As a follow-up to the post-presidential election National/International Town Hall Meeting convened by the Institute of the Black World 21st Century (IBW) in Washington, DC last week, Dr. Ron Daniels, President of IBW, has issued an urgent call for an Emergency Black Leadership Summit. Dr. Daniels said, “the goal of this critical Summit is to assess the outcome of the election and to develop strategies for a cultural, political offensive to mobilize/organize our people to resist the dangers posed by the white supremacist tinged MAGA policies promised by President-Elect Donald J. Trump. We need to build psychological momentum for the fight-back we must wage.” Dr. Daniels suggested that the Summit be convened in Selma, Alabama to coincide with the Annual Bridge Crossing Jubilee that commemorates Bloody Sunday. Elaborating on the goal of the Summit, Dr. Daniels commented, “We must not only resist, Black America needs a bold, transformational agenda to advance and protect our interests and aspirations as a people.” He plans to reach out to the eight Civil Rights Legacy Organizations as the logical group to convene the Emergency Summit.
Marc Morial at IBW’s post-election town hall meeting, November 14, 2024.
Dr. Daniels believes the most immediate, pressing issue on the Agenda is to encourage President Biden to enact the HR-40 Commission by Executive Order. As mandated in the legislation, the Commission would study and develop reparations proposals for African Americans. “President Biden could have an Emancipation Proclamation moment by boldly moving to create the Commission during the lame duck session.” Dr. Daniels suggested. “It would be a fitting tribute to the late Congressman John Conyers, Jr. and the visionary Congresswoman Shiela Jackson Lee who courageously took the torch and carried HR-40 to the brink of the finish line. President-Elect Trump has already intentionally insulted Black people by indicating he will provide reparations for White people. When he takes office, President Trump will certainly rescind Biden’s HR-40 Executive Order, but by doing so, he will once again show his real colors,” Dr. Daniels concluded.
IBW assembled some of Black America’s most influential leaders for the Town Hall Meeting which was thought provoking, informational, inspirational and encouraging: Marc Morial, President/CEO, National Urban League; Dr. Julianne Malveaux, Educator, Author, Political Economist; Melanie L. Campbell; President/CEO, National Coalition of Black Civic Participation; Rev. Shavon Arline-Bradley, President/CEO, National Council of Negro Women; Hilary Shelton, Senior Vice-President, Governance and Policy, NAACP; Jennifer Jones Austin, Esq., CEO, Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies; Dr. George Fraser, President/CEO, FraserNet; Mel Foote, President/CEO, Constituency for Africa; Rev. Graylan Hagler, Senior Advisor, Fellowship for Reconciliation, USA; Maurice Mitchell, National Director, Working Families Party; Dr. Melina Abdullah, National Director, Black Lives Matter Grassroots; and Robin Rue Simmons, Founder/Executive Director, FirstRepair were the Panelists who led the discussion. In addition to the Panel Discussion, there was an update on the horrific crisis in Haiti by Jocelyn McCalla, Senior Policy Advisor for the Haitian American Foundation for Democracy and the presentation of the IBW Legacy Award to Mary Frances Berry, Esq., who served as Chairperson of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission from 1993 to 2004.
Mary Frances Berry at IBW’s post-election town hall meeting, November 14, 2024.
Dr. Daniels closed the Town Hall Meeting by presenting an ambitious series of initiatives as part of a proposed cultural, political offensive. The following is a synopsis of his Charge and Call to Action:
Convene National Emergency Black Leadership Summit in Selma
Convene 100 representatives of organizations and influencers to assess the impact of the 2024 presidential election on Black America and the Pan African World. The Summit would also develop an Action Agenda and mobilizing, organizing strategy to build psychological momentum.
Reconstitute the National Black Leadership Forum
Black America needs to develop a united front to devise collective, collaborative and coordinated strategies by reconstituting a defunct formation called the National Black Leadership Forum. This formation could be comprised of 100 Black leaders with the Civil Rights Eight legacy organizations and 22 additional organizations functioning as the Executive Committee.
