Activism
Time Is Up! Georgetown Students Say Yes To Reparations!
God on Wall Street
In an overwhelming move towards racial justice, the undergraduate student body at Georgetown University voted to pay reparations to the descendants of 272 slaves who were sold by the university in 1838 to help the financially struggling school.
Strategically nestled in the back yard of Wash., D.C., Georgetown was founded in 1789, the oldest Catholic and Jesuit-affiliated institution of higher education in the United States.
The school plays a prominent role when it comes to developing policy for America, whether political or financial, and always has.
Pres. James Madison signed into law Georgetown’s congressional charter on March 1, 1815, creating the first federal university charter, which allowed it to confer degrees with the first bachelor’s degrees being awarded two years later. Much like all of the other Ivy League Schools, Georgetown has benefited from a wealth of prestige and boasts such alumni as President William Clinton and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.
But in 1838 the school had fallen on hard times, and Jesuits in the state of Maryland concluded that they would sell their slaves to pay for the renovation of not only Georgetown, but several institutions in the state.
A year later, the Catholic Church would decry slavery as W.E.B DuBois mentions in his book, “Suppression Of The Slave-Trade.” In 1839, “Pope Gregory XVI stigmatized the slave-trade as utterly unworthy of the Christian name.”
There is no debate about the evils associated with slavery. We can no longer hide behind a cross that symbolizes human redemption and use it to cover the debauchery of slavery. If America wants to heal itself of this bombastic act against human freedom, reparations are a must.
The Prophet Isaiah said, “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.”
And the children are leading. These Georgetown students took a courageous stance and we owe it to the integrity of this generation who continue to push the button around this issue. The ability to legislate the need for reparations is a model for the entire country to follow.
And if students care more about this issue than everyone else, then this is the wake-up call that America needs. Reminiscent of the Little Rock 9, John Lewis, The Greensboro Four, and The Tougaloo 9 college students, the future of this country have said enough is enough. When we consider the importance of Georgetown University’s relationship to America, it becomes even more resounding.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024
To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024
To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.
Activism
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.
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.”
-
Activism4 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of March 27 – April 2, 2024
-
#NNPA BlackPress4 weeks ago
COMMENTARY: D.C. Crime Bill Fails to Address Root Causes of Violence and Incarceration
-
#NNPA BlackPress4 weeks ago
Mayor, City Council President React to May 31 Closing of Birmingham-Southern College
-
#NNPA BlackPress4 weeks ago
Beloved Actor and Activist Louis Cameron Gossett Jr. Dies at 87
-
Community1 week ago
Financial Assistance Bill for Descendants of Enslaved Persons to Help Them Purchase, Own, or Maintain a Home
-
Activism3 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of April 3 – 6, 2024
-
Business1 week ago
V.P. Kamala Harris: Americans With Criminal Records Will Soon Be Eligible for SBA Loans
-
Activism2 weeks ago
Oakland Post: Week of April 10 – 16, 2024