50th Anniversary of the March on Washington

So much has been written about this march.  I hope you have been reading all the information or watching on TV.  As I write this I am listening to the live screening of the 50th Anniversary on the date August 28th.

As you may know I grew up in the north.  My father came from Wilmington North Carolina as a young man never went back.  He told me NEVER to go south.  I was afraid when I finally did go south, especially when I was in Mississippi.  I was very much afraid when I had to take a bus from Meridian MS to Jackson MS.  When the bus stopped at a small market for a rest stop I was surprised that I was allowed to use the ONLY rest room.

 People on the mall today are talking about taking buses from the south in 1963 and not being allowed to eat anywhere much less go to the bathroom.  When I heard that I was crying.  I have been writing my book about African American women chemists.  One woman that I have yet to interview, I met in Greensboro NC.  We went shopping in Macy's in downtown Greensboro.  She said that when she was young she NEVER went downtown because of the way she was treated.  Clerks would not allow them to try on clothing in the stores.  Some of my distant relatives were involved in the Woolworth sit in.  That Woolworth store is now a civil rights museum.

 

The following is an excerpt from a statement made  about the March, on Facebook by Michelle Alexander whose book we are reading:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Michelle-Alexander/168304409924191

 

In my view, the most important lesson we can learn from Dr. King is not what he said at the March on Washington, but what he said and did after. In the years that followed, he did not play politics to see what crumbs a fundamentally corrupt system might toss to the beggars of justice. Instead he connected the dots and committed himself to building a movement that would shake the foundations of our economic and social order, so that the dream he preached in 1963 might one day be a reality for all. He said that nothing less than "a radical restructuring of society" could possibly ensure justice and dignity for all. He was right. I am still committed to building a movement to end mass incarceration, but I will not do it with blinders on. If all we do is end mass incarceration, this movement will not have gone nearly far enough. A new system of racial and social control will be born again, all because we did not do what King demanded we do: connect the dots between poverty, racism, militarism and materialism. I'm getting out of my lane. I hope you're already out of yours.

 

There was a PBS program about the 1963 March on Washington entitled "The March"  It first aired on Chanel 13 on August 27.  It will air again at 1:30 Saturday August 31.  Here is info about it.;

A remembrance of the 1963 March on Washington, the massive gathering in Washington, D.C., in support of racial and economic equality that is perhaps best known for Martin Luther King Jr.'s stirring "I Have a Dream" speech. The documentary details the behind-the-scenes story of the event, including how it almost didn't come to pass; features rare archival footage; and includes remarks from many participants, including Harry Belafonte, Rutha Mae Harris, Norman Hill and Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.)

 

More later.

Jeannette Brown

Christ Church Summit choir member

Thank you for your Donation to the FoodBank

 

Here is a story about a woman who worked in corporate America.  The company decided to run an early retirement plan and it was suggested that she partake in this plan.  She took the offer.  She then found out that because she had a loan on her 401K the company would have to take back the loan money out of her last paycheck.  This happened to be the month of December so that she had very little money for Christmas.  She happened to be a HomeSharing provider  and client so she was able to take the food basket that HomeSharing  donates for Christmas.  Someone had donated Christmas trees that year so that she was able to have a Christmas tree that year.  It was a sad Christmas but made better because she had access to food and a Christmas Tree. 
Note: The Board of World Fellowship currently supports HomeSharing and the agency is active in Union County.  The agency will be giving out food baskets and donated items at a lunch for clients that have requested them tomorrow at the office.

As you may have guessed by now I was that woman.  But I shed a tear as I remembered that year.

I thought of this as I delivered the food  to the Somerset County Food Bank in Bridgewater New Jersey.  This was the food that you had donated and had been sitting in the atrium for about a month.
I guess I jumped the gun as Pastor Chuck said they were to deliver the food to the Hillside Food Bank.  But I heard from the volunteer who helped me deliver the food that Hillside Food Bank is the main Food Bank.  The one in Somerset County would have to BUY food from them when the run out of food.  It would be a a low rate but their funds come from monetary donations.  They prefer direct food donations to the local food bank.  They also take monetary donations because they can purchase food at a lower rate than a regular person could.  They also need volunteers to help stack the shelves.

 While I was there I saw several clients coming in to shop.  They had shelves with food and bread and even some fresh fruit.  I saw oranges on the shelf.  In the parking lot there were Christmas Trees free for the taking that someone had donated.

As we were unloading the car an older African American woman was driven in by a car service.  The driver got her walker out for her and she was wearing red shoes.  The volunteer and I commented on her read shoes and called her Dorothy (Wizard of Oz).  She made a quick trip into the Food Bank to "shop" and came out and got into the car and was driven away.  I waved goodbye to her.

I was wished Merry Christmas by the volunteer who helped me who was also a retired chemist and his wife is also a Shawl Ministry knitter.

All in all it was a good experience and I am glad I jumped the gun and was able to help people who need food.  As I saw on a sign in the Food Bank, "Hunger Does Not Take A Holiday"

The manager of the Food Bank was surprised that I came from Summit.  I told her I go to church in Summit but live in Hillsborough.  Christ Church Summit got the credit for the donation.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR DONATION!

Jeannette Brown
Christ Church Summit
UCC Representative.