Activism

Black August Celebration by Prisoner Justice Groups at Bobby Hutton Park on Aug. 21

Legal Services for Prisoners with Children (LSPC) in partnership with the grassroots group All of Us or None, will commemorate Black August at Lil’ Bobby Hutton (De Fremery) Park at 1651 16th St. in West Oakland on Saturday, August 21, from 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Published

3 years ago

August 13, 2021

Christy Price

LSPC Logo

Legal Services for Prisoners with Children (LSPC) in partnership with the grassroots group All of Us or None, will commemorate Black August at Lil’ Bobby Hutton (De Fremery) Park at 1651 16^th St. in West Oakland on Saturday, August 21, from 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

The mission of LSPC is to organize communities impacted by the criminal justice system, to advocate for the release and safe return of incarcerated people, and to reunify families and communities. It should be noted that the organization is primarily staffed by formerly incarcerated men and women who have returned home to make a difference in their communities.

The event entitled ‘Oakland Rejects Slavery’ begins with All of Us or None advocating for the removal of the slavery exception clause in both the state and federal constitutions of this country.

California Constitution Article 1, Section 6 states, “Slavery is prohibited. Involuntary servitude is prohibited except to punish crime.” You can also read the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution. For a deeper understanding, watch Ava DuVernay’s documentary on Netflix called ‘13th.’

Throughout the day, there will be a variety of speakers that include former Black Panther Party member and current BPP historian, Billy X, Oakland’s Poet Laureate, Ayodele Nzinga, and a host of local organizations that include New Breath Foundation, Taylor Memorial United Methodist Church, CURYJ, United Playaz, CA Prison Focus, Kage University, Place 4 Grace, and others.

The message is multi-pronged but clear, said All of US or None Communications Manager Troy Williams. “Remove the slave language. Black Lives Matter no matter who pulls the trigger. Stop Asian hate. Just stop hating! Return sovereignty of land. Protect water. Protect life. We want our communities to come and enjoy good food and good entertainment with good family friendly company.

“We will also address current events impacting our community and ask that as we fight to strip away the vestiges of slavery in our state and federal constitutions that Oakland stands together to reject the narrative and practice of the violence we have perpetrated against each other.

The event is also taking place during Black August, which began as a way of honoring those freedom fighters who lost their lives in the process of fighting for the full restoration of human and civil rights of all oppressed people.

“We commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of George Jackson and the Attica uprising that followed,” said Williams. “We are gathering to say that we have returned with a willingness to rectify our wrongs, pick up the torch, and continue on the march toward liberation.

For more information, please go to:

https://prisonerswithchildren.ourpowerbase.net/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=95

Troy Williams has written columns for the Post New Group for several years.

“The Oakland Post’s coverage of local news in Alameda County is supported by the Ethnic Media Sustainability Initiative, a program created by California Black Media and Ethnic Media Services to support community newspapers across California”

Christy Price

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Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

Published

6 days ago

April 26, 2024

Oakland Post

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Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

Published

2 weeks ago

April 19, 2024

Oakland Post

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Oakland Schools Honor Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties

Every Jan. 30, OUSD commemorates the legacy of Fred Korematsu, an Oakland native, a Castlemont High School graduate, and a national symbol of resistance, resilience, and justice. His defiant stand against racial injustice and his unwavering commitment to civil rights continue to inspire the local community and the nation. Tuesday was “Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution” in the state of California and a growing number of states across the country.

Published

2 weeks ago

April 19, 2024

Oakland Post

Fred Korematsu. Courtesy of OUSD.

By Post Staff

Every Jan. 30, OUSD commemorates the legacy of Fred Korematsu, an Oakland native, a Castlemont High School graduate, and a national symbol of resistance, resilience, and justice.

His defiant stand against racial injustice and his unwavering commitment to civil rights continue to inspire the local community and the nation. Tuesday was “Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution” in the state of California and a growing number of states across the country.
One OUSD school is named in his honor: Fred T. Korematsu Discovery Academy (KDA) elementary in East Oakland.

Several years ago, founding KDA Principal Charles Wilson, in a video interview with anti-hate organization “Not In Our Town,” said, “We chose the name Fred Korematsu because we really felt like the attributes that he showed in his work are things that the children need to learn … that common people can stand up and make differences in a large number of people’s lives.”

Fred Korematsu was born in Oakland on Jan. 30, 1919. His parents ran a floral nursery business, and his upbringing in Oakland shaped his worldview. His belief in the importance of standing up for your rights and the rights of others, regardless of race or background, was the foundation for his activism against racial prejudice and for the rights of Japanese Americans during World War II.

At the start of the war, Korematsu was turned away from enlisting in the National Guard and the Coast Guard because of his race. He trained as a welder, working at the docks in Oakland, but was fired after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. Fear and prejudice led to federal Executive Order 9066, which forced more than 120,000 Japanese Americans out of their homes and neighborhoods and into remote internment camps.

The 23-year-old Korematsu resisted the order. He underwent cosmetic surgery and assumed a false identity, choosing freedom over unjust imprisonment. His later arrest and conviction sparked a legal battle that would challenge the foundation of civil liberties in America.

Korematsu’s fight culminated in the Supreme Court’s initial ruling against him in 1944. He spent years in a Utah internment camp with his family, followed by time living in Salt Lake City where he was dogged by racism.

In 1976, President Gerald Ford overturned Executive Order 9066. Seven years later, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco vacated Korematsu’s conviction. He said in court, “I would like to see the government admit that they were wrong and do something about it so this will never happen again to any American citizen of any race, creed, or color.”

Korematsu’s dedication and determination established him as a national icon of civil rights and social justice. He advocated for justice with Rosa Parks. In 1998, President Bill Clinton gave him the Presidential Medal of Freedom saying, “In the long history of our country’s constant search for justice, some names of ordinary citizens stand for millions of souls … To that distinguished list, today we add the name of Fred Korematsu.”

After Sept. 11, 2001, Korematsu spoke out against hatred and discrimination, saying what happened to Japanese Americans should not happen to people of Middle Eastern descent.
Korematsu’s roots in Oakland and his education in OUSD are a source of great pride for the city, according to the school district. His most famous quote, which is on the Korematsu elementary school mural, is as relevant now as ever, “If you have the feeling that something is wrong, don’t be afraid to speak up.”