Convention 2004 - Grassroots Black Politics and Economics
The first meeting of the steering committee for Convention 2004 - Grassroots Black Politics and Economics convened on Saturday, December 7 in Dunn, N.C. It was jointly hosted by the Academic Center for Excellence and the North Carolina Black Leadership Caucus. The charter committee meeting was attended by current and former African American state legislators, commission members, members of the clergy, grassroots workers as well as other community and business professionals who want to bring about change. The attendees represented the states of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee. Tee Ferguson, a former state legislator and circuit judge of South Carolina was elected to the position of Chairman. The committee voted to convene the 2004 Black Political Convention in Atlanta, Georgia. The mission of the convention is to provide a voice for grassroots Black people. The monthly committee meetings will be held in different states, to provide the Black grassroots sectors an opportunity to voice their political, economic and social needs and concerns. For more information, send email to: teeferguson@yahoo.com.

---National Summit of African-American Leaders---
The Rev. Horace L. Sheffield, III, President of the National Action Network - Michigan Chapter and President of the National Association of Black Organizations, will be among 50 leaders -- and the only one from Michigan -- invited to participate in the planning of a national African-American Leadership Summit. The first planning session will be held today, December 16, 2002, at Howard University in Washington, D.C. The Summit itself will be held early next year to address the disenfranchisement of the African-American in American politics, and to explore the possibilities for more prominent leadership positions for African-Americans in the Democratic Party. The Summit has been called by the Rev. Al Sharpton, President of the National Action Network, and possible '04 U.S. Presidential candidate, among others. The planning session was co-convened by Harvard University Law Professor Dr. Charles Ogletree, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-Texas), and Rev. Sharpton. Other participants in the planning session in addition to Rev. Sheffield will include: Dr. Ron Walters of Harvard University; Mayor Sharpe James of Newark, N.J.; and Congressman Adolphus Townes (D-New York), among other prominent figures. The compelling need for the Summit was emphasized, and the consequences for an unchanging Democratic Party, were made clear by Rev. Sheffield, who stated: "The time has come for African-Americans to be accorded full respect for the time, support and influence we provide to the Democratic Party. And the Democratic Party must be made to recognize that its continued marginalization of African-Americans will result in our mass exodus."

---Incoming Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott to Address Controversial Remarks in BET Special---As the firestorm around his controversial comments continues to swell, incoming Republican Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Mississippi) will take part in an in- depth interview with BET on Monday, December 16 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT. Award- winning journalist Ed Gordon will go one-on-one with Senator Lott, who has publicly apologized for his provocative comments made during a 100th birthday party for retiring Senator Strom Thurmond (R-North Carolina). Immediately following the telecast, a panel of leading African-American journalists and political analysts will offer their reactions to this interview in a BET NIGHTLY NEWS SPECIAL hosted by Jacque Reid. Senator Lott's interview -- a special prime time edition of CONVERSATION WITH ED GORDON -- will also re-air on BET that same evening at 11:30 p.m. ET/PT.

---National Urban League speaks out about Trent Lott---
In response to the furor around remarks made by Senator Trent Lott (R-MS), here is an excerpt from the National Urban League's statement: The National Urban League is greatly troubled that Senator Trent Lott would make statements openly supporting the candidacy of Strom Thurmond on the State's Rights Party ticket in 1948. "It is impossible to imagine how the best interests of the nation and the Senate, much less President Bush and the Republican Party, would be advanced by Mr. Lott's continued service as Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate," National Urban League president Hugh B. Price stated. The League holds that it is disingenuous for Mr. Lott to claim that he was not referring to the segregation plank of the State's Rights Party when he praised the support that Mississippi gave to Strom Thurmond. First, Mr. Lott is well aware that his state, with the highest percentage of African Americans of any state, denied voting rights to African Americans in 1948, and that the State's Rights Party clearly would not have had the support of African Americans at the time. Second, this is the second time that Mr. Lott has referred to Mississippi's support of Mr. Thurmond's 1948 campaign. Third, Mr. Lott's voting record while in the Senate has continued to show little sympathy for issues of economic advancement for African Americans or for civil rights. In the last Congress, he never voted with the position on policies taken by the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the NAACP or the National Urban League. And, we are well reminded of his support for Bob Jones University for keeping its tax-exempt status despite its policy of banning interracial relationships on its campus. Republicans must realize that tolerating a leader who is careless about expressions that serve to inflame, tarnishes the image of their party.

---Congresswoman Tubbs Jones joins members of Congress to condemn Lott---Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs joins with fellow Congressional Black Caucus Members to call on the President, every Member of the United States Senate and the leadership of the Republican Party to support a formal censure of Senator Lott's racist remarks. "As our country fights a War on Terrorism and economic stress, every American needs to be secure that our nation's leadership reflects beliefs that support equality and justice for all," said Rep. Tubbs Jones. "Historically, discrimination has increased during times of economic hardship. This lack of leadership underscores the insincerity of the Republican Party's attempt to court African Americans and other people of color. "It is unacceptable that the Republican Party leadership would allow Senator Lott's statements to go by without unequivocal renunciation. Further, while the President broke his week-long silence regarding this matter, it is astounding that he has not called for Senator Lott to step aside as incoming Majority Leader.

---New citizens to be welcomed on the anniversary of the Bill of Rights---The Philadelphia Bar Association will observe the 211th anniversary of the United States' Bill of Rights by welcoming approximately 100 new citizens from 28 different countries, at a special naturalization ceremony to be held today, December 16, at 10:30 a.m., in the Ceremonial Courtroom of the United States District Court at 6th & Market Streets. Bar Association Chancellor-Elect Audrey C. Talley will speak at the ceremony. On January 1, 2003, she will become the first African-American woman to serve as Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association.

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