National News

Rainbow Push celebrates 43 years

By Starla Muhammad -Assistant Editor- | Last updated: Jul 16, 2014 - 3:52:22 PM

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L-R, Rev. Al Sampson, Rev. Otis Moss Jr., Rev. Jesse Jackson, former Ald. Dorothy Tillman at Rainbow Push luncheon honoring clergy. Photo: Starla Muhammad
CHICAGO—Civil Rights history was honored and progress recognized but the battle for full socio-economic equality continues. This was a recurring theme during panel discussions and events that took place at the recent Rainbow Push Coalition and Citizenship Education Fund International Convention.

Activists, clergy, government officials, media and sports personalities joined attendees during the June 28-July 2 gathering themed, “A Quest For Equality and Peace.” The organization, founded by Rev. Jesse Jackson, had its 43rd annual conference that included sessions on political engagement, school to prison pipeline, immigration reform, human rights, education, sports, health, the state of Black media and the evolution and impact of hip-hop and more.

The critical importance of Black media in terms of content, influence and ownership was highlighted in two sessions titled, “Broadband and the state of Black media.”

“I stand before you in one of the top three markets, one of only two African American owners of a broadcast station,” Melanie Spann-Cooper, co-owner of WVON 1690AM in Chicago said in remarks between sessions.

The challenge remains that for Blacks, while over 13 percent of the U.S. population and among  leading consumers of media, ownership remains elusive. Of over 15,000 broadcast radio stations in the U.S., Blacks own 199 according to the FCC. Of over 1,300 full power commercial powered television stations, Blacks owned 9 or 0.6 percent.

Ms. Spann-Cooper told the audience she had recently returned from Washington, D.C. with the National Association of Broadcasters advocating for including in the minority tax certificate provisions for tax incentives to larger companies who sell to minorities.

The FCC issues licenses but in recent years large corporations have gobbled up the lions share, leaving a chasm in Black ownership.

“I often say when I speak around the country; I don’t know if Black folks really understand what our world would be like if we do not have Black-owned, Black-controlled media because literally we will no longer be able to control our story and we will be in a position of asking somebody else’s permission to talk about our story,” said Roland Martin, journalist and host of News One Now on TV One. Mr. Martin moderated the second session. 

In “The Mind, Body and Soul of Hip-Hop” panelists discussed the influence and development of the musical genre, its culture, and analyzed its progress and flaws. 

“Hip hop like anything else has evolved. But I believe that evolution has been controlled by people who don’t have our best interest at heart necessarily,” said Dwayne Hirsh of Business Spotlight Network and a board member on the Small Business Advocacy Council in Chicago.

What people want is shaped by what they are constantly being fed and “we give into that,” he added.

“If we decided that we wanted to stop this, we stop this at the source of it which is still us who’s making music and then the people like Clear Channel and others would have to follow suit with that and then we could get more Common, Talib Kweli, Murder to Excellence on the radio where you can listen to a whole day now and never hear a positive message once and that’s something that we have the power to change,” said Mr. Hirsh.

Ilyasah Shabazz, author, activist and daughter of Nation of Islam Minister Malcolm X said she grew up a fan of rap music that had a message of empowerment.

“It was very clear that there was a lot of power in hip hop music and it was a lot of power in young people and you can remember, ‘Self-Destruction’ where they played my father,” said Ms. Shabazz referring to the 1989 anti-violence anthem featuring some of the top rap artists of that time.

But there was an effort to infiltrate hip-hop just like 1960s Black organizations, said Ms. Shabazz citing the Black Panther Party and Nation of Islam as examples, adding “all the Black organizations became infiltrated, hip hop became infiltrated.”

Ms. Shabazz said the community must take responsibility for its children, not fear them and teach them their history.

“There’s more to it than just slavery. We have to know who we are. When we look at Jewish people they talk about the Jewish Holocaust. The Jewish Holocaust didn’t even happen in this country but every American knows about it. There’s a thing called the African Holocaust, the largest forced migration of a people and in the history of mankind,” said Ms. Shabazz.

The Rainbow Push convention was also a time of reflection and recognition of historical moments in U.S. history, including the 1984 and 1988 presidential campaigns of Rev. Jackson, and the 50 year anniversary of the signing of the 1964 Voting Rights Act. Several civil rights stalwarts including Rev. Clay Evans, Rev. Willie Barrow, Rev. Dr. John Porter, Rev. Dr. Otis Moss Jr., Rev. Al Sampson, Ald. Dorothy Wright Tillman and others, were honored and recognized for their sacrifices and contributions to the movement at a special luncheon.