of the of the INAUGURATIONINAUGURATION

of theof the 1ST BLACK PRESIDENT1ST BLACK PRESIDENT

of the of the UNITED STATES OF AMEUNITED STATES OF AMERICARICA

Inaugura�on Event, Leeds

5-10pm Tuesday 20th January09 at Leeds West Indian Centre, Laycock Place, Leeds 7

SOUVENIRSOUVENIR

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LEEDS BI-CENTENARY TRANSFORMATION PROJECT and the people of Chapeltown, Leeds

CONGRATULATE

BARACK OBAMA and the first family

on his inaugura�on as the

44th President of the United States of America 20th January 2009

LBCTP Chairperson’s message

Throughout history African people have always been very posi.ve and

proac.ve in their own libera.on worldwide. From since we were cap-

tured, held hostage and kidnapped, from our motherland and trans-

ported to be sold into slavery- we have always been firm in our belief

in libera.ng ourselves collec.vely as one.

In 1791 we started libera.ng ourselves in Hai. and created the first

Black republic in the Western hemisphere in 1804. Libera.ng our-

selves in Hai. and around the Caribbean and the rest of the world one

can see the collec.ve connec.on between the people of African de-

scendants and the libera.on struggle.

Not so long ago in the 1960’s and 70’s many of us thought that we

would never see South Africa liberated and rule by it’s na.ve people;

our people. This was done collec.vely when Castro decided to send

troops to Angola in November 1975, in response to the South African

invasion of Angola, Namibia and Mozambique, whilst the Cuban

troops were figh.ng the arms libera.on throughout the European

domina.on of Southern States.

Randall Robinson, head of the Trans-Africa movement and the Con-

gressional Black Caucus, together recognised that there was an ab-

sence of African voices in interna.onal policy making. They placed

enormous pressure on North America to withdraw financial support

to the South African White regime. This also resulted in the raining

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Souvenir produced by the

LEEDS BI-CENTENARY TRANSFORMATION PROJECT

Scripted & Compiled by Joe Williams © LBCTP 2009

Leeds West Indian Centre Charitable Trust

10 Laycock Place, Leeds LS7 3JA

Tel: (0113) 262 2270

Email: carl@leedsbicentenary.com

derness.

Within these and other poignant struggles, brave, strong leaders have

acted together with other people of African descent around the

world. A few of these leaders include: Marcus Garvey, Nelson Man-

dela, Olaudah Equiano, Angela Davis, Rosa Parks, Sojourner Truth,

Stokely Carmichael and Malcolm X.

We have all heard the Rev Mar.n Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech:

“… that one day this na.on will rise up and live out the true

meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident:

that all men are created equal.

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons

of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able

to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a de-

sert state, sweltering with the heat of injus.ce and oppression,

will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and jus.ce.

I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a na-

.on where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin

but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.”

On Tuesday 20th

January the dream that many of us thought we

would never see will come true. Barack Obama, one of many great

sons of Africa will become the first African American President of North

America.

May God con.nue to give him the strength, energy, wisdom and the

vision that will enable him to deliver peace to all humankind and a

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He brings people together and gives encouragement that we might be Presi-dent one day, if he can do it we can do it as well. It will make me try harder, you can't go through school not bothering, you have to try and put your best into it.

It sets us up for a positive future: we pick up things around us, so if everyone's nasty and horrible then we'll grow up like that, but if eve-ryone is supporting each other then we'll have that attitude when we grow up

The world should agree on one peace treaty and work together for the world we will grow up in.

I was following it on the news and I would like to congratulate him because he worked very very hard for it.

I think he should tackle the big problems first, the ones that'll make the real change. MELIKA GMELIKA GMELIKA GMELIKA GRIFFITHRIFFITHRIFFITHRIFFITH (age 9)

Local statements … Children from local Hillcrest Primary School were asked what message they wanted to send to Barack Obama? Here are two responses:

Like Martin Lu

ther King he

stands up for

Black people;

the way how

Black people w

ere treated I th

ought was wron

g.

He has more p

ower to help th

ose who need

it and stand up

to those who

won't share po

wer.

I'm from Syria a

nd like being f

riends with pe

ople from diffe

rent cultures,

sharing respec

t for each othe

r and to suppor

t and work tog

ether,

I feel happy and

congratulate h

im, he should s

tand up and sh

ow what we

can do if we'

re all one bi

g family.

TALEB MOHAM

MAD

TALEB MOHAM

MAD

TALEB MOHAM

MAD

TALEB MOHAM

MAD (age 10)

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Some older people had this to say ...

