This week, the Civil Rights movement lost two of its torch-bearers. Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth died at the age 89 and Derrick Bell died at the age of 80. Rev. Shuttlesworth led the struggle to end segregation in Birmingham, Alabama. He was the last of the civil rights movement’s “Big Three,” founding the Southern Christian Leadership Conference along with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Rev. Ralph David Abernathy. A legal scholar and civil rights activist, Derrick Bell sought to expose American racism through his books, articles and career sacrifices. As the first tenured black professor at Harvard Law School, Bell gave up his position in protest of the school’s allegedly discriminatory hiring practice. For more on the lives and legacies of Fred Shuttlesworth and Derrick Bell, we’re joined by Rev. Jesse Jackson, president and founder of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition.
Watch Interview at DemocracyNow.org.
Tag Archives: Civil Rights Movement
Celebrating Angela Davis’ Birthday, And Four Decades of Hard Work – COLORLINES
Photo: Keba Konte
On January 26, Angela Davis celebrated her 67th birthday. A political activist, scholar and author, Davis was a leader in the fight for social justice starting in the ’60s and continuing on into the present day. She was part of the Communist Party, the Civil Rights movement and allied closely with the Black Panther Party. She’s also founder of Critical Resistance, a national coalition that works toward to end abuse and reliance on prisons. In 1970 Davis captured the nation’s attention when she was put on the FBI’s Most Wanted Fugitive List on bogus kidnapping and murder charges. She was arrested after two months on the run, and it’s generally accepted that her great political presence grew out supporters in “Free Angela Davis” rallies.
Now a retired UC Santa Cruz professor, she continues to lecture at various universities and work tirelessly for prison reform and abolition. Her years of dedication have made her an iconic figure, and have inspired artists to dedicate their work to her. Check out some Angela Davis moments below.
Celebrating Angela Davis’ Birthday, And Four Decades of Hard Work – COLORLINES.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in His Own Words
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr
While Dr. King is primarily remembered as a civil rights leader, he also championed the cause of the poor and organized the Poor People’s Campaign to address issues of economic justice. Dr. King was also a fierce critic of US foreign policy and the Vietnam War. We play his “Beyond Vietnam” speech, which he delivered at New York’s Riverside Church on April 4, 1967, as well as his last speech, “I Have Been to the Mountain Top,” that he gave on April 3, 1968, the night before he was assassinated.
Democracy Now!
In international conflicts, the truth is hard to come by because most nations are deceived about themselves. Rationalizations and the incessant search for scapegoats are the psychological cataracts that blind us to our sins. But the day has passed for superficial patriotism. He who lives with untruth lives in spiritual slavery. Freedom is still the bonus we receive for knowing the truth. “Ye shall know the truth,” says Jesus, “and the truth shall set you free.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Real News