Archive for the ‘Al Sharpton’ Category

Rev. Al Sharpton honors Trayvon Martin, calls for support in fighting Trump policies – New York Daily News

Rev. Al Sharpton honors Trayvon Martin, rips Trump and AG

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Wednesday, March 1, 2017, 12:48 AM

The Rev. Al Sharpton marked the fifth anniversary of the death of Trayvon Martin and the last day of Black History Month Tuesday by assailing the Trump administration and encouraging those who oppose the Presidents policies to stand up for themselves.

When people ask me where we are five years after Trayvon, I could give a whole dissertation ... but the quick answer is Trump and (U.S. Attorney General Jeff) Sessions. Thats where we are, Sharpton told a crowd at the New School near Union Square.

Sharpton spoke about how the 17-year-old African-American teens death at the hands of a neighborhood watch volunteer helped spark a movement that morphed into Black Lives Matter.

Those challenges that came out of Trayvon, all of that is the history of civil rights. None of this is new, Sharpton said.

Trump pushes 'America first' policies in first Congress address

But the National Action Network founder said President Trump presents both a challenge and an opportunity.

I think Donald Trump and his administration could be an example of how we show the world those policies are so unfair and so insensitive, if we dont beat each other up in the huddle before we get to the field, he said.

The goal must be the priority and the coalescing around interests must be the priority ... the achievement of the goals is the only thing that will satisfy any of us.

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Rev. Al Sharpton honors Trayvon Martin, calls for support in fighting Trump policies - New York Daily News

Al Sharpton Mocks Betsy DeVos’s Claim That Black Colleges Pioneered ‘School Choice’ – Observer

Rev. Al Sharpton tore into President Donald Trumps secretary of the Department of Education last night over her claims that historically black colleges and universities were real pioneers when it comes to school choicea statement that seemed to equate the institutions rootsas refuges from discrimination with her own mission of promoting charterschools and vouchers for private education.

Speaking at the New School for Social Research on 14th Street, Sharpton taunted DeVos over the comment, which she made Monday night shortly meeting with the heads of a number of HBCUs in Washington. The controversial civil rights leadermade glancing referenceto the billionaire heiresss lack of background in public education, and asserted her comment was an insult tothe legacy of leaderswho fought to grant African-Americans access to higher learning.

Now, I dont know where she studied. I suspect it was not at the New School, he said, to chuckles from the audience. Historic black colleges were founded because blacks had no choice. And to pervert a reaction to segregation and try and distort it into some endorsement of right-wing educational policy is to pour salt in the wound of those of us that know the history of whats going on.

DeVos, a longtime donor and advocate for charter schools and public subsidies for private schools, made the remarks amid an apparent campaign of outreach to HBCUs on the part of the Republican administration.

They are living proof that when more options are provided to students, they are afforded greater access and greater quality, she said in a public statement. Their success has shown that more options help students flourish.

She appeared to back away from the comments following intense backlash on social media and criticism from leaders of Congress. Trump himself met with HBCU leaders at the White House yesterday to recognize their work, and to sign an executive order reassigning the responsibilityof overseeing and promoting the schools from the Department of Education to the White House itself.

Yet even that move provoked outrage from certain corners, as a photo of the president standing alongsidethe college leaders showed advisor Kellyanne Conway casually sitting on a sofa with her shoes off. This, too, provided fodder for Sharpton in his address last night.

Those that formed the historic black colleges, you must remember were one generation away from it being against the law for blacks to be able even to read and write. And whites would be prosecuted or worse if they were caught teaching blacks how to read and write, he said. But today she says they pioneered school choice, and had black presidents of historic black colleges standing around the Oval Office, saluting Donald Trump, while Kellyanne was on the couch all cuddled up, tweeting and carrying on.

DeVoss confirmation was among the closest in history, with the Senate splitting 50-50 and Vice President Mike Pence casting the deciding vote.

After his speech, Sharpton sat down for a discussion with New School Professor Maya Wileyformer counsel to Mayor Bill de Blasioin which he called for an intersectional movement of all minorities against the Trump administration.

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Al Sharpton Mocks Betsy DeVos's Claim That Black Colleges Pioneered 'School Choice' - Observer

Al Sharpton Challenges Adults To Support Wenonah Students – WBHM (press release) (blog)

Posted 02-27-2017 by Sherrel Stewart.

Sherrel Wheeler Stewart,WBHM 90.3

Wenonah High School culinary arts students serve up food at Unity Breakfast

Wenonah High School has been touched by violence with the recent shooting deaths of two students. But Friday, civil rights leader Rev. AL Sharpton joined with Birmingham community and education leaders to celebrate the good work of students and teachers at the schools annual Unity Breakfast.

Wenonahs culinary arts students prepared and served breakfast to hundreds of people gathered in the schools gym. Other students ushered and gave speeches a contrast to the recent violence involving students.

The Rev. Al Sharpton, a face familiar to many in the crowd, applauded the students and their principal for instilling in them a sense of value. He offered advice to school supporters working with young people.

If you stand up for them and stand up to them, we can deal with this violence, he said.

Sharpton, founder of the National Action Network, a New York-based civil rights organization, also challenged students to excel in spite of difficult circumstances.

You are not responsible for how you was born or who your parents were, he said, but you are responsible for what you do with the rest of your life.

Sharpton urged adults to encourage the youth by telling them they can be whatever they want to be.

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Al Sharpton Challenges Adults To Support Wenonah Students - WBHM (press release) (blog)

Reverend Al Sharpton To Speak At The New School – The New School Free Press

Reverend Al Sharpton, an internationally-known civil rights leader, will speak at The New School on Tuesday as part of an ongoing lecture series addressing issues of inclusion in the United States during Donald Trumps presidency.

Sharpton, who will speak during a free lecture, will discuss civil rights, social justice and criminal justice reform in both New York City, and nationally. The talk will be held in the Tishman Auditorium in University Center on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. Registration is required to attend, but the cost of attendance is free.

Reverend Sharpton has had a notable career in civil rights. He was the youth director of Operation Breadbasket in New York, a program focused on improving African Americans economic status, and founded the National Action Network, a civil rights organization.

He is also the host of the popular radio show, Keepin it Real With Reverend Al Sharpton, and was an informal advisor to President Obama during his time in office.

Tuesdays talk is part of the Henry Cohen Lecture series, and will also be hosted by the Milano School of International Affairs, Management, and Urban Policy, and Maya Wiley, the senior vice president for social justice at the New School.

Named after the founding dean of the Milano School, The New Schools Henry Cohen Lecture Series has been devoted to advancing social equity in America. According to the New School, this years Henry Cohen Lecture Series will be focused on how we can advance political, social and economic inclusion in the context of a Trump Presidency.

Photo by Julia Himmel.

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Reverend Al Sharpton To Speak At The New School - The New School Free Press

Al Sharpton jokes Gov. McMaster might ‘choke’ him – The State (blog)


The State (blog)
Al Sharpton jokes Gov. McMaster might 'choke' him
The State (blog)
Al Sharpton poked fun at new Gov. Henry McMaster on Monday while eulogizing state Rep. Joe Neal on Monday. The New York civil rights activist and CNN commentator told the crowd of more than 2,000 he had just come from a State House social justice ...
Reverend Al Sharpton Addresses Marchers at the State HouseAbccolumbia.com
Protesters exhort Trump, McMaster: 'You represent us, too'ColaDaily.com
Funeral services held for long-time State Representative Joe NealWACH.com

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Al Sharpton jokes Gov. McMaster might 'choke' him - The State (blog)