[00:00:01]
I HAD LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYBODY TO
[Greenburgh Black History Month Ceremony on Saturday February 5th, 2022. ]
THE HERITAGE MONTH FLAG RAISING.THIS IS A HISTORICAL MOMENT, YOU KNOW? AND I JUST WANT TO SAY LIKE, THANK YOU TO THE TOWN BOARD FOR HAVING THE COURAGE.
YOU KNOW, THE LEADER CHARGE, YOU KNOW THEY, THE TOWN BOARD, THEY GOT THE FLAG RAISING, THEY'RE DOING THE MURAL UNDER THE HAT AVENUE BRIDGE AND THEY'RE DOING WHATEVER THEY SAY, WELCOME TO GREENBURG.
THEY GOT SIGNED TO SAY ALL LIVES CAN'T MATTER INTO BLACK MATTER.
THAT TAKE GUTS, THAT TAKE COURAGE, THAT TAKE LEADERSHIP.
YOU KNOW, AND NO, I HAVE, I BUMP MY HEADS WITH THEM HERE AND THERE
YOU KNOW, BLACK POWER IS DIGNITY.
TEACH ON ABOUT, YOU KNOW, BUT PEOPLE ARE CONFUSED.
SO THAT'S WHY IT'S GONNA BE SO SPECIAL TODAY.
FOR US TO BRING IN THE CREATOR, THE DIVINE GOD AND OUR ANCESTORS.
I SAY, SO WE GONNA OPEN UP WITH OUR TOWN SUPERVISOR PAUL FINER COULDN'T MAKE HERE TODAY.
AND BEFORE I BRING THAT UP, WE GOT OUR TOWN COUNCIL HERE.
WE GOT NDS, WE GOT KEN JONES, WE HAVE FRANCIS SHEEN, AND WE HAVE GINA JACKSON, YOU KNOW, AND I, I JUST APPRECIATE THEM FOR EVEN COMING TO SHOP FOR THIS.
AND THEN WE HAVE A SPECIAL GUEST THAT CAME OUTTA NOWHERE, OUR COUNTY THAT GEORGE LATIMER.
SO WE GOING TO SHOW THE TAPE OF SUPERVISOR PAUL.
OUR TOWN CLERK, JUDITH VILLE, YOU KNOW, SHE'S IN THE PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, AND JUDITH IS SO SUPPORTIVE, YOU KNOW,
SO WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO, JANELLE IS GOING TO, OH YEAH.
BEFORE WE DO ANYTHING, BROTHER ABISHAI BABA ABISHAI.
RUBEN GOING TO DO LIBATION AND BRING THE ANCESTORS IN.
BY, HUH? BY, I KNOW EVERYBODY KNOW MY BOYS.
LISTEN, I WANT TO SHARE WITH THE FAMILY.
LIBATION IS A FORM OF A PRAYER AND AN HONORING THE CREATOR AND THE ANCESTORS.
SO THE FIRST LIBATION IS FOR THE CREATOR.
OH, CREATOR, MOTHER, FATHER, GOD OF THE UNIVERSE.
OH, CREATOR, MOTHER, FATHER, GOD OF THE UNIVERSE.
OH, CREATOR, MOTHER, FATHER, GOD OF THE UNIVERSE.
BUT MOST OF ALL, WE THANK YOU FOR OUR LIFE.
THIS AFTERNOON AS WE HONOR YOUR PRESENCE AND OUR BEING.
AND MAY ALL THE WORLD, ALL THE WORLD BE BLESSED AND BE AT ONE AND IN LOVE.
AND WE SAY, I SAY A SAID IS LIKE SAYING AMEN ARE PUTTING THAT PERIOD AT THE END OF A SENTENCE.
SO THIS IS NOT GONNA CHANGE YOUR RELIGION IF YOU SAY AHE.
IT'S A YUBA WORD FOR SAYING THAT'S RIGHT.
NOW, TO THE ELDERS AND THE ANCESTORS
[00:05:02]
WHOSE SHOULD US, WE STAND ON EVERY SECOND OF OUR LIVES.WE MUST ALWAYS HONOR THE ANCESTORS AND THE ELDERS AND OUR FAMILY.
AND BY THE WAY, THE OLDEST PERSON HERE, WE'D BE RE MISSED IF WE DIDN'T ASK YOUR PERMISSION TO CONTINUE WITH THE CELEBRATION.
NO MATTER HOW OLD YOU ARE, IF YOU'RE THE OLDEST, JUST SAY YES.
WE STAND ON, WE ARE GRATEFUL, WE LOVE YOU.
AND WE SAY, I SAY NOW TO THE NEXT SLIDE IS CALLED TO THE ANCESTORS OF THE TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE.
OVER 500 SOME YEARS AGO, THERE WAS A HOLOCAUST UNPRECEDENTED IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD WHERE OUR ANCESTORS WERE TAKEN FROM THE SHORES OF AFRICA ACROSS THE ATLANTIC OCEAN CALLED THE MIDDLE PASSAGE.
