Crack cocaine was thrust upon Blacks by design to fill jails, says beloved Pastor Wilson of Anacostia
As four teens fell prey to gun violence in the DC area in as many days— amid official apathy as U.S. rulers want to cleanse DC of Blacks— a daylong workshop was held to help restore the community.
Beloved pastor of the Anacostia church, where the late legendary Mayor Marion Barry worshipped, Saturday blasted the rulers for scheming to push out Black folks from the nation’s capital.
Rev. Willie F. Wilson of the Union Temple Baptist Church in historic Anacostia said presidents Nixon and Reagan’s so-called war on drugs was in reality a war against Black youths.
Rev. Wilson was speaking at a daylong conference titled “Solutions to Heal and Restore the Soul of our Community” at the School of Social Work at Howard University.
Two crusaders for Black rights, Dr. Franklyn Malone of 100 Fathers Inc. and Oliver Buie of BMWT (Black Men Working Together) joined hands with Dr. Janice Davis, Clinical Director of Howard School of Social Work, to organize the daylong conference. Vera Fields, Music and Arts Program Director of Sounds of My People, was one of the main facilitators of the event.
Rev. Wilson said crack cocaine was thrust upon the Blacks to usher an era of mass incarceration, saying that incarcerated Blacks today number two million, up from 300,000 in 1970.
According to Deonna S. Turner in britainnica.com, “The War on Drugs focused on small-time drug dealers, who were generally poor young black males from the inner city. Ultimately, the prison population doubled due to the arrest of drug dealers and their customers. One in every four African American males aged 20 to 29 was either incarcerated or on probation or parole by 1989, which contributed to the United States’ having the highest incarceration rate in the world. By 1995, that statistic had increased to nearly one in three.”
“People’s Doctor” Dr. Edwin Chapman at the Rotary Club on April 3. On April 6, he made two presentations at the Howard University.
According to The Sentencing Project, “The latest available data regarding people sentenced to state prison reveal that Black Americans are imprisoned at a rate that is roughly five times the rate of white Americans.”
“People’s Doctor” Dr. Edwin Chapman, who made presentations on opioids, said Rev. Wilson in his keynote address covered all the areas that needed to be addressed. He said Rev. Wilson quoted Victor Hugo in Les Miserables, “If the soul is left in darkness, sins will be committed. The guilty is not he who commits the sin but he who created the darkness!.”
Kamryn Fields, Samiana Koroma and Vanzell Anderson, who are students of Charles Hurbert Flowers High School in Bowie, MD and trained with Sounds of my People Music and Arts Enterprises’ Restorative Youth Drum Circles for Positive Change enthralled the audience with their song.
Dr. Franklyn Malone of 100 Fathers Inc. with Kamryn Fields, Samiana Koroma and Vanzell Anderson. —Picture Courtesy Vera Fields.
In addition to Dr. Chapman, a number of committed members of the Communities Respecting Everyone’s Will to Survive (CREWS), Mr. Ambrose Lane Jr., veteran golf trainer Mr. Ray Savoy, Ms. Jenese Patterson, Mr. Prince Hamn, Mr. Chris Thomas and Ms. Aziyrah the Poet made presentations.
Rev. Dr Julius Hayes and Rhonda Johnson at 100 Men Inc. daylong conference at Howard University.
Others who conducted break out sessions were Rev. Dr. Julius Hayes, Rev. Anthony Motley, Mr. Ray Bridgewater and Mr. David Grogan.
According to the Washington Informer, Rev. Wilson has been a fixture in DC politics for decades and the Union Temple Baptist Church — with an estimated 8,000 members — attracted speakers such as the one of the Goddesses of the civil rights movement Rosa Parks, South Africa President Nelson Mandela, anti-apartheid activist Winne Mandela, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan, Dr. Dorothy Height, and Dr. Bernice King, daughter of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., as well as many politicians and political activists.
During Rev. Wilson leadership of the UTBC, the church used to provide space for community good such as hosting meetings of the Alcoholics Anonymous but that has stopped since the COVID pandemic that coincided with the change of leadership.
According to Ms. Fields, student leaders from different grades of various DMV schools took part in the conference under the aegis of 100 Round Drum Circle Program-Youth Restorative Drum Circle for Positive Change of the Sounds of my People Music and Arts Enterprises.
Silver Spring Student Leaders:
1. Ricardine Cadet Gray, Wheaton High School 12th
2. Guiandine Cadet Gray, Northwood High School 10th.
Bowie Student Leaders:
• Kamryn Fields 11th Charles H. Flowers
• Samiana Koroma 11th Charles H. Flowers
• Vanzell Anderson 11th Charles H. Flowers
• Lorene Ndukuba 10th Charles H. Flowers
• Giovani Ndukuba 9th grade. Charles H. Flowers
Fort Washington Student Leader:
• Kaleigha Williams 9th grade Friendly High School
The other students were from Portsmouth Virginia and they came up with Dr Hayes’ Saturday Academy.
The concluding remarks were delivered by veteran community activist Tyrone Parker, a leader of CREWS.
Please watch videos:
Dr. Franklyn Malone 100 Father’s Inc.
Dr. Malone.
Mr. Oliver Bouie of Black Men Working Together (B.M.W.T.)
Dr. Janice Davis
Rev Dr. Julius Hayes.
The Honorary Dr. Majeed.
Chris Thomas and Prince Hamn, both of who wear two hats: Making A Difference and 100 Fathers Inc.
Mr. Tyrone Parker, former executive director of Alliance of Concerned Men and vice president of Communities Respecting Everyone’s Will to Survive.
Ms. Jenese Patterson of Parent Watch and Aziyrah the Poet.
About the Drum Circle chief artist:
Baba William Caudle, 68, a.k.a. Baba Bill, a.k.a. Babalu, a.k.a Kwame is an ardent supporter of many community empowerment events in the DMV area.
Babalu has played vital roles in the thriving of several groups here throughout the history of this African drum and dance scene dating back over 40 years, including (but not limited to) African Heritage Drummers & Dancers, Kankouran West African Dance Company, Sankofa African Dance, Malcolm X Drummers & Dancers, and of course, Ni Dembaya African Drum & Dance Ensemble. Also, one of the original drummers at the Malcolm X Drum Circle, Baba Bill has played in the Go-Go scene, and also the Afro-Cuban scene, has served as a drum facilitator and mentor to many.
Babalu was a longtime resident of the historic Barry Farms, which became a victim to developers greed.
Babalu in traditional attire with Chris Thomas of Making A Difference (M.A.D.)
(Please come back for more videos).