The Forgotten County

Judge Paul Friedman approved what is now known as the Pigford Consent Decree, or the Pigford et al. v. Glickman Class Action Suit, in April, 1999. Glickman's Civil Rights Action Team report of 1997 and the USDA-commissioned work of the D. J. Miller & Associates in 1994 nailed the results of minority farmers mistreatment versus White farmers in a variety of areas related to the financing of the farm business including crop payments, disaster programs, loans, etc. between 1983 and 1997.

In order to gain access to the Consent Decree, farmers had to be informed. The Consent Decree designated the Poorman-Douglas Corporation as the entity responsible for notifying farmers, receiving claims, deciding the legitimacy of claims, and passing them on to the adjudicator for possible action. Per this link, a variety of strategies was designed to inform farmers: 44 commercials on BET and 18 commercials on CNN; advertisements in 27 "general circulation newspapers" and 115 newspapers in an 18-state region targeting a largely Black audience; and full page advertisements in TV Guide. There may have been more efforts of an orchestrated sort, along with word of mouth advertising, but I'm not certain at this point.

What's the point, you may be asking? Good question.

Here's the point. Chilton County is just south of Birmingham. County seat is Clanton, one of the major cities is Jemison, and it has 41,000 plus people, 694 square miles, and 6.8 square miles of water. In that county you'll find the Chilton County Black Farmers Association, Bernice Atchison, President. She'll give you lots of documentation that says it was a forgotten county in 1999 and 2000.

Forgotten by whom? Forgotten by whomever should have informed the Black farmers as to the Consent Decree. In Ms. Atchison's hands, and in my hands, are signed affidavits by local officials that assert that the county did not receive information in a timely fashion or at all. Documents come from a probate court judge and three cities. From the looks of things, the closest city that had information published was Birmingham, 54 miles to the north.

So, if a farmer does not read TV Guide or certain newspapers, and if the farmers do not watch BET and CNN at certain critical points in the schedule of things, then they did not get the information. No information was given to key personnel in the county.

Not only were a number of these farmers considered to be late filers, many of them were among the "not-notified," which makes them either "late filers or non-filers."

This is why the Consent Decree is being re-opened, hopefully, as part of the 2007 Farm Bill.

Ok, I'm scratching my head on this one. How can this happen? How did this happen?

Looks to me like the notification guidelines were inadequate. Also looks to me like the drop dead due date for applying was too inflexible. There are other inadequacies, but more on them later.

Update on the Summit

Check this link for the latest update on the schedule, speakers, etc., for the 10th Annual Black Land Loss Summit at the New Deal Tillery Resettlement Community and Historic Franklinton Center at Bricks, North Carolina.

Here are some of the speakers and where they're from:

Kansas State University: Spencer Wood, Travis Linneman, Andrea Boyles, and Zelia Wiley

Virginia School of Law: Dania Davey

Farmers: from around the area telling their stories

Tillery, NC: Gary Grant

Federation of South Cooperatives: Jerry Pennick

Abilene Christian University: Waymon Hinson

North Carolina A & T: Alton Thompson (invited)

USDA, Alternative Energies: Marcus Tillery (invited)

Wind Power, Boston: Paul Reeves

Chicago, IL: Barack Obama (invited)

Greensboro,NC: John Raye

United States Department of Agriculture: Margo M. McKay, Scott Mexic, Michael Watts, Alva Waller, John Pollock, Robert Wynn, Savi Horn, and Lloyd Wright

Former candidate of US Senate: Cynthia Brown

Pray for this event, its presenters, and its potential impact on the issue of Black land loss in our country.

Yes, there is an easier way

Technology still has its way with me, but then again, I am in my mid to late '50s, but that may not be an excuse these days.

For those of you who are interested in what current and former Social Justice Team members, along with ACU and LCU faculty members, had to say at the ACU Lectures in the Fall on the voice of God via the prophets, Jesus of Nazareth, and the community of faith relative to the things we write about on these pages, there is an easier way to access that voice file.

Try these directions: go to www.acu.edu, hit the link at the top of the page that says "iTunes u," scroll down to the bottom of the page and hit the link "Open ACU on iTunes U for all visitors." When that page pops up, hit "theological lectures," then hit "2007 lectureship classes," and then type in Wes Crawford or Waymon Hinson and you'll see the two files you can download.