AND THOSE ANCESTORS WERE PACKED LIKE SARDINES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SHIP.
THOSE ANCESTORS GAVE THEIR LIFE THAT WE MAY BE HERE TODAY.
NOW THIS FLAG BASIN IS FOR THE VILLAGE, FOR ALL OF US AND ESPECIALLY OUR CHILDREN, TO THE ELDERS OF THE VILLAGE CONTINUE TO TEACH THE CHILDREN THE TRUTH.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE RAISING THE RED, BLACK, AND GREEN.
THAT'S NOT HATE, IT'S LOVE, IT'S THE LOVE AND HONOR.
EVERYONE'S CULTURE, JUST THE GARDEN OF GOD.
ALL THE GARDEN OF GOD HAS DIFFERENT FLOWERS.
SO NOW IT IS TIME TO RECOGNIZE THE ANCIENT OF ANCIENTS.
THE AFRICANS, AFRICAN AMERICANS TASTE THE CHILDREN THE TRUTH.
AND WE SAY, ASHA, MAY WE NOW HAVE COMMENTS FROM OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND OUR TOWN BOARD MEMBERS ALL.
I'M GEORGE LATIMER, COUNTY EXECUTIVE.
HAPPY TO COME HERE AND BE WITH YOU TODAY FOR THIS, UH, CEREMONY.
UH, VERY SIMPLY, IT'S NOT POSSIBLE FOR A WHITE MAN TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE A BLACK MAN IN THIS SOCIETY.
I GREW, I GREW UP ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF MOUNT VERNON.
UH, I WAS THE ONLY WHITE KID IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THERE WAS 85% BLACK KIDS IN MY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
BUT I NEVER GOT PULLED OVER DRIVING WHILE WHITE.
NOBODY EVER LOOKED AT THE CAR.
I WAS DRIVING AND SAID, YOU DON'T BEL, HOW DO YOU OWN THAT CAR? LET ME PULL YOU OVER AND SEE YOUR LICENSE.
NOBODY EVER STOPPED ME IN A GROCERY STORE AND THOUGHT I WAS SHIP, UH, SHOPLIFTING JUST BECAUSE I WAS THERE AND I LOOKED LIKE I MIGHT SHOPLIFT WHEN I WAS, UH, GOING THROUGH EDUCATION AS A KID, GRIMES ELEMENTARY, WASHINGTON JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL.
BUT THE HISTORY RETAUGHT WAS FRANKLY WHITE HISTORY, WHITE HISTORY IN AMERICA, WHITE WORLD HISTORY.
AND NOW THE SOCIETY UNDERSTANDS THAT ALL OF THESE THINGS HAVE TO BE CORRECTED AND FIXED AND MOVED FORWARD IN A PROPER DIRECTION.
AND KIDS WHO GROW UP, WHO SKIN A BLACK HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS CAME FROM BLACK FOLK.
NOT JUST GEORGE WASHINGTON, CARVER BOOKER T WASHINGTON, WHO ARE THE TWO THAT I
[00:10:01]
REMEMBER LISTENING TO, BUT PEOPLE THAT PREDATE THAT PERIOD OF TIME.AND SO THAT IS WHY WE ARE HERE TODAY TO ENJOY AND TO LEARN FROM THIS EXPERIENCE.
THAT IS WHY WE RAISE THAT FLAG OUTSIDE.
AND WE'LL DO IT FOR OTHER ETHNIC GROUPS TOO.
WE'RE GONNA EMBRACE OUR LATINO BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
WE ARE GONNA EMBRACE OUR ASIAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
WE, WE, WE ARE, WE ARE AGAINST RACISM.
WE ARE AGAINST ANTISEMITISM AND ANTI-ASIAN.
BUT THE BLACK EXPERIENCE IN AMERICA WAS SLAVERY.
AND THAT AS A CRIME IN AMERICA WAS THE GREATEST OF ALL OF THESE CRIMES.
SO LET US, LET US MAKE IT BETTER STARTING TODAY AND TOMORROW.
THIS IS A WONDERFUL GROUP OF FRIENDS THAT I'M HAPPY TO SERVE WITH THERE AT THE TOWN LEVEL.
I'M AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, COUNTY AND TOWN TOGETHER ALONGSIDE, UH, JEWEL WILLIAMS JOHNSON, YOUR NEW COUNTY LEGISLATOR, MARY JANE SHAMSKY, YOUR EXISTING COUNTY LEGISLATOR.
WE WILL WORK TOGETHER, COUNTY AND TOWN TOGETHER ON THINGS THAT WILL HELP RAISE THIS MOMENT SO THAT WE APPRECIATE WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY.
AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES IN THE IMAGINE IF MALCOLM MARTIN AND MARCUS HAD BEEN ALLOWED TO FLOURISH, HOW DIFFERENT THINGS WOULD BE.
TODAY'S FLAG RAISING IS AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT THE TOWN BOARD OF THE TOWN OF GREENBERG BELIEVES THAT BLACK LIVES MATTER, NOT JUST TODAY, NOT JUST IN FEBRUARY, BUT EVERY DAY IN TWO WEEKS.
