White Members in Black Reparations Organizations

WHITE MEMBERSHIP IN BLACK ORGANIZATIONS
WHY THERE ARE NONE IN TNBRA
By H. Khalif Khalifah
April 11, 2005 – SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY, VA.
Invariably, any Black person, or Black group that forms a social organization, will be called on to state its policy regarding Caucasian membership. Most times the question will come from a prospective Black member. A Black person, IF the organization has a decidedly black profile and character. That is, if the group is based on clear "Black nationalist thought and practice." There is no Black Nationalist issue that is clearer than our demand for reparations, as a pre-condition for our "freedom, justice and equality." Every effective Black leader in our history has addressed reparations. But the Great Issue has ALWAYS been the central demand for those who practiced "Black Nationalist thought and practice."
One way or the other, Gabriel Prosser, Denmark Vesey, Nat Turner, Wilmot Blyden, Pap Singleton, Harriet Tubman, Henry Macneil Turner, Marcus Garvey, The Honorable Elijah Muhammad, Kwame Toure, Zayd Malik Shakur & Huey P. Newton, and etc., were based in reclaiming what was stolen from Black people. Others like Prince Hall, Crispus Attucks, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Also were after some strains of the Great Issue. And their struggle Black reparations was decidedly for the us of only one of the choices that will be ours on the date we are fully repaired.
FACING THE QUESTION OF WHITE MEMBERSHIP
AND THE CHOICES IN THE USE OF OUR REPARATIONS
I have come face to face with this questions in recent days as I prepared for my Wednesday Night Reparations Lecture in Charlotte, N. C. "How have Past Black Leaders Addressed the questions of Reparations for Black people in the U.S.A." www.nationalblackreparationsalliance.com
WE MUST SERVICE THE INTEREST OF ALL OF OUR PEOPLE:
BUT NOT AT OUR OWN PHILOSOPHICAL EXPENSE
I am regularly called on to state the position of the "newly formed," reparations formation, The National Black Reparations Alliance (TNBRA). TNBRA is based entirely on the settled question about the choices of Black people who elect to receive their reparations. The question is already settled in your mind if you are a declared Black Nationalist or any of its strains: Black Muslim, Moorish scientist, Black Hebrew, or etc. So if you are of this philosophical bent and ask the question, we know it is well meaning and is asked only to clarify that we, in fact, do believe this is the most effective means to champion the time honored Cause of Black people. Keep white people out of our membership ranks.
I understand that at any given time, there will be many Black nationalist, or Blacks who may have wanted to live "Black nationalist thought and practice," but after doing the research, decide that you cannot base your life in this doctrine – for whatever reason, at the present time.
Then there are Black nationalist, who have practiced the "philosophy and thought" for awhile and decide that the mindset is not where they want to be at this time, both may also, sincerely, ask the question: "Are there any white members of your organization."
We sum up the two would-be questioners by saying they are either coming or going (ECG). There are many more ECG’s than one may want to believe or think. And many have good reasons why they will not avow Black Nationalism at any given time in their aging as human beings. And anyone who automatically think that they are the "enemy of Black people." Or to our noble cause, do not quite understand what leading Black people in this day and time – 2005, entail. As Hannibal Ahmed, the renowned intellectual Black Muslim theoretician stated, "There are many currents in the Black Nations mind. some of the currents are as sweet as poets. And some current are not as sweet. We have to deal with them all!" (2nd Testimonial Meeting for Elijah Muhammad, Harlem, N. Y., 1987)
The only one we give absolutely no credence to is the out right Uncle Tom. Or traitor to black people in any color or nationality. As for as we are concerned, we don’t want anything to do with none of them (traitor) dead or live. Stay away from us.
TODAY, BLACKS WHO ARE NOT WITH YOU
NOT NECESSARILY AGAINST YOU
For the sake of space, we are going to sum up this statement quickly. But we hope we are opening a dialogue that badly needs airing. The debate as to what is the BEST philosophy for black people to practice must be put to rest. There are no bad black people. And though Black people do make bad choices, if we want to exercise the choice that is in our own best interest, we MUST practice tolerance, at the least, in deciding who will be paid reparations. We will do well whenwe keep our hostile opinions to ourselves (about how others may spend their reparations). As stated succinctly above, but more explicidly here, the only unredeemable character in our race at this time is the traitor who have already betrayed us. Or the ones who are working for the enemy, for the wrong reasons, even as we write these words.
Even the so-called "unreconstructive" so-called Black man and woman can be healed of their various maladies. But we need our reparations to employ our remedy to their ill behavior.
As for white people in Black organizations, the less said about them in our serious discussions, the better off we are, individually and as a people. So let us just say the well meaning white people know their work is amongst their own kind. It is a tough job because their white supremacist brethren don’t want to hear nothing about "Black Nationalist thought and practice." But then, Black nationalist are faced by fellow Blacks who don’t want to hear anything that has any choices for Black people who receive reparations, UNLESS it is to stay with them and white people, in the United States of America.
Of course our people of this philosophy don’t have the history of brutality, abuse and intolerance as whites do against fellow whites or Blacks, who espouse any thing that is a threat to "white supremacist thought and practice."
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KHALIFAH is a former, six term member of the National Board of Directors of N’COBRA, and Co-Chair of the Human Resources Commission. And was N’COBRA’s Liaison to the Million Man March in 1995. He recently formed the National Black Reparations Alliance, an independent formation that is a member of N’COBRA. As is Khalifah khalifah2@khabooks.com
http://nationalblackreparationsalliance.blogspot.com/ www.encobra.com

