On January 15, 2013 potential Democratic Mayoral candidates debated issues at Al Sharpton's Nation Action Network headquarters in Harlem. The annual event was in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  Community members and other politician were also in attendance. 

The potential candidates included City Comptroller John Liu, Public Advocate Bill Deblasio, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Former City Comptroller Bill Thompson and former City Council Member Sal Albanese.  They discussed issues important to the Harlem community like, improving education, the NYPD's stop and frisk policy, and who they would make next police commisioner.

Click on the picture below for video of the debate.

Skip to 01:41:00 for beginning of debate and also look for other parts labeled MLK JAN 15, 2013 PART 3 and PART 4

Screenshot from NAN Mayoral Debate

All Things Harlem's take on this debate is that the candidate with the most clear answers to the questions was John Liu.  For example, he was the only candidate to make a clear distinction on the issue of stop and frisk saying that he would do away with the policy completely.  All the other candidates answers were much more ambiguous but were leaning more towards reforming the program and not ending it. 

What do you think about the debate?  Do you have a better idea of who you would support in the Democratic primary?

Citizens Against Recidivism honored, Joseph "Jazz" Hayden, with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his life's work of activism around the issues of Criminal Justice. The event was at Citizens Against Recidivsim's annual award ceremony on November 5, 2011 at Tian restaurant in Harlem.

New York State Senator Bill Perkins addressed the audience at the awards ceremony.

For more information on Citizens Against Recidivism visit www.citizensinc.org.

Uptown residents Larry White (left), 76, and Joseph “Jazz” Hayden (right), 70, have both spent decades in prison, and now act as prison activists. (Photo by Nat Rudarakanchana)

The Uptowner - On a quiet Friday evening, a band of grizzled but passionate prison activists wound its way through the corridors of Riverside Church, into a bright business-like meeting room. On the agenda this night: the launching of a campaign to end what they call the “New Jim Crow.”

“We do this and we live this 24/7, all day every day,” said Joseph “Jazz” Hayden, a 70-year-old organizer and activist who had been in prison for 20 years. “But others don’t necessarily know what we’re doing, or know much about the issues we’re dealing with.”

Read Full Story

For information on the Campaign visit www.endnewjimcrow.org

(Harlemites and beyond) who are unemployed, retired, underemployed or just struggling to pay their medical/utility/tuition bills.

JOIN our “Construction Jobs Now” picket line

10am Wednesday, November 9

Columbia University @116^th St. & Broadway

Right now, Columbia University has many new construction/non-construction jobs in a billion-dollar expansion program. Asians, African-Americans, Latinos and women are being denied a fair share of the work.  President Bollinger, WE NEED REAL JOBS to put women and workers of color in Columbia’s construction workforce immediately. We demand not only fairness but jobs to bring us up to par after centuries of discrimination. Hundreds of thousands of our unemployed  need real jobs now, not next week not next year but now!

We can’t wait patiently, idly at a time where   unemployment is reaching new high.  We need a real jobs program put together by serious people rather than the same bulls*** that’s been going on for centuries.

• Ø WE WANT IMMEDIATE JOB PLACEMENT FOR QUALIFIED WORKERS.
• Ø WE WANT GUARANTEED WORK FOR  LOCAL WORKERS
• Ø WE WANT  JOBS  NOW

Why should construction workers with decades of experiences have to be apprentices?  Why are young (white) boys from Rockland, Suffolk, Essex, and Orange counties being ushered into the work, sponsored into the union? And we’re still waiting? How many local people have they hired?

Our Congressman is being used as a shill for Columbia University. Bill Lynch Associates is their well-paid house Negro, hired to silence the voice of the people.

We are the voice of the unemployed people the 99% who make less than $30k

WE WANT JOBS  NOW          WE   NEED   JOBS   AND   WE   NEED   THEM   NOW!   Any program of Columbia that fails to deal with ongoing unfair hiring practices is unacceptable.         We need the support of students/staff in our struggle.

Join us outside PROTEST THE GAMES THEY’RE PLAYING INSIDE

Billions of dollars are bypassing us – and staying in the hands of Columbia’s 1%

For info: contact FIGHTBACK at 212-962-1371 or email:jhjameshaughton@gmail.com

The niggerazation of America...courage is in short supply...a spineless Democratic Party...poverty and truth telling...the counter revolution is winning." Cornel West discusses Attica, its history, and the current state of affairs in the United States.

