What A Weekend
On Sat, Dec 30th, 2023 we memorialized Min. Michael “Seed” Amon-Ra. I called him Seed. He was my chief of staff and great protector when I charged the Black United fronts I will write more about him later. At the same time my cousin in Florida, Tena Jefferson was memorialized. Tena’s mother was my first cousin. We were very very close. For the first 10 years we were raised partially by our grandmother and grandfather, Henrietta and Emmett Cheatham.
See family connection in my latest book The Passing of Giants Vol I, Chapter 5- Family and Friends - My first cousin, her full name was Alberta Bernice Franklin, we called her Bert. It is an interesting story of growing up in a racist segregated South and the dominance of complexion color. Bert was very light-skinned, my brothers and I were brown. My grandmother always called Bert "Her Golden Child".
At the same time, as Seed and Tena. We learned that Rod Taylor, a Black United front member had passed. Brother Taylor headed our Incarceration Re-entry Program.
Mon January 1st, Mr. John Flateau, another member of our church, the House of the Lord Church but more prominently was a Consultant to Assemblyman Al Vann and Professor of Medgar Evers College abt him later. His funeral was Wednesday January 10, 2023 at 10am. I'll add more about him later.
In between, Wednesday, January 3rd I attended the meeting with Mayor Adams and Senior Faith Leaders. See link attached.
In addition, on Friday, January 5th, I attended the funeral of James Hampton. He was a distant relative. More about him later.
Saturday, January 6th I attended the morning rallies at the National Action Network (NAN) 106 W 145th St, New York, NY 10039. While there, Sharpton announced that on 1/13 which is my birthday there will be a special birthday recognition, “Bishop Daughtry Day at NAN." He also stated to bring your gifts.
Obviously, I was elated for primarily two reasons. First, Reverend Sharpton had volunteered to do this. We have been knowing each other since he was 12/13. He was our youth leader of Operation Breadbasket (OBB). Dr. William Jones, Bethany Baptist Church was the Chair, I was Executive chair. Rev. John Scott was Executive Director.
OBB was the brainchild of Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). The idea was to make Corporate America accountable to the Black community, for not only what had been done, but what it was doing in the present. Preachers would meet with the Presidents of corporations, usually with ten demands. If the corporation complied, reconciliation would occur and there would be mutual benefits. If not, we would take various actions up to and including take over or sit-ins at corporate headquarters and civil disobedience.
Rev. Al Sharpton cited one event that we in Breadbasket initiated. It was the boycott and sit-in of A&P. A&P, the giant food corporation at the time. All night we sat in their corporate headquarters and was arrested at that moment. Rev. Sharpton who was too young to be arrested nonetheless was apart of the takeover and was with the ministers when they held a press conference the next day. See photo below:
In fact, Jesse Jackson who was the national leader of Breadbasket came to town and was arrested.
The second reason is that it validates God's promise of when we do good for others others will do good for us or we would be rewarded in some way for the good we do. So, my reaching out to support the Mayor, Sharpton volunteered to do "Bishop Herbert Daughtry Day at NAN." (The Program starts at 9-9:30am at NAN: 106 W 145th St, New York, NY 10039 and live on radio WLIB 1190)
Throughout his speech, he made the occasional references to our long history. But his main emphasis was on the attack on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). He cited instances which were attempts by right wing and racist elements to roll back our civil rights gains. In particular he cited, Dr. Claudine Gay at Harvard University, was forced to resign because of the House Hearing Committee , she did not answer up to expectations regarding Anti-Semitism and she was accused of plagiarism, which proves to be not true at all. Dr. Gay was an example but there are plenty other cases clearly demonstrating what we are up against.
He mentioned the demonstration that they had had and will continue to have in the office of William Ackman. Mr. Ackman is a billionaire, Harvard Alumnus who led the charge insisting on Dr. Gay's resignation. The protest was held at the office of 54th and 11th Ave from 12-1pm.
Sunday, January 7th I preached at the House of the Lord Church 415 Atlantic Avenue. My subject was "What kind of Revolutionary we need". I emphasized genuine Revolutionaries are driven by love. They give their lives either all at once or through criticism's for others. The masses initially only want more things for themselves. Although the masses when educated regarding their condition and led properly they become the force that brings change. We seem to be divided between the Gimmie's and the Giver's. God perceived as a cosmic bellhop by too many people. They only want Him around when they want something. True revolutionaries first give their lives or surrender their lives to their calls. To me and leading of others that means surrender to Jesus Christ as Lord our Savior. From that surrender we become givers. We move from givings to what we can get. The Scripture that I used was Matthew 16:24-28, "where Jesus said he that seeks to save his life, shall lose it; he that loses his life for my sake shall find it."