1
12
9
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/0be9dc426e354fb4d0f9c6df078fb8f2.pdf
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PDF Text
Text
Young Lords
In Lincoln Park
Interviewee: Steven Sapp
Interviewers: José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez
Location: Grand Valley State University Special Collections
Date: 7/8/2012
Biography and Description
Steven Sapp was born and raised in South Bronx, New York City. He earned his B.A. degree at Bard
College and is married to Mildred Ruiz-Sapp of the Universes Theatre Ensemble. Together, Mr. Sapp and
Ms. Ruiz-Sapp co-founded THE POINT, a community development corporation (Hunts Point) in 1993 and
Universes, a New York-based theatre group that fuses poetry, jazz, hip hop, politics, blues and Spanish
boleros to create its own productions which are performed on and off Broadway, nationally and
internationally. Mr. Sapp has received numerous awards for his acting and has written, acted in, and
directed scores of productions. One of his most recent productions is “Party People” (2012) which is
primarily about the Black Panther Party and the Young Lords.
�
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/c4bf6da83ee69a2bbe9d28dbcbdea55a.mp4
1ed832e4c6e6f3bd1d06f984a8d71aae
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Young Lords in Lincoln Park Collection
Subject
The topic of the resource
Young Lords (Organization)
Puerto Ricans--United States
Civil Rights--United States--History
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
Personal narratives
Social justice
Community activists--Illinois--Chicago
Description
An account of the resource
Collection of oral history interviews and digitized materials documenting the history of the Young Lords Organization in Lincoln Park, Chicago. Interviews were conducted by Young Lords' founder, José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez, and documents were digitized from Mr. Jiménez' archives.
The Young Lords in Lincoln Park collection grows out of the ongoing struggle for fair housing, self-determination, and human rights that was launched by Mr. José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez, founder of the Young Lords Movement. This project is dedicated to documenting the history of the displacement of Puerto Ricans, Mejicanos, other Latinos, and the poor from Lincoln Park, as well as the history of the Young Lords nationwide.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Jiménez, José, 1948-
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/491">Young Lords in Lincoln Park collection (RHC-65)</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-04-25
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
video/mp4
application/pdf
Language
A language of the resource
eng
spa
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Moving Image
Text
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-65
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
2012-2017
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Título
Spanish language Title entry
Steven Sapp vídeo entrevista y biografía
Sujetos
Spanish language Subject terms
Young Lords (Organización)
Puertorriqueños--Estados Unidos
Derechos civiles--Estados Unidos--Historia
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
Afro-Americanos--Relatos personales
Justicia social
Activistas comunitarios--Illinois--Chicago
Partido Pantera Negra
Artes, Afro-Americanos--Nueva York (N.Y.)
Source
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/491">Young Lords in Lincoln Park (RHC-65)</a>
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-65_Sapp_Steven
Title
A name given to the resource
Steven Sapp video interview and biography
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Sapp, Steven
Description
An account of the resource
Steven Sapp was born and raised in South Bronx, New York City. He earned his BA degree at Bard College and is married to Mildred Ruiz-Sapp of the Universes Theatre Ensemble. Together, Mr. Sapp and Ms. Ruiz-Sapp co-founded THE POINT, a community development corporation (Hunts Point) in 1993 and Universes, a New York-based theatre group that fuses poetry, jazz, hip hop, politics, blues and Spanish boleros to create its own productions which are performed on and off Broadway, nationally and internationally. Mr. Sapp has received numerous awards for his acting and has written, acted in, and directed scores of productions. One of his most recent productions is “Party People” (2012) which is primarily about the Black Panther Party and the Young Lords.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jiménez, José, 1948-
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Subject
The topic of the resource
Young Lords (Organization)
Puerto Ricans--United States
Civil Rights--United States--History
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
African Americans--Personal narratives
Social justice
Community activists--Illinois--Chicago
Black Panther Party
Arts, African American--New York (N.Y.)
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Moving Image
Text
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
video/mp4
application/pdf
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2012-07-08
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/3f5dfc8695515fbd66a11aa064fba1d6.pdf
373603f225160a15f1bedfe2714e034b
PDF Text
Text
Young Lords
In Lincoln Park
Interviewee: Ross, Wanda
Interviewers: José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez and Melanie Shell-Weiss
Location: Grand Valley State University Special Collections
Date: 8/24/2012
Biography and Description
Wanda Ross grew up in Chicago, the granddaughter of migrants from the southern United States.
Shortly after she began college, she started attending political education classes taught by “Teach” of
the Black Panther Party for Self Defense (BPP). She joined the BPP shortly thereafter. She was chief
developer of the BPP’s Breakfast for Children Program. Ms. Ross describes how she started the Chicago
program, including how she identified donors who would be willing to give food to the program, picked
up those supplies, and organized teams to cook and serve the children who participated in the program.
The BPP Breakfast Program was used as a model by other organizations, including the Young Lords and
Young Patriots. The program also served as a model for the free breakfast programs currently offered
through public schools. Ms. Ross talks about working with representatives of those other groups. She
also describes the regular abuse, harassment, and vandalism she experienced from police and other law
enforcement operatives while she was working on the Breakfast Program. This includes her experiences
with Bill O’Neil, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s COINTELPRO operative who arranged for BPP
Chairman Fred Hampton’s assassination in 1971. Ms. Ross remains a community activist in Chicago,
putting into practice her reminder that “saving the world” is a lifetime commitment.
�
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/34d54297ae0c7dbe6820fc6b67c7a868.mp4
f868a4f5e3df252390d0bcd91c11356b
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Young Lords in Lincoln Park Collection
Subject
The topic of the resource
Young Lords (Organization)
Puerto Ricans--United States
Civil Rights--United States--History
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
Personal narratives
Social justice
Community activists--Illinois--Chicago
Description
An account of the resource
Collection of oral history interviews and digitized materials documenting the history of the Young Lords Organization in Lincoln Park, Chicago. Interviews were conducted by Young Lords' founder, José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez, and documents were digitized from Mr. Jiménez' archives.
The Young Lords in Lincoln Park collection grows out of the ongoing struggle for fair housing, self-determination, and human rights that was launched by Mr. José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez, founder of the Young Lords Movement. This project is dedicated to documenting the history of the displacement of Puerto Ricans, Mejicanos, other Latinos, and the poor from Lincoln Park, as well as the history of the Young Lords nationwide.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Jiménez, José, 1948-
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/491">Young Lords in Lincoln Park collection (RHC-65)</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-04-25
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
video/mp4
application/pdf
Language
A language of the resource
eng
spa
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Moving Image
Text
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-65
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
2012-2017
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Título
Spanish language Title entry
Wanda Ross vídeo entrevista y biografía
Sujetos
Spanish language Subject terms
Young Lords (Organización)
Puertorriqueños--Estados Unidos
Derechos civiles--Estados Unidos--Historia
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
Afro-Americanos--Relatos personales
Justicia social
Activistas comunitarios--Illinois--Chicago
Partido Pantera Negra. Illinois Capítulo
Source
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/491">Young Lords in Lincoln Park (RHC-65)</a>
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-65_Ross_Wanda
Title
A name given to the resource
Wanda Ross video interview and biography
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Ross, Wanda
Description
An account of the resource
Wanda Ross grew up in Chicago, the granddaughter of migrants from the southern United States. Shortly after she began college, she started attending political education classes taught by “Teach” of the Black Panther Party for Self Defense (BPP). She joined the BPP shortly thereafter. She was chief developer of the BPP’s Breakfast for Children Program. The BPP Breakfast Program was used as a model by other organizations, including the Young Lords and Young Patriots. Ms. Ross remains a community activist in Chicago, putting into practice her reminder that “saving the world” is a lifetime commitment.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jiménez, José, 1948-
Shell-Weiss, Melanie
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Subject
The topic of the resource
Young Lords (Organization)
Puerto Ricans--United States
Civil Rights--United States--History
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
African Americans--Personal narratives
Social justice
Community activists--Illinois--Chicago
Black Panther Party. Illinois Chapter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Moving Image
Text
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
audio/mp3
application/pdf
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2012-08-24
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/0273a7fc640399a18bf586b14f4c9012.pdf
88cf9d5c9aff33fee01b2e6e7269cd24
PDF Text
Text
Young Lords
In Lincoln Park
Interviewee: Melvin Lewis
Interviewers: José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez
Location: Grand Valley State University Special Collections
Date: 8/26/2012
Biography and Description
Melvin Lewis was born in Chicago but today lives in Fayetteville, North Carolina. His parents live in
Maywood, Illinois. This is the same town where Fred Hampton of the Black Panther Party (BPP) grew up.
It is also where, at Maywood’s City Hall, there is a recreation center with a swimming pool named after
the slain leader of Chicago’s BPP. There is also a street named “Fred Hampton Way” and a bust of
Chairman Fred Hampton. Mr. Lewis is a Chicago Black Panther and freelance writer, a master gardener
and certified beekeeper. His recent articles include “Out Loud and Into Print” in the May/June 2012
issue of City View (NC). He writes on music and his publications include features on “Hootie and the
Blow Fish,” and singer and song writer “Rene Marie in Pluck!” He has written and broadcast twelve
vignettes about civil rights for FM Radio stations 107.7 and 91.9 FM and conducted interviews on
horticulture, history and art. Mr. Lewis has also won the Significant Illinois Poet Award and is a graduate
of the University of Illinois at Chicago. He is currently assisting with the Chicago Black Panther History
Project. Their motto is, “ We will tell our story, in our own words; Illinois Panthers speak for
themselves.”
�
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/3a0164dc47be0b9ccefef2e7953fc7bb.mp4
7a25a7a1b31dd639dac4bb19b4f2f988
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Young Lords in Lincoln Park Collection
Subject
The topic of the resource
Young Lords (Organization)
Puerto Ricans--United States
Civil Rights--United States--History
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
Personal narratives
Social justice
Community activists--Illinois--Chicago
Description
An account of the resource
Collection of oral history interviews and digitized materials documenting the history of the Young Lords Organization in Lincoln Park, Chicago. Interviews were conducted by Young Lords' founder, José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez, and documents were digitized from Mr. Jiménez' archives.
The Young Lords in Lincoln Park collection grows out of the ongoing struggle for fair housing, self-determination, and human rights that was launched by Mr. José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez, founder of the Young Lords Movement. This project is dedicated to documenting the history of the displacement of Puerto Ricans, Mejicanos, other Latinos, and the poor from Lincoln Park, as well as the history of the Young Lords nationwide.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Jiménez, José, 1948-
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/491">Young Lords in Lincoln Park collection (RHC-65)</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-04-25
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
video/mp4
application/pdf
Language
A language of the resource
eng
spa
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Moving Image
Text
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-65
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
2012-2017
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Título
Spanish language Title entry
Melvin Lewis vídeo entrevista y biografía
Sujetos
Spanish language Subject terms
Young Lords (Organización)
Puertorriqueños--Estados Unidos
Derechos civiles--Estados Unidos--Historia
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
Afro-Americanos--Relatos personales
Justicia social
Activistas comunitarios--Illinois--Chicago
Partido Pantera Negra. Illinois Capítulo
Source
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/491">Young Lords in Lincoln Park (RHC-65)</a>
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-65_Lewis_Melvin
Title
A name given to the resource
Melvin Lewis video interview and biography
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Lewis, Melvin
Description
An account of the resource
Melvin Lewis was born in Chicago but today lives in Fayetteville, North Carolina. His parents live in Maywood, Illinois. This is the same town where Fred Hampton of the Black Panther Party (BPP) grew up. It is also where, at Maywood’s City Hall, there is a recreation center with a swimming pool named after the slain leader of Chicago’s BPP. There is also a street named “Fred Hampton Way” and a bust of Chairman Fred Hampton. Mr. Lewis is a Chicago Black Panther and freelance writer, a master gardener and certified beekeeper. His recent articles include “Out Loud and Into Print” in the May/June 2012 issue of City View (NC). He writes on music and his publications include features on “Hootie and the Blow Fish,” and singer and song writer “Rene Marie in Pluck!” He has written and broadcast twelve vignettes about civil rights for FM Radio stations 107.7 and 91.9 FM and conducted interviews on horticulture, history and art. Mr. Lewis has also won the Significant Illinois Poet Award and is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago. He is currently assisting with the Chicago Black Panther History Project. Their motto is, “ We will tell our story, in our own words; Illinois Panthers speak for themselves.”
