The Struggle Continues

Racism is Alive and Well whether you admit it or not

2011-10-17T19:46:00.004-04:00

So don't tell me I don't know racism. YOU don't know racism. Racism is so institutionalized the media feels it can take an arrogant walk and it does ...an arrogantly racist walk. Somehow because they are protected by the 1st amendment, they feel their racist comments are above reproach. Many of their colleagues should know better, but they stick their heads in the sand. Two of the most racist groups in this country are on TV giving/reporting/spouting forth their version of the news...hosting talk shows...writing for newspapers and magazines..giving their so-called insights into the news as commentators and reporters. How long do you allow what we used to call slanted news to continue before we demand better? There is another group standing in pulpits...but...that is another conversation for another day.

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/10/only-9-of-president-obamas-news-coverage-positive.php

President Obama's Press Conference

2011-10-09T12:49:00.003-04:00

The President at his recent Press Conference on his Jobs Bill ...answered all press questions...and challenged Republicants (my word) to pass the bill. One of the so-called liberal pundits opined after the press conference that the "...President was not "indignant" enough for him about Jobs". HUH! Did you suggest to President Clinton, when you worked for him Robert Reich, a more indignant presidential decorum? He has to become this cussing, angry, Black Male President to make people understand? Why do those who have never served as president want to give suggestions to THIS president on what HE NEEDS to do?

2011-06-17T17:42:00.002-04:00

The Jacksonville Branch NAACP

Mayor-Elect Alvin Brown to receive the Sallye Mathis Award; State Senator Tony Hill, Baptist Health Auxiliary President Mary Greene, School Board Member Betty Burney to receive NAACP Achievement Awards; and Wayne Hogan to receive the President's Award at the Jacksonville Branch NAACP 46^th Annual Freedom Fund Awards Dinner.

Noted Legendary Civil Rights Activist Morris Dees, Co-Founder and Chief Trial Lawyer for the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), is the keynote speaker for the Jacksonville Branch NAACP 46th Annual Freedom Fund Awards Dinner. The dinner is Thursday, June 23, 2011 at the Prime Osborn Convention Center and will begin at 7:00 pm.

In 1967, lawyer Morris Dees had achieved extraordinary business and financial success with his book publishing company. The son of an Alabama farmer, he witnessed firsthand the painful consequences of prejudice and racial injustice. He sympathized with the Civil Rights Movement but had not become actively involved. A night of soul searching at a snowed-in Cincinnati airport changed his life, inspiring Dees to leave his safe, business-as-usual world and undertake a new mission.

"When my plane landed in Chicago, I was ready to take that step, to speak out for my Black friends who were still 'disenfranchised' even after the Voting Rights Act of 1965," Dees wrote in his autobiography, A Season for Justice. "Little had changed in the South. Whites held the power and had not intended to voluntarily share it.

"I had made up my mind. I would sell the company as soon as possible and specialize in civil rights law," Dees said. "All the things in my life that had brought me to this point, all the pulls and tugs of my conscience, found a singular peace. It did not matter what my neighbors would think, or the judges, the bankers, or even my relatives."

Out of this deeply personal moment grew the Southern Poverty Law Center.

SPLC is a non-profit group specializing in lawsuits involving civil rights violations, domestic terrorism, and hate-motivated crimes. Mr. Dees and his associates have successfully battled and dismantled a series of hate groups, including the Aryan Nation and Ku Klux Klan, and have secured huge criminal, civil, and financial judgments against them. He is a strong proponent of education about civil rights and the civil rights movement, and was instrumental in the creation of the Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery, AL.

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Morris Dees to speak at Jacksonville Branch NAACP 46th Annual Freedom Fund Awards Dinner

2011-05-09T18:38:00.003-04:00

The Second Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" Concert

2011-01-14T19:34:00.004-05:00

The Jacksonville Children's Chorus presents the Second Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" Concert, on Monday, January 17, 2011at 6:30 p.m. in the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts, Jacksonville.

