Proposed Organizational Structure of The National Organization

The following schematic outlines an example of the proposed organizational structure. It also identifies the individual departments as well as their objectives and their responsibilities. This plan is a tentative blueprint. It will require much more discussion to fine-tune it into an effective plan of action that will allow the descendants of enslaved Africans to achieve wealth, prosperity, and respect in the United States and around the world.

National Operations Central Office

The National Operations Central Office will serve as the national headquarters for the organization. The National Operations Central Office will consist of a 12-member Board of Directors.

This Board will be responsible for planning, organizing, and implementing the strategies and solutions of the organization on a nationwide level by working with the representatives of each state.

The National Operations Central Office will have seven departments: Treasury/CFO, Security Team, Legal Department, Regional Operations Support Services, Communications Department, Information Technology Team,  and African Nations Partnership Council.

Treasury/CFO Department

This department will be responsible for managing the organization’s funds and dispersing funds as authorized by the Board of Directors. The Treasury/CFO will also be entrusted with the task of keeping track of the organization’s financial expenditures and operating expenses.

Security Team

The Security Team will focus on protecting the organization from infiltration, sabotage, and retaliatory violence. It will also protect the members of the organization and provide security assistance to the local communities if necessary.

Legal Department

The Legal Department will be made up of some of the best legal minds available. All legal matters will be handled by the Legal Department. Its main focus will be to protect the organization from litigation and defend the organization’s rights to conduct its business. It will also be responsible for initiating lawsuits to win discrimination, civil rights violations, and government corruption and cover-ups cases on behalf of the Black community.

Regional Operations Support Services

This department has one of the most important responsibilities of the whole organization. It will be responsible for assisting the African- American communities on a statewide level. The statewide offices will have the responsibility of assisting their local cities and towns in the implementation of The Plan on a community level.

Communications Department

Being well informed and knowledgeable about the issues that affect us both positively and negatively in this country is of paramount importance. African Americans can no longer rely on the mainstream media as a reliable source of information.

We will fact-check the news regarding the facts concerning important legal, economic, social, and political issues. The more you know, the better you are equipped to make sound decisions. Informing the membership will be the primary task of the Communications Department. It will investigate and report to us on the most important issues affecting our communities and the country as a whole.

Information Technology Team

This team will be responsible for setting up, managing, and monitoring all information technology used by the organization. The department will manage all computer networks, databases, websites, intranets, phones, and any other technology used to support, assist, and conduct organizational business.

Business and Economic Development Team

The business and economic development team will help community residents start and grow businesses within the community. The team will provide business skills and information as well as financial assistance.

Many of the businesses in our communities are not owned by African Americans. The lack of financial resources is the major reason why. The Business & Economic team will work to change this dynamic by supporting and encouraging our people to engage in innovation and entrepreneurship.

We can compete in so many areas of industry like fashion, technology, music, food, and manufacturing just to name a few, with the proper support and financial assistance.

African Nations Economic Partnership Committee

We need to reconnect with Africa. We need to reach out to African nations to form partnerships with the African continent with regard to economics, political stability, and social progress in Africa. The business opportunities that can be cultivated between African Americans and African nations will provide tremendous economic opportunity  for both parties.

We also need to use this opportunity to assist African nations in establishing stable, uncorrupt, democratic governments. Africa needs government leaders who will focus on uplifting their people, not government leaders who are puppets for European, Asian, and American governments.

This puppetry is the primary cause for division, hostilities, and economic suffering on the continent of Africa. We can help African nations economically, politically, and socially. As African Americans, we must attempt to reconcile with our indigenous brothers and sisters.

As we acquire economic and political stability here in America, we can help to bring economic and political stability to these African nations. Establishing mutually beneficial relations with African nations should be a goal for all descendants of African slaves.

State Offices and Community Boards

After the establishment of the National Operations Central Office, we can begin to set up state offices. The state offices will assist and support the cities and towns of their respective states in establishing Community Boards in their community that are willing and commit- ted to initiating Black America Rising on the local or community level.

The community level is where all the action takes place. This is where the strategies of this book will bear fruit. All Community Boards will consist of five distinct bodies. These entities will focus on eliminating the primary factors that oppress and marginalize the African-American communities. Let’s take a look at each entity and how it will serve the community.

As I said before, and will say again, we must simultaneously and relentlessly annihilate the forces that have stunted our development as a people. The following five entities, when established in the African-American communities throughout America, will begin the dawning of a new day in America for the descendants of African slaves:

• Parent-Teacher Association (PTA)
• Community Protection and Safety Council
• Legal Defense Assistance Council
• Community Programs and Activities Committee
• Community News and Information Center
• Business and Economic Development

Parent Teacher (Association PTA)

The PTA is nothing new, but African-American communities have not used it effectively. All parents should be members of the PTA. This group has tremendous clout when it comes to the curriculum, special programs, the school budget, and the overall agenda of educating our children.

