Events

Dr. King’s “Bank of Justice is Bankrupt” Speech Was Tested in Oakland in 1962

Published

10 years ago

January 15, 2016

When the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. visited the Oakland Auditorium Dec. 28, 1962 before a 7,000-plus crowd, the themes of his famous March on Washington speech were tested.

Many of the economic justice ideas that King presented, which were a precursor to a call for reparations from the Freedmen’s Bank experience, were also presented months earlier at the McClymonds High School “Mind of the Ghetto” Conference, sponsored by the Afro-American Association, which Malcolm X, Don Warden, Cassius Clay, Floyd McKissick, Wil Ussery, Thomas Berkley, Paul Cobb and many other Black leaders attended.

Rev. Ray Williams, pastor of Morning Star Baptist who attended the historic event, said: “Pastor Edward Stovall of the progressive Baptist Church of Berkeley led a group of ministers into history. Rev. Stovall reached across the denominational lines to invite ministers of other faiths including Rev. Roy Nichols, a Methodist leader; activist George Henderson of the Star Baptist Church; Rev. Peyton E. Pierce, president of the Baptist Minister Union; and several leaders of the Catholic Church.

“The predominantly Black audience signaled for a political awakening that set the stage for the elections of Attorney Thomas Berkley and Barney Hilburn to the Oakland Broad of Education, and Byron Rumford to the State Assembly.”

Rev. Frank Pinkard, pastor of Evergreen Baptist, said, “King captured our desire for economic redemption when he opened his March on Washington speech where he said the US Government has given Blacks a note marked “insufficient funds.” That part of the speech should have been equally glamorized as the famous I have a dream phrase.”

In his speech King said: “We have come to our nation’s capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir.

“This note was a promise that all men, yes black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

“It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked ‘insufficient funds.’

“But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation.

“So we have come to cash this check — a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now.”

Assembly member Rob Bonta and Post Publisher Paul Cobb will speak about Dr. King on Sunday, Jan. 17, at 2:30 p.m. at Morning Star Baptist, 1136 34th St. at Adeline in Oakland.

Bonta’s father and Cobb marched with King in Selma in 1965. Cobb will also speak at 11:30 a.m. at First Presbyterian in Oakland on Sunday.

Oakland Post

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Related Topics:Cassius Clay Malcolm X MLK Oakland Paul Cobb Rob Bonta Thomas Berkley

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of December 24 – 30, 2025

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – December 24 – 30, 2025

Published

3 days ago

December 25, 2025

Oakland Post

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Activism

Lu Lu’s House is Not Just Toying Around with the Community

Wilson and Lambert will be partnering with Mayor Barbara Lee on a toy giveaway on Dec. 20. Young people, like Dremont Wilkes, age 15, will help give away toys and encourage young people to stay in school and out of trouble. Wilkes wants to go to college and become a specialist in financial aid. Sports agent Aaron Goodwin has committed to giving all eight young people from Lu Lu’s House a fully paid free ride to college, provided they keep a 3.0 grade point average and continue the program. Lu Lu’s House is not toying around.

Published

1 week ago

December 20, 2025

Oakland Post

Tania Fuller Bryant, Zirl Wilson, Dremont Wilkes, Tracy Lambert and Dr. Geoffrey Watson. Courtesy Oakland Private Industry

Special to the Post

Lu Lu’s House is a 501c3 organization based in Oakland, founded by Mr. Zirl Wilson and Mr. Tracy Lambert, both previously incarcerated. After their release from jail, they wanted to change things for the better in the community — and wow, have they done that!

The duo developed housing for previously incarcerated people, calling it “Lu Lu’s House,” after Wilson’s wonderful wife. At a time when many young people were robbing, looting, and involved in shootings, Wilson and Lambert took it upon themselves to risk their lives to engage young gang members and teach them about nonviolence, safety, cleanliness, business, education, and the importance of health and longevity.

Lambert sold hats and T-shirts at the Eastmont Mall and was visited by his friend Wilson. At the mall, they witnessed gangs of young people running into the stores, stealing whatever they could get their hands on and then rushing out. Wilson tried to stop them after numerous robberies and finally called the police, who Wilson said, “did not respond.” Having been incarcerated previously, they realized that if the young people were allowed to continue to rob the stores, they could receive multiple criminal counts, which would take their case from misdemeanors to felonies, resulting in incarceration.

Lu Lu’s House traveled to Los Angeles and obtained more than 500 toys
for a Dec. 20 giveaway in partnership with Oakland Mayor Barbara
Lee. Courtesy Oakland Private Industry,

Wilson took it upon himself to follow the young people home and when he arrived at their subsidized homes, he realized the importance of trying to save the young people from violence, drug addiction, lack of self-worth, and incarceration — as well as their families from losing subsidized housing. Lambert and Wilson explained to the young men and women, ages 13-17, that there were positive options which might allow them to make money legally and stay out of jail. Wilson and Lambert decided to teach them how to wash cars and they opened a car wash in East Oakland. Oakland’s Initiative, “Keep the town clean,” involved the young people from Lu Lu’s House participating in more than eight cleanup sessions throughout Oakland. To assist with their infrastructure, Lu Lu’s House has partnered with Oakland’s Private Industry Council.

For the Christmas season, Lu Lu’s House and reformed young people (who were previously robbed) will continue to give back.

Lu Lu’s House traveled to Los Angeles and obtained more than 500 toys.