Joy Purdy, news anchor of Good Morning Jacksonville, First Coast News and Rodney Hurst, Civil Rights Activist and author, will serve as Masters of Ceremonies. Featured performers include:

The Jacksonville Children's Chorus
Douglas Anderson Chorale
First Coast High School Men's Chorus
Edward Waters Concert Choir
Ritz Chamber Players
Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church Choir

The Perfect Fifths
Bethel Baptist Institutional Church Mass Choir

The Concert opens with the Choirs and ensembles singing (en masse) Roland Carter's stirring arrangement of "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" and closes with Roland Carter's equally moving and poignant arrangement of Dr.King's favorite song, "Precious Lord".

Jacksonville Branch NAACP 50th Anniversary of the 1960 Sit-ins and Ax Handle Saturday (click each image twice to enlarge-images in order )

2010-09-16T17:12:00.010-04:00

2010-08-22T17:02:00.000-04:00

2010-08-22T16:21:00.000-04:00

2010-07-17T16:58:00.000-04:00

The NAACP'S 50th Anniversary of the 1960 Sit-ins and Ax Handle Saturday

2010-07-11T13:28:00.001-04:00

Hurst receives Dr Mary McLeod Bethune Visionary Award

2010-06-28T19:25:00.006-04:00

(L-R) Richard Holley Financial Design Associates (Bethune-Cookman University National Alumni Corporate Sponsor); Dr. Gwendolyn Lee, Keynote Speaker, The Links Inc. National President; Dr Trudie Kibbe Reed, President, Bethune-Cookman University; Rodney Hurst, Dr Mary McLeod Bethune Visionary Award Recipient; Wanda Flowers Esq., Chief Employment Counsel; and Evelyn Walker, Bethune-Cookman University National Alumni President. (Photo by Frank Powell)

Dr Mary McLeod Bethune Corporate Breakfast

42^nd Bethune-Cookman University National Alumni Association Annual Convention (2010)

Rodney Hurst, author of the award winning book, “It was never about a hot dog and a Coke” was awarded the Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Visionary Award by the Bethune-Cookman University National Alumni Association (B-CU NAA) during their 42^nd Annual Convention. Hurst received the award at the Convention’s Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Corporate Breakfast. The B-CU NAA National Convention was held June 16-20, 2010 at the Sawgrass Marriott Resort in Ponte Vedra, Florida.

50th ANNIVERSARY 1960 SIT-INS AND AX HANDLE SATURDAY LIMITED COMMEMORATIVE POSTERWATCH FOR UPDATE

2010-06-24T23:38:00.001-04:00

50th ANNIVERSARY 1960 SIT-INS AND AX HANDLE SATURDAYWATCH FOR UPDATE

2010-06-24T23:21:00.003-04:00

UPDATED INFO -50TH ANNIVERSARY 1960 SIT-INS (left click on each individual image below one time-and then left click again and image will enlarge)

2010-05-28T19:00:00.008-04:00

The Jacksonville NAACP

2010-05-14T14:29:00.004-04:00

The Jacksonville Branch NAACP
Commemorates the
50th Anniversary of the
1960 Lunch Counter Sit-in Demonstrations and Ax Handle Saturday
and Celebrates its
45th Annual Freedom Fund Dinner

(Jacksonville, Florida-May 14, 2010) In August 2010, the Jacksonville, Florida Branch NAACP will mark the 50th Anniversary of the 1960 Lunch Counter Sit-in Demonstrations and Ax Handle Saturday. Four days of commemorative activities will kick off on August 25, 2010 featuring talks and presentations, a very special program at the Ritz Theatre and Museum, panel discussions featuring noted civil rights activists, scholars, and historians, a special NAACP Mass Meeting (which will commemorate the actual anniversary of Ax Handle Saturday), and a civil rights film festival. All activities will culminate on the evening of August 28, 2010 with the Jacksonville Branch NAACP 45th Annual Freedom Fund Dinner featuring Keynote Speaker Kweisi Mfume.

In addition to listed events and speakers, commemorative activities will also feature Dr. James Loewen, Professor Emeritus, University of Vermont and author of “Lies My Teacher Told Me”; human rights activist, folklorist, and humanitarian, Stetson Kennedy; Charlie Cobb, SNCC co-founder, noted journalist and author of “On the Road to Freedom”; Rodney L. Hurst, Sr., Youth Council NAACP President in 1960 (me); and the long awaited reunion of members of the 1960 Jacksonville Youth Council. Additional guest speakers and events are also being added. Events are free and open to the public. However, the Freedom Fund Dinner is $60.00 per person.