Again, I hope you'll download and listen, and then tell us what you think. If you'd like the power point to that presentation, we'd be happy to send it out. Just contact me via this page and I'll send it to you.

May be of interest

Back during the ACU lectures in September, members of Social Justice Teams I, II, and III, along with ACU and LCU profs spoke on the topic "The Voice of God Speaks to Injustice:
The Prophets, Jesus of Nazareth, and The Community of Faith" in a one-afternoon forum. We attempted to weave together a complex set of threads: farming, large and small, Black and White; the plight of the Black Indians; social justice traditions; Old Testament prophets; Jesus of Nazareth; the Stone-Campbell Movement; and various arenas within which to advocate on behalf of marginalized people.

For those who are interested, that voice recording is available. Here are the links. Once you are at iTunes, then go to iTunes U, then ACU, then Ministry & Theology, and then Lectureship 2007. Once you're there, hit "artist," then look for the names "Wes Crawford" or "Waymon Hinson," and then you can download it for free.

Once you have listened to it, let us know what you think about it. If you'd like to get a copy of the power point presentation that we used that day, give us a holler on this site and we'll send it your way.

A Pastoral Prayer of Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Oh, God, our Heavenly Father, we thank thee for this golden privilege to worship thee, the only true God of the universe. We come to thee today, grateful that thou hast kept us through the long night of the past and ushered us into the challenge of the present and the bright hope of the future. We are mindful, O God, that man cannot save himself, for man is not the measure of things and humanity is not God. Bound by our chains of sins and finiteness, we know we need a Savior. We thank thee, O God, for the spiritual nature of man. We are in nature but we live above nature. Help us never to let anybody or any condition pull us so low as to cause us to hate. Give us strength to love our enemies and to do good to those who despitefully use us and persecute us. We thank thee for thy Church, founded upon thy Word, that challenges us to do more than sing and pray, but go out and work as though the very answer to our prayers depended on us and not upon thee. Then, finally, help us to realize that man was created to shine like stars and live on through eternity. Keep us, we pray, in perfect peace, help us to walk together, pray together, sing together, and live together until that day when all God's children, Black, White, Red, and Yellow will rejoice in one common band of humanity in the Kingdom of our Lord and of our God, we pray. Amen."

From Conversations with God: Two Centuries of Prayers by African Americans, by James Melvin Washington.

It was taken seriously

The magazine and the 'noose' story and photo were taken seriously. Editor was fired, the magazine cover was taken off the web page, and the magazine pulled, complete with apologies. Folks are making the talk-show circuit to apologize.

Check out this link for more details.

The Abilene Reporter News weighed in as well. Nice job! Check this link out as well.

People just have to be responsible for their actions. Some things just have to be taken seriously. This is not about golf. It's about life. It's about people.

Dear Presidential Candidates

January 18, 2008

Dear Presidential Candidates Clinton, Huckabee, Romney, Edwards, McCain, Obama, Thompson, Paul, and Giuliani:

Your work is undoubtedly centered today and tomorrow in South Carolina, and then to other states in days ahead. Some of us are glued to the television sets, listening to the debates and what the political pundits will have to say afterwards. We understand the seriousness of the times in which we live. We are grasping ideas of economics, global terrorism, education of our youth, and the need for change.

However, there are social and political issues you have have yet to embrace. In particular, some of us are very concerned about the cause of the African American farmer in America. We are hopeful that the 2007 Farm Bill will serve to reopen the Pigford Consent Decree. If the numbers are accurate, approximately 70,000 Black farmers were omitted from the possibility of receiving some measure of reparations. It is possible that the number will be perhaps even higher. We remain hopeful that the amendment will stay in the bill that will soon come out of committee.

We are concerned about the tidal wave of land loss among Black farmers since 1920. While small farmers are losing their land to larger farming entities, Black farmers are losing their land at a much higher rate. We believe that efforts from all levels and branches of our government need to come together alongside policy-makers within various agencies such as the USDA and the DOJ to bring about justice.

And, other than Senator Obama, we have heard nothing in the media as to where the rest of you stand on this important issue that is related to farming and to the Black farmers of our land in particular. We hope you will speak loudly in the days ahead. We are concerned about the issues you emphasize in your speeches and debates, but we think your focus can and should include these people who work the land, who are important to the production of food and fiber in our country, the people who have been historically marginalized by government policy, procedures, and actions of employees of departments of the federal government.

