Category: Insights from the Elders

The question was asked, why the Black OAKLAND ELDER PIONEERS is talking about shaking hands instead of all the problems we have.

Well the answer to that question is we know what the Black handshake played a huge role in the positive feeling we had for each other back in our day.

We not only create the hand shake but we also gave it a positive meaning. ‘UNITY, SELFHELP, EDUCATION AND DIGNITY.

Now we are updating it to mean ‘’ NO NEGATIVE SPEAK” with each other.

You will understand when you start practicing it and watch how this action will change the atmosphere around you to a positive one.

Sometimes the simplest things make the difference. (Black Elders wisdom speaking).

Oakland Black Elders Pioneers say now is the time for having a purpose in life like ‘’NO NEGATIVE SPEAK (NNS) with each other to bring meaning and purpose collectively into our lives to be more positive with each other.

HISTORY: The Black Handshake in America was created by the Afro American Association of Oakland CA around about 1960-61. Now the Oakland Black Elders are using it to promote ‘’NO NEGATIVE SPEAK’’ (NNS) with each other in Oakland and the world.

The Elders are asking you to say “NO NEGATIVE SPEAK” to yourself two times a day for a week because you must make yourself aware first of negativity. Saying “NNS” makes everyone aware of negativity and wakes you up in a positive way if you just say the words. Positive people make other people positive. 

This simple gesture is already changing the playing field from Negative to Positive in Oakland.

NOTE: If anyone outside of Oakland wants to start a No Negative Speak (NNS) club, social event, reunion, etc., contact us at westoaklandstories@gmail.com. We Elders would love to see who can make their town or city go NNS certified by the West Oakland Stories Positive Feeling Movement. Contact us. Let us compete in a positive way.

IMPORTANT: It is mandatory that you watch our film, http://westoaklandstories.org/ West Oakland Stories of the 1940s, 50s and 60s, in order for you to see visually what No Negative Speak is doing in Oakland TODAY.

REMEMBER THIS MOVEMENT STARTED IN OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

Click on the link below to watch the film.

This picture was on the wall of the Ruth Beckford Room where the movie “WEST OAKLAND STORIES” was presented last week by Ed Howard. This is an excellent movie and I highly recommend, it especially for natives of Oakland.

Subtitles helped to clarify the audio interviews of West Oaklanders, but those subtitles did not exactly match the audio! Important facts, such as: Oakland did not burn in 1968, and Oakland representative Barbara Lee was the only congressperson to vote against the Iraq invasion in the year 2001 or 2002, were presented only in the subtitles. Folks with the insight and intelligence to understand the meaning of such facts probably got a lot more out of the movie than casual observers. https://localwiki.org/oakland/Ruth_Beckford

“NO NEGATIVE SPEAK” with each other.

R. I. P. DR. KHALID ABDULLAH TARIQ AL- MONSOUR (ATTORNEY DON WARDEN) LEADER OF THE AFRO AMERICAN ASSOCIATION, OAKLAND.

The black and white picture below was taken in my apartment in the early 1960’s. These are some of the first men in the Afro American Association (AAA) to work the streets of West Oakland and more, spreading the word of CHANGE from “NEGRO” to “BLACK” back in the early 1960″s. (All of them R.I.P). The other picture is of Khalid in my night club with me, Jesus, and R.I.P. Jay Payton at Ed Howard’s Place Nightclub in Oakland early 1970’s.

JUST SOME OF THE THINGS WE DID BACK IN THE DAY.
The AAA started the first Black Studies in Oakland at its office on Grove Street (now Martin Luther King, Jr Blvd) in the early 60″s.
AAA had a radio program on Oakland KDIA radio station every Sunday; had a Black Talk TV Show named “Black Dignity” on San Francisco KGO-TV Station and I (Ed Howard) was the producer of the TV show.
Also, AAA developed businesses – a print shop named “DIGINITY PRESS”; DIGNITY Clothing Factory; DIGNITY Wooden Container and Pallet Design Manufacturing for United Airlines; and DIGNITY Mobil Car Wash.

I was a Electro/Mechanical Engineering Designer at Kaiser Engineers (1963) and Convinced Oakland Kaiser Industries to hire Black people for white collar jobs by setting up an Engineering Drafting Training (I was the instructor) program for young Black people, and a summer hiring program for office jobs (I was the Director). Because Kaiser Industries was the most powerful corporation in Oakland at that time all the other Oakland Corporation fell in line and started hiring Black people in great numbers. All of this happen before Affirmative Action was born.

