The voice of Frederick Douglass:
Whether we turn to the declarations of the past, or to the professions of the present, the conduct of the nation seems equally hideous and revolting. America is false to the past, false to the present, and solemnly binds herself to be false in the future.
– Rochester, NY, July 4, 1852
Sojourner Truth
The evening will begin with Odetta singing “I been ‘buked and I been scorned” and move into the spoken words of 101 year-old ex-slave Fountain Hughes, Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass, and Harriet Tubman (“Moses”), and Langston Hughes (“The Freedom Train”) portrayed by local residents Yvette Atkinson and Ray Pleasant in dramatic readings.
Group singing of the music that kept hope alive: There is a balm in Gilead, O Freedom, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, and Go Down, Moses!
Questions to be discussed by participants:
Frederick Douglass
Who/what are the new owners of human property?
Who are the new slaves?
Where is the spirit of emancipation moving today in the U.S.A.?
Views from the Edge 
It was a good program….
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Good program on 15th. I would like to suggest a resource. I am radio educated… no, zero hate talk, …mainly hundreds of very good communicators from all over the world for the past 50 years. I would like to promote my all time favorite radio opinion broadcaster. The following is from “Huffpost.” I’ll add a comment below the entry.
“Mark Thompson has been a broadcaster for 25 years, beginning his career with Radio One, Inc. under the guidance of Cathy Hughes. His show, Make It Plain, was the first to sign on XM Satellite Radio in 2001, and the only show to have been broadcast on XM exclusively, then Sirius exclusively, and now broadcast on both.. Currently, Make It Plain is a daily, afternoon-drive, political, human rights and breaking news call-in program heard on SiriusXM Left 127. He is the first and only African American talk host on SiriusXM Left and the only African American in the U.S. hosting a daily, national show on a progressive/liberal talk format, as opposed to either an urban format or a conservative format. He broadcast from South Africa during the first democratic elections, and received his traditional African name, Matsimela Mapfumo, which means, “firmly rooted soldier.” Mark anchored SiriusXM’s coverage of both the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and the dedication of the MLK Memorial. For several consecutive weeks, he broadcast Occupy Wall Street live, on location from New York’s Zuccotti Park. Mark anchored SiriusXM Left’s coverage of the 2008 and 2012 presidential election season including the Democratic National Convention.” … quote from Huffpost. The full article is much longer.
This man makes me think of a little older more modern MLK, with a lot of Malcom X included. I am positive that everyone I have met at Shepherd of the Hill would find his voice and words a relief. He is capable of raging anger, but mostly he is reassuringly calm. I give him some hours of my time every week. As a very serious student of MLK… during his life, I’m telling you this is the real thing. I listen on Serius XM channel 127. I highly recommend Serius XM radio. These days you don’t need a radio satellite. You go to their website and buy a subscription for online use… from your computer. There are other devices sold that function just like an old style radio… if that is important to you. I use Serius XM service online, and I use it by their actual satellite dish, and in my car. The dish goes near window or outside. It’s the sice of a tea cup. It is easy and the price is worth it. I bought 5 subscriptions for myself and family. Well, my daughter sticks to the music mainly, and my wife sticks to the printed page mainly. …But I am the big know it all. My daughter calls me “the man who knows too much.”
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Bob, thanks for this. Just got back from Chicago and don’t have time to say more than thank you for the information and the recommendation. Thanks, as always, for joining the conversation last Tuesday.
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Wish I could be there, too many miles 🙂
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JoAnne, Catch a flight! We’ll put you up in the same room with Harriet Tubman. 🙂 Thanks for coming by.
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Good questions. We need to be aware of the current slavery, especially that in our own country where perhaps we can do something about it.
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Mona, Look forward to seeing you there – and tomorrow!
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