On September 20, family members and hundreds of supporters of the “Jena 6” caravanned from across the country to stand in solidarity on the grounds of the LaSalle Parish Courthouse in Jena, La., to demand justice and freedom for the six young Black males: Mychal Bell, Robert Bailey, Theo Shaw, Carwin Jones, Bryant Purvis and Jesse Beard.

The legal drama of the famed Jena Six may be over, but the criminal justice system in the United States of America remains a nightmare for the young Black male.  As a matter of fact, the experience of these six young men with the small-town Louisiana system of jurisprudence is the short version of an epic saga that plays out in courtrooms around America every day. I remember getting in on the “ground floor” in the fight to defend Mychal Bell, Bryant Purvis, Jesse Rae Beard, Theo Shaw, Robert Bailey and Carwin Jones. 

It was early summer 2007 when I received a call about the “attempted murder charges” associated with the school fight.  Shortly thereafter we traveled to Jena.  It was like traveling back in time. 

I remember meeting and praying with the families of the Jena Six.  They were a relatively tight-knit group of parents looking for help with their son’s cases.  They felt the youth were being railroaded and wanted to stand up to the Lamar County court system. 

They had very little money, very little support and were receiving death threats warning them against bringing “outsiders,” such as myself into Jena to protest this injustice. Who knew that the movement to free the Jena Six would eventually electrify an entire generation into overnight activism? We had no idea that coming to the defense of these rural Louisiana families would touch the international community the way it did. 

On September 20, 2007 we estimated that over 100,000 supporters gathered in Jena to organize for a just outcome, although the media reports say that 20,000 showed up. It was estimated that the vast majority of those who showed up at the huge rally were between the ages of 16 and 25. Some leaders even called it the beginning of the “new civil rights movement.”

Much has transpired since then that made some in our community question whether the trip the Jena was a waste of time.  Some of the family members who were unified in the beginning began fighting amongst one another. Mychal Bell, at the urging of his attorneys, eventually entered a guilty plea and agreed to testify in the trials of the other five boys.

He later attempted suicide claiming the pressure associated with disappointing his supporters was too overwhelming. Black leaders and organizations began arguing about who was in charge.  According to the families, millions of dollars raised for “legal defense” were unaccounted for. 

The unsung heroes of the success of the September 20th march and the “Free the Jena Six” movement were children, college students and the hip-hop generation. The real work was done underground via nationwide street organizing, campus activism and the use of the internet. While young people did most of the heavy lifting, it was the traditional leadership who did most of the talking.

For those who mumble that the effort to exonerate the Jena Six was an exercise in futility, I offer you this.  I once read where President Barack Obama said “whenever you stand up for justice, you are always on the right side of history.”  Standing for justice is never a waste of time, especially when our motives are pure. 

The recent pleas of “no contest” by the remaining five defendants vexed some.  But we must remember that these young men were initially charged with attempted murder and faced up to 20 years in prison.  These cases have been open for nearly three years now. 

In the interest of putting this all behind them they decided to plead no contest so that they can move on with their lives. Again, this happens every day in the criminal justice system. It is very possible that there could have been a better outcome for the Jena Six.

But when the spirit of unity among the families and organizations began to break down, the movement was compromised.  Money, media and envy are key ingredients found in the recipe for the collapse of any movement for justice. While we blamed Whites for the unjust treatment of the Jena Six, we can only blame ourselves for our disunity.

I say these things in the interest of “keeping it real” in hopes that we can learn from our mistakes.  When we, as a people, decide to take up a cause we cannot get sidetracked and side hustled into disunity and division. If the Jena Six debacle did not teach me this, nothing ever will.

Those who fought to free the Jena Six got the opportunity to be on that “right side of history” that Obama spoke of. All six of the boys are reportedly enrolled in college and moving toward normalizing their lives.  Black folks showed “a little muscle.” 

The judge was removed from the case, the charges were reduced and the world got a glimpse of the young Black male’s experience in America’s legal system.  In the process, a young activist network was created nationally that has been instrumental in the fight for justice in other cases.  That network will be even more beneficial in the future.

The plight of the Jena Six should be considered for serious study in colleges and universities.  It is a snapshot of our every day life in the hands of a corrupt court system.  Let us learn from this moment in history and organize our people to fight injustice like never before.
Whenever you stand up for justice it is never a waste of time.