Author Exposes the Real "Durham County Secrets"

Author Exposes the Real "Durham County Secrets"

Paul Scott




A few months ago, the trailers for ION network's new cable series, "Durham County Secrets" had residents scrambling to make sure that the closets holding their skeletons were securely locked. To the relief of many, the series had nothing to do with Durham NC.

However, in his new book, "Liberalism, Black Power and the Making of American Politics 1965-1980," Vanderbilt University professor, Dr. Devin Fergus, uncovers some secrets that are sure to have Durham folks talking.

In the book, Fergus writes about the Black Power Movement in North Carolina and how it was co-opted by Liberalism. Interestingly enough, he devotes the first two chapters to "the Bull City."

In a recent interview with No Warning Shots Fired.com, Fergus, a New Jersey native, said that he is no stranger to the Tar Heel State having spent his summers down south. Durham was of special interest to him because of the flattering words that Dr. WEB Du Bois gave the black entrepreneurial spirit of the city in the early 20th century and because of the late Minnesota senator, Paul Wellstone's 1969 thesis, "Why They Believe in Violence" which predicted that "Durham was on the precipice of race war."

Fergus also said that one thing that grabbed his attention about Durham was former black power activist, Howard Fuller.

Although, Durham is often praised as being "Black Wall Street" and a haven for the black middle class, the Black Power Movement, which was popular with less affluent members of the city's African American community, is rarely mentioned in books. Even though, E. Franklin Frazier writes in his classic work, "Black Bourgeoisie," that "the capital of the black bourgeoisie was Durham NC," few books mention the city as a hotbed of black militancy.

This is the segment of the population that Fuller set out to represent.

The book chronicles Fuller's struggle with Durham's black middle class, some of whom saw his militancy as a threat to their social and economic stability.

Although some in Durham have, continuously, argued for Afrocentric education for black children, Fuller started Malcolm X Liberation University as early as March of 1969. By the fall of 1970, based, partially, on the efforts of some members of Durham's middle class, MXLU was forced to seek greener pastures in Greensboro, NC.

Later in the book, Fergus moves his focus to other areas of North Carolina, writing about black empowerment projects from Winston Salem's chapter of the Black Panther Party to the mobilization around the Joan Little case and Warren County's Soul City.

While much of the focus of his book is on the black middle class's relationship with black power, he also writes of white liberalism and its attempt to push black militancy into the more socially acceptable political arena.

While some may consider "Liberalism, Black Power and the Making of American Politics" controversial, for a black Hip Hop generation searching for answers to what happened to the "black pride" about which their parents would brag, Fergus's book is a secret that now must be yelled from rooftops.

Dr. Devin Fergus is scheduled to come to the Triangle on a lecture tour the weekend of October 23rd. For more information contact rhuff@ugapress.uga.edu

***On Sunday October 25th he is scheduled to appear at Hayti Heritage Center in Durham and on Monday November 2 at UNC.



Paul Scott is a self-syndicated columnist and author of the blog, No Warning Shots Fired.com. He can be reached at (919) 451-8283 or info@nowarningshotsfired.com

Protectin' the Prez

Protectin' the Prez


Paul Scott




There is an old comedy skit where a well meaning boy scout tries to help a little old lady across a busy street. After finally assuring the frightened woman that he can safely get her to her destination he pulls her through heavy traffic, dodging traffic and finally arrives on the opposite sidewalk. Problem was, the old lady wasn't trying to cross the street in the first place and rewarded the boy scout's good dead with a mighty beat down with her over sized pocket book.

I thought about that when I heard Sybil from the Tom Joyner Morning show givin' the business to the top dog of Barnes and Nobles Bookstore, yesterday.

http://essence.typepad.com/news/2009/03/martin-tjms-bar.html

In case you're one of the only two African Americans who didn't get the email that has been floatin' around for the last week, here's the deal.

Supposedly, some prankster in Florida thought it would be a real hoot to put a book about monkeys in the midst of a President Obama Barnes and Nobles book display.

Needless to say, black folks were not amused.

So, responding to threats of an email generated boycott, Len Riggio, chairman of the bookstore chain went on the Tom Joyner Morning Show to try to calm the natives.

(didn't work...)

Sybil put dude on blast and strongly suggested that Barnes and Nobles, immediately, put security gates and armed guards around book displays at every Barnes and Noble in America, or else!

(or somethin' to that effect)

This raises the question,

"Are black folks a little too protective of President Obama; a man who has made it crystal clear that he has magically transcended the boundaries of race ?"

Since the last election, African Americans have gotten mad about everything from a cartoon of a monkey to a tasty treat called "drunken head negro cookies."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW-92o0OmNU


Also, I've heard otherwise nonviolent black folks threaten to beat anyone' s behind who has the nerve to call Mr. President by his government name.

I guess being the first (reluctantly) black president has its perks, like having a 12 million man secret service force ready to spring into action at the drop of a hat.

Forget about anything bad happening to the Prez, as black folks will engage in actions that will make the "riots" in Detroit, Watts and LA look like a picnic if anyone dares to lay a hand on Barack Obama.

However, fighting to protect President Obama's honor is just as futile as trying to get Martin Luther King Jr's blessing to punch some dude in the mouth for calling the good Rev the "N" word.

Obama is as committed to this post racial thing as King was to nonviolence.

The problem is that as long as black folks continue to take the blows for him, he will not have face the lingering reality of racism.

So while we're out there fightin' in the streets against anyone who dares to diss the Prez, he gets to stay in his fantasy world where we all get along and the Starbucks never close.

Sadly, his political moves will also reflect that ideology. Already we have seen the US threaten not to attend the upcoming World Conference on Racism and the Supreme Court put a limit on the Voting Rights Act.

So, Barack Obama has become the "Tony Romo" of politics. He seems to think that just because he has a strong offensive line it means that the defense of the Washington Racists isn't trying to sack him for a loss of 20 years of the advancement for black folks.

So he underestimates his opponents and what should have been a winning season ends with a series of disappointing losses.

Experience is the best teacher and unless we allow the President to experience some of the ugly realities of race that we experience everyday, he will never grow into the great statesman that we believe he can be...

Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com He can be reached at info@nowarningshotsfired.com (919) 451-8283