2013 Marcus Garvey Rootz Extravaganza

The 2013 Marcus Garvey Rootz Extravaganza takes place at the Joseph Carter Park, 1450 West Sunrise Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale, on Saturday, August 17, 2013, starting at 7.00 p.m. Hosted by the Rootz Foundation Inc. in association with the City of Fort Lauderdale Parks and Recreation Department, the event is being staged in celebration of the 126^th anniversary of the birth of Jamaican and Pan-African Hero Marcus Mosiah Garvey.

The keynote speaker at the Rootz Extravaganza will be the President of the World African Diaspora Union (WADU) Dr. Leonard Jeffries. Dr. Jeffries, the well known New York City African Studies professor and activist, attended the Organization of African Unity – African Union 50^th anniversary celebrations in Ethiopia in May this year and is scheduled to give a first hand report on the opening events in Addis Ababa. He will also to outline the ongoing program of events in Africa and internationally associated with the year long celebration of the continent’s largest Pan-African organization.

The special guest of honor and recipient of this year’s Marcus Garvey Lifetime Achievement Community Service Award will be veteran community organizer and activist Willie “Mukasa” Ricks. Ricks is a former member the 1960’s Black Panther Party and was an organizer and Central Committee member in the All-African People’s Revolutionary Party together with his lifelong friend and associate, Trinidadian-born Kwame Ture (Stokely Carmichael).

Beginning as an organizer with the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), Willie Ricks was instrumental in breaking down Jim Crow laws throughout the American South. In 1962 Ricks assisted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., organizing demonstrations to end racism in Albany, Georgia and in 1964, Ricks joined forces with Fannie Lou Hamer to organize the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. The slogan “Black Power” is often associated with Ricks because he was a major force in popularizing the term throughout urban and rural areas of the South. In 1966, Willie Ricks was a major organizer together with Dr. King and Carmichael of the “Black Power March” from Memphis, Tennessee to Jackson, Mississippi. This historic 1966 march started out as the “March Against Fear”, but changed to the “Black Power March” after James Meredith was shot.

The Coordinator of the Florida-based Marcus Garvey Exoneration Coalition, Geoffrey Philp, will update patrons to the 2013 Rootz Extravaganza about the petition to the United States Congress urging President Obama to exonerate Marcus Garvey. The petition has already amassed over 10-thousand signatures in support and those attending the Garvey birthday anniversary celebration will have an opportunity to add their names to the ongoing drive.

Heading up the “info-tainment” side of the program will be Malachi Smith, who will lead the evening’s Spoken Word tributes the 30^th anniversary of the killing of Jamaican Dub Poet Mikey Smith. Smith was stoned death (literally) in his prime by political thugs in Stony Hill, Jamaica in 1983 on August 17^th – Marcus Garvey’s anniversary. 

The information filled and variety packed program will also feature a special tribute by talented vocalist Ettosi to Rastafari/Reggae musician Cedric “Im” Brooks. The veteran saxophonist died recently in New York. Entry to the 2013 Marcus Garvey Rootz Extravaganza will be free.

Sponsors for the 2013 Rootz Extravaganza are: Tomlinson’s Dental Care, Goldson Spinal Center, Hall’s Neurological Surgery, Bobby’s Meals, Carl’s Seafood, Nature’s Coolers Juices, Baba Living Earth Foods, Caribbean Today, WDNA 88.9 FM, Mikey-B Radio Show, Whiz Communications, LoveLight Promotions, Island Beat Marketing, Poor Man Studio, Talawah Roots Tonic and the Rootz Magazine.   

2013 Marcus Garvey Rootz Extravaganza - celebrating the 126th anniversary of the birth of Jamaican and Pan-American Hero Marcus Mosiah Garvey.

WHERE

Joseph Carter Park, 1450 West Sunrise Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale,

WHEN

Saturday, August 17, 2013,

TIME

7.00 p.m. to 12 midnight

HOSTED BY

The Rootz Foundation Inc. in association with the City of Fort Lauderdale Parks and Recreation Department

KEYNOTE SPEAKER:

President of the World African Diaspora Union (WADU) Dr. Leonard Jeffries.

GUEST OF HONOR:

Baba Willie “Mukasa” Ricks

TRIBUTE - To Dub Poet Mikey Smith:

Malachi Smith (Poet)

TRIBUTE – To Cedric “Im” Brooks:

Ettosi (Vocalist)

ADMISSION:

No Charge

For more information call Rootz Foundation at 954-981-1176 or Joseph Carter Park at 954-828-5411

***

The Coalition for the Exoneration of Marcus Garvey is petitioning Senator Bill Nelson, Representative Frederica Wilson, and the Congress of the United States of America for the exoneration of Marcus Garvey:

http://www.causes.com/actions/1722148-urge-congress-to-exonerate-civil-rights-leader-marcus-garvey

We are also petitioning President Barack Obama to exonerate Marcus Garvey:

http://signon.org/sign/exonerate-marcus-garvey?source=c.url&r_by=4631897

Thank you for your support.