's resources. To everyone but the most incorrigible Eurocentric the facts are incontrovertible. The ancient Egyptians were Negroes. The moral fruit of their civilization is to be counted among the assets of the black world. Instead of presenting itself to history as an insolvent debtor, that black world is the very initiator of the Western civilization flaunted before our eyes today. Pythagorean mathematics, the theory of the four elements of Thales of Miletus, Epicurean materialism, Platonic idealism, Judaism, Islam and modern science are rooted in Egyptian cosmogony and science. One needs only to mediate on Osiris, the redeemer-god, who sacrifices himself, dies and is resurrected to save mankind, a figure essentially identifiable with Christ.' Significantly, though, according to Diop, Ethiopians considered Egypt to be one of their colonies.6 In any event, the Bible writers understood Egypt to be black. After all, Mizraim was the second son of Ham. It is important to establish the blackness of Egyptians because the Israelites spent over four hundred years in this country. According to the Bible, Joseph's brothers sold him to the Midianites, who in turn brought him to Egypt. After many ordeals, Joseph became prime minister, a reward for interpreting the pharaoh's dream and advising him to prepare immediately, during the years of plenty for the years of leanness that would follow. The gracious pharaoh also told Joseph to bring his family to Egypt, and he gave them the land of Goshen. There were 70 souls; Jacob, the old patriarch brought with him to Egypt just 70 starving cultureless nomads.7 When they departed hundreds of years later, the Bible said they took silver and gold. “Israel also came into Egypt; and Joseph sojourned in the land of Ham" (Psalm 105:23). But they took more than silver and gold. They also carried with them Egyptian or African culture, art, philosophy, and religion. Even circumcision and sacrifice, according to Herodotus, were ancient practices of the Egyptians.8 Monotheism occurred in Egypt a long time before Jacob entered that land. The scripture writers, identifying Cush as Ham's first-born, agreed with the Ethiopians' own estimate of themselves. In a word, the few souls who came into Egypt were swallowed up or assimilated the culture of the Egyptians. When they departed they were really more African than anything else because Egyptians were African. How could it be otherwise? A small, insecure group coming into a country of teeming masses would surely have been assimilated into the dominant culture. The time continuum in the history of the blacks is highly important in reference to the state of civilization in the lands from which the invading groups came during the first thousand years of black ascendency in Egypt, and southern incursive groups were largely tent-dwelling nomads. They had no tradition of great cities with imposing temples, obelisks, pyramids or indeed, stone masonry at all. In particular, one should know the number of centuries after Thebes and Memphis before their ancient cities were founded: Nowe (Thebes) Prehistory Memphis 3100 B.C. Babylon 2100 B.C. Jerusalem 1400 B.C. Athens (Village) 1200 B.C. Rome (Village) 1000 B.C. Antioch 400 B.C. Athens (City) 360 B.C. Rome (Town) 250 B.C. In short, what great contributions did these roaming nomads have to make to an already highly developed black civilization? Since even Jerusalem was not in existence, what people in Lower Egypt came from a country with a city as great as Thebes or Memphis?9 We need look no further than Black people in the U.S.A. Our origin is African. But after four hundred years, we are more American than anything else. Whether we like it or not, we have been assimilated. This has happened to Blacks even when millions were involved. Imagine only 70 Blacks dwelling among millions of Europeans for 400 years. We cannot overemphasize the point. When God liberated the Israelites, the hundreds of thousands of people who came forth were not the 70 people who went in. They were now Africans. If their stay in Egypt were not enough to Africanize them, their sojourn in Canaan, another black land, would have done it. Canaan, meaning "low-lying," you remember, was the grandson of Noah, he was the cursed child. 10 Rudolph Windsor quotes the Talmud, which claims that Africans came to Alexander the Great, asking him for the land of Canaan, thus validating the Africanness of Canaan.11 Throughout their stay in Canaan's land, there was widespread miscegenation; and to further mix things up, in 721, the Assyrians conquered Israel and carried away all but one tribe-Judah (I Chronicles 36:1-21). Then, in 605 B.C., the Babylonians duplicated the feat of the Assyrians and carried most of the people to Babylon, at least those who did not escape into Egypt (I Kings 17:13-31; Jeremiah 52:28-30).12 While in Babylon, most of the Israelites became well integrated into the society. There was more mixing with the Persians, who conquered the Babylonians; and then mixing with the Greeks, Syrians, Romans, and God only knows who else. So by the time Jesus came, He could accurately say that He was the "Son of Man."3 The people who by now were called Jews were the compilation of many cultures, of many lands; and while color would have to be de-emphasized, it is still worth noting that the description of Jesus in the Book of Revelation, indicated that He had still retained some of these African features. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. (Revelations 1:14-15). To be continued on Thursday, March 7, 2024.

Traveling & Thinking out Loud with the People's Pastor Saturday, January 27, 2024 The House of the Lord Church Health Fair There were two important events at our church, the House of the Lord Church on Saturday January 27th 2024. The first event was a Health Fair. The Health Fair was sponsored by the House of the Lord Church and Choose Healthy Life. Choose Healthy Life is in cooperation with the Health Committee of our church. Through this funding for our health committee gives us the resources to secure a navigator. The Health Navigator job includes making information available and assessing social and medical services and guiding through the medical service labyrinth. Persons from disadvantaged or low-income communities, research reveals that persons from the said communities are not in touch with all of the benefits and services that are available to them. Also, even where the persons might be aware of and even made an initial contact often times there is no follow through because of other domestic crisis or challenges. Our health concerns date back to 1984 when I became a vegan which means health and wellness consciousness and particular attention to health issues. I immediately commenced sharing with all who were around me to the importance of being concerned about our health. I began then to organize our church and across the years we have continued with various committees and programs related to health. There were tables throughout the Fellowship Hall that highlighted health issues. It was well attended. There were different services: screenings, blood pressure monitoring and testing. Health books were available and doctors on call. Another Health Fair is scheduled for Saturday, February 24, 2024 all are invited to attend. Funeral of Viola Plummer In the evening, starting at 5pm, the funeral of Viola Plummer was scheduled to begin. The actual funeral ceremony really commenced more like 5:45pm. The people started coming in droves around 4:30pm, by the time 5pm rolled around the Fellowship Hall downstairs was already filled to capacity. What was impressive were those who were physically challenged. They were rolled in the church in wheelchairs. The elderly were in great numbers and there were many who were challenged with physical mobility. By the time the actual funeral started the church, upstairs in our sanctuary including the balcony had about 600 peopleand downstairs in the Fellowship Hall another 200, and people had begun to line up outside the church there were no seats inside. And they waited for hours while seats were vacated and that they could replace them. The funeral lasted for about 4 hours. It finished around 10pm although the viewing was still going on, way after 10pm. It was a profound tribute to Sis. Viola Plummer, called the Matriarch of the Movement. Speakers included local and national activists, revolutionaries, elected officials, clergy and community organizers as well as representatives from foreign countries including Ambassadors from Zimbabwe and Cuba. Members of the D-12 Movement were in charge: Omowale Clay, Attorney Roger Ware, Collette Pean and Viola's sister, Latifah were in charge of the proceedings. Viola's family, dressed in white, were there in great numbers. We were proud and honored to host the ceremony and the organizing related to the ceremony. My wife, Dr. Karen Daughtry, Pastor in her welcoming remarks after the opening by the drummers, Neil Clarke and one other drummer. She recounted the history of Movers and Shakers who had visited the church and/or been funeralized from the church including: Winnie Mandela; Dr. Betty Shabazz; Rosa Parks;Maria Neto, First Lady of Angola, Joshua Nkomo, Godfather of the Southern African movement; Community Activist Sonny Carson, ceremony of Jitu Weusi, Kwame Ture and others. So it was fitting that Viola be funeralized here. She was a frequent visitor for various reasons and programs. She was dearly loved, admired and appreciated by the entire membership and especially my wife and me. We felt a special bond with her. I have been knowing her since the 70s. I cannot think of any important issue related to people of