Photo Bio Series Part Six: Black United Front in Action!
Meanwhile, during the "Bloody Summer of 78", racism and violence con unabated against Black people.
● Sunday, July 23rd, 1978 - a packed bus of Black people from Riis Beach attacked by a gang of whites at Utica and Avenue K.
● Sunday, August 13th, 1978 - Darryl Murray beaten and hospitalized by police - 88th pct. ● Monday, August 14th,1978- Black youth and l Hispanic youth, CETA beaten by a white gang in a planned attack in Gravesend, Brooklyn ● Tuesday, August 15th, 1978 - Thurman Robinson, a fifteen year old beaten and hospitalized by police - 73rd pct.
Realizing that the atmosphere for this increased hostility against Blacks was emanating from City Hall, now occupied by a Mayor(Koch)who was both racist and totally insensitive to the needs of the masses of the Blacks, Hispanics and poor peoples of this City, the Black United Front joined with groups from all over New York City for the planning and execution of a March on City Hall.
On Thursday, September 28th, 1978, thousands of Black New Yorkers and supporters marched to protest the policies of the Mayor and posted Ten Demands on the door to City Hall. These Demands called attention to deplorable conditions in our community as pertains to: ● Police brutality ● White terrorist gangs ● Poor social services ● Political manipulation of anti-poverty funds ● Closing of municipal hospitals ● High unemployment ● Deterioration of public housing ● Cutback in child care and senior citizen budgets ● Destruction of neighborhoods ● Miseducation in public schools On Monday, November 6, 1978, BLACK SOLIDARITY DAY in New York City, over three thousand people marched in a solidarity rally to the Wall Street Stock Exchange to protest the dismissal of charges brought against policemen in the murder of Arthur Miller. We (BUF) sought to demonstrate that the bankrupt leadership of New York held profits in a higher esteem than human life.
On December 11th, 1978 (Human Rights Day), the Black United Front officially climaxed a year of meaningful and effective organizing and struggle by petitioning the United Nations Commission on Human Rights to investigate the violation of human rights and illegal imprisonment of political prisoners in the United States. Over five hundred people came out in ten degree weather to participate in this historic event.
Since its birth and development in 1978 and during 1979, The Black United Front has continued to grow and develop as a force for change in New York City. The Black United Front is a grassroot organization. It is dedicated to eliminating racism and it is committed to instituting justice. It promotes collective Black ethics and works towards seeking power in the political, economic, and social sphere, as well as the complete liberation of Black people. We have begun the process of educating and organizing the masses of Black people throughout Metropolitan New York so that we change our present reality. We invite you to JOIN US!
Photo Caption: After the police on horseback attacked us as we were walking across the bridge to confront President Carter and after repeated efforts to reach him and his Attorney General with charges of racist behavior by the administration and other racist acts and we did not receive a response. We gathered at City Hall where he was speaking and disrupted the meeting. At a press conference the next day I held up photos showing the police attacking us on horseback.