Illinois NAACP Speaks!

Slain man’s guardian’s vehicle vandalized - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

2009-09-22T20:47:00.001-05:00

Slain man’s guardian’s vehicle vandalized - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

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Students Punished After Brutal School Bus Beating Caught On Tape -- baltimoresun.com

2009-09-21T10:47:00.001-05:00

Students Punished After Brutal School Bus Beating Caught On Tape -- baltimoresun.com

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Father Of Attacker Says Son Was Provoked -- baltimoresun.com

2009-09-21T10:44:00.001-05:00

Father Of Attacker Says Son Was Provoked -- baltimoresun.com

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NAACP Offering Advice After Belleville Bus Brawl Spawns Racial Debate -- baltimoresun.com

2009-09-21T10:41:00.001-05:00

NAACP Offering Advice After Belleville Bus Brawl Spawns Racial Debate -- baltimoresun.com

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NAACP pushes for use-of-force standards - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

2009-09-20T17:47:00.001-05:00

NAACP pushes for use-of-force standards - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

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Barmore attorney skeptical of task force - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

2009-09-20T17:44:00.001-05:00

Barmore attorney skeptical of task force - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

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NAACP stresses chance for change - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

2009-09-13T22:32:00.001-05:00

NAACP stresses chance for change - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

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1,300 marchers join to give off ‘spirit of unity’ - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

2009-09-13T22:24:00.001-05:00

1,300 marchers join to give off ‘spirit of unity’ - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

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NAACP head: CWLP workers should be fired - Springfield, IL - The State Journal-Register

2009-09-11T23:44:00.001-05:00

NAACP head: CWLP workers should be fired - Springfield, IL - The State Journal-Register

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NAACP objects to more trains along 10th Street - Springfield, IL - The State Journal-Register

2009-09-11T23:43:00.001-05:00

NAACP objects to more trains along 10th Street - Springfield, IL - The State Journal-Register

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NAACP President Calls for National Legislation Following Police Shooting at Church Day Care

2009-09-11T23:23:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, police shot and killed Mark Anthony Barmore, a 23-year-old African American man in Rockford, Illinois. Eyewitnesses say that outside the church day care center, Mr. Barmore encountered two police officers who apparently were looking for him on an allegation of domestic violence. He ran inside the church, and the officers followed him, guns drawn, without a warrant. After Mr. Barmore entered a small boiler room, the police demanded he come out. He slowly exited the room with his hands up. Then, witnesses say, police shot him -- in front of children in the day care center. While he lay face down, police shot him three more times in the back. NAACP President Jealous is leading a delegation of NAACP leaders and staff to launch the NAACP’s investigation into the police killing and is calling for a Department of Justice investigation. The protest rally in Rockford with Reverend Jesse Jackson, President Jealous and State and local NAACP leaders on September 12th will be followed by a major mobilization on October 3rd. The NAACP has also been working with Congress, and specifically House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (MI) to enact legislation to mandate official standards for the use of force for every law enforcement agency from federal marshals to rank and file cops on the beat. Currently, there are as many use-of-force policies as there are law enforcement agencies, and there are as many interpretations of those policies as there are law enforcement officers. This lack of uniformity is one of the core reasons behind the tragedy in Rockford and in too many other police shootings across the Nation. You can help.
[Take Action NOW at www.naacp.org]

AP Press Release

2009-09-11T21:53:00.001-05:00

The NAACP scheduled a rally Saturday in Rockford and a march Oct. 3. Jealous was planning to attend both; it would be his first march since taking the NAACP's helm a year ago.

The NAACP is seeking the reintroduction of the Law Enforcement Trust and Integrity Act, first offered by John Conyers, D-Mich., in 2000. It was co-sponsored by 34 legislators but was never voted on by the full House.

Conyers plans to reintroduce the bill during this session of Congress, according to a House Judiciary Committee staffer who spoke on condition of anonymity because the timetable had not been determined.
Jim Pasco, executive director of the national Fraternal Order of Police, disputed the notion that police are inadequately trained in the use of force, which he called "the most serious and awesome responsibility a police officer has." He said that the majority of the public has faith in police and that the proposed law would be "oppressive to police officers."

In the case in Rockford, a city of 155,000, police received a complaint that Barmore, 23, had been in a domestic disturbance with his live-in girlfriend. Barmore had recently been released from jail and had a series of arrests, including charges of assaulting a police officer with a firearm.

On the morning of Aug. 24, Barmore went to the Kingdom Authorities Ministries church, which he sometimes attended, to seek counseling about the problem, said the pastor, Rev. Melvin Brown.

According to Brown, Barmore spoke with the pastor's wife and 17-year-old daughter in the church driveway. Two officers drove by, spotted Barmore, and approached with their guns drawn. Barmore ran inside the church, which also operates a day care center for children ages 4 and up.

Barmore was cornered inside a boiler room, Brown said, as the pastor's wife, daughter and several of the young children watched.

Witnesses said Barmore emerged with his hands up but was shot several times in the chest and back; the officers said Barmore fought them and tried to grab one of their guns, according to Police Chief Chet Epperson.

"My daughter was about five-feet away. When he hit the ground, she sees the cops shooting him in the back. We saw slugs in his back when we went to see the body," said Brown, the pastor.