The AAA had a program of Education, Black Cultural Awakening, and Economic Development –
UNITY SELFHELP EDUCATION AND DIGNITY ITS MOTTO

NOTE:
BLACK PANTHER PARTY
If the AAA did not exist there would be no Black Panther Party. (No disrespect to the BPP) The BPP just took it to the next level from us the same as the AAA took it from the Civil Rights movement to the next level.

Black & white photo: Left to right: Knorvell Cherry, Bill Alexander, Don Warden (Khalid Al- Monsour), Tom Burns all deceased.
Color photo: Khalid, Ed Howard, Jesus, (RIP) Jay Payton

The Slave System (SS) just loves the TRICKSTERS and let them keep operating even when they are convicted in the courts of law for stealing IN OUR COMMUNITY. The SS have no interest in removing them from our community. (STAND UP!) The West Oakland Stories of the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s (WOS) Film will help get us back in the mood to stand up.
It’s time for Black people to stop being the TRICK and start calling the TRICKSTER OUT IN OUR COMMUNITY.

“TRICK-A-NIGGER” – Black people, all the other races in America knows about this concept except you, why do you think so many of the other race of people come to our communities to get a business start? And that’s what OAKLAND’s OUR TV businessmen MR. LEONARD STEPHENS AND MR. ANDRE ALPORTER TRIED TO DO WHEN THEY ATTEMPTED TO STEAL THE WOS FILM from me. THEY ARE A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF TOO MANY OF OUR OWN BUSINESS PEOPLES ATTITUDE WITH OUR PEOPLE.

It’s time for Black people to stop being the TRICK and start calling the TRICKSTER OUT IN OUR COMMUNITY.

THE MOVIE “BIRTH OF A NATION”
I went to see the movie Birth of a Nation and I am still wondering about the headlines stating that the movie is a flop and that Black women are the cause of it because the producer was associated with a RAPE CASE some years ago.
The movie is a break thru for presenting Black peoples experiences and feelings in the time of the beginning of the development of the Slave System.


The issue is not that the movie is a flop OR ANYTHING ABOUT BLACK WOMEN; the issue is the people who believe in the Slave System BY THERE ACTIONS will not support it because they are against Black people coming up out of the Slave System.

This life is a big game and everybody can be a player if you study the game. The Slave System is the biggest and most important game that you will ever PARTICIPATE in your life Black people.

This Birth of a Nation Film issue is a perfect example of the Slave System game WORKING AGAINST BLACK PEOPLE.
The Slave System tells you the film is a flop and then gets you (Black people) TO GET IN AUGMENTS with each other so that you don’t go see the film so that you will stay BLIND, DEAF AND DUMB about your true self.

The lesson you should learn here is to support anything that is good for Black people regardless of what message the SLAVE SYSTEM present to you.

The fact that Kaepernick has started Black people to stand up and this film has come out about the same time tells the SLAVE SYSTEM that it must do something to stop this movement. Don’t let yourself be fooled; the SLAVE SYSTEM does not want you to see the reality of your past history it just might wake you up. Go see this film Black people.

I know what I am talking about because I produced a film called “West Oakland Stories of the 1940’s, 50’s and 60’s” this is a film that will benefit Black people in a positive way but the people that are working with the Slave System are refusing to work with me to show the film.

Understand when the Slave System approves and pat you on the back it is a sure sign that you are participating in keeping the SLAVE SYSTEM alive and working against the best interest of Black people.
When you have something that is REALLY good for Black people you can bet the Slave System will create opposition to your efforts, AND THE OPPOSITION can come from some of our own Black people. When this happens it is a sure sign that you HAVE SOMETHING WHICH WILL BENEFIT our people.

Let’s start by you letting your Facebook, email, twitter etc. friends know that we are ready to come together “NOW” AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT OUR CONDITION. If you are such a person “LIKE” “SHARE” AND “POST” this article to ALL THAT YOU CAN and ask them to do the same.

We Elders are doers and not just talkers.

MUCH RESPECT
ED HOWARD

We are asking you who are connected to Oakland, West Oakland and McClymonds to look at the names on the list below and email or send a letter with the correct spelling and contact information back to us so that we may get in touch with them. We have only first names for some of the people and may have misspelled others and need contact information for all listed.

The people listed below will be the first notified in advance of notifying the general public for the premiere showing of the West Oakland Stories.

Take a look at the names of the people whom we have filmed for the West Oakland Stories of the 1940s, 50s and 60s.

This film is Oakland’s Black history being told by the people listed below in a way that you have never seen or heard before – the real Black Oakland stories.

