Corey Lea-The Black Farmer

Michael Stovall-The Black Farmer

Colby King Black spokesperson for Joe Biden via Washingon Post

The phrase “40 acres and a mule” has come to symbolize the broken promise that America’s policies offer economic justice for African Americans. Full reparations for Black America will never happen.

The 1% will never give up Power or Money. For example, paid in full to the ancestors of the slave trade, today’s fair market price for Forty-Acres and a Mule, 6.4 trillion-dollars!

‎I met Colby King in the 1990s after he joined the Washington Post commentary staff after leaving Riggs Bank where he was a vice-president. He was later named deputy-editor of the editorial page. He was a mentor and once wrote a $5,000 check for my non-profit organization, Kids In Trouble.

During my career in sports media I have had some great mentors when it comes to the written word, to include, Ms. Frances Murphy (Afro-American), George Solomon (Washington Post), Bert Sugar (Boxing Historian), Jim Vance (WRC TV 4), Howie Evans (NY Amsterdam) and Bill Raspberry (Washington Post).

I have wrtten several freelance sports and commentary columns for the Washington Post. Thanks to George Solomon and Colby King. I met Washington Post owner Donald Graham when he was a young cop on the streets of DC. We broke bread a couple of times.

King is a native Washingtonian, a graduate of Dunbar High School and Howard University. According to his introduction for the Pulitzer Prize, he was known for his against-the-grain columns that spoke to people in power with ferocity and wisdom!

On Thursday September 14th I received an email from Corey Lea, it was an update on his latest legal Merry-Go-Round with the America’s court system on behalf of the Black Farmer. The American Courts are well known for Justice & Just-Us system of law when it comes to Black America!

In the email Corey described how the Biden White House-Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack administration conspired with private banks to take Black farmers land.

Right away Colby King came to mind, his background in banking and his commentaries on Saturdays in the Washington Post might help shed a little light on this charade and fraud of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. Man, I dialed a wrong number when I referred Corey to Colby!

Somewhere in the 2,000s after winning The Pulitzer Prize, it sounds like King got lost in the shuffle according to his commentary on President Joe Biden on Saturday September 16, 2023.

King’s commentary two days after I referred Corey to him sadden and disappointed me to no end.

Corey, Michael Stovall, Wayman Hinson, and I have had conversations relating to the Black Farmer down through the years. I met them through spokesperson, Washington, DC native, and my Spingarn high school teammate, Lawrence Lucas. We all have been in the struggle for decades.

Lawrence Lucas spokesperson for the Black Farmer and member of the Spingarn football team in 1967. He is standing on the left in the back row. I am standing on the right back row.

During those conversations as it related to the White House and the Black Farmer, I have never heard them call out Joe Biden for being too old to be President–NEVER! Biden is younger than Lucas and I.

Colby King’s commentary was based on Biden being too old to be President! Not once did he mention the plight of the Black Farmer. I would hate to think King is practicing Critical Race Theory.

Corey Lea invited King to give him a call if he needs clarification–I told Corey not to hold his breath.

In the meantime, there seems to be a divide between Corey Lea and Michael Stovall. They are now in two different camps. Corey is fighting the battle of the Black Farmer through the court system where he has received alledged Debt Relief but no monetary award from the Department of Agriculture to the tune of $250,000. Michael Stovall has received two settlements from the Department of Justice (DOJ) for $250,000 for a total of $500.000. When settlements like Stovall’s are refused by Vilsack, he passes them on to the DOJ.

Vilsack refuses to provide administrated hearings to contest alledged debts of black farmers. However, he pays the USDA for accrued interest on the inflation reduction act.

The accrued interest is prohibited until the administrative complaints are resolved pursuant to the 2008 farm bill and Pigford Settlement agreement is settled.

Stovall has teamed up Lawrence Lucas and they have taken their fight for the Black Farmer to social media, and to the streets with marches and boycotts.

This looks like the “Old Divide & Conquer” used by our enemies and develops into, “He says and she says!” There is no love–and hate becomes the bottom line.

Since I am a eyewitness to this struggle there has been a revolving door. It has become difficult to know who is on First?

The Stovall Team was once, Congressmen Corey Booker, Rafel Warnock, Bernie Sanders and Senator Elizabeth Warren–have all flown the coop!

I watched a recent Podcast narrated by Lawrence Lucas, it looks and sounds like their latest savior is Presidential candidate, Dr. Cornell West. He is running on the GREEN PARTY TICKET and could very well be a thorn in the side of the Biden campaign. The thing only that can save Biden, no one wants Trump.

