Sherilyn Bennett, compiling author of “boy: Defending Our Black Sons’ Identity in America” is coming to Dallas for a book signing at the Pan-African Connection on Saturday June 12th (Noon-3 PM). As the world watched George Floyd’s life slip away beneath the knee of now-convicted former officer Derek Chauvin, Bennett knew that she needed to do something. After hearing the once again infamous epithet, ‘I Can’t Breathe”, Bennett sprang into action.
What began as a call to action to other mothers on social media morphed into the book project affectionately referred to as “The Boy Book.” Bennett’s two sons were victims of systemic racism and racial profiling on their respective college campuses, so Bennett wants to ensure this behavior doesn’t continue. In the process of hosting conversations with mothers, Bennett discovered that her son had withheld details of what he’d experienced, desiring to protect her from secondhand emotional horror.
Bennett not only included stories from mothers around the country, but she has also included ahistorical perspective from foremost African-American historian and lecturer, the late Dr. Patricia Hilliard Nunn, a mental health perspective from Stephanie Brinkley Wellon, LMHC, and a legal perspective from Najah Adams, ESQ.
“There is a history of black men being sacrificial lambs…it has to stop. The lynching, the shooting, the disregard of their humanity. They are our sons, brothers, husbands, fathers, uncles, grandfathers, and leaders. They were never American boys.”
Dr. Patricia Hilliard- Nunn
What Ms. Bennett hopes to spread is not only awareness of the pervasiveness of racism but hope to mothers whose children have experienced the degradation of systemic racism and police brutality. Mrs. Gwen Carr (Eric Garner’s mother) has lent her voice to the book as foreword author. Along with Ms. Bennett, Mrs. Carr is traveling the country informing citizens of their power. As a testament to her tenacity, Mrs. Carr along with her family and citizens of New York celebrated the passing of the Eric Garner Anti-Chokehold Act which not only banned the chokehold that killed her son.In a major victory for citizens and perhaps the heftiest point in the legislation, the act made use of the chokehold a felony if not used employed when an officer’s life is not in danger. Ms. Bennett and Mrs. Carr will be in Dallas to not only connect with readers but to hear the stories of survivors, connect with families seeking justice, and galvanize citizens, encouraging them to know that justice can be won and empowering them to get in the fight for justice. It does take tenacity and grit, but most importantly the decision to move as Mrs. Carr says, “from demonstration (protests) to legislation.”
Books can be purchased on Amazon and all other major book retailers.
It all began with the death of George Floyd and, now that former police officer Derek Chauvin has been convicted of his murder, Sherilyn Bennett believes now is the time for a check-in with her two adult sons KJ and Devonte. She believes that her role as their mother includes the responsibility of providing emotional support for her sons and notes that the check-in may prove mutually beneficial.
Surprisingly, many parents remain unaware of how deeply the tragedy has affected their children. The suppression of traumatic responses is not healthy and parents shouldn’t take the lack of response for granted, assuming their sons are well. Ms. Bennett encourages parents to avail themselves to guide and comfort their children as they express anger, sadness, confusion, or other emotions. Bennett hopes to make parents aware of the angst their sons and daughters may experience due to heightened tension between citizens and police- some even feel targeted by police officers.
Last year, Bennett began compiling stories of systemic racism and police brutality from mothers around the country. The response was overwhelming, and she released, “boy: Defending Our Sons’ Identity in America” in January of this year.
“There is a history of black men being sacrificial lambs…it has to stop. The lynching, the shooting, the disregard of their humanity. They are our sons, brothers, husbands, fathers, uncles, grandfathers, and leaders. They were never American boys.”
Dr. Patricia Hilliard-Nunn, African-American historian and lecturer (historical contributor, posthumously)
The book chronicles the demoralizing and traumatizing encounters of black boys and men told by their mothers, sisters, and wives. Bennett added the story of her son who was detained without cause on his college campus. To this day, the future of that stop remains grimly unknown, but thanks to a coach who intervened, Bennett doesn’t have to think about it. Still, she knows many have faced this reality and, the scars yet remain.
Ms. Bennett also recognizes the irrational disparity of emotional safety in the black community. She cites the failure for black men to openly show emotion as the root of this issue. She says of her and her ex-husband’s efforts to check in with her two sons, “we will parent until we die!” and encourages parents of both sons and daughters to get involved in the process of making self care a priority in the wake of the trial and guilty verdict.
