Monday, June 12th, 2023
Press Release
Sharman and I developed a press release for Remembering Arthur Miller Jr. on the 45th Anniversary and the Making of a Movement. We also issued a statement for the upcoming House of the Lord Dept of Women's Work National Women’s Conference in Philadelphia, PA July 14-16th, 2023.
Sarah and I discussed the design of the physical banners for Arthur Miller and Kwame Ture.
41st Anniversary of June 12, 1982
On June 12,1982, we organized over 1 million people from all over the world to demand nuclear disarmament.
There was a peace rally in Staten Island remembering June 12,1982. It was my intention to attend but an emergency occurred which prevented my attendance.
Wednesday, June 14th, 2023
It started on the 14th of June, Wednesday which was the actual day of Arthur Miller’s chokehold death in 1978. As you probably know we had been planning a special recognition of the Life and Times of Arthur Miller which was to take place the following Saturday June 17th, 2023.
Dr. Dawnique Daughtry, my baby daughter, Principal of Ronald Edmonds 113 had her last school's graduation.
The major event however was the graduation ceremony of the Ronald Edmonds Learning Center Middle School 113 in Brooklyn, NY. I love graduations! They are special times to celebrate achievements, yes, but to reflect on what lies ahead. Is it just the end of the line for some of the students? Or a stepping stone toward greater achievements. But this graduation was super special. For our baby daughter, Dr. Dawnique Daughtry, she is the principal of the Ronald Edmond Learning Center and has been for 12 years. To see her acting as the principal amongst these wildly cheering students and proud parents and loved ones, brought back years when she was a student and we, my wife Dr. Karen Daughtry and I were attending her graduation. It was a great moment!
But at the same time, I couldn't help but remember the death of Arthur Miller, 45 years ago. Such is life, the agony, and the ecstasy! We cry and we celebrate and how we balance the two will determine the state of our lives.
Thursday, June 15th, 2023
Brooklyn Historical Society - Remembers Arthur Miller Jr.
Gracie Mansion- Juneteenth Celebration The following evening, the 15th of June, I had two events. First, the Brooklyn Historical Society was doing a program on Arthur Miller (see interview on YouTube). I was invited to be a panelist which included two authors and Errol Louis, a CNN political commentator and the host of inside City Hall on New York 1. A New York all-news channel, served as moderator. The Brooklyn Historical Society is a major depository primarily, though nonexclusive, of Brooklyn history. Because of my other commitment at Gracie Mansion, I had to cut short my time at the Brooklyn Historical Society. In fact, would I agreed to do was an exclusive interview with Errol Louis and then depart for Gracie Mansion.
have the highest admiration for Errol Louis, for his writing and his commitment. He was one of the young people who came down from Harvard to the church during the time of Arthur Miller and during the commencement of the black movement. We created the Timbuktu Learning Center, consisting of scholars, artists of every description, revolutionaries, activists, statesman, diplomats, literary giants, would assemble at the Timbuktu Learning Center located in the historic The House of the Lord Church, Brooklyn. It was indeed the place to be! They came from every aspect of life and every place of the African diaspora. It was at that time that now, Mayor Eric Adams, was a young man, amongst others, who I encouraged to join the Police Department.
There were two major reasons why I admired Errol Louis in addition to his literary skills and commitment, he had written his support for our negotiations and support of Forest City Ratner, the developer, that proposed the building of the state-of-the-art arena and 16 high rise buildings in the downtown area of Brooklyn, which was resisted by the majority of the people who lived in the area, especially the homeowners. Eventually I saw the benefit that potentially the construction would bring to the community and beyond. I formed an organization called the Downtown Brooklyn Neighborhood Association to negotiate with the developer, Bruce Ratner and his staff. I was subject to intense criticism from practically everybody. The intensity which was comparable to any hostility and attacks that I ever had up to that point. But Errol Louis was supportive in his writings.
The second reason was he once wrote that, "Rev. Daughtry acted like a man, who forced the world to accept him on his own terms. This is what I always wanted to do and it has always been one of my objectives."
When I was a teenager in Brooklyn public school, I was considered a dummy, put in the lowest class, primarily because I was a disruptive, rebellious youth. So, they penalize me academically for my disruptive behavior. Years later after I had become a follower of Jesus Christ, my mind became a quest to read everything I could get my hands on. My love for learning was observed by a particular person who wanted to give me a scholarship for my education in the school systems. I rejected the scholarship, I said to myself, I’m going to make the school system accept me on my own terms. I want to make a statement on behalf of all black, white, poor youth who the school system treats as though they are morons and dummies because the system cannot cope with their rebellious behavior. So, when Louis wrote the above, it was the achievement of my objective.
After the interview with Errol Louis, which can be seen on the Brooklyn Historical Societies YouTube page, I and my assistant, Mrs. Sarah Chambers, hastened to Gracie Mansion. There was a Juneteenth program scheduled and it was crowded. It seemed that the people were shoulder to shoulder. It was held in the park attached to Gracie Mansion. I received an award from the mayor. It was another high point in this week's events. To be honored at Gracie Mansion with so many people of every background you can think of, is a rare distinction. I only made a few remarks thanking the Mayor and Rev. Monrose, director of faith-based communities. After mixing with the crowd including family members, I headed back to Brooklyn.
I received a message on my Facebook Page from Linda Baden, wife of Dr. Michael Baden who did an autopsy on Arthur Miller Jr. and Phillip Panell in New Jersey. Dr. Baden has since written a book called American Autopsy available on Amazon.
Friday, June 16th, 2023
Last minute preparation for the Arthur Miller program tomorrow at The House of the Lord Church 415 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217
Most of Friday, June 16th was spent planning and organizing for the June 17th event. We organized the volunteers, servers, hostesses, people who hosted the book and registration tables. I was quite pleased with the commitment from the volunteers to do the work and the enthusiasm the volunteers brought to the occasion.