As a Great-Grandmother I would like to thank God first and foremost for giving us a soldier in the form of Mr Barack Obama. I feel extremely proud, especially as I can remember seeing generations like myself born directly from the slaves fight with their life for simple freedoms.

It is well known that God almighty put us to serve, and I wholeheartedly believe this is what Barack Obama’s mission is. Under the protection of the Lord he will guide us. Born from a White mother and a Black father almost make it impossible for anyone of any race to not support him, and have a sense of pride in him.

The first family will be treated like royalty; I can remember not being able to get on a bus because of my skin, now those daughters have their own jets!!!

God bless Barack Obama, and thank God for all those who have helped him get there. MILDRED HENRY (Millie Boone)MILDRED HENRY (Millie Boone)MILDRED HENRY (Millie Boone)MILDRED HENRY (Millie Boone)

Well I personally, feel a great sense of pride; it’s a great day

for the Black race, especially the boys. The girls in my opin-

ion have always been slightly more motivated, and I hope

young people will start to stand up and take notice.

The fight and the reason we are able to see such a mile-

stone in history, is without doubt owed to the struggles and

battles our forefathers undertook in ensuring and maintaining a lega-

cy for our people, culture and race. Not ready to accept the position

given to us by the White rule-bearers, Blacks on both sides of the At-

lantic have fought and died for freedoms so often taken for granted.

The fight for our successful survival has to start with Education. The

battle is still on-going, and to think it is over because Barack Obama is

taking office is a misjudgement. We need more Obamas; we as elders

can no longer fight at the frontline, but we do need the younger ones

to awaken their Black conscience and to carry on fighting and to not

accept the confines of which you have become accustomed to.

May the family of Barack Obama be in good health, and I would like to

wish him all the best as he steps into office. ODESSA STOUTEODESSA STOUTEODESSA STOUTEODESSA STOUTE

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Prayer of Thanksgiving by Pastor Gloria Hanley...

G od of our forefathers, our fathers and of all nations, who loves us just as we are, who shows no favouritism or discrimination because of race, colour or gender - We give you thanks.

We give you thanks for this historical time in the lives of people of all nations but especially people of African heritage. A time that our dear departed Martin Luther King dreamt and spoke about more than 40 years ago: a time when we, as a nation, would not be judged by the colour of our skin, but by the contents of our character.

Today, Lord, we reflect on that journey our fore-parents have travelled, suffering pain, oppression and racism after their cruel kidnap from Africa and enslavement in foreign lands.

Through it all Lord, they learned to trust you. They learned to depend up-on you and you brought them through, so we can have this freedom today.

Lord, they paved the way for us. They paved the way for Martin Luther King to prepare the way for Barack Obama. Lord, we thank you that these two men did not step outside your will but followed the path of obedience so that your will can be done - a path hewn out for them before they were born.

Many nations are rejoicing today because that impossible dream has be-come a reality, so Lord, we pray today for your continual protection of the President of United States of America, Barack Obama, as he begins the task of uniting all nations. We pray for a spirit of integration and obedi-ence, a spirit of wisdom and understanding, but most of all a spirit of LOVE.

We entrust him in your care and thank you confidently. We pray for our young Black boys and girls growing up in a society that has not treated them as equals and has left some of them hurt and resentful. Now, may they see that You, have raised up a role model to whom they can aspire, and they may know that they can do all things through Christ who strengthens them.

These mercies we humbly ask in your wonderful name.

Amen.

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OBAMA’S VICTORY TO INSPIRE NEW DAWN FOR UK POLITICS ...

Following President Elect Barack Obama’s historic win, Dawn Butler MP has used this symbolic moment to launch a new platform called ‘Bernie’s List’ to aid future UK Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) politicians.

Bernie’s List, named after the late Bernie Grant MP, one of the UK’s first Black politicians, is a new initiative put for-

ward by a coalition of UK Members of Parliament to strengthen UK’s democracy by increasing diversity and representation in Parliament.

Dawn Butler MP said “Obama is an inspi-ration, not just because he is Black, but be-cause his policies are progressive. I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations to Barack Obama on his historic win. I cannot wait to see Obama and his family enter the white house as Americas first family. This is a historic moment for the

US, but also for the UK and around the world.

I am launching Bernie’s List – a platform to encourage more BAME people into UK politics. Bernie's list is committed to a three-pronged strategy to elect BAME individuals: recruit-ing and funding viable candidates; helping them build and run effective campaign organisations; and mobilising BAME voters to help elect progressive candidates across the nation.

Let Barack Obama’s victory not only herald a new dawn for the US, but for UK politics as well.”

