Black History

Black History Month: Let’s Self-Reflect, Self-Educate

In that light, Black History Month 2021 is a perfect time for self-reflection. As a people, where have we been? Where are we are now? Where we are going?

Published

5 years ago

February 3, 2021

Kiki

A rebirth of social awareness, one that gave overdue voice to centuries of injustice and brutality via numerous social protests and social activists demanding change and reform in the treatment of people of color, exploded in the year 2020.

In that light, Black History Month 2021 is a perfect time for self-reflection. As a people, where have we been? Where are we are now? Where we are going?
Our history has served as a catalyst for several of our life decisions, many of them made as a result of lack of knowledge. Sadly, many have accepted ‘lack’ as normal and view success as the standard for whites.

Completing college boosted my career options, yet I never considered one as a scientist, oceanographer, senator, judge, microbiologist, corporate executive, banker, superintendent of schools, or owner of a newspaper. Even with an education, there was no roadmap, no guidance to pursue such careers. So I followed the well-trod path to familiar job choices.

By failing to provide our children even a glimpse of the past and present world, we rob them of the most vital part of being a kid: the ability to dream. And that’s unfair to their future.

So what can be done?

We must introduce our Black and Brown children to books that provide information and stories about the contributions and accomplishments of people who look like them. Stories within the pages can catapult their thoughts from ‘lack’ to dreams to success.

During the month of February, I will highlight various books that will enlighten many about the contributions and accomplishments of many Black Americans.
In “Changing the Equation,” author Tonya Bolden explores the lives of more than 50 Black women who changed Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in America.

The biographies include video game developers, aviators, pharmacists, and a founder of a nonprofit organization that encourages Black girls to learn coding. These are women who defied stereotypes and racial discrimination to shatter the glass ceiling and live their dreams.
The stories of more than 150 Blacks who worked in the presidential food service as chefs, personal cooks, and service for first families beginning with George and Martha Washington are spun into compelling stories by Adrian Miller in “The President’s Kitchen Cabinet.” The book opens with a list of Blacks who prepared food for presidents from George Washington’s family to the Obamas.

Many presidents, Miller said, “have realized that if they are likable by the American public, it helps advance their political agenda. So, I think President Obama is a great example because when he would travel, he would often do impromptu stops at burger joints, rib shacks. He loved drinking beer.”

Children ages 8–12 will enjoy traveling through history within the pages of “Black Heroes: A Black History Book for Kids.” They’ll travel to Egypt to meet rulers, spend time with trailblazers in Britain, and learn from scientists in ancient Africa, all before returning to the United States for more. Author Arlisha R. Norwood provides young readers with ideas to further explore through books, websites, and videos.

Kiki

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Oakland Post: Week of October 29 – November 4, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of October 29 – November 4, 2025

Published

3 days ago

November 3, 2025

Oakland Post

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Alameda County

Mayor Lee Responds to OPD Chief Floyd Mitchell’s Decision to Resign

Chief Mitchell announced last week that he will be stepping down from his position after 18 months. His final day will be Dec. 5.

Published

1 week ago

October 27, 2025

Oakland Post

OPD Chief Floyd Mitchell. Official portrait.

By Ken Epstein

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee Office has responded to the announcement that OPD Chief Floyd Mitchell has decided to resign.

Chief Mitchell announced last week that he will be stepping down from his position after 18 months. His final day will be Dec. 5.

“I want to thank Chief Mitchell for his dedicated service to Oakland and his leadership during a critical time for our city,” said Mayor Lee.

“Under his tenure, we have seen significant reductions in crime – a testament to his commitment to public safety and the hard work of our police officers,” said Lee. “I am grateful for Chief Mitchell’s collaboration with our administration and his focus on community-centered policing.

“The women and men of the Oakland Police Department have my full support as we work together to ensure a smooth transition and continue building on the progress we’ve made for Oakland’s residents,” Lee said.

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Activism

A Call to Save Liberty Hall: Oakland’s Beacon of Black Heritage Faces an Uncertain Future

For generations, Liberty Hall has been more than bricks and wood — it has been a spiritual and cultural sanctuary for Black Oakland. The building once served as a hub for Marcus Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), where Garvey’s call for economic independence and Pan-African unity resonated through the hearts of a people newly migrating to the West in search of freedom and dignity.

Published

1 week ago

October 27, 2025

Oakland Post

Liberty Hall at 1483-1485 8th St., in Oakland was built in 1877 as a store and residence. Wikimedia photo.

Special to The Post

On a quiet corner near the West Oakland BART Station stands a weathered but proud monument to African American history — the Universal Negro Improvement Association’s Liberty Hall, also known as the Marcus Garvey Building. Built in 1877, this two-story Italianate landmark has witnessed more than a century of struggle, self-determination, and community empowerment. Now, its survival hangs in the balance.

Local 188 of UNIA was the largest chapter in Northern California when the organization bought the building in 1925, but a fire burned the roof in 1931, and the chapter sold the building in 1933. The International Peace Movement, founded by Father Divine, used the building through the 1950s.

Since then, the building has been a meeting ground for civil rights organizers, artists, and educators like Overcomers With Hope who have carried that same flame of liberation through Oakland’s turbulent decades.

Today, local cultural organizer and artist Douglas “Pharoah” Stewart has stepped forward to lead the charge to save Liberty Hall. Stewart is already facing “Cultural Eviction” at the Oakland Cannery, and through his organization, Indigenous House, Stewart has rallied a coalition of artists, educators, historians, and community leaders to preserve and restore the site as a community-owned cooperative center — a place where arts, wellness, and economic empowerment can thrive for future generations.

“Liberty Hall is not just a building — it’s a living ancestor,” Stewart says. “This space gave birth to movements that shaped who we are as a people. If we lose this, we lose a piece of our soul.”

Stewart envisions transforming the historic landmark into a multi-purpose cooperative hub — complete with a cultural museum, community performance space, youth tech labs, and creative studios for local entrepreneurs. His vision echoes Garvey’s own: “A place where we can rise together, economically, spiritually, and culturally.”

But the fight is urgent. The aging building faces structural challenges, and time is running short to secure preservation funding. Stewart and his team are now calling on city officials, foundations, athletes, and celebrities to join forces with the community to raise the necessary capital for acquisition and restoration.

“We’re inviting everyone — from the Oakland A’s to local artists, from Golden State Warriors players to Black-owned businesses — to stand with us,” Stewart urges. “Let’s make Liberty Hall a model for what preservation can look like when the people lead.”

The Liberty Hall Project aligns with Oakland’s growing movement to protect historic Black cultural sites — places like Esther’s Orbit Room, Marcus Bookstore, and the California Hotel. For Stewart, Liberty Hall represents a chance to bridge the city’s past with its future, transforming preservation into a living, breathing act of justice.

“This is not nostalgia,” Stewart says. “This is nation-building. It’s about creating sustainable, community-owned spaces that honor our ancestors and empower our youth.”

As development pressures mount across West Oakland, Liberty Hall stands as a powerful reminder of resilience, resistance, and rebirth. The question now is whether the community — and those with the power to help — will answer the call.

For donations, partnerships, or information about the Liberty Hall Cooperative Development Project, contact Indigenous House at www.indigenoushouse.org Douglas Stewart dstewart.wealth@gmail.com