To Those Who Sacrificed

Paying homage to those who sacrificed their lives.

Paying homage to those who sacrificed their lives and reflecting on what we are facing today.

An African life amounted to a desperate voyage in treacherous storm-tossed waters, chained and locked in the hold of a leaky ship. With water pouring in on them, some Africans drowned even though the ship didn’t sink.

Surviving such an ordeal and many others, an African was rewarded with perpetual bondage and subjection.

In the year 1571, European traders exchanged metal, cloth, beads, guns, and ammunition for captive Africans. How ironic today that the same system is selling guns without permits to young people in 2023.

Powerful African Americans and Africans forced their way into life-changing moments to establish our cultures. Blowing on shore in 1769, Somerset vs Stewart kicked up a storm of controversy, putting slavery on trial in England. An enslaved African, and as time and events would have it, slavery was never the same in the British Empire.

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Somerset's run set off a chain of events that produced a counterweight to slavery. Somerset was recaptured (1771); after his capture, Somerset's benefactors made an application before the court of King Bench on a writ of habeas corpus for his release from all obligations as a slave.

Somerset was brought before Chief Justice Lord Mansfield, whose opinion held that “Chattel slavery was unsupported by the common law in England and Wales” His ruling not only freed Somerset but gave the fight to abolish the slave trade new life in England and the United States of America.

Supporting Somerset, they became the tip of the spear in the international and ecumenical campaigns thrush to end slavery. -John B Smith

To this day, the struggle continues, and Call 2 Men Memphis is taking up the mantle. Join the struggle, IT'S TIME!

Say Their Names!

Words of Wisdom and Truth!

“The Soul that is within me(us) no man can degrade” –Frederick Douglas

Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for, We are the change that we seek” --Barak Obama

“A man without knowledge of himself and his heritage is like a tree without roots” –Dick Gregory

“Life is not a spectator sport if you’re going to spend your whole life in the grandstand, just watching what’s going on, in my opinion, you’re wasting your life.” –Jackie Robinson

“The way to right wrong is to turn the light of truth upon them.” –Ida B Wells

“If you know whence you came, there is really no limit to where you can go” –James Baldwin

“There are two rules in Life: Number 1, never quit! Number 2, never forget rule number one.” –Duke Ellington

“You can’t separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.” –Malcolm X

“Have a vision. Be demanding.” --Colin Powell

“Almost always, the creative, dedicated minority has made the world better.” –Martin Luther King

“Character is power.” –Booker T Washington

“Truth is powerful and prevails.” –Sojourner Truth

“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that enhances the freedom of others.” –Nelson Mandela

“I’ve learned over years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear,” –Rosa Parks

“Never ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble. –John Lewis

“My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.” –Desmond Tutu

“In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute.” –Thurgood Marshall.