What group is the most active both in Africa and the dispora at the moment? Not sure a lot of us will be able to name more than a few but it'd be good to know whos out there doing what if anyone does. Especially if anyone knows of their achivements.

Was reading up on the NAACP the other day and got a shock, not what i thought they were, only thing I knew about them was Malcom X's working with them after his trip to Mecca thought he started the group... surprised they're still around after they meticulously dragged down Marcus Garvey writing to the US government in an attempt to get him deported from the country. Didn't know they were an intergrationalist/assimilationist group either... put a diffrent light on Malcom X's joining them.

All besides the point... times have... changed? What group has done/is doing the most for us?

There are quite a few organisations about, though some are not as publicised.

I have seeen members of the Uhuru Movement, around Brixton and Peckham selling their newspapers

Ther is also; Nuwaubian Nation, New Black Panther Party (UK), African Hebrew Israelites (I think they still hold meetings in Peckham Library on Sundays), Nubeyond,


I am sure there is a thread somewhere in here which focused on the UK based organisations.

There is also the PAC however I do not know much about them

1. Can you clarify when Malcolm X "joined" the NAACP and what "work you understand that he did with them?

2. Can you explain what it is you want the "groups" you speak of to do, and what it is you are doing to help them achieve the aspirations that you have for them?

I don't think we can measure the performance of small heterogeneuos groups in the same way. Evaluating a larger organisation is different matter, because you can look at indicators such as the amount of people who attend or receive services etc, the quality of those inputs etc.

With different groups serving different needs and unknown numbers or processes not sure where you would even start. Also hard to say who benefits more and in what way. In fact many groups provide a service just by existing and doing what they do whether it is to speak up or oppose particular issues.

For example we have now two investment clubs consisting of 42 people they would say our programmes is the most beneficial to black people. And these are ordinary people not members of our own investment and financial networks, consisting of people who aint got time for £50.00 a month and serious investors not people just initially learning the ropes.

So the question on many levels can be seen as redundant and perhaps more easier to say more about those who are doing nothing than to weight up and rank those who are given their different constituencies, functions and objectives etc.

Didn't mean for it to be a membership competition, was stuck for words trying to say what you said. Some African groups are steady blowing up pipelines and kidnapping workers, doing a whole heap more than most, shame its not a more focused effort.

Yeah.... you're quite right, bit of misinformation there, read that he joined/worked with them after leaving the NOI or something. He fended them off just as M.G did in his day... will look for the book I read. Probably just my imagination.

(I think, seem to be getting my facts wrong recently)

Its definately true, not in a derogatory way. People need to see what is being done to drum up support especially nowadays as we're not getting fair play through the media at all. Most people are too busy paying bills to even think two twos about joining this and that group, people need to see why they should join, stay, and be impressed enough to go tell a friend. Bet not one of those groups has a base of its own as in a building they pay a mortgage on. Can't be dealing with rent-a-room talks about self determination.

The Ausar Auset are up and coming, give them a few years and they'll be well established over here.

Think the GAC pretty much cover it in general, still need to hold down a base or two up and down the UK though.

BL...Understand you bro and wasn' t saying it was a numbers thing. Even though it may well be a numbers thing depending on the type of organisation, group or agency involved. For example if an organisation is serviced based or runs those type of programmes numbers of those attending is crucial in measuring their success. For example the Panther's Breakfast programme or my organisation's legal advice services which were packed week in and week out...But in another type of organisation such as security based one it is the extent of their reach, not the numbers which is the key criteria of measurement. I don't need a million people to whack you on any Caribbean soil you put your foot on.

So in general terms I think there are a lot of good people doing good work out there with differing degrees of success, but that is the learning cycle, if people are bright, open and reflective..they get better and improve. Disagree with K about Legali. Ligali are largely, but not exclusively a campaigning organisation and do excellent work in that area, but you cannot compare them to say my sistren Dr Sandra oh god I forgot her surname....It will come, Dr Sandra Richards of the SPACE centre in West London who do excellent work with families, individual development emotional counselling etc and the brothers who work with her doing stuff for boys and older men....Brothers like Dr Lez Henry and his BLAK Friday educational programme is revolutionary and one of the best things I have witnessed and I have travelled half way across the country to make sure I am there on time to hear what they are dropping, never mind the other really smart and innovative programmes he and his peeps are running. Brothers like Lloyd Beddeu.

These organisations do different types of work. Ligali in its area and others in theirs so I don't think K's comment is an objective assessment and probably indicates his personal preference about what he deems as more important. Just like different departments in the same organisation. But on a broader tip I am not sure whether Reparations, the global African Holocaust or the Commemoration of the Abolition of Slavery as important as they are are really the key strategic issues i think to galvanise Africans on a broad and definitely not on an international level.

SisterSandra Hurst bad gal and serious piece of black woman who I have had the honour to work with again one of Lez's people who really has put the issue of African radical economics on the agenda and impacting on people up and down the country.l Brother Pablo and the beautiful sister Ella from New Initiatives again leaders and long time working alone with a few others in their field. ARM do good work and their growth and increasing attendances and capacity over the years indicate they are making a mark with some in the community.

Where I totally agree with K is this. The present organisation are not sufficiently integrated to constitute a proper movement and I foresee serious problems in that area, because in order to have a movement you need a couple of real big player organisations. When they pull together they draw all the smaller ones with them whether they like it or not. It creates a major shift in the environment. That is the only way you will find young people being exposed and properly integrated in the way we all desire. Moreover, the largest organisations tend to have the most young people and appropriate mechanisms to expose and teach them about leadership so they can go and deal with their peers and increase that pool of concious young people.

Some corrections...Auset Ausar people are not coming up. They have bee around for over a decade. In fact one of their key members came from a study group i ran for a good time and I don't see them as a growth organisation even though I have nuff time for them. If anything they resemble what sociologist call a retreatist organisation, for those who want to retreat into spirituality, meditation, diet and Ancient stuff. If that is your bag they are for you and they produce some good books etc. Those folks rarely involve themselves in wider campaigns or issue.

The only group I will criticise openly are the GAC. What a bunch of jokers for real. I can't remember who said it the first sign that you better run when dealing with radical black organisations..is where they tell you their name...Most of them are from the CAribbean and know jack what is taking place in their neck of the woods, have little influence there, but want to pontificate about global matters affecting Africans and want serious people to believe they are in a position to guide never mind lead us. No different than them Reparations people..painful to listen too.. Is it any wonder they had hardly started and they were in warfare and had to go and get a neutral arbiter Dr whatever his name is. Only to create more warfare and then ARM left in dispute with Esther Sandford who is objectionable at the best of times given the shite that comes out of her mouth. Pure joke business. People with too much theory and ideology fighting over ideals non of which bare any relevance to the technical matters at hand. Also classic joke business of thinking you can build a massive movement or peak association top down and if they knew anything of the most successful organisations of that type they would know better.

Then you go to a meeting about Reparations and my girl has to clear the air and go on record to basically put her mouth on ARM and me and my folks are saying and we came here because....