Bernie Grant MP

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Barack Hussein Obama II: THE JOURNEYBarack Hussein Obama II: THE JOURNEYBarack Hussein Obama II: THE JOURNEYBarack Hussein Obama II: THE JOURNEY

Barack Hussein Obama II was born on 4 August 1961. He is the first African American to be elected President of the United States of America (USA) and was also the first African American to be nominated for President by a major USA political party.

Barack Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Barack Hussein Obama, Senior, a Luo from Kenya and Ann Dunham, a White American from Kansas. His parents met in 1960 while attending the University of Hawaii, where his father was a foreign student.

The couple married on 2 February 1961; but separated when Obama was two years old, divorcing in 1964. Obama's father returned to Kenya and saw his son only once more before dying in an automobile accident in 1982.

After her divorce, Dunham married Lolo Soetoro and the family moved in 1967, to Soetoro's home country Indonesia, where Obama attended local schools. He returned to Honolulu to live with his maternal grandpar-ents in 1971.

Obama's mother returned to Hawaii in 1972 for several years and then back to Indonesia to complete fieldwork for her doctoral disserta-tion. She died of ovarian cancer in 1995.

A graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, Barack became the first African descent person to serve as president of the Harvard Law Review. He worked as a community organiser and practiced as a civil rights attorney before serving three terms in the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004. He taught constitu-tional law at the University of Chicago Law School from 1992 to 2004.

Following an unsuccessful bid for a seat in the USA House of Representatives in 2000, he announced his campaign for the USA Senate in January 2003. After a primary victory in March 2004, Barack delivered the keynote address at the Dem-ocratic National Convention in July 2004. He was elected to the Senate in No-vember 2004 with 70 percent of the vote. Obama announced his presidential campaign in February 2007 and was formally nominated at the 2008 Democratic National Convention with Delaware senator Joe Biden as his running mate.

A young Barack Jr.A young Barack Jr.A young Barack Jr.A young Barack Jr.

Barack Sr. and wife AnnBarack Sr. and wife AnnBarack Sr. and wife AnnBarack Sr. and wife Ann

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Barack met his wife, Michelle Robinson, in June 1989 when he was employed as a summer associate at a Chicago law firm. Assigned for three months as Barack's adviser at the firm, Michelle joined him at group social functions, but declined his ini-tial offers to date. They began dating

later that summer, became engaged in 1991 and were mar-ried on 3 October 1992. The couple's first daughter, Malia Ann, was born in 1998, followed by a second daughter, Sasha, in 2001.

He describes his father as "raised a Muslim", but a "confirmed atheist" by the time his parents met; and his stepfather was "a man who saw religion as not particularly useful."

In one of his books, Barack explains how, through working with Black churches as a community organiser while in his 20s, he came to understand "the power of the African American religious tradition to spur social change." He was baptised at Trinity United Church of Christ in 1988.

Barack has 7 half-siblings from his Kenyan fa-ther's family, 6 of them living; and a half-sister, the daughter of his mother and her Indonesian second husband. Barack's mother was survived by her Kansas-born mother, Madelyn Dunham until her death on 2 November 2008, just before the presidential election. In his book, Dreams from My Father, Barack ties his mother's family history to possible Native American ancestors and distant relatives of Jefferson Davis, president of the southern Confederacy during the North American Civil War.

On 4 November 2008, Barack Obama defeated John McCain to become the 44th President of the United States and the first African American President in USA history. In his victory speech, delivered before a crowd of hundreds of thousands of his supporters in Chicago, Barack proclaimed that "change has come to America." Echoing Martin Luther King's "I've Been to the Mountaintop" address, he declared, "The road ahead will be long, our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year, or even in one term, but America I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.”

Adapted from Wikipedia

Barack Jr. and wife MichelleBarack Jr. and wife MichelleBarack Jr. and wife MichelleBarack Jr. and wife Michelle

Barack Sr. and Barack Jr.Barack Sr. and Barack Jr.Barack Sr. and Barack Jr.Barack Sr. and Barack Jr.

Barack Jr. and extended African familyBarack Jr. and extended African familyBarack Jr. and extended African familyBarack Jr. and extended African family

Barack Jr. and motherBarack Jr. and motherBarack Jr. and motherBarack Jr. and mother

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Dr King’s legacy and Barack ObamaDr King’s legacy and Barack ObamaDr King’s legacy and Barack ObamaDr King’s legacy and Barack Obama

Bishop Wayne Malcolm, in Keep The Faith magazine, allows his mind to respectfully reflect on the millions of Africans, who hundreds of years ago, were delivered on North Ameri-ca's shores, as slaves - and asks:

"Who would have imag-ined that God would raise up their offspring to occupy the most elite positions in the land?"