TNBRA ENDORSE ANNIVERSARY OF THE MMM

The Newly formed, National Black Reparations Alliance (TNBRA) will endorse the 10th Anniversary of the Million Man March. The endorsement will be made at the weekly the Reparations Lecture Wednesday nights from 8 to 9 p.m. at 210 East Arrowhead Dr., Charlotte, N. C. 28213. Video and audio tapes of the lectures are available at www.reparationswarchest.com
H. Khalif Khalifah, the founder of TNBRA will make the announcement. Khalifah was the Liaison for N'COBRA (The National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America) at the first Million Man March ten years ago. At this years 10th Anniversary, the plans are to repeat the actions of N'COBRA. Not only did the membership of N'COBRA endorse the Million Man March, the Co-Chair at the time, Sister Johnita Scott Obadele appointed Khalifah as the Liaison to the March for N'COBRA. The only National Organization to formally do so.
Who will represent TNBRA remains to be seen, but it is thought that it will be a woman. TNBRA has some great ones to choose from. Sister Phile, the organizer of the Million Woman March is a member of TNBRA. As is Sister Shahrazad Ali, a long time supporter and leader, with Khalifah of Independent Black Writers.
TNBRA is formed 'to insure that Reparations is addressed in three fundamental dimentions: Black people who receive reparations will enjoy three distinct choices: #1. Get paid and stay within the United States of America as full citizens #2. Get paid and move into the "southern states," should the people decide in a plebiscite to form a separate nation, and #3. Get paid and move back to Africa or go elsewhere.
For more information about TNBRA, go to www.reparationswarchest.com www.nationalblackreparationsalliance.com or www.encobra.com

2005 Reparations Lecture #1 - April 6, 2005

WHY BLACK REPARATIONS
Who Will Be Paid And When?
2005 Reparations Lecture # 1 – April 6, 2005

In The Name of Allah
The Beneficial, The Most Merciful
We thank Allah for blessing us to be within
Thy Grace, at this time, in this place, in our present states of Mind

Good Evening Brothers & Sisters,
As Salaam Alaikum!

It is a pleasure to have you with us this evening. We are in the house of Conquering Books & the Raw Talent Community Art Gallery. These Reparations Meetings are sponsored by the National Black Reparations Alliance. First let me say, we will not speak for the Million Man March. And we will not speak for N’COBRA. However, we will speak about these two great institutions.
Tonight is the beginning of the first of a Five Part Series on Reparations for Black people in the United States of America. We hope to clarify any questions that you may have in your mind about the Great Issue of Reparations. We have proposed to begin by addressing, “Why Reparations, who will be paid and when.”
We know these are the right questions to address at the outset. And we also know what our ancestors told us about Black people and our history. We were advised, that when we discuss our history, we begin, NOT in America, but on the Afrikan continent. This is for the best of reasons. Since we were robbed and cut off from everything that was within their authority, our history was also a casualty of this assault: so many of our people, unless we correct them at each opportunity, they will think that our history began on the shores of North America.
Thanks to our great ancestors, much of our stolen history is no longer lost, but is indeed, found. It is in books that are written by, for or about Black people: All you need do is find a good history book and read about our glorious history. And what it was like for us before we were defeated, captured and transported this far from our homeland. You will find the recovering of our history a very interesting endeavor because, when you study your own history, you actually study your own self. And when you study your own self, you uncover who you are and why you are where you are at any given time in space. We say FIND and RECOVER our history because as we all know, they covered it up so well, they thought we’d never find it. And even as we find it, many of them are still holding on…REFUSING to even admit that they stole it…It is critical that we both find and recover the true knowledge of ourselves.
This is important, but it still is not as important as one other thing that you will also discover, when you gain true knowledge of self.
When you get true knowledge of self, you find out the true source of your Creator and… the true knowledge of His and your enemy, the devil. And when you find our the source of your origin – your Creator, you will find that the One who created you did not do it just to prove he was powerful enough to create a couple of trillion unique human beings…. He created every human being for a divine purpose; A good purpose. How do you expect to be happy, or find The Peace if you don’t find out what your purpose in life is… Once you find your purpose, a great mystery about life unfolds and you’ll find, we say, one-half of what makes you happy and successful in life. You will also understand what you must do to avoid sadness and failure.
NOW, LET ME SEE IF I CAN WRAP THIS UP….first let me ask if anyone have any questions about what I just said?....