ON FEBRUARY 19TH AT 3:00 PM WE WILL UNVEIL THE TOWN'S BLACK LIVES MATTER SIGNAGE CAMPAIGN THAT INCLUDES THE MURAL, THE SIGNS THAT CLIFF MENTIONED EARLIER, AS WELL AS BANNERS PROCLAIMING THAT BLACK LIVES, THAT ALL LIVES CAN'T MATTER UNTIL BLACK LIVES MATTER ON MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT THE TOWN.
THE UNVEILING WILL OCCUR AT 3:00 PM ON FEBRUARY 19TH AT THE INTERSECTION OF NORWOOD ROAD AND MAYFAIR WAY.
SO PLEASE BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THOSE ANNOUNCEMENTS AND WE HOPE YOU ALL CAN ATTEND.
THANKS CLIFF AND MICHELLE BROWN, WITHOUT WHOM THIS FLAG RAISING WOULD NOT HAPPEN TODAY.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WHEN WE LOOK AROUND AND, AND WE LOOK AT WHAT WE ENDURE AS AFRICAN AMERICANS AND EACH TIME WE THINK THAT WE ARE GOING HIGHER, WE'RE GETTING HIGHER AND HIGHER AND GETTING NEXT STEP AND WE KEEP GETTING KNOCKED BACK DOWN.
WE, AND AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT WE HAD TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT OUR LIVES MATTER, BUT WE OFFER AND WE GIVE SO MUCH OF OURSELVES.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT TEARING PEOPLE APART.
TEARING US APART AMONGST OURSELVES.
WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER AS TOGETHER AS ONE AND CONTINUE AND CONTINUE TO PUSH IN THE MESSAGE.
BECAUSE HERE IN GREENBURG, WE'RE MAKING BIG HISTORY HERE FROM A RESOLUTION PARTNER WITH NAACP STOPPING BLACK RACISM HERE IN GREENBURG TO THE RAISING OF DEATH FLAG IN A FEW MINUTES.
WE'RE MAKING, WE'RE MAKING BRICK DRIVES HERE.
AND WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK TOGETHER.
NO ANIMOSITY COME TOGETHER AS ONE 'CAUSE THIS IS HOW WE'RE GONNA GET, BE ABLE TO PUSH FORWARD.
AND I LOVED, I LOVED YOUR INCLUSIVENESS.
AND WE ARE HERE TO HONOR THE HISTORY THAT HAS BEEN SO LONG IGNORED.
AND I'M HAPPY TO BE A PART OF IT.
WE'VE GOT A ROOM FULL OF TALENT AND ACHIEVEMENT AND THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO WILL COME TO THE FLAG RAISING WHO REPRESENT ALL KINDS OF ACHIEVEMENT.
AND WE NEED TO CELEBRATE THAT.
THE MESSAGE THAT IS GOING OUT TODAY IS ONE OF UNITY.
AND WE NEED TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC.
[00:15:02]
AND IT'S SAD THAT WE STILL HAVE TO, TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC THAT WHEN WE SAY ALL LIVES CAN'T MATTER UNTIL BLACK LIVES MATTER.THAT IS NOT, THAT IS RECOGNIZING A FACT.
AND THAT SAYING IS SO IMPORTANT AND IT'S GONNA BE MISUNDERSTOOD AND IT'S GONNA BE UP TO ALL OF US TO EDUCATE THOSE WHO MISUNDERSTAND.
IT'S NOT SAYING THAT BLACK LIVES MATTER AND ONLY BLACK LIVES MATTER.
IT'S SAYING THAT FOR ANYONE WHO HAS THE RETORT.
WHENEVER ANYBODY SAYS BLACK LIVES MATTER, THAT CAN'T POSSIBLY BE TRUE.
IT CAN'T POSSIBLY BE TRUE THAT ALL LIVES MATTER IF BLACK LIVES DON'T MATTER.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THAT SAYING IS ABOUT.
AND AS THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE SAID, THERE'LL BE OTHER SIGNS.
BUT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE AN ISSUE.
UNFORTUNATELY, SOMEBODY HAD TO DIE ON CAMERA, ON VIDEO AND EVERYBODY WITNESSED PEOPLE STANDING AROUND AND LETTING IT HAPPEN.
UNFORTUNATELY IT TOOK THAT VIDEO.
BUT WE HAVE A MOMENT NOW IN TIME IN HISTORY.
NOT IN A YEAR, NOT FOR A DECADE, NOT FOR A PAST CENTURY.
WE HAVE THE MOMENT IN TIME WHERE I REALLY DO BELIEVE WE CAN ADDRESS THE DIVIDING THE DIVISION THAT WE HAVE IN THIS COUNTRY OVER RACE.
AND WHEN WE ALL GET TOGETHER, PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE ME, PEOPLE LIKE THAT, LOOK LIKE YOU AND THOSE THAT ARE NOT HERE.