Given these important matters, we encourage you to do two things: 1) support the 2007 Farm Bill and the amendment to reopen the Pigford Consent Decree and 2) take up the cause of the African American farmer and help bring about hope and justice to these farmers and their families as you work on the campaign trail over the next few months.

Thank you for your consideration.

Respectfully,


Waymon R. Hinson, Ph.D. Kimberly Cherry, B.A. Rebecca Culver, B.S.


Michelle Finley, B.A. Sarah Hugman, B.A. Scott McBryde, B.A.


Heather MacLeod, B.A. Brian Wingfield, B.S.

Say It's Not So

You've got to be kidding! You can't be serious!

Golfweek the magazine has a feature story on the on-air comment by Kelly Tilghman on the Golf Channel on January 4 from the Mercedes-Benz Championship. She apologized for an insensitive remark that never should have been uttered. Tiger accepted the apology from all accounts. The Golf Channel suspended her for two weeks. Where does the story need to stop? How long does it need to be told?

Now Golfweek, the "magazine preferred by serious golfers," has published a feature story with a noose on the front cover next to the title, "Caught in the Noose." See this link for what we're talking about. Parts of the world are up in arms, but not all parts of the world are up in arms about the same thing. One part of the world out here says, "No problem. Innocent mistake. What are you people complaining about?" A different part of the world is somewhere between offended and incensed at what Ms. Tilghman said. Perhaps that same "different part of the world" has become incensed that Golfweek would use that image on the cover of its reputable magazine. Caught off guard, surprised, etc., etc. are the words from the editor.

I'm not a golfer. I don't read the magazine. I do follow golf. I have enjoyed the "chase Tiger" scene for years. We watch golf at my house when Tiger is playing, and casually nod at it when he's not. We are at my house offended at the image of the noose, its use, and the caught in the headlights look of the editor. To those words, I say, "What were you thinking? Where have you been? Are you paying attention to these sorts of things? What was your agenda for using that image? Surely you must have known it would offend people. Surely you know that it is a reprehensible image of our dark past here in our country where for the offense of living while black, we would lynch people of color. Where is your sense of civility, common sense, good judgment, sensitivities to people?"

It's been called irresponsible journalism and all sorts of other things. I am offended. This offense is far, far worse than what Ms. Tilghman said. Her's was three seconds of irresponsibility; this action is stuck with us forever in printed and other media.

I think Tiger and other athletes of color should step up to the proverbial plate and speak against this irresponsible action. I think athletes of all colors, and people of all colors should speak with much clarity as to these matters.

There are others who think the same. I watched them on ESPN today at noon over lunch.
Lunch didn't go down well.

Update on the Land Loss Summit

Here is a sprinkling of topics scheduled for the Black Land Loss Summit, February 15-17, 2008, in Whitakers and Tillery, North Carolina:

Research on the Decline of Black Farmers and Farmland
Community Building to Protect Black-Owned Farmland
An Overview of the Growth of Incarcerated African Americans
No Snitch and Racial Injustice: Learning to Distrust the Police and Protect Community
"We Shall Not Be Moved: A History of the Tillery Resettlement Farm"
Getting to Know -- Farmers Raise Issues
The History of the Black Farm/Land Movement
Psychological Impact of the Black Farm Crisis
1890's Value to Black Farmers and Landowners
Alternative Energies
"Man Called Matthew Award"
Black Men's Health and Cancer
10 Years After Pigford
Reconciliation and Healing

It ought to be more than interesting and challenging.

I am excited about going, listening, learning, participating, growing, and being challenged.

Senator Obama, You're Invited

January 10, 2008

Senator Barack Obama
713 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 29510

Dear Senator Obama:

Activists who are concerned about the cause of the African American farmer in America are deeply appreciative of your efforts in passing the amendment to the 2007 Farm Bill that will serve to reopen the Pigford Consent Decree. If the numbers are accurate, approximately 70,000 Black farmers were omitted from the possibility of receiving some measure of reparations. It is possible that the number will be perhaps even higher. We remain hopeful that the amendment will stay in the bill soon to come out of committee

We are also concerned about the title wave of land loss among Black farmers since 1920. While small farmers are losing their land to larger farming entities, Blacks are losing their land at a much higher rate.

