“Freedom Struggles Weekend”
Written by Vincent Haynes
On Saturday, February 10, 2007 at 12 noon The House of The Lord
Church located at 415 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y., Rev. Dr.
Herbert Daughtry, Pastor, in collaboration with Downtown Brooklyn
Neighborhood Alliance Center for the Study of History, Culture
and Social Movements, the National Religious Leaders of African
Ancestry Concerned about Dar-fur, along with the Office of the
Brooklyn Borough President, Polytechnic University and The Forest
City Ratner Companies began Freedom Struggles Weekend, a four-day
educational experience focusing on Southern Segregation to Sudan
Savagery and the life and contributions of Frederick Douglass.
Guest speakers included Veteran Civil Rights Leader and former
Special Assistant to the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,
the Rev. Dr. Fred Shuttlesworth. At 2:00 PM Rev. Daughtry gave
a comprehensive update on the situation in Dar-fur which was followed
by personal experiences reports from native Darfurians.
On Sunday, February 11, 2007 at 5:00 PM The House of The Lord
Church celebrated and paid tribute to famous abolitionist, orator
and educator, Frederick Douglass , our hero. “The great-grandson
of Frederick Douglass, Frederick Douglass IV and his wife, BJ
gave a wonderful artistic re-enactment of his life as a slave
and the journey to freedom. The sanctuary was filled with people
from all over the tri-state area. Songs were lifted up in praise.
It was a wonderful, soul stirring and educational event. The presentation
informed the audience about the struggle our ancestors endured
to make a better world for themselves and generations to follow.
On Monday, February 12, Frederick Douglass IV and his wife addressed
the general assembly of two schools in Brooklyn. These schools
are located in Bed/Stuy and Brownsville and were named in honor
of Frederick Douglass. A luncheon was hosted by Polytechnic University
in Brooklyn, which is the former site of the African Wesleyan
Methodist Episcopal Church (1854-1938) and the first Black congregation
(now called Bridge Street AWME Church). Later in the evening,
at 7:00 PM, Mother AME Zion Church, located in the village of
Harlem, pastored by the Rev. Dr. Gregory Smith, hosted a wonderful
program.
On Tuesday, February 13, starting at 9:00 AM there were brief
ceremonies beginning at the Plymouth Church of the Pilgrims in
Brooklyn, the African Burial Ground and the Manhattan Pier to
call attention to a marker, placed by the NYC Landmarks Commission,
at the suggestion of the Rev. Dr. Herbert Daughtry. The day’s
events were culminated by a special reception at City Hall hosted
by Councilman Alan Gerson. Each day began with prayer and continental
breakfast at the House of the Lord Church. This Black History
Month program was truly a rewarding and inspiring experience for
all participants and observers.
0580 -- Rev. Dr. Fred Shuttlesworth Speaking
0642 -- Rev C Herbert Oliver -- Rev. Dr. Fred Shuttlesworth --
Rev Herbert Daughtry
0743 -- Simon Dengo -- Deborah Karima -- Rev Herbert Daughtry
-- Yahya Osman -- Ali Fredle -- and Ahnal Ali
0197 -- The House of The Lord Choir
0304 -- B J and Frederick Douglass IV -- A presentation
0060 -- First stop on monday was the The Frederick Douglass Academy
VII in Brownsville , where Frederick and B J Douglass I V spoke
to the youth
0246 -- Frederick Douglass IV makes a presentation to the Principal
Tamika Matheson
0532 -- the night stop was at the Mother AME Zion Church, located
in the village of Harlem where Dr. Adelaide Sanford Vice Chancellor
of the State Board of Regents was key note Speaker
0412 -- B J Douglass -- Rev Herbert -- Dr. Adelaide Sanford --
Frederick Douglass IV -- Rev. Dr. Gregory Smith, hosted standing
at the Original podium where Frederick spoken and preach from
0055 --Frederick Douglass and his wife B J are siting in the original
pruee at the Plymouth Church in Downtown Brooklyn where his Great
- Great Grandfather spoke and attended
0083 -- Some of the Students that were on the tour
0106 -- Frederick Douglass IV at the Africa Buriel Ground
0181 -- the group held a Libration Cermony at the Africa Buriel
Ground
0240 -- the site where Frederick Douglass came on to New York
soil as a freeman
0328 -- Frederick Douglass and his wife B J Recieve a proclamation
from Councilman Alan Gerson as Rev Karen S Daughtry and Rev Herbert
Daughtry look on0034 -- Frederick Douglass IV -- Rev Herbert Daughtry
B J Douglass and Peggy Washington
