Radical Black Power mayor in Jackson offers self-determination to the people
FREE Catholic Classes
Jackson Mississippi has a mayor unlike any other. Chokwe Lumumba is a self-proclaimed black-power revolutionary and mayor of the troubled city that is beset by financial and infrastructure difficulties. However, despite his personal ideology he is above all, pragmatic, even to the point of appointing rivals to get things done.
Highlights
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org)
9/20/2013 (1 decade ago)
Published in U.S.
Keywords: Chokwe Lumumba, Jackson, Mississippi, mayor, empowerment, self-determination
JACKSON, MI (Catholic Online) - Before he became mayor, Chokwe Lumumba was an attorney with a controversial past. His most high-profile cases revolved around black radical activism. He was even the vice president of the Republic of New Afrika.
The Republic of New Afrika, in case you were wondering, was the hoped-for new nation that encompassed Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. Under the dreams of late 60's black power radicals, a new country would be carved out for American blacks.
At his public gatherings, Lumumba gives a black power salute, leads gatherings in hymns and chants that are also associated with the movement.
Such behavior is far more befitting a pep rally, but rallies might be just what Jefferson needs. The city is suffering from a dwindling tax base as middle-class residents flee to suburban neighborhoods in neighboring communities, and infrastructure decays.
Decayed sewage and water networks and decayed roads, and poverty all combine to make Jackson a challenging place to live. Residents often find themselves boiling water for drinking and cooking.
So what can a Malcolm X style mayor do to change all this? Quite a bit actually.
Chokwe Lumumba's stated goal is self determination for the people. Generally, by self-determination, Lumumba means self determination for blacks, but as mayor his interest is now self-determination for all people who live in Jackson.
To accomplish this goal, the people must have a voice, and they must have the power to decide how money is spent and what projects are advanced. They must be able to decide what the laws will be.
Lumumba used Detroit as an example of what the city should not become. Detroit is now a city governed by a state, and has lost its self-determination because of decades of financial mismanagement, crime, and blight. Jackson, if he gets his way, will be nothing like Detroit.
Since his election in June, Lumumba has already built a coalition of leaders to help advance projects in the city's interests. In this goal he is very pragmatic, even appointing rivals to key posts to get jobs done.
Lumumba was already regarded for his Ward 2 People's Assembly. As a councilman, he hosted meetings in church halls and community centers to listen to the people, their needs and concerns. He would meet with heads of city departments at these assemblies.
The assemblies serve to give people voice, so as mayor Lumumba plans to implement the assemblies across the city.
We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.
Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.Help Now >
His next step is to convince those with money and power in the city, mostly those with successful businesses, to invest in the people and infrastructure of Jackson. He is asking them to hire local laborers for work and to build and improve housing for local residents.
However, his greatest challenge is the city's infrastructure. Roads are cracked and buckled, sewage and water lines regularly bust, and the local Pearl River is badly polluted.
Lumumba proposed a budget to fix these problems -a budget that was almost twice the size of the previous year's. To cover the spending increases, he raised water rates by 29 percent and asked for a one-cent raise in the sales-tax rate for public works.
Quoted in Al Jazeera America he said, "Dealing with infrastructure is a protection against being robbed of one's self-determination. We've seen what's happening in Detroit, where the whole city has been taken over by the state. We don't want that to happen here, so we want to conquer those problems. And we're trying to expand the base of the population and the alliance which is trying to fight for this avenue for self-determination. We aren't trying to create more enemies."
Lumumba objects to state control over local affairs and believes the people must decide what improvements are made, when they are made, and by whom. He has fought back against state attempts to control local decisions. He continues to listen to proposals for new laws, everything from drug legalization to a human rights charter, according to Al Jazeera.
Ultimately, Lumumba represents a curious thing. He represents a form of democracy, almost Jeffersonian in nature. By returning power to individuals and their communities, away from the state, he does much to validate the notion of local government as superior to centralized power. Then again, for intelligent, rational thinkers, there is no better way than self determination and responsibility.
Click here to learn about our Saint Michael the Archangel conference this Nov 1-3!
---
'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'
Copyright 2021 - Distributed by Catholic Online
Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.
-
Mysteries of the Rosary
-
St. Faustina Kowalska
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
-
Saint of the Day for Wednesday, Oct 4th, 2023
-
Popular Saints
-
St. Francis of Assisi
-
Bible
-
Female / Women Saints
-
7 Morning Prayers you need to get your day started with God
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Finding Peace in the Night: 3 Prayers for Restful Sleep
-
Sacrifices of Faith: The Pro-Life Legacies of St. Gianna and Jessica Hanna
-
How to love God by caring for our bodies
-
Pope Francis calls for negotiations to End Russia-Ukraine War
-
Pope Francis Contemplates Return to U.S. for United Nations Assembly Address
Daily Catholic
- Daily Readings for Tuesday, April 30, 2024
- St. Pius V, Pope: Saint of the Day for Tuesday, April 30, 2024
- Prayer to Saint Joseph for Success in Work: Prayer of the Day for Tuesday, April 30, 2024
- Daily Readings for Monday, April 29, 2024
- St. Catherine of Siena: Saint of the Day for Monday, April 29, 2024
- Prayer for the Dead # 3: Prayer of the Day for Monday, April 29, 2024
We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.
Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.Help Now >
Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.
Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.