Wave after wave they walked, dressed in “hoodies” of every color and style, carrying bags of Skittles, cans of gourmet ice tea, some holding handmade signs.
They were mostly young adults and teens; some middle-aged, some senior citizens, wearing overpriced Nikes, bargain basement footwear; some even had on roller skates.
They weren’t the high and mighty of our community. They were just plain folks. The grassroots of Indianapolis’ African-American community.
Four to five thousand filled downtown streets to gather in the American Legion Mall and on Monument Circle in the most impressive grassroots demonstration I’ve seen in my 36 years in Indianapolis.
Monday’s march protesting the reprehensible Trayvon Martin case was unusual for Indianapolis in a number of respects.
First, the march wasn’t organized by a ministerial association, Black politicians or established Black organizations.
This protest was driven by grassroots anger at the Trayvon Martin tragedy and promoted through social media – Facebook – Twitter – text messages – forwarded emails and e-blasts.
Details of the Martin tragedy has spread through Black newspapers and radio, cable news, and more importantly through Internet media, including the national Black websites NewsOne, The Grio, The Root and others.
Black community leaders who attended the rally were impressed and humbled by what we saw. At least two Black state legislators marched and attended; as did several Black City-County Councilors, including Monroe Gray, who wore his march “hoodie” to Monday’s council meeting.
Monday’s rally didn’t belong to “leadership.” It belonged to the folks. It might’ve been disorganized, the sound system inadequate; but grassroots rallies and marches during the ‘50s and ‘60s lacked organization, fancy sound systems and big name speakers.
Those protests fed off the anger and passion of the people. Monday’s rally did the same. Best of all, it was totally peaceful.
Several leaders asked how this passion could be harnessed. Social media is a different animal that many of Indy’s Black institutions don’t understand and haven’t grasped.
But leadership needs to, because last Monday was a preview of what could happen when the sleeping giant of grassroots Black Indianapolis finally awakens.
What I’m hearing in the streets
One final thing about Monday’s rally. IMPD was totally caught unaware about the thousands who marched. There were pitifully few police directing traffic at the height of rush hour. IMPD knew this was a grassroots march. They assumed the crowd would use sidewalks. But the sidewalks from Crispus Attucks to the American Legion Mall are very narrow. And the thousands spilled into the streets.
When marchers passed my office at St. Joseph and Meridian, cross traffic was so bad I had to stop “covering” the march and become a traffic “cop” to protect marcher and vehicle safety.
IMPD brags they’re able to keep “watch” on gangs because they “monitor” social media. Well, IMPD blew it, and calls into question how much IMPD really understands social media and what makes our African-American community tick.
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The news that Indianapolis Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Eugene White is a finalist to head two Deep South districts hasn’t really sunk in with students, teachers parents and residents within IPS, not to mention the community at large.
When you read this, you may know whether White is the next superintendent of either Mobile County Alabama or Greenville County South Carolina’s schools.
If Dr. White takes another job and leaves IPS, the district, the city and our community will face several months of uncertainty, at a crucial time for the district.
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For some 30 years, Chuck Workman was the voice of jazz on Indianapolis radio. First with WTPI and then with the University of Indianapolis’ WICR-FM (88.7).
But Workman was also one of the African-American pioneers in Indianapolis broadcasting. Workman was part of the inaugural staff at WTLC-FM. He then moved to TV and Channel 4 where he was the first African-American sports director of an Indianapolis TV station.
Last October, Workman was named to Indiana’s Broadcasting Hall of Fame.
Last weekend, Workman uncharacteristically missed his WICR weekend broadcasts. The reason, Workman had died at age 79.
Chuck Workman was one of the pioneers that paved the way for Sports Director Anthony Calhoun and Indy’s current Black TV sportscasters Eric Yutzy and Jason Spells.
My most sincere sympathies to Chuck Workman’s colleagues and family. His voice and talent will be greatly missed.
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One of our community’s greatest lions, Father Boniface Hardin died Saturday after a long illness. He was 78.
I can’t remember the first time I met him, but everytime I did he always had a smile on his face and a positive greeting.
We spent many Dr. King Holiday seasons together at the Indianapolis Education Association’s annual banquets, where Father Hardin’s invocations and benedictions were unique and special.
Father Hardin encompassed great humanity, warmth and love for his fellow humans.
His compassion was legendary. As was his fire and infectious desire to make this community and world a better place.
After his passing, I did some research about him, learning how outspoken he was when he first arrived in Indy at Holy Angels Church.
He fought the I-65 construction, which devastated the UNWA neighborhood. His passion inspired the community and made him enemies; including within the powerful Catholic hierarchy.
He overcame that and many obstacles.
And you know of his greatest legacy – Martin University. His passion and single-minded drive birthed and nurtured that institution.
After he retired, Father Hardin’s successor as Martin’s president deeply wounded him. But he endured the insults and slights with decency and class.
After he passed, friends told me Martin University’s new president, Dr. George Miller III, got to meet Father Hardin in Hardin’s final days.
I’m glad there was closure and that Father hopefully felt his life’s work was in good hands.
I’ll deeply miss Father Boniface Hardin’s wisdom, counsel and warm humanity; and that smile. My deepest, deepest sympathy to his family and his many friends.
I’m comforted in knowing that at last, Indy’s Frederick Douglass is sitting down in heaven with “the” Frederick Douglass discussing all manner of things.
I also like to think that Father Boniface Hardin, took time out from his orientation tour with Jesus of His Heavenly Kingdom, to see Monday’s rally. I know Father Hardin would have been pleased.
From a grateful Indianapolis, I say “Thanks Father.”
See ‘ya next week.
You can email comments to Amos Brown at acbrown@aol.com.
