Subject: A TAD OF BLACK HISTORYFrom Endemic Racism in America
By Rt. Congressman William L. Clay, Sr.
Black Bird Press, Oakland CA. Edited by Marvin X.
Fifty-one (51) years ago next month, as Chairman of the first Congressional Black Caucus’ Annual dinner, I invited Ossie Davis to deliver the Keynote address. History message at the historic event was fantastic. It is worth repeating.
THE FIRST DINNER OF CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS
The CBC's first fund raising dinner, held June 18, 1971, in the nation's capital attracted the movers and shakers of black America. The gala established a new direction in black politics as an enthusiastic audience of two thousand seven hundred sixteen persons jam‑packed the ballroom of the Sheraton‑Park Hotel.
As Chairman of the 1st CBC Dinner, a historic event in modern
Black Political development, I wrote:
“There was almost unanimous agreement among African American historians, elected officials, political enthusiasts, and educators that the first Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Dinner, would be remembered as one the most important events in modern black political history. At that affair, the essence of a new black political movement was realized as coming into being.
“The first fund raising dinner captured the significance of a bold
new direction in the political lives of the black community.
Response of the Black community to the Call by Congressional
Black Caucus to Rally in the Nation’s Capital was tremendous. It
attracted the black movers and shakers from across America.
The gala affair established a new direction in black politics as
an enthusiastic audience of two thousand seven hundred sixteen
(2,700) persons jam‑packed the ballroom of the Sheraton‑Park
Hotel.
The hotel ballroom had a capacity of 2,400, 10 persons at 24
tables. However, there were 2,700 excited people squeezed into
the ballroom, a standing-room-only crowd before the fire marshal
stopped additional entry.
As Chairman of the dinner, prior to recognizing the keynote speaker, I informed the crowd that we were witnessing the destruction of an old myth “that black folk could fill halls like this hotel for parties but not for causes. Well tonight we broke that myth into stacks of one-hundred dollar bills”.
Whatever gems of wisdom I imparted in my introduction were totally eclipsed by what followed the next hour. Songstress Nancy Wilson and political comedian Dick Gregory whet the appetites of this special gathering with the best of entertainment. But there remained the excitement and air of grand anticipation around the speaker for the evening, actor and orator Ozzie Davis.
Continuing, I said:
“My main task tonight ladies and gentlemen is the
introduction of Ossie Davis—who without a doubt is one of the
more influential blacks at communicating ideas. His work over
the years has in a meaningful way penetrated our institutional
concepts. He has–with extra-ordinary effectiveness—utilized
man’s human trait to influence his fellow man, to place
meaningful ideas within his grasp. His influence is not limited to
the black community alone, but, Ossie Davis’ ideas have
permeated the larger society. His concern is with the quality of Life”.
OSSIE DAVIS DELIVERS HISTORIC SPEECH
In delivering brilliant, eloquent, and timely remarks, Davis grasped the mood of the crowd and reflected the attitude of Caucus members and the new mood of Black Americans. His address was titled, “The Plan, Not the Man.” He told the crowd. “It’s not the rap, it’s the map.” Here is a portion of his keynote address:
“Ladies, gentlemen. Brothers, sisters, and friends. This is an historic occasion, a moment we have dreamed and worked and fought for longer than we ourselves have been alive.”
Davis’ subject was profound. His delivery superb. His rendition magnificent. In his characteristic deep, melodic voice, the renown actor, activist electrified the crowd, stating:
“[My] text is very simply: it's not the man, it's the
plan...those of us still caught up in the dream that rhetoric
will solve our problems, let me state it another way...it's not
the rap, it's the map…(T)he burden of my appeal to the 13
Congressional Black Caucus members, give us a plan of
action. A ten black commandments, a simple, moral,
intelligent plan...”
OSSIE DAVIS PUT POLITICS IN PERSPECTIVE
The speech captured the true meaning of the assembled group that was representative of a race long attempting to become independent of others establishing our agenda and determining the time-table for our actions.
His words underscored the CBC’s belief that black America’s interests were best served by a collective voice in Washington—and not by a single, charismatic spokesman.
At one point, Davis went on to say:
“At the time when Dr. King died in 1968, he was in the process of organizing his forces and calling upon his people to come one more time to Washington, D.C. And, I have a feeling that had he come that time he would not have said, ‘I have a dream.’ He would have said, ‘I have a plan.’ And, I feel that that plan might have made a difference.”
Continuing, he stated:
“ And that‘s why, tonight, the burden of my appeal is to you, to
the thirteen Congressional Black Caucus members, to give us a plan
of action…a Ten Black Commandments, simple, strong, that we
can Carry in our hearts and in our memories no matter where we
are and reach out and touch and feel the reassurance that there is
behind everything we do a simple, moral, intelligent plan that
must be fulfilled in the course of time even if all of our leaders,
one by one, fall in battle. Somebody will rise and say [applause]
“Brother!”