Many African descendants in Britain would not believe the top job of USA Presi- dent would ever go to an African; however, let us not fool o u r s e l v e s , racism is not dead, but a sign has been given that hope lives on... and we must keep the faith.

On the night of Barack Obama's election as the 44th President of the United States of America, his colleague, John Lewis of Georgia, said simply: "This is a great night. This is an unbelievable night." These words were spoken by a man who was brutally beaten by police in Selma, Alabama, during a voting rights march in the 1960s.

Even before civil rights laws had been passed, Martin Luther King spoke about the pride that comes from "assuming prima-ry responsibility" for achieving "first class citizenship" - whilst campaigning Barack Obama also took that message of pride and self-sufficiency to the people nationwide.

At a memorial for King in 2008, Obama said of him:

"Through words he gave voice to the voiceless. Through deeds he gave courage to the faint of heart... By dint of vision, and determination, and most of all

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faith in the redeeming power of love, he endured the humiliation of arrest, the loneliness of a prison cell, the constant threats to his life, until he finally inspired a nation to transform itself, and begin to live up to the meaning of its creed."

Dr King realised that the struggle for economic justice and the strug-gle for racial justice were both parts of the larger struggle “for freedom, for dignity, and for hu-manity”: he reached out to White North America to say that we may have different ethnic backgrounds with different histories, but we all share the same basic hopes for the future.

This universal message did not suit other respected leaders, such as Malcolm X, who proposed more radical measures in the face of brutality, but also importantly encouraged Africans to appreciate and love their own history and humanity as a nation. In 1965 Malcolm X pledged his support for Martin's voting and human rights cam-paigning; the two men were meeting on common ground. After the assassination of Martin Luther King there was great anger and riots across North America, contradicting his spirit of non-violence. But in the spirit of the ongoing struggle for economic and racial justice, his wife, Coretta Scott King, took up the mantle; notably by leading a march in Memphis to win a basic union contract for sanitation workers, many others have also carried the responsibility. Forty-five years after Martin Luther King's march on Washington D.C., North America has sent a strong signal to the world that it is prepared to try to live up to his dream.

Dr Martin Luther King and Malcolm XDr Martin Luther King and Malcolm XDr Martin Luther King and Malcolm XDr Martin Luther King and Malcolm X

Coretta Scott KingCoretta Scott KingCoretta Scott KingCoretta Scott King

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Barack Obama’s victory is a great histor-ical moment for all of us. It is important for; the people of the United States, Black people in the United Kingdom and people who feel oppressed. As his positive cam-paign appealed to all persons - Blacks, Whites, Asians and Hispanics – we should try to follow his example.

I invite you – especially our young people – to share my view that Obama’s victory marks a significant turning point for the success of our people. Such achievements beckon our people - our youth in particular – although at times we may feel that they are not minded to follow the paths of ex-cellence, perhaps diverted by seemingly easier paths.

I can only encourage you to follow the beacon held up by those who have pursued excellence, because I am confident that there is nothing which, with constant endeavour, sacri-fice and discipline cannot be accomplished. Discipline is the process by which a person usually achieves set goals. Obama strove for excellence rather than mediocrity, thereby providing a beacon of hope for others to emulate. His en-deavours exemplified the words of the poet, Henry W Longfellow, when he wrote:

“The heights by great men reached and kept, were not at-tained by sudden flight. But they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.”

I congratulate Mr Barack Obama; I wish him and the people of the United States well. Let us use this experience to make ourselves strong as a people and as a community.

Major R. Ashley Rawlins TD DL Her Majesty’s Deputy Lord-Lieutenant for the County of West Yorkshire

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HOW GREAT THOU ART HOW GREAT THOU ART HOW GREAT THOU ART HOW GREAT THOU ART ---- IN YORKSHIREIN YORKSHIREIN YORKSHIREIN YORKSHIRE

"Each generation is beckoned anew, to fight for what is right, and strive for what is just, and to find within itself the spirit, the sense of purpose, that can remake a nation and transform a world." (Barack Obama)

African American Dr John Henrik Clarke, the honourable historian, says "history informs a people of where they have come from, where they are at and where they are going." What has the history of Africans to do with Yorkshire - or visa versa?

William Darby was not born into slavery but his descendents would have been - he was born in Britain in 1796, of full African descent. He became a world famous circus proprietor for

more than 30 years, until his death in 1871 and is buried in Leeds. He was a young orphan child when the trade in slaves was abolished in 1807 and by the time of Emancipation in the Caribbean (1834-1838) he changed his name to Pablo Fanque and started his own circus in Wakefield.