Why do we struggle for Reparations? Because the same man who stole your history, also stole everything else about you. And not just you, he stole your possessions. He stole your race. When a people steal from your race, or nation, the laws of the United Nations, says this is a Crime Against Humanity that must be compensated for..If you never get back what he stole, you will never be free. And he will never be free. He will never be free of the crime that he committed. And you’ll never be free because you need the things that he stole from you to heal yourself.
Yes, we say “heal yourself.” You may not feel sick. But trust me, if you are Black, you are sick. Maybe not physically, but you are sick mentally and this can be proven. The definition of reparations is “The payment for a debt owned. The payment to a nation of people who have been victimized in the commission of a crime. Every time that a crime is committed, somebody is injured. Hurt. Reparations is the term used for the compensation that you must obtain from the criminal if he stole from a nation. If the crime is against an individual or a class of individuals it is called compensation. If the victim is not compensated for the crime, then the criminal gets away with it. But this is Not reparations….there is a lot of confusion about these to forms of payment for abuse…but simply, reparations is when the government is involved in the crime. When the government pass laws that are criminal. Or enforce criminal acts, they can be held accountable for such and must pay reparations. When an institution within the government commits a crime against an individual or class of individuals, the victim of their criminality can hold them accountable for breaking the laws of the government to victimize you. Justice requires that they COMPENSATE you for such behavior.
THE OTHER QUESTION…
Who Will Be Paid? This was the question that I asked one of the masters of the Great Issue at the first Reparations convention I attended. Mr. Robert Brock is his name. And his organization is called The Self Determination Committee. At this convention, he’d given a masterful presentation about Reparations. He described, and defined Reparations so thoroughly that anyone with the slightest bit of intelligence could understand what Reparations is. And he took pains to explain that the Great Issue of Reparations is NOT a civil right. But is a Human Right. And that when you strive for your Civil Rights you are depending on the CIVILITY of a barbarian to do the right thing for you. But when you are after Reparations, You are demanding that he give you back what he stole from you. When you make a demand on someone, you are not depending on him to act civilized. You are depending on your own resources. You are depending on your ability to appeal to common sense of the oppressor to give in to your demand. In what we have been doing in the Reparations Movement is the traditional things; the time honored things that an oppressed people have always done. These things are done to BACK UP the demand for Reparations. In the United States of America, all you have to do is insist that they obey the law…it is on his law books too. But he continues to deny the Black man justice. He has paid every nationality that he victimized, BUT US.
So When Will we be paid our Reparations? This is the question that everyone who has ever been broke wants to know. When will I get paid. We will not be paid Reparations until we can build enough unity to back up our demand for Reparations.
When will we be paid is one of those questions we have always been careful about. The we I am referring to is N’COBRA. N’COBRA is not a presumptious Coalition. When you are presumptious, you presume that what you say is going to happen. Or that the next person is going to agree with what you state to be true. We at N’COBRA have never made that mistake. And NBRA is not going to make it either. So I will give a general answer. We will get paid when we cause the people who owe us reparations fear NOT paying us, MORE than to continue to stonewall and pretend that the Issue doen’t count. It counts. And today, more than ever Black people know how to count. We know the laws that he passed to pay other people. But when it comes to us he refuses to obey his own laws. But we have a long history of struggle in this country to get the government to obey the law. We’ll not give up. For we know that when our people really get behind this issue, we’ll get our reparations.
In closing, let me say: Reparations is the payment by a criminal to heal the injury that he caused in the commission of his crime. We have always known that a crime was committed against us; we have known that an injury was caused in the commission of the crime; and we have always known the identity of the criminal who committed the crime. . .The only thing left for us to do now is to find a way to hold him accountable. And that is why we are here tonight. Looking for ways to cause our people to do the things we must to hold our enemy accountable – this will back up our demand for reparations.