WHEN WE ALL GET TOGETHER, I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT GREENBERG, THE TOWN OF GREENBERG, IS GOING TO BECOME THE EXAMPLE FOR EVERYONE ELSE TO FOLLOW.
WHEN THE GOVERNOR PUT OUT HIS, UH, DECREE, BASICALLY THAT HE WANTED TO LOOK AT POLICE REFORM THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND YOU HAD TO FILE A REPORT, WE ALL COMPLIED.
I DON'T THINK ANY MUNICIPALITY IN THE, IN THE STATE DID NOT COMPLY.
BUT WE DIDN'T JUST COMPLY AND PUT SOMETHING ON A SHELF.
WE HAVE COUNCILWOMAN GINA JACKSON HEADING UP A COMMITTEE THAT KEEPS LOOKING AT WHAT DID WE FILE AND WHERE ARE WE IN LIVING UP TO THE PROMISES IN IT.
GREENBERG, WE WANT YOU TO HOLD US, ACCOUNT YOU TO HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE AND WE WISH YOU HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE BECAUSE WE WANT TO PRODUCE.
AND SO WHAT A REMARKABLE EVENT TODAY IS A STEPPING STONE TO WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN TWO WEEKS.
BUT EVEN AFTER TWO WEEKS, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE AND CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER SO THAT THE UNITY THAT WE SPOKE ABOUT BEFORE AND THAT YOU ARE REPRESENTING TODAY CONTINUES.
AND WE EDUCATE THE PUBLIC WHO MISUNDERSTAND OR THEY'LL WANT TO UNDERSTAND SO THAT THE MESSAGE ACTUALLY GETS ACROSS AS THE WHAT WE'RE ABOUT.
I SAY, I GUESS JANELLE DANELLE'S GETTING READY TO, UM, DO THE VIDEO OF, UM, SUPERVISOR PAUL VINER NOW JUST LIKE TURN KNOW IF YOU'RE HAPPEN TO SEE ME IN IT.
HE ASKED ME TO SHOW UP WHEN HE SPOKE.
JANELLE, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY WHY WE, HERE WE HAVE, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, BISHOP PRESTON HERE WE HAVE, UM, COMMISSIONER OF DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY RESOURCE.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE HONORABLE SUPERVISOR, MR. PAUL FINER FOR HAVING A COURAGE AND WITH THE TOWN BOARD FOR ALLOWING THIS SIGNIFICANT MOMENT OF THE RED, BLACK, AND GREEN FLAG TO BE RISEN IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
THIS IS A FIRST AND I APPRECIATE THE TOWN
[00:20:01]
BECAUSE THE TOWN IS TAKING LEADERSHIP ROLES AS FAR AS WE GOT A BLACK LIVES MATTER MURAL THAT'S GOING TO BE DONE IN THE SPRING OF 2022.THEY ALREADY PAINTED A ROCKS RED, BLACK, AND GREEN.
WE ALSO HAVE WELCOME TO GREENBERG AND WE'VE GOT SIGNS THAT ARE GOING SAY ALL LIVES CAN MATTER AND TO BLACK LIVES MATTER.
WHY DID MARCUS GARVEY CREATE THE PAN-AFRICAN FLAG? THE PAN-AFRICAN FLAG WAS CURATED IN 1920 WITH THE SUPPORT OF MARCUS GARVEY, FOUNDER OF THE UNITED NEGRO IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION IN RESPONSE TO A RACIAL DE GREATEST SONG IN THE RELATION THAT EVERY RACE HAVE A FLAG.
BUT THE BLACK RACE, THE RED, BLACK AND GREEN FLAG, IS A REPRESENT OF AFRICAN PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING AND ARE FIGHT FOR LIBERATION IS A UNIVERSAL FLAG OF BLACK PEOPLE AND A BLACK NATION FLAG, WHICH IS TIED TO OUR MOTHERLAND, WHICH IS IN AFRICA.
SO IT'S PAN-AFRICAN ALONG WITH AFRICAN AMERICA BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENED TO US, WE TALKING ABOUT UNITING ALL OVER.
AND JUST BECAUSE WE PROUD OF BEING AFRICAN BLACK, IT DON'T MEAN THAT WE HATE ANYBODY.
I'D JUST LIKE TO THANK THE TOWN AGAIN AND MR. FINER FOR SUPPORTING THIS SIGNIFICANT EVENT.
I'M THE GREENBERG TOWN SUPERVISOR AND I'D LIKE TO BEGIN BY THANKING CLIFF ABRAMS FOR ORGANIZING THIS FLAG RAISING, UH, CEREMONY.
CLIFF HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS, UM, EFFORT FOR, UH, FOR MANY, UH, MONTHS AND HAS INSPIRED ME AND MANY OTHERS TO, UM, RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF BLACK LIVES ON, YOU KNOW, MATTER.
UH, WE'RE GONNA BE PUTTING UP SIGNS AND BANNERS THROUGHOUT, UM, THE TOWN.
WE'RE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO RECOGNIZE AND APPRECIATE, UM, THE FACT THAT THERE'S BEEN DISCRIMINATION, UM, ALL OVER IN GREENBERG, IN THE COUNTY, IN THE NATION AND THE STATE.
