There will be a massive and historic march on Jena, Louisiana on September 20, to protest the persecution of Black youths in Jena, Louisiana for attempting to integrate the "white tree" at Jena High School. The Jena Six are six Black high school students from Jena, Louisiana who have been charged with serious crimes in retaliation for asserting their opposition to segregation at Jena High School.
One observer suggested that as many as ten thousand marchers, including the Rev. Al Sharpton, and national radio talk show host Michael Baisden will help lead demonstrators at this protest march; as they lift their voices in chanting "Justice for the Jena Six".
Since the city's entire population is only 3,000, there is the very real prospect that the number of marchers may exceed the city's population by a factor of 3 to 1 or more. This presents a public safety challenge that the Jena, Louisiana police, fire and ambulance departments may be unwilling to meet constructively, particularly in light of the city's notorious antagonism towards Black people.
"The parish is a major contributor to Republican politicians, and former klansman and
Louisiana gubernatorial candidate David Duke received a solid majority of local
votes."
The Afrosphere Jena 6 Coalition believes the involvement of Governor Blanco is essential to obtaining justice and equality for the Black students at Jena High School and to assure the safety of the marchers on September 20.
"The Afrosphere Jena 6 Coalition calls upon Governor Blanco to assure that Jena, Louisiana public safety officials will act ably and responsibly to assure the safety of all of the marchers and the public on September 20."
The September 20 March will focus international attention on the antagonistic behavior to which Blacks have been subjected in Jena, Louisiana. This non-violent March for justice calls for Governor Blanco to guarantee the safety of the September 20 marchers.
Governor Blanco is responsible for Louisiana's public safety, and she failed notoriously in the case of Hurricane Katrina. Having been notified weeks ahead of time, there is no reason why she needs to fail again in the matter of guaranteeing the safety of the historic March on Jena, of September 20, 2007.
Francis L. Holland, Esq.
Afrosphere Jena Six Coalition
francislholland@yahoo.com
The word has gone out through the AfroSpear Associated Press and elsewhere: March on Jena, Louisiana on September 20, 2007.
Howard Witt said in the Chicago Tribune this week, "On that date, thousands of demonstrators from across the nation are planning to descend on the town of 3,000 to protest the prosecution of Bell and five other black youths who have come to be called the "Jena 6."
Right now, National Public Radio is doing story after story on the outrage of Jena, Louisiana, where crimes against Blacks are ignored and Black teenage schoolchildren could spend up to life in prison for resisting apartheid, for sitting under the white tree in their high school schoolyard.
Now, with charges reduced against a Black student in one of the cases, the AfroSpear can taste the prospect of victory, just as we did in the victorious cases of Shaquanda Cotton and Kenneth Foster. The AfroSpear blog says, "Francis L. Holland got an email from Howard Witt informing us of his latest story:"
Ruling in a racially charged case that has drawn scrutiny from national civil rights leaders, a judge in the small central Louisiana town of Jena on Tuesday partially vacated the conviction of a black teenager accused in the beating of a white student while the district attorney reduced attempted murder charges against two other black co-defendants.
Judge J.P. Mauffray Jr. threw out a conspiracy conviction against Mychal Bell, granting a defense motion that Bell’s June trial was improperly held in adult court and should instead have been conducted as a juvenile proceeding.
But Mauffray let stand Bell’s conviction on aggravated second-degree battery, for which the 17-year-old faces up to 15 years in prison when he is sentenced on Sept. 20. On that date, thousands of demonstrators from across the nation are planning to descend on the town of 3,000 to protest against the prosecution of Bell and five other black youths who have come to be called the “Jena 6.” The AfroSpear.
If readers of the Francis L. Holland Blog, Black, white, Latino and Asian, live anywhere within one thousand miles of Jena, Louisiana, I call upon you to attend the protest march in Jena, Louisiana, and PROTEST these convictions!
Don't go alone! No one who drives to this demonstration should have an empty seat in her car. This is going to be the protest of the year, like the demonstrations by Stevie Wonder and Jesse Jackson in front of the South African Embassy in Washington, that lead to the fall of Apartheid.
3 Arrested at South African Embassy In Protest of Apartheid
Associated Press, Published: December 21, 1984
Three demonstrators were arrested today outside the South African Embassy in another of a series of protests against South Africa's policy of apartheid, or racial segregation.
Brenda Burch, a spokesman for the District of Columbia police, said the three were charged with congregating within 500 feet of an embassy, a misdemeanor offense.
The protesters were identified as Ralph David Abernathy 3d, whose father served as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference from 1968 to 1977, Mayor Sam Abbott of Takoma Park, Md., and Roger Wilkins, a senior research fellow with the Institute for Policy Studies, a Washington research center.
The police said today's arrests brought to 70 the total number of demonstrators arrested at the embassy since the anti-apartheid protests began Nov. 21, 1984. NYT
Protest works, when well-conceived. If you don't believe me, ask Nelson Mandela. Where would he and South African be without their history of protest and our history of supporting them?
Arthur, being the first African-American male to win a Grand Slam event, was an active civil rights supporter. He was a member of a delegation of 31 prominent African-Americans who visited South Africa to observe political change in the country as it approached racial integration.
He was arrested on January 11, 1985, for protesting outside the South African embassy in Washington D.C during an anti-apartheid rally. He was also arrested again on September 9, 1992, outside the White House for protesting on the recent crackdown on Haitian refugees. Wikipedia: Arthur Ashe
Martin Luther King, Jr. is going to be in Jena, Louisiana on September 20, marching for justice for Black children. Rosa Parks will be protesting in Jena, Louisiana on September 20, so that Black children aren't imprisoned for sitting under the "white tree."
Frederick Douglas says, "We are bound to participate in the Civil Rights Movement for the abolition of slavery in our time. March on Jena, Louisana on September 20, 2007."