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jiménez, José, 1948-
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Subject
The topic of the resource
Young Lords (Organization)
Puerto Ricans--United States
Civil Rights--United States--History
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
African Americans--Personal narratives
Social justice
Community activists--Illinois--Chicago
Black Panther Party. Illinois Chapter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Moving Image
Text
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
video/mp4
application/pdf
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2012-08-26
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/048bca7398d175091d5df4903e8632e7.pdf
d61f480a4232845b6cf704045cb456c8
PDF Text
Text
Young Lords
In Lincoln Park
Interviewee: David Lemieux
Interviewers: José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez
Location: Grand Valley State University Special Collections
Date: 7/15/2012
Biography and Description
David (pronounced "Daveed") Lemieux joined the Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party in the
spring of 1969. At age 16, he was the second youngest member of that Chapter. He was a "rank and
file" member and functioned in all BPP activities including the Free Breakfast for Children Program and
the dissemination of the Black Panther newspaper. As a member of the Education Cadre, he was
constantly engaged with "speaking" the mission and purpose of the Black Panther Party. He remained
active with the BPP into the early 70s.
In 1982, after consultation with other members of the activist community, David joined the Chicago
Police Department and began a 26 year career where he was able to use his office and authority as a
vehicle to serve the people.
Currently, David Lemieux gives seminars facilitated by Chicago's Black Star Project entitled "Keeping
OUR children out of the 'Just US' System" and speaks locally and nationally on the role of peace officers
serving the community through the justice system. He is active with the Chicago Black Panther History
Project and other efforts committed to preservation, education and reclamation of the true history of
our struggle.
�
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/7d6ae2e651494a21d876b7ed8ca8e9e8.mp4
081b9323d5c31b5ffa6f1246024dcb92
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Young Lords in Lincoln Park Collection
Subject
The topic of the resource
Young Lords (Organization)
Puerto Ricans--United States
Civil Rights--United States--History
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
Personal narratives
Social justice
Community activists--Illinois--Chicago
Description
An account of the resource
Collection of oral history interviews and digitized materials documenting the history of the Young Lords Organization in Lincoln Park, Chicago. Interviews were conducted by Young Lords' founder, José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez, and documents were digitized from Mr. Jiménez' archives.
The Young Lords in Lincoln Park collection grows out of the ongoing struggle for fair housing, self-determination, and human rights that was launched by Mr. José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez, founder of the Young Lords Movement. This project is dedicated to documenting the history of the displacement of Puerto Ricans, Mejicanos, other Latinos, and the poor from Lincoln Park, as well as the history of the Young Lords nationwide.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Jiménez, José, 1948-
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/491">Young Lords in Lincoln Park collection (RHC-65)</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-04-25
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
video/mp4
application/pdf
Language
A language of the resource
eng
spa
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Moving Image
Text
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-65
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
2012-2017
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Título
Spanish language Title entry
David Lemieux vídeo entrevista y biografía
Sujetos
Spanish language Subject terms
Young Lords (Organización)
Puertorriqueños--Estados Unidos
Derechos civiles--Estados Unidos--Historia
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
Afro-Americanos--Relatos personales
Justicia social
Activistas comunitarios--Illinois--Chicago
Relaciones policía-comunidad--Illinois--Chicago
Partido Pantera Negra. Illinois Capítulo
Relaciones raciales
Racismo--Estados Unidos
Source
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/491">Young Lords in Lincoln Park (RHC-65)</a>
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-65_Lemieux_David
Title
A name given to the resource
David Lemieux video interview and biography
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Lemieux, David
Description
An account of the resource
David (pronounced "Daveed") Lemieux joined the Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party in the spring of 1969. At age 16, he was the second youngest member of that Chapter. He was a "rank and file" member and functioned in all BPP activities including the Free Breakfast for Children Program and the dissemination of the Black Panther newspaper. As a member of the Education Cadre, he was constantly engaged with "speaking" the mission and purpose of the Black Panther Party. He remained active with the BPP into the early 70s. In 1982, after consultation with other members of the activist community, David joined the Chicago Police Department and began a 26 year career where he was able to use his office and authority as a vehicle to serve the people. Currently, David Lemieux gives seminars facilitated by Chicago's Black Star Project entitled "Keeping OUR children out of the 'Just US' System" and speaks locally and nationally on the role of peace officers serving the community through the justice system. He is active with the Chicago Black Panther History Project and other efforts committed to preservation, education and reclamation of the true history of our struggle.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jiménez, José, 1948-
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Subject
The topic of the resource
Young Lords (Organization)
Puerto Ricans--United States
Civil Rights--United States--History
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
African Americans--Personal narratives
Social justice
Community activists--Illinois--Chicago
Police-community relations--Illinois--Chicago
Black Panther Party. Illinois Chapter
Race relations
Racism--United States
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Moving Image
Text
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
video/mp4
application/pdf
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2012-07-15
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/5e1cb1e465c18df034d353168d7a53a1.pdf
b108c72a69cd10f362eb0223ac36dd76
PDF Text
Text
Young Lords
In Lincoln Park
Interviewee: Iberia Hampton
Interviewers: José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez
Location: Grand Valley State University Special Collections
Date: 2/9/2012
Biography and Description
English
Iberia Hampton is the mother of murdered Illinois Black Panther Party Chairman Fred Hampton, as well
as Dee and Bill Hampton. Throughout her life she has been active within her church and the community.
She contributes time and money each year to organize a family reunion traveling to her southern
birthplace to remember her son, husband, and other relatives that have passed at their gravesites.
Along with Bill Hampton and the board, Mrs. Iberia Hampton is the primary organizer of the annual
celebration of the Fred Hampton Scholarship Fund. Her keen and natural brilliance stands out in this
interview, as well as how humble, friendly and kind she remains, even after the proven government
corruption that led to the brutal loss of her son.
Spanish
Iberia Hampton es la madre de Fred Hamton, al vicepresidente quien fue asesinado, y también madre de
Dee y Bill Hampton. Durante su vida fue dedicada en su iglesia y comunidad. Contribuye tiempo y dinero
para organizar una reunión con su familia en que van a visitar en donde nació y donde esta enterrado su
hijo, esposo, y otros familiares. Con su hijo, Bill, y otros miembros Señora Hampton organiza le
celebración del Fred Hampton Scholarship fund. Su profunda y genialidad natural brilla en este
�entrevista igual que como humilde y agradable ella todavía es, aunque la corrupción en el gobierno le
tomo la vida de un hijo.
�
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/90d7cc40923a8bcde45056adeb44bbf2.mp4
c82010de81b44083d79bbd7044a86537
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Young Lords in Lincoln Park Collection
Subject
The topic of the resource
Young Lords (Organization)
Puerto Ricans--United States
Civil Rights--United States--History
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
Personal narratives
Social justice
Community activists--Illinois--Chicago
Description
An account of the resource
Collection of oral history interviews and digitized materials documenting the history of the Young Lords Organization in Lincoln Park, Chicago. Interviews were conducted by Young Lords' founder, José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez, and documents were digitized from Mr. Jiménez' archives.
The Young Lords in Lincoln Park collection grows out of the ongoing struggle for fair housing, self-determination, and human rights that was launched by Mr. José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez, founder of the Young Lords Movement. This project is dedicated to documenting the history of the displacement of Puerto Ricans, Mejicanos, other Latinos, and the poor from Lincoln Park, as well as the history of the Young Lords nationwide.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Jiménez, José, 1948-
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/491">Young Lords in Lincoln Park collection (RHC-65)</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-04-25
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
video/mp4
application/pdf
Language
A language of the resource
eng
spa
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Moving Image
Text
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-65
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
2012-2017
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Título
Spanish language Title entry
Iberia Hampton vídeo entrevista y biografía
Descripción
Spanish language Description entry
Iberia Hampton es la madre de Fred Hamton, al vicepresidente quien fue asesinado, y también madre de Dee y Bill Hampton. Durante su vida fue dedicada en su iglesia y comunidad. Contribuye tiempo y dinero para organizar una reunión con su familia en que van a visitar en donde nació y donde esta enterrado su hijo, esposo, y otros familiares. Con su hijo, Bill, y otros miembros Señora Hampton organiza le celebración del Fred Hampton Scholarship fund. Su profunda y genialidad natural brilla en este entrevista igual que como humilde y agradable ella todavía es, aunque la corrupción en el gobierno le tomo la vida de un hijo.
Sujetos
Spanish language Subject terms
Young Lords (Organización)
Puertorriqueños--Estados Unidos
Derechos civiles--Estados Unidos--Historia
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
Afro-Americanos--Relatos personales
Justicia social
Activistas comunitarios--Illinois--Chicago
Hampton, Fred, 1948-1969
Partido Pantera Negra. Illinois Capítulo
Source
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/491">Young Lords in Lincoln Park (RHC-65)</a>
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-65_Hampton_Iberia
Title
A name given to the resource
Iberia Hampton video interview and biography
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Hampton, Iberia
Description
An account of the resource
Iberia Hampton is the mother of murdered Illinois Black Panther Party Chairman Fred Hampton, as well as Dee and Bill Hampton. Throughout her life she has been active within her church and the community. Along with Bill Hampton and the board, Mrs. Iberia Hampton is the primary organizer of the annual celebration of the Fred Hampton Scholarship Fund.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jiménez, José, 1948-
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Subject
The topic of the resource
Young Lords (Organization)
Puerto Ricans--United States
Civil Rights--United States--History
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
African Americans--Personal narratives
Social justice
Community activists--Illinois--Chicago
Hampton, Fred, 1948-1969
Black Panther Party. Illinois Chapter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Moving Image
Text
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
video/mp4
application/pdf
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2012-02-09
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/ba7fcb7c663d4fe5d49c847d8991fe29.pdf
958c4be926d41a0d94d8bc4c7b2f5bb7
PDF Text
Text
Young Lords
In Lincoln Park
Interviewee: Bill Hampton
Interviewers: José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez
Location: Grand Valley State University Special Collections
Date: 2/9/2012
Biography and Description
English
Bill Hampton is a former Chicago public school teacher and the brother of Fred Hampton, Deputy
Chairman of the Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party who was murdered by a special police squad
in an early morning raid on December 4, 1969. Bill Hampton grew up in Maywood, Illinois, where he
organizes an annual commemoration event for his brother, usually attended by civic leaders and the
community at large. Mr. Hampton has served as director of the Midwest Voter Alliance, as a field
organizer for then-presidential candidate Barak Obama, and he also runs a traffic safety program in
Maywood.
Spanish
Bill Hampton era un maestro en las escuelas de Chicago y también el hermano de Fred Hampton, quien
fue el vicepresidente de la sección del Black Panther Party en Illinois. Fred Hampton fue asesinado en la
mañana del 4 de Diciembre 1969 por un equipo especial de policía. Bill Hampton creció en Maywood,
Illinois, donde organizo un a conmemoración anual en recuerdo de su hermano que fue atendido por
líderes del cívico y la comunidad. En Maywood, Señor Hampton corre un programa de seguridad en el
�tráfico y como director de Midwest Voter Aliance, organizo y coordino para Barak Obama durante su
primera ves corriendo por presidente.
�
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/d4a2c06746311c6c22a76294e12422d5.mp4
105f75a73ce83e1b67afe0f56f8ad76f
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Young Lords in Lincoln Park Collection
Subject
The topic of the resource
Young Lords (Organization)
Puerto Ricans--United States
Civil Rights--United States--History
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
Personal narratives
Social justice
Community activists--Illinois--Chicago
Description
An account of the resource
Collection of oral history interviews and digitized materials documenting the history of the Young Lords Organization in Lincoln Park, Chicago. Interviews were conducted by Young Lords' founder, José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez, and documents were digitized from Mr. Jiménez' archives.
The Young Lords in Lincoln Park collection grows out of the ongoing struggle for fair housing, self-determination, and human rights that was launched by Mr. José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez, founder of the Young Lords Movement. This project is dedicated to documenting the history of the displacement of Puerto Ricans, Mejicanos, other Latinos, and the poor from Lincoln Park, as well as the history of the Young Lords nationwide.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Jiménez, José, 1948-
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/491">Young Lords in Lincoln Park collection (RHC-65)</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-04-25
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
video/mp4
application/pdf
Language
A language of the resource
eng
spa
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Moving Image
Text
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-65
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
2012-2017
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Título
Spanish language Title entry
Bill Hampton vídeo entrevista y biografía
Descripción
Spanish language Description entry
Bill Hampton era un maestro en las escuelas de Chicago y también el hermano de Fred Hampton, quien fue el vicepresidente de la sección del Black Panther Party en Illinois. Fred Hampton fue asesinado en la mañana del 4 de Diciembre 1969 por un equipo especial de policía. Bill Hampton creció en Maywood, Illinois, donde organizo un a conmemoración anual en recuerdo de su hermano que fue atendido por líderes del cívico y la comunidad. En Maywood, Señor Hampton corre un programa de seguridad en el tráfico y como director de Midwest Voter Aliance, organizo y coordino para Barak Obama durante su primera ves corriendo por presidente.