AND WE WANNA PUT AN END TO THAT.
WE ALL HAVE TO RESPECT EACH OTHER.
WE HAVE TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO, UM, DISCOURAGE, HATRED, BIGOTRY, UH, YOU KNOW, RACISM.
AND I FEEL THAT THIS FLAG, UM, RAISING CEREMONY IS JUST PART OF MANY INITIATIVES THAT WE IN THE TOWN OF GREENBURG WANT TO TAKE THAT WILL HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF BLACK LIVES, UM, MATTER.
AND I'M URGING EVERYONE, UH, WHO WATCHES, UH, THIS VIDEO, UH, TO SPEAK TO, UH, YOUR NEIGHBORS, SPEAK TO YOUR CHILDREN, AND URGE THEM TO DO WHATEVER THEY CAN TO COMBAT HATE, RACISM AND BIGOTRY.
I'M GONNA BRING UP, YOU GONNA HAVE MY, OUR BROTHER JOSEPH BOYKINS TO SING A SONG, THE CREATOR.
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN PEACE SW ON EARTH AND JOY AND HAPPINESS, THE RAIN AND ITS MAN IN MY HEART FOR THE
[00:25:05]
I PASSES BY, BY OOH.THERE IS A PLACE SHINES SHADOWS IN THE LIGHT, THE SKY FROM ABOVE AND IT'S FREE.
Y'ALL, IT'S SO FREE STOVE MONEY DOWN IF, IF YOU COME ON.
FOLLOW ME, FOLLOW ME, FOLLOW ME.
THE CREATOR HAS A MASTER PLAN.
THE CREATOR HAS A MASTER PLAN.
THE CREATOR HAS A MASTER PLAN.
THE CREATOR HAS A MASTER PLAN.
PEACE AND LOVE FOR EVERY MAN A HAS WONDER MAN, PEACE AND LOVE FOR EVERY MAN I SAY THANK YOU ASHAY.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE OUR TOWN COUNCILOR JURIS VILLE.
SHE'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANT OF THE TOWN BOARD.
SUPPORT THIS AND PLUS HER OWN WORDS.
THANK YOU CLIFF, FOR CREATING THIS MOMENT IN THE HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF GREENBURG.
THANK YOU TO OUR TOWN SUPERVISOR AND OUR OUR TOWN BOARD MEMBERS, AND TO OUR RESIDENTS WHO ARE HERE TO SUPPORT THIS EFFORT AND THIS INITIATIVE.
IT'S UNPRECEDENTED AND IT WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY.
FIRST I WANT TO PAY TRIBUTE TO OUR DRUMMERS.
AND LET'S, BECAUSE WE, WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT, WE NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DRUMMERS.
THE DRUMMERS AS GRTS, THE DRUMMERS AS MESSENGERS.
DO YOU KNOW THERE WAS A TIME IN THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY WHEN THE DRUM BECAME OUTLAWED? IT WAS FORBIDDEN.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE, THAT'S BECAUSE WE, WHEN WE CAME ONTO THE SHIPS FOR THE, TO ENTER INTO THE MIDDLE PASSAGE, WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY CERTAIN MESSAGES, CERTAIN SOUNDS THROUGH THE DRUMS. WE COULD TELL WHO WAS FROM NIGERIA, WHO WAS FROM GHANA, WHO WAS FROM, WE KNEW WHERE WE CAME FROM BASED ON THE BEAT OF
[00:30:01]
THE DRUM.WE KNOW WHAT LANGUAGE WE REPRESENTED BASED ON THE BEAT OF THE DRUM.
SO NOW THE DRUMS WERE USED ON THE SHIPS TO CALM THE PEOPLE DOWN.
BUT THE DRUMS HAD THE EXACT OPPOSITE EFFECT BECAUSE THEY BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER.
THERE WAS A COMMON LANGUAGE THERE.
AND ONCE HERE IN THIS COUNTRY, THERE WERE CONSTANT UPRISINGS.
AND, AND, AND FOLKS COULDN'T UNDERSTAND, WELL, HOW IS IT THAT THEY'RE COMMUNICATING? AND WHEN THEY REALIZED THAT IT WAS THROUGH THE MESSAGE OF THE DRUM THAT COULD BE HEARD MILES AND MILES AND MILES AWAY, THEY OUTLAWED, OUTLAWED THE DRUM.
BUT THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE WE USED OUR VOICES, WE USED OUR BODIES TO, TO TO BRING FORTH MESSAGES, SYMBOLISM MESSAGES WE USED, WE USED CERTAIN WALK, WE USE CERTAIN TALK.
THAT'S THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DREAM.
SO THE BLACK AMERICAN FLAG FIRST APPEARED DURING THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR OF 1861 TO 1865.
DID WE KNOW THAT CONFEDERATE ARMY SOLDIERS, I'M SORRY, AFRICAN AMERICAN ARMY SOLDIERS, FLEW THE BLACK FLAG TO SYMBOLIZE WHAT IT MEANT.