Amiri Baraka recites his famous and controversial poem on 9/11, entitled, Somebody Blew Up America.

Amy Goodman of Democracy Now!, asks a panel to respond to what were loud cheers heard in support of the Death penalty at the September 7, 2011 Republican debate on MSNBC.  Joseph "Jazz" Hayden responds to the question asking how does a "Christian Nation" who follows Christ support the death penalty, which is the same thing used to crucify Jesus.

Dhoruba Al-Mujahid Bin-Wahad explains that we live in a police state.
He addresses the importance of recognizing that we live in a police state and that we need to decentralize public safety of public safety. Also that we need community control of our communities.

Former inmates will talk about bloody riots as 40th anniversary nears

By: Clem Richardson

NY Daily News - Forty years later, the Attica prison riot remains the bloodiest clash of its kind in American history. Twenty-nine inmates and a total of 10 guards and civilian employees were killed after Gov. Nelson Rockefeller ordered State Department of Correction guards and New York State troopers to storm the upstate New York facility to restore order on Sept. 13, 1971.  

Click to read more ...

August 13, 2011

Dr. James McIntosh speaks to the crowd at the Millions Harlem March on August 13, 2011.  He addresses the need for unity within our communities and asks the crowd if they are willing to give their lives for the cause of Africa.

Herb Boyd, Harlem Journalist from the Amsterdam News, shares his thoughts on global perspective and the people's need for a larger overarching view of the forces and practices of those that oppress.

- Also watch coverage of Minister Louis Farrakan's Speech from the Nation of Islam's Finalcall.com

Click to read more ...

Group Vows To Highlight NYPD Misconduct In 2013 Mayoral Race

NY1 - Concerns of police misconduct and excessive ticketing may become an election day issue as members of the Urban Justice Center begin a new campaign aimed at reforming the way officers interact with the public. NY1's Dean Meminger filed the following report.

Watch Video and read full story

Opens Friday, July 15, 2011 through Saturday, January 7, 2012

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture - Malcolm X: A Search for Truth will provide the general public an opportunity to examine materials from the Malcolm X collection. The Malcolm X collection is unique in that it contains a wide range of speeches, sermons, radio broadcasts, diaries, correspondence, and other documents handwritten by Malcolm X or typed and edited at his direction. Most significantly, Malcolm X: A Search for Truth will offer the public fresh new insights into the nature of his thoughts and development, as well as his multifaceted, at times seemingly contradictory, persona and personality.

Michelle Alexander Speaks at Riverside Church, in Harlem

May 21, 2011 was supposed to be the end of the world, well, it was the end of the world as many of us knew it when they heard Michelle Alexander dissect the criminal "injustice" system in America and its progeny---The New Jim Crow and mass incarceration in the age of Colorblindness.  See more video...

On 8/9/10 Harlem Community Groups, leaders, and residents met up on the corner of 144th and Lenox to discuss the deadly shooting to that took place at a block party there this weekend. Luis Soto was killed, Luis Alvarez suffered 21 bullet wounds. At least six others were hurt in the shootout, including two NYPD officers. Many questions remain unanswered as the investigation continues. - produced by freelance digital journalist

ATH Exclusive

One year later we still missing the King of Pop. Here are some dancing highlights from last year in Harlem following his passing.

After running USI, a multi-million dollar tech firm, Marva Allen retired, moved to Harlem, and wrote two books. She even stopped by a fledging bookstore called Hue-Man to persuade the owners to carry her novels.

Instead of buying her books, Allen became CEO and partner of the company. Under her leadership, Hue-Man has become the must visit place for any writer looking to reach an audience of color.

Allen has also created The Power of One, an organization to encourage Harlemites to continue spending their money in the community. For $1, you can purchase a discount card that is good at many stores and restaurants throughout Harlem.

For more information on Hue Man Bookstore and Café, or the Power of One, please visit: http://www.huemanbookstore.com/ and
http://www.the-powerofone.com/

Story filmed, written, produced and edited by LHRN.

Additional video courtesy of The Power of One