J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association

Black History Month
In honor of Black History Month, the J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association, the Prince George's County Bar Assocaition, and the Montgomery County Bar Association, co-sponsor an annual event at the United States District Courthouse in Greenbelt, Maryland as a joint meeting between the bar associations.

On February 10, 2009 The J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association and the Prince George’s County Bar Association held a joint meeting at the United States District Court in Greenbelt, MD to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the NAACP. Panelist included, The Honorable Alexander Williams, Jr., U.S. District Court of Maryland, Julius L. Chambers, Board Member and former Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc., and Earl Adams, Jr., Vice President of the Prince George’s County Chapter of the NAACP and Chief of Staff to Lt. Governor Anthony Brown.

Judge Williams acknowledged that without the NAACP and the efforts of like organizations and our civil rights leaders, he probably would not hold the position he holds today. However, he challenged the NAACP to begin to be proactive as opposed to reactive to issues. Judge Williams opined that NAACP must act like a think tank, anticipating issues such as foreclosure, redistricting, the high prison rates of African Americans and re-entry programs. Earl Adams respectfully opined that the NAACP has been proactive, especially in Prince George’s County. Mr. Adams stated that the Prince George’s County Chapter maintains a relationship with local officials and meets with them on issues relating to the county. He cited, the tri-county health fair, which addressed the disparity in healthcare for minorities, and a class action lawsuit relating to mortgage fraud on African Americans. Mr. Adams stated that the NAACP is still relevant but must find a way to energize young people, as the days of using the media as a tool to advance its causes are gone.

Many of our members were honored that Mr. Chambers participated in our program. Mr. Chambers stated that although he is concerned about other civil rights issues, his passion is to ensure education for poor children. Mr. Chambers noted that although we have made substantial progress, there is still work to be done. He expressed his concern that there are still many people (poor, black and other minorities) that still can’t find affordable counsel although they have legitimate legal issues. He urged us, as attorneys, to make sure that they get relief. He challenged us to establish a civil Gideon to deal with the issue of people not being able to afford attorneys to get civil redress. Mr. Chambers stated that he is inspired to keep working because minorities are still excluded from a lot of entitlements. “Until we get to that point, we can’t join Dr. Martin Luther King in looking over the mountain top.”

February 2008 was a whirlwind. It may have been the most historic African-American History Month of our lives.

We started with the basics: A primer in the origins of Black History Month given by a representative of theorganization that founded the observance in the first place. At the well-attended joint Prince George’s Bar Association/JFBBA meeting on February 5th, we were treated to a lively lesson in American and African-American history by Barbara Dunn, membership director for the Association for the Study of African-American Life and History (ASALH), direct successor to Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the originator of Negro History Week.

Barbara’s multimedia presentation in the jury room of the Federal Courthouse in Greenbelt graphically showed us that the remedies posited by Dr. Woodson’s in his classic treatise, The Mis-Education of the Negro, especially a multicultural approach to education, could help alleviate many of the social ills still plaguing contemporary America as she struggles with the problems of inequality and intolerance.

Special Thanks to the U.S. District Court Bench in Greenbelt for allowing us the use of the Courthouse for our Joint Meeting.

Member Dennis Whitley, Sergeant Zedore Campbell,
1st Sergeant Clyde Fairfax, Corporal Curtis Womack and
Prince George’s County Bar Assoc. President Archie Palmore

JFB, the Prince George’s County Bar Association and the Bar Association of Montgomery County honored Black History Month with a presentation of the Buffalo Soldiers.

We were all treated to a special evening with the 9th and 10th Horse Calvary Buffalo Soldiers, Washington DC Chapter. The Buffalo Soldiers (a name coined by the American Indians) had the responsibility of defending this great county against the Indians.

After the Civil War, these soldiers were formed to protect the white settlements and frontiersmen, who often greeted them with much hostility. The true bravery of these soldiers in the face of unparalleled discrimination is beyond question. We stand on the shoulder of these pioneers and owe it to them to make our mark for future generations.

President Abigale Bruce-Watson,
Past Presidents Debra Davis, Betty Hewlett,
William Snoddy, and a JFB Founding Member Samuel Hamilton (From left to right)

Past President Judge Toni Clarke, Trooper Loretta Clarke, Samuel Hamilton, and other attendees (From left to right)

Judge Krystal Quinn Alves enjoying her charge to educate future generations about our history.

President Sharon Burrell (Middle) and The Honorable Hassan El-Amin (Left) are joined by the Guests of Honor: The Tuskegee Airmen.

“Enriched by our past, prepared for our future.” That was the theme of a documentary video about the Tuskegee Airmen that was shown at the joint meeting between JFB and the Prince George’s County Bar Association on February 7th, 2006. As we celebrate Black History month, it is important to reflect on how far we have come and where we are going.

The Tuskegee Airmen gave an exciting and educating presentation about their skills and accomplishments, and also spoke of the discrimination that they faced on a daily basis. Col. Hank Henry spoke of how black officers were not allowed to eat in the same cafeteria as white officers, even though German prisoners of war were allowed to do so. And no matter how much experience the black officers had, they were always considered “trainees.” The Airmen recognized that they had to be better than the white officers to be taken seriously. They accepted the challenge and surpassed all expectations, despite the obstacles. Tuskegee Airman Charles Herbert Flowers was one of the first African American Army pilot instructors and made sure that the black pilots he trained were always well-prepared.

Tuskegee Airman Cicero Satterfield was the only non-commissioned officer present. Although he was not a pilot – he was an airplane mechanic – Satterfield certainly contributed to the success of the Tuskegee Airmen, for without persons making sure that the planes would fly, there would be no pilots. He stated that “in the dimension of time there is only one constant – now. We cannot extricate ourselves from the present.” The principles espoused by the Airmen are principles that apply to everyone. We must act now to prepare the next generation for tomorrow.

JFB had a great February. We heard from both our own Black History figure and from some potential future Black History figures. The month began with our annual joint meeting with the Prince George’s County Bar Association at the U.S. District Court in Greenbelt. If you were not there, you missed JFB’s founding president and U.S. District Judge Alexander Williams, Jr.’s informative discussion on the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) and its present day implications.

After recounting the history of events that led to the passage of the VRA, Judge Williams cited several contemporary issues that impact the law, particularly the disenfranchisement of convicted felons.

Judge Williams, the first elected African-American State’s Attorney for Prince George’s County, pointed out that African- Americans constitute about onehalf of about approximately of 4 million persons who are disenfranchised as a result of having a felony conviction. Yet 13 states, including Maryland, ban felons from voting. He advised that we keep an eye on Muntaqim v. Coombe, challenging New York’s felon disenfranchisement statute. Although a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed the dismissal on summary judgment of an inmate’s claim that the statute violated the VRA, the Court has granted a rehearing en banc. So stay tuned.

Many thanks, Judge Williams, for your thoughtful and informative exposition on the VRA.