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The press conference was aired live on Zoom, and later
posted on Facebook and YouTube. Rev. Keyon Payton delivered
the opening comments. “We are calling on our president and
every decent human being to meet us in this moment of
opportunity. We urge you to pass legislation that benefits
our black farmers. We’re committed to the protection of
black lives, like Kwame Kilpatrick who was sentenced to 28
years in federal prison. We don’t dispute his guilt or
innocence, but the excessive length of his sentence because
it doesn’t fit the crime.”
Rev. Willie Francois III immediately followed and delivered
an opening prayer and call for justice. The press conference
continued with a statement delivered by Robert Shumake, PhD,
the principle shareholder of Ebony Magazine. “Since the
beginning of Ebony, we’ve always made the tough and right
choices to speak truth to power. For generations, we have
showcased racism and remain committed to speak for the
voiceless. Ebony is the DNA code of black America. We want
the freedom of Kwame and the black farmers of this nation,”
shared Shumake.
Kilpatrick was sentenced to 28 years in federal prison in
March 2013 following his conviction on 24 federal felony
charges, including mail fraud, wire fraud and racketeering.
The Detroit Free Press recently reported about a coronavirus
outbreak inside the Oakdale minimum security prison in west
Louisiana, where Kilpatrick is confined, and claimed that
Kilpatrick would be released soon.
A week later the same newspaper reported that the Federal
Bureau of Prisons reviewed and denied Kilpatrick’s home
confinement request. Kilpatrick supporters believe that this
case demonstrates excessive sentencing, victimization of
black men by the criminal justice system and request his
release because Kilpatrick is considered high risk to
contract Covid-19 and was placed in solitary confinement.
Several additional speakers voiced their support for
Kilpatrick’s release including: Rev. Samuel Tolbert; Bishop
Edwin Bass, recent pardon recipients Angela Stanton King and
Alice Johnson, Kilpatrick’s former pastor Bishop Drew Sheard,
and Kilpatrick’s Texas pastor Bishop T.J. Jakes.
“I worked with him personally, he was transparent about his
errors and he wanted to rebuild his life. He volunteered to
help rehabilitate others. He even sat at my dinner table and
met my family. He made mistakes. We appreciate that
sentences are punishment, but this is revenge. His
exorbitant sentence needs to be reexamined. We call on the
president and those in power to right this wrong. Oakdale
complex has had seven prisoners die of coronavirus. We don’t
want him to pay with his life, because he is at risk of this
virus,” explained Bishop Jakes.
The press conference also addressed the lawsuit known as
Pigford vs Glickman, the class action lawsuit against the
U.S. Department of Agriculture. The lawsuit alleged racial
discrimination towards black farmers in department’s
allocation of farm loans and assistance between 1981 and
1996. The lawsuit was settled on April 14, 1999 in U.S.
District Court for the District of Columbia.
Press conference attendees believe that the U.S. Department
of Agriculture continues to foreclose on thousands of black
farmers’ properties while ignoring a court judgement that
should forgive the debts. Press conference speakers are
concerned that almost 7,000 black farmers in the southern
half of the United States are at risk of losing almost 1.5
million acres of their land and that the majority of these
farmers were a part of the 1999 lawsuit.
Press conference speaker Rev. Eddie Slaughter gave personal
testimony from the black farmer’s experience. “Black farmers
signed an agreement and we’re still fighting for justice.
Not one black farmer has been able to present a case, equal
justice under the law does not exist for us in the past 20
years. We have appealed to the federal court and we’re told
that this case falls under subject matter jurisdiction,
meaning only the original racist judge, Judge Freeman can
hear this case. Not one black farmer can have a hearing,
even in my own case. It means no good to win the lawsuit if
nothing happens, we are taxpayers. They are just waiting for
all of us to die out.”
Supporting Rev. Slaughter request for justice for black
farmers included: Bishop T.J. Jakes, Bishop Edwin Bass,
Evangelist Alveda King, Apostle Wayne Jackson, and Bishop
Vashi McKenzie.
“We are dealing with food insecurities and children who go
to bed hungry. Black farmers can work land but never own it,
this looks like a historic scam. Black farmers are left with
debts even after this lawsuit. It’s time for American to
help our black farmers. This country has bailed out Goldman
Sakes, banks, airlines, the auto industry, and countless
others. It is time to bail out our black farmers. After this
conversation, we need action,” explained Bishop McKenzie.
Press conference speakers and attendees included: Bishop
Edwin Bass, Rev. Steve Bland, Jr, PhD, Rev. Jamal Bryant,
PhD , Rev. Tellis Chapman, Henry Childs, PhD,
Ambassador Suzan Cook, Bishop James Dixon II, Bishop Charles
Ellis III, Rev. Kenneth Flowers, Rev. Willie Francois III,
Rev. Frederick Haynes III, PhD , Apostle Wayne Jackson,
Bishop T.D. Jakes, Rev. David Jefferson, PhD, Alice Johnson,
Evangelist Alveda King, PhD, Angela Stanton King, Bishop
Vashi McKenzie, Rev. Keyon Payton, Rev. James Perkins, PhD,
Bishop J. Drew Sheard, Robert Shumake, PhD, Rev. Eddie
Slaughter, Rev. Samuel Tolbert, PhD, Bishop Edgar Vann, and
Bishop Joseph Walker III.
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