If we want our children to enjoy and appreciate school and education in general, then we must be full participants in the process.

Community Safety and Protection Committee

If we want to transform our communities into vibrant and prosperous places to live and raise a family, then we must secure and protect the community. White America has the “American Dream.” African Americans have their dream as well: the dream of “getting out of the ghetto.” This has been one of the reasons we are in the predicament we are in today. We should not be running from the ghetto. Instead, we should be rebuilding the so- called ghetto. Land is land; our communities are on land just like every other community.

  Therefore, we should focus on cultivating, reviving, and enhancing our communities, and not running off to predominately white communities when we know that they do not want us there anyway.

The first step in transforming our communities is to ensure that the community is safe and secure from violence and other negative influences. This is why we need a Community Protection and Safety Council in every community. Its responsibility will be to work with the local police to ensure that the community is safe and is being properly served by the local police department. All police officers’ salaries are paid with tax dollars; therefore, we must hold them to their responsibilities to serve and protect our communities.

The Community Protection and Safety Council will set up a command center in the community in order to have a constant presence in the community. The CPSC will consist of members from the community who will be trained as peace officers. These officers in collaboration with local police departments will be re- sponsible for eliminating drug selling, robbery, gang-banging, and any other low-level activities that bring down a community. These officers must be bold, daring, and fearless in their pursuit of keeping the community safe and secure.

Legal Defense Assistance Council

      All of the available statistics reveal the same fact: A disproportionate number of African Americans are arrested and imprisoned—more than any other ethnic group. While many are guilty and deserve to be in prison, many other African Americans are sitting in prison right now due to a miscarriage of justice or an ineffective legal defense. The Legal Defense Assistance Council will address this is- sue. If a member of the African American community is wrongfully arrested or believes his or her rights were violated, then it will be the job of the Legal Defense Assistance Council to investigate the matter to determine if an injustice has actually occurred. If we find any misconduct, then we should initiate a lawsuit to make those who violate our rights pay the price for doing so.

Community Programs and Activities Committee    

It has been said that “the family that prays together stays together.” I say, “The community that works and plays together grows stronger together.” That is why I believe every community should create a Community Programs and Activities Committee (CPAC) to forge community unity. This committee would be responsible for bringing the community together to participate in programs and activities that build community unity. The CPAC will focus on creating projects and activities that provide something for everyone in the community.

For the children of the community, the CPAC can offer daycare and after-school programs with sports, music, dancing, science and technology classes, computer training classes, and much more.

For the young men and women, the CPAC can offer career planning, life skills training, spiritual guidance, community volunteer scholarship programs, community parties, and an event planning group.

The elderly will have specific programs and activities as well. We can offer our elders computer training, health and wellness programs, card and board games, and the opportunity to participate in mentoring programs. In addition, I would recommend that all CPACs have an annual day of celebration to honor and recognize the contributions to the community by members of the community.
Holidays are the perfect time for people to congregate and socialize. The CPAC should always use the holidays as opportunities to bring the community together.

Community News and Information Center

The purpose and role of the Community News and Information Center (CNIC) is to keep the community informed and up to date on the issues that affect or are important to the local community. The CNIC will provide the community with information regarding political, social, and economic issues that may affect it. It will focus on politicians, elected officials, and businesses that serve the community.

The CNIC will provide the community with a report card for each elected official (that is, every individual entrusted with serving his or her community in local, state, and national elective office).

This function of the CNIC will empower the community by providing it with the facts it needs to hold all elected officials and local businesses accountable to the community for their actions— as well as their inaction.

    If a politician makes promises to the community, then the community must have a mechanism by which to gauge the effectiveness of the effort that the elected official is making to fulfill his or her promises. If members of the community are loyal customers of the local businesses, then these local businesses have an obligation to give back to the community. African Americans should no longer give their dollars to businesses that take their money out of the community. This lack of respect for the community by local businesses is unacceptable.

Another function of the CNIC is to report on the good and bad things that are happening in the community. If there is a problem in the community, appropriate action to correct the problem can be taken after the community is made aware of it. If someone in the community has done something good, then the CNIC should report on that as well. Being well informed and knowledgeable about any issue allows one to make better decisions. It also makes it more difficult for the shysters to bamboozle the community with their rhetoric and false promises.

The CNIC will also address and report on important statewide and nationwide issues that affect the African American community as a whole.

To further guide our path toward wealth, prosperity, and respect, I suggest that we adopt and adhere to the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa in all African American communities. The values of Kwanzaa are not just African; they are universal principles that should guide all of mankind. When you consider the principles of Kwanzaa and the intentions of Black America Rising, you can clearly see how they coincide with one another.

