THE NATIONAL COALITION OF
BLACK NATIONALIST ELDERS CONFERENCE
A Tiered Membership Account Structure & Marketplace
REGISTRATION AT http://www.khabooks.com/fantasytours.htm
We have received a number of inquires about our call to Black Nationalist Elders, the most interesting are the ones from other groups, many of whom were planning to have a meeting of one kind or another, but when they got the word about ours, as one said, “yours already is more advanced than ours at this point, so we don’t want to ‘re-invent the wheel.’” They offered to support NCOBNE instead of going forth with a different meeting. Hopefully the clarity we had ourselves of plans for NCOBNA, at that time, let everyone know ours is an Open Conference to all.
Everyone is advised to keep in mind that The Black Elders Conference is planned as a WORKING CONFERENCE not a TALKING CONFERENCE.
With the above in mind, I think it’s appropriate to update our response to everyone at this time, so we can be very clear and precise about our intentions for calling Elder to convene in the first place:
This Memo does not intend to unveil anything of a confidential nature that is still under consideration by The Planning Committee of NCOBNE. The following is only to provide enough information about what individuals can expect if they attend The Elders Conference on March 19-20-21, 2010; or who would like to open a Membership Account in NCOBNE.
1. All aspects about plans for the successful building of a National Coalition of Black Elders will be openly discussed at the Conference.
2. After the open discussion of the plans, resolutions, declarative statements and suggestions will be accepted as recommendations to ratify the plans for NCOBNE.
3. To open a Membership Account in NCOBNE, the Individual must be (1) Black and 60 years old (2) Black and desirous of Sponsoring a Black person who is over 60 years old (Black and would like to open up a Membership Account in the name of a relative who have transitioned).
4. The Nat Turner Trail Tour, Sunday, March 21, 2010 1 to 2 p.m. the fee is $30 per seat with no lap seating, paid in advance to secure a bus to make the tour. If you don’t pay in advance, we cannot guarantee a seat on the bus.
5. Black Elders Dinner is Saturday Evening, March 20. After conferring in the morning and an extended Plenary all afternoon. We will have a dinner and light social networking/dancing and maybe a great after dinner speaker from one Elder who attends the gathering. Attendance at the Elders Dinner will be $25.00, also paid in advance.
6. All Elders in attendance are expected to open a Membership Account in the amount of $100.00 (paid with whatever payment plan is comfortable, but a minimum down payment of $25.00 is necessary. Be advised that part payment for a Membership Account will not entitle one to access to the Black Elders Marketplace.
7. Total advance payment package required is $55.00 paid by March 10, 2010. Advance payment of for the Membership Account Fee is optional.
8. Please remit payment to: P. O. Box 9 - Drewryville, VA 23844. Make checks payable to NCOBNE. You may also pay via Paypal to the following address khalifah@khabooks.com
Your cancelled check will be your receipt for all monies remitted to us. But if time permits, we will also send you a receipt. Please fill out the Registration form at http://www.khabooks.com/fantasytours.htm or www.khabooks.com call 434-378-2140
https://theblacklist.net/
Replies
by Marvin X
These notes are based on the teachings of the Honorable John Douimbia (RIP), founder of the Black Men's Conference, Oakland, CA, 1980. I served as chief planner of the BMC. John gave me one-on-one manhood training. On the morning of the conference, over one thousand black men gathered at the Oakland Auditorium to hear from John, myself, Dr. Nathan Hare, Dr. Wade Nobles, Dr. Oba T-Shaka, Dr. Yusef Bey, et al. Women organized an event that evening for the men, organizers included Betty King (RIP) and Dezy Woods-Jones.
This draft has never been implemented, although Bay Area elders were seated at the Tupac Shakur Youth Conference at McClymonds high school, circa 2000. Those elders seated included Geronimo Pratt, Tarika Lewis, Willie Tate, Tureeda Mikell, Aishah Kokomon, Suzzette Celeste, Frank Kellum, David Johnson, Emory Douglas, myself, et al.
(1) What is the function of a Council of Elders?
The Council of Elders should be the final authority in the African community. It should be the final authority in moral, domestic, personal, criminal justice and economic matters. It should provide counseling and guidance to troubled men and women. For example, O.J. Simpson could have gone to the Elders Council for guidance on his domestic problems--Tiger Woods as well.
Brothers in the hood should be able to take their problems before the EC for conflict resolution, rather than resorting to violence and destroying entire families over a twenty-dollar dope debt.
The EC would pay the debt to prevent homicide. Incest and other child abuse cases would be matters for the EC. Political prisoners and inmates could be released to the custody of the EC.
(2) How should the EC be composed?
If no other way, it must be drafted by respectable elders in the community. They must be men and women of wisdom and honor. They need not be holy Joe's, but cannot be of outright, flagrant unholiness and negativity. They should be of revolutionary consciousness as opposed to conservative--they ought to have radical thoughts that can guide us through the millennium, not keep us in the past. The last thing we need is a group of tired, reactionary, boot-licking Negroes in authority, persons who want to deliver the EC to the black bourgeoisie running dogs for pharaoh. Elders should not be able to be bought, sell out or traded.