Saturday, June 17th, 2023
Celebrating Arthur Miller Jr. on the 45th Anniversary
In the morning we had breakfast for the volunteers and special guests after which the program started by showing a video entitled “Sermon”. It was a video that captured the events and personalities during the time of Arthur Miller, Randy Evans and the movement emanating from their deaths. I had not seen it for a long time and many people in the audience had not seen it. We are planning to do a series of videos for educational, motivational, and inspirational reasons. After the video we had a panel discussion including speakers: Adeyemi Bandele, Council Member Charles Barron and former Assembly Member Roger Green, all who played a key role in the movement. We had children of the movers and shakers in attendance as well, including, Lumumba Bandele (son of Adeyemi Bandele), Jelani Mashariki, (daughter of Job Mashariki) and Binta Vann, (daughter of late Assemblyman Al Vann) who told their story regarding their lives and what they remembered of the movement.
Perhaps the panelists summed it up best when they agreed that the Black activist movement emanating out of the House of The Lord Church was a safe meeting place and it filled the void that had been left vacant as a result of the programs designed by the FBI to neutralize and destroy programs by the black movement.
The civil rights movement starting in the 50s and 60s had become disappointing for so many people and had never gained a foothold in northern urban cities. They considered them diminished. Into this void came the movement that eventuated into the National Black United Front.
The program concluded with the mothers and families as panelists whose children had been killed by the police or street violence. Mrs. Gwen Carr mother of Eric Garner, Myrlene Laurince, mother of Bernard Placide and Myriam Laurince, his aunt, Darlene Armstead, sister of Clifford Glover, LoLisa Miller-Bradford, daughter of Arthur Miller Jr. We also had several videos of important people who could not make it such as Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, AG Letitia James, and Bishop Leah Daughtry.
July 1-4th, 2023: I had a table where we sold our books at the 52nd International African Arts Festival.
July 7-9th, 2023: I attended the 44th Anniversary of the NBUF in Pittsburgh. I was the founding chair; we reached a peak of having chapters in 35 states. I spoke: link article and speech.
July 10, 2023
The Black and the Green
I attended the showing of the black and the green at bam and it recounts my visit to the Ireland delegation which I was a member and there has been a history of Black and the Irish and been struggling together. On Thurs night, I was invited back to make comments on the film since I had been an integral part of making the film in Belfast with St. Clair Bourne.
July 14-16, 2023: The following weekend was the National Women’s Conference in Philadelphia.
July 22, 2023: Rally at Highland Park, Brooklyn, NY organized by Bishop Freddie Arnold and family. The family is still mourning their teenage son’s death, he was caught in a crossfire, the bullets were meant for someone else. I attended the memorial and suggested a street naming and a scholarship in honor of his son Julian Arnold. It was a Stop the Violence and Bring the Peace Rally. See videos, photos, etc via Facebook.
July 23, 2023: Basketball Prayer and I promoted my recent published books : 52 Weekly Biblical Reflections for the Mastery of Life, The Life and Times of Arthur Miller, Reflections on the Pandemic 2020-2021.
Books are available to purchase via the "Books" tab above.
Following, we had our 8:45am Prayer. The gym was in Teaneck, NJ. Then our Jersey City congregation decided After which we decided to worship with our Brooklyn congregation at The House of the Lord Church 415 Atlantic Ave. Rev Dr. Karen Daughtry is the Pastor. I was so moved by Bishop Corletta Vaughn’s sermon at the conclusion of the Women’s conference that I wanted members of Jersey City to hear her. The service was on Zoom.
There were 3 reasons why I urged the Jersey congregation and all my friends and supporters to attend the worship service in Brooklyn.
She was profuse in her praise of our church.
She knew the history of our synthesizing the secular and African-American history in an ever-deepening relationship with God.
She emphasized our empowerment once we received the Holy Spirit. But she went further and we come to number four which was the
Emphasis on “renovating humanity”. She said, “The Holy Spirit comes and gives us an unforgettable experience. Also, the Holy Spirit encounters us, gives something to us and takes something from us. Takes our surrender and gives us empowerment to renovate humanity. I have not heard it put quite like that.
I say Save the Planet! Save the People! Jesus said, “you should receive power when the Holy Ghost has come upon you and you will be my witnesses. In Jerusalem, and the uttermost parts of the world. Two persons at the conference were filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues as we, who are Pentecostal believe the evidence of being filled is by speaking in tongues.
Conclusion
Looking over the six weeks. It was amazing the number of ventures or programs, but more importantly, was the diversity. Each event had its own personality or different people. Yet in some sense we’re all alike, but in another sense we’re all different. Thus, we had a wide range a personality type that were the dominant i.e. Arthur Miller Jr., were activists, nationalists and middle class and professionals and mothers whose loved ones have been killed by the police or street violence. The African Arts Festival was almost exclusively people of African Ancestry consisting of what we call nationalist and pan-Africanists, revolutionaries, activists, and artists. The Black United Front was a
similar gathering comparable to the African Arts Festival.
The Women’s Conference were exclusively women almost all pentecostal and all people of African Ancestry. The Stop the Violence Rally, those who attended were peace, activists engaged primarily in stopping the violence. Their work is primarily in the
streets relating to the gangs. The basketball at the gym was representatives of the sports world, they talked sports when they met in the mornings when we’ d meet for the basketball game and the prayer. I thank God for a ministry that can reach the multitudes and wide diversity. This coming Saturday we will be remembering Kwame Ture and the
years of the Black Power movement as well as planning and thinking about the future.