Camille Yarbrough Author, Poet, Dancer, Actress, Musician, TV Producer Right & left black & white photos of Camille by Justice Haki. In the middle are cover photos of Camille’s notable children’s picture books, “Corn Rows”, “The Shimmershine Queens” and album, “The Iron Pot Cooker”. “Cornrows” won the Coretta Scott King Award for illustrations by Carole Byard 51
Judge Bruce Wright December 19, 1917 – March 24, 2005 New York State Supreme Court Judge “Cut ‘em loose Bruce!” Author / Activist 52
Jitu Weusi October 25, 1939 – May 22, 2013 Educator, Activist, Co-Founder of the Afrikan-American Teachers Association (ATA), Afrikan-American Students Association (ASA), The EAST, Uhuru Sasa School, Council of Independent Black Institutions (CIBI), Black United Front, Co-founder of the Central Brooklyn Jazz Coalition 53 The Sun Rises in THE EAST Documentary film by Tayo Giwa & Cynthia Gordy Giwa [email protected] Voices of The EAST, A Collection of Reflections Commemorating 50 years - 1969-2019 [email protected] Black News Official communications of the EAST NY Public Library Archives https://archives.nypl.org Voices of the EAST Sisterhood Praises and Reflections 1969 - 1986 [email protected]
Jitu Weusi and Adeyemi Bandele Jitu Weusi and Dr. Sam Pinn 54 Top photo: Front wall of the EAST with Jitu Weusi posthumously inserted. Original painting by great artist, Kinrod Charles Johnson. Left to right: Haile Selassie, Elijah Muhammad, Jitu Weusi, Kwame Nkrumah, Frederick Douglass, Huey P. Newton, Malcolm X, H.Rap Brown, Marcus Garvey, Medgar Evers, Eldrige Cleaver, Bobby Seale, Dr. Martin Luther King. Below book cover, “A View from the EAST” by Kwasi Konadu: www.dafricapress.com
Jitu Weusi speaking on the left and on the right, greeting Kwame Ture (Stokely Carmichael) who coined the term “Black Power!” Kwame Toure Jitu Weusi 55
56 In honor of Jitu Weusi, the Putnam Triangle at Fulton Street & Grand Ave. has been officially renamed “Jitu Weusi Plaza” and is a public space for the community as of July 2, 2021. “The renaming of the Putnam Triangle together with the renaming of Grand & Fulton Street in honor of Sam Pinn promises to landmark the triangle as a destination for performing artists and their audiences to gather.” Angela Hope-Weusi
Charles Barron Revolutionary Activist & Politician Left & right, black & white photos of Charles by Justice. Middle photo of book is not by Justice. For reference only. 57
Charles Barron, Sayeed Amon-Ra, Rev. Herbert & Karen Daughtry 58
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Charles Barron and Jitu Weusi in protest crowd 60
Dr. SAM PINN In honor of Dr. Sam Pinn, in July 2021, Fulton Street & Grand Avenue in Brooklyn, NY is officially named “Dr. Sam Pinn Way.” May 25, 1935 – December 27, 2017 Activist Educator, Chairman of Brooklyn CORE, Co-Founder, Chairman of Fort Greene Council, Inc., Radio Host: ”The Grand Ones” Co-Founder & Director of Jazz 966 61
Serious Biz International Afrikan-American Ballet Weusi Kuumba Cultural Performances Songs of Activism Traditional Afrikan Dance & Drum Women of the Calabash Shekere Music & Songs Ralph Carter Actor / Poet Calabash Dance Group Afrikan Dance & Music Revolutionary Theatre 62
WEUSI KUUMBA THEATRE TROUPE Yusef Iman, Founder & Artistic Director 63
64 Weusi Kuumba actors (left photo and below left) performing a skit. Below right photo, actors going over a script with Director.
