How far we have come

Thanks to Bob Goldstein for pointing this out.

Southern strategy further explained

This is a history lesson, and one that I've featured here earlier this year, back when Harry Dent's obituary first appeared. Now he's again in the NY Times, taking up two pages in the Sunday Times magazine, as one of the notables who passed away during 2007. This is a man who worked in the Nixon White House -- that's 30-some years ago, but tell me: Is his work still being done in this Republican administration?

President Nixon rewarded Dent with a White House job as his keeper of those same regional code words, the man in charge of demonstrating to the South that the White House would not be working to enforce federal civil rights laws, while appearing publicly to endorse them. That move would soon be enshrined in the press as the "Southern Strategy."

Once again, one of his notable admissions was he regretted that he might have stood in the way of the rights of black people.

We've got to help people realize that earlier in life.

“I don’t let go easy” – Eufaula Frazier

Her Georgia charm won another admirer, the WLRN host Joseph Cooper. As usual, though, there was some steel under the soft tones as Eufaula Frazier spun away an hour while recalling her half-century and more of civil rights work in Miami.

Ms. Frazier, 82 but not slowed much, recently won the M. Athalie Range award for public service, given by the Miami-Dade County Democratic Executive Committee, and WLRN invited her in for an interview on the Topical Currents afternoon program.

It was a hit with the public radio station’s staff, and a fair number of callers rang in to praise Ms. Frazier’s long career that had kicked off with a concern for tenants’ rights. Among the callers was former Congresswoman Carrie Meek, who had often worked with Ms. Frazier in the past. She asked how to renew the spirit of volunteerism that drove much of Ms. Frazier’s work.

“If you get young people to come it, we can do it,” Ms. Frazier responded, “It’s a matter of leadership.”

And she joked, “We can’t walk but we can do it” – a reference to the arthritis that has slowed her pace while not stopping her continued work in community organizing.

Cooper asked how she kept on going at her age, and she replied, “I don’t let go easy.”

Those who want to hear the entire hour of personal experience in civil rights can turn to WLRN’s audio archives, and turn it up. Worthwhile time for learning. The link.

The Party Had a Party, Starring Eufaula

Friday night at The Fifth a party broke out, and good times rolled.

It was “Dance for the Democrats,” a fund-raiser and celebration of a remarkable civil rights career for one of the most venerable and charming Democrats in South Florida, Eufaula Frazier.

“Can I talk?” Ms. Frazier asked as her strong arms got piled up with plaques and proclamations and flowers and a flag that had flown over the U.S. Capitol. She was holding the microphone at that point, and so she talked for a few minutes about those who worked with her over the years. Before she finished, the stage in the center of the South Beach nightclub called The Fifth was crowded with more than a dozen people she summoned up, all with at least 20 years on the Democratic Executive Committee of the county party.

Ms. Frazier, we must hope, will be around in 10 years when she’s over 90, and we can again celebrate her contributions to human progress in our corner of Florida, because she plans to train young community activists later this year.

Don’t stop, Eufaula!