Sujetos
Spanish language Subject terms
Young Lords (Organización)
Puertorriqueños--Estados Unidos
Derechos civiles--Estados Unidos--Historia
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
Afro-Americanos--Relatos personales
Justicia social
Activistas comunitarios--Illinois--Chicago
Hampton, Fred, 1948-1969
Partido Pantera Negra. Illinois Capítulo
Relaciones raciales
Source
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/491">Young Lords in Lincoln Park (RHC-65)</a>
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-65_Hampton_Bill
Title
A name given to the resource
Bill Hampton video interview and biography
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Hampton, Bill
Description
An account of the resource
Bill Hampton is a former Chicago public school teacher and the brother of Fred Hampton, Deputy Chairman of the Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party who was murdered by a special police squad in an early morning raid on December 4, 1969. Bill Hampton grew up in Maywood, Illinois, where he organizes an annual commemoration event for his brother.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jiménez, José, 1948-
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Subject
The topic of the resource
Young Lords (Organization)
Puerto Ricans--United States
Civil Rights--United States--History
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
African Americans--Personal narratives
Social justice
Community activists--Illinois--Chicago
Hampton, Fred, 1948-1969
Black Panther Party. Illinois Chapter
Race relations
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Moving Image
Text
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
video/mp4
application/pdf
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2012-02-09
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/1748857a914401ee2c719069ea45bcea.pdf
f115ee3fd4f0d5bda72cd4a3376571dd
PDF Text
Text
Young Lords
In Lincoln Park
Interviewee: William E. Dunbar
Interviewers: José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez
Location: Grand Valley State University Special Collections
Date: 7/15/2012
Biography and Description
Billy Dunbar is a member of the Chicago Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense
(BPP). He is from the south side of Chicago. He keeps up with all the political events related to the BPP
and the Rainbow Coalition, including the era of their origins. Mr. Dunbar is also a founding member of
the Illinois BPP History Project, which is currently conducting oral histories to document the Chicago
Chapter, so that the work of their members is not forgotten. Their project also wants the public to
remember the impact that BPP Chairman Fred Hampton not only had on the African American
community but on other communities of color and the poor. Mr. Dunbar is also a businessman. Today
he owns a copy center.Chicago BPP Chairman Fred Hampton and BPP member Mark Clark were
murdered in a predawn raid on December 4, 1969. Prior to his death, Mr. Hampton started a Rainbow
Coalition, which was nurtured by Bobby Lee. The original members included the Young Patriots, a group
of Hillbillies or southern whites from the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago of whom many had migrated
from Appalachia and other southern areas, and the Young Lords from Lincoln Park. The Young Lords
first met Fred Hampton at John Boelter’s and Ralph Rivera’s home and joined the Rainbow Coalition
directly through Fred Hampton. Bobby Lee who was the BPP Field Marshall then began working more
directly with José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez and the Young Lords in Lincoln Park.
�
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/26ba3eb92bd4eaa0a6d46d3721ef3fc7.mp4
48e1f2437f67b3827c83eea7b8dc36ef
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Young Lords in Lincoln Park Collection
Subject
The topic of the resource
Young Lords (Organization)
Puerto Ricans--United States
Civil Rights--United States--History
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
Personal narratives
Social justice
Community activists--Illinois--Chicago
Description
An account of the resource
Collection of oral history interviews and digitized materials documenting the history of the Young Lords Organization in Lincoln Park, Chicago. Interviews were conducted by Young Lords' founder, José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez, and documents were digitized from Mr. Jiménez' archives.
The Young Lords in Lincoln Park collection grows out of the ongoing struggle for fair housing, self-determination, and human rights that was launched by Mr. José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez, founder of the Young Lords Movement. This project is dedicated to documenting the history of the displacement of Puerto Ricans, Mejicanos, other Latinos, and the poor from Lincoln Park, as well as the history of the Young Lords nationwide.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Jiménez, José, 1948-
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/491">Young Lords in Lincoln Park collection (RHC-65)</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-04-25
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
video/mp4
application/pdf
Language
A language of the resource
eng
spa
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Moving Image
Text
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-65
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
2012-2017
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Título
Spanish language Title entry
William E. Dunbar vídeo entrevista y biografía
Sujetos
Spanish language Subject terms
Young Lords (Organización)
Puertorriqueños--Estados Unidos
Derechos civiles--Estados Unidos--Historia
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
Afro-Americanos--Relatos personales
Justicia social
Activistas comunitarios--Illinois--Chicago
Hampton, Fred, 1948-1969
Partido Pantera Negra. Illinois Capítulo
Source
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/491">Young Lords in Lincoln Park (RHC-65)</a>
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-65_Dunbar_William
Title
A name given to the resource
William E. Dunbar video interview and biography
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Dunbar, William
Description
An account of the resource
Billy Dunbar is a member of the Chicago Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense (BPP). He is from the south side of Chicago. He keeps up with all the political events related to the BPP and the Rainbow Coalition, including the era of their origins. Mr. Dunbar is also a founding member of the Illinois BPP History Project, which is currently conducting oral histories to document the Chicago Chapter, so that the work of their members is not forgotten. Their project also wants the public to remember the impact that BPP Chairman Fred Hampton not only had on the African American community but on other communities of color and the poor. Mr. Dunbar is also a businessman. Today he owns a copy center.Chicago BPP Chairman Fred Hampton and BPP member Mark Clark were murdered in a predawn raid on December 4, 1969. Prior to his death, Mr. Hampton started a Rainbow Coalition, which was nurtured by Bobby Lee. The original members included the Young Patriots, a group of Hillbillies or southern whites from the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago of whom many had migrated from Appalachia and other southern areas, and the Young Lords from Lincoln Park. The Young Lords first met Fred Hampton at John Boelter’s and Ralph Rivera’s home and joined the Rainbow Coalition directly through Fred Hampton. Bobby Lee who was the BPP Field Marshall then began working more directly with José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez and the Young Lords in Lincoln Park.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jiménez, José, 1948-
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Subject
The topic of the resource
Young Lords (Organization)
Puerto Ricans--United States
Civil Rights--United States--History
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
African Americans--Personal narratives
Social justice
Community activists--Illinois--Chicago
Hampton, Fred, 1948-1969
Black Panther Party. Illinois Chapter
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Moving Image
Text
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
video/mp4
application/pdf
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2012-07-15
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/164c950c441dc0096215cfb0b6af4bd6.pdf
762d7e402d2d7b688b5b95d540783111
PDF Text
Text
Young Lords
In Lincoln Park
Interviewee: Billy “Che” Brooks
Interviewers: José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez
Location: Grand Valley State University Special Collections
Date: 3/28/2012
Biography and Description
Billy “Che” Brooks is Deputy Minister of Education of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense (BPP) and
Director of YouthLAB@1521 through the Better Boys Foundation. In 1969, Mr. Brooks was very close to
Chairman Fred Hampton who was the main spokesman of the Black Panther Party in Illinois. As one of
the primary leaders of the BPP, Mr. Brooks was under constant, daily harassment by the Chicago Red
Squad and Gang Intelligence Unit. He also worked closely with the Young Lords through the Rainbow
Coalition.Mr. Brooks recalls one time when Mr. Hampton asked Mr. José ”Cha-Cha” Jiménez to sneak
Mr. Brooks out of a rally at Grant Park, where the police wanted to arrest him on a simple, disorderly
conduct warrant. In the middle of the Michigan Avenue Bridge, by Oak Street, the police blocked the
automobile in which they were driving, pointed their funs in the faces of those in the car, and arrested
Mr. Brooks. The Young Lords drove to the police station and posted his bond. They then drove Mr.
Brooks back to the BPP headquarters and told Chairman Hampton, “This one is on us.” Mr. Brooks began
working with the Better Boys Foundation in 1978 as the Coordinator of Community Involvement. He
continued this work until 1994 and then returned to the agency in 2008. In the interim, Mr. Books
engaged in a whole variety of community and public interest work including positions with the Westside
Association for Community Action, Habilitative Systems, Inc. and the Harvard School of Public Health.
�
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/209cd4e0bb793ed039cf37970288221f.mp4
e2e825a461636b871fe30060e5ffcbf2
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Young Lords in Lincoln Park Collection
Subject
The topic of the resource
Young Lords (Organization)
Puerto Ricans--United States
Civil Rights--United States--History
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
Personal narratives
Social justice
Community activists--Illinois--Chicago
Description
An account of the resource
Collection of oral history interviews and digitized materials documenting the history of the Young Lords Organization in Lincoln Park, Chicago. Interviews were conducted by Young Lords' founder, José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez, and documents were digitized from Mr. Jiménez' archives.
The Young Lords in Lincoln Park collection grows out of the ongoing struggle for fair housing, self-determination, and human rights that was launched by Mr. José “Cha-Cha” Jiménez, founder of the Young Lords Movement. This project is dedicated to documenting the history of the displacement of Puerto Ricans, Mejicanos, other Latinos, and the poor from Lincoln Park, as well as the history of the Young Lords nationwide.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Jiménez, José, 1948-
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/491">Young Lords in Lincoln Park collection (RHC-65)</a>
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2017-04-25
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
video/mp4
application/pdf
Language
A language of the resource
eng
spa
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Moving Image
Text
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-65
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
2012-2017
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Título
Spanish language Title entry
Billy “Che” Brooks vídeo entrevista y biografía
Sujetos
Spanish language Subject terms
Young Lords (Organización)
Puertorriqueños--Estados Unidos
Derechos civiles--Estados Unidos--Historia
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
Afro-Americanos--Relatos personales
Justicia social
Activistas comunitarios--Illinois--Chicago
Hampton, Fred, 1948-1969
Partido Pantera Negra. Illinois Capítulo
Afro-Americanos--Relatos personales
Juventud--Illinois--Chicago
Relaciones raciales
Source
<a href="https://gvsu.lyrasistechnology.org/repositories/2/resources/491">Young Lords in Lincoln Park (RHC-65)</a>
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
RHC-65_Brooks_Billy
Title
A name given to the resource
Billy “Che” Brooks video interview and biography
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Brooks, Billy
Description
An account of the resource
Billy “Che” Brooks is Deputy Minister of Education of the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense (BPP) and Director of YouthLAB@1521 through the Better Boys Foundation. In 1969, Mr. Brooks was very close to Chairman Fred Hampton who was the main spokesman of the Black Panther Party in Illinois. As one of the primary leaders of the BPP, Mr. Brooks was under constant, daily harassment by the Chicago Red Squad and Gang Intelligence Unit. He also worked closely with the Young Lords through the Rainbow Coalition.
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Jiménez, José, 1948-
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Subject
The topic of the resource
Young Lords (Organization)
Puerto Ricans--United States
Civil Rights--United States--History
Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.)
African Americans--Personal narratives
Social justice
Community activists--Illinois--Chicago
Hampton, Fred, 1948-1969
Black Panther Party. Illinois Chapter
African Americans--Personal narratives
Youth--Illinois--Chicago
Race relations
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en">In Copyright</a>
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Moving Image
Text
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
video/mp4
application/pdf
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2012-03-28
-
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/a1bda66d14e6843e00210a641a2191b2.pdf
7da93ae59ade883956fd2b01e582b03b
PDF Text
Text
Speaking Out
Western Michigan’s Civil Rights Histories
Interviewee: Terrence Harris
Interviewers: David Bauer, Eric Pete, Stephanie Homan and Victoria VanDragt
Supervising Faculty: Melanie Shell-Weiss
Location: Grand Valley State University Special Collections
Date: 3/23/2012
Biography and Description
Terrence is African American and Atheist. He grew up in a neighborhood that is predominately
White, Christian. He discusses religion.
Transcript
The person were interviewing today is Terrence Harris from Grandville, Michigan. We’re going to start
by having Terrence tell him about himself.
Let’s see. I grew up in Wyoming. shoot. I was born in Grand Rapids. I lived there for about three years,
then came to Wyoming which is like a bio-center. Then, I lived there for about eleven years, then moved
to good ole Grandville. that was probably when I would say I became the person who I am now because
of moving to Grandville.
Did you participate in any activities in Grandville, extracurriculars, sports?
Yep! I played basketball. I actually got cut from the 7th grade team in Wyoming when I was in
Newhaugh. Which is pretty sucked, (Laughter). But, actually I liked Grandville after I made the team in
eighth grade. So, I played basketball in high school for all four years, and I played track in high school for
two years.
How was the atmosphere for sports in Grandville?
