Berkeley

50th Anniversary of the 1964 Civil Rights Act: The Struggle Continues

Published

12 years ago

June 20, 2014

Commemorating the 50^th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act that was signed by President Lyndon Johnson in 1964, faith leaders, elected officials, community members, and activists assembled together at the Beebee Memorial Cathedral in Oakland Wednesday evening to honor the memory of that historic moment and to underscore the lessons of that struggle.

Speakers at the event hosted by Supervisor Keith Carson and Black Elected Officials & Faith Based Leaders of the East Bay (BEO&FBL) reflected on the courageous grassroots efforts that went into passing the Civil Rights Act, which banned discrimination based on race, religion, and gender in public accommodations, voter registration and employment.

The program was emceed by Elaine Brown – activist and former Black Panther Party leader who now works in Supervisor Carson’s office – who introduced speakers Dr. Clayborne Carson, Angela Davis, and civil rights attorney Howard Moore, Jr. – who all have a rich history in the Civil Rights Movement.

The event included performances by Tarika Lewis and My Strings of Soul, a group of youth violinists, and Grammy award-winning recording artist D’Wayne Wiggins.

Howard Moore, Jr. spoke about raising “historical consciousness” Wednesday at the Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Photo by Ashley Chambers.

Supervisor Carson presented Moore, general counsel for the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and attorney for Angela Davis from 1971-77, with a “Freedom Warrior” Medal to honor his contributions to the struggle to defeat legal discrimination.

Excerpts of the Firelight Media documentary “Freedom Summer” were shown documenting the summer of 1964 when students, civil rights workers and organizers joined Mississippi residents and risked their lives to register Blacks to vote. The film will air on PBS June 24.

The packed crowd seemed to listen with open ears and hearts as each speaker articulated their experience and how the struggle for human rights continues.

Moore emphasized the need to raise “historical consciousness.”

“The problems that we faced in the 50’s and the 60’s and that people fought to overcome go directly back to what happened immediately after the Civil War and what happened in the late 1890’s,” said Moore, speaking of the Supreme Court ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson. “How much progress have we made?”

“Never believe that a piece of paper represents your rights,” said Dr. Carson, director of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford University.

He reflected on the influence of W.E.B. DuBois to the struggle as DuBois had died in Ghana the day before the March on Washington.

“He was a freedom fighter unlike any other freedom fighter. I think of him because here is a person who devoted 93 years to a struggle and he dies on the eve of the March on Washington; he never sees the conclusion of that story,” Dr.Carson said.

“People struggled for many decades without ever seeing the great victories,” he added.

Activist and former member of the Black Panther Party, Angela Davis, remembered the courage and uncompromising strength of Fannie Lou Hamer.

“I’m reminded of Fannie Lou Hamer’s remark when she demanded that the Mississippi Democratic Party be seated at the Democratic Party Convention…they were offered two seats,” Davis said. “What did Fannie Lou Hamer say? She said ‘We didn’t come all this way for no two seats.’ She was uncompromising.”

Davis continued, “We should always remind ourselves that our dreams do not have to bear the imprint of compromise.”

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Activism

Black Repertory Group Needs Volunteers to Help Shape the Next Generation of Artists and Leaders

Legendary performers such as Whoopi Goldberg and Danny Glover worked with and were inspired by BRG’s founders. More recently, Grammy award-winning artist Kehlani attended the Black Repertory Group Summer Day Camp for several years.

Published

1 week ago

June 26, 2026

Oakland Post

Courtesy image.

By Sean Vaughn Scott, Special to The Post

For more than 60 years, the Black Repertory Group (BRG) has changed lives through the arts.

Founded in 1964 by educators and visionaries Birel L. Vaughn and Nora Vaughn, BRG has become one of America’s oldest continuously operating Black theater institutions. For generations, it has preserved culture, developed talent, and provided opportunities for young people to discover their voices and their potential.

The results speak for themselves.

Long before international recognition, Kehlani performed on the BRG stage. During a summer day camp production of “Princess and da Frog,” she portrayed Ray, the lovable firefly whose light guided others through the darkness. Her journey is proof that today’s camper may become tomorrow’s artist, entrepreneur, educator, or leader.

Located at 3201 Adeline St. in Berkeley, BRG continues that mission through its Youth Summer Day Camp of the Arts.