African Ancestry in which we did not address in some way. We did not always agree, but sometimes that is a positive rather than a negative. It has been said that if two persons agree on everything one becomes unnecessary. I have been able to work with people from practically every national background, creed, race. As long as we are in agreement regarding our ultimate goal we can work together. There is a Bible verse that says, “Iron sharpens Iron.” I interpret that to mean, strong minds passionately believe in their objectives; meeting other minds equally committed to their objectives can be a positive challenging experience which helps mental growth and expansion. National Black United Front One of my memorable experiences and I cite it often was organizing the NBUF. We the Gang of Four: Al Vann, Jitu Weusi, Sam Pinn, myself as we were called knew that if we were going to organize a NBUF as we had done locally in New York. It would mean organizing new leadership. We held the veterans of the movement in high esteem; but because of the FBI COINTELPRO many of the organizations had been victimized by the FBI. They caused discord among the organizations. Hence, there were wounds and scars inflicted on one another as a result of the FBI’s activities. So, when we organized a National Convention in Brooklyn, over 1000 delegates and five foreign countries were in attendance. After a weekend of passionate debate many of the groups and individuals said they would not come back. But we did hammer out a tentative constitution and temporary officers. I was voted Chairman; Teacher and Organizer Jitu Weusi from Brooklyn, NY; Ron Herndon from Portland, OR was Treasurer; Florence Walker from Philadelphia was Secretary. I was charged with the responsibility of taking the Constitution to four sections of the country for debate and coming back the following for ratification. ___________________ After the convention Jitu and I understood that if we were going to have a NBUF we would have to reach the people who were dissatisfied and indicated they would not be back. We identified the people and where they lived. My wife and I got in the car and for three weeks drove up and down the country looking for the dissidents. We went from Brooklyn to New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia all the way to Georgia. We drove back Northwest across the mountains of West Virginia, stopped in Charleston, WV on to Detroit and Chicago. All along the way as we met with the participants our approach was to hear them out, agree where we could agree and vowed to work together when we disagreed. I would emphasize, there was nowhere else for them to go, coming out of the Black Power, Black Panther, Black Liberation movements with their ideologies and love of their people. There was nowhere else to go but what we were organizing in the National Black United Front. The following year they all came back and we ratified the Constitution I was voted Chairman and remained Chairman until I resigned years later. When I did resign there were persuasive appeals for me to remain Chairman. So I had been toughened in the fiery furnace to address those who disagreed with me. As I have stated, as long as we could agree on the love of our people and share our goal, which was freedom, we could work together. How we got there was really the debate that took place. I found out often people would argue about objectives not about the goal. The objective may be a number of strategic or tactical actions done in order to reach the goal, hence I found that most of the arguing were about objectives and tactics and not about the goal. Sister Viola was fiercely passionate. There was fire in her eyes when she argued her point and when she spoke publicly. She was slow, methodical, deliberate but very strong in her presentation. She was courageous, fearless in putting her body on the line. She strategized and lived many of the demonstrations and boycotts in the city and nation. She was an institution builder she saw the need to gain ownership or possess something lasting for our people. Thus, she along with others created Sista’s Place. It became famous for the place of artistic expressions as well as revolutionary planning and organizing. Like all great leaders of African Ancestry she was concerned about the people of African Ancestry in the Diaspora, that is wherever they were Europe, Caribbean, Asian, US, South America wherever. She was a great friend of Prime Minister Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and also Fidel Castro of Cuba, evidenced by the attendance of the Ambassadors of those countries. We participated in many many marches, demonstrations, boycotts, forums in support of South Africa and the Southern African Liberation Movement, Cuba, etc. D-12 was a Non-Government Organization (NGO) at the UN. This gave them access to personalities and activities at the UN while keeping them abreast of what was going on in the world. One of the memorable activities in which she was engaged was an attempt to free Sankofa in Texas to at least postpone the date of execution. He had been accused of taking the life of murder. He was sentenced to be executed by the state of Texas. There was much organization going to save him. Sis. Viola and the D-12 people were among the leaders across the country in an attempt to save him. They fundraised and circulated extensively material related to his case. But to no avail. Alas, Sankofa was executed. We were all there for his funeral and I remember I cited in my speech D-12 for their consistent commitment to the saving of Sankofa. So we honor, an honor well deserved and we bid her farewell not goodbye. It is our firm conviction that we will see each other again, along with innumerable others who fought for the freedom for their people in particular, but for a better world. "Well done thy good and faithful servant," I believe I hear God saying to her as God has said to many others.

Jesus Christ African in Origin? The question which is always relevant even more so whenever we talked Black or Afrocentrism, was Jesus African or all Black? We are in Black History Month and it is the time where the question gains wide relevance. Some years ago I wrote a book entitled, Jesus Christ African in origin Revolutionary and Redeeming in action. During this Black History Month I'm going to do a series of articles on the said subject taken from my book My Beloved Community. The Origin of Jesus A good place to commence this search is in the Old Testament, and— strangely enough—not among the usual messianic predictions, shadows, and symbolism, but rather in the pedigree of Noah. In Genesis 9:20-26, we read: And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. And Shem and Japtheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders and bend backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness. And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. This is one of the passages that oppressors have employed to justify their exploitation of Black humanity. Since Ham means "black-ness," Noah, they said, cursed Ham and therefore all Black people are cursed to be the servants of white people. However, when we study the story carefully, we see that (if the curse means anything at all) Noah cursed not Ham but Canaan. Moreover, Ham had other sons who where builders of civilizations. For our purposes, we will focus on just two of them, Cush and Mizraim. And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan. And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtechah; and the sons of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan. And Cush begat Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one in the earth. (Genesis 10:6-8) Shinar-Mesopotamia-Sumer Cush, Ham's firstborn, can also be translated Ethiopia, which means "black or burnt-faced," and which was located in the area that has been called at various times Mesopotamia, Shinar, and what is today Iraq. In this general region were the Babylonians and Assyrians, but deeper than these, or before them, was the ancient civilization of Sumer, which goes back 6000 to 7000 years. It was a civilization of extraordinary achievements. According to the Bible, the children of Cush (blackness) inherited the region. One of Cush's most famous sons was Nimrod, who, according to the Bible, was a great hunter or builder. Nimrod is given credit for building Babylon. Significantly, he has been identified with Hammurabi, famous for, among other things, the Code of Hammurabi. We should remember that it is from this region that Abraham came. Also of interest is the fact that some Bible scholars believe the Garden of Eden can be located in this area. When we observe the rivers that surround the Garden, two have been identified as the Tigris and Euphrates and the other called Gihon is said to encompass the whole land of Ethiopia (Genesis 2:10-14). If Ethiopia is where we have always located it—in East Africa—how can a river flow from it to Eden, which is in Asia? The answer can only be in the blackness of the entire region. The authors of the Bible saw blackness —Ethiopia—as the beginning of civilization. This included parts of Asia and Africa. The Garden of Eden, then, was in the land of blackness. This is consistent with secular research. The geographical area under discussion has been identified with blackness by Chancellor Williams: On the flyleaf of The Destruction of Black Civilization (1976), we read: “What became of the Black people of Sumer?” The traveler asked the old man, “for ancient records show that people of Sumer were black. What happened to them?" "Ah," the old man sighed, "They lest their history, so they died...” Also, Charles