The atmosphere for sports? Well, pretty good. Not too bad. I would say as far as during the games or
during the practices. Like what do you mean?
Sure. Now lets just jump right in here. We’re interviewing you because you may have been
discriminated. Can you tell us why you may have discriminated in a community like Grandville?
Ah. (Laughter). It’s a funny thing and its ironic at the same time. Because when I went to Grandville I was
instantly like because I was black which is very, very weird. (Laughter). It’s like “oh, you’re black you’re
cool”, and I was like what’s up. (Laughter). I don’t know if it was more discrimination than just an
annoying stereotype. I would probably say that was the biggest thing in Grandville. Was stereotypes
and, then once certain people get close to you, like a lot of my white friends, when they get to a certain
Page 1
�comfort level, then they’ll start to say certain discriminatory things that does not sound so hurtful since I
know them. I guess they were just testing the waters to see how I’d react., eighth grade I was very
immature. Ninth grade, I was very immature. Tenth grade, ehh. Eleventh grade, I just didn’t give a fuck
anymore (Laughter). Twelfth grade, is the person I have become now.
Did you ever call your friends out on things they said that may have seemed discriminatory?
Let’s see. I would say I have a few times. I will try to not let it get to me. I wanna keep my composure
and let them know that I’m not gonna flip out based on something like that. But, you know, after doing a
lot of research, a lot of Africans will explode on a situation because of a lost identification of
themselves. So, when they’re being branded, you know, something negative, they’ll reject it of course in
an ignorant type of way. Like, so I saw this film and this black chick was tripping on a professor because
he cannot prove why evolution kills black people. Did you see it?
I heard. I actually was gonna watch it but my video player wasn’t working.
I saw that and I was like oh my God are you serious and this is why people think all black people are the
same because chicks like this. Just put her in jail (Laughter).
So, even though some of the way treated had positive connotation did it bother you that you were
treated differently at all?
Oh yeah!
Even though it appeared to be positive?
Oh yeah! Yep! There is always gonna be that like üh why is it me type factor. Kinda playing the victims
card. it was kind of more of a them getting under skin but I won’t let them get under my skin type of
thing. I’m not gonna show that it’s bothering me. So, I’m just gonna keep it cool, keep calm, collective;
you know, stuff like that.
What were some things that your friends said that may have offended you without them knowing it.
Oh man! Just the typical things. Fried chicken, big kool-aid, watermelon. I don’t like watermelon. A lot of
people get surprised when I tell them that. Like people say, “why don’t you sag your pants?”. I don’t
wanna sag my pants! (Laughter). And that’s why! Does every black person have to sag their pants
(Laughter) in order to be black? It seems like there is a certain level of ignorance you have to be in order
to earn the title of being black which I was like I’m not gonna snoop down to that level, because I plan
on being successful. One of the biggest things that drove me to where I am now, is I told myself when I
was twelve years old I would not be another black statistic. You know, going to jail, selling drugs, ain’t
got nothing, hardly ain’t got a job. I said flick that! Why would I want to choose that way.
So it sounds like you’re almost using your race as a motivating factor for you?
Oh yeah. If I were to grow up in Wyoming, if I were to stay there I wouldn’t be the same. I probably
would be just like another person that went to Wyoming Park. Not saying that there is not successful
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�people or successful Africans that come or have came from Park, but Grandville was a huge motivator
for me.
What prompted the move for your family?
My mom wanted a better educational system. Wyoming Park did not provide it and my mom saw that
and said I guess we’ll go to Grandville, and I was like I don’t want to and she said too bad! Let’s go!
(Laughter). All of my friends were in Wyoming, so I didn’t want to do a complete new start, but my mom
saw the opportunity and she went out and decided for my sister and myself, and I’m very grateful that
she did. Because I don’t know, to be honest I’d probably just be in jail if I would have stayed in Park. A
lot of my friends in Park are in jail, selling drugs, ain’t doing much with shit to put it in blatancy terms.
I’m a very blunt person. I tell it like it is. I don’t hold back. If you see my Facebook statuses, I don’t hold
back. You know Eric.
Very true!
I don’t play. I’m gonna tell it like it is. Because I don’t believe in holding stuff back. Tm not gonna get to
the core issue if, you know, I’m softening it up a bit.
We’ll touch on Facebook later (Laughter). Now staying on the subject of education, have teachers ever
treated you differently or made assumptions about you.
Oh yeah. Oh yeah. I would say even a little bit in Wyoming too actually. The thing is, with the teachers I
didn’t like, it was kind of like I’m gonna try to work with you, but if you be disruptive a few times I’m
gonna brand you, point you out every time, and get you nowhere! (Laughter). And I was a hard headed
little boy. Oh my gosh. I feel sorry for the teachers that dealt with me. I’m not even gonna lie. I was a
hard headed, knuckle-headed, bad...whatever. I didn’t care and then it carried on to seventh grade
when I left, came to Grandville, and there were a few teachers. I’m not sure, I don’t know. Have you
ever had Ms. Badgearna?
No
I don’t know. It was very I think she just hated us all. I mean she hated everyone equally. You guys can
blank that one out (Laughter). No, Ms. Badgeama was really cool teacher. I saw her a few years ago and
all smiles, nothing bad. High School, wasn’t that bad. I think,, they treat everybody just like it was a
college course. Do your work or you’re not gonna get shit. Just plain and simple. High School wasn’t too
bad. I think probably Elementary was worst.
Would you like to go into Elementary at all?
Elementary. Oh man! I remember one memory I have is; a friend of mine, Erika reminded me of this
story the other day. I was in class, her name was Ms. Norman, and I just saw her at my job last week.
Funny that that happened. Erika, a friend of mine, last week Wednesday told me about that story and
reminded. The very next day, I went to my job and I went to get some tea because I love getting tea,
free tea, you know come on! And I go to my job and saw her and said holy shit, we were just talking
about you last night. And what ended up happening is she, I don’t remember much, like I said I was
Page 3
�immature. You know, I had discipline but I chose not to show that I had that discipline. I wanted to act
out. I was a little kid. I was a little black kid. Not too many little black kids, you know, stick out, can’t
blend in. You’re already not gonna blend it when you’re black (Laughter). I remember I told her, I was
like, ‘Man, screaming, you’re just doing this because I’m black”! And I was screaming and I was like
crying and shit, but I don’t remember too much but I probably did that. Let’s see, we actually had a black
principal in seventh grade, which wasn’t too bad. I think that was one of the only incidents that I’ve had.
There were a few others of course, but I don’t remember it too much.
Any incidents with coaches?
Coaches.
Or assumptions?
Ahh, no. Fifth grade; there was actually like six black people on the team my fifth grade year. First time I
played basketball. seventh grade, nope. I just didn’t make the team seventh grade because I missed the
first day of practice. Eight grade I made the team so no prejudice remarks there. Then ninth grade
throughout senior year, I performed. So, I don’t think there was much of any prejudice or....I was gonna
say prejudice and racism at the same time (Laughter).
Pracism! (Group Laughter)
Going outside the walls of Grandville high school, in the city of Grandville itself, going to stores, gas
stations, anything like that?
(Laughter).
Was it different for you or tough for you?
Oh! I love it! I love when I went to stores in Grandville man! Those mother flickers always think I’m
about to steal something. (Laughter). I come up in the store, and I carry my backpack with me
everywhere because I’m a huge reader. I read anytime. You never know when you’re gonna get a book.
You can be in the store when someone’s you know robbing it and I’ll just kickback and read a book; your
ass is going to jail (Laughter). You know I carry bags with me everywhere... .or books in my bag. Oh man,
and Grandville’s horrible. It’s horrible. It’s extremely prejudice. God! (Laughter). I can tell you stories of
my brothers man, all throughout. It’s,, you gotta watch the eyes, and you can watch it if you’re by any
African American; watch like other people’s eyes and you’ll start to see them, or use your peripheral
vision, if you’re really good at that, and you’ll see them tend to look maybe do it again, look again and
they’ll just do a little of it a few times. I think it’s subconscious. I don’t think they try to do it, but when
Africans are portrayed on T.V. as nothing but thugs, gangsters, criminals, drugdealers, thieves, you
know, of course they’re gonna think that then. That’s how they portray us in the media. So, that’s the
first thing that they think.
Any particular stories that you would wanna share? That stands out?
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�Oh, that stands out?, I wouldn’t say Walmart. They pretty much hate everybody. It’s so depressing
there. My sister used to work there. It was so depressing! She’d come home with stories and stories. I
would say, probably like the local stores. Not too much the local stores. They have to have, or I think
they have to have diversity there. So, they just deal with it. Oh! Jenison, good old Jenison. Oh yeah!
Everything in Jenison. I ain’t even gonna label something. Everything in Jenison! A little bit in
Hudsonville; not too bad. Not that I’ve seen so far because I’m hardily ever out there. I would say those
three areas, and my house is right dabbed in the middle too.
Did your family experience any of the discrimination or prejudice like right when you moved in to like
the neighborhood for example?
Not when I moved to when I first moved in, oh man those were probably the worst places I’ve ever lived
actually. Not because of prejudice but the landlord was just awful, horrible.
In Grandville?
Yeah, Grandville! That was the first place we stayed there. I don’t think I’ve ever seen my mom that mad
before. My mom is a black Christian lady. (Laughter). They’re supposed to be happy, you know,
according to what you see on T.V. of course, and (Laughter). Man, it was horrible. My mom. I was like,
“Mom, if you want, I will find somebody, get some drugs, put them in his mailbox and call the cops on
him so he can go to jail. But that was just because he was such a shitty landlord. I would say, I don’t
think I had any problem with like prejudice. It was more the stereotypes. Of course, you know, we had a
few ladies my neighbor downstairs, she used stereotypes. She was like, she said she was trying to hook
me up with her daughters, and she was like my daughters real cute and she likes black men. I was like,
ok! Cool! I’m ironically black. Did you say that because I am black? How about, she likes an intelligent
man. A man who knows how to handle his business; that’s mature; that can handle his own. Nahh, she
just would like a black a man. (Laughter). Stuff like that. Like I said, it would just get under my skin, or
not anymore. But, I would just brush stuff like that off. Not so much at the place I live now. Oh my gosh!
There was this guy who was Hispanic that made the best steak though! Oh my gosh! His name was
Robbie too. His steaks were so good! He got deported, but I was so mad, I was so mad. (Laughter).
Where do you live now?
I live right down the street from where I used to live; Brook Meadow. It’s not too bad. yeah actually that
place is not too bad at all actually; it’s a pretty nice place. I don’t think I’ve dealt with anything dramatic
there.
Now, we met up and our group met up and talked a little bit before this interview, and you told us about
a story about what happened in East Grand Rapids.
Oh yeth! East Grand Rapids. Yes!
Can you tell us about that?
(Laughter). Oh man! We came. It was my brother and I. Will, and another guy named Will whom I met
for the first time that day; a mutual friend of ours, Sky, and we’re in East Town, you know, just chilling at
Page 5
�2 o’clock in the morning. And then all of a sudden, you see like one cop roll by. No big deal. You know,
they’re just chilling. They’re always watching the area. Then, another one comes. It’s like 2:01. Another
comes. A few more, wow! Something’s going on tonight. (Laughter). So we, you know are just joking
around, stating the obvious, but joking about it. And,, they’re just there! They’re not bothering us,
they’re just there, and that was the most annoying part. I hate when like cops try to be, like they know
that you know that they’re watching, but they’re like you can’t do anything about it. Watch me not do
something about it! (Laughter). Man, if I knew my rights back then I would’ve been like excuse me
officer is there a problem? No? Pardon me for saying this but get your ass up out of here, or something
like that. Man, I think someone probably called the cops on us. We were just chilling though. No,
nothing. Weren’t making any trouble, just two in the morning; nothing! But they feel the need for four
PT Cruisers or bring like the SWAT team or something. Mr. President, Mr. President! (Laughter).
On the subject of that, have you ever had any run-ins with the law, or have you ever had to deal with
police officers?
Oh my gosh! Look at Grandville man! Of course! Of course! I hate Grandville cops! I’ll get that on the
record. I hate Grandville cops. They are the most prejudice mother fuckers I’ve ever met. I got, I say that
and when I say that it bs me so much because that gets under my skin. They take their power for abuse
so much, and all the one’s I’ve met so far are complete pricks, assholes, and they’ve probably crash their
cars a few times from being pricks. I remember let’s see, my brother Carlos was with me when this
happened. We were just crossing a bridge and this guy in a PT Cruiser pulls us over and tells us that
someone called the cops on us for throwing a rock over the highway. I said, none of us threw a rock over
the highway. Backup comes. You know, of course they’ll come for a few black people. Check this out too.
