Posted August 23, 2013 at 11:21 a.mOf all the many marches (click here) on Washington, going back to at least the 1890s, the 1963 civil rights march had perhaps the most lasting impact — influence that lasts to this day.
The Aug. 28 march was the largest ever in Washington — with as many as 300,000 participants — and the first to be nationally televised. If something went wrong — and many people believed, and even secretly hoped, that something would — there would have been no way the presidential spinmeisters could gloss over it.
The Kennedy White House feared violence or mayhem or something else bad. But the march was peaceful and orderly, drawing a happy crowd. And the success of that march was an important step in putting the civil rights movement in the mainstream of American politics....
There is a dramatic example of the lack of progress for African Americans in the USA and I don't ever hear it stated loudly enough. But, there have been only been seven African American Governors in the history of the USA and less US Senators. There are states in the USA with large African American populations that have never known a Black Governor or Senator. Dare I say they have never known a Black US House member.
The seven Governors:
Walter A. Gordon
Walter A. Gordon was a citizen of the USA from 1894–1976. He is the first Black American to graduate from with a doctorate in law from UC Berkley and would become appointed Governor of the United States Virgin Islands.
William H. Hastie
William H. Hastie was a citizen of the USA from November 17, 1904 – April 14, 1976. He was a lawyer and a civil rights advocate. He became a federal judge and a federal appellate judge He was also appointed as Governor of the United States Virgin Islands.
This Virgin Island Governorship appointment has been a majority of caucasian career military men. I don't know if there was ever a woman serving in that capacity. Elections in the Virgin Islands didn't begin until 1969.
Cyril Emanuel King
Cyril Emanuel King was a citizen of the USA from April 7, 1921 – January 2, 1978. He was the second elected Governor of the United States Virgin Islands until his death in 1978.
David Alexander Paterson
David Alexander Paterson is a citizen of the USA beginning May 20, 1954. He is an attorney and served as the 55th Governor of New York. He was the first Black American to serve as Governor in New York. He was in office for two years having first been Lieutenant Governor. In May 2008, Governor Paterson informed New York State agencies that they were required to recognize same-sex marriage licenses from other jurisdictions for purposes of employee benefits.
On Tuesday, July 29, Governor Paterson gave a rare televised address that was broadcast on all of New York's major news networks, stating that the state budget deficit had gone up 1.4 billion dollars over the 90 days since his original budget submission, citing rising costs due to the poor economy and a struggling Wall Street, and calling the State Legislature back to Albany for an emergency session starting on August 19, 2008.
On April 10, the $121.7 billion budget package was passed by both houses of the State Legislature. His budget closed a projected $4.6 billion deficit with $1.8 billion of spending cuts, $1.5 billion in additional revenue from increased taxes and fees and $1.3 billion of one time transfers, and did not tap into the state's $1.2 billion of reserves or increase the top income tax rate on those earning $1 million or more.
Paterson's budget provided property tax relief by delivering aid to municipalities, and included restoration of hundreds of millions in property tax rebates for middle-class homeowners and $1 billion for upstate economic development. The spending included a record $1.8 billion aid increase to local school districts, and $2.5 billion in aid for construction projects at state and city public colleges. Governor Paterson decided to fully fund a landmark proposal authored by State Assemblyman Greg Ball, creating a tuition remission program for military veterans, offering them free tuition at both SUNY and CUNY institutions.
Deval Laurdine Patrick
Deval Laurdine Patrick is a citizen of the USA since July 31, 1956. He has served as the United States Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division under President Bill Clinton. He is the first Black Governor of Massachusetts where he is still serving today.
He was raised by a single mother in Chicago and went on to attend Harvard Law School. He practiced law for the NAACP and later went on to practice law with a Boston firm where he became a partner at the age of 34. As the US Assistant Attorney General he worked on issues including racial profiling and police misconduct.
P. B. S. Pinchback
Pinckney Benton Stewart Pinchback was born Pinckney Benton Stewart and was a citizen of the USA from May 10, 1837 – December 21, 1921. He was the first person of African-American descent to become governor of a U.S. state. A Republican, he served as the 24th Governor of Louisiana for 35 days, from December 9, 1872, to January 13, 1873.
His mother was a slave and his father a slave master. He was the son of an interracial relationship because marriage between white and black were forbidden by law. He grew up in affluence until his father passed away. He was then disinherited by the family and the father's estate was removed from his mother and the children. His mother, Eliza Stewart, then left Mississippi to the free state of Ohio fearing her children would be taken as slaves.
Mr. Pinchback has a sincerely incredible military career; to say this man was a fighter all his life is understating his devotion to civil rights. He went on to join the Union Army. He made his way to New Orleans where he prepared many other Black Americans to serve in the 1st Louisiana Native Guards Regiment. He would eventually become Captain of the 2nd Louisiana Native Guards Regiment.
His legislative career was marred with victories and rejections. But, it would be Louisiana where he would make his stand. He was feisty. I like him. He took his father's last name. Probably for recognition. But, he formed the Fourth Ward Republican Club in New Orleans.
He was elected to the state and became senate president pro tempore of a Legislature that included 42 representatives of African-American descent (half of the chamber, and seven of 36 seats in the Senate). In 1871 he became acting lieutenant governor upon the death of Oscar Dunn, the first elected African-American lieutenant governor of a U.S. state.
In 1872 he would serve as Louisiana's Governor for 35 days while then Governor Henry Clay Warmoth was facing impeachment proceedings which would fail.
Lawrence Douglas Wilder
Lawrence Douglas Wilder is a USA citizen since January 17, 1931. He was Mayor of Richmond, Virginia running on an anti-crime campaign. He would be the first Black American to be Governor of Virginia and the first since Reconstruction.
I don't know where the Robert's Court derives their understanding of "Reality in the USA," but, it is removed from the reality most of the citizens understand.
There is still racism, violent at times that kills our citizens.
There is still discrimination and oppression as exhibited by the radical change in voting laws to exclude Black Americans. I believe there are sincere grounds for a review of the Supreme Court after this voting rights decision. It was racist to say the least. I don't know how anyone can tolerate that. It was a blatant act of hostility toward the Black community in the USA and there is evidence of it everywhere. The Robert's Court should not get away with it.
By Joan E. Greve
Aug 1, 2013 7:05am
Members of Congress gathered in Statuary Hall (click here) of the United States Capitol on Wednesday to mark the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s March on Washington.
Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., who as a young activist had delivered a keynote speech at the march, addressed his colleagues Wednesday, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., used the occasion to criticize the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on the Voting Rights Act.
“When I look back on August 28, 1963, the day of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, I see it as one of this nation’s finest hours,” Lewis said. “The American people pushed and pulled, they struggled, suffered, and some even died, to demonstrate their desire to see a more fair, more just society.”
Lewis, who received multiple standing ovations during Wednesday’s celebration, recalled the day of the march, before King’s famous “I Have A Dream” speech: ....
Julian Bond is now Chairman Emeritus of the NAACP. He made a television appearance this week and we need to hear more from him. He is eloquent and precise. His experience is unique. His insight is invaluable.
Born in Nashville, Tennessee, Bond's family moved to Pennsylvania when he was five years old when his father, Horace Mann Bond, became the first African American President of Lincoln University (Pennsylvania), his alma mater. Bond attended Morehouse College in Atlanta and won a varsity letter for swimming. He also founded a literary magazine called The Pegasus and served as an intern at Time magazine....
