National

Whites Don’t Have to Pretend to Be Black to Lead an NAACP Chapter

Published

9 years ago

June 24, 2015

By Jazelle Hunt
NNPA Washington Correspondent

WASHINGTON (NNPA) – If Rachel Dolezal had looked around, she would have discovered that a White person does not have to pretend to be Black in order to lead an NAACP chapter. In fact, she would have to look no farther than several states south, to Arizona, to see that a White man, Donald Harris, is president of the Maricopa County NAACP.

Dolezal served as president of the Spokane, Wash. NAACP branch of the NAACP until her parents disclosed that their estranged White daughter was passing as Black. The shocking disclosure created a national uproar – not about her being White, but her living a lie – and led to her resignation.

As president of the Phoenix-based NAACP branch, Donald Harris was not amused.

“I think there may be some mental health issues,” he said. “[Dolezal] has done some good things, and she’s also done some bad things. But she did them knowingly. [She’s become] a joke, and that’s a shame. But that reflects more on her than it does on the NAACP.”

Paul Krissel, a White man who has served as treasurer of the Salem-Keizer NAACP chapter in Oregon, agrees.

“[A] commentator said, ‘It’s like a car crash. We love a car crash. Why don’t we spend this much time looking at the work of the NAACP? All of a sudden you want to have a conversation about racial identity because a White woman converted herself over to Black?’ These conversations have been going on for years, and all of a sudden the mainstream is interested in them because there’s a car crash.”

The NAACP, the nation’s largest surviving civil rights organization, was founded in 1909 by 60 people, most of them White liberals. Seven of the founders were Black, including W.E. B. DuBois, Ida B. Wells-Barnett and Mary Church Terrell.

William Monroe Trotter, the crusading editor of the Boston Guardian, helped form the NAACP but quit because he thought it was being controlled by Whites. Trotter focused on reviving the National Equal Rights League, an all-Black civil rights organization started in 1864 by Frederick Douglass, Henry Highland Garnett, and John Mercer Langston, among others.

The NAACP did not have its first African American executive secretary (now called president) until James Weldon Johnson assumed the post in 1920.

In December, Donald Harris, a White, 77-year-old lawyer and Vietnam veteran, was elected to succeed Oscar Tillman, who had headed the Maricopa County, Arizona NAACP branch almost three decades. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y. to Jewish parents who were also members of the NAACP, Harris has been a member and volunteer of the Maricopa County chapter over the past 50 years.

Even so, Harris’ race matters. Someone made that clear at the very first chapter he joined while working at Camp Pendleton in California, after returning from the war.

“In the beginning…I joined the [North San Diego County] branch of the NAACP. I used to go on Wednesday nights and I was the legal adviser,” he recounted. “One night I stood up and said, ‘I think this is what we ought to do.’ And a woman who was a member said, ‘I’m tired of White people telling us what we need to do.’ And I just said, ‘Thank you very much ma’am, you just freed up my Wednesday nights.’ And I took off.”

Harris’ race came up again when he was elected the new branch president in Arizona by a 19-to-0 vote (with four abstentions). By then, he had spent many years as volunteer and nearly 15 as a board member. Still, there was an “unpleasant meeting” in which Black leaders, elders, and pastors, who were not members but had a lot of influence in the community, proposed ways to undermine or recall his presidency.

“There was a hunt for a new president but nobody…wanted to do the work. I did not want to be president…but it was such an embarrassment [for the chapter]. So I said, ‘I nominate myself,’ waiting for somebody to say, ‘How about me.’ But nobody did,” Harris said. “Then a couple of people, after the fact, started saying, ‘Gee, we wanted to be president.’ And therein lies the rub.”

There were also death threats, both at the time of his election, and recently, as he has made a few national media appearances regarding the Dolezal saga.

But his race has also mattered in a positive way, which writer and commentator, Michaela Angela Davis pointed out last week when she and Harris appeared on CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 together.

“What [Harris] said is it – using his White male privilege to help the American project. That’s what [Dolezal] could have done,” she said.

For Harris, that truth was hard to hear.

