As 2011 draws to a close, we look back in a two-part series at some of the movements, organizations, and moments that made up the year.
Occupy
We know we could have easily dedicated this entire year in review to #occupy (and in spirit we actually… Read more
Today, Miss Ella Josephine Baker would turn 108 years old. The more I learn about this remarkable woman, the more in awe I become. She believed in freedom and she believed in the power of communities to change their lives.
I can’t help imagine wondering what Miss Baker would make… Read more
This fall has been a powerful display of what is possible when people come together to share a vision for a more just and vibrant future for our communities. As the momentum of the movement for solutions for the 99% continues to grow, it’s important to learn about the legacies… Read more
Criticizing the black bloc for vandalism is like shooting fish in a barrel – both are pointless. I’m sure they will show up again so I want to reflect on recent media coverage and share my thoughts about our role as members of the occupy movement.
The black bloc is… Read more
Fifty years ago, today, the very first Freedom Ride headed South from Washington, DC. Though several court cases had deemed segregation on buses to be illegal, the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC), hadn’t enforced the rulings. The Freedom Riders, therefore, set out to challenge segregation by traveling as an interracial group… Read more
The Ella Baker Center is excited to be co-sponsoring an exclusive preview of the new PBS documentary, Freedom Riders on May 11th. Shanelle Matthews, a member of the Ella’s Voice Editorial Board reviews the film here:
The industrious fortitude of Jim Crow and the Southern resistance movement… Read more
51 years ago this week, SNCC (The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) was born out of a student retreat called by Miss Ella Josephine Baker. Miss Baker brought many of the young sit-in protesters together at Shaw University in Raleigh because she recognized that the emerging leaders… Read more
In the last fifteen years, the Ella Baker Center has seen a lot of change. We literally started our organization in a closet. Our founders picked the name “The Ella Baker Center” as a strategy for staying under the radar. Miss Ella Jo Baker isn’t the most well known legend… Read more
Last week, the mother of a 7 year old girl from Sacramento, CA drove her daughter all the way to Oakland to visit the Ella Baker Center. Her goal was to demonstrate the power of her name. This young girl was named after an unsung hero of the civil… Read more
This week, in observance of Miss Ella Jo Baker’s birthday and day of passing- December 13th, we’ll be sharing a series of posts celebrating Miss Baker’s legacy.
This week we celebrate the extraordinary life of Ella Jo Baker – one of the most influential sheroes… Read more
