Locals show courage while the
National Offices hide out.
In a community which perpetuates its abnormally
and artificially high rate of arrest and incarceration of African
Americans as a welcome and growing form of economic development, a
group of courageous people led by Black Americans have chosen to take
a very unpopular stand.
In a telephone interview April 30th, with Champaign
County NAACP Branch president, Cleveland Jefferson, American Comments
Magazine received confirmation the local chapter has taken a public
stand against racist mascots and symbols. Announcing in a public press
conference April 29th, 1998 they pressed an eight point statement
and plan of action into the public eye.
From the twin cities area where the oppression
of African Americans continues to be a struggle, the local NAACP chapter
speaks out against racism forced onto the Native American. On the
heels of a difficult confrontation with local police officials regarding
their treatment of African Americans in searches, seizures and "routine
security stops" this local chapter turned up the heat even higher
by putting the spotlight on Illinois' as a breeding ground for racial
hatred.
Calling for an end to bigotry pressed against
Native Americans, the Champaign County NAACP, pledged to carry their
message of equality for all people to the Illinois State legislature,
"To create and pass legislation which rejects the use of historically
oppressed people and their cultural traditions as sports mascots and
symbols."
When this fight is won and the leeches come
crawling up out of the shadows to take away the awards and the glory
for the dignity they did not earn Champaign County NAACP can rightfully
tell them to sit down and shut up. Remember that it is Cleveland Jefferson,
President of the Champaign County NAACP, who defied the national standard
of racial supremacy and stuck his neck out to protect Native American
children from psychological molestation when no one else in the NAACP
had the guts or brains to do it.
The NAACP, an organization banned in the 1960's
for addressing real civil rights issues in the State of Georgia, now
looks to people like Catherine Hougue, Champaign branch Vice President,
Imani Bazzell, and Abdul El Jamal, members at large, to learn how
to fight for civil rights again.
Pointing out the silence of NAACP local civil
rights chapters who will now will seek out the Champaign County branch
for guidance and education in civil rights they gently, "reminded
members of the historic political and familial relationships between
African Americans and Native Americans, as well as their parallel
struggles to define and name themselves in the face of pervasive,
unrelenting racial stereotypes."
Affirming the need for solidarity and taking
the real steps of earning the right to be called civil rights leaders
this local chapter urged others to learn by their example as in their
words they, "call upon other predominately African American community
institutions and organizations to join the (Champaign) NAACP in opposition
to "Chief" Illiniwek and other racist mascots and symbols;"
THE PRESS STATEMENT FOLLOWS:
CHAMPAIGN COUNTY BRANCH NAACP
PO BOX 403, CHAMPAIGN, IL 61824
For more information
Champaign County Branch President
Cleveland Jefferson
217-352-7166
PRESS CONFERENCE
Wednesday, April 29th, 1998
10:30am Douglass Branch Library
504 E. Grove, Champaign, Illinois
*The Champaign County Branch of the NAACP unanimously votes for an
anti-chief Illiniwek resolution and takes action
* Reaffirming the National NAACP position against racist mascots and
symbols, the Champaign County Branch of the NAACP unanimously passed
a motion at their regular monthly membership meeting on Tuesday, April
21st, 1998 to publicly oppose the use of "Chief" Illiniwek
(the American Indian mascot of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
and other racist mascots/symbols and to take the following actions:
* submit a resolution to the NAACP State Conference of Branches opposing
racist mascots and symbols;
* call upon the University of Illinois
Urbana-Champaign President and Chancellor to take a public stance
against "Chief" Illiniwek;
* call upon the University of Illinois
Board of Trustees to retire "Chief" Illiniwek;
* call upon the Governor of the State
of Illinois to use his influence to retire "Chief" Illiniwek
and other racist mascots and symbols throughout the state;
* call upon the State Legislature
to create and pass legislation which rejects the use of historically
oppressed people and their cultural traditions as sports mascots and
symbols, and affirms their commitment to respectful racial and cultural
inclusion in all aspects of public life;
* call upon other predominately
African American community institutions and organizations to join
the NAACP in public opposition to "Chief" Illiniwek and
other racist mascots and symbols;
* call upon African American community
members to refrain from purchasing
items with the "Chief" logo, and to cross out the logo on
apparel already in
their possession; and
* as an initial community education
effort, sponsor a viewing of the film "In Whose Honor" by
Jay Rosenstein, and facilitate discussion on the relationship between
Native American and African American racist stereotyping.
* Imani Bazzell, member of the Champaign County branch, affirmed that
failure to take this step [opposing the "Chief"] would be
counter to everything the NAACP stands for. Furthermore, she and member
Abdul El Jamal, reminded members of the historic political and familial
relationships between African Americans and Native Americans, as well
as their parallel
struggles to define and name themselves in the face of pervasive,
unrelenting racial stereotypes.
* Catherine Hogue, branch Vice President, emphasized that their members,
as individuals, have been outspoken on this issue for a long time,
but now have decided to act as a community, propelled by the UIUC
Senate vote and the call from the Conference on the Elimination of
Racist Mascots to act in solidarity with the Native American Community.
Other members underscored the importance of a community based support
for the retirement of Chief Illiniwek.
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TO THE QUESTIONS FOR NAACP