Leeds engineer John Smeaton, played a significant role in the development of sugar mills on the plantations in the Caribbean and we know that Harewood House and other stately homes in Yorkshire were also built on the economic benefits from the enslavement of Africans. Sugar, tobacco and cotton flowed

freely along Yorkshire canals - whilst wool products used for slave clothing, stockings, bump caps (tams) and blankets were going in the other direction.

Prominent Leeds citizen Thomas Harvey visited plantations in the Caribbean and helped to bring the brutal apprenticeship system to an early end. Wilson Armistead, of strong moral character - invited African American speakers such as Frederick Douglass, Sarah Parker Remond and many others to address large gatherings in Leeds on the evils of slavery. One of the most significant invited speakers to Leeds was pan-Africanist Martin Delaney, who became the first African Ameri-can army field officer during the North American Civil War, which ended slav-ery in North America in 1865.

The next shift was to enslave Africans in their homeland; colonialism would last for approximately another 100 years. The pre-mature death, in 1879, of 18-year old Prince Alamayu of Abyssinia, in Leeds, marks the sad beginnings of colonial paternalism gone tragically wrong; whilst the systematic and savage murder, in 1968, of David Oluwale, in Leeds, also marks the sad frustration of racists wanting to recreate their fore-fathers abuses of power over those with a different skin colour.

The Leeds Bi-Centenary Transformation Project has done much to promote Africans in Britain as having a great ancient history and even greater aspirations - who have collectively made great contributions to Yorkshire and will make greater contributions yet - through the great and outstanding talents of our young people. Researched & Written by Joe WilliamsResearched & Written by Joe WilliamsResearched & Written by Joe WilliamsResearched & Written by Joe Williams

David OluwaleDavid OluwaleDavid OluwaleDavid Oluwale

Sarah Parker Sarah Parker Sarah Parker Sarah Parker RemondRemondRemondRemond

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Leeds Bi-Centenary Transformation Project HIGHLIGHTING AFRICAN ACHIEVEMENTS, LIBERATION AND ASPIRATIONS:

IN COMMEMORATION OF THE BRITISH PARLIAMENTARY ABOLITION ACT 1807

Curriculum Teaching Pack The year 2007 marked the bi-centenary of the United Kingdom Parliamentary Act ending the capture and transportation of African people from the continent of Africa. To mark the occa- sion, the Leeds Bi-Centenary Transformation Project, Education Leeds, Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust and the Heritage Lottery Fund have pro-duced a Curriculum Pack on African achievements, liberation and aspiration and hosted a Leeds city-wide programme of activities, projects in schools, entertainment and visual arts to commemorate this landmark. Leeds as a city played its role in the trans-Atlantic African slave trade in the 18th Cen-tury and the Curriculum Pack for use in all primary and secondary Leeds schools is both accessible and pertinent. The pack offers a collection of thought provoking lessons that include fun and exciting interactive exercises, which can be used by teachers in addressing issues such as freedom; identity, human rights, prejudice, racial discrimination and cultural change.

School Book Work In addition LBCTP will be publishing the work facilitated by two Writers in Residence in ten Stephen Lawrence Education Standard Schools in Leeds. These will include the visual images, poetry and prose produced by the children cover-ing Ancient and Traditional African History and Culture, Trans-Atlantic African Enslavement and Contemporary Contexts that involve the need to mobilise past memories.

Teaching Pack and School Book Work will be available in March 09

For all enquiries, contact The Director; Dr Carl Hylton LBCTP Leeds West Indian Centre, 10 Laycock Place, Leeds LS7 3JA

Tel: (0113) 262 2270 Email: carl@leedsbicentenary.com

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A Statement from the LBCTP Commi/ee On behalf of the Project, we welcome you to our programme for the

inaugura.on of Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States

of America. Our church service and community event con.nues the

story of trans-Atlan.c trade and highlights the importance of African

contribu.ons, libera.on and aspira.on - from civilisa.on to enslave-

ment, from self-libera.on to self-empowerment... and beyond.

We give thanks to all those today, who also witnessed and endured

the sorrows and joys of our progress. Many African and Caribbean el-

ders have expressed their surprise, to see in their life.me, a son of

Africa in the White House - but it is also to the younger genera.on

that we must give thanks and share this pride. We are honoured to

have statements from young voices in Leeds as well as leading figures

in African-Bri.sh society.

We pay tribute to the dual heritage of President Barack Obama and his

journey to the White House - a journey that started with the wisdom

of ancestors and the more recent breaking of shackles - in solidarity of

the many who sacrificed their own freedoms for the benefit of those

yet to come. We pay a tribute to just a few of the many Africans of

excellence, who have passed through Yorkshire over the centuries, on

this momentous journeys.

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