THAT THE UNITS WOULD NOT GIVE UP, WOULD NOT SURRENDER, AND THAT ANY ENEMY THAT THEY ENCOUNTERED WOULD BE KILLED.
THIS REPRESENTED DETERMINATION TO FIGHT FOR JUSTICE, FOR FREEDOM, FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, AND FOR HUMANITY.
YOUR SONG, THE WORDS OF YOUR SONG.
AND THE DRUMS REPRESENT A CALL TO THE ANCESTORS, INTO THE HISTORICAL MESSAGES OF PRIDE, OF PERSEVERANCE, OF KNOWING THAT THERE IS PEACE BEYOND THE TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS.
THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN, CLIFF, FOR CREATING THIS OPPORTUNITY.
THANK YOU TO OUR TOWN BOARD FOR SUPPORTING THIS OPPORTUNITY.
AND THANK YOU TO OUR DRUMMERS AND OUR MESSENGERS FOR BRINGING SIGNIFICANCE TO THIS EVENT.
THIS NEXT PERSON I'M GONNA BRING UP, IT'S AMAZING THAT THIS WOMAN HAD PUT SO MUCH INTO THIS COMMUNITY.
IT'S FUNNY, I GREW UP WITH HER.
AND THEN SHE MOVED TO CALIFORNIA.
SHE SAID EARL SKIS PUT ME IN THE LOOP THE MINUTE SHE SAID IT, I PUT HER OFF TOP OF COMMITTEES.
AND THIS WOMAN BEING LIKE A WARRIOR, I CALL, SHE'S LIKE A SOJO TRUTH WHEN IT COME TO GREENBERG AND ADVOCATING FOR THE VOICELESS.
I CALL HER THE MODERN DAY ANGELA DAVIS.
[00:35:01]
PASSIONATE ABOUT IT AND SHE DON'T LOOK FOR NOTHING BUT TO HELP THE PEOPLE WHO CAN'T SPEAK FOR HERSELF.WITH THAT MICHELLE BROWN, SHE WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT, BUT WE GOT HER GONNA BE SPEAKING ON THE PHONE.
MICHELLE, HOW ARE YOU? PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE.
WHAT A HISTORICAL MOMENT HERE IN GREENBURG TODAY.
I, THE TOWN BOARD FOR SUPPORTING BLACK LIVES IN, I WANNA THANK THE TOWN BOARD FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THE POWER OF BLACK LIVES IN GREENBURG BY RAISING THIS FLAG TODAY.
THIS FLAG WAS CREATED 1920 AND THE SYMBOLIZES RED FOR THE BLOOD, BLACK FOR THE PEOPLE, AND GREEN FOR THE LAND.
I'M HONORED TO BE A PART OF THIS JOURNEY THAT WE ARE ON, TO CONTINUE TO NOT ONLY WITHHOLD GREATNESS, BUT TO BE GREATNESS.
BECAUSE WE ARE THE LEGACY THAT'S BEEN LEFT FOR US TO CONTINUE TO ELEVATE AND TO CONTINUE TO EDUCATE AND TO CONTINUE TO EMPOWER OUR PEOPLE.
RUN THROUGH THE VEIN OF THIS FLAG WITH OUR BLOOD.
AND EVERY TIME WE LOOK AT THIS FLAG, WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THE ANCESTORS WHO CAME BEFORE US.
AND WE CAN'T GIVE UP AND GIVE IN TO ALL OF THE SYSTEMIC RACISM THAT FACES US THE OPPRESSION THAT STILL FACES US.
I SAY THIS TO SAY, IF OUR ANCESTORS WOULD'VE GIVEN UP, WE WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY.
VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHO WE ARE.
THIS IS DEFINITELY A, A, A MOVE MEANT FORWARD.
WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARDS CHANGING THE SYSTEMIC RACISM THAT FACES OUR FAMILIES, OUR BLACK MEN, OUR BLACK WOMEN AND OUR BLACK CHILDREN.
AND THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE LIVE IN.
WE CAN'T LET IT END TODAY BY HAVING THIS FLAG WAVE.
IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO JUST ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT THIS FLAG IS BEING RAISED.
AND IT'S VERY HISTORIC FOR US, ESPECIALLY IN GREENBURG.
HOWEVER, THE SAD REPRESENTS MUCH MORE TO US AS A PEOPLE.
WE CAN'T FORGET THAT WE CAN'T LEAVE HERE TODAY.
NOT KNOWING THAT THERE'S MUCH MORE WORK TO DO AHEAD.
IT IS PART OF WHO WE ARE AND IT IS OUR CULTURE.
NOURISHING AND IT IS POWERFUL.
AND THAT'S THE THING, RIGHT? RED, BLACK IN GREEN REPRESENTS BLACK POWER, BLACK EXCELLENCE.