Silberman admitted that the Bible writers viewed this area as African. The Biblical language itself thus shows clearly that the ancients viewed Egypt as a Black society. Lest there be any doubt of the role of the Black men in that period, the author of Genesis continues by listing the sons of Ham. The oldest was Cush, the Biblical name for Ethiopia and down to the present, the vernacular Hebrew term for a black African. (Genesis reports that in addition to a number of other children, Cush "begot Nimrod, who was the first man of power of earth. He was a mighty hunter by the grace of the Lord," not to mention his having been the founder of Babylonia.The Israelites clearly believed that the Babylonians and Assyrians were of African origin — a belief shared by some contemporary historians.) The other children of Ham included Mizraim, the most common Biblical name for Egypt; Phut, or Libya; and Canaan, a name derived from a root meaning "to be low;" and referring originally to the low-lying coast of Phoenicia and the lowlands of the Philistines, later to all of western Palestine.2 Ethiopia—Land of the Beginnings It is indisputable that blackness, or Ethiopia, held a high place in the ancient world. W.E.B. Dubois stated: In Ethiopia the sunrise of human culture took place spreading down into the Nile Valley. Ethiopia, land of the blacks, was thus the cradle of Egyptian civilization. Beyond Ethiopia, in Central and South Africa, lay the gold of Ophir and the rich trade of Punt on which the prosperity of Egypt largely depended. Egypt brought slaves from black Africa as she did from Europe and Asia. But, she also brought citizens and leaders from black Africa. When Egypt conquered Asia, she used black soldiers to a wide extent. When Asia overwhelmed Egypt, Egypt sought refuge in Ethiopia, as a child returns to its mother, and Ethiopia then for centuries dominated Egypt and successfully invaded Asia. Neither Greece, Rome, nor Islam succeeded in conquering Ethiopia, although they pushed her pack and shut her up in East and Central Africa, hindered at all contact between her people and the world until the day of colonial imperialism.3 Silberman, who admits that there is some evidence that the Mesopotamians were black, quotes Dioderus Siculus, a first-century Greek historian: The Ethiopians conceived themselves to be of greater antiquity than any other nation; and it is probably that, born under the sun's path, its warmth may have ripened them earlier than other men. They supposed themselves to be the inventors of worship of festivals, of solemn assemblies, of sacrifices and every religious practice.4 We should keep in mind the Ethiopian claim, "inventors of worship, solemn assemblies, of sacrifice and every religious practice, for much of what has been associated with Judaism is found at a much earlier date in Ethiopia. To be continued on Thursday, February 29, 2024.

Let Us Remember Amadou Diallo, RaMarley Graham, and others Amadou Diallo killed by the police On February 4, 2024 will mark the 25th Anniversary of Amadou Diallo. On Saturday morning February 3rd will be a special remembrance at the National Action Network, Rev. Sharpton will be the keynote speaker 9am-11am. And the evening there will be a special candlelight vigil at 5pm. On Sunday, February 4th I will be the speaker at 415 Atlantic Avenue and my subject will be remembering Amadou and others and where we go from here. Following is a reprint, of an article that I posted and submitted to the press with modifications in 2021. The references made from February 1- 4th remain the same forever: On February 4, 1999, Amadou Diallo a 23-year-old African was killed in the vestibule of his home by four police officers. They fired 50 bullets into, what the late famous attorney Johnny Cochran called “a death chamber”, 17 of the bullets ripped through his body. He was unarmed, a hardworking student with no criminal background. He had just recently told his mother he had saved $9,000 and was eager to continue his studies. The officers were members of a special street unit, their slogan, “We own the night”.They were known for their brutality. The officer’snames were Sean Carroll, Edward McMellon, Kenneth Boss, and Richard Murphy. Significantly the first few days in February have witnessed some memorable events, all involving black youth who were in some way victimized by a racist society. The Greensboro Four February 1, 1960, in Greensboro, N.C. four students, Ezell Blair Jr., David Richmond, Franklin McCain and Joseph McNeil sat-in at Woolworth’s lunch counter fueling the Civil Rights Movement. They were jailed for violating the segregated laws of the South (See article in the Daily Challenge – Feb. 4, 2020 and Facebook post at, “Let Us Not Forget the Greensboro Four”). RaMarley Graham February 2, 2012, RaMarley Graham, 18 years old was killed, while unarmed, in his grandmother’s house, standing in the bathroom. In 2015, the family won a lawsuit – $3.9 million. Connie Hawkins – Basketball Great February 3, 2020, we honored Connie Hawkins at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. He was a great basketball player. While he did not experience physical violence or death, he was the victim of another kind of violence. His best playing years were taken from him as he was wrongfully accused of being a part of a point-shaving scandal. In 1961, he had received a scholarship to play for Iowa University, but because of the scandal, the University refused to accept him. The ordeal lasted from 1961-1969 (Approximately 20-28 years old). During that time, he was denied the opportunity to play for college, and the National Basketball Association(NBA). However, he did play for other leagues, and the Harlem Globetrotters. He finally entered the N.B.A. at 28 and signed with the Phoenix Suns in 1969. Although he had knee problems, he still had enough skills to make him an All-Star for four seasons straight. And in 1992, he was voted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Coach Brown said, “The greatest individual basketball player I’ve ever seen.” He won a $1.3 million settlement for the injustice done to him. (See my post honoring Connie Hawkins). The case of Connie Hawkins boasts strikingly similar to the Central Park Five (or the Exonerated Five). Although Connie was not incarcerated, but still, his best playing years were taken from him. He died October 6, 2017. Indeed, there is nothing new under the Sun. Often times, some young people think the issue they’re fighting is new, and their approach is new or different. But racism or injustice or devil has a long history, and have used different methods or strategies or tactics, but it all comes to mean, denial of human dignity and freedom. Diallo killing triggers wide-spread spread protest The killing of Amadou Diallo triggered a wave of protest across the city. Rev. Al Sharpton, the late Rev. Wyatt Walker, former staff of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, and Assemblyman Charles Barron and I emerged as the major leaders of the protest movement. Kadiatou Diallo, Amadou’s mother, came to New York and immediately aligned herself with Rev. Sharpton. This made him the dominant leader among other leaders who also contributed to the ever-widening protest. As Rev. Sharpton and I journeyed back to Brooklyn from Albany, N.Y. where we had spoken at an Anti-Rockefeller Drug Law rally. I suggested to him that the people were ready for daily civil disobedience. He immediately grasped the idea and its potential to have a dramatic impact. We pondered where it should be. First, we thought of the Bronx courthouse where the trial would be held. But we rejected that site. We didn’t want to be accused of trying to influence the Judge or the jury. We believed that the jury would find the killer cops guilty (We didn’t anticipate they would move the trial to Albany). Then a lightbulb went off in Rev. Al’s head, “OnePolice Plaza,” he said, raising his voice with excitement, “That’s it!” I responded with equal excitement. Later, as we discussed the idea with Assemblyman Charles Barron, he agreed it was a great idea. We held strategy sessions at Rev. Sharpton’s home in Brooklyn. There is timing in a movement when some act, which might have been done before with little or moderate reaction, but the timing and other factors converging a particular time, inspire the masses to want to do, or is ready to do almost anything to bring change. That time had come with the killing of Amadou Diallo. August 1979, multiple police fired over 24 bullets into a young Latino, Luis Baez in Brooklyn, N.Y. We went to his home, comforted his heartbroken, sobbing mother, then went to the 68th Precinct, the home base of the killer cops. There were massive demonstrations, but no organized civil disobedience. And there was Sean Bell. On November 25, 2006, fifty bullets were fired at him and his friends. He was killed. It was the eve of his wedding day. Arrest at the South African embassy November 21, 1984, Dr. Marion Frances Berry, who was at the time, Commissioner of the Commission on Human Rights, former Congressman Walter Fauntroy, and Randall Robinson, President of TransAfrica were arrested at the South African embassy protesting the oppressive conditions in South Africa. (Dr. Eleanor Homes-Norton, Law Professor, Georgetown Law School was also among the group. But she had gone out to meet the press and was not arrested.) There had been protests and civil disobedience before, but this time, it was different. This arrest ignited national civil disobedience that moved across the country like a prairie fire. Participants from every status and station in life went to jail. A Movement was created called the “Free South Africa Movement” (FSAM). The demonstration at the South African embassy lasted over a year, four thousand five hundred were arrested. As Chairman of the National Black United Front, I along with Charles Barron, who was my Chief of Staff at that time, coordinated New York’s civil disobedience. Civil disobedience: Amadou Diallo In the aftermath of the Diallo killing, I felt the people were ready for civil disobedience, as I had felt in 1986 and other times. Again, from every status and station, eagerly, they came to go to jail. Over one thousand people were arrested. Eventually, the officers were found not guilty. SAME OLD STORY! To be continued on Thursday, February 8, 2024. Stay tuned for more updates from Herbert Daughtry Global Ministries. Don't forget to watch our videos on YouTube and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and events. For more information, please visit our website or call us at 833-236- 7555. Join us for our Lifeline Fellowship every morning from 7am-8am EST, and the Timbuktu Learning Center in the evenings from 7pm-8:30pm EST. To participate, dial 1-716-427- 1168 and enter passcode 604309# when prompted. We look forward to hearing from you