For additional information and to purchase Freedom Fund Dinner tickets, please contact Isaiah Rumlin at 904 764-1753, Rodney Hurst at 904 764-9038, Sandra Thompson at 904 768-1086, or Elnora Atkins 768-8697.

Scheduled events
Wednesday - August 25, 2010
Opening Program and Reception
Ritz Theater and Museum
829 North Davis Street
Jacksonville, FL 32202
6:00-8:00 pm

Thursday - August 26, 2010
A VERY SPECIAL PRESENTATION AT THE RITZ THEATRE AND MUSEUM
Ritz Theater and Museum
6:00- 7:30 pm

Friday - August 27, 2010
Commemorative Mass Meeting-
Bethel Baptist Institutional Church
Speaker-Rev. Rudolph W. McKissick, Sr.
6:30 pm

Saturday August 28, 2010
Civil Rights Film Festival–
“Scarred Justice: Orangeburg Massacre 1968”
W/Sandra Birnhak
“The Viola Liuzzo Story”
“Freedom Never Dies-The Harry T. Moore Story”
Ritz Theatre and Museum
10:00 am-3:00 pm

45th Annual Freedom Fund Dinner
Downtown Hyatt Hotel
225 East Coastline Drive, Jacksonville
Speaker-Kweisi Mfume
Tickets $60.00
7:00 pm

Orange County NAACP ACT-SO Awards

2010-04-26T16:30:00.024-04:00

Great applause and accolades to the Orange County NAACP and their citywide ACT-SO Awards Program on Saturday night, April 23, 2010 at the New Covenant Baptist Church in Orlando, Florida. Rev. Dr. Randolph Bracy is the Senior Pastor and Founder of New Covenant and also serves as the President of the Orange County NAACP. ACT-SO ...the Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics...is a major youth initiative of the NAACP and is a highly spirited competition across a number of artistic disciplines. It is a yearlong enrichment program designed to recruit, stimulate, improve and encourage high academic and cultural achievement among African American high school students. Gold medalists at the local level qualify for the national finals held each summer at the NAACP'S National Convention.

Orange County's ACT-SO featured more than 100 contestants. Yet, they were not contestants in the traditional sense of the word as much as they were talented artisans and artists. It was a distinct honor for me (and my wife Ann) to attend the program and bring a few words of encouragement to these distinguished young Black Award Winners. Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medals were awarded in the categories of Architecture, Biology, Microbiology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Computer Science, Dance, Dramatics, Drawing, Earth and Space Sciences, Engineering, Entrepreneurship, Film making, Mathematics , Medicine and Health , Music Composition, Music Inst Classical, Music Inst Contemporary, Music Vocal Classical, Music Vocal Contemporary, Oratory, Original Essay, Painting, Photography, Physics, Play writing, Poetry, and Sculpture. Of course, all awards are based on the entrants in the various categories.

And the Winners are:

Category	Participant	Medal		School

Original Essay
	Gladys Murray	Gold		Cypress Creek
	Shelby Birch	Silver		Dr. Phillips
	Nikkia Tyler	Bronze		Dr. Phillips

Poetry
	Sarah R.T. Merine	Gold		Jones
	Duresny Nemorin	Silver (Gold eligibility – 2^nd Place)		Jones
	Shelby Birch	Bronze (Gold eligibility – 3rd Place)		Dr. Phillips

Dance
	Schyler Drew	Gold		Freedom

Drama
	Denee Benton	Gold		Trinity Prep
	Faith Plowden	Silver (Gold eligibility – 2^nd Place)		Ocoee
	Jakeem Powell	Bronze (Gold eligibility – 3^rd Place)		Dr. Phillips

Vocal-classical
	Mikhail Thompson		Gold	Dr. Phillips
	Denee Benton	Silver		Trinity Prep

Vocal Contemporary
	Denee Benton	Gold		Trinity Prep

Musical Instrumental Contemporary
	Louis Blenbornes	Gold		Oakridge

Drawing
	Everett Jackson	Gold		Apopka

Photography
	Everett Jackson	Gold		Apopka
	Alexis Edmonds	Bronze		Dr. Phillips
Sculpture
	Everett Jackson	Gold		Apopka