QUESTIONS

Five Part Lecture Series in Charlotte

WHO WILL BE PAID AND WHEN
H. Khalif Khalifah continues his "Five Part LectureSeries" on Reparations" This wednesday from 8 P.M. to9 P.M. at 210 East Arrowhead Dr., Charlotte, NorthCarolina 28213.
Part One will state: "Why Black Reparations and Who will be paid and When?" Last weeks opening session, an "Introduction"discussion was very energetic, heated, and termed"embarrassing" by one participant.
Khalifah, who recently launched the National Black Reparations Alliance, helped to position the issue of reparations for Black people in the "body politic" of America. He was one of the builders of N'COBRA (The National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America). And as the Liaison for N'COBRA for the Million Man March, he was also one of the leaders of that monumental Event. Still a member of N'COBRA, Khalifah, as are hundreds of other "Reparationist" are planning for the "Annual Reparations Convention:' Atlanta, Georgia, June 23, 24, 25, 2005. Go to www.necobra.com , www.ncobra.org for more information. More information about NBRA can be read at www.nationalblackreparationsalliance.com
Call (704) 509-2226for directions or more information.........................HKK

Reparations War Chest to Underwrite the Case

WAR CHEST TO UNDERWRITE THE CASE
FOR BLACK REPARATIONS:
By KHALIFAH
In a recent statement regarding the possible use of monies that will be generated in the organizing leading up to the march; and monies that are collected at the 10th Anniversary of the Million Man March, October 16, 2005, I suggested that the National Black Community use the projected $100 million dollars to support the cause for Black Reparations.
In the article, we coined the phrase “Reparations War Chest.” It looked so good on paper. And I have received some inquiry regarding whether there is such a fund that I have decided to add it as a component part of TBRA (The National Black Reparations Alliance). And as I have done during all of my involvement in leading this cause for Reparations for Black people, I am giving something in return for any donation into The Reparations War Chest. There is no membership fee to join TNBRA. The requirement is only that you either join N’COBRA, or agree with the fact that TBRA intends to join N’COBRA. However, we do accept donations – into this Reparations War Chest.
When we launched The National Prison Registry, the value added in assisting prisoners. The are given a flat 25% discount on all books that we carry in our business. And for those inmates who paid a lifetime membership fee of $10.00, we gave them a subscription to Your Black Books Guide (the now receive a copy of our Newsletter)..
When we formally joined the Reparations Movement, we made it a point to buy and sell books that were written about the Great Issue. And we always brought books that are written by, for or about Black people to the many conventions, conferences and Board of Directors Meetings that I attended. As were other leaders in N’COBRA, with the exception for the $75.00 stipend after being elected to the BOD, all expenses to attend and etc. were paid out of pocket. We were an all volunteer organization who believed in the right of Black people to be paid – in our generation.
DIFFERENCE IN THE VOLUNTEERS
There was one major difference between the other great volunteering leaders of N’COBRA and myself and family. For the most part, they were all Black professionals of one sort or another. In other words they had jobs that paid them to give up hours out of each day to support themselves and their families. Me, and my family? All of our cash was earned in publishing and selling Black Literature. Since I have only worked a total of six years in “the system” over the course of my 64 years, my successful life have been live in direct service to the Black Liberation Struggle: so while other members of N’COBRA may have been on vacation at the conventions, Khalifah and family were working in support of self and The Movement. It was a wonderful tradeoff. And this brings me to my point:
For those individuals who elect to make a donation to The Reparations War Chest, we are giving you a years subscription to our Newsletter.
More about this initiative can be read at www.nationalblackreparationsalliance.com –
We welcome any comments anyone care to make in regards to the Reparations War Chest or NBRA. Khalifah@khabooks.com

Million Woman March Aligns With NBRA

MILLION WOMAN MARCH Organization and Universal Movement ALIGNS
WITH NATIONAL BLACK REPARATIONS ALLIANCE



March 25, 2005

Million Woman March Founder, President and Chief Executive, Sis. Empress Phile’ Chionesu
has aligned its Queen Mother Moore inspired, African Women For Reparations Cadre initiative
( a component of the MWM Human Rights Commission) with the newly formed National Black Reparations Alliance.
In MWM’s drive to obtain 1 million signatures of Black women to back up the Reparations Demand for Black people, (which will be taken to the UN, Geneva and other countries and presnted at the African Women’s World Summit in 2006), MWM joins the formation founded by Publisher H. Khalif Khalifah.
The strategic unity with NBRA will enable the Reparations component of MWM to enjoy the benefit of the structure building experience of someone who helped to make Reparations for Black people a popular issue in world politics in addition to of course assuring that the fortitude and legacy of the great African ancestors is exemplified and manifested to the fullest.
Bro. Khalifah served six years on the National Board of Directors of N’COBRA (The National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America). He was the Liaison to the Million Man March in 1995.
African Women For Reparations will focus on educating and training Black women (and children) regarding various aspects of Reparations for general information purposes as well as for the developent of specific advocacy and activism related actions in order to obtain…….
True Libeartion, Complete Self-Determination, and REPARATIONS (Right) NOW

USE OF MILLION MAN MARCH $FUNDS

USE OF THE FUNDS RAISED WITH THE 10th ANNIVERSARY OF THE MILLION MAN MARCH

by H. Khalif Khalifah


Dr. Ron Walters is right to call for us Black men, women and children to contribute $100 each to a Fund for use by the National Black Community - or Black Nation. He is wrong to suggest that the fund be diffuse amongst a variety of groups, and other civil rights organizations.
With the great issue of Reparations squarely in the body politic of the United States of America - and to a limited extent, throughout the world, the only thing needed at this point to get Black reparations is a focused effort by the some fifty million black people in the United States. A war chest of $100 million dollars concentrated and targeted for maximum effect would do the be used to underwrite the cost to prosecute our case for Reparations for “The Crime Against Humanity.”

Such a "war chest" will be used to mount a serious attack against ignorance - not the ignorance of school children who are not learning in the public school systems, but targeted against the mounting ignorance regarding the true definition of what reparations really is.
There are many ignorances that could be addressed with such a "war chest for black reparations." But the true definition of what Reparations really is, is the paramount ignorance that threatens our efforts to secure the resources to heal ourselves for our victimization in the “Crime.”

Other targeted programs for the "war chest for black reparations" would be to fund the N'COBRA (The National Coalition of Blacks For Reparations in America)." As the leading advocate in the prosecution for this Great Issue, N'COBRA would use the funds to continue to build the structure and model institutions that must be in place, for maximum effect, when the Reparations is, in fact, paid.

N’COBRA WILL BE FUNDED & STAFFED

Presently, N'COBRA is still a volunteer staff of individuals, working part-time to carry forth this major effort. With funding from the "war chest for black reparations" it could be staffed with dedicated individuals whose sole source of income would derive from the service it renders to the building of the structure that will receive our reparations. Of course, this structure consists of independent black institutions.

N'COBRA would be paid the lion’s share of funding for its work. But there are other lesser known advocates for reparations that also need funding so they can focus their efforts. These are groups like the newly formed NBPRA (The National Black Reparations Alliance).

The NBPRA is an alliance of individuals and groups whose service is within the structure of N’COBRA. But like other individuals and formations under this vast ‘tent’ called N’COBRA, NBPRA has its own voice and mission. NBPRA is more narrowly focused on the groupings within the great issue. That is, they are advocates for the three choices that must be offered to Black people who receive their reparations (1) The Black people who will receive their reparations but will elect to remain in the United States as full citizens (2) The Black people who will elect to take their reparations and move back to Africa of elsewhere and (3) Black people who will take their reparations and move into the deep southern states, within the united states and form the Black state IF the plebiscite of the people living there decide that is what they want to do.
The above words are my feeling regarding how money collected at the 10th Anniversary for the Million Man March should be used. It should be concentrated and focused on the needs of the Great Issue of Reparations.

During the 1990's, N'COBRA leaders, like myself, used our own personal fortunes to "build a movement that cannot be ignored. To champion a cause too important to be forgotten." We did the job using our own resources. But the requirements to move the Great Issue to the action stage require more effort and resources than volunteers, part time at that, can render to this great struggle to heal ourselves, in this generation.

H. Khalif Khalifah........Khalifah is a publisher, he served six years on the National Board of N'COBRA. He was the host for what is thought to be the pivotal 9th Annual Reparations Convention of N'COBRA. He is currently doing the final editing of his book on Reparations. More thought can be read on this theme by reading “We Must Pay the Cost To Prosecute the Case for Reparations.” The Article is in ENCOBRA Magazine (http://www.ncobra.org/)

Khalifah can be reached at
khalifah2@khabooks.com
or go to
www.nationalblackreparationsalliance.com