Side-note, when you see someone get pulled over, check to see if they’re black. More than likely, you’ll
see another cop with them, but if they’re white, only one car. I’ve never seen that happen. I’ve never
been around for that so far, anytime. Just watch, Just watch! But, so, the guy pulls up and they’re trying
to t us against each other saying all these lies and stuff, saying he said this and he said that. They were
trying to get us to commit to something that we did not do., something that I am not a fan of at all, you
know, good ole divide and conquer technique. That was one experience. Another one was when it was
the whole fam. Me, my brother Carlos, Will, Mo, other Carlos, my cousin, my sister, a few other people,
and we were pretending. Now we went to Steak and Shake. We always go to Steak and Shake. They
know us there. We practically pay the bills. We went there that often. We pretended to jump our friend
Will because you know that’s how we do; we always play around. We actually went to Steak and Shake
that night because all of our hearts were broken. My ex cheated on me. My boy, my brother Mo, his ex
cheated on him. Will, he, well he was just happy. He was always the happy one! He’s always happy!
Never gets anything bad happen to him. I hate that. Well I guess I don’t hate it, but fuck him! (Laughter).
But so we were there for that reason, and later on that night, like 3 PT Cruisers, I’m talking about
spotlights, flashlights, yelling. Like, dude that’s not necessary! They,, I guess someone in Steak and Shake
called saying that we jumped someone and ran, but I was like no! They know us. They know us. We
tipped pretty good there too We stopped tipping that night. (Laughter).
But yeah they were a bunch of complete pricks. I got pulled over No! This actually happened a month
ago. I was walking home from work. I saw a PT Cruiser drive down and then t around and drive back.
Page 6
�I’ve seen them six times by the time I walked over the highway. Then, I saw another one because I was
taking a note of the number behind the truck, and it was a different one. They went by another three
times. Then, when was just getting across the street from where I lived, I saw another one come by and I
was like really. I called my mom and I was like, if you don’t see my tonight that’s because I’m in jail
about to beat some cops ass! Like that is not even necessary to go back and forth almost ten times. hat’s
just, that’s just, I don’t know! Makes abrother wanna really do something! That, that, can you imagine
how enraged I felt? To be you know kind of pointed out that strongly. Fuck the Grandville cops!
So how many times, have you counted having any problems with police total?
Psht, 8 that I can say off the top of my head.
How many times have you guys actually done anything wrong?
Once
And what was that?
smokin and drivin. Only time.
What happen, would you say you were treated (Yeah) worse because...
Actually no that was the nicest cop I have ever met from Grandville. He said he was going to let me go,
until his prick boss showed up. And I know when he who he was too, he was the other one, he was the
guy that pulled me over that night at Steak and Shake. He was the one that was yelling at us. I
remember because of his mustache. (snicker) Yeah that was him, wow, I just now realized that. Buth yea
it is, it is besides Grand Rapids cops, Grandville has to be the worst.
What about Grand Rapids police makes them worse?
I would say because their downtown, were a lot of the Africans are. And they, I feel like they have such a
mindset that whenever you see a black dude in the hood, they say ‘get him, he is up to no good’.
Grandville give at least one percent of the downtown, at least, Er,, Grand Rapids cops none. Yeah. When
I actually went to jail,h, last year forh smoking and drivin, heh, one of the guys that I was with in my
holding cell he said that we wasn’t doin nothing. He just got,h, for jay walkin. Jay walkin, Two in the
morning. Two in the morning! Jay walking! For real? Take him to jail for that? WOAH! I didn’t know that
you get pulled over for that. Haha
I thought the most that they could give you was like a ticket. Like a fine.
I think he didn’t know his rights, I think that what it was. I think heh,h, did a little selfincriminating
himself, maybe he had a pass, maybe he had a warrant or something. But,h, but for jay walking. What is
that? So go to jail, I was like dang man.
When did you start paying attention to your rights and like your experiences with the cops and being
able to stick up for yourself?
Page 7
�Umm it was, man, it was like last year, soh, I would say after the judge after he told me aft... I would say,
NO! it was my first probation check-up. I just got off probation yesterday actually Wooh!
Congratulations. Thank you very much, never wanna do that system again.I would say right after
probation because you know in my mind, Yeah. I should say in my mind I chose to justify what I did. You
know that I shouldn’t happen driving while I was high but still don’t let, don’t even let me get started on
why it should be illegal. Don’t let me get started. I will run, I will run every single fact. You know to Chad,
who was my probation officer, why marijuana should not be legal. Or Illegal or at least decriminalized
because it is just a herb. It will beat out the pharmacy industry (Snap) just like that, because you can
grow it. Boom. There goes all these pharisaical industries that making millions of dollars off that. You
know to keep us sick constantly. Now how many deaths has marijuana had, Zero. How many from
overdosing on pills? I can’t count on my hands because I don’t have that much. What they say like ten
people, or at least like 10 people die every hour from overdosing on pills? That’s a fucked up statistic
right there. NowI started paying attention to after that, that mindset. And I was like, h something’s not
right. Why are we, why am I kind of in this bondage right here. This is a system set up to fail. Not just for
Africans, but for minorities. Or I wouldn’t say minorities because the people who concerned this land
was minorities themselves. So I would say the natives. System set up to enslave the natives once more.
Because Christopher Columbus he came here and how many Native Americans did he kill? Whoo. And
then they want to label them the illegal immigrants. For real. Haha. So after that, after that I was like I
need to learn my rights because the constitutional, or well our constitutional rights that we have or so
called constitutional rights, I need to know those. Because I have no idea that I could have told the
officer, no do you have a warrant to search my car officer. If I would have said that I would have been
good. Constitutional rights. Did not know that at all. So I was like I need to start educating myself on the
land that I live. If this is, if this is really a system set up to fail for myself I need to know, I need to learn
the rules, I need to learn how to play the game. So at least learn how the game works and thankfully a
manager at Art Van thath, that helped me understand that. I was like, yeah learn my rights, I learned a
whole bunch. flaha. I learned a lot and that is what, now that I am off probation,I know my rights. And I
know what I can and cannot do. And I cannot say, and I will exercise every single rights that I have. Haha
That’s so good because I cannot say that I, that I know my rights, to where if! was pulled over or
something like that.
I kinda wondered the same thing like I didn’t know any of my rights at all. Until I would say some time
last year me and a couple buddies were just drinking in the dorms and we didn’t even have to let the
cops in. And like they were saying all this stuff like oo you have to let us in like making us like rethink like
what we were doing like you have to let us in. Like if you don’t right now we will break down the door.
We were like shit. You know they came in there we were being completely cooperative and gave them
all the alcohol we had. And they still gave us all MIPs and shit. Mhm. So I mean form like that moment
on we were all like shit we need to learn like all the stuff about underage drinking and all that. Just so
that like all that stuff doesn’t happen again.uu. I mean I agree with you, I mean like it is almost like not
just for minorities but the system sets up to fail you just...
Page 8
�Anyone who is ignorant, anyone. I would say defiantly to that to, that was like abE. Like when you go to
parties, you know people are freaking out. Oh my god cops are here! Cops are here! Everybody runnin,
just dippin out.
Yea and what they don’t know is unless they have a warrant they can’t do anything.
Exactly. Yeah you give them permission to come in.
That’s a whole different topic right there.
Haha right.
Shifting gears, you originally, yeah we are just going to forget Segway’s. You when back to Grandville
High School recently and an interesting observation you told us about a few weeks ago, about the stair
case.
Oh yea man, we had, we called it the cool, it was where all the cool cats went. You know. Wasn’t even
discriminating against no blacks whites man. You know blacks are supposed to skip because they don’t
like to go to class. Minorities come and so we are all just chillin back over there probably abouthh two
and a half months ago they sealed it up. And I know that I was because it was all a bunch of minorities
there you know blacks whites also. and everybody was just chilling there. I would say it was race
motivated but covered up very well. You know just like they always do with everything. Haha. It is very,
you know it is a distraction. Well why is it a distraction? Because you just a talking too loud about
standing there. Some people have KCDC they get out of class and they would just go and chill you know
like right below the stairs. You know it’s not that much of a distraction, kind of like when I I think that
they were afraid. Actually I think that some of the people on the staff were afraid of a littleethnicity. I
have like when I have a keffiyeh I don’t know if you ever saw it but I have like a keffiyeh wrapped around
just like this you know it is cold. Seven in the morning ya’ll got, ya’ll told me I had to be here at seven in
the morning. I am going to wear something to keep myself warm. I’m sorry, I don’t wanna come here in
the first place. Hah. Who wants to go to high school at seven in the morning. I remember Mr.
Vanderslice started chasing me down because I was like no I’m not taking it off. NO! It was a shirt, it was
a shirt on top of my head. That’s what it was. I had a shirt on top of my head.
That’s stupid!
That’s what I am saying! I had a shirt on my head, and one of the ambassadors, chased me all the way to
my class just to yell at me. And you best believe that I did not just step back. I was yelling right back.
Thankfully my mind, the thought in my mind was to check out the rules. You know, understand
everysingle rule, and use that against him. I was like naw there aint nothing against that code book. Your
wrong, it does not say that I cannot wear something on my head that’s not seven. Lets see school starts
at 7:15 and it aint 7:15 yet. So I don’t have to take the shirt off. Couldn’t do nothing about it.
School started at 7:50
7:50 yeah. Couldn’t do nothing about it, I was like ppht, what are you going to do? Violate it I dare you!
Page 9
�So was the anything about the shirt, or was it just a regular shirt?
Plain old white t-shirt man. I just wearin it on my head, just wearin it on my head. Now moving on to the
keffiyeh.
Which is?
Which is Middle Eastern, soyou know automatic I am Muslim. So people think automatically he is a
terrorist. You know lets get, it out of the way. Anytime anyone is wrapping a keffiyeh around their head,
in fast the wrap it around their heads because there’s deserts snow storms, So in order to keep the
snow, ornot snow
Sand storms
Stand storms yeah, so they want to keep the sand out of their face. Well its Michigan, it snows I wanna
keep the snow out of my face. So I used to water that tornm, when I walked in, everybody’s lookin at
me. Whats he doin? Muslim. He is a terrorist. Because that all the, that’s all the media labels them. So
we see Muslim terrorist, let’s be honest, let’s be real. Hahah. That’s all they see. They made a big deal
about that. I was like yo, it’s not 7:50 yet. I’m not taking it off. You know this is a, I’m not Muslim or
Islam, buth I do respect their culture. It is part of my history because remorse. So as part of my history, I
embrace all of my culture, not just a little bit of it. So, they couldn’t do nothing about that either. Fight
the power.
Yeah you mentioned like the media, and how minorities seem to be misrepresented in it.do you have
any thoughts about how that could change or, if it can change?
Oh man was have to go to the core then because how that started was actually a break off from the
Crow laws. That is how they got that in there. They intertwined Jim Crows laws with the media so that
whenever someone sees a black person the automatically, you know subconsciously he is up to no good.
Yeah like stereotypes
Yeah exactly. He is automaticallyh, you know a grand banger. He is automatically high as hell right now.
He is black, he is supposed to smoke weed. Dark lips, big dark lips you know. Lie Obama, what is it with
Obama, they said that he had weed lips or something like that. I don’t remember, but they they put
that, they attached that stereotype to him as well. In order to beat something like that you gotta take
down the media because they have control of the mass. Everybody watches TV, everybody watches TV.
So if everyone is tuned in on this psychological brainwash machine. Of course everybody is going to
think that black person, he aint up to no good, no good at all. So I would say yeah, to, I like to get to the
very core of everything I don’t like to,racism isn’t here you know it is 2012 we all matured (In a sarcastic
voice). Really? Did you just tune into the Zimmerman case? Why aint he in jail? He shot and killed a 17
year-old who had a bag of skittles. For one the dude was 28 years-old. He shot him dead in a gated
community, which was predominantly white in Florida, And why isn’t he in jail. This kid was 17 years-old
and he is dead, isn’t that murder? Supposedly he is the head watchman of the, you know the
supervising, you know that watch ting. So to say that racism isn’t still here in the United States, that is
Page
10
�ridiculous. Racism is still here. It is just in a different way. It is just like energy. Energy was never created
of destroyed, it was transformed. Racism was BOOM right in your face, now it’s you know transformed
into this thing called the media and I lables every single race, not just blacks, Latinos, Korean, Chinese,
Japanese, Europeans, even American, everything! They have got a label for everyone. And why are we
trying to be labels, im not trying to be labeled. I wanna created my own identity. That’s the problem,
nobody has their own identity.
On the subject of identity, earlier you said you talked about stuff that was part of your heritage. You are
obviously very proud of you African American heritage. And one way you show it is through your
Facebook name. It is very unique. Would you like to tell us what it is?