SO I WANNA SAY AGAIN, THANKS, YOU KNOW, TO THE TOWN OF GREENBURG, THANK YOU
I WANNA THANK JUDITH VILLE, THE TOWN CLERK, WHO IS NOT ONLY RICH IN HISTORY, BUT SHE'S
[00:40:01]
A PILLAR IN THIS COMMUNITY AND VERY PRESTIGIOUS OFFICE IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT WE MUST HONOR, RESPECT AND SUPPORT.UM, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO THAT.
UM, SO AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I WANNA THANK THE TOWN, UM, BOARD, UM, FOR THE SYMBOL.
I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT AFTER 268 DAYS, WE KNOW WHEN THE SIGN IS GONNA BE PUT BACK UP, UM, AT NORWOOD ROAD 'CAUSE IT HAS BEEN DOWN FOR 268 DAYS TODAY.
AND, UM, IN THE FACE OF VIOLENCE, WE AS A PEOPLE MUST CONTINUE TO RISE AS THIS FLAG WILL TODAY.
SO STAY DILIGENT, STAY FOCUSED, STAY CONNECTED, STAY IN POWER, STAY IN LOVE AND GRACE.
CONNECT WITH EACH OTHER IN POWER OF LIFT.
AND KNOW THAT THE MOVEMENT, THE BLACK LIVES DOES NOT STOP HERE TODAY.
THAT THE MOVEMENT FOR BLACK POWER IS WHERE WE STAND TODAY.
HAVE A GOOD EVENING AND ENJOY GETTING READY TO GO OUTSIDE.
THEY GOT TWO MORE SPEAKERS ARE GONNA SPEAK REAL QUICK AND THE DRUMMER'S GOING TO DO THEIR THING.
AND THEN WE ARE GONNA GO OUTSIDE AND RAISE THE FLAG.
BUT I HAVE TO ALLOW BISHOP PRESTON ABSOLUTELY TO COME UP.
WE CERTAINLY HONOR EVERY ONE OF YOU.
AND WE THANK, I THANK GOD FOR EVERYBODY BEING HERE AND FOR THIS AWESOME OCCASION.
THIS IS, WE ARE WITNESSING SOMETHING THAT IS NOT TAKING PLACE ENOUGH AND PROBABLY ONE OF THE FIRST IN THE COUNTRY TO DO SUCH A THING.
SO WE SHOULD STAND PROUD, WE SHOULD STAND BOLD AND WE SHOULD STAND CONTINUOUSLY FOR OUR PEOPLE.
I WANT TO SAY THAT, UH, I, I TALK ABOUT BLACKNESS.
I TALK ABOUT WHO WE ARE AS A PEOPLE AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALK ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT NO LIVES CAN MATTER UNTIL BLACK LIVES MATTER.
I GET A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM SOME OF OUR CONSTITUENTS, BUT I LIKE TO ASK THE QUESTION AND LEAVE THIS QUESTION WITH YOU.
AND I'M GONNA SAY A BRIEF PRAYER.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH BEING EQUAL? TEACH, TEACH, PREACH.
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM OF BROTHERS AND SISTERS ACROSS THE SCOPE OF EVERY NATION, EVERY CLAN JOINING HANDS AND BEING ONE.
I GOTTA BRING THIS LAST SPEAKER UP AND THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE DRUMMERS.
AND THEN FROM THE DRUMMERS WE'RE GONNA GO OUTSIDE, BUT OUR TOWN ASSEMBLYMAN, TOM BERNANKE'S HERE.
SO WE GONNA LET TOM SAY A FEW WORDS.
I DON'T HAVE, I DON'T HAVE TO BE TOLD BE TO, I DON'T HAVE TO BE TOLD TO BE SHORT.
LET ME, UH, START OFF BY, UH, THANKING, UH, THE BISHOP FOR HIS, HIS REMARKS, UM, AND HIS PRAYER.
[00:45:01]
LEADERSHIP, OUR TOWN BOARD FOR SPONSORING THIS AND BEING HERE TODAY.AND OF COURSE THE EARL OF GREENBERG ONE,
YOU KNOW, A COMMUNITY IS NOT JUST THE PLACE ON A MAP.
IT'S THE SPIRIT, THE CHARACTER, THE CULTURE.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE REMEMBER AND COMMEMORATE THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE THE CHALLENGES THAT THEY FACED, THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR COMMUNITY AND ALL OF THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THOSE WHO ARE HERE TO CARRY ON.
SO I APPLAUD ALL OF YOU FOR COMING TOGETHER TODAY AND I LOOK FORWARD TO A TIME WHEN WE SEE THE WORLD UNITE AND WHEN WE CAN CREATE LASTING CHANGE TOGETHER ACROSS THE GLOBE, THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITIES.
SO THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME JOIN YOU TODAY.
SO IF YOU SAY HAVE OUR BELOVED BROTHERS DUE TO DRUMS, IF JEWEL, IF YOU WOULD LIKE OUR, OUR NEW, UM, COUNTY LEGISLATOR, IF YOU CHOOSE TO, YOU COULD SAY A BRIEF FEW WORDS IF YOU'D LIKE TO.