Olugbala Iman January 22, 1960 – May 12, 2007 Poet, Musician, Actor, Activist, Weusi Kuumba Theatre, EAST Brotherhood, Uhuru Sasa Student, Son of Yusef & Dara Iman 65
“Double BLACK Power!” Oba Iman February 20, 1961 – December 12, 1998 Poet, Actor, Musician, Activist, Weusi Kuumba Theatre, The EAST Brotherhood, Uhuru Sasa Student, Son of Yusef & Dara Iman 66
Soyini Robles and daughter, Foluke performing in a Weusi Kuumba production 67
Abiodun McCray (left photo), Calabash Director/Founder and co-Founder of Congo Square Drummers. Abiodun initiated the “Drummers Grove” officially named by the Prospect Park Alliance for musicians “to rehearse, and just to play and rejoice,” in Prospect Park on weather-permitting Sundays at Ocean & Parkside Aves, Brooklyn, NY. Drummers, dancers and musicians continue to convene in the Park on Sundays. Ayanna Frederick (right photo), Choreographer, Dance Instructor & Lead Principal Dancer Calabash Dance Group 68
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Ralph Carter Singer / Poet / Author / Activist / Historian / Former Actor on Broadway and Hollywood sitcom “Good Times” 71
“Serious Biz” Singing powerful songs of revolutionary activism, Jaribu and Ngoma Hill 72
International Afrikan American Ballet “The International AfrikanAmerican Ballet was founded by Olukose Wiles, Walter Ince and Rhonda Morman. In 1975, most AfrikanAmerican dance companies performed dances from Ghana and Nigeria. However, these NYC artists directed their attention to the West Afrikan region known as the Old Mali Empire, and created the International AfrikanAmerican Ballet. The Company quickly became noted for their authentic presentations, and the country of Senegal presented the Company with an award for their performances of West African folklore.” Above caption from: levyarchive.bam.org Olukose Wiles Lead Djembe Drummer, Artistic Director of IAAB & MFOA (Message from our Ancestors) Stilt Walkers Amma McKen Principal Dancer, Singer, Afrikan Attire Designer Seamstress & Tye-Dye Designer 73
Lead Drummers and Dancer of the International Afrikan-American Ballet Walter Ince Rhonda Morman Obara Wali 74
Amma McKen, Lauren Ince, Sule Wilson, Rhonda Mormon, Laverne “LVee” Anduze, John Blandford 75
John Blandford Choreographer, Lead Dancer, Afrikan Attire Designer & Tailor Sule Greg Wilson Dancer, Drummer, Folklorist Educator, Researcher 76
Left photo: Clyde Wilder, Dancer, Director, Choreographer, Instructor, Director of Harlem Swingers in Lindy Hop & Jitterbug Right photo: Gregory Ince, Dancer, Drummer and Music Instructor 77
78 Left to right: John Blandford, Walter Ince, Laverne “Lvee” Anduze, Olukose Wiles, Gregory Ince. Performing at the EAST’s Afrikan Street Carnival, currently known as the International Afrikan Arts Festival (IAAF). As of this publication, the Festival is celebrating it’s 53rd year, held every July 4th weekend: https://www.facebook.com › IAAFestival
Women of the Calabash Madeleine Yayodele Nelson, Founder & Shekere Musician, Singer All top photos: Madeleine Yayodele Nelson Bottom photos: Madeleine, Myrah Brown-Green, Carole J. Thompson 79
ACTIVIST POETS 80 Duma Ndlovu South Afrikan Poet Activist Askia Muhammad Toure Black Arts Movement Poet Black Art Murals Artists Unknown
SIGNS OF PROTEST 81
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COMMUNITY PROTEST FOR JUSTICE 86
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91 Uhuru Sasa Students on the Move!
On Guard The Beast Walks Amongst Us! Justice Haki They move through the night in blue with a night stick and gun Looking for Black heads to whip They walk with a license to kill! Mother, child, they will shoot like beast, they roam day and night moving from block to block with a license to kill given to them by the State. The Beast walks amongst us with a license to kill! 92
They March! Justice Haki Cold, rain, mixed with snow icicles hanging from their faces frozen feet, The poor, the homeless, the old mothers with babies marching past the white house Children coughing, holding on their mother’s coats Babies wrapped in blankets, wind, blowing It’s cold, so cold! Old men falling in the snow, The young trying to hold them up They march and march past the white house, they march Reagan staring out the window of the white house waving the American flag in his quiet sickness, he stares. Moving slowly, they march and march to the soup kitchens, they march, the line never ending in their sadness, they move as the rainbow glows in their faces. They March! 93
In June 1978 heated protests were ignited to demonstrate against the police chokehold death of Father, Businessman and Community Leader, Arthur Miller Arthur Miller (photo on protest signs) 94
Protestors in honor of Arthur Miller Adaleta Hadithi and Soyini Robles 95
The streets were on 96
UHURU SASA SASA SHULE Freedom Now School 1969 – 1986 Uhuru Sasa Shule was the first independent Black school in New York City founded by the Afrikan-American Teachers & Students Associations. 97
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Focused & Studious Uhuru Sasa Students Students left to right: Mosunmola Coard, Baye McNeil, Adenike Moyo, Simba Mills, Ketemba Mchawi and sitting in front: Kafi Jennifer Mealing 99
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