Oh yea that’s why I tell people anytime they wanna find me on Facebook, you will not find me. I will find
you. Hahah. My name on Facebook is Brotha Taffiti Savo Hakeema Jafarr . And the reason why I chose
that name was it is the name Hakeema is Swahili for wisdom, and I have that tattooed on my back from
shoulder blade to shoulder blade. I believe in that so heavily because without wisdom, or the name
Taffiti means knowledge seeker and Savo means order and Hakeema is wisdom so you know with the
right knowledge and wisdom comes order, creating your identity basically. And that propelled me into
what I want to do. It gave me a new foundation for myself. how to give like a new label for myself. And
not even a label but to just know who I am period. You know, growing up as a child where are all of the
black figures. There are hardly and African doll figures. Identity crisis right there. You know you want to
get your niece a doll, but there’s only white ones. Not saying there is anything wrong with white ones,
but why give a white one to a black one who is constantly seeing all this propaganda against blacks. You
know, she has no idea who she is, she is getting this false identification of herself. So just right away that
shows the importance of a diverse. You know be a little diverse. Why have too much ofjust one thing?
Spread it out, shave to love. You know? Share the wealth, or at least get another black baby doll damn.
Put that on the store shelves jeeze (laughing). Just change it up a little you know, that all a brotha can
ask.
There is one other thing about you that makes you unique. Especially for Grandville is that you are
Atheist.and Facebook is the biggest, most notable way that you talk about it. Have you, has anyone ever
called you out on it?
Oh man we have a different idea that goes against the traditional or mainstream way, no everybody
believes this, but that one idea that is controversial to everyone else. It was like what’s up with this guy.
What’s wrong with him?I wasespecially, I wouldn’t say. Well I learned actually that there are different
forms of Atheism. There is an Atheism that does not believe in a god at all, or super natural things. And
there isthe atheism that does not believe in the three main traditional religions, the Abrahamic religions,
Islamic, Christianity and Judaism. That came for a lost identification of myself. I grew up as a Christian,
you know my mom told me that I was going to church, I was going to like it, no if ands or buts. As a little
kid I was like I have to, and ah I went not because I wanted to but because I had to. And it never gave me
a change tochose what I wanted to believe in. and the problem with a lot of religions, the problem I
would say is just based on my research, a lot of people do not do research on religions or what they
believe. A lot of people go to history. People don’t wanna research the dark things, the positive and
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�negative. Everybody is looking as the positive, which is great cool, but if you’re not looking at the
negative... Well remember if you do not know you history, then you are going to repeat it. People
repeating history because of their lack of knowledge, with is also the Facebook thing. Every time a see
Taffiti is motivates me. Knowledge seeker you know, that’s what I am. Keep studying, keep reading,
keep bringing books everywhere. Nothing is going to stop me. And that was one of the biggest thing I
ever had to do. Was let go of my belief of Christianity because it was a grips of fear if you do not believe
in a doctrine, you are going to hell. Who wants to go to hell? Somebody raise they hands if they wanna
go to hell. (nobody moves) Exactly! That was the biggest thing for me, I had to let go of the fear of
risking my sole that is eternal in an eternal place where you die even though you are already dead. You
di even more I guess. So I did a lot of research of the translations of hell You know all the translations of
Hebrew of actually Arabic to Hebrew to Latin to English; you know studying all those words because I am
a big studier. I study every single word, I don’t do broad things. If I am going to check Genesis 101 I will
check every single word in every single translation. I will get the idea, I am not just going to go skating
by. That’s what most people do, well I have the King James version so. Well did you know King James
was a really wicked dude. He performed bestiality, he was extremely in to.. I forgot what it was. But the
dude rewrote the bible to keep his throne in power. Now anybody that reuses, or rewrite something
against his or against his people or against his power, not going to be like woah what did he change so
he could keep his power? A lot of people change things, I like to get to the source, like I said to the core.
And I found my identity you know the furthest that I have researched so far, which is Egypt, also the
Comets. The traveled for Ethiopia to Sudan, followed the Nile River and the landed in Egypt, or Comet at
the time. And that is the my belief system because that is the very core that I have seen so far and it
may change. I love when my, what I believe in is challeneged, because that gives me the chance to learn
because I get to see another area. So that yeah especially going to Grandville to, you know there morals
are all white and Christian. But my joey spiritually has not started since last year. No it was probably
about a year and a half. So I would say if I want to Grandville High School with the knowledge that I have
now shit would be completely different. I would probably be in college right now. Well I would be in
college actually right now if I didn’t break my wrist.
Was there a certain like factor that like caused you to start studying and following Atheism?
Umm I would say that, I would say that I am very passionate about the black community If there is
somebody that doesn’t know this I love who I am. I love being black. I love being who I am not say that
being not black isn’t cool. That is just who I am and I would say that I was I questioned what is wrong
with the black community today. We are not educated, we do not know our own history, I cannot even
find or think of any history class that taught me that starting civilizations in Africa. I had to figure that
out on my own. They didn’t tell me that my ancestors where ancient Egyptians were astrology came
forum, and mathematics, and a lot of the Greeks got their information from Ancient Egypt. Where Plato
always referred to Ancient Egypt. I was not told that a lot of the three religions are deep rooted in
African traditions. So I questioned that. And I didn’t really have a bone to pick with Christianity so I was
really upset that no one ever told me what was really going on. Because my mom didn’t know, she
didn’t ask those questions. My mom actually grew up on Rockford, Oh my god my whole family actually
grew up in Rockford. Now they are my age, the grew up in the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s so I don’t think that they
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�had time to think about that, They were having a hard enough time just getting through the day in
Rockford. So I questioned my community, and the thing is they were mentally brainwashed through
generations and generations and generations of slavery. A lot of Africans don’t know that their
ancestors were already here before Columbus was here. I’m not talking about the Native American. I’m
talking about the Africans that traveled from Africa to America and was here before Christopher
Columbus came here and slaughtered them all. There’s a Holocaust that’s worst then the Jewish
Holocaust. They didn’t teach me that. I can’t even tell you how many of millions of millions Columbus
killed. This mother fucker got his own national day! What is going on? I’m celebrating Christopher
Columbus in elementary school and I ain’t learn that this dude killed how many of my people? Did that
go over your head America? (Laughter). Oh yeah by the way you know. After that I was just like wow this
is bullshit I wanna learn a lot. That’s what did it. That’s what sparked that into me and I was like I gotta
make my brother and sisters, I have taken it on my own personal mission to educate as many Africans,
brothers and sisters, as we can. Not limited to Africans but that’s my field of study right now. So that’s
what I have to focus because if one particular group is lacking you know in success and everything then
that creates an off balance you know? If I can be the foundation or the starting black for that to happen
then cool you know.
That’s very interesting that you say that you wanna try to educate as many African Americans as you
can. What means or steps are you taking to do that?
Right now? Learning. Only thing I can do. I can’t teach them if I don’t know them yet. So I have to learn
every single thing or as much as I can at least. The history, all the contradictions, even what I believe I
have to study the contradictions against that so I can make sure that’s the right information. If Tm
learning you know everything started in Africa you know blah blah blah, and Tm being hard headed for
that then if Tm not having any information to go against that, then I’m just blindly following this just
because I’m solely for it but if I have you know a pro and a con, you know and I can make a wise or
intelligent decision based on that fact you know then I’m pretty good for it. You know ask me anything
that might contradict and I’ll probably know the answer to it and I can probably overcome that
projection because that’s what I study.
Have any of your friends that you have shared some of your knowledge with, what is their reaction to it?
Are they interested in it? Do the believe it?
Man, let’s see. I would say who? More specifically my brothers and sisters or like white friends I have?
Yeah
Let’s start with family I guess
Oh I’m always educating my mom and sister constantly. That’s kind of why they’re upset that I’m
moving because I have studied a lot I think and there hasn’t been a day in the past two years that I have
not been studying. I am a hard core studier. I have a fiery passion to learn and a lot people don’t do that.
Especially in the black community it is considered geeky or nerdy, or they will call you one of them smart
niggers. What does that mean? I’m a smart what? So it’s not cool to know you shit but it’s cool to be in
jail acting all stupid, shooting you own brothers and sisters, calling your sisters hoes, bitch. Calling them
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�all these names that aren’t necessary, but yet that’s cool? For real? Dog you’ve been brain washed so
good and I’ve been teaching my whole family and my mom and sister. Every time I have family come
home from Georgia I always give a little bit more knowledge you know. Even going out to my brothers,
my brother Carlos I’m always teaching him. Sharing stuff that I’ve learned. Even if it contradicts that he’s
learned but that’s the best part you know? Not forcing stuff that I know in his head, but going check this
information, what have you learned about this? Does it seem right? Does it contradict? Let’s get an
answer for this. My brother Will, smartest mother fucker I know so far. I think it’s because he’s half black
and half white. I think that’s what it is. He has the perfect balance. (Laughter). He’s very crucial, fucking
hard headed, he has facts. He’s been home schooled actually. He’s been reading since he was ten years
old. I’ve only been reading, legitimately reading, for like two years now. So I have an eight year gap to
catch up to him. Motivation. Pure motivation right there.
What about when you tell your friends of what you know? Black or white.
Leave that to Facebook my friend. Facebook, like I said I don’t hold back. I say it like it is. Why hold
back you know? I’m not gonna put like a band aid solution on things I’m just gonna tell it raw. In my past
I’ve been very stupid and ignorant, and one-sided with my posts just because I was in that mind where I
was rebellious or I was rebellious to you know Christianity just point blank, but that’s because I’ve
always known you know? I’ve only met you know certain Christians that are like love Jesus, stop saying
blah, stop smoking blah. devil is real blah, you’re going to hell you know? Well fuck you. Some were my
family. Some were my friends. So it was a really tough time for me. So after that, I was like hmm let me
re-think this? You know, I’m acting just like the people that I do not like. So i completely re-switched the
way I come out with information and it’s actually helping out. People are actually seeing it from my point
of view now. Questioning. Why? Why is everything like this? That’s the big thing, questioning. You
don’t question, you won’t get answers, and when you question everything until you can’t question why no
more. There you go. That’s the core.
When you tell a religious person that you’re Atheist what’s the typical response from them?
Oh, you know I don’t even tell people I’m Atheist. Actually, it’s so funny I was on the bus before and
there was this white dude and I don’t what put, what, I don’t know. It was just out of nowhere. I’m just on
the bus listening to my music. You know, jamming. Out of nowhere he goes are you Christian? Im like
no. Why? And this is in my time when I’m like completely anti- Christian and I’m like blah blah I don’t
wanna hear it. Stop forcing this shit. Get out of my face. Stop! Stop! You know, he was just like talking
about Jesus stuff like that. I was like cool, cool. Stop forcing it down. Stop. I’m gonna tell you a little bit
something about yourself or about your religion and you’re not gonna like it so chill, and he got off the
bus. See, I said it nicely, you know, but that kinds of like what I was giving him. I dropped a little bit of
knowledge and he couldn’t even understand what I was talking about. A lot of people don’t know about
Jesus. What is Jesus? Jesus comes from, if you look at the history of words, Jesus comes from the Greek
god Zeus and Jahova, the Hebrew word for god. They put Jahova and Zeus together and it’s Jesus. That
wasn’t his name because he spoke in Arabic at that time. Arabic is basically Hebrew. The Hebrew word
that they translated from Christ which was Greek for one who’s anointed his real name was Oshua.
There’s no J in the Hebrew Bible so how can his name be Jesus if there was no J in the Hebrew Bible?
Oshua was his name and he didn’t even know that. So I was like people don’t research their own history.
They don’t look in those dark corners.
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�Going back a little, back into the family issue, you talked about earlier how your mom is a dedicated
Christian. More specifically, how did she deal with you converting to Atheism?
I told her gently, slowly, very calmly. Me and my mom are extremely close. She is the only female who
has not broken my heart. So I’m like big ups to you Mom. Single parent you know? My dad’s out doing
his own shit. He was not a big factor in my life except for buying me a lot of shoes. Go dad! Thanks for
the shoes. Like I said, my mom and I are really close so wow, that was tough. I was like, I don’t know
how to tell you this Mom, but I don’t believe in what you believe in anymore, but I still love you, but I’m
not going to hell because I know this. Don’t judge. But, you know, it was not tough, it was really hard
actually. That was the probably the toughest three months I’ve ever had, was constantly thinking, how can
I tell her without being extremely upset. My mom cried because Kia got a tattoo. Now, she is definitely
not gonna like when I tell her I don’t believe in Christianity. I was like holy shit. So you know Kia has a
daughter. Beautiful, beautiful daughter.