Oratory
	Lucinda Howard	Gold		Jones
	Shelby Birch	Silver (Gold Eligibility – 2^nd Place)		Dr. Phillips
	Jakeem Powell	Bronze		Dr. Phillips




Musical Instrumental Classical
	Cassie Hobbs	Gold		Cypress Creek
	Lissette Sanchez	Silver (Gold eligibility- 2^nd Place)		Oakridge
	Jordan Jackson	Bronze		Oakridge

Engineering	Terrell Martin	Silver		Pasco County

Great applause of thanks and purpose to the Orange County NAACP ACT-SO Committee …Phedre M. Brown, Chair, LaVon P. Bracy, Co-Chair, Rev. Leroy Rose, III, Sandra Drew, Teasa Mays, Paulette Waugh, Nicole Dobson, and Rev. Bracy Jr. I commend all of you for mentoring and shepherding our "future brain trust".

And to my Good Friend Dr. Randolph Bracy... God imbued, endowed, and anointed you with Grace, and purpose to make a difference...and truly ordained and ordered your steps in doing a great work. Thank you for a job well done!!

Once to every man and nation
Comes the moment to decide
Then it is the brave man and woman who chooses
While the coward stands aside
Doubting in his abject spirit
‘Til his very Lord is crucified.
...James Lowell

The Struggle Continues…Rodney L. Hurst, Sr.

University of Central Florida Book Festival

2010-04-18T18:17:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to President John Hitt and the Faculty, Staff and Students of the University of Central Florida for an outstanding Inaugural Book Festival.

Special accolades to Dr. Bob Williams, Ana Restrepo, Eric Brewington, Sharon McCloud, Brooke Taylor, Tiphanie Gonzalez, and Donna (I never got your last name ...and many, many others) in the Black and Gold Room... for your hospitality and great volunteerism spirit.

Special Special Thanks also to Dr. Carolyn Walker Hopp, who also volunteered her time and moderated the Civil Rights Book Panel which featured me, Richard Lapchick, and Batt Humphreys.

Richard Lapchick's book, 100 Pioneers: African-Americans Who Broke Color Barriers in Sport details those Black Athletes who were the trailblazers.

Batt Humphreys' book, Dead Weight deals with a 1910 lynching of an African American in South Carolina and is based on a true story.

And of course, my book, It was never about a hot dog and a Coke! which deals with the social and political climate of Jacksonville in the late Fifties and Early Sixties...the 1960 Sit-in Demonstrations...and Ax Handle Saturday.

Great job and Good Stuff!!!

50th Anniversary Commemoration of the 1960 Sit-in Demonstrations and Ax Handle Saturday

2010-04-18T17:50:00.000-04:00

Look for additional announcements soon about the Commemorative Activities for the 1960 Sit-in Demonstrations and Ax Handle Saturday in Jacksonville, Florida.

Save the dates of August 25-28, 2010 on your calendar.

August 25
Welcome program

August 26
Guest speakers
major panel discussions
Civil Rights Films

August 27
NAACP Commemorative Mass Meeting at Bethel Baptist Institutional Church
Speaker: Rev. Rudolph W. McKissick Sr

August 28
Jacksonville Branch NAACP 45TH Annual Freedom Fund Dinner
Speaker: Kweisi Mfume

Look for further details soon.

Orlando Appearances

2010-03-30T18:14:00.000-04:00

Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. Dr. Martin Luther King

Please join me April 24, 2010 at 6:00 pm at New Covenant Baptist Church in Orlando, FL for the 2010 Orange County Branch NAACP ACT-SO Awards Ceremony and Talent Showcase. ACT-SO is a yearlong enrichment program designed to recruit, stimulate, and encourage high academic and cultural achievement among African-American high school students. Students from the central Florida area will compete in 26 categories of competition in the sciences, humanities, business, performing arts and visual arts. The results from the competition will be shared and medalists declared at the 2010 Local ACT-SO Awards Ceremony. I will bring a few words of encouragement to our future brain trust of tomorrow and talk a bit about "It was never about a hot dog and a Coke!"

The week before...on April 17, 2010 ... I will join a number of authors appearing at the University of Central Florida (UCF) (Orlando, FL) Inaugural Book Festival in the UCF's Arena. I will review my book and read a few passages from the book. I look forward to seeing you in Orlando.

The Struggle Continues...

Rodney