City officials would not comment Friday on the shooting, citing an ongoing investigation by state police and the Cook County state attorney's office — a rare case of outside agency intervention.

The NAACP was calling for a full Justice Department investigation instead of currently assigned mediators, who were sent to calm racial tensions.

One of the officers who shot Barmore, 37-year-old Oda Poole, had shot three previous suspects in Rockford, one fatally, in the past three years, according to the Rockford Register-Star newspaper.
The fatal shooting was of a 66-year-old man who Poole said pointed what appeared to be a weapon at him and refused to drop it. It was actually a hammer in a sock. Police said they found a suicide note on the man.
Rockford Mayor Larry Morrissey said Friday that he welcomed a thorough investigation and hoped that Barmore's death would improve conditions in a city where black youths have a greater chance of getting arrested than graduating from high school.

The mayor said it was impossible to know why Barmore ran from police, but "the broader and more relevant question is, do we have an approach between our officers and community members that's one of sufficient trust so that we can avoid unnecessary conflict and unnecessary use of force?"

Rev. Jesse Jackson Calls on Citizens of Rockford to March for Jobs and Justice

2009-09-11T21:41:00.002-05:00

Rev. Jesse Jackson Calls on Citizens of Rockford to March for Jobs and Justice

WHO: Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr., founder and president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, Rockford ministers, local community

WHAT: MARCH/RALLY

WHERE: Starting Point: Ellis Arts Academy
                                222 Central Ave
                                Rockford, IL 61102

              Ending Point: Kingdom Authority International
                                518 N. Court
                                Rockford, IL 61103

WHEN: Saturday September 12, 2009 2:00 p.m. CST

WHY: Rev. Jackson is calling for the citizens of Rockford, IL to march for an economic stimulus package. Leaders of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition plan to organize residents in a march this coming Saturday for jobs, justice, education and health care.

Rev. Jackson was initially called to the city by local ministers after the fatal shooting of 23-year-old Mark Anthony Barmore. Barmore was shot by two police officers inside of a church day care.

"We plan to march to show the community's collective hope," said Rev. Jackson. "In some aspects, the death of Mark Anthony Barmore has caused great anxiety and great concern. But beyond that it has awakened people."

Rev. Jackson hopes the demonstration will address some of the social issues plaguing with community, such as high employment rates, the home foreclosure crisis and high school graduation rates.

About two dozen union leaders representing building trades and government employees met with Jackson Tuesday morning to talk about the community's struggle with joblessness and the poor economy. Many of the union leaders have committed to marching with the community Saturday, Jackson said.

"We've been promised a reconstruction, a re-industrialization. Why not start in Rockford?"

The Rainbow PUSH Coalition is a progressive organization devoted to protecting, defending and expanding civil rights to improve economic and educational opportunity.

Lauren A. Love
Media Relations Specialist
lauren@jerrythomaspr.com
248-514-2922 (cell)

From the Desk of President Donald R. Jackson 9-10-09

2009-09-10T20:50:00.000-05:00

On this Saturday, September 12, 2009, there will be a mass demonstration in the city of Rockford, IL to protest the shooting death of Mark Anthony Barmore by the Rockford police department. The demonstration is being organized by Operation Push with the assistance of the local ministers groups in Rockford. The Rockford Branch NAACP and the NAACP Illinois State Conference will also participate in the demonstration. I will attend and I want to invite anyone who is opposed to this type of vigilante law perpetrated by those who are sworn to "serve and protect" the public. This incident is worse than the Jena 6 controversy. In Jena, there a noose was displayed, in Rockford a gun replaced the noose, but a death occurred. We know that the Rev. Jesse Jackson will be there to lead the marchers, and we are expecting the President and CEO of the NAACP National office, Ben Jealous to be present. This is important so see what you can do to attend. The demonstration begins at 1:00pm at the corner of Elm and Central streets in front of the Ellis Arts Academy.

From the Desk of President Donald R. Jackson

2009-09-09T22:35:00.000-05:00

So where was the outrage and anger of the African American community regarding the decision of School Districts NOT to let students hear from their President? At first I was applauding School District 150 (Peoria) for taking an affirmative stance in favor of broadcasting the speech...but at the last minute they also wimped out. This is outrageous, especially since other WHITE Presidents have addressed students in the same fashion and absolutely no controversy. Don't believe for a moment that students don't understand the only distinction is the color of this President's skin (and, perhaps, the fact that he is a democrat). What a sick society. It is no mystery to me that the students of this country (black and white) lag way behind educationally their International counter parts...when Superintendents allow some parents to set their educational agendas what else can you expect.

Pastor’s cleanup puts anger ‘to better use’ - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

2009-09-06T22:01:00.001-05:00

Pastor’s cleanup puts anger ‘to better use’ - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

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NAACP to kids: Stay in school - Freeport, IL - The Journal-Standard

2009-09-06T20:30:00.001-05:00

NAACP to kids: Stay in school - Freeport, IL - The Journal-Standard

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Jackson: Barmore has empowered citizens - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

2009-09-05T01:41:00.001-05:00

Jackson: Barmore has empowered citizens - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

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Jesse Jackson Addresses Rockford NAACP

2009-09-05T01:38:00.001-05:00

Jesse Jackson Addresses Rockford NAACP

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Fatal shooting at day care - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

2009-09-05T01:29:00.001-05:00

Fatal shooting at day care - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

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