“It is unpleasant, but true. I can use my leverage in the White community to push civil rights,” he said. “Cindy McCain lives here, she owns Anheuser-Busch – I can go to her and say, ‘I need $70,000.’ I can hit up my fat-cat friends. I can ask $25,000 from the Fiesta Bowl, and we’ve never gotten that much from them. I could go places where African Americans couldn’t go.”

Paul Krissel, a former treasurer of the Salem-Keizer NAACP chapter in Oregon, has had similar experience as a White executive member and volunteer. He’s spent approximately 40 years working and fighting for social justice with local and national labor unions and other organizing groups. Now “semi-retired,” he’s been volunteering heavily with the NAACP for the past five or six years, planning events and serving in general.

“The challenge is always to help well-meaning people get beyond, ‘I want to do good for somebody else,’ to, here’s the social construct that creates these patterns of discrimination and oppression in society. This has to be the work of White people challenging White people. I have the credibility to challenge White people in a way a person of color wouldn’t be able to,” Krissel stated.

“If I just go hang out with people of color, hang out at these organizations, and feel good about myself for being involved in that work, but I’m not going back out to my peers…then I’m really not doing the work.”

###

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Black History

Martial Artist Victor Moore: An American Karate and Kickboxing Pioneer

Throughout his career, Moore defeated many national champions, including Joe Lewis, Mike Stone, and Bill “Superfoot” Wallace. Moore placed in every tournament he competed in from 1965 until his retirement in 1975, defeating renowned national champions such as Mike Foster, Chuck Norris, Fred Wren, Glenn Keeney, James Hawkes, and Jim Kelly. Moore emphasizes that winning or losing does not diminish a champion’s credibility — they are all champions in his eyes.

Published

1 day ago

November 3, 2024

Oakland Post

Photo Courtesy of BlackPast.Org

By Tamara Shiloh

Victor Moore, born on Aug. 23, 1943, holds a 10th-degree Black Belt in Karate and is a four-time world karate champion.

As one of the chief instructors under Robert Trias in the Shuri-ryu Karate system, Moore was also among the first ten members of the Trias International Society. Over his 50-year martial arts career, he trained in various styles, including Chito-ryu with William J. Dometrich, Judo, Kempo, and Bondo karate.

Moore began his martial arts journey at the age of 7 in Cincinnati, lifting weights and reading Charles Atlas books to guide his training. By age 9, he had learned the basics of jujitsu and judo, and at 12, he began training in Kempo karate under Ronald Williams, who awarded him his first black belt after five years of instruction.

In 1961, Moore expanded his training by joining a judo school led by Ray Hughes and later trained in Gyu Ryu-karate under Harvey Eubanks. He studied Kempo with Bill Dometrich and continued exploring different karate styles. Instructors at the time, required students to start as white belts in each new style, even if they held black belts elsewhere, which shaped Moore’s adaptability.

Chung Ling, an exchange student from China, introduced Moore and others to Chuan Fa, enhancing Moore’s understanding of martial arts. He also took up judo at a school in Cincinnati, where he earned his brown belt, and trained in karate with Jim Wax, who had studied under the Shimabuku brothers. Moore’s toughness was further honed by his boxing experience at the 9th Street YMCA, where he became a sparring partner for Tiger Joe Harris.

At Central State University, Professor Barry Yasuto trained Moore in Shotokan karate, but Moore was denied entry to the Japanese Karate Association, possibly due to his race. After returning to Cincinnati, Moore opened his first karate school and began competing in national tournaments. He traveled across the U.S., eventually meeting Robert Trias, who became his mentor and helped him rise to the second-degree black belt level. Under Trias, Moore continued training in Kempo and Goju-Ryu styles.

Moore also trained under Dr. Maung Gyi, learning Bondo karate, stick fighting, and kickboxing. In 1973, Moore and Joe Lewis introduced kickboxing to America on the Merv Griffin TV show. Moore competed in the first kickboxing tournament in the U.S., facing Jim Harrison in a historic fight.

Moore continues to teach martial arts, working with instructors and students nationwide. His daughters, Vickie and Vonnie, and his son, Vanceston, also train under his guidance.

