Posted on 04/29/2002 3:50:53 PM PDT by stainlessbanner
David Jackson Jr. speaks at the NAACP luncheon on Saturday afternoon as City Councilman Eugene Jefferson (middle) and NAACP Secretary Glynnell Presley listen.
As he teaches students at Florida A&M University, David Jackson Jr. learns that many of them do not know much about black history.
At the annual luncheon for the Columbia County Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Jackson told of the need for youngsters to learn about black history so they know the struggles their ancestors went through for them and know where they must go with their own struggles.
"They don't know what black people have been through to get here today," he said.
During his speech, he mentioned the struggle the NAACP has had with the City of Lake City to remove the Confederate flag from the city's logo.
"People have many misconceptions about the flag," Jackson said.
In his first point, he said the battle flag was not the national flag of the Confederacy, and there were even a few different battle flags. Another misconception he reported was the Confederate flag was flown without interruption since the 1860s, when actually the flag was taken out of attics in the 1950s and 1960s as acts of defiance against the Civil Rights Movement. People today say they are honoring their ancestors by flying the flag, but the ancestors closest to those who flew it did not honor them in that way, Jackson said.
"To me, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense," he said.
Jackson said the flag does not bother him, but the mindset surrounding it does.
Even though removal of the flag from state property is an issue of the NAACP, Jackson said the organization should not put all of its manpower into this cause because it is not the only issue important to black people ‹ the education of the youth, as well as problems with society that make blacks more likely to be jailed, earn less money and get worse medical treatment than whites.
"We're smart enough to know something's not right," he said.
He said blacks must never forget what happened to them in this country and that's why they must continue talking about their struggles.
"We must learn to speak up, speak out," Jackson said. "Because if we don't speak up for ourselves, no one will speak for us."
As part of the luncheon, the NAACP gave out awards. Melvarose Scippio was recognized for being the newest life member for the branch. Four churches ‹ New Bethel Baptist Church, Philadelphia Baptist Church, Mt. Pisgah AME Church and Community Revival ‹ received NAACP Service Awards.
Philadelphia Baptist Church received the Freedom Bell for the fourth year in a row. To get the Freedom Bell, a church must have the most people join the NAACP.
The NAACP Award went to Patricia Brady. Glynnell Presley said Brady helped with the challenge to the baccalaureate program and is always willing do anything asked of her.
Circuit Judge Julian Collins presided over the luncheon, starting the event with two questions ‹ why he was there and why the NAACP would ask him, a white man, to be the master of ceremonies. "Both thoughts reflect just how far we have gotten with race relation in this community and how far we still have to go."
I don't think the NAACP has any misconceptions about the flag - they have used it for a full blown media frenzy and money maker. Exploitation at its finest.
The United Confederate Veterans would be suprised to hear that. They issued an Official Announcement on June 03, 1906 on the proper display of the Confederate flag.
McDonald's is doing the same thing as the poverty pimps.
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