Given these important matters, we encourage you to accept the invitation that has been offered to you by Gary Grant, President, Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association, to speak at the 10th National Black Land Loss Summit in Whitakers and Tillery, North Carolina, February 15-17, 2008.

Thank you for your consideration.

Respectfully,


Waymon R. Hinson, Ph.D., Kimberly Cherry, B.A.,
Rebecca Culver, B.S., Michelle Finley, B.A., Sarah Hugman, B.A.,
Heather MacLeod, B.A., Scott McBryde, B.A.

Who's Coming to the Summit?

There is an impressive list of speakers at the 10th Annual Black Land Loss Summit. Some are confirmed and others are tentative, but it ought to be more than interesting.

Look at this roster of professionals:

Spencer Wood, Kansas State University
Sarah Warren, North Carolina State University
Gary Grant, BFAA
Jerry Pennick, Federation of Southern Cooperatives
Waymon Hinson, Abilene Christian University
Alton Thompson, North Carolina A & T
Marcus Tillery
Paul Reeves
Barack Obama (invited)
Thomas Walker (invited)
John Raye
Margo M. McKay, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, USDA
Alva Y. Waller, Pigford Class Monitor's Office
Robert Wynn
John Pollock, Heirs Property Retention Coalition
Cynthia Brown

Goals and objectives for the summit include: make continued progress to stop and reverse African American agricultural land loss, make continued progress toward increasing the number of Black farm family operations, continue to assist petitioners in the appeals process under the Pigford Consent Decree, work to increase awareness of reparations issue, continue efforts to develop an inventory of what farm families produce, work to create a directory of all Black landowners in both rural and urban areas, continue to influence and/or impact agriculture education at the secondary and collegiate levels, continue to help farmers diversify for success, and work with groups on the international land and farm issue.

The summit will be held at the historic Franklinton Center at Bricks and at the Tillery Community Center.

10th Annual Black Land Loss Summit

10th Annual Black Land Loss Summit

February 15-17, 2008

Tillery and Whitakers, North Carolina

For details see the web page for the Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association

A Bold Prayer: 'Black Men"

You've read a previous article here by Shena Sandle, one of our first year MFT students here at ACU. With her permission, here is a moving piece of prose, turned to poetry, ending with a prayer:

"There is probably nothing as beautiful as a black man. So much strength, power, and beauty in one creature. There is not a shortage of black men, at least not in my neighborhood. I pass them everyday and marvel at how God created them. So much purpose in one body, in one soul. He has the power to change so much, to ravage the social structures. To call things as they were, as they are. To make the seasons change.

But with the awe comes a sadness. He does not know it. He does not know his power, his strength. He's been crushed from the day he was born. I looked in his eyes and saw promise and I destined him to despair. I felt saddened that I, his biggest fan, his largest supporter, even wobbled on who he would be.

If I could just touch him. If I could just let that black man know that I believed in him. That I don't see a drug dealer or a baby's daddy. That Maury has no influence and nor does the Essence magazine's latest rant on him choosing a white woman. My God, you are perfect. You are beautiful. You are everything.

You excite me, Black man. I pray for you daily. My hope is for you. My love is for you. You will overcome because it is in His plan for you, my love.

I need you. We need you. Your children. Your community. Your self. Come on, Black man. Don't believe the hype. Don't believe what you've been told or sold. You are enough. Put the bag down, listen to me. It takes skill to do what you do, even if it is a felony. If that skill could only be used for who you're supposed to be.

Enough, Black man. I love you, Black man. If only enough of us would tell you we love you, Black man. With my own tears, I cry for you Black man. If only I could touch you… but there's places in you femininity could never reach. If only God had given me one more rib to be more like you.

Your surroundings are not you, Black man. The neighborhood is not you. But please… please don't get up and leave, Black man. We need you here. We need you to learn and grow here.

We need your shade, Jesus. Jesus, plant yourself here so that we can rest under your branches. So that we can eat of your fruit. So that we taste of it and be filled and healed.

My God, my Lord… if only this Black man could see that You and he… that he is You because you are in Him. This is not a fallacy. My God, we need You. We need Him. We need to be we again. Touch my Black man. Love my Black man. Hear his cries. Hear our cries.

We need him."