(3) How does the EC receive power?
The EC receives power from the people who agree to submit issues before the EC for resolution. There should be a community consensus that the EC is the point of authority to resolve issues that need not involve the so-called elected governmental agencies which have proven incapable of resolving human rights abuses, economic justice, political empowerment, disparities in health, education, mental health, drug abuse, homicide, suicide, domestic and partner violence, emotional and verbal violence, child abuse, spiritual decadence and myopia (especially with respect to men--the churches are mostly full of women).
(4) How would the EC administer its decisions?
Persons might receive a citation to appear before the EC. They might peacefully submit to arrest and detention in a community center before their case is adjudicated. The decisions of the EC would be enforced by Guardians of the Community, men and women trained to enforce the dictates of the EC.
(5) Should the EC be a religious or spiritual body?
No. Religion should not dominate the EC. The EC exists for the community as a whole, not for any religion or group of religions. Extremely religious persons should be barred from the EC.
Persons concerned with religious matters should remain in their churches, mosques, temples--yes, keep praying. Of course, the EC should have a spiritual dimension as part of its holistic approach to problem solving.
(6) What should be the relationship of the EC to the established government and its agencies?
It should be a cooperative but independent relationship. If there are problems the EC cannot handle, then we should turn matters over to the criminal justice system, or mental health agencies. What we want is the first option to control our community, rather than have outside forces intervene. We feel the EC can eradicate the sale of drugs in our community without involving the criminal justice system. We will do this by simply uniting the males and making their presence known. We will also do this by presenting alternative economic opportunities to youth, such as entrepreneurship and micro credit. We know that if youth can sell drugs, they can sell anything. Why not books, watches, shoes, clothing, arts, DVDs, CDs, food, etc. Rather than pay the criminal justice system fifty thousand dollars per man per year for incarceration, why not give the brothers and sisters a voucher for the same amount to purchase legal goods to sell?
The goods would be housed in a secured community warehouse and issued as per need. If youth persist in criminal activity such as selling drugs and pimping, they would be banished from the community, if necessary, for life.
(7) Should there be a Council of Women Affairs?
Women should be an equal part of the EC, but also have a department of Women's Affairs to handle issues only women should settle, the same for men and youth. As per women, we know cases of elderly abuse by daughters--sons as well. Why should elders live 70 and 80 years to be terrified by their children, especially when the elders are caring for the grandchildren due to the drug addiction of parents?
(8) Should there be a youth council?
Yes. It would deal with youth matters. We had the case of a youth who was prevented from entering a certain department at San Francisco State University--she couldn't get assistance from the Black Student Union, Black Studies Department or any other help. A Council of Youth would represent the student in a matter of this nature, which the student believe was racial discrimination. You might have simple adolescent or sexual identity problems that peer counseling or ultimately manhood training could resolve, or problems with parents who might be drug or sexual abusers--such issues might be immediately taken to the EC.
These are my views, all points open for discussion. I welcome all comments.
Sincerely,
Marvin X
revised
2/27/10
These notes originally appeared in my collection of essays, In the Crazy House Called America, Black Bird Press, Berkeley, 2002.
www.blackbirdpressnews.blogspot.com
jmarvinx@yahoo.com
PS
Of course a Black Nationalist Elders Council would be concerned with nationhood, land, separation, sovereignty, reparations, etc. mx
Thank you for your well thought out and considered contribution to www.NCOBNE.com (National Coalition of Black Elders). It is obvious that all of the points that you shared will be discussed during the day long Saturday radification recommendations and the afternoon long plenary sessions; and hopefully we will at the least, LAY THE GROUNDWORK TO BUILD ANATIONAL COUNCIL THAT WILL DEAL WITH EVERYTHING YOU WRITE ABOUT....... and so much the better if more can be done than TALK ..... in any event, it will be BESIDES the 3 reasons for NCOBNE - "to gather, preserve and disseminate the legacies of Black Elders." This is spelled out more clearly at www.ncobne.com - Sorry the National Elders Council you were a part of in 1980 did not work out. We have had a lot of good "Talking Conference" that did not work. But we have had few "Working Conferences" that did not work......the www.ncobne.com will be convening a Working Conference. perhaps, just perhaps a National Council of Elders can begin to constitute a system to form. What The Coalition presents to be worked on will, in fact be INSTITUTED, for it will already be CONSTITUTED................Khalifah
The history of our people is in their letters, photos, scrap books, notebooks, that most relatives throw into the garbage upon their death. We must do a campaign to stop this ignorance since it is our history we are throwing away, the history of common people since we all have archives, anyone who has lived, especially lived the life of an oppressed human being. I hope we have a secure place for our archives for the generations to come.
Salaam,
Marvin X
Yes, we are focusing on ONLY what i know i can institutionalize....in planning my own legacy, of course i just took ti to the next step since i know so many who did not organize their stuff themselves...one of my recently departed Mentors, Dr. Imari A. Obadele also is a good example for me here: i understand he had carefully packed and labelled 86 boxes.........There will be a place in this institution for the paper that you presented. I hope you take out a Membership Account [there will be more on this in a week or two, but one major component is that a Membership Account will connect to the Personal things Elder may have that is or Research Value: User Fee will be charged to earn Elder cash from Reserachers: Imagine A Black Elders Marketplace)...........Khalifah
Writers should autograph all their writings, books, manuscripts, even if they don't like to autograph, as I don't, but I know it authenticates the material, plus increases the value.
