Artwork by Austin Wells, Used by Permission. Text of Black Lives Matter and White Silence = White Consent added by Brett Cook-Snell
I have not written in quite a while. Yesterday, I participated in the Sonya Massey National Day of Mourning by marching in our areas protest march. How I heard about the murder of Sonya Massey was not on the news, but by two Black Female students in one of my classes. I’m shocked, disgusted, and saddened that I saw no mention of it on any of my social media feeds or the news until afterwards. The two students told me they were apprehensive about calling the police now if they should need to ask for help. That statement speaks volumes to me.
Participants in the march included members of the Black Panther Party. Which brings me to a truth that I was never taught growing up during the visibility of the Black Panthers in the 70’s. The images I saw on the news were only ones militancy and hatred.
Just like not hearing about Sonya Massey, I did not hear about our see images from the 1977 cover story from their weekly newspaper reading, “HANDICAPPED WIN DEMANDS – END H.E.W. OCCUPATION” (Schalk, 2022). This victory resulted in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
If you have a child, friend, parent, relative, or any person that has benefited from Section 504 protecting the rights of the disabled and providing equal access to education, thank the Black Panthers.
Picture: Sonya Massey National Day of Mourning and Protest March, Norfolk, VA, 7/28/24. Brett in his Kilt, holding the sign “Black Lives Matter – White Silence = White Consent with art work by Austin Wells. Members of the Black Panther Party present with their Flag.
For more information on how the Black Panther Party advanced Disability Rights, read Sami Schalk, Black Disability Politics, Duke University Press, 2022.
#sayhername #blackwomenmatter #disabilitypolitics #section 504 #blackpanthers