Message from Charlotte King
Charlotte King
Chair, Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice
My heart was filled with such joy and hope as I stood with the very diverse crowd standing together on Rte. 1 on Friday. I felt the genuine pleas of of those who witnessed the agony of violence and death that hold black Americans in a constant state of apprehension about survival, let alone progress. I silently wept with great sorrow that it took the lynching of another black man to finally wake our fellow citizens to the hardships and tragedy of being black in America. The peaceful protesters in Rehoboth and around the country restored my hope for the united Beloved Community that Dr. Martin Luther King and others dreamed about. Yesterday, I stood as an American with other Americans all demanding change on behalf of those citizens whose humanity has been denied for generations.
I hope that yesterday’s protest to end police brutality and for recognition and validation of black American citizens’ entitlement to equality under the U.S Constitution is immediately followed by other actiions to make this a reality now. SDARJ will be planning many events between now and Election day, and beyond to keep the conversation alive. Our first event will be a zoom Town Hall meeting on Juneteenth, June 19 with several speakers, including Attorney General, Kathleen Jennings who will speak to the issues of systemic racism and specifically police brutality. Our Town Hall Meeting on July 14 will continue the discussion with a panel consisting of local police chiefs and Matthew Horace, author of The Black and The Blue”, a book taking a serious look at the problems in our Law Enforcement System. I encourage all of you who have supported the Mission of the Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice to continue the journey with us towards the elimination of racism so that we can not only assure a more equitable life for black Americans, but we can also help to save the soul of our country and assure that it reaches the greatness it continues to strive for. Until we recognize and apologize for our worst and original sin and work together to resolve it, all Americans will be deprived of the benefits of a united, great and beloved community as envisioned by our forefathers.
Thank you for being there at the peaceful protest. I am especially grateful for your commitment and passion for a unified nation.