Reflections on my attending UN Security Council with President Joshua Nkomo (cont.) September 29, 1977 In the photo: Joshua Nkomo at the Refugee camps in Southern Rhodesia. He signed this photo on Sept. 28, 1977. On my way back to the hotel, I met a woman named Loretta Parker, who was a syndicated columnist. She persuaded me to return back to the U.N, where she invited me to accompany her to explore the rest of the U.N building. We went into the delegates lounge and had coffee (It is the same lounge I used to take Leah, our eldest daughter. Now Rev. Leah Daughtry the National Prelate of our churches, the House of the Lord Church). Mr. Calistus came in and sat with some of his friends. After having coffee, we headed out when Mrs. Parker observed that people were getting on the elevator. She invited me to go up to the reception with her. She explained that these receptions were held nightly. It is an insult if the people do not respond. There were two receptions being held on the same floor. When the elevator arrived, we were informed to go to the reception on our right. It was a Togo land reception. When we entered the reception area, we were announced at the door. We were greeted by four persons as we entered the room. The food was hors d'oeuvres. I feasted on shrimps and orange juice. As we were leaving, I saw the Ambassador of Botswana. I also met some other people in the Delegation from Tanzania. From there, we went to the Samoan reception, which was much smaller. The hors d'oeuvres were the same. Some of the same people were also present that we had met at the Togo land reception. I remarked to Mrs. Parker that it was quite interesting, that after fighting downstairs all day, then they would come upstairs to share food and drink with one another. I could not help but reflect that even in a war situation, the Ambassadors, or at least the Delegations from the various waring countries would come to these receptions to eat and drink, laugh and talk, while men from both sides of their armies and countries were presently dying on the battlefields. Thus completed my day at the U.N. I picked up Calistus, and hoped that we could say our goodbyes to Mr. Nkomo at the airport, as I had not gotten a chance to do so before leaving the U.N. He was so gracious to us, the least I wanted to do was thank him and wish him farewell. But unfortunately, it did not materialize. So again, ending my United Nations experience. Now, I want to back up just to offer some personal reflections from this event... First of all, I must say that I was very, very pleased and gratified that Mr. Nkomo would call me. He had come to this country just for the purpose of making the United Nations Security Council speech. I must have been the only person in the USA that he had called – a true honor indeed. I was told by others that he had said, “I've got to get in touch with my brother” referring to me, and I was very pleased by that. I was also pleased that I was accepted and treated as a brother within his entourage. When we were at the hotel, I sat there for an hour or so, perfectly comfortable and at ease, particularly made so by the company that arrived with Mr. Nkomo. Even when we left the hotel, I felt particularly comfortable being invited to the U.N with Mr. Nkomo and his Delegation. We walked out of the hotel and headed across the street into the U.N. I was a part of the Delegation. In fact, I asked Calistus if it were alright for me to be there, or if I should go inside through another entrance in the United Nations building. He said, "No, you go with us. You will be able to enter as a member of our Delegation and entourage." Inside of the United Nations that day, sitting in the front row, I experienced the humanness of it all. Here, in the highest council of human deliberation, people were just human after all. Secretary Owens, whom I had previously read so much about, just seemed so human. In fact, when we were seated in the corridor, while passing on his way to speak, he spoke to us. He had mentioned a personal tragedy that was troubling him. He didn’t say what it was, but I assumed someone had died or was very sick. He seemed tired, weary, and in pain. Ambassador Andrew Young also looked human. His mannerisms — the picking at his face, looking at his hands, taking notes — it all just looked so human. The suits of the Delegates were wrinkled and all of them seemed ungroomed. They all appeared to be tired. The greetings, handshaking, backslapping — all of it seemed so human. Here I sat in the Security Council, where so many major decisions regarding the world situations were deliberate and I was simply struck by the fact that the people here were still just human beings; no more, no less. The way they carried on their business was no difference than all of the other conferences that I had been a part of. Perhaps, with a little bit more strictness regarding parliamentary procedures, but the same nonetheless. In large conferences there are always people standing on the side of the halls or conference rooms, meeting in the corners, planning, scheming, plotting, caucusing, even here all that was done. The American Delegation had Andrew Young seated in the front row. Opposite the table, four seats behind him were occupied by very old white men. It was such an incongruous scene. Here, was Andrew Young — youthful, handsome, sitting in the front of these old worn-out white men. I thought it was so striking. He moved back to whisper something in the ear of one of the old white men, who then left the room and returned later. I thought to myself, “isn’t that a change.” Here was Andrew Young, conveying a message of some sort, to this old white gentleman, which moved him from his seat to go look after an errand. I remember outside the Security Council, after the meeting, when people were being introduced, I was introduced to someone by a brother whose name I cannot recall. I remember his gesturing at me and saying "oh yes, he is our brother” when introducing me. I was left feeling elated by it all. It was an unforgettable day. As I had mentioned earlier, Mr. Nkomo had three pictures, which he gave me. These were pictures that were taken some time ago of his being at the refugee camps in Southern Rhodesia. He said that he didn't have time to develop the other films that were taken, but he wanted me to have these. I asked him to autograph them for the church and myself, which he did. Mrs. Parker told me something about Mr. Nkomo I think it is worth recording here. She said they used to stay in the same building in Harlem. On one occasion, her son had fallen backward and bumped his head badly on a radiator. She went on to say that Mr. Nkomo, being so deeply concerned about her son, he left the United Nations in order to personally look after her son. This was some years ago. I bring this up, because I believe it also agrees with one of the observations made by Tony Breeland at our church — that Mr. Nkomo had a lot of compassion and strength in his eyes. This, I had observed as well. He is a very sensitive human being. Very compassionate, very outgoing. He is a man who has known a lot of pain, a lot of hurt, and so has become a very sensitive human being as a result of it. Usually when we experience deep hurt, we either become bitter, or become better. Mr. Nkomo had become better. (“I remember years later when Rev.  Jesse Jackson said that about Nelson Mandela, Mr. Mandela came out of prison better not bitter.”) I think that it is significant that he was invited to address the Security Council — with all of the parties that were operating in the Rhodesian situation, as well as all of the various African parties — Mr. Nkomo was the one selected to address the Security Council.   (We should note here that Mr. Nkomo was considered the Godfather of the Southern Liberation struggle even more highly regarded than Nelson Mandela at the time.) Well, one has to reflect upon the future. It does seem inevitable that the government of Southern Rhodesia will change hands. I cannot help but wonder how it will be when the government changes, and Mr. Nkomo becomes the Prime Minister. (The country did change hands and changed names, Rhodesia became Zimbabwe, but Mr. Nkomo was not elected Prime Minister. Mr. Robert Mugabe became Prime Minister of Zimbabwe. Mr. Nkomo became head of the Homeland Security department.) What would it mean for our church? I’m not sure. But another thought comes to mind. I do plan to go to Africa in early December and visit the refugee camps. The thought occurred to me that we might be able to start some mission work there while all of these young men are in the refugee camps. All in all, as I had said, it was an unforgettable day. I sat there observing, analyzing, and it was hard to believe that I was there. Sitting in the highest council of human deliberation. Going through that experience, I am more and more convinced that God had called me with a worldwide mission. To convert the world to Jesus Christ was the heading of the 10-page document that I wrote in Lewisburg Federal Prison in 1957. For which I see the future of human beings and their relentless and noble efforts in trying to resolve world problems. They seemed so committed and confident! Yet, so small. If you discern a contradiction in my analysis and observation you’re right. But contradictions are a part of life. It was/is part of the Marxist thinking “theory, thesis, antithesis and synthesis”. The challenge of life is to achieve a synthesis bringing the two together, bringing thesis and antithesis together to achieve your objective or goal. I knew as never before that only God can bring this saga to a close. Now, this is not to suggest that I will not continue to participate — to work, to labor, to pray, to advocate, to preach and to do all that I can while here on Earth. (To use a phrase that I developed years later, to Save the Planet, Save the People.) But while I struggle for better things here, I realize that only God can bring Peace, Justice and Love to the world. To be continued on Thursday, February 1, 2024. Stay tuned for more updates from Herbert Daughtry Global Ministries. Don't forget to watch our videos on YouTube and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and events. For more information, please visit our website or call us at 833-236- 7555. Join us for our Lifeline Fellowship every morning from 7am-8am EST, and the Timbuktu Learning Center in the evenings from 7pm-8:30pm EST. To participate, dial 1-716-427- 1168 and enter passcode 604309# when prompted. We look forward to hearing from you.

Reflections on my attending UN Security Council with President Joshua Nkomo September 29, 1977 Mr. Joshua Nkomo was the President of Zimbabwe African People’s Unity (ZAPU) made up one of the liberation organizations in Southern Rhodesia. Mr. Robert Mugabe was President of Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU). Both organizations combined to form the Patriotic front, our church had raised some money for the refugee camps in Southern Rhodesia which became Zimbabwe, after the Patriotic Front had won its independence. We presented the funds to Mr. Nkomo at our church, the House of the Lord Church in Brooklyn. I had formed a good relationship with Calistus Ndlovu who was ZAPU’s representative for the UN. On the morning or early afternoon of September the 27th 1977, Calistus called and told me that Joshua Nkomo and his party had just arrived back in the country. Mr. Nkomo wanted to see me and say hello. He wanted me to come over to the hotel where he would be staying. He would only be in town until tomorrow, when he would address the United Nations Security Council. I was delighted to hear from him and happy to know he was back in the country. It was 12-noon on the 28th of September, when I went to the UN Plaza Hotel where Mr. Nkomo was staying. Calistus invited me over for lunch at 1pm. Mr. Nkomo was scheduled to speak at the Security Council at 3:30pm. They were staying on the twenty-eighth floor of the Plaza, room 2816. It was not only a very attractive place, but also very accommodating, in the sense that there was a place to eat, a living room, an office with a desk, a small bar in the corner, and two bedrooms upstairs.  Calistus informed me that they had selected this hotel specifically because of its security arrangements. Mr. Nkomo was a target for Rhodesian assassins, and his protection was important. Along with the fact that the hotel was located within very close to the UN. As we discussed various topics, Calistus told me that Andrew Young had been to this hotel three times. The British foreign secretary, Mr. Owens, had also been there a number of times. However, the Soviet Union refused to come to the hotel, and wanted to meet strictly at the Embassy. He said that the Soviet Union felt that the hotel was an easy place to be spied upon, and also felt it was safer and easier to counter act any kind of electronic spying devices at the embassy. We ate lunch at about 2pm. Joshua Nkomo came into the room. He was smiling. He had been traveling and apologized for not being at the hotel to welcome me. He looked tired— very tired, and immediately began to explain the negotiations and travels which he had been through. He told me that he would have to return this very evening after the Security Council meeting. He was leaving for Lusaka, where a top-level meeting with all of his field commanders was being held. He had no choice but to attend the meeting. Calistus further elaborated upon the meeting with the field commanders. They would be coming from all different places, risking their lives, and it just wouldn’t be right for Mr. Nkomo himself not to be there as well. Calistus was preparing the speech that was to be delivered at the Security Council. When the call came, the speech was ready. Meanwhile, the Cuban Embassy called and wanted to meet with Mr. Nkomo before he left. Mr. Nkomo was very friendly. He inquired about everybody. He had brought three pictures from the refugee camps in Rhodesia. He signed them for the church and myself. He then excused himself because he had to study the speech, he was going to make at the Security Council. Two of his daughters and one of his childhood companions would be constituting his delegation, and of course Calistus. At 3:15pm Mr. Nkomo left for the Security Council. We passed through the gates of the delegates entrance and entered the U.N. building. We went up the escalator and through the hall into the Security Council room. All of the delegates had not yet arrived, and those that were there could be seen mingling and discussing various topics with one another. When Mr. Nkomo came into the room, he was the center of attraction. Many of the delegates rushed over to greet him. After a while, Andrew Young entered the room. He too came over to greet Mr. Nkomo. He was surrounded by camera people. The delegates from China, all wearing black suits, struck me as most unimpressive for a powerful nation. The President of the Security Council was German. He had already arrived. Most of the people came over to greet him as well. We were seated behind the Security Council. The President of the Security Council came and informed Mr. Nkomo that he would be invited to the table where he would be asked to make his speech. He was told that he could take with him whomsoever he pleased. After which he would be asked to withdraw himself from the table. The session was called to order at about 3:45pm. The opening address was made by the British Delegation, headed by the Foreign Secretary, Mr. David Owen. I should point out here that a proposal was presented to the Security Council, which contained the provisions which the Security Council and a representative from the U.N would meet with all of the parties involved in the Rhodesian situation before the meeting. Mr. Owen spoke and pointed out their only concern was for peace and the work that they have done in trying to realize that goal. Then, Mr. Nkomo was called to make his speech. (I will add this speech into the African Liberation Support Folder. I carry with me a folder containing important documents related to the visit. I do not recall what was in the folder). Mr. Nkomo also submitted a point-by-point analysis of the British proposal. This proposal had been presented to the UN. The complete proposal of the British Anglo-American proposal which was presented some weekend before and was responded to in detail by Mobutu (this too will be added to the African Support folder. I can’t remember the role he played.) The other delegations responded in support of the motion of the proposal except Russia, China, and I don’t recall which one was the third. After all, had responded, the President of the Council suggested that the meeting be suspended. He wanted to meet with the delegates in Conference room #5, in order to work out the mechanics of the proposal. It was at that point that the British Delegation asked if the three members who had not yet responded would do so at that point. They still did not respond, at least not while I was sitting there. When the meeting was over, we stood around for a while greeting the constant flood of well-wishers. After patiently and generously greeting the people, Mr. Nkomo met with another group in a separate room. We sat out in a lounge that was located right off of the Security Council area where they were conferring. When the meeting was done, Mr. Nkomo then went with other members of his party, including Calistus, back into the conference room for another meeting, and that is when I left them alone. As I started heading back to the hotel, I said my goodbyes. To be continued on Thursday, January 24, 2024. Stay tuned for more updates from Herbert Daughtry Global Ministries. Don't forget to watch our videos on YouTube and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and events. For more information, please visit our website or call us at 833-236- 7555. Join us for our Lifeline Fellowship every morning from 7am-8am EST, and the Timbuktu Learning Center in the evenings from 7pm-8:30pm EST. To participate, dial 1-716-427- 1168 and enter passcode 604309# when prompted. We look forward to hearing from you.

