Politics Mondays: Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney's CBC Braintrusts: "Countering Culture: COINTELPRO Attacks On Political Musicians"

On Thursday, September 22nd and Saturday September 24th, I have the honor and privilege of serving as MC for two of Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney's Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Briantrusts. The two sessions are part of the annual Congressional Black Caucus Convention in the nation's capitol.

As many may know, Congresswoman McKinney has been the foremost member of Congress to explore, investigate, and educate the public regarding the FBI's Counter Intelligence Program (COINTELPRO) infamously run by former FBI head J. Edgar Hoover. And for the past five years BlackElectorate.com has been publicly making the case that the COINTELPRO paradigm may be at play in the treatment of leading Hip-Hop artists and Hip-Hop culture, by both the government, interest groups, and media.

The Congresswoman and her staff have outdone themselves with the subject matter and focus, and in the caliber of the panelists - including Afeni Shakur, Ward Churchill, Davey D. and Rosa Clemente - scheduled to participate.

Below is a more detailed information outlining both forums which feature more than just the usual and increasingly tired format of individuals simply speaking and conference attendees asking questions. Uniquely at this forum, music will be provided by the talented Two Tone Jones & Victor Harris of WPFW - Pacifica Radio. And A DVD presentation of "Scandalize My Name" - a documentary narrated by Morgan Freeman, focused on the McCarthy-era campaign against athlete, scholar, and artist Paul Robeson and others, will be featured.

The sessions will be held at the Washington Convention Center, 801 Mt. Vernon Place, Washington, DC.

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Thursday, September 22 – Room 144-A

COUNTERING CULTURE: COINTELPRO ATTACKS ON POLITICAL
MUSICIANS

4:00 – 5:50 pm

MC: Cedric Muhammad, Black Electorate

Music: DJ Two Tone Jones & Victor Harris (WPFW - Pacifica)

Panel One: The Covert War Against Black Musicians

Paul Robeson and MKULTRA
- Paul Robeson, Jr., son

Operation CHAOS: War Against Rock – Hendrix & Marley

- Alex Constantine, author of The Covert War Against Rock

The Hip-Hop Generation – Tupac Shakur
- Afeni Shakur, mother


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Saturday, September 24, 2005
1:50 – 2:50 pm – Room 209-A

COUNTERING CULTURE: COINTELPRO ATTACKS ON POLITICAL
MUSICIANS

1:00 – 1:50 pm

DVD presentation on Countering Culture

"Scandalize My Name" - documentary history narrated by Morgan Freeman of the McCarthy period attacks on Robeson and others

MC: Cedric Muhammad, Black Electorate

Music: DJ Two Tone Jones & Victor Harris (WPFW Pacifica)

Panelists:

COINTELPRO: The Legacy of Abuse
- Ward Churchill, author of The COINTELPRO Papers

The Future

- Davey D, Hip-Hop Historian and Opinion Leader, DaveyD.com

- Rosa Clemente, Co-founder National Hip Hop Convention, grassroots organizer, Hip Hop activist, journalist.

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I hope to see you there.

Cedric Muhammad

Monday, September 19, 2005

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The views and opinions expressed herein by the author do not necessarily represent the opinions or position of BlackElectorate.com or Black Electorate Communications.