Biden’s support of Vilsack denying the Black Farmer Debt Relief could bite him in his jackass.

Bill Raspberry was from Mississippi when he landed his teletypist job with the Washington Post in 1962. His first beat assignment was “The Potomac Watch.” He would rise through the ranks according to the Washington Post for his “Fiercely independent views illuminated conflicts related to race and poverty.” Raspberry won a Pulitzer Prize.

King and Raspberry had nothing in common except they both were columnist for the Washington Post and Pulitzer Prize winners. Bill was down to earth and King was a snob.

King knew absolutely nothing about the streets and the poor side of town (Simple City, Potomac Gardens, Barry Farms, Anacostia, Mayfair/Parkside, Langston Terrace, etc). Raspberry followed my lead in the inner-city.

I met Raspberry in 1966 at the favorite hangout of the in-crowd in Washington, DC, Faces Restaurant located on the upper NW corridor of Georgia Avenue.

Legendary radio personality Petey Greene and I were working for the self-help group, the United Planning Organization. We were hired as Neighborhood Workers in 1965.

Petey and I would meet for lunch on Fridays at Face’s for the best fried fish and chicken in the city. On this particular Friday I was running a little late. I found Petey sitting at the bar. He had already ordered my fish lunch and he had my favorite ice tea sitting there waiting for me.

One of the hot topics during that Friday was the Washington Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys. The Redskins were heading to Dallas for their usual showdown. Petey pretended to hate the Redskins for the sake of an augument. He gave the Redskins no chance of winning and I disagreed.

There was a guy sitting three or four seats to our right we had never seen in Faces before. Petey, looked at him and asked, “My man who do you like?”

The brother didn’t miss a beat, his response, “I am from Mississippi and I have no clude!” Petey, looked at me and said, “Harold Bell, hit the bama with the hammer.” The guy just smiled, but Petey gave him the blues for not being aware of the rivary beween the Redskins and the Cowboys.

He finally introduced himself as Bill Raspberry and he worked for the Washington Post. Petey, looked at him and asked, “Doing what?” His next question, “What paper route do you serve?”

Let the show began. Petey, had the Raspberry laughing so hard, he had to excuse himself and go to the bathroom.

He came back to the bar and introduced himself as a writer for the Washington Post. He later told me me, Petey almost made him pee on himself. This was the beginning of a great friendship. On Fridays, Raspberry would join us for fish or chicken at Faces.

I would start hanging out at the Washington Post with Raspberry. He would introduce me to sports editor, George Solomon and sports writer, Dave Dupree. George, would later become my mentor.

Petey, had a talk show on Sundays on W-O-L Radio, “Petey Greene’s Washington.” He was the talk of the town. He gave me 5 minutes to talk sports every Sunday. After he had done his homework, I had Raspberry call in one Sunday to talk Redskin football.

He would become a supporter of all my community endeavors, Kids In Trouble Christmas Toy Parties, Thanksgiving baskets, community day outings, celebrity fashion shows, tennis tournaments, etc.

SGT. EARL K. BELL WENT FROM A MILITARY COP TO DC COP-THE PLANTATION MENTALITY REMAINED THE SAME!

My younger brother Earl K. Bell aka Bull Bell decided he had enough of racism in the U. S. Army after two tours. He decided to bring his two children and wife back home to the U. S. to escape the blatant racism found in Mannheim, Germany.

He had an unblemish service record. He was a Staff Sergeant on the base Military Police, starting fullback on the base football team, Heavyweight Boxing Champion, table Tennis champion and volunteered as a softball umpire.

When racism raised its ugly head in downtown Mannheim at off-base night clubs, black soldiers turned to him for advice. He led them downtown to a nightclub that had policies of “No Blacks allowed”! 

He was confronted by his co-workers U. S. Army MPs who were sent there to enforce the peace. His actions did not sit well with U. S. Army brass. He was all set to sign for a third tour, but decided to separate from a racist Army and return home to DC.

Some how Jet Magazine got hold of our stories, Earl confronting racism in Germany and his big brother having lunch with an alledged racist President at the White House, Richard Nixon. I kept it moving.

Earl once home applied for the DC Police Department and discovered racism was just not confined to Mannheim, Germany. He passed the physical and scored high on the written exam, but he received a letter from black Assistant Chief Maurice Turner a hometown boy, the letter said, he was ineligible because of his previous juvenile record.

There were laws on the books