Shena Sandle
First Year Intern
MFT/ACU

Conversations about things that matter

Here are some personal reflections from Josh Oliver, member of Social Justice Team II that will make us stop and pay attention:

"I went out to eat lunch today with a colleague of mine from work. While enjoying our meal, the topic of discussion turned to deep family secrets and out of that came a conversation on racism in our families and our country. We began talking about how our mutual families living in Louisiana seem to live in a different world with regards to race than we do. We talked about the fact that there are serious issues of race that are alive and thriving in our country right under our noses and it is so hard to believe that it is still going on. My friend told me a story about his relatives that went to Louisiana for his wedding and while shopping in a small store, a black individual refused to look him in the face. When this relative asked my friend what the looks were for, my friend had to point out that it was "reverse racism" at work. My friend went on to tell me about other people he knew from East Texas who were still requesting that their senior proms with school be segregated.

I began talking about the fact that racism is not just running rampant on an individual basis, but it takes place in organizations, federal organizations even, where people in these situations should feel as though they are being taken care of, and they are not. We went on to talk about the fact that people are different from us and they act different from us, but they do not deserve to be treated differently than anyone else.

We talked further about how education could help the situation so much. My friend shared with me the fact that after the storm hit New Orleans, all of these individuals who were from families without a father figure and whose mother would have children in order to draw a larger welfare check and would stay single in order to draw even more welfare, would probably steal in order to support themselves through this difficult time because that is what their family had been doing for generations. We talked further about how this family would not know any better than to act like this and they had no positive role models, so it would be no surprise that they would move to cities such as Dallas and Houston and the crime rate would go up.

Katrina should have opened the eyes of the nation to the injustices that were going on in these parts of our country, in this land that was devastated and instead of turning to their families for support, these families would have to fend for themselves in order to survive, but the country's eyes were not opened and these minorities continue to suffer. There is education that needs to take place both with the minorities and whites as well if things are going to change.

Despite the great conversation that we had, what troubled me the most was when my friend and I left this small, cozy BBQ joint, I noticed a man with a thick goatee and his wife sitting behind our table finishing our meal. The man wore a mechanic's shirt and sat straight up in his seat staring into space without saying anything. His wife glared at me as she took a bite of an onion and then quickly looked away from me. As I was leaving, I saw her through the window shaking her head in frustration and speaking with an angry look on her face. It bothered me that I could not have a conversation about the hurt and pain other individuals were going through without being judged and ridiculed for it. It makes me angry that our conversation would cause someone to be so angry and frustrated with me because of what they overheard. We were not planning on speaking to them, but we did.

As we were leaving, my friend, who noticed the looks as well, grinned and said, 'If you don't like what we are saying, you could speak up.' He and I spoke up."

She's One Mad Farmer

Bernice Atchison is President of a county Black Farmers Association in Alabama. She is mad and justifiably so. She is one of some 66,000 Black farmers who were denied entrance into the class action suit known as Pigford v. Glickman. She's up in arms and is relentless in her pursuit of justice. She represents her entire county of Black farmers, none of whom were notified as to the class action case and how to gain access to class membership. She has affidavits to prove it, but that story is for another occasion.

She speaks emotionally and convincingly as to the gross miscarriage of justice in the Pigford case. She's upset about the failure of discovery in the process, about farmers being compelled to locate a similarly situated white farmer with whom to compare and contrast their complaints, one of Judge Friedman's most grievous mistakes, and the burden of "substantial evidence." She claims that this whole thing is a breach of the constitutional rights of American citizens. In November, 2004, she spoke before the Subcommittee o the Constitution of the Committee on the Judiciary in the House of Representatives. See this link for her testimony.

In addition to those things, she has a long list of evidence that proves that she attempted to gain entrance in a timely fashion into the case but was repeatedly denied access. She's mad about a lot of things, and I don't think she's going to quit before she finds justice in the courts or somewhere.

She's a moving, active, emotional, intense presence in these matters. She's one of many "faces" in the plight of the Black farmer.

She wants to be heard, and she wants some serious action. Maybe, just maybe, the new farm bill will provide some measure of justice. We can only hope and pray for that to happen. See this link, pages 25 and 26, for a comparison of the House and the Senate bills on addressing discrimination towards Black farmers. Looks like there's a cap of $100 million and that foreclosures will stop for claimants.

I hope you're reading today, Ms. Atchison. There are a lot of us who agree with you.