A Day of Happiness National Action Network I started the morning at the National Action Network Rally, Rev. Sharpton and the people of NAN had given me such a wonderful birthday celebration with gifts, handshakes, and herbal arrangements, money and cake. I wanted to return and say thank you although I love going to NAN on Saturday mornings for several reasons: First, I like being with Rev. Sharpton, hearing him speak always conjures up history of our involvement starting with Operation Breadbasket. He was our youth leader at 12 or 13 years old, Dr. Bill Jones Pastor of Bethany Baptist Church was the Chairman and Rev. John Scott was the Executive Director and I was the Executive VP. This would’ve been in 1967/1968. Since that time until the present there are a few issues in New York and parts of the United States that we were not involved in. Secondly, I love the people at NAN. They are a representative group of various classes, status and achievers. Thirdly, you never know who you might meet there. There’s always a special guest. This Saturday Lieutenant Governor Delgado was present and made remarks as a guest speaker. So, this Saturday morning, I returned and received an overwhelming reception. I was given time to verbally express my gratitude. Rev. Sharpton was as gracious and generous as he had been the week before. Profusely he cited the many involvements and accomplishments over the years. He even announced on the air that he and others planned to rename Atlantic Avenue after me, “The Bishop Herbert Daughtry Boulevard.” As he mentioned this, the crowd stood on their feet, with handclaps, feet stomping and verbal affirmation. Obviously, I was ecstatic. The main issue Rev. Sharpton addressed in his speech and that has been his focus for a long while now was Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). He believes that there is more momentum in the country to roll back our hard-fought gains. The false resignation of Dr. Claudine Gay, former President of Harvard was an example that he cited. One of the prime moments was William Ackman, a wealthy alumni and right-wing protagonist. Rev. Sharpton emphasized that demonstrations would continue at his office on Thursdays 12pm-1pm: 54th and 11th St. He made an appeal for all. Senior's Day at Eagle Academy in the Bronx In the photo: my daughter in law: Danielle Cooper Daughtry, Herb III, Herb Jr. After our usual Saturday morning breakfast with my wife at our favorite restaurant, it was Senior's Day at Eagle Academy in the Bronx. My grandson Herb III, attends and plays basketball for the team. It was the day that photos were taken with the parents and other relatives. It was an exceedingly proud day. Disney on Ice at the Barclays Center Rev. Dr. Dawnique, Rev. Dr. Karen, Alexander and myself We then made our way to Brooklyn for Disney on Ice at the Barclays Center. A boisterous fun time was had by all especially the children. As my wife and I sat in our seats the middle seat was vacant and my youngest great-grand Alexander came and parked himself in the seat. As I sat in the seat overlooking the ice show I couldn’t help but remember how it all started. We had heard that Forest City Ratner, the developer had purchased the New Jersey Nets and planned to move to Brooklyn on 26 acres of land in Downtown Brooklyn. Also included in the plan were 16 high-rises, commercial buildings and a refurbishing of the building that surrounded that strip of land. We negotiated a Community Benefits Agreement which included the suite in which we were seated. Four lower bowl tickets and 50 upper bowl tickets for all of the events in the arena. Also use of the arena by community groups with all the proceeds and profits going towards the sponsoring groups. A great way for community-based groups to raise funds. A community foundation consisting of the Brooklyn Nets, Forest City Ratner and our group DBNA funds would be provided by Forest City Ratner and the Brooklyn Nets and be allocated in annual community grants by DBNA. We also negotiated a state-of-the-art health facility that would provide quality health service with the courtesy and compassion and professionalism in a state-of-the-art facility. We chose the New York Presbyterian Hospital. It was considered the fifth best hospital in America at the time. They collaborated with the Brooklyn hospital. In addition, we negotiated an intergenerational initiative – a complex that would house daycare children, youth and senior citizens. Daycare centers have been one of our specialties for the last 50 years. One of the programs we specialize in for the last 50 years and now to sit in the suite enjoying the program but most of all enjoying the family. I couldn’t help but be overwhelmed with gratitude to God and Jesus Christ, to the people and to the family all of which made it possible. When the program was over and we started homeward in the bitter-cold but our hearts were warm with love, gratitude and appreciation. As I surveyed all of the skyscrapers and the lights across the downtown area. The bustling crowd of shoppers that were in the cold weather, the revitalization of the whole area. Yet but a few years before had been deteriorating, rodent infested, crimes and criminals were pervasive and to think that we had a hand, we played a significant role in the revitalization that is now continuing. What a mighty God we serve!