Someone will rise and say [applause], “our leader died while we were on page three of the plan. Now that the funeral is over, let us proceed to page four”.
“…From our noble thirteen, we need that they think the
problems out; that they investigate the possible solution; that they codify their results, and they present their program to us, the people, so that we may ratify what they have thought out and
organized and left to us as a program for action.”
“We have become hip to the meaning of political power and
that’s why we are here. This is an exercise in power tonight.
We’ve eaten a good meal, we’ve paid good money for it. We’ve had a good fellowship. We’ve heard good music and entertainment. But, brothers and sisters, the name of the game is power, and if you ain’t playing power, you’re in the wrong place.”
“Let us stop making history by ad hoc methods and by
impromptu improvisations. Let us plan the whole thing out and
give everybody his or her assignment and hold him or her strictly
responsible if he or she doesn’t carry it out. That’s what it calls
for. We are capable of doing it and now is the time to do just
that.”
“…The fires of rebellion are burning brightly because human
beings can only be repressed and ignored and maltreated for so
long. Then they must rise.”
“What is the response of the black people in our inner cities to
this endemic unemployment? What happens to our youth who
suffer from 25 percent to 50 percent unemployment? Some of them
take to drugs. Some of them apply themselves and say the solution
to the problem is education; the solution is preparing ourselves to
deal with an automated society, to deal with a computerized
economy. There are others who say that the society has no
alternative, nothing to give me but a tour of duty in Vietnam.
Others say the only recourse is revolution.
“ …What we need from you, our honored leaders—I choose the
word advisedly, our honored leaders—what we need from you are
your best thoughts, your sincerest dedication. We need from you a
reassurance that there is a new political alignment, even in the
black community. Now we no longer elect leaders by the value we
find that they bring to us from the white community.
At one point, the great orator, actor, and hero to black persons of all ages, all religions, all economic status—questioned why he of all people was chosen to give the battle cry of the new black political revolution. In very much humility, he stated:
“I often wondered why I was chosen for such an important task?
I guess the one reason which makes sense is that I represent that
aspect of black culture which began in Africa with the storytellers
and came down to the great rhetorical giants who have stirred us
by their words in the Past.”
Following those sincere remarks, he said:
“…Ladies and gentlemen, I think I have said enough. There’s much that could be talked about tonight, but we’re here and the fact that we are here is itself eloquent. This is a dinner that could have served without a single word, because we know the historical significance of just sitting, looking, talking to each other of what this moment means. And if you think that there are others that don’t know what this moment means, you should be somewhere where the listening devices are turned up very high. But all I’m saying to the world, all I’m saying to that cadre of black leadership that we have—that we want a plan. We want a plan so simple, so easy to remember that we can carry it in our heads, so that if the storm of oppression should wipe us all out but one family and that family was crouching somewhere in the dark, one brother would reach out to another and say, ”Hey, hey, man, what’s the plan?”
At the conclusion of Ossie’s remarks, the overflow audience was not disappointed. Not a single soul. The brilliance and eloquence of his delivery was unreal. He worked the crowd with an artistic ability consistent with his many years of training as an actor, director, and producer par excellence.
His subject was profound. His delivery superb. His rendition magnificent. In his characteristic deep, melodic voice, he electrified the audience with his grace, dignity, depth, and humor. His thought-provoking appeals to racial pride were in perfect harmony with the energy of the people in the room, many of whom had journeyed from the farthest of the fifty states to express their support for the Congressional Black Caucus. Sentence after sentence, the crowd was on its feet, shouting and applauding, interrupting his presentation.
The speech captured the essence, the true meaning of the assembled group, finding the soul of a people who marched gallantly through the ravages of three centuries to bring the race to a point of seriously assaulting the system of American style apartheid.
Ossie Davis advised Black Americans to give rhetoric a back seat, and to focus instead on a blueprint for action.
Yes, he designed the plan this night in June 1971 for truly beginning the `era of a new black politics destined to change how a nation views African Americans’.
Congressman Augustus Hawkins of California at s later date said:
“It is hard for me to believe that it was twenty years ago that
we gathered in Washington, D.C. for the first annual
Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) legislative weekend a dinner.
In a way, it seems like only yesterday that Ossie Davis stood
before us in the Sheraton Park Hotel and simply, yet eloquently,
challenged the original thirteen CBC Members to consider the
problems facing us, investigate the causes, and inform the public
about legislative strategies and solutions.
“He told us to give rhetoric a back seat, and to focus instead on
a blueprint for action. He said, “It’s not the man, it’s the plan.”
The founding members of the CBC took those words to heart,
and throughout the years we, and those who have since joined us,
have sought to implement genuine economic and social justice.”
PASS THIS ON TO YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN, THEY ARE ENTITLED TO ENJOY THE WORDS OF A GREAT AMERICAN ORATOR
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