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One would think this photo is from the 1950’s but it’s not. On November 25, 1969, some 2,000 students boycotted their classes and marched down University Avenue to a rally outside the offices of the Alachua County School Board to have the all black school known as Lincoln High integrated. You see even though Brown vs. Board of Ed went down in 1954 this Florida county still had not fully integrated their school. Instead they practiced an informal policy of “tokenism” — whereby a few black students attended predominantly white schools.

In January 1970, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered Alachua County to fully integrate the schools immediately. The schools closed on Jan. 29, 1970, reopened a week later, on Feb. 7, they were integrated. The black high school, Lincoln High School, was closed, and about 1,000 black students were transfered to the 2,200-student Gainesville High School. Source

One boy now an adult told the Washington Post of his experience going to a newly integrated school (more…)

On June 21, 1949 in St. Louis MO, a bunch of black youths went for the first swim in a newly integrated pool. No violence happened to the children while they were swam but as they cooled off from the hot summer’s sun a MOB of whites gathered around the gates of the pool. Upon the blacks exit, the Fairground Riots began.

In 1949 there were 9 pools in St. Louis, 3 Indoor pools for Negro’s 4 for whites and another 2 outdoor pools for whites only. Until a reporter asked the city’s welfare director, John J. O’Toole, “whether Negroes could be allowed to swim in all the city’s public pools,” as “there was no law saying they couldn’t.” O’Toole replied: “If the colored people apply for admittance, my order is to admit them. I am not going to be a party to an unlawful gentleman’s agreement.” He used the phrase, gentleman’s agreement, to describe the tradition of segregation that the commissioner seemed to endorse.

When the Black children arrived at the pool that morning the whites entered the locker room and turned back around. That’s how the Mob of angry whites grew outside of the pool. They shouted racial slurs and made threats. After the pool closed the police had to come and escort the black children home. But Time Magazine reported

. . . all that afternoon, fist fights blazed up; Negro boys were chased and beaten by white gangs. In the gathering dusk, one grown-up rabble-rouser spoke out. “Want to know how to take care of those niggers?” he shouted. “Get bricks. Smash their
heads. . . .”

The crowd cornered two terror-stricken Negro boys against a fence. Under a volley of fists, clubs and stones, the boys went down—but not before one of them had whipped out a knife and stabbed one of his attackers. In the surge of fury the nearest whites kicked and pummeled the two prostrate bodies, turned angrily on rescuing police with shouts of “nigger-lover.”

The story of these riots goes on to lead to ten African Americans and five whites had been hospitalized. But it’s stories like this and many more like it, filled with hate, pride, and strength that Americans have over come. Yet many are still wading through this hate. Obama’s candidacy is one of the final steps we have to take to help heal America’s old wounds.

Vote FOR OBAMA

I don’t oppose all wars. What I am opposed to is a dumb war. What I am opposed to is a rash war. ~ Barack Obama

In 2002 before Obama was an US Senator he gave a speech at an Anti-war rally. This speech one of the first glances at his brilliance was a prophetic vision of the war. A total understanding of what we were about to get into. After Sept 11th when anger was at an all time high, I too stood behind president Bush to take out Iraq.

I remember thinking of the first war in Iraq, I laid in my bed scared that a scud missile would fly through my window and kill me and I remember my mother and step father explaining that a war would never happen here. I remember when they tried to blow up the twin towers and I had just got off at that stop on the train a few days prior. I knew of the dangers of US policy yet I still was rash in my judgment and wanted Saddam’s head on a plate.

I remember laying in bed with my ex girlfriend in Bronx NY, and waking up to CNN’s report that they had found Saddam. But then things turned, the war didn’t stop, soldier, after soldier died. The turning point for me was Olbermann’s special comment on 9/11 5 years later and ground zero still being nothing more than a whole in the ground.

Yet only last night did it dawn on me to even or attempt to listen to Obama’s 2002 speech that has bee referenced so many times before and now I am even more in awe of the man. The actual footage of this speech has been lost except for a 13 second clip, but the words are still around for all to read. To view the clip (more…)

The dap, fist bump, or pound… heard around the world. I almost cried when I saw this. This is US!!