In her book, Ms. Bennett included legal and mental health perspectives for readers to consider. In her contribution to the book, Stephanie Brinkley Wellon, LMHC wrote, “..it is in our DNA to respond to trauma the way we do. Fight or flight mode does not work for us. We are simply stuck. It becomes hard to fight and we don’t have anywhere to go so we can become stuck in our emotional cages.” Ms. Bennett began the conversation with her sons and has encouraged parents to do the same.
Mrs. Gwen Carr (Eric Garner’s mother) contributed the foreword and has encouraged activists to families, friends and the general public to move “from demonstration to legislation.” Mrs. Carr has successfully taken the fight for justice from the street to the chambers where decisions are made and laws are passed, and she is far from done. Last year, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the “Eric Garner Anti-Chokehold Act” into law. Before her untimely death, Erica Garner also worked to honor her father and avenge his death.
The nation is faced with officer-involved shootings (Daunte Wright, Ma’Khia Bryant, Andrew Brown, Jr.) once again and as the details are sorted out; parents and their children of all ages have an opportunity to bond, not over trauma as we have in the past, but in comfort and support of each other.
It finally happened; Derek Chauvin was convicted of the heinous death of George Floyd. The callousness with which he held him under his knee was palpable as people watched the eight-minute and forty-six-second video. Many had no idea that Mr. Floyd was subdued under Mr. Chauvin’s knee for nearly ten minutes. This and so much more was uncovered during the trial to the shock of those brave enough to watch.
Watching a trial like this is an emotional drain, and not-guilty verdicts in cases like these are the root of the multi-generational trauma many black citizens carry. We have seen black people killed and brutalized on video by police officers with impunity for years. In the last decade, black Americans have seemingly become the target of heinous murders surrounded by murky details and circumstances.
Even with the whole interaction filmed, police officers have faced little to no professional consequences or jail time. When police veteran Kim Potter killed Daunte Wright, she resigned before charges were filed. By now, citizens know that a resignation guarantees that officers can receive their pension after an investigation clears them. Once fired, an officer loses it all, something rarely seen in these cases.
The use of force against black people is not new. Law enforcement beat back the advancement of black citizens crossing the Edmund Pettis Bridge in Selma, Alabama, known as “Bloody Sunday.” The inception of policing in America was after slavery as “slave patrols” and, if you look closely at some departments in America, the modus operandi is still the same. Citizens are seen as trespassers in the wrong neighborhood, criminals driving a stolen car beyond their means, or breachers of peace when demanding to know why they are being obtained.
Black citizens are often brutalized during encounters with officers while their white counterparts struggle and fight with arresting officers before being apprehended. Police officers have proven time and time again that they can use restraint, even in the most arduous situations. Why force is the initial response so often, we can’t help but suggest the attribution of systemic or even personal racism.
This case appealed to the sensibilities of humanity. The defense debated that everyone saw what they saw. Watching the video, you saw a man’s merciless death- an irrefutable fact. Chauvin’s remorseless defiance seemingly withered away as he invoked his fifth amendment right when it came time for him to speak for himself.
Waiting for the verdict was reminiscent of the George Zimmerman verdict. You just knew everything was in place to win a conviction, but the unease of a possible acquittal was just too much to bear. Unlike the Zimmerman verdict, Minneapolis got it right and to be frank, America HAD to get this right! In finding him guilty, the process begins of making it right, though it nor the historic civil settlement can make the Floyd family whole. America cannot shrink back and inhibit the process of reforming law enforcement.
Now is not the time to put citizens on the back burner once again. Police officers are not foot soldiers and cannot continue to terrorize the communities they are sworn to both protect and serve with impunity. This includes intimidation on the road such as: following behind drives for extended distances and running their license plates when they pull up behind them. The community doesn’t know who will respond to their 911 distress calls. Because they don’t know the responding officers and the officers don’t know them, officers like Aaron Dean impulsively shoot before asking questions. Tragic interactions like these have deprived the neighborhood, the greater community, and the world of a gift such as Atatiana Jefferson.
This is where you hear that not all police officers are ‘bad cops’. This is also where you will be reminded that not all black people are bad.
