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For National Black United Front, it’s “No Compromise, No Sell Out”

In the fight for the rights of Blacks over the years, there have been many individuals, groups and organizations that have dedicated themselves to the cause of racial justice, among them are the: Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), the Black Panthers, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF), Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). Another such organization is the National Black United Front (NBUF). If you need a visual of the magnitude and impact of NBUF, look back at the movie Malcolm X starting Denzel Washington and remember the scene where a Black man was beaten and jailed and needed hospital care, but the White policeman would not allow it. Denzel Washington (Malcolm X) led a march of precision and strength consisting of members of the Nation of Islam and eventually others to the police station and later to the hospital to assure the brother recieved medical attention.

When the National Black United front was founded in 1980, about 1,500 Blacks came together from 35 states and 5 foreign countries. Some of the original founders of The Houston Chapter of the National Black United Front (NBUF) were: Veronica “Ethiopia” Kelley Young, Ed Banks, Ernie MacMillan, George Milligan, Marianete Mitchell, Ester King and Jew Don Boney. Without their own building, the group initially met at different facilities around the city of Houston to include Third Ward’s S.H.A.P.E. Community Center. Led by Ishman Hunter and Akud Fayette, they began renovating an old drug house in 1995. They completed the project in 1997 with the help of the group’s members. Current Chairman of the Houston Chapter Kofi Taharka, who has been chairman since 1996 recently received the “ Invisible Giant” award in Selma, AL as part of the celebration of the historic “ Bloody Sunday” event. The “ Invisible Giant” award is given to those individuals that have worked at the grass roots efforts for the rights of African- Americans. Kofi Tahark who has been a part of the organization for the last 13 years comments that the award is for all of those that have worked at NBUF throughout the years. Taharka comments, “ NBUF believes in several major principles self-determination, collective work, decision making and economic independence, this organization today is the sum total of all the hardworking members and supporters past and present no one person has been responsible for our thriving, we are frontline soldiers for our people.”

Steven Barboza writes in his book, The African-American Book of Values, “When crime soars, unemployment rises or disease strikes, African-Americans are certain to bear the brunt of it all. But no group has proven tougher and more resilient in facing some of society’s biggest dilemma’s than Black folks. That’s because a principle component of the Black experience is tenacity. Tenacious people are nearly impossible to defeat, turn down or turnaround-they’re as unyielding as the day is long…It reminds us that rights are won by fearlessness and sheer resolve.” Tenacious is a word that can describe the members of the National Black United Front. Barboza describes in his book, two basic types of tenacious people: “…bit players on the world stage who struggle to survive and lead lives of quiet dignity; and movers and shakers-those key players who bring about momentous change whether on the battlefield, in a laboratory, or at a meeting of world leaders.” The National Black United Front and its members are on the scene locally, nationally and internationally; they are the movers and shakers. To get an understanding of how close the movement for the equality of African-Americans has been over the years, the first Chairman of NBUF was a SNCC member.
Locally, the organization has many events and works in many capacities for the African-American community. They have made stands at City Hall for various injustices that have plagued many different people in the African-American community. The MAAT (an old African Proverb meaning justice) Justice Committee as NBUF says is a, “standing committee that hears community issues every week in cases of injustice such as police brutality, prison issues, on the job discrimination, education issues and more.” Some of the help given to those in need by NBUF are holding press conferences regarding an issue if needed, giving advice, writing letters, referring those in need to attorneys, offering full-scale support and whatever else needs to be done. In August of 2002 LAC (Local Action Committee) for Reparations held a national rally in Austin regarding the issue of reparations. NBUF of Houston hosts a Kwanzaa program and food drive in December; the members teach self-defense education and they also believe in “strict independence from White philanthropy.” The group refuses to be “muzzled” by White philanthropy. In February they host the Unsung Heroes and Sheroes Awards, where they honor those that are less celebrated in the cause. This year, the group honored all the elders that have helped over the years, some honorees were: Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Gene Wilkins, Rev. Mickey McGuire, Lynwood Johnson and Ester King. They have also honored family members of those that have been active in the cause, due to their sacrifices. The family members of Ada Edwards were once honored. In May the group has a Self-Determination Weekend-Malcolm X Birthday, a Remembrance celebration in June for Shaka Sankofa (Gary Graham) and in July they celebrate the National Convention, which rotates throughout the country. In 1994, the Houston Chapter hosted a number of African-American dignitaries. The African-Centered Education/History Culture coordinated by NBUF is a program in which members and well-known historians and activists go out to schools to lecture and assist with various programs. The group sponsors the Black-Power-Transformation study circle, “…which studies history/culture of African people ancient and modern and revolutionary and social movements.” One of the biggest events for the group locally is the Sankofa (which is a West African word meaning “returning to your roots, recapturing what you've lost and moving forward”) Caravan to the Ancestors in Galveston, Texas. Each year a physical caravan of members and others go to Galveston for the Sankofa ceremony. The ceremony is held on a beach and in the words of Taharka it, “encompasses various forms of spirituality…everyone dresses in white and we have song and dance.” The purpose of the ceremony is to unite African-Americans in the cause no matter their religious background and to learn about the history of our people. The biggest caravan they have consisted of 2 buses and about 50 or 60 cars.