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Activism

Atty Gen Bonta: U.S. Law Mandating Emergency Care to All Patients Faces Threats

The attorney general highlighted that EMTALA is vital for ensuring that no individual is turned away from emergency services based on financial status or insurance coverage. Bonta stated that the law has been a cornerstone of emergency healthcare for decades, providing peace of mind to millions of Americans who might otherwise hesitate to seek urgent medical attention due to cost concerns.

Published

1 day ago

November 3, 2024

Oakland Post

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

California Attorney General Rob Bonta emphasized the critical need to protect the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), mandating that hospitals provide emergency care to all patients regardless of their ability to pay.

In a recent statement, Bonta highlighted the potential threats to this essential legislation amid ongoing discussions about healthcare accessibility in the U.S.

“EMTALA ensures that no one is denied access to emergency medical care, including abortion care, and this federal law is more imperative than ever following the overturn of Roe v. Wade,” said Bonta.

This decision to support the federal government’s case comes at a time when many healthcare providers are facing pressure from rising costs and legislative changes that could undermine existing protections. Bonta called on lawmakers to reinforce EMTALA’s provisions and to combat any efforts aimed at weakening the act, asserting that equitable access to emergency care is a fundamental right.

He urged state and federal governments to ensure that all Americans, particularly marginalized communities, have the necessary access to emergency services without fear of financial repercussions. The brief indicates the coalition’s commitment to healthcare equity, emphasizing that maintaining strong protections under EMTALA is crucial for safeguarding public health.

As discussions around healthcare policy continue, Bonta remains steadfast in promoting initiatives that protect emergency care access, asserting that everyone deserves timely and appropriate medical treatment in emergencies. His efforts align with ongoing legal and advocacy battles to preserve the rights established by EMTALA in the face of evolving healthcare challenges.

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#NNPA BlackPress

Why Not Voting Could Deprioritize Black Communities

NNPA NEWSWIRE — President Biden’s Justice40 initiative. This executive order ensures that 40% of federal investment benefits flow to disadvantaged communities, addressing deep-seated inequities.

Published

3 days ago

November 1, 2024

Oakland Post

By Anthony Kinslow II, PhD

For generations, Black communities have been systematically denied the resources and opportunities provided to other American communities. Justice40 is more than a Biden-Harris initiative — it ensures a financial commitment to restore communities from historical inequities and bring lasting investment where needed most. It doesn’t matter if you don’t love Vice President Kamala Harris, are skeptical about her policies, or dislike her background as a prosecutor. If we want to see the progress and resources for Justice40 communities continue, we need to vote for her. The stakes in this upcoming election go beyond personal feelings and political preferences. A crucial piece of policy that directly impacts Black communities across the country is on the line:

President Biden’s Justice40 initiative. This executive order ensures that 40% of federal investment benefits flow to disadvantaged communities, addressing deep-seated inequities. Because the initiative was instituted via executive order if we don’t have President Kamala Harris in November, the executive order will likely be struck down. Justice40 touches every federal department—housing, education, transportation, energy, environmental protection, and much more. Using a broad range of metrics to define disadvantaged communities, the program is designed to avoid legal challenges while ensuring that many Black communities benefit from these federal investments.

Despite this historic initiative, much of the progress to implement this initiative could be undone by the results of this election. Justice40 is an executive order, and like all executive orders, it can be canceled with the stroke of a pen by the next president. If a Republican administration takes over, there’s every reason to believe this effort will be scrapped, especially with Trump’s explicit desire to reverse Biden’s policies. This is why we must cast our vote. This isn’t just about a candidate– it’s about securing a future where Black communities are finally prioritized.

In a Harris administration or a continued Biden-Harris presidency, we can expect the Justice40 program to grow and be further institutionalized. This progress has already started slowly but surely in departments such as the Department of Energy (DOE), the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), with leaders working on systemic change. I know Many of our people in these positions working to make meaningful, lasting changes. This is in stark contrast to Trump’s presidency. While government work is always slow, the groundwork is being laid. For this progress to take root and continue benefiting our communities, voting to preserve it is essential. This is our vote to keep federal funds flowing to our neighborhoods.

SO, VOTE! Together, we can ensure that the Justice40 program continues to grow and uplift communities that have been left behind for far too long.