Far too often, injustice at the hands of police officers isn’t adjudicated, or officers win acquittals thanks to sloppy cases put together by the state or qualified immunity in other cases. This case was different. George Floyd wasn’t only under Derek Chauvin’s knee, he was held against his will under the influence of the pervasive misanthropy that has eroded the call and mission to protect and serve in many police departments.
Officers of the law see themselves as punishers for wrongdoing instead of upright upholders of the law. If looks could kill…well, look at Derek Chauvin’s face, it did! That look of lawlessness is frozen in the memories of anyone who watched that video. There is another look to be reminded of when you think of Derek Chauvin, though. The look of chagrin, confusion, and anxiety. Before he was led away in handcuffs, Mr. Chauvin’s eyes told a different story as he glared at the jury during the reading of the verdict.
We do indeed have a long way to go, but guilt on all three counts is one step in the right direction in a marathon for justice!
Veteran Media Personality Sybil Wilkes to Moderate with Featured Panelists NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson, National Urban League President Marc Morial, Political Commentator Bakari Sellers, CURLS Founder and CEO Mahisha Dellinger, Reach Media Syndicated Radio Hosts Russ Parr, Erica Campbell, Angie Ange, Rickey Smiley, Willie Moore, Jr., and Rev. Gayle Fisher-Stewart
URBAN ONE, INC. announced today the presentation of a virtual town hall to discuss the current political and racial climate plaguing the African American community titled, We Are One: More Than A Hashtag, on Thursday, June 4 at 8 p.m. ET. The one-hour virtual town hall will stream live on the digital platforms across the Urban One brands Radio One, Reach Media, TV One and iOne Digital.
Urban One has been the leading voice to inspire, inform and entertain Black America for 40 years. As the nation reels from the injustices surrounding the recent deaths of unarmed African Americans, Urban One addresses these issues with the We Are One: More Than A Hashtagvirtual town hall. Urban One remains committed to being a voice for the community.
Veteran media personality Sybil Wilkes, former co-host of the Reach Media syndicated radio show, The Tom Joyner Morning Show, will moderate the town hall. The esteemed panelists include NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson; National Urban League President Marc Morial; Political analyst and former South Carolina lawmaker Bakari Sellers; CURLS Founder and CEO Mahisha Dellinger; Reach Media syndicated radio personalities Russ Parr (The Russ Parr Morning Show), Erica Campbell (Get Up! Mornings with Erica Campbell), Angie Ange (The Morning Hustle), Rickey Smiley (The Rickey Smiley Morning Show), Willie Moore, Jr. (The Willie Moore Jr. Show); Rev. Gayle Fisher-Stewart, a former police officer for the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department, current associate rector of Calvary Episcopal Church and founder of the Center for the Study of Faith in Justice; and more panelists to be announced.
“We grieve with the Floyd family over the tragic murder of George Floyd and stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters who demonstrate and cry out for justice, which is long overdue, Urban One has always provided a forum for these kinds of discussions, and we will continue in that 40-year old tradition. It is our responsibility to ensure that our community, especially our youth, not only have a voice but are also made aware of the tactics being used to hijack and discredit the protests to shift the narrative and support a sinister political agenda.”
If you need to get caught up on where this piece takes off from, read my article about non-blacks feeling the weight of blackness in America. Yes, this is another article about the death of George Floyd and other black men and women brutalized and killed by law enforcement officers. When women were fed up with rape culture in Hollywood, they spoke up with the mantra, “time’s up.” I don’t want to hijack their movement which after many years has righted many wrongs, but I do need to borrow that energy! After watching yet another black man die at the hands of police brutality, we’re here to say the same.
The movement has been co-opted and hijacked by white people seeking fame and seeking to discredit the valiant cause. We will not be silenced! And to those wishing to deflect the conversation and responsibility of the movement by bringing up black on black crime, I have this question: Since officers can solve black on black crime so well, where’s the disconnect when one of theirs is in video committing a crime? What about the super sleuths on the force which can break up a criminal enterprise but feel so comfortable existing as part of one? Does your goodwill and integrity clock out when you clock in on the force?
