Jo Freeman, Author at Public Seminar

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Let My People Stay

That was the message at Lights for Liberty night

July 22, 2019 • by Jo Freeman

Foley Square rally as seen from the county courthouse the county courthouse is in the background Printed signs were plentiful. Homemade signs were scarce. Several politicians were present. Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer is speaking Including Reps. Jerry Nadler and Yvette Clark. Nadler was the only presenter to be heckled -- by people who want him to ...

Multi Media

From Raunchy to Respectable and Back

PRIDE marches on the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riot

July 7, 2019 • by Jo Freeman

The first PRIDE marches were quite raunchy, in a time when displaying pubic hair or female nipples was considered obscene and could lead to arrests. Over the decades what was publicly acceptable changed. PRIDE marches became more like Mardi Gras with costumes, floats and flashy dressing. There have been many schisms over ...

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Mothers Day at Grand Central Station

Granny Peace Brigade sings to an end of all wars

May 14, 2019 • by Jo Freeman

On Mother's Day the Granny Peace Brigade sang to commuters passing through New York’s Grand Central Station about the need to end all wars. About two dozen women joined by a couple men gathered in a semi-circle, where they sang such songs as "We Rage to End All War," "Take Me Out of ...

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Confrontation Over the Occupation of the Embassy of Venezuela

On April 10, three US left-wing groups occupied the Embassy of Venezuela in DC

May 8, 2019 • by Jo Freeman

On April 10, three US left-wing groups occupied the Embassy of Venezuela in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. at the invitation of the Maduro government. Calling themselves the Embassy Protection Collective (EPC), CodePink, ANSWER, and Popular Resistance are living at the embassy 24/7 to keep representatives of opposition leader ...

Confrontation Over the Occupation of the Embassy of Venezuela

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Shout-out over Armenian Genocide on 104th Anniversary

Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day is a national holiday in Armenia

April 29, 2019 • by Jo Freeman

Between 1915 and 1923, the Ottoman empire exterminated 1.5 million Armenians. The starting date is conventionally held to be April 24, 1915. Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day is a national holiday in Armenia. On that day the Armenian Embassy in Washington, D.C. holds an annual memorial. This year’s was marked by a shouting ...

Shout-out over Armenian Genocide on 104th Anniversary

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Release Mueller

Demonstrators gather in Lafayette Park calling for the release of the report

April 10, 2019 • by Jo Freeman

Progressive groups brought thousands of people to hundreds of places around the country to demand the release of the Mueller report. Although the call to demonstrate came with more notice than the one to Protect Mueller last fall, the turnout was lower. About 500 hundred people came to Lafayette Park, across from ...

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Reflections of a Federal Judge from Jim Crow Mississippi

A Jo Freeman Review of ‘Won Over’

March 23, 2019 • by Jo Freeman

When I was working in Mississippi for SCLC in 1966, I would not have believed that any of the young white men I saw on the streets (mostly harassing us) would ever reject white supremacy. They appeared as dedicated to its domination as sports fans are to their clubs. William Alsup writes that ...

Reflections of a Federal Judge from Jim Crow Mississippi

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DNC Winter Meeting

Democratic National Committee held their winter meeting in Washington DC February 14-16

March 6, 2019 • by Jo Freeman

Members of the Democratic National Committee held their winter meeting in Washington DC February 14-16. The DNC has 447 members, including the Chairs and Vice Chairs of the 50 states plus 7 other entities. Most DNC members are elected from their states based on population. Members must be evenly divided ...

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Banned for Life – from Mississippi

Review of Brenda Travis, written with John Obee

February 28, 2019 • by Jo Freeman

At age 17 Brenda Travis was banned from the state of Mississippi, or so she was told. Forced to leave family and friends behind because she got involved in the civil rights movement she spent most of her life someplace else, but always felt like an exile. Brenda was just 16 ...

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Immigrants Demand Permanent Residency

Hundreds march in Washington DC on February 12th

February 15, 2019 • by Jo Freeman

About 500 people came to Washington DC from different states to march from the White House to the Capital demanding that they be allowed to stay in the United States. February 12 was a cold and rainy day. Most of them came here under Temporary Protected Status from 13 different countries. President ...

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Sex, Race and Religion Flood the Streets of Washington, DC

Hundreds of protestors coincide over the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend

January 24, 2019 • by Jo Freeman

Multiple marches filled the streets of Washington, D.C. over the cold, winter weekend celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Sex, race and religion were major themes. The first was the Indigenous People’s March, which met at the Dept. of Interior at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, January 18. After a greeting with prayers ...