The Final Call

A Time To Mourn And A Call For Transparency

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MILWAUKEE—On a tense morning, clouds hovered over Christian Faith Fellowship Church as people gathered to pay their last respects to Sylville Smith, a 23-year-old Black male shot to death by a Black officer and whose death sparked an uprising and battles with police.

Sylville Smith

The church accommodated up to 1,250 people and about 1,000 of the mourners were young people joined by Sylville’s family, clergy, elected officials and activists. Security for the service was provided by the Nation of Islam’s Fruit of Islam from Muhammad Mosque No. 3, members of the Moorish Science Temple Brothers, church personnel and volunteers. 

No media outlets were allowed inside the sanctuary, but The Final Call was given special access while mainstream media, local affiliates and anchorpersons were relegated to a church holding room next to their cameras, laptops and recorders. Camera shots shared with the media had to be cleared by the family.

Rev. Jesse Jackson presided over the funeral as Pastor Darrel Hines and his wife, Pastor Pamela Hines, weren’t in the city, but sent special condolences to the grieving family. The couple was unable to attend because of prior commitments, said a church official.

Educator and community activist Muhibb Dyer, co-founder of the “I Will Not Die Young” campaign, spoke prior to Rev. Jackson. Quite a few youth bowed their heads in the rear of the church, others rested their heads on pews in front of them. Some fought back tears, others wept openly. They hugged one another throughout the service.

After several acknowledgements, activist Dyer referred to Syville as a “good father,” a “powerful leader” and asked everyone to stand up to applaud a “celebration of life.”

“We need to understand, this is a funeral and not an opportunity,” stressed Mr. Dyer. “Maybe, Sylville thought he’d never make worldwide news. Maybe, Sylville thought they [youth] wouldn’t riot in his name. Maybe, Sylville thought that individuals would never care that much.”

 “Why do we riot? We rioted because there is a riot that exists in little Black boys’ souls every time we walk through these streets every day!”  he added. “If all they [mainstream media] report is the burning of the buildings … shame on you. Look at all the souls that are on fire. You act like buildings are more important than people. You do not have the permission to tell our story anymore,” he declared. The audience applauded in response.

Mr. Dyer urged all the men, 30 years and under, to stand up and repeat: “I will not die young. I will not die young. I am great. I am mighty. I am awesome. I am magnificent. My destiny is not to die on Burleigh.  My destiny is to control all 196,940,000 square miles of this earth. It belongs to me. It belongs to me. I will not die young! Rest in peace Sylville.”

Rev. Jesse Jackson opened in prayer, offered condolences to Sylville’s family and thanked the clergy, city officials, state representatives and everyone in the church for their support for justice in Sylville’s death. Rev. Jackson read Psalm 23 from the Bible as mourners repeated the verse at a low monotone.  

After reading the verse, Rev. Jackson said: “We need transparency. We need to know what is on the tape.  We cannot hide the cancer. We are not our brother’s keeper. We’re our brother’s brother. The same with the sisters. There is no peace without justice. We want justice. The pain in Milwaukee this morning is dark, but we can work in the dark. We can pray in the dark. We can create jobs in the dark. Don’t let the darkness defeat us. We could not stop this funeral, but we can stop the next one. Sylville has organized us. He will make Milwaukee better.  A lot better.  It’s your time Milwaukee. Stand tall Milwaukee. It’s hope time. It’s healing time. Victory is ours.”

In closing, Rev. Jackson sang “At the Cross When I First Saw the Light” and hundreds of youth walked toward the altar and accepted Christ into their lives.               

Sylville, who had a two-year-old son, was the lone son of Mildred Haynes. His other siblings were on his father’s side, Patrick Smith.

Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke implemented a 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew in Sherman Park following the killing as police in riot gear surrounded certain parts of the area. The park is located in the neighborhood where the shooting and unrest occurred. Sheriff Clarke also advised Gov. Scott Walker that the National Guard be placed on standby. The curfew is still in effect. 

The F.O.I. of Milwaukee led by Student Minister William Muhammad, activists, residents and supporters marched through the park and held two candlelight vigils in remembrance of Sylville who family and friends say went to the same high school as the officer who fatally shot him. They say police officer Dominique Heaggan, 24, who was also identified by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel as the officer involved in the incident, shot Sylville. Some have charged the killing was a personal vendetta but police officials have not officially released the officer’s name. They have said the officer involved was Black, wearing a body cam and is on paid administrative leave pending an investigation.  The body cam footage has not been released and state officials probing the shooting say it would not be released until their investigation is complete. Sylville was fatally wounded Aug. 13 after a car chase and a weekend of rioting and unrest followed. Three businesses were burned down to the ground and five others suffered fire damage.   

In an exclusive Final Call interview after the funeral service, Atty. David B. Owens who represents Sylville’s family, was asked what happens next? “The family is still trying to find how to process grief. Trying to get some information about how this happened and why did this happen and trying to seek some formal closure,” he said.

Some community leaders and politicians have called for a federal investigation of the shooting. Meanwhile $4.5 million in state aid is supposed to come into the mainly Black and neglected neighborhood as Gov. Scott Walker seeks to revitalize the area, said local officials.