To those good cops out there who are tired of getting the blame, I’m not sorry. As a law-abiding black man, this is the weight I feel when an officer speeds up behind me, hoping I have a warrant (because I can visibly see him searching on the laptop in his cruiser). I’m a good guy, I pay my taxes, give in church, love my family, and even vote in each election, why am I living under presumed guilt when An officer sees me? I don’t just want officers to see me as a just man; I actually want simply be alive after they see me.
How did we get here?
This past decade rivals one of the bloodiest in our country’s history. If not a return to the lawless days of the 60’s when black people, men in particular were hunted down by white men who never faced prosecution, it is a dangerous reprisal.
With the death of George Floyd, the world saw just how bad it is on the street for a black man. The world has again seen that the greatest terrorist in the world is a uniformed police officer. The people’s response to this? We’ve taken it to the streets! The President wants to arm the military against citizens but where in the world are my friends who took up arms and marched to the Capitol, City Hall and Governor’s mansions for a haircut?!? Where are y’all? These people don’t love the constitution, they love themselves and use loopholes in the constitution for the sole purpose of self-aggrandizement.
With all this marching and protesting going on, what will it take for cities, counties and states to take action and actually change? The remaining three officers are yet to be arrested, and cities with the same police brutality problem have made no sweeping changes. In fact, they’re committing the same crimes during the protests (we see you, Louisville). What if anything are municipalities doing? It feels like they’re just waiting for it all to just “blow over” and get back to business as usual.
Come on, man, what else does this country need to see before people in power are moved to do something? What needs to happen to spur immediate action? It’s obviously not the death of an unarmed citizen. But is it the death of an official? Officers? What is it? Obviously the death of an unarmed citizen at the hands of FOUR police officers isn’t enough? Making matters worse, George Floyd was a black man like hundreds of others before him!
What will it take?
We thought Freddie Gray would move the needle (his death was so heinous), Philando Castile? He couldn’t even get support from the NRA and adding insult to injury, the officer was acquitted! What is it all for when nothing is happening? In a letter condemning the killing of George Floyd, the major Cities Chiefs Association has juxtaposed itself against this moment in history. Law enforcement leaders have the audacity to rise to the podium and chide protesters (looters, be damned) but won’t say a word to officers or how they plan to flatten the curve of citizen deaths at the hands of their departments.
It’s laughable that police chiefs have spoken up to decry the actions of the officers in Minnesota but on that list I noticed that Fort Worth’s Chief Krause (Atatiana Jefferson) and Dallas’ Chief Hall (Botham Jean) lent their support. Oh really? Is that how it works?!? Hypocrites!! How can you condemn in the heat of the moment when you won’t rise to the moment when it’s in your house?
It’s time to start making changes. I’m tired of law enforcement brutalizing citizens of all races so I’m speaking up. Am I hated for it? Sometimes. Do I feel misunderstood by my friends? Sometimes. Do I have a higher calling to answer to? All the time! So, time is up on the tolerance bad police behavior. We are here, wherever that is for you because we are tired! The United States has erupted in protests and in solidarity with sensible citizens who will no longer sit idly by, nations all over the world have joined in. Dr. King joined others in Montgomery, Alabama yesterday (nearly 65 years ago), and we are here today; but if we are still here tomorrow, the fires of injustice will finally consume this nation! We refuse to tolerate systemic racism in law enforcement, time is up!
We’re Here Because We’re Tired
And you know, my friends, there comes a time when people get tired of being trampled over by the iron feet of oppression. There comes a time, my friends, when people get tired of being plunged across the abyss of humiliation, where they experience the bleakness of nagging despair. There comes a time when people get tired of being pushed out of the glittering sunlight of life’s July and left standing amid the piercing chill of an alpine November. There comes a time.
We are here, we are here this evening because we’re tired now. And I want to say that we are not here advocating violence. We have never done that. I want it to be known throughout Montgomery and throughout this nation that we are Christian people. We believe in the Christian religion. We believe in the teachings of Jesus. The only weapon that we have in our hands this evening is the weapon of protest. That’s all.
And certainly, certainly, this is the glory of America, with all of its faults. This is the glory of our democracy. If we were incarcerated behind the iron curtains of a Communistic nation we couldn’t do this. If we were dropped in the dungeon of a totalitarian regime we couldn’t do this. But the great glory of American democracy is the right to protest for right.
The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Montgomery, Alabama, 1955