BRG is currently accepting applications and maintains an open enrollment program. Students may enroll throughout the summer as space permits and immediately become part of the BRG family.

We are also proud to be a multicultural opportunity program, welcoming children and families from all backgrounds, cultures, and communities. Through theater, music, dance, public speaking, visual arts, technical theater, and leadership development, students gain confidence, discipline, creativity, and lifelong skills.

As our programs grow, so does our need for volunteers.

We are seeking community members to assist with youth mentoring, registration, costumes, set construction, painting, props, ushering, photography, social media, marketing, technical theater, and fundraising activities. Whether you volunteer for a few hours or throughout the season, your support directly impacts the lives of young people.

BRG also partners with churches, civic organizations, alumni associations, fraternities, sororities, and community groups through theater party fundraisers, group sales, and buy-out performances. These partnerships have helped organizations raise funds while supporting arts and cultural programming.

The theater also serves as the home of the Berkeley NAACP Chapter, which meets every second Saturday of the month from 1 to 3 p.m.

For more than six decades, the Black Repertory Group has remained committed to one belief: every child deserves an opportunity to shine.

The next great artist may already be among us.

The next Kehlani may already be walking through our doors.

We invite you to volunteer, enroll, participate, and become part of the legacy.

For more information please go to www.blackrepertorygroup.com, call (510) 652-2120, or email info@blackrepertorygroup.com

Sean Vaughn Scott is the director of the Black Repertory Group.

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Bay Area

UC Berkeley Named Top Public University in the U.S. and No. 7 in the World by ‘U.S. News’

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014. “A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

Published

2 weeks ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

Photo by Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley.

The 2026 Best Global Universities rankings evaluated 2,250 research institutions from more than 100 countries

By Lila Thulin

U.S. News & World Report has ranked UC Berkeley No. 7 in its 2026 list of the best global universities, which assesses more than 2,250 research institutions worldwide.

Berkeley also claimed the honor of top public university in the U.S.

Released on Monday, the list evaluates universities from more than 100 countries on 13 metrics such as global and research reputation (as reported by academics and peers) and number of highly cited scholarly papers.

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014.

“A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

The rankings also assess a university’s strength in various subject areas; these assessments are separate from U.S. News’ 2026 Best Graduate Programs rankings released in April.

This year, Berkeley was named in the top three nationally in seven subject areas – environment/ecology, ecology, water resources, physics, computer science, chemistry, and engineering – and in the top five for a total of 17 subjects. Subject rankings are based heavily on scholarly publications and citations as well as reputation.

In September, U.S. News also released its 2026 Best Colleges list, in which Berkeley was also named the No. 1 public institution among American universities.

That honor joins other accolades judging campus to be the best public university in the country, such as those from Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education.

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Arts and Culture

Farwest Region Deltas Celebrate Centennial With “September Breakfast” Honoring Vivian Osborne Marsh

The region was established in 1925 under the leadership of Vivian Osborne Marsh, who became its first Regional Director. Marsh was a pioneering scholar and civic leader, earning recognition as the first Black woman to receive both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in anthropology from UC Berkeley.

Published

10 months ago

September 14, 2025

Oakland Post

Farwest Regional Director, Kimberly Usher, Mayor Barbara Lee, US Representative Lateefah Simon, and Farwest Regional Representative, Radiya Ajibade. Photo courtesy of Farwest Regional Photographer Vicki P. Love.

By Antoinette Porter

Hundreds of members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and their guests gathered at the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union at the University of California, Berkeley, to mark the 100th anniversary of the sorority’s Farwest Region.

Marsh went on to serve as Delta Sigma Theta’s 7th National President, where she launched the sorority’s National Library Project to expand access to books in underserved Black communities in the South. During her presidency, the organization also became a prominent voice in the civil rights movement, lobbying Congress to pass anti-lynching legislation.

Bak in the Bay Area, Marsh devoted her career to advancing educational opportunities, mentoring young people, and strengthening community life. That commitment continues to shape the region, which supports initiatives in education, social justice, and economic development. Current projects include raising scholarship funds for students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, voter education campaigns, and health and wellness programs.

A century after its founding, the Farwest Region of Delta Sigma Theta remains active across California and other western states, carrying forward Marsh’s vision of service and advocacy.