Dear friends,
as you may have heard in October 2018, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute announced that it would be bestowing its highest award on well-known civil rights activist, Angela Davis. At the time, the BCRI's President and CEO Andrea Taylor stated that: "We are thrilled to bestow this honor on Angela Davis, and excited about
her return to her hometown of Birmingham, which is the very launching
pad of the modern human rights movement", saying "Arguably, she’s one of the most globally recognized
champions of human rights, giving voice to those who are powerless to
speak."
Two and half months later, the BCRI has done a stunning about face and announce on 4 January that they were rescinding the award to Davis and cancelling their 16 February gala, where Davis was to give a key note speech.
According to the BCRI, they were rescinding the award as a result of "supporters and other concerned individuals and
organisations, both inside and outside of our local community, began
to make requests that we reconsider our decision". According to
the statement issued by the BCRI (you can read in full here), after closer examination of Davis'
public record it was “concluded that she unfortunately does not
meet all of the criteria on which the award is based”.
However, despite requests by the Birmingham City Council and numerous media outlets, two weeks after their announcement, the BCRI has still not given an explanation as to what what the criteria was and
why Davis did not meet it. The BCRI cancellation has been widely denounced,
including by the Birmingham City Council who passed an unanimous
motion in support of Davis on 8 January.
It has become evident that the primary reason for the BCRI's cancellation of the award to Davis is her outspoken support for Palestinian human rights and the Palestinian initiated and led non-violent Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign, which seeks to hold Israel accountable for its violations of international human rights laws (see: Article 1, Article 2, Article 3, Article 4, Article 5).
It has become evident that the primary reason for the BCRI's cancellation of the award to Davis is her outspoken support for Palestinian human rights and the Palestinian initiated and led non-violent Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign, which seeks to hold Israel accountable for its violations of international human rights laws (see: Article 1, Article 2, Article 3, Article 4, Article 5).
On January 8, Angela Davis issued a statement in response to the BCRI's rescinding of the award to her. On the same day, the Birmingham City Council passed an unanimous motion in support of Davis.
I have included both Davis' statement below, as well as a report on the Birmingham City Council resolution. I will also be posting over the next few days, a number of articles about on the debacle.
I have included both Davis' statement below, as well as a report on the Birmingham City Council resolution. I will also be posting over the next few days, a number of articles about on the debacle.
In solidarity, Kim
***
Statement on the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
On Saturday January 5, I was stunned to learn that the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Board of Directors had reversed their previous decision to award me the Fred Shuttlesworth Human Rights Award. Although the BCRI refused my requests to reveal the substantive reasons for this action, I later learned that my long-term support of justice for Palestine was at issue. This seemed particularly unfortunate, given that my own freedom was secured – and indeed my life was saved – by a vast international movement. And I have devoted much of my own activism to international solidarity and, specifically, to linking struggles in other parts of the world to U.S. grassroots campaigns against police violence, the prison industrial complex, and racism more broadly. The rescinding of this invitation and the cancellation of the event where I was scheduled to speak was thus not primarily an attack against me but rather against the very spirit of the indivisibility of justice.
I support Palestinian political prisoners just as I support current political prisoners in the Basque Country, in Catalunya, in India, and in other parts of the world. I have indeed expressed opposition to policies and practices of the state of Israel, as I express similar opposition to U.S. support for the Israeli occupation of Palestine and to other discriminatory U.S. policies. Through my experiences at Elizabeth Irwin High School in New York City and at Brandeis University in the late fifties and early sixties, and my subsequent time in graduate school in Frankfurt, Germany, I learned to be as passionate about opposition to antisemitism as to racism. It was during this period that I was also introduced to the Palestinian cause. I am proud to have worked closely with Jewish organizations and individuals on issues of concern to all of our communities throughout my life. In many ways, this work has been integral to my growing consciousness regarding the importance of protesting the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
The trip to Birmingham, where I was born and raised, to receive the Fred Shuttlesworth Award, was certain to be the highlight of my year—especially since I knew Rev. Shuttlesworth personally and attended school with his daughter, Patricia, and because my mother, Sallye B. Davis, worked tirelessly for the BCRI during its early years. Moreover, my most inspirational Sunday School teacher Odessa Woolfolk was the driving force for the institute’s creation. Despite the BCRI’s regrettable decision, I look forward to being in Birmingham in February for an alternative event organized by those who believe that the movement for civil rights in this moment must include a robust discussion of all of the injustices that surround us.
Angela Y. Davis,
January 7, 2019
*****************
On
the heels of the news that broke over the weekend that the Birmingham
Civil Rights Institute rescinded an award that was to be presented to
Dr. Angela Davis, the Birmingham City Council unanimously passed a
resolution of support for the civil rights icon.
The
BCRI issued a statement saying “supporters and other concerned
individuals and organizations, both inside and outside of our local
community, began to make requests that we reconsider our decision,” and
claimed Davis did not meet the criteria for the Fred Shuttlesworth Human
Rights Award.
It
has since been reported that Davis’s long-time support of Palestine and
calls for a boycott of Israel was seen as an issue for the BCRI board.
Councilor
Steven Hoyt issued this statement during today’s City Council meeting
regarding the matter (he later called for a resolution of support that
was unanimously approved):
I
want to say something about what we’ve experienced in the last couple
of days since we learned on Saturday that the Birmingham Civil Rights
Institute decided to withdraw an award that was to be given to Dr.
Angela Davis.
It
is absolutely embarrassing to withdraw an award and it’s disingenuous
that we would be selective in our measure of one’s humanity without
considering the totality of their lives. We are products of our
experiences, so where is the grace in this matter? She didn’t nominate
herself. The nominating committee deemed her worthy and now she’s not.
All money isn’t good money, especially if it’s contingent on a partial
view akin to “don’t shout until I tell you to shout.”
Where
is the inclusivity? The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute was founded
principally to embrace all cultures and all people from all walks of
life. In the academic community, professors like Dr. Davis have freedom.
Colleges like UAB don’t agree with everything that every professor
says. But we are to respect their opinions because sometimes their
teachings can provoke new thoughts. So to judge someone by a portion of
their work and not the body of their work is just not right.
Here
we are in a society where banks owned slaves. Do we stop using those
banks? We have former presidents who owned slaves and yet do we not
honor them as founding fathers of the United States of America? So where
is the grace? It’s disheartening and embarrassing that you would judge a
person by a segment of their life.
This
woman lived it. A bomb couldn’t have gone off at Center Street and she
not experience it and yet we’ve forgotten about that part. We let a few
people decide how we celebrate the black community. That’s an
indictment. We all should be outraged because this was the epicenter of
civil rights. Her influence is international and this makes it look like
everyone respects her but us. She’s a champion for women’s rights, race
relations and here she has an opportunity to be honored by her hometown
and this is how it get’s handled. I’m embarrassed to serve in a city
that would support this.
George
Wallace said “Segregation now, segregation forever,” but he said he
changed his heart. We accepted that and there were a whole lot of black
folks that voted for him to be governor.
But
now we have this woman — I want to emphasize, this woman, because they
wouldn’t treat a man like that — and you treat her wrong. It’s not
right. You can’t mischaracterize a person for one part of their life
when their work is so broad and their heart is inclusive.
There
are some things that are in the works where the city still plans to
honor her. She’s one of our daughters. It’s important that young people
know the body of her work. Not just a piece of it.
Sometimes it takes an
outside voice. She’s gone into communities around the world to bring
awareness to humanitarian issues. Her entire life has been about
bringing civil rights to all people. And for that we must honor her and
celebrate the life of one of our own.
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