OTHER EMBASSY NEWS
U.S. civil rights campaigner, Rev Elbert Ransom Jr., visits Zimbabwe
Gives message of hope to Zimbabwe human rights campaigners
Reverend Dr. Elbert Ransom Jnr, American civil rights activist and associate to slain civil rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jnr, left a message of hope to Zimbabwean human rights activists working to restore democracy in Zimbabwe.
Dr Ransom shared his experience in the U.S. civil rights movement in the 1950s and 60s with civil society and the clergy engaged in social justice, human rights, democracy and advocacy work. Rev. Ransom spoke about the Civil Rights Movement as well current work in racial and cultural dialogue.
Rev. Ransom kicked off his visit to Zimbabwe with a keynote address at the second anniversary of Christian Alliance (CA), a network of Christians working for justice and peace in Zimbabwe. The anniversary observed through a prayer breakfast was attended by the US Ambassador to Zimbabwe, James McGee and representatives from other diplomatic missions. The prayer breakfast afforded Rev. Ransom a preview of the role and the courage of the Christian community in speaking out against injustice in Zimbabwe. In his address Rev. Ransom motivated and encouraged CA to press on, drawing from his experience during the Civil Rights Movement.
The breakfast ended with presentation of peace and justice awards to four Christians- Bishop Sebastian Bakare of the Anglican Church in Harare, Father Nigel Johnson of Radio Dialogue, Joice Dube of the South African Women’s Institute for Migration and Bishop Paul Verryn of the Methodist Church in South Africa- who had made significant contributions towards promoting justice and peace in Zimbabwe (see media report).
One of the highlights of Rev Ransom’s tour was roundtable discussions with members of the Student Solidarity Trust (SST) and Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA). SST is a non-partisan tertiary student based organization that seeks to promote and provide solidarity and support to the student movement towards a democratic Zimbabwe. At the roundtable attended by over twenty five students activists Rev. Ransom met with a dozen students who have been expelled from state universities for daring to speak out against tyranny. Rev. Ransom was asked to relate some of the challenges faced by civil rights activists in the 50’s and 60’s. The student activists narrated their challenges which included infiltration and brutality by the state machinery. The discussion ended with an acknowledgement by the students that meeting with a civil rights activist and former aide of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. left them emboldened in their fight against human rights abuses in Zimbabwe.
At the WOZA roundtable Rev. Ransom met women who have been jailed and beaten up with children on their backs for protesting against injustice. Rev. Ransom ended the discussion by teaching the activists the civil rights hymnal “We Shall Overcome” that he said used to encourage civil rights activists.
The non-violent philosophy of Martin Luther King Jr. was the subject of interest at a Jesuit seminary attended by more than a hundred students drawn from five African countries. The students were interested in how this philosophy was communicated to the black community and managed to take hold even in the face of brutal assaults by the police. Rev. Ransom explained that philosophy survived as it had been explained from the spiritual perspective that man was made in the image of God. Ransom encouraged the students who will one day be priests to use moral persuasion to appeal to warring parties should they encounter such challenges in their ministry.
Perhaps the most stimulating meeting for Ransom was a presentation he made to students at a girls’ high school where he talked about the need to respect each other and accept our differences. The students asked questions that showed their pain and the issues that are on their minds with regards to racial and cultural equality. Rev. Ransom encouraged the conveners of the meeting to visit his organization’s (REACH) website and to keep the dialogue going with him.
Rev. Ransom finished his tour with a presentation at a Rotary lunch in Bulawayo. At the lunch Ransom was asked to talk briefly about the gains of African Americans as result of the Civil Rights Movement. The Rotarians also asked him to share his thoughts on Senator Barak Obama’s bid for the presidency. Ransom explained that Senator Barak Obama’s bid for the presidency was one of the gains African Americans have made because of the Civil Rights Movement.
Zimbabwe’s was Rev. Ransom’s last stop after touring other African countries- Ethiopia and Namibia- and he did not hide the secret behind the schedule - “I reserved the best for last.”
Dr. Ranson was brought up in Montgomery, Alabama during an era of heightened racial tensions in the United States. He served as an aide to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., from 1954 through 1968 and participated in the organization of the Alabama bus boycott and other civil rights campaigns. Mr. Ranson went on to a career in civil rights advocacy and ministry. He serves on board for many organizations such as the Alexandria, VA, NAACP.
As a speaker, Dr. Ranson has toured all over the world to places such as Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Ireland, Thailand, Austria, Australia, Brazil and Korea. Dr. Ranson has a master of ministry degree from Howard University School of Divinity in Washington DC and has a doctor of ministry degree from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC. He is the author of the book, I Shall Not Pass This Way Again.
Issued: March 6th 2008