The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa

1. Umoja (Unity): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.

• Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves.

• Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): To build and maintain our community together, and make our brothers’ and sisters’ problems our problems, and to solve them together.

• Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.

• Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.

• Kuumba (Creativity): To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than it was when we inherited it.

• Imani Faith): To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteous- ness and victory of our struggle.

Now that we have a blueprint, we need to revisit the two most important aspects of Black America Rising. As I mentioned earlier, the two main elements are the financial resources (the money) and the merging or consolidation of the major nonprofit African American organizations under one umbrella (unity). The following are recommendations as to how we can acquire both money and unity.

Let’s discuss the element of unity first: I believe there needs to be a unification or consolidation of the major nonprofit African American organizations. Strength and power are in the Unity.   Just look at the United States. Fifty different states united to create a superpower nation with influence all over the world.

I know this is a controversial endeavor, but it is the most expedient and effective way to acquire the experience, leadership, and infrastructure needed to implement Black America Rising in a relatively short period.

To facilitate this process, I am calling for a conference involving all the leaders of major nonprofit African American organizations. The conference will allow for further discussion about how this important element can be structured.

By consolidating these major nonprofit organizations, African Americans will be able to generate enormous political and economic influence in America. This type of influence will allow African Americans, descendants of African slaves, to once and for all can grasp “The Prize” and attain true equality and prosperity in the United States.

I understand the complexities involved in consolidating the major nonprofit African American organizations. Some of our organizations have been around for decades. But we must set aside our personal or professional pride and commit all of our resources to finally ridding ourselves of the things that divide us. The moment for us is now! In the past, African Americans had to move slowly with regard to progress in America; we always had to be patient. Today is different; today we have plenty of resources. We have intelligent African American men and women working in all fields and industries in America. African Americans own businesses, banks, investment firms, law firms—we are pretty much into everything.

Our total annual earnings, as a people, are close to a trillion dollars.  You see, we have resources; what we do not have is unity or strong, intelligent, and fearless leadership. We are descendants of slaves. These slaves, our ancestors, endured unimaginable suffering in this land for a very long time. Many of them endured the suffering in the hope of finding a way back to humanity. Our ancestors had a great heritage; therefore, we have a great heritage, too. The wishes and hopes of our ancestors were to see their people, through their lineage, rise from the ashes and soar again.

This can only happen with understanding, love, and most of all, unity. This is my case for the unification or consolidation of the major nonprofit African American organizations. We should do this, and we can do this. Where there is a will, there is way.

The second element is going to be tough, but is there anything that is worthwhile that is not tough to accomplish? I have mentioned three recommendations for how we can acquire the financial resources (the money) to implement the strategies of Black America Rising. The first recommendation is “reparations”.

In my view, there are two separate grounds for the justification of reparations. The first is reparations for slavery; the second is reparations for the failure of the U.S. government to protect African American citizens from the institutional prejudice, the mob violence, the denial of rights, and the incorporation of unjust and disenfranchising laws by almost every state in the union. The Fourteenth Amendment, ratified in 1868, declared, in effect, that former slaves were citizens of both the United States and the state in which they lived.

The Fourteenth Amendment also forbade the states from denying equal rights to any citizen. For over 100 years, the U.S. government has allowed the states to violate the law of the land, primarily for economic purposes. Therefore, the U.S. government and most of the individual states are equally culpable of intentionally disenfranchising and violating the rights of African American citizens.

Slavery is morally reprehensible, but when you promise the slaves freedom if they help you win your war, and then you renege on your promise, that is deceitful and wicked. Descendants of African slaves were euphoric when they learned that they would be given their freedom after the war. This euphoria was short-lived. We quickly found out that this nation was not about to let us go. The following quote reveals the true sentiment of the power brokers in this country: “We will resist to the bitter end any measure or any movement which would have a tendency to bring about social equality and intermingling and amalgamation of the races in our (Southern) states.” You might think that this statement was made in the eighteenth or nineteenth century. It was actually made in 1964 by U.S. Senator Richard B. Russell, a Democrat from Georgia, in response to voting on the Civil Rights Bill of 1964. This occurred only 45 years ago – I was seven years old. This is not ancient history; therefore, one could conclude that there are still people like Senator Russell who think this way to- day. Senator Russell eventually ended his opposition to the bill, and it was passed by a vote of 73 to 27.

The point is that the only sincere path to full reconciliation between the descendants of African slaves and the United States is through negotiations for reparations. This request is not unprecedented. The U.S. government paid out $1.6 billion in reparations to the Japanese nationals and Japanese Americans for the forced internment during World War II, or as the Japanese viewed it, failure of the U.S. government to protect its citizens against prejudice, greed, and political expediency. If the African American situation does not fit this scenario, then nothing does.

