Denmark Vesey

It is perhaps possible that this is what people who have a powerful and oppressive system do when they have to defend it.

But I was just listening to you talk about like, you know, I mean, until very recently, like until Dylann Roof went into Denmark Vesey's church in South Carolina and slaughtered black people as they were praying.

people believed there was a good version of the Confederate flag.

They really, I mean, it was, I mean, heritage, not hate.

Black male images are created through revolution, through fighting to change the kind of oppressive conditions that have existed here and that exist.

And the positive images that we all can be very proud of or movers such as dr martin luther king uh... uh... and historically not the private turner denmark vesey uh... not the black panthers you know the black at the party and that was that wasn't that a great

wasn't that a great boost

well the black men in this country well uh... we think so and of course that we were wiped out systematically uh...

Nat Turner, Israelite.

Denmark Vesey.

My organization comes at a time of 1969.

Marcus Garvey wasn't a Pan-Africanist? Pan-Africanist for agenda's sake.

And in 1800, Gabriel organized a planned rebellion in Virginia.

In 1822, Denmark, Versailles, was accused of planning a major uprising there.

in Charleston, although historians debate aspects of the actual evidence.

And in 1831, Nat Turner led a rebellion in Virginia that became one of the most significant uprisings in American slavery's history.

I would remind all of us that, uh, Nat Turner was a preacher.

Denmark Vesey was a preacher.

Harriet Tubman, uh, was a believer.

Uh, John Brown.

Uh, and, and it's interesting that most of the Black nationalists and revolutionaries and Pan-Africanists have been Christian, especially those of the leadership.

When you talk about Marcus Garvey, when you talk about Denmark Vesey, when you talk about So- Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, and so many others.

Even of course, even this time, you're talking about folk who embraced Christianity and, uh, and didn't see it as something that was false.

So this, this perspective that, uh, and this is a strong movement, uh, among Black Christians...

But anyway.

So, I mean, in 1822, Denmark Vesey in Charleston, uh, it's another one.

Denmark Vesey was a formerly enslaved man who had purchased his freedom and lived in Charleston, South Carolina.

In 1822, authorities accused Vesey and others of planning a major rebellion.

Vesey and dozens of other Black men were executed.

The spirit of the 1811 uprising never died.

From Denmark Vesey to Nat Turner to John Brown in Harpers Ferry, no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't kill the spirit of rebellion.

Which brings us to today.

All of these years later, the challenges are undoubtedly different, but the desire for all of us remains the same: freedom.