Political rumors are a trip. MSNBC reports that Obama is trying to offer Clinton the VP position only if She promises not to take the offer. She’s thinking about doing it only if Obama promises not to choose another female for the VP job.

Nonetheless the most important part of the issue is that tonight somewhere in his speech the AP is reporting that Obama will say:

“Tonight, I can stand before you and say that I will be the Democratic nominee for president of the United States,” Source

She actually referred to assassination, She actually implied that she is waiting around for Obama to get shot. Her exact words when asked about why she’s still in the race.

“You know, my husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right? We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California.”

In the video over Olbermann closes, with the honest to God truth:

We cannot forgive you this — not because it is crass and low and unfeeling and brutal.

This is unforgivable, because this nation’s deepest shame, its most enduring horror, its most terrifying legacy, is political assassination.

Lincoln.

Garfield.

McKinley.

Kennedy.

Malcolm X

Martin Luther King.

Robert Kennedy.

And, but for the grace of the universe or the luck of the draw, Reagan, Ford, Truman, Nixon, Andrew Jackson, both Roosevelts, even George Wallace.

The politics of this nation is steeped enough in blood, Senator Clinton, you cannot and must not invoke that imagery! Anywhere! At any time!

And to not appreciate, immediately – to still not appreciate tonight – just what you have done… is to reveal an incomprehension of the America you seek to lead.

This, Senator, is too much.

Because a senator – a politician – a person – who can let hang in mid-air the prospect that she might just be sticking around in part, just in case the other guy gets shot – has no business being, and no capacity to be, the President of the United States.

She actually referred to assassination, She actually implied that she is waiting around for Obama to get shot. Her exact words when asked about why she’s still in the race.

“You know, my husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right? We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California.”

In the video over Olbermann closes, with the honest to God truth:

We cannot forgive you this — not because it is crass and low and unfeeling and brutal.

This is unforgivable, because this nation’s deepest shame, its most enduring horror, its most terrifying legacy, is political assassination.

Lincoln.

Garfield.

McKinley.

Kennedy.

Malcolm X

Martin Luther King.

Robert Kennedy.

And, but for the grace of the universe or the luck of the draw, Reagan, Ford, Truman, Nixon, Andrew Jackson, both Roosevelts, even George Wallace.

The politics of this nation is steeped enough in blood, Senator Clinton, you cannot and must not invoke that imagery! Anywhere! At any time!

And to not appreciate, immediately – to still not appreciate tonight – just what you have done… is to reveal an incomprehension of the America you seek to lead.

This, Senator, is too much.

Because a senator – a politician – a person – who can let hang in mid-air the prospect that she might just be sticking around in part, just in case the other guy gets shot – has no business being, and no capacity to be, the President of the United States.

She actually referred to assassination, She actually implied that she is waiting around for Obama to get shot. Her exact words when asked about why she’s still in the race.

“You know, my husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right? We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California.”

In the video over Olbermann closes, with the honest to God truth:

We cannot forgive you this — not because it is crass and low and unfeeling and brutal.

This is unforgivable, because this nation’s deepest shame, its most enduring horror, its most terrifying legacy, is political assassination.

Lincoln.

Garfield.

McKinley.

Kennedy.

Malcolm X

Martin Luther King.

Robert Kennedy.

And, but for the grace of the universe or the luck of the draw, Reagan, Ford, Truman, Nixon, Andrew Jackson, both Roosevelts, even George Wallace.

The politics of this nation is steeped enough in blood, Senator Clinton, you cannot and must not invoke that imagery! Anywhere! At any time!

And to not appreciate, immediately – to still not appreciate tonight – just what you have done… is to reveal an incomprehension of the America you seek to lead.

This, Senator, is too much.

Because a senator – a politician – a person – who can let hang in mid-air the prospect that she might just be sticking around in part, just in case the other guy gets shot – has no business being, and no capacity to be, the President of the United States.