Urge Biden to Enact HR-40 by Executive Order
The Civil Rights Eight and representatives from reparations advocacy organizations should meet with President Biden immediately to encourage him to enact the HR-40 Commission by Executive Order during the lame duck session. Target date January 15th, the Birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Revive the National Council of Negro Women’s Black Family Reunions
Under the leadership of the iconic President Dorothy Height, the National Council of Negro Women hosted a series of mass gatherings called Black Family Reunions to build a sense of community and family in the Black community. A revival of these inspirational gatherings should be part of the cultural, political offensive for resistance and transformation in Black America.
Develop a Culture of Political Literacy and Civic Engagement
Despite high voter turnout by Black voters led by Black women, the 2024 election revealed a critical need for increased and consistent education in all sectors of Black America to maximize Black voter power. We need an all-hands on deck commitment to civic engagement and political literacy to achieve this crucial objective.
Convene a Conference of Rap Activists and Cultural Messengers
All across the country there are Rappers and Cultural Messengers who use Hip Hop as a media to encourage and inspire Black people to improve our communities and fight for racial and social justice and a fundamental transformation of a racialized Capitalist system. These Rap Activists and Cultural Messengers must be connected to each other to form a formidable force to advance and protect the interests of Black people. To achieve this goal, we should call on the likes of the legendary Chuck D and Paradise Gray to facilitate the convening of a National Conference of Rap Activists and Cultural Messengers as a vital component of the cultural, political offensive.
Support the Working Families Party as a Third Force in American Politics
The 2024 presidential election also revealed growing disenchantment with the Democratic Party that appears to take Black voters for granted when it comes to investment of resources to maximize Black voter power. The emergence of the Working Families Party under the leadership of National Director Maurice Mitchell and his team now offers a viable option as a third force to advance and protect the interest and aspirations of Black people and our allies.
Build for a 2 Million Woman and Man March in October of 2025
2025 will mark the 30th Anniversary of the historic Million Man March and Day of Atonement organized by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam. 2025 will also mark the 28th Anniversary of the Million Woman March organized by Phile Chionesu and Asia Coney. Now it’s time for women and men to stand together in a Two Million Woman and Man March modeling the triumph of partnership over patriarchy in the Black community as a powerful dimension of the cultural, political offensive.
Convene a National Black Political Convention in 2028
Continuing to broaden and deepen the essential cultural, political offensive to mobilize organizations in Black America to combat the dangers of MAGAISM, on the occasion of the 56th anniversary of the history Gary National Black Political Convention, one of the most significant gatherings of Black People in America, we should organize city by city, county by county and state by state to deliberate on a National Black Political Agenda and gather at a National Black Political Convention to adopt a comprehensive Black Agenda in preparation for marching on ballot boxes to take-back America from the racist and reactionary forces of MAGAISM in the 2028 presidential election.
Release of All Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War
With a convicted felon in the White House who inspired an insurrection to subvert democracy, we must uncompromisingly demand the exoneration of the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey and all political prisoners and prisoners of war who fought for full freedom, justice, equality and self-determination for Black people in America as the indispensable pre-condition to achieve a more perfect union.
Employ Economic Sanctions as a Weapon in the Black Freedom Struggle
Last but not least, it is imperative that Black people unitize our trillions of dollars in spending/economic power as a weapon to bring corporations, retail establishments and financial institutions to their knees in defense of our freedom. Those at the commanding heights of capital and finance have the power to check the authoritarianism of Donald J. Trump and MAGAISM. We must take a page from Dr. King’s successful Mongomery Bus Boycott and employ economic sanctions to repeal policies which are harmful to our interests and adopt policies which advance and protect our interests. Economic sanctions must be a powerful weapon Black cultural, political offensive. We intend to win!
Also See
Dr. Ron Daniels’ Call to Action at Town Hall “The 2024 Presidential Election: Progress or Disaster?”
Dr. Ron Daniels, President of the Institute of the Black World 21st Century delivers The Charge and Call to Action at IBW’s post-election town hall meeting “The 2024 Presidential Election: Progress or Disaster?”. November 14, 2024 at the historic New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, Washington, DC.
ICYMI
Town Hall Meeting: The 2024 Presidential Election: Progress or Disaster?
A national/international town hall meeting assessing the impact of the 2024 presidential election on the “State of Black America” and the Pan African World. Disaster or Progress? Join us live from the historic New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, Washington, DC.