So how many times, have you counted having any problems with police total?
Psht, 8 that I can say off the top of my head
How many times have you guys actually done anything wrong?
Once
And what was that?
smokin and drivin. Only time
What happen, would you say you were treated (Yeah) worse because...
Actually no that was the nicest cop I have ever met from Grandville. He said he was going to let me go,
until his prick boss showed up. And I know when he who he was too, he was the other one, he was the
guy that pulled me over that night at Steak and Shake. He was the one that was yelling at us. I remember
because of his mustache. (snicker) Yeah that was him, wow, I just now realized that. Buth yea it is, it is
besides Grand Rapids cops, Grandville has to be the worst.
What about Grand Rapids police makes them worse?
I would say because their downtown, were a lot of the Africans are. And they, I feel like they have such a
mindset that whenever you see a black dude in the hood, they say ‘get him, he is up to no good’.
Grandville give at least one percent of the downtown, at least, Er,, Grand Rapids cops none. Yeah. When
I actually went to jail,h, last year forh smoking and drivin, heh, one of the guys that I was with in my
holding cell he said that we wasn’t doin nothing. He just got,h. for jay walkin. Jay walkin, Two in the
morning. Two in the morning! Jay walking! For real? Take him to jail for that? WOAH! I didn’t know
that you get pulled over for that. Haha
I thought the most that they could give you was like a ticket. Like a fine.
I think he didn’t know his rights, I think that what it was. I think heh,h, did a little self incriminating
himself, maybe he had a pass, maybe he had a warrant or something. But,h, but for jay walking. What is
that? So go to jail, I was like dang man.
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�When did you start paying attention to your rights and like your experiences with the cops and being able
to stick up for yourself?
Umm it was, man, it was like last year, soh, I would say after the judge after he told me aft... I would say,
NO! it was my first probation check-up. I just got off probation yesterday actually Wooh!
Congratulations.
Thank you very much, never wanna do that system again.
Umm I would say right after probation because you know in my mind, Yeah. I should say in my mind I
chose to justify what I did. You know that I shouldn’t happen driving while I was high but still don’t let,
don’t even let me get started on why it should be illegal. Don’t let me get started. I will run, I will run
every single fact. You know to Chad, who was my probation officer, why marijuana should not be legal.
Or Illegal or at least decriminalized because it is just a herb. It will beat out the pharmacy industry (Snap)
just like that, because you can grow it. Boom. There goes all these pharisaical industries that making
millions of dollars off that. You know to keep us sick constantly. Now how many deaths has marijuana
had, Zero. How many from overdosing on pills? I can’t count on my hands because I don’t have that
much. What they say like ten people, or at least like 10 people die every hour from overdosing on pills?
That’s a flicked up statistic right there. NowI started paying attention to after that, that mindset. And I was
like, h something’s not right. Why are we, why am I kind of in this bondage right here. This is a system
set up to fail. Not just for Africans, but for minorities. Or I wouldn’t say minorities because the people
who concerned this land was minorities themselves. So I would say the natives. System set up to enslave
the natives once more. Because Christopher Columbus he came here and how many Native Americans
did he kill? Whoo. And then they want to label them the illegal immigrants. For real. Haha. So after that,
after that I was like I need to learn my rights because the constitutional, or well our constitutional rights
that we have or so called constitutional rights, I need to know those. Because I have no idea that I could
have told the officer, no do you have a warrant to search my car officer. If I would have said that I would
have been good. Constitutional rights. Did not know that at all. So I was like I need to start educating
myself on the land that I live. If this is, if this is really a system set up to fail for myself, I need to know, I
need to learn the rules, I need to learn how to play the game. So at least learn how the game works and
thankfully a manager at Art Van thath, that helped me understand that. I was like, yeah learn my rights, I
learned a whole bunch. 1-laha. I learned a lot and that is what, now that I am off probation,I know my
rights. And I know what I can and cannot do. And I cannot say, and I will exercise every single rights that
I have. Haha
That’s so good because I cannot say that I, that I know my rights, to where if! was pulled over or
something like that.
I kinda wondered the same thing like I didn’t know any of my rights at all. Until I would say some time
last year me and a couple buddies were just drinking in the dorms and we didn’t even have to let the cops
in. And like they were saying all this stuff like oo you have to let us in like making us like rethink like
what we were doing like you have to let us in. Like if you don’t right now we will break down the door.
We were like shit. You know they came in there we were being completely cooperative and gave them all
the alcohol we had. And they still gave us all MIPs and shit. Mhm. So I mean form like that moment on
we were all like shit we need to learn like all the stuff about underage drinking and all that. Just so that
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�like all that stuff doesn’t happen again.uu. I mean I agree with you, I mean like it is almost like not just
for minorities but the system sets up to fail you just...
Anyone who is ignorant, anyone. I would say defiantly to that to, that was like ahh. Like when you go to
parties, you know people are freaking out. Oh my god cops are here! Cops are here! Everybody runnin,
just dippin out.
Yea and what they don’t know is unless they have a warrant they can’t do anything.
Exactly. Yeah you give them permission to come in.
That’s a whole different topic right there.
Haha right.
Shifting gears, you originally, yeah we are just going to forget Segway’s. You when back to Grandville
High School recently and an interesting observation you told us about a few weeks ago, about the stair
case.
Oh yea man, we had, we called it the cool, it was where all the cool cats went. You know. Wasn’t even
discriminating against no blacks whites man. You know blacks are supposed to skip because they don’t
like to go to class. Minorities come and so we are all just chillin back over there probably abouthh two
and a half months ago they sealed it up. And I know that I was because it was all a bunch of minorities
there you know blacks whites also. and everybody was just chilling there. I would say it was race
motivated but covered up very well. You know just like they always do with everything. Haha. It is very,
you know it is a distraction. Well why is it a distraction? Because you just a talking too loud about
standing there. Some people have KCDC they get out of class and they would just go and chill you know
like right below the stairs. You know it’s not that much of a distraction, kind of like when I I think that
they were afraid. Actually I think that some of the people on the staff were afraid of a littleethnicity. I
have like when I have a keffiyeh I don’t know if you ever saw it but I have like a keffiyeh wrapped
around just like this you know it is cold. Seven in the morning ya’ll got, ya’ll told me I had to be here at
seven in the morning. I am going to wear something to keep myself warm. I’m sorry, I don’t wanna come
here in the first place. Hah. Who wants to go to high school at seven in the morning. I remember Mr.
Vanderslice started chasing me down because I was like no I’m not taking it off. NO! It was a shirt, it was
a shirt on top of my head. That’s what it was. I had a shirt on top of my head.
That’s stupid!
That’s what I am saying! I had a shirt on my head, and one of the ambassadors, chased me all the way to
my class just to yell at me. And you best believe that I did not just step back. I was yelling right back.
Thankfully my mind, the thought in my mind was to check out the rules. You know, understand
everysingle rule, and use that against him. I was like naw there aint nothing against that code book. Your
wrong, it does not say that I cannot wear something on my head that’s not seven. Lets see school starts at
7:15 and it aint 7:15 yet. So I don’t have to take the shirt off. Couldn’t do nothing about it.
School started at 7:50
7:50 yeah. Couldn’t do nothing about it, I was like ppht, what are you going to do? Violate it I dare you!
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�So was the anything about the shirt, or was it just a regular shirt?
Plain old white t-shirt man. I just wearin it on my head, just wearin it on my head. Now moving on to the
keffiyeh.
Which is?
Which is Middle Eastern, soyou know automatic I am Muslim. So people think automatically he is a
terrorist. You know lets get, it out of the way. Anytime anyone is wrapping a keffiyeh around their head,
in fast the wrap it around their heads because there’s deserts snow storms. So in order to keep the snow,
ornot snow
Sand storms
Stand storms yeah, so they want to keep the sand out of their face. Well its Michigan, it snows I wanna
keep the snow out of my face. So I used to water that to when I walked in, everybody’s lookin at me.
Whats he doin? Muslim. He is a terrorist. Because that all the, that’s all the media labels them. So we see
Muslim terrorist, let’s be honest, let’s be real. Hahah. That’s all they see. They made a big deal about that.
I was like yo, it’s not 7:50 yet. I’m not taking it off. You know this is a, I’m not Muslim or Islam, buth I
do respect their culture. It is part of my history because remorse. So as part of my history, I embrace all of
my culture, not just a little bit of it. So, they couldn’t do nothing about that either. Fight the power.
Yeah you mentioned like the media, and how minorities seem to be misrepresented in it.do you have any
thoughts about how that could change or, if it can change?
Oh man was have to go to the core then because how that started was actually a break off from the Crow
laws. That is how they got that in there. They intertwined Jim Crows laws with the media so that
whenever someone sees a black person the automatically, you know subconsciously he is up to no good.
Yeah like stereotypes
Yeah exactly. He is automaticallyh, you know a grand banger. He is automatically high as hell right now.
He is black, he is supposed to smoke weed. Dark lips, big dark lips you know. Lie Obama, what is it with
Obama, they said that he had weed lips or something like that. I don’t remember, but they they put that,
they attached that stereotype to him as well. In order to beat something like that you gotta take down the
media because they have control of the mass. Everybody watches TV, everybody watches TV. So if
everyone is tuned in on this psychological brainwash machine. Of course everybody is going to think that
black person, he aint up to no good, no good at all. So I would say yeah, to, I like to get to the very core
of everything I don’t like to,racism isn’t here you know it is 2012 we all matured (In a sarcastic voice).
Really? Did you just tune into the Zimmerman case? Why aint he in jail? He shot and killed a 17 year-old
who had a bag of skittles. For one the dude was 28 years-old. He shot him dead in a gated community,
which was predominantly white in Florida, And why isn’t he in jail. This kid was 17 years-old and he is
dead, isn’t that murder? Supposedly he is the head watchman of the, you know the supervising, you know
that watch ting. So to say that racism isn’t still here in the United States, that is ridiculous. Racism is still
here. It is just in a different way. It is just like energy. Energy was never created of destroyed, it was
transformed. Racism was BOOM right in your face, now it’s you know transformed into this thing called
the media and I lables every single race, not just blacks, Latinos, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Europeans,
even American, everything! They have got a label for everyone. And why are we trying to be labels, im
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�not trying to be labeled. I wanna created my own identity. That’s the problem, nobody has their own
identity.
On the subject of identity, earlier you said you talked about stuff that was part of your heritage. You are
obviously very proud of you African American heritage. And one way you show it is through your
Facebook name. It is very unique. Would you like to tell us what it is?
Oh yea that’s why I tell people anytime they wanna find me on Facebook, you will not find me. I will find
you. Hahah. My name on Facebook is Brotha Taffiti Savo Hakeema Jafarr . And the reason why I chose
that name was it is the name Hakeema is Swahili for wisdom, and I have that tattooed on my back from
shoulder blade to shoulder blade. I believe in that so heavily because without wisdom, or the name Taffiti
means knowledge seeker and Savo means order and Hakeema is wisdom so you know with the right
knowledge and wisdom comes order, creating your identity basically. And that propelled me into what I
want to do. It gave me a new foundation for myself, .n how to give like a new label for myself. And not
even a label but to just know who I am period. You know, growing up as a child where are all of the black
figures. There are hardly and African doll figures. Identity crisis right there. You know you want to get
your niece a doll, but there’s only white ones. Not saying there is anything wrong with white ones, but
why give a white one to a black one who is constantly seeing all this propaganda against blacks. You
know, she has no idea who she is, she is getting this false identification of herself So just right away that
shows the importance of a diverse. You know be a little diverse. Why have too much ofjust one thing?
Spread it out, shave to love. You know? Share the wealth, or at least get another black baby doll damn.
Put that on the store shelves jeeze (laughing). Just change it up a little you know, that all a brotha can ask.
There is one other thing about you that makes you unique. Especially for Grandville is that you are
Atheist.and Facebook is the biggest, most notable way that you talk about it. Have you, has anyone ever
called you out on it?
Oh man we have a different idea that goes against the traditional or mainstream way, no everybody
believes this, but that one idea that is controversial to everyone else. It was like what’s up with this guy.