Thank Allah Ancestor Obadele organized his archives. A big problem is ignorant relatives, friends, and especially landlords who think real estate is the only property of value, they are too ignorant to know creative property or chattel has value as well. And then there are children who will run for a touchdown with whatever they can steal as in the case of Malcom's daughter and Martin Luther Kings, Jr.'s son. Our priority is thus education and revolution in the family!
University of California, Berkeley, Bancroft Library
The Marvin X Papers
Collection Title: Finding Aid to the Marvin X Papers, 1965-2006, bulk 1993-2006
Collection Number: BANC MSS 2006/217
Description
The Marvin X Papers document the life and work of playwright, poet, essayist, and activist Marvin X during the nineties and the first decade of the 21st Century. The papers include correspondence; Marvin X's writings; materials related to the Recovery Theatre; works by his children and colleagues; and resource files. Correspondence includes letters, cards, and e-mails; correspondents include Amiri Baraka and other prominent African-American intellectuals.
Marvin X's writings include notebooks, drafts, and manuscripts of poetry, novels, plays, essays, and planned anthologies. Documents from the Recovery Theatre include organizational and financial records and promotional material. Writings by others include essays, scripts, and academic papers by his three daughters.
Resource files include academic articles, e-mails, flyers, news clippings and programs that contextualize and document Marvin X's involvement as an activist, intellectual, and literary figure in the African American community in the Bay Area in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Photographs include snapshots of family, friends, colleagues, and productions at the Recovery Theatre.
Background
Poet, playwright and essayist Marvin X was born Marvin E. Jackmon on May 29, 1944 in Fowler, California. He grew up in Fresno and Oakland, in an activist household. X attended Oakland City College (Merritt College), where he was introduced to Black Nationalism and became friends with future Black Panther founders Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale. X earned a B.A. and M.A. in English from San Francisco State University and emerged as an important voice in the Black Arts Movement (BAM), the artistic arm of the Black Power movement, in the mid-to-late Sixties. X wrote for many of the BAM's key journals. He also co-founded, with playwright Ed Bullins and others, two of BAM's premier West Coast headquarters and venues - Black House and San Francisco's Black Arts/West Theatre. In 1967, X joined the Nation of Islam and became known as El Muhajir. In the eighties, he organized the Melvin Black Forum on Human Rights and the first Annual All Black Men's Conference. He also served as an aide to former Black Panther Eldridge Cleaver and attempted to create the Marvin X Center for the Study of World Religions. In 1999, X founded San Francisco's Recovery Theatre. His production of "One Day in the Life," the play he wrote about his drug addiction and recovery, became the longest-running African-American drama in Northern California. In 2004, in celebration of Black History Month, X produced the San Francisco Tenderloin Book Fair (also known as the San Francisco Black Radical Book Fair) and University of Poetry. X has taught Black Studies, drama, creative writing, journalism, English and Arabic at a variety of California universities and colleges. He continues to work as an activist, educator, writer, and producer.
Extent
Number of containers: 8 cartons, 1 box Linear feet: 10.2
Restrictions
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Head of Public Services, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, 94270-6000. Consent is given on behalf of The Bancroft Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission from the copyright owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright owner. See: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/reference/permissions.html.
Availability
Collection is open for research.
With the celebrity and stature you enjoy with, i.e. Amiri Baraka, you can help to jump start the authentication of NCOBNE, many of whom are above my own "Pay grade" - with you weighing in EARLY, perhaps we can attract a "grant" from someplace so we can PAY a technician to consruct the Virtual Achive as we vision it should be - especially the vast Black Elders Marketplace .... i have no expertise in attracting Grant Money (an have no desire to learn). But this does not mean i would turn any "good money" away.....for i know it is not necessary to be LARGE and to be effective; and i am prepared to do my work as i have always done....piece meal it as the price to remain fiercely Independent (my journalistic self requires this, as does the teachings of The Honorable Elijah Muhammad) ......... I am quite appreciative to have this correspondance with you....................Khalifah
The reason I rushed my archives to UCB was due to paranoia over what happened to my 60s material. I wanted to get them out of my hands before relatives and/or friends threw them in the trash as I allowed to happen with the 60s material. I do no mind making available copies of my materials, including material UCB did not receive.
I did offer my archives to the Schomburg, Howard University and the Afro-American Museum/Library here in Oakland, a research library.
I'm thinking that Rudolph Lewis of Chickenbones.com might be able to help you although he is not in good health. You might need to rush to him for online assistance, especially since he was a former librarian, I believe, in Baltimore or at Morgan State. www.nathanielturner.com. I think he would have interest in the subject. It is a matter of his energy level. But I am sure he can give you some advice. Again, we must rush to save as many archives as possible before the trashman and grave robbers get to them.
Salaam,
Marvin