Job Mashariki Dr. Karen Daughtry Dara Arieen Iman The Eyes of Justice Pictorial History of Revolutionary Activism & Culture New York City 1970 – 1990s Justice Haki Washington Yusef Iman Amina Baraka Elombe Brath Sonia Sanchez Rev. Herbert Daughtry Al Vann Dr. Betty Shabazz Dr. Sam Pinn Queen Mother Moore Ossie Davis Jitu Weusi Dr. Yosef Ben-Jochannon Charles Barron Amiri Baraka Kwame Ture John Oliver Killens
THE EYES OF JUSTICE Pictorial History of Revolutionary Activism & Culture Copyright © 2024 by IMAN PUBLICATIONS All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, scanning, recording, taping or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing from the copyright owner: Iman Publications 201 Varick Street P.O. Box 463 New York, NY 10014 (347) 620-IMAN (4626) [email protected] Printed in the United States of America
TABLE OF CONTENTS Explosion! - Job & Muslimah Mashariki 7 If It Ain’t About the Real World - Justice 9 Introduction – Mama Lubaba 10 “Answers in Progress” – Amiri Baraka 13 Get Ready! – Onaje Angaza 14 Amiri Baraka 15 Amina Baraka 21 Rev. Dr. Herbert Daughtry 25 Dr. Karen Smith-Daughtry 30 Leaders in Unity 32 Black United Front 33 C.L.R. James 37 Kwame Ture 38 Elombe Brath / Gil Noble 39 Ossie Davis 40 Dr. Betty Shabazz 41 Alma Vessels John 42 Dr. Yosef Ben-Jochannon 43 Dr. John Henrik Clarke 46 John Oliver Killens 47 Louis Reyes Rivera 48 Sonia Sanchez 49 Queen Mother Moore 50 Camille Yarborough 51 Judge Bruce Wright 52 Jitu Weusi 53 Charles Barron 57 Dr. Sam Pinn 61 Cultural Performances 62 Weusi Kuumba Troupe 63 Olugbala Iman 65 Oba Iman 66 Soyini Robles 67 Calabash Dance Group 68 Ralph Carter 71 Serious Biz 72 International Afrikan-American Ballet 73 Women of the Calabash 79 Black Art Murals 80 Signs of Protest 81 Community Protestors 86 The Beast… 92 They March 93 Arthur Miller Protests 94 Uhuru Sasa Shule 97 Uhuru Sasa Mwalimus 102 EAST/Uhuru Sasa Activists 105 Yusef Iman 106 Weusi Iman 111 Job Mashariki 112 Adeyemi Bandele 115 Lumumba Bandele 116 EAST Activists 117 Prophet Isaac Stokes 118 John Watusi Branch 119 Dara Arieen Iman 120 Mama Esenga Moyo 121 Mama Lubaba Madison 122 Mama Kuumba Coard 124 EAST/Uhuru Sasa Supporters 125 Baba Ishangi Razak 126 Babies with Mama & Baba 127 Albert Vann 128 Political Activists 129 Our Youth 130 Imani Carole Parker 131 Resources 133 Acknowledgements 134
Justice Haki, circa 1969 Insightful photographer All of Justice’s photos are in black and white. The book covers, albums and posters are not the photography from Justice. They are inserted only as additional information for reference and research. For your information
Unlimited gratitude and love to Job & Muslimah Mashariki for their generous support and contributions to help birth this book into existence.
Job & Muslimah Mashariki by 60’s & 70’s 7
Explosion-2 8 Four Freedom Fighting Activists: (left to right) Dr. Sam Pinn, Job Mashariki, Rev. Herbert Daughtry, Sayeed AmonRa
If It Ain’t About the Real World It Ain’t About Nothin’! Justice Haki We are sons and daughters of the dark sun, the collective unconscious Seeing life’s meaning in a grain of sand moving through life experiencing the beauties of nature Knowing our consciousness represent the idea of what art is having everything to do with the real world. As we reflect and write about the beauties of Blackness, this is visual poetry, in its purest form, if it ain’t about the real world, it ain’t about Nothin’! 9
INTRODUCTION by Yvonne Madison aka Mama Lubaba 10
Intro-2 11
Intro-3 12
Walk through life Beautiful more than anything Stand in the sunlight Walk through life Love all the things That make you strong, be lovers, be anything For all the people of Earth You have brothers You love each other, change up and look at the world Now, it’s Ours, Take it slow We’ve got a long time, a long way to go, We have each other, and the World, Don’t be sorry Walk on out through sunlight life and know We’re on the go For love To open Our lives To walk Tasting the sunshine of Life Amiri Baraka Amiri Baraka’s poem “Answers in Progress” inspires us to live our best life through the struggle and pain of trying to survive with dignity. This visual history of Justice Haki’s photos are Answers in Progress as they reflect the passion, intensity, power, brilliance and love we sustained in our fight for freedom, justice and equality. The images displayed shows strong dedication to a revolutionary movement that transforms and transcends post traumatic enslavement. Justice captures it all, the good, bad and progress of cultural, political, academic, spiritual empowerment, and selfdetermination for victory. These photos of visual historical power arouses the intellect, invigorate the spirit and reveals the call for continued activism to stand against the evil of systemic racism and hate. Absorbing the energy of Justice’s visual history confirms the work continues from the necessity to create change and stop negative history from repeating itself. “The Eyes of Justice” inspires this change for all generations to view, learn, share and Rise! This body of photographic history passionately reveals Truth will always prevail and be told! Life must be Honorable thru any challenges and we must be “Answers in Progress” for Victory to be inevitable. Malika Iman Above poster by Amiri Baraka (LeRoi Jones) Copyright © 1967 1 st Printed 1969 “Answers in Progress” by Amiri Baraka 13
What you're looking at is Justice documenting when Kwanzaa got big, when police brutality got challenged, when community control of schools turned int a network of independent schools, when the Black United Front was born, when we learned to march in the north like our brothers and sisters learned under the auspices of Dr. King. I met a lot of the people pictured in this book. They helped transform me into who I am. They are my personal heroes in the big struggle. Their dedication and bravado who along with some other faces that are not here made the struggle for freedom and dignity a personal journey towards freedom and enlightenment.This is work in a democratic fashion. Let everybody in. Rush the gates. The oppressor will not work as hard for freedom as the oppressed will. Not just some words on paper, not just some images to be kowtowed to. You're seeing Black people becoming a free strong people through the work in the eyes of Justice Haki Iman my companero, my brother by another mother. You're holding gold in your hands. When I left the EAST I went back to college and used some of the skills and a mindset I learned there to work in group homes and to teach ESL as a revolutionary tool. I was ready to put on my dungarees when I left. Actually I don't think I ever left the EAST. GET READY! Onaje Angaza Get ready! Put your dungarees on! If you don't know what dungarees are ask around. Somebody will tell you. Justice is showing you what Black people's response was to the oppression from racism that we faced in the 1970s and 80s. It's the same oppression that we're facing today. Only the oppressors are slicker. They learned a lot from wrestling with us. When we started out Black people were calling themselves negroes. If you told someone they were of African descent you had to get ready to fight. When I met Justice I had recently come to the EAST Cultural and Educational Center. I had cold turkeyed heroin addiction and was looking for somewhere I could be useful. Enter the EAST where I encountered some of the people you'll meet in these photos. You'll see what Justice saw. The sweep of his vision encapsulates what we mean when we say "KAZI (Work) is the Blackest." Good work done means more work to come. Photo of Onaje by Hemamset Angaza by Menshemsaqa Onaje Angaza (Will Halsey) 14
15 15 Amiri Baraka October 7, 1934 – January 9, 2014 Author / Poet / Activist / Playwright / Director / Educator
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Passionate! Committed! Revolutionary! Amiri Baraka is the founder and the “Godfather of the Black Arts Movement” which started in 1965. It was this year that through the inspiration and impact from the transition of Minister Malcolm X, Baraka opened the Black Arts Repertory School (BARTS) in Harlem and two years later formed the Spirit House Movers Theatre in the home of his birth, Newark, New Jersey. 17
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Amiri Baraka, Preston Wilcox, Professor and Human Rights activist on right 20 Amiri Baraka, above, holding sign, “Black United Front” against police brutality
Activist / Poet / Singer / Dancer / Actress / Director / Educator & Founder of the “Afrikan Free School”; Managed the Women’s Division of the Committee for a Unified NewArk; Organized women’s conferences for the Congress of Afrikan People and Revolutionary Communist League. With her husband, Amiri Baraka, Amina directed the word-music ensemble Blue Ark: The Word Ship. The couple also founded Kimako’s Blues People, community art space in Newark. 21 “Amina Baraka & the Red Microphone” Books: “Blues in All Hues” “An Anthology of Afrikan-American Women CONFIRMATION” Amina’s album:
Amina Obalaji Ras Shani Amiri, Jr. Ahi Right photo: Left to right: Amina, Obalaji, Director of Newark Recreation, Ras, Currently, Mayor of Newark, Ahi, Shani, Amiri, Jr. Chief of Staff to Mayor Baraka. Baraka Family Activism 22
Rev. Herbert Daughtry, Amina Baraka, Amiri Baraka 23
Amiri Baraka, Amina Baraka, Rev. Herbert Daughtry 24
REV. HERBERT DAUGHTRY “The People’s Pastor” / Revolutionary Community Activist / Author Center photo by Justice Haki. The photos on the book covers are NOT by Justice. The books are displayed to inform, inspire and encourage you to read some of the great writings of our beloved “People’s Pastor.” As of this publication, Rev. Daughtry is 93 years young and still going strong! 25
Pastor speaking Truth to Power! 26
Rev. Herbert Daughtry with former Mayor of New York City, David Dinkins. On the right with great “Black Power” activist, Kwame Ture 27
Rev. Herbert Daughtry, Linwood Smith, Jitu Weusi and Sayeed Michael AmonRa 28
Left to right: unknown, C.L.R. James, Kwame Ture, Rev. Daughtry, Sayeed AmonRa 29
Dr. Karen Smith-Daughtry Educational Director, Founder of SASA (Sisters Assisting South Africans) Minister / Counselor / Teacher / Community Activist “I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything but I can do something and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do what I can do for there is no one else quite like me and I can make a difference with God’s help.” ~ Dr. Karen Smith-Daughtry Dr. Karen, Linwood Smith, Rev. Daughtry Dr. Karen on the frontlines with Amina Baraka 30
Family photo below by Justice Haki: Leah, Dr. Karen, Rev. Daughtry, Dawnique, Sharon, Herbert Jr. Book Cover of “Effectual Prayer” by Rev. Daughtry. Standing with his wife, Dr. Karen. 31
LEADERS in UNITY Judge Bruce Wright, Ossie Davis, Rev. Herbert Daughtry 32
Black United Front (buf - nbuf) 33
The Black United Front (BUF) is an Afrikan-American organization formed in the late 1970s in Brooklyn, New York. In 1980, The National Black United Front (NBUF) was officially founded also in Brooklyn, New York. Rev. Herbert Daughtry, "The People's Pastor," Founding Chairman of NBUF, National Presiding Minister of The House of the Lord Churches (1958-2019), founder and president of the Afrikan People's Christian Organization. Dr. Conrad Worrill, Chairman of NBUF until 2009, educator, newspaper columnist, community organizer, and radio talk-show host, critic of racism and exponent of economic and political enfranchisement for Black people. NBUF is a politically grass-roots organization supporting the Pan-Afrikan movement that focuses on the advancement of all people of Afrikan descent. Some of the issues they work on are demanding reparations for ancestors of slaves, disaster relief, prison reform, advocating Afrikan-centered education, get out the vote campaigns, criminal cases of police brutality and a petition to the United Nations that the United States has and continues to commit genocide against Afrikan Americans. NBUF host various Black artists through the Black Arts Movement, participate in the Feed the Hood Project, and are involved in the Haitian outreach program (Haitian Ministries formed by one of NBUF'S past National Secretaries and member of the Houston chapter). The NBUF also sponsors cultural programs, including the Frontlines Album Project, sponsorship of annual Kwanzaa Programs, and Afrikan Liberation Day activities. Internationally, the NBUF was involved with the Free South Africa Movement, supported Prime Minister Maurice Bishop of Grenada, and donated to victims of the mass slaughter in Rwanda. The National Black United Front Human Rights and Genocide Campaign is a Petition/Declaration to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. The NBUF also recently become a certified organization with the National Black Federation of Charities, an arm of the National Black United Fund, Inc. and are now able to receive donations through payroll deduction from people in the federal workplace throughout the world. Black United Front For more information see: https://www.nbuf.net/ History from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Black_United_Front 34
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C.L.R. James 37 C.L.R. JAMES
Revolutionary author, C.L.R. James and “Black Power” Activist Kwame Ture KWAME TURE June 29, 1941 – November 15, 1998 C.L.R. JAMES January 4, 1901 – May 31, 1989 38
Afrikan History Political Activist standing with radio host, Bob Law Legendary Journalist & Host on TV program “Like It Is” Elombe Brath September 30, 1936 – May 19, 2014 Gil noble February 22, 1932 – April 5, 2012 39
OSSIE DAVIS December 18, 1917 – February 4, 2015 Activist, Actor, Writer, Director Ossie Davis’ life work as a producer, writer and esteemed activist was consistent with his wife, actress and poet, Ruby Dee. He wrote the play, “Purlie Victorious” which was performed twice on Broadway and starred in the play with his wife on the initial production. Ossie Davis’ genuine activism, gave him the opportunity to powerfully give the eulogy for Minister Malcolm X affirming him as “Our Black Shining Prince!” 40
41 Dr. Betty Shabazz May 28, 1934 – June 23, 1997 Activist, Educator, Nurse, Professor, Wife of Malcolm X, Founder of The Shabazz Center and the Malcolm X Medical Scholarship Program
Alma Vessells John September 27, 1908 – April 8, 1986 Nurse / Radio, TV Host & Producer / Civil Rights Activist Alma John was the first Black Registered Nurse in Harlem Hospital. She hosted the TV programs “Black Pride” and “Positively Black” 42
Dr. YOSEF Ben-Jochannon affectionately known as Dr. Ben December 31, 1918 – March 19, 2015 Afrikan History Scholar, Egyptologist, Professor, Author Dr. Ben speaking at Uhuru Sasa Shule (Freedom Now School) 1 st Annual Dance in Brooklyn, NY at the Sumner Ave. Armory 43
Dr. Ben graciously signing his books for readers anxious to learn and share. Dr. Ben also spoke regularly at the First World Alliance (FWA) organization based in Harlem. They held weekly education forums by bringing cultural, political, spiritual, historical scholars to the community: Dr. Ben, Dr. John Henrik Clarke, Dr. Leonard & Rosalind Jeffries, Dr. Ivan Van Sertima, Dr. Frances Cress Welsing, Dr. Amos Wilson, Professor George Simmons and many others. The FWA became a powerful alternative education community program for decades. Standing on the far left looking on is Baba Sam DuPree, co-organizer of The First World Alliance. 44
Scholar and Master Teacher, Dr. Ben, going over his notes and sharing his work with interested attendees. 45
Dr. John Henrik Clarke January 1, 1915 – July 16, 1998 Master Teacher, Scholar & Author of Afrikan & Afrikan-American History A must-see documentary produced by actor, Wesley Snipes on Dr. Clarke “A Great and Mighty Walk” Dr. Clarke speaking at Rev. Daughtry’s House of the Lord Church, Brooklyn, NY History is the clock people use to tell their time of day and it is the compass that people use to locate themselves on the map of human geography. It tells you where you’ve been, what you are, and where you are. But most important, history tells where you still must go and what you still must be. ~ Dr. John Henrik Clarke 46
John Oliver Killens January 14, 1916 – October 27, 1987 Author & Professor at Medgar Evers College Founder of the National Black Writers Conference Justice’s photos of John Killens surrounded by a few of his many books. A beautiful antedote: Barbara Killens-Rivera, beautiful and talented daughter of John Killens and wife to the late great, dynamic poet/activist, Louis Reyes Rivera, said her father always sign his letters ending with “Black Blessings!” 47
Louis Reyes Rivera who dares bare these rhythms of bone and tone stomped upon in daily dance to praise the savage rites of ticker tape rituals offered in the name of gain & loss offered to the gods of mortgaged lien closing down evicting now before a wage is paid this barefoot sweatdrop dreamer slated in to soak the heart of earthwomb stolen (who dares) who dares unveil this blasphemy against the sacred worth of muscles honed & body moans boning long against the constant pounding lies up top another lie covering the secrets of vengeance torn from minds that fear to change the world yet wallow in their daily rust to shame themselves into oblivion who dare excavate the essence of the soul that lie within our flesh bringing naked to the fore layer by layer a sheath at a time the fact that every light is matter & every eye but an equal star pulsing heat & raging war Scattered Scripture (1996) giving life to Freedom now! “reaching, claiming, longing for the universe of things” Institute for Latin-American Writers 1st Prize Poetry Literature Award May 19, 1945 – March 2, 2012 48
Jitu Weusi sitting with Sonia speaking. Notable writings by Sonia on the right, “Shake Loose My Skin,” “We A BaddDDD People,” I’ve Been A Woman.” Sonia Sanchez Poet / Author / Professor / Playwright / Activist 49
Queen Mother Moore with her sister, Queen Mother Langley July 27, 1898 – May 2, 1997 Leader in Marcus Garvey’s Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) / Founder of Republic of New Afrika / Co-Founder of Afrikan-American Cultural Foundation, Inc. / Powerful Advocate for Afrikan-American Reparations Queen Mother Moore 50