We need your donations to complete this film. Write a check/money order now or send donation by PayPal.

Make check or money order to:
Ed Howard/WOSPFM
3591 Quail Lakes Dr. Ste. 202
Stockton CA 95207-5284

OR

PayPal: UN: kakakiki@pacbell.net

Contact Phone number: 510.734.9759

Much Respect,
Ed Howard, Producer/Director
Leonard Gardner, Producer

FILMED AT DEFREMERY PARK ANNUAL REUNION 2012

Angel Carder
Barbara Nelson
Bernardo Williams
Beverly Hayes Brown
Brian McGhee
Calvin Hightower
Charles
Charles Aikens
Doug Simmons
Dwight Sterling
Eunice MacDonald James
Felix Norris
Henry Ralston
Herma Gardere
Howard Simpson
Jackson Bailey
Jackson Davis
Jaden
James Riley
James Wendell Hayes
Jason Alexander
Jay Payton
Jeanie Gambrel
Joe Ellis
Joe Gardere
Joe Johnson
known as Leroy Johns)
Lee Cherry
Lillie Lazabee Caesar Reid
Linda Serena Love
Marlon Eagles
Michael Harvey
Nadel Lazabee
Nick and Myra Allen Harper
Nkrumah Alomar (formerly
Ray Fleming
Rev. Lloyd Cherry
Richard Williams
Sandra J Johnson Simon
Terrible Tom Bowden
Terry Norris
Thelma Griffin
Tina (McClymonds class 1983)
Tracie Johnston

NAMES OF CHILDREN & TEENAGERS
FILMED AT DEFREMERY PARK ANNUAL REUNION 2012

Angie
Rhianna
Lauren
Jerrica
Jaden Woodson Djuan
Kaylee

NAMES LIST – McCLYMONDS CLASS REUNION (1962)

Alberta Woods
Angie (Lives in Antioch)
Carolyn Raglin
Donald Peku
Doris Smith Mabry
Ella Britan Sherra
Gene Patten
George and Thelma Pointer
Glenn and Sally Beamon
Gwen Livingston
Helen Harrison Robinson
Howard Anderson
Irma Lewis
James Elliott
Jeanie Gambrell
Jerry and Karen Bluford
Joan Hardisteen Davis
Joe and Norma Johnson
Juanita Woolrich
Leon and Carolyn Martin Teasley
Mary Rice Brown
Maxine Patten
Meesa
Murtis Cornish Williams
Ollie Bullock Jackson
Pearl Madison
Rodell Harrison
Rose Marie Patten Lauwood
Star Hudson
Willie Ann McKinley Curt

NAMES LIST – TEENS OF THE 40s, 50s, and 60s AFFAIR 2012

Angie McCormick
Barbara Rhone Henry
Carl Martin
Cookie Hadnot
Dorothy Hunter Bradshaw
Ellen Carpenter Berry
Erma Harris
Ernest and Freddie Benford Howard
Evelyn Bailey
Evelyn Terry Holloway
Father Jay Matthews
Freddy Martin Jr
George Randolph
Gerald and Clarice Johnson
Henry Hucklebuck Short
Herma Jean Gardere
Howard and Earline Davis Mayfield
Jackie Gordon
Jeanette Cleveland Carter
John and Betty Evans
John and Dell Handy
John Apperson
Joyce Lamard
Judith Young
Kenneth Evans
Lee Gordon
Louis Villa
Lucille “Kouchie” Amos
Myrtle “Mickie Lynn” Cuello
Nita
Patricia Howard Quarry
Richard Whitehurst
Rose Cuello
Sandra Bethune
Solonia Summers Jones
Tina Tiggs Dright
Tommy Griffith
Walter Keys

NAMES AT THE ELDERS PANEL FLIMING – DeFremery 02-26, 2013

Barbara Clark Conerly
Barbara Vernon
Bernal Davis
Betty Jones Burns
Betty Maze
Bill Patterson
Bobby Warren
Carol Westbrook Curtis
D. English
Donald Williams
Ernest Howard
Florine Banks
Frances Buchanan Robinson-Givens
George Cobb
James Winn
Jimmy Mack
Lafayette Johnson
Lucille “Kuchie” Amos Cole
Margaret Cowell
Melvin Philips
Murphy Taylor
Rev. Timothy Smith
Robert Lawson
Ruth Beckford
Duane Atkins
Gene Hazzard
Matthew
Nick Harper
Phyllis Mouton
Raymond Willis
Shane Lovely
Will Ussery
Willie Simmons