I believe that we have two methods available to us for obtaining reparations. The first is to seek, as stated earlier in this book, introduction of a bill, “The Descendants of African Slaves and The United States of America Reconciliation Act,” to the U.S. Congress. This bill would provide for the allocation of reparations for the descendants of African slaves. We need to set up a committee that will be responsible for coordinating this most challenging task. This committee must be well versed in legal matters, and it must be tenacious and fearless in its quest for justice, because we are going to face all sorts of opposition in our journey to justice.

However, we must stand firmly united in our pursuit of achieving wealth, prosperity, and respect in this nation. If this country does not want to accept responsibility for slavery, then it most certainly must take responsibility for failing to protect the rights of African American citizens from 1868 to 1964. During that period, we were brutalized more than any other ethnic group in the United States.

It appears, however, that it is okay for this country to apologize and pay reparations to Japanese nationals and Japanese Americans for injustices done to them and their ancestors. It also appears to be okay to have annual memorials and days of remembrance for the Jewish people and the Holocaust, but when it comes to African Americans, we as a country are supposed to forget the legacy of slavery, forget the legacy of Jim Crow, and forget the Black Codes. This is not right, and we need to make it right. Better yet, this entire country needs to make it right.

If the resistance to our request becomes so powerful that it lengthens the process, then we should pursue the alternative method of achieving our goal. What is the alternative? The alternative is to bring a civil suit against the U.S. government and the culpable states for damages, punitive and otherwise.

I am not an attorney, but from what I do know about civil law we have a legitimate complaint. This will require further research and investigation, but I believe that just by initiating this process we will reinvigorate the movement for reparations and allow it to receive the attention it truly needs.

The strongest argument for reparations, from my point of view, is that the United States will become an immensely stronger and more unified nation. Therefore, reparations would be more like an investment for the United States that has unlimited upside potential. Reparations, from Black America Rising’s perspective, will be used for one specific purpose: to provide the financial resources to implement a specific nationwide strategy, such as this book’s recommendations, to eliminate the forces that have been devastating to all descendants of African slaves for way too long.

The issue of reparations requires much further discussion and debate. It is my hope that my request for all the major nonprofit African American organizations to schedule a conference to consider the idea of consolidation does materialize. When it does, the idea of pursuing reparations must be part of the negotiations regarding consolidation.

I said that I had three recommendations for acquiring the funds to finance the objectives of this book. The third option is for prominent, powerful, and wealthy African Americans to help support the cause. I am fully cognizant of the fact that many prominent, powerful, and wealthy African Americans donate money to many charities. I know that many give, but what I am asking is for the prominent, powerful, and wealthy African Americans to promise to make a special commitment to fulfilling the objectives of Black America Rising. Why should prominent, wealthy African Americans support this particular cause? Well, the most obvious reason why prominent African Americans should support this cause is that the scope and objectives of this endeavor focus on eliminating the elements that oppress, suppress, and marginalize the majority of African Americans.

Another important reason for prominent African Americans to financially support this cause is their obligation of reciprocation. All successful African Americans owe most of their success to the African American freedom fighters who paved the way for their cur- rent successes. These freedom fighters, from Harriet Tubman to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to the Black Panther Party, made tremendous sacrifices in order to gain equality and justice for the descendants of African slaves. These heroes risked much and gave their lives for the benefit of all African Americans. They did not have the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Today’s prominent, powerful, and wealthy African Americans are enjoying all the benefits of the efforts and sacrifices of past African American heroes. They need to acknowledge that fact and do something in return.

It is therefore quite disconcerting to see successful African American athletes, entertainers, entrepreneurs, politicians, and others of African descent hardly ever attributing their opportunity for success to their African American ancestors or forefathers. Many get on stage and praise everyone else for their successes but the true enablers of their success, their African American forefathers. It is also disconcerting to watch so many African Americans, who have risen from the abyss of the ghetto, not return to or give back anything of them- selves to the community they came from. The reasons for this lack of commitment to the community are varied; some are legitimate, and some are not.

Now, however, there is an opportunity and a place where these prominent, powerful, and wealthy African Americans can display their love and support for the rest of us. All they have to do is make a commitment to the objectives of Black America Rising by supporting it financially as well as philosophically. With financial as well as philosophical support from the more successful members of the African American population we will be well on our way to a brighter, more prosperous existence in the immediate future and for future generations to come.

To put at ease any concerns that prominent, powerful, and wealthy African Americans may have in regards to supporting Black America Rising, I’d like them to know that one of the primary objectives of Black America Rising is for our communities to become self-reliant and self-supporting.

All we need is reasonable assistance from our wealthy and prominent African American citizens—just to get us started. Once we get it going, there will be no need for any ongoing financial support.