AND WE HAVE MARY JANE YOUR VOTE COME UP, SAY BRIEF WORDS, THEN WE LET THE DRUMMERS COME AND THEN WE GO OUTSIDE.
LET, DON'T SAY DON'T LET YOU GO.
YES, I GIVING THANKS AND PRAISE TO THE ALMIGHTY CREATOR AND I, AND I RASTAFARI I, GIVING THANKS AND PRAISE ALWAYS TO THE ANCESTORS.
SHABAZZ AND SHOWING HONOR TO THE CUSTODIANS OF OUR CULTURE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
HONORING THE EARL OF GREENBURG, HIS NEW, HIS NEW NAME.
AND, UH, ALL OF, ALL OF THE, ALL OF THE, UH, OFFICIALS OF GREENBURG.
TO MAKE THIS DAY SPECIAL, I WANNA ALSO PAY HONOR TO MY PARENTS, DAWN, DAWN AND FRANK PATTERSON PAYING HONOR TO FRANK PATTERSON AND DAWN PATTERSON, PARTICULARLY FOR THEIR, THEIR WISE MIND TO ACTUALLY MOVE OUR FAMILY TO GREENBURG AND SO ON.
SUCH A DAY TODAY I'M VERY HONORED TO HAVE BEEN A, A A A A YOUTH GROWING UP IN GREENBURG TO SEE GREENBERG TAKES SUCH A, A LEADERSHIP ROLE.
THAT'S RIGHT IN WHAT THE FIFTH DIMENSION WAS IT THAT TOLD US THAT THIS IS, THIS IS THE DAWNING, THIS IS THE DAWNING OF THE AGE OF AQUARIUS, THE AGE OF AQUARIUS.
AND SO ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED, THAT ARE NOT OF THE AFRICAN HERITAGE, BUT ARE OF THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE OF AQUARIUS.
WE GIVE THANKS FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN BEING PART OF THE FUTURE MILLENNIUM THAT WILL BRING ALL OF US TOGETHER AND HONOR THE, THE FATHERS AND MOTHERS OF HUMANITY, THE FATHERS AND MOTHERS OF CIVILIZATION, SO THAT OUR DAYS MAY BE LONG AND GRACED AND BLESSED.
AND IN THE SPIRIT OF CARTER G WOODSON, WHO WE SHOULD NOT FORGET, BRINGS US TOGETHER FOR AFRICAN HERITAGE MONTH 1926, CARTER G WOODSON, 1926 NEGRO HISTORY WEEK.
HISTORY WEEK TO TODAY, AFRICAN HERITAGE MONTH.
WE HONOR CARTER G WOODSON AND WE HONOR MARCUS GAR.
WE, WE SAY REPEAT RALLY ROUND THE RED, RALLY ROUND THE GOLD, RALLY ROUND THE RED GOLD, BLACK AND GREEN.
MARCUS SAY RED FOR THE BLOOD THAT FLOWS LIKE A RIVER.
MARCUS SAY GREEN FOR THE LAND.
AFRICA AND MARCUS SAY BLACK FOR THE PEOPLE, THEM LOOTED FROM THE ORIGINAL PEOPLE, THE ORIGINAL D N A, YOU KNOW, LUCY, YOU KNOW, KINES, THE HUMAN ANCESTOR OF ALL OF US, THE AFRICANS.
AND SO FOR GIVING THANKS AND PRAISE IN PASSING IT ON.
I DON'T WANNA INTERRUPT THAT VIBE.
UM, I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THIS.
I WANT TO THANK THE TOWN AND THE ORGANIZER, CLIFF ABRAMS. UM, HE CARES SO MUCH.
HIS PASSION IS MORE THAN EVIDENT AND WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
UM, BOTH MARY JANESKY AND I ON THE BOARD OF LEGISLATORS AND ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, UH, YOUR NAME TO, UM,
[00:50:01]
THANK EVERYBODY FOR THIS.MY NAME IS JEWEL WILLIAMS JOHNSON, NEWLY ELECTED TO THE BOARD OF LEGISLATORS SUCCEEDING.
MY MOTHER, HONORABLE ALFREDA WILLIAMS. UH, SHE, BUT, UM, THIS IS GREAT.
I, SO THANK YOU FOR CALLING, UH, CARTER WOODSON'S NAME.
I REALLY DO BELIEVE IN CALLING OUR ANCESTORS' NAME.
AND THIS HAPPENING TODAY, THE DAY AFTER THE, UH, WHAT WOULD'VE BEEN ROSA PARKS BIRTHDAY, MEANS EV EVERYTHING.
AND I JUST HOPE THAT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES WILL FOLLOW SUIT.
I AM HONORED TO BE HERE TO CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH WITH ALL OF YOU, THE TRAGEDIES, THE TRIUMPHS, THE RICH CULTURE, AND THE GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS IN ALL WALKS OF LIFE THAT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR.
THANK YOU TO CLIFF ABRAMS, THANK YOU TO THE TOWN OF GREENBERG.
THANK YOU TO OUR TALENTED DRUMMERS, AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE FLAG RAISING.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE.