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Message to the Black man: Unity through separation is the only solution

By Tariqah Shakir-Muhammad -Final Call Newspaper- | Last updated: Apr 24, 2019 - 3:07:30 PM

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(l) Tyehimba Mtu performed an upbeat drum performance that kept spirits high during the meeting. (c) Student Min. Ava Muhammad, national spokesperson of the Hon. Min. Louis Farrakhan. (r) Members of the executive council of the UNIA/ACL spoke during recent meeting themed “Unification is the only Solution”.

CHICAGO—“Unification is the Only Solution” was the theme of the recent Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA/ACL) mass meeting featuring guest speaker Student Minister Ava Muhammad. The meeting was held at the Jacob Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies at Northeastern Illinois University.

The UNIA/ACL is a Black nationalist and provisional government organization founded in Jamaica by the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey in1914. Its official office is located in Cleveland. Its aim is to unite Black and African communities and nations as taught by Marcus Garvey, a patriarch in the struggle for Black liberation during the 20th century.

National Spokesperson to the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, Student Min. Ava Muhammad elaborated on Marcus Garvey’s promotion of unity with the teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad.

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Audience chants anthem of the UNIA/ACL, “One God! One aim! One destiny” which was first said by the Hon. Marcus Mosiah Garvey.

“To the government and people of the United States of America, I say to you, separation of us from you is the only answer and you will soon come to know it,” Min. Ava Muhammad stated.

“And so the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, in the program he put on the back page of Muhammad Speaks and is now on every issue of the back page of The Final Call newspaper, number 9 of ‘What the Muslims Want, What the Muslims Believe,’ he said: ‘We believe the offer of integration is hypocritical and is made by those trying to deceive Black people into believing that their 400-year-old enemy of freedom, justice and equality is all of a sudden our friend.’ ”

“We believe such deception is intended to prevent Black people from realizing the time and history has arrived for the separation of the Whites of this nation, …” she continued. The student minister is also a mother and grandmother, attorney and radio host for her show “Elevated Places” on 1690 WVON.

“This is not an aberration to say ‘separation,’” she continued. “Negroes complain all the time—‘Oh, White people did this, they did that, they treated me so bad at that job, I was so upset and they didn’t give us the award;’ the Honorable Elijah Muhammad said leave White people alone, stop bothering people.”

The March 29 meeting included UNIA/ACL executive council members such as Secretary General Sister Mary Bota; 1st assistant Secretary General Sis. Brenda Amoakon; 1st Assistant Secretary General Emeritus Sis. Brenda Dunn Clayton; and Division 401 and 429 officers which are Chicago-based members of the group.

An Afrocentric presentation by Brother Victor L. Betts and a drum and solo performance by Bro. Tyehimba Mtu and Sis. Georgia Johnson kept the spirits high that evening.

“It’s not enough to acknowledge each other?” Min. Ava Muhammad continued. “Our acceptance of one another by one another is life-giving!”

The 11th President General of the UNIA/ACL and 10th successor to Marcus Garvey, Michael R. Duncan, concluded the mass meeting with encouraging words of the founder.

“Marcus Garvey said ‘chance has never yet satisfied the hopes of our suffering people.’ Black people, we are suffering,” he stated. “So, we must do what we earnestly believe what is right for our people and be ready to suffer the consequences!”

Marcus Garvey, born August 1887 continued to fight for the liberation of his people despite opposition by the U.S. government, prison time and even death threats.

 “One God! One aim! One destiny!” Mr. Duncan said to the applauding audience.

Guest and supporter Sis. Nassi-Ali, who was former secretary to the Honorable Elijah Muhammad from 1969 to 1975, stated that the meeting emphasized the need and desire of the Black community and leaders be with and stay with their own.

“I wholeheartedly agree with what I heard in terms of unity. Unity is so important and the spirit in this room tonight was very great,” she said shortly after the meeting concluded. “When Sister Ava talked, when the other people talked, it was just magnificent because the topic—the underlying topic was unity.”

“No matter what you call yourself, no matter what religion, the melanin in our skin is what brings us together.” For more information on the UNIA/ACL, visit www.theunia-acl.com.