What’s wrong with him?rn I wasespecially, I wouldn’t say. Well I learned actually that there are different
forms of Atheism. There is an Atheism that does not believe in a god at all, or super natural things. And
there isthe atheism that does not believe in the three main traditional religions, the Abrahamic religions,
Islamic, Christianity and Judaism. That came for a lost identification of myself I grew up as a Christian,
you know my mom told me that I was going to church, I was going to like it, no if ands or buts. As a little
kid I was like I have to, and ah I went not because I wanted to but because I had to. And it never gave me
a change torn chose what I wanted to believe in. and the problem with a lot of religions, the problem I
would say is just based on my research, a lot of people do not do research on religions or what they
believe. A lot of people go to history. People don’t wanna research the dark things, the positive and
negative. Everybody is looking as the positive, which is great cool, but if you’re not looking at the
negative... Well remember if you do not know you history, then you are going to repeat it. People
repeating history because of their lack of knowledge, with is also the Facebook thing. Every time a see
Taffiti is motivates me. Knowledge seeker you know, that’s what I am. Keep studying, keep reading, keep
bringing books everywhere. Nothing is going to stop me. And that was one of the biggest thing I ever
had to do. Was let go of my belief of Christianity because it was a grips of fear if you do not believe in a
doctrine, you are going to hell. Who wants to go to hell? Somebody raise they hands if they wanna go to
hell. (nobody moves) Exactly! That was the biggest thing for me, I had to let go of the fear of risking my
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�sole that is eternal in an eternal place where you die even though you are already dead. You di even more
I guess. So I did a lot of research of the translations of hell You know all the translations of Hebrew of
actually Arabic to Hebrew to Latin to English; you know studying all those words because I am a big
studier. I study every single word, I don’t do broad things. If I am going to check Genesis 1011 will check
every single word in every single translation. I will get the idea, I am not just going to go skating by.
That’s what most people do, well I have the King James version so. Well did you know King James was a
really wicked dude. He performed bestiality, he was extremely in to.. I forgot what it was. But the dude
rewrote the bible to keep his throne in power. Now anybody that reuses, or rewrite something against his
or against his people or against his power, not going to be like woah what did he change so he could keep
his power? A lot of people change things, I like to get to the source, like I said to the core. And I found
my identity you know the furthest that I have researched so far, which is Egypt, also the Comets. The
traveled for Ethiopia to Sudan, followed the Nile River and the landed in Egypt, or Comet at the time.
And that is the my belief system because that is the very core that I have seen so far and it may change. I
love when my, what I believe in is challeneged, because that gives me the chance to learn because I get to
see another area. So that yeah wxpecially going to Grandville to, you know there morals are all white and
Christian. But my joey spiritually has not started since last year. No it was probably about a year and a
half. So I would say if I want to Grandville High School with the knowledge that I have now shit would
be completely different. I would probably be in college right now. Well I would be in college actually
right now if I didn’t break my wrist.
Was there a certain like factor that like caused you to start studying and following Atheism?
Umm I would say that, I would say that I am very passionate about the black community If there is
somebody that doesn’t know this I love who I am. I love being black. I love being who I am not say that
being not black isn’t cool. That is just who I am and I would say that I was I questioned what is wrong
with the black community today. We are not educated, we do not know our own history, I cannot even
find or think of any history class that taught me that starting civilizations in Africa. I had to figure that out
on my own. They didn’t tell me that my ancestors where ancient Egyptians were astrology came forum,
and mathematics, and a lot of the Greeks got their information from Ancient Egypt. Where Plato always
referred to Ancient Egypt. I was not told that a lot of the three religions are deep rooted in African
traditions. So I questioned that. And I didn’t really have a bone to pick with Christianity so I was really
upset that no one ever told me what was really going on. Because my mom didn’t know, she didn’t ask
those questions. My mom actually grew up on Rockford, Oh my god my whole family actually grew up
in Rockford. Now they are my age, the grew up in the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s so I don’t think that they had time
to think about that, They were having a hard enough time just getting through the day in Rockford. So I
questioned my community, and the thing is they were mentally brainwashed through generations and
generations and generations of slavery.
Yeah and she has a daughter named Zira. My first niece. Yeah uncle over here. Kia is pregnant and she
gets pregnant again. So, not to mention that Zi is here and she’s pregnant again by the same piece of shit.
So, I’m already talking to Mom. I’m actually talking to Kia before. She told me and I was like oh but
don’t tell Morn today because I’m talking to her right now. Having a little somewhat, excuse me,
somewhat of a religious argument but kind of toned down because I’m trying to have that respect level
and Kia, she didn’t tell her yet, but just as were getting done Kia goes, she’s like I don’t if I should tell
you this, I’m kind of nervous you know and I laughed so hard. My face was priceless. I was like Kia no!
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�No! You should have waited thirty minutes. No! She flipped out when you had a tattoo. She slammed a
door on your face when she found out you were pregnant with Zi. I just told her I’m not a Christian
anymore in the nicest way. Now you’re about to tell her you’re pregnant again. I left the house. I was
scared. I left. Kia told Mom. Silence. Dead silence. What’d I do? Get my bag, headphones, going for a
walk. I’m not coming back into the house for another three hours. She did not say anything for the entire
night. I was like holy shit, but that’s kind of the thing. That’s the biggest bone that I have with religion.
Religion is of course can be a very good thing, I’m not dogging it, but it has that fear factor. If you do not
follow this doctrine then, as I told my mom several times, Mom you know if a Christian says that an
Islamic person is going to hell or a Muslim person is going to hell because he does not believe that Jesus
is his savior. That means that an entire population is going to hell. Also Judaism and also people who
believe in... .what were the other ones. Fuck I forgot their names. You know the one’s from Eastern
China.
Buddhism
Yeah Buddhism. Stuff like that. So I was like they were all going to hell just because they don’t believe in
a certain doctrine.That’s pretty fucked up. You know I had a heart to heart talk with her and I was like
dude I’m not going to hell. I’m doing research. Mom sorry to say but I know a lot more than you do about
the own Bible. So don’t tell me that type of stuff with still having that respect level, but it was very
frustrating. Mom Ijust wanna tell you all this stuff that I learned, but it contradicts with everything that we
grew up on especially Africans because mind you that slave masters said hey did you want to believe in
this? No they forced Christianity down their throats. Broke them. Told them that they were gonna accept
the white Jesus for you know Michael Angelo’s picture of Jesus you know for a kind of psychological
domination type of thing. Having blacks think that if their God is white then that means automatically
white people are closer to God then they are. That type of thing. I mean hey look it up thats what they did.
I’m not saying that one race is better than they other. I believe in unity I just love being black you know.
(Laughter). Ask all my brothers. It’s ironic. I love being black. I love my brothers and sisters. I’ve never
dated a black chick. I’ve only dated white chicks. I love red heads. I love white chicks. What can I say,
but that does not make me any less black since I know my history you know? Some type of people will
attach that to you also. I’m a very unorthodox type of person. The more I talk, the more I’m like damn
I’m fucking weird. That’s what’s up because I’m not trying to be normal. (Laughter).
Alright, one last question and we’ll get you out of here. We did a project on what causes prejudice and we
had a whole presentation. In your opinion, what do you think causes prejudice?
Oh man. Ignorance. Ignorance is not labeled or is not limited to race, gender, color, nothing. It is pure. If
you do not know your history, or if you do not know your shit then you’re gonna be ignorant and you’re
just gonna accept anything you know. If you don’t have a strong foundation or a set of beliefs than you’re
gonna easily be like oh this makes and oh this makes sense too. I’ll follow that. A lot of people, a lot
misconceptions on what ignorance is and like I said I’ve done a lot of research. Part of my name on
Facebook is Enjur and a lot of people think the word nigger or negro comes from the word ignorant.
That’s completely untrue because in ancient Kemit because, you gotta remember there were gods and
goddesses, you know. Technically it was not the monotheistic you know religion. Their kings, remember
even Egypt. Egypt was Greek and that shows you that’s not even the real name of that body of area. The
name was Kemit and the names that the pharaohs, which is Greek for like upper house or something like
that. The name for the pharaohs was Enjur and they didn’t have vowels and Enjur or negro is what they
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�called gods and goddesses. So nigger and negro has a connection in that word. When they got invaded by
the Greeks and the Romans they twisted and manipulated that word to attach a negative vibe to that word
so when they’re calling nigger, negro like slave masters are like get out of here nigger and all that shit,
they’re attaching a negative you know situation or vibe on that. So, they’re gonna t away from that name.
That’s why you don’t hear people go what’s up nigger? It may make people feel uncomfortable but that
word all it is Enjur with a few other letters in that you know. If I went around calling other black people
what’s up my Enjur they’d be like what the fuck are you saying. That’s the core word for negro and
nigger and where it came from, but most people don’t know that. They just think think it means ignorance
so everybody is just you know yeah blacks are saying stop saying that word. It’s got such a bad history to
it. It means ignorant. It’s so negative. Then you have dumb niggers who are using it like what up my
nigger, what up making a fool out of themselves. Then you actually have the intelligent ones who know,
which are a very selective few, that knows the meaning of the word and they use it proudly. You know? I
even have white friends that say nigga and nigger. You know, it doesn’t bother me because I know who I
am. I have a pretty solid identity of myself so you know it doesn’t bother me. If someone was to say that
to me in eight grade, man, I would have whooped their ass so bad. I’m not saying it’s acceptable because
today especially with society now if a white person says nigger, they’re about to get their ass whooped.
But that’s just because of the black community doesn’t have identification of themselves. They don’t
know that. They don’t know the history of the word so they accept it as something negative so they flip
out.
Does anyone else have any other questions?
I guess just one thing, don’t have to get too much into it. Overall, how was your experience in the
conservative West Michigan like communities been with you being an Atheist? Like have people called
you out on it much or has it been pretty normal?
Nahh. I usually keep it to myself. i usually keep my beliefs to myself. If someone asks me then yo I’ll tell
them. I’ll tell them with a smile. I love life now. I don’t hate life. So, I’ll gladly tell anyone what I believe
in because I believe in unity. Were all one. Were all one consciousness. I don’t believe in religion and
sadly that’s what religion does. Divide and conquer. The best technique every because even with the
whole black and white thing, you’re white you’re black. So what! Cool. I drive a blue car. Are you gonna
call that out to homey. (Laughter). Like, people get so attached to names and labels and stuff like that.
They have to hold themselves up to a higher degree. Like yo I’m just here living, what’s up. That type of
thing. That’s kind of what I believe in just like yo. I live in the now. I don’t do that prejudice shit no
more. I’m glad that I’ve matured. It was a long road. Long road. through trial and error. That’s one thing
I’m most interested to see is how it’s gonna be in Texas. Texas is a little different than Michigan.
Actually, the job that I’m at right now my boss has traveled all across the world and he told me that
Michigan is the most racist place he’s ever been to.
That blew my mind. He’s been to Mississippi, Florida, he’s been to China, Australia. Africa. You know,
he said that out of all the places he’s been to Michigan is the most racist place he’s ever been to. Wow! I
do not know what to expect in Texas.
Thank you for your time Terrence for this interview.
Thank you, it’s always a pleasure.
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�END OF INTERVIEW
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�
https://digitalcollections.library.gvsu.edu/files/original/fc37d171c51cabff623d9246613b1b4a.mp3
3f335172564596d90f0ad44c593a1863
Dublin Core
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Title
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Speaking Out: Western Michigan Civil Rights Oral Histories
Subject
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Civil rights--Michigan--History
Personal narratives
Oral histories
African Americans--Personal narratives
Gays--Personal narratives
Lesbians--Personal narratives
Bisexual people--Personal narratives
Transgender people--Personal narratives
Veterans--Personal narratives
Women--Personal narratives
People with disabilities--Personal narratives
Muslims--United States--Personal narratives
Hispanic Americans--Personal narratives
Homophobia
Discrimination
Islamophobia
Stereotypes (Social psychology)--Upper Penninsula (Mich.)
Description
An account of the resource
Collection of oral history recordings documenting the history of civil rights and social justice advocacy in Western Michigan. The collection was created by faculty and students as a project of the LIB 201 (formerly US 201): "Diversity in the U.S." course from 2011-2012.
Creator
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Grand Valley State University. Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies
Source
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Speaking Out: Western Michigan Civil Rights Oral History Project (GV248-01)
Publisher
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Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Date
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2017-05-02
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<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a>
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audio/mp3
application/pdf
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eng
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Sound
Text
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GV248-01
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1930-2011
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Identifier
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GV248-01_Harris_Terrence
Title
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Terrence Harris audio interview and transcript
Creator
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Harris, Terrence
Contributor
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Bauer, David
Pete, Eric
Homan, Stephanie
VanDraggt, Victoria
Description
An account of the resource
Terrence is African American and Atheist. He discusses growing up in a neighborhood that is predominately White, Christian.
Publisher
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Grand Valley State University. University Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
Subject
The topic of the resource
Civil rights--Michigan--History
African Americans--Personal narratives
Language
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eng
Rights
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<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">In Copyright</a>
Type
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Sound
Text
Format
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audio/mp3
application/pdf
Relation
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Speaking Out: Western Michigan Civil Rights Oral History Project
Date
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2012-03-23