Nationally, there are 15 chapters of the organization throughout the country. The National headquarters is in Chicago, IL. The organizations national campaigns are on the forefront of major issues affecting the African-American community: racial profiling, prison support initiatives and African centered education to name a few. Much like the organizations that came before NBUF, they help organize and participate in many national events. Recently, in the Million Man March, Hosting the National African-American Leadership Summit in Houston, they were involved in the national campaign against the CIA in 1997 for involvement with distribution of Crack cocaine in the Black Community and are key organizers and fighters for reparations. They have also been key supporters and organizers in the elections of Mayor Harold Washington in Chicago and Jew Don Boney in Houston.
The fight for the equality of African -Americans is more than a local issue or a national issue, it is an international issue and NBUF has answered the call. The groups National Chairman is Dr. Conrad Worrill and he along with members of the organization have traveled around and been active in Africa, the Carribean and Europe. Members of the Houston Chapter attended the U.N. World Conference Against Racism in Durban Azania (South Africa) in September of 2001. The Black United Front has offered grass roots leadership in the FREE SOUTH AFRICA MOVEMENT, help in the New Jua Movement in Grenada and in the Houston Haiti/Rwanda Relief effort. The Former National Chairman Rev. Herbert Daughtry is currently in Iraq on a peace mission.

Paul Robeson who is well know for his singing voice was also an activist for the rights of African-Americans made a statement that holds true today and is an example of the spirit in which NBUF was formed and is thriving, “…if you silence my voice by making me a non person there will be another voice and another voice…” The National Black United Front is another voice in the fight for rights of Blacks throughout the world. The National Black United Front is a grass roots organization that works daily for the advancement and equality of Blacks locally, nationally and internationally. They go where others fear to go. In the words of an old SNCC freedom song heard by Kofi Taharka in Selma, Alabama where he received his “ Invisible Giant” award we are, “…standing up to our own fear about being involved.” As February came to a close and the remembrance of “celebrated” African -Americans by “ society as a whole” came to an end, let us remember those “Invisible Giants” like the National Black United Front are fighting daily for what others will not do. They wait on no one to do what they know must be done as they fight for the cause. Marva Collins said, “Determination and perseverance move the world; thinking that others will do it for you is a sure way to fail.” The Houston Chapter of the National Black United Front knows without a doubt its mission and purpose, which as Bro. Kofi Taharka put it is to the Black Community and they refuse to be compromised and will not commercialize.

For more information on the Houston Chapter of the National Black United Front, call 713-942-0365 or 713-523-9172, 2428 Southmore, Houston, TX 77004, www.nbufhouston.org, email: nbuf@nbufhouston.org.