For a good while now I have been citing the poem by Lord Byron, "What is the worst of woes that wait on age? What stamps the wrinkle deeper on the brow? To view each loved one blotted from life’s page. And to be alone on earth as I am now." In the last several weeks the poem has become even more relevant. Never before have I been informed or attended the funeral of relatives, friends and comrades transitioning. Minister Michael "Seed"Amon-ra Consider on December 30th, we funeralized Minister Michael Amon-ra in Inwood, NY. I called him Seed. I ordained him. He became my chief of staff when I headed the Black United Front. But he was more than a Chief of Staff, he was my trusted advisor, constant companion at home and abroad and chief protector of my family and me. I will write more about him later. (In the photo: Rev. Dr. Karen Daughtry, Charles Barron (behind Reverend), Rev. Herbert Daughtry Sr., Min. Michael on our way to City Hall rally) Tena Jefferson On the same day, that we memorialized Michael, my cousin Tena Jefferson was memorialized in Florida. Even more grievous was that I could not attend her memorial service for she lived in Florida. I could not attend the two memorial services. See family connection in my latest book The Passing of the Giants Vol I, Chapter 5- Family and Friends - My first cousin, her full name was Alberta Bernice Franklin, we called her Bert. It is an interesting story of growing up in a racist segregated South and the dominance of complexion color. Bert was very light-skinned, my brothers and I were brown. My grandmother always called Bert "Her Golden Child". Link to The Passing of Giants book: https://a.co/d/bnsaNl9 An interesting story of life in the South during the 30s and 40s. How some black families related to the color question among us. James Hampton, Brooklyn, NY James Hampton was funeralized Jan 5, 2024 in Brooklyn, NY. He was a distant relative 95 years old. We grew up in Savannah Georgia. We played marbles together. My brother Bob was the city championship in Augusta, Georgia. He was very active in the Masons. In fact, there was portion in the funeral for a Masonic ritual. Dr. John Flateau John was funeralized January 10th in Brooklyn, NY. John was a member of our church, the House of the Lord Church in Brooklyn but more he was a political consultant and confidant of Assemblyman Al Vann. Additionally he was the political guru to most if not all of the black candidates and elected officials in Brooklyn and those who had aspirations to become elected to an office. He was chief of staff for Mayor David Dinkins. As I stated he was a member of our church and we enjoyed not only a great Pastor-parishioner relationship, but also a great friendship and he was my advisor too. In fact, I married him and his wife Lorraine 47 years ago.He was funeralized in Brooklyn. Sekou Odinga He was funeralized January 14, 2024 in Brooklyn and was a member of the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army. He was highly regarded and admired by members of said organizations and by all who were apart of the liberation struggle. I had heard of Sekou before his many years of incarceration. His reputation was that he was a committed courageous freedom fighter. During his incarceration we communicated on occasion with him and the parole board authorities. And from the day he came home we became fast friends. We enjoyed mutual respect and appreciation. (In the photo: Sekou Odinga, myself and Sunidata Acoli at the International African Arts Festival July 1-4,2023) Viola Plummer On January 15, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Viola Plummer made her transition. She will be funeralized in Jamaica, Queens. Viola has been called the matriarch of the movement. She was the Founding Chair of the D-12 Movement. She was the chief of staff for Councilwoman Inez Barron. For as long as I can remember being in the struggle for most of those years, in fact in trying to remember because maybe for all of those years she was on the scene. Sometimes we agreed, sometimes we disagreed but we were always united on our love for people of Aa and struggle for freedom. I always admired her, she was fearless, articulate, persuasive, loyal and political theorist and movement strategist. She was formidable. We all who have been in this battle will miss her very much. Whatever the sound of battle was she was there - marching, demonstrating on the boycott with fire in her eyes and fury in her voice. In the photo: Myself and Viola at the International African Arts Festival July 1-4,2023) In addition if that were not enough there were a couple of people close to me who they with the consent of their relatives decided to pull the plug or to end their lives. One on the 1/11 and then another on 1/16. The risk of being repetitious I cannot overemphasize the passing of these giants of the human spirit. The courage of those who decided to end it all. It has been unprecedented. Never have I witnessed such a sad affair. It’s a reminder to me at 93 my time is nearing although I plan to be here as long as Moses 120 years but if God should call me from the battlefield 120 mins away or 120 hours or 120 days or 120 months I will be ready for the call. To all of my relatives, friends, comrades, I say to you stay ready. You never know the hour or the day when it's time for you to make your transition. So I say to those who have made their transition May bands of angels sing you to your rest; and may you say with the Apostle Paul," I fought a good fight, I've finished my course, I've kept the faith." And may you hear the God of your faith say, "Well done thou good and faithful servant." See my latest book: The Passing of Giants of the Human Spirit book: https://a.co/d/bnsaNl9

What A Weekend On Sat, Dec 30th, 2023 we memorialized Min. Michael “Seed” Amon-Ra. I called him Seed. He was my chief of staff and great protector when I charged the Black United fronts I will write more about him later. At the same time my cousin in Florida, Tena Jefferson was memorialized. Tena’s mother was my first cousin. We were very very close. For the first 10 years we were raised partially by our grandmother and grandfather, Henrietta and Emmett Cheatham. See family connection in my latest book The Passing of Giants Vol I, Chapter 5- Family and Friends - My first cousin, her full name was Alberta Bernice Franklin, we called her Bert. It is an interesting story of growing up in a racist segregated South and the dominance of complexion color. Bert was very light-skinned, my brothers and I were brown. My grandmother always called Bert "Her Golden Child". At the same time, as Seed and Tena. We learned that Rod Taylor, a Black United front member had passed. Brother Taylor headed our Incarceration Re-entry Program. Mon January 1st, Mr. John Flateau, another member of our church, the House of the Lord Church but more prominently was a Consultant to Assemblyman Al Vann and Professor of Medgar Evers College abt him later. His funeral was Wednesday January 10, 2023 at 10am. I'll add more about him later. In between, Wednesday, January 3rd I attended the meeting with Mayor Adams and Senior Faith Leaders. See link attached. In addition, on Friday, January 5th, I attended the funeral of James Hampton. He was a distant relative. More about him later. Saturday, January 6th I attended the morning rallies at the National Action Network (NAN) 106 W 145th St, New York, NY 10039. While there, Sharpton announced that on 1/13 which is my birthday there will be a special birthday recognition, “Bishop Daughtry Day at NAN." He also stated to bring your gifts. Obviously, I was elated for primarily two reasons. First, Reverend Sharpton had volunteered to do this. We have been knowing each other since he was 12/13. He was our youth leader of Operation Breadbasket (OBB). Dr. William Jones, Bethany Baptist Church was the Chair, I was Executive chair. Rev. John Scott was Executive Director. OBB was the brainchild of Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). The idea was to make Corporate America accountable to the Black community, for not only what had been done, but what it was doing in the present. Preachers would meet with the Presidents of corporations, usually with ten demands. If the corporation complied, reconciliation would occur and there would be mutual benefits. If not, we would take various actions up to and including take over or sit-ins at corporate headquarters and civil disobedience. Rev. Al Sharpton cited one event that we in Breadbasket initiated. It was the boycott and sit-in of A&P. A&P, the giant food corporation at the time. All night we sat in their corporate headquarters and was arrested at that moment. Rev. Sharpton who was too young to be arrested nonetheless was apart of the takeover and was with the ministers when they held a press conference the next day. See photo below: In fact, Jesse Jackson who was the national leader of Breadbasket came to town and was arrested. The second reason is that it validates God's promise of when we do good for others others will do good for us or we would be rewarded in some way for the good we do. So, my reaching out to support the Mayor, Sharpton volunteered to do "Bishop Herbert Daughtry Day at NAN." (The Program starts at 9-9:30am at NAN: 106 W 145th St, New York, NY 10039 and live on radio WLIB 1190) Throughout his speech, he made the occasional references to our long history. But his main emphasis was on the attack on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). He cited instances which were attempts by right wing and racist elements to roll back our civil rights gains. In particular he cited, Dr. Claudine Gay at Harvard University, was forced to resign because of the House Hearing Committee , she did not answer up to expectations regarding Anti-Semitism and she was accused of plagiarism, which proves to be not true at all. Dr. Gay was an example but there are plenty other cases clearly demonstrating what we are up against. He mentioned the demonstration that they had had and will continue to have in the office of William Ackman. Mr. Ackman is a billionaire, Harvard Alumnus who led the charge insisting on Dr. Gay's resignation. The protest was held at the office of 54th and 11th Ave from 12-1pm. Sunday, January 7th I preached at the House of the Lord Church 415 Atlantic Avenue. My subject was "What kind of Revolutionary we need". I emphasized genuine Revolutionaries are driven by love. They give their lives either all at once or through criticism's for others. The masses initially only want more things for themselves. Although the masses when educated regarding their condition and led properly they become the force that brings change. We seem to be divided between the Gimmie's and the Giver's. God perceived as a cosmic bellhop by too many people. They only want Him around when they want something. True revolutionaries first give their lives or surrender their lives to their calls. To me and leading of others that means surrender to Jesus Christ as Lord our Savior. From that surrender we become givers. We move from givings to what we can get. The Scripture that I used was Matthew 16:24-28, "where Jesus said he that seeks to save his life, shall lose it; he that loses his life for my sake shall find it."

Council of Religious Leaders – Thursday December 7, 2023 The Council of Religious Leaders also is an organization of prominent interfaith leaders. It was organized during the De Blasio administration. It is chaired by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York. We meet periodically in the Cardinal’s residence. The second conversation was even more deeply felt due to face-to-face exchanges. There were five persons in the delegation, three were speakers and residents of Kibbutz Kfar Aza and survivors of the October 7th attack. There were very youthful, in fact I was struck by their childish countenances and decorum. Later, I inquired of their ages, two were fifteen years old. They were at the festival also when the attack occurred. They ran for help and in fact was able to make connection with the Israeli soldiers. One of the young girls said pridefully, that she was able to direct the soldiers to the places where people were hiding. The elderly woman also described the building that she was in. The description was almost identical to what I’ve already described. Her son was killed in the attack. In the village there was no light, heat, no food. They mentioned that they lived in fear that any moment the Hamas soldiers would be trying to gain entrance into their villages or discover where they were hiding. In the village mentioned above we were told; 52 people had been murdered, 13 missing, 7 kidnapped and 685 evacuated. Listening to these survivors, my feeble attempt to relay their stories in no wise conveys the depth of pain, loss, destruction that was expressed. As in the case with the prior survivors the reaction was even more deeply felt, I think because of the presence of the survivors and the interaction after their presentations. There were hugs and even tears among the clergy and the survivors. I wanted to ask why there have been such resistance emanating from the Palestinians. Why were there periodic uprisings in which death and destruction followed. But I thought better of it. This is not the time to raise those questions. The answers might contribute or enhance the pain of the moment. Surely the Palestinians, Hamas or whoever represents them at any point in history, surely must have reasons to do what they do – reasons that make sense to them. As I listened identifying with the pain, I thought of the pain of the Palestinians who were now being attacked by the Israeli and I thought of the massive death and destruction of our communities, people of African Ancestry in the U.S.A. We have especially during and after the Civil war. Whole communities were destroyed. The people were killed or wounded and left homeless; Elaine, AK, Atlanta, GA, to name a couple communities that were destroyed. In 1919 it was called Red Summer because of the proliferation of our communities because of the attacks which brought death and destruction. Two of the most famous massacres occurred, Tulsa, OK, Rosewood, FL. This happened even with the killers and destroyers knew what had already happened to the communities mentioned above. In my book Reflections during the Pandemic 2020-2021 I describe these communities that were attacked and destroyed. So, I readily could identify with the feelings of these survivors as well as the Palestinians. Their stories and the images of the Palestinian suffering that we see daily on the television. In my mind it conjures up images of our people who had experienced a very similar ordeal. There may be and might have been different reasons why Israelis and Palestinians and even people of African Ancestry were attacked. In our case, I keep asking what was and is the reason and is the reason for the way people of African A have been treated in the USA. We have built the country, worked at every capacity to prosper the country, we have fought in every war the country ever had and had been told that without our presence America would’ve lost the war. Abraham Lincoln is reported to have said as much. We have only asked to be treated justly and equally and live in peace. As I pray and reflect on the history of death and destruction caused by wars. I come away with the determination to even do more to demand our five-points: Ceasefire Release all hostages Make available humanitarian aid indefinitely Negotiations A permanent solution The survivors that we met are no different than the Palestinians under attack. They are all suffering horribly and it need not to be so. If only they could find their way to a Two-State Solution. The two people working together could build paradise on earth. But the hatred and hostility are so deep. According to the Israeli leaders, President Netanyahu they will not stop the death or destruction until they have destroyed Hamas. What makes Netanyahu or anyone think that should they destroy Hamas that would end the hostilities? Another Hamas, PLO, or so-called terrorist group is being raised while the war goes on. In the early days of the war, there was the picture on television of a young lady that had been captured by Hamas. She was put in the back of what appeared to be a pickup truck. She was half-nude and was being held down by Hamas supporters. As a truck moved ever so slowly through the streets it was encircled by youngsters appearing to be in their teens. They were screaming, I assume curses at the young lady, their faces were distorted with hatred. They hurled rocks at her and spat upon her. Watching this horrific scene, I couldn’t help but ask, how does a group of young people come to hate another young human being? They not only acted as though they wanted to kill her, but to torture and humiliate her. Why? What had been done to them that caused this kind of demonic behavior? And I thought these are the future Hamas, PLO, etc. And so, it’s nonsense, it’s illogical to think that to destroy one group will end the problem. Not only is the next Hamas seeing among these youths gathered around this female, but all through the streets of Gaza where homeless children roaming, parents dead or missing; hungry, thirsty, nowhere to go. These young people have been told and seeing their own experiences, how their land was taken from them and their parents were brutally killed and driven from their homeland. We, the people of the world must continue to demand our five simple points and until that day comes, if it comes at all we can only anticipate more inhuman acts of war. And who will suffer the most, the innocent people; children, elderly, etc. Stay tuned for next week

Last week Tuesday December 5th and Thursday December 7th I had the rare occasion of meeting with survivors of the Hamas attacks. Partnership of Faith The first conversation was sponsored by Partnership of Faith (POF). POF was founded around 1989 during Mayor Dinkins administration. It is a prestigious Interfaith organization. We have come together to address important issues, primarily, though not exclusively in New York. The meeting was held via Zoom and lasted for forty-five minutes. There were two persons who gave an account of their escape when the invasion occurred. Both were female; one maybe in her seventies, another late-twenties. The younger woman indicated that she had been living in the Kibbutz (villages that were setup to expand the borders of Israel and they were established on the land that the Palestinians had claimed ownership for generations. So, there were always tension in some form.) The elderly woman said that she had been living in the area for fifty-one years. She was contented to leave at peace with her Palestinian neighbors. She talked of her working together with Palestinians in cordial relationship. But now since the attack she has no hope of peaceful relations. She expressed her fearing that Hamas would be destroyed. She described in great detail how she was trapped in her home. She described how houses in the Kibbutz villages are structured or built with stone and steel, with rooms inside that could withstand bombings and rockets, etc. When the attack occurred, they went into these special rooms and were able to survive, although they could hear missiles and even voices on the outside. The young woman described her ordeal as she had been attending the annual festival when the attack occurred. It was helter-skelter, people were running in every direction. Some didn’t make it to their vehicles. As she drove along the road, she saw that it was blocked by Hamas soldiers. She left the vehicle and ran into the bushes. She saw many who were at the festival killed and/or wounded. It seemed that gun, canon, or rocket fire was coming from every direction. As she hid and moved quietly through the bushes, she was calling for police and military support. The villages are heavily fortified with police and soldiers. They have their own fortification areas. There is a communication system between the village dwellers, Israeli soldiers and the police. She was making calls but was not getting any response. She was down to her last call when she made contact with the Israeli soldiers. She was told that they were coming her way and to be alert for their presence. She did succeed in the rendezvous with the soldiers and thus was saved. There were occasional calls as the survivors related their stories, obviously we’re living in a terrible ordeal to which they had recently experienced. The expression was unanimous among the clergy group. Profoundly moved by the survivor's experience, even though it was Zoom. There may have been various opinions about the war but there was unanimity on the feeling for these survivors. To be continued..