By Pat Bryant
Several hundred mostly Black union leaders joined for a week of conversations about increasing the fall voter turnout. The non-partisan A. Philliph Randolph Institute met in Hollywood Florida Diplomat Hotel recently steps from an inviting Atlantic ocean. A serious and somber mood infused the gathering, the 53rd annual conference, highlighted by luminaries like actor Danny Glover and other human rights and labor rights activists.
The NNPA Chairman’s 2024 Award for Excellence in Journalism Advocacy” was presented to the A. Phillip Randolph Institute.
In part the award read In recognition of outstanding contributions to social justice, labor rights, and promoting equity and civil rights through Black-owned media, particularly with the founding of The Messenger Magazine (1917-1928).
At stake, a Republican Party captured by neo-Nazis, threatening a roll back of liberties and rights accrued over the last 75 years. Constant references were made to Project 2025, the Republican plan to change America to dictatorship and authoritarian rule.
Broadening coalition building in local communities to change America was at the heart of discussion.
“The fight we are undertaking right now is to make America something it was never intended to be…There is a provision in the Declaration of Independence that when your government ceases to provide life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, it is the right of the people to abolish it and create something new”, said April Albright, founder of Black Voters Matters. She continued saying that as Blacks, Arabs, Jews, women and all groups of good will work and vote together we win a new America.” She continued, asking the leaders what kind of America do you want?
At the American Federation of Teachers caucus, former Senator Tony Hill warned that in Florida and most Southern States Project 2025, the prescription for dictatorship is already in place with recent laws and executive orders. “We must continue to fight, keep it from spreading and build a new society”, Hill said. He sold a tee shirt that read “My Black job is voting”.
From Michigan to Florida to Carolina to California these laborites came, much out of the tradition which Bayard Rustin and Norm Hill built in APRI. Frail and in his nineties, Hill sold copies of his new book co-authored with his wife Velma, Climbing The Rough Side of the Mountain.
Clayola Brown, president of APRI and Frederick Redmond, Secretary Treasurer of the AFL-CIO and chair of the APRI board, cast a vison of a broad movement to democratize America with labor playing an essential role. Another Black labor group was invited and its leader Rev. Terrence Melvin spoke.
In other places Donald Trump’s Republican Party met simultaneously in Milwaukee. A chorus of Democratic Party leaders orchestrated in media calls for President Joe Biden not to run citing a poor debate against Trump, and charges Biden was too old and polls indicated he would loose to Trump. Days later President Biden withdrew from the Democratic Party’s nomination, and endorsed African American
Vice-President Kamala Harris. In hours Harris was endorsed by much of the Democratic Party leadership and the Party had raised $30 million.
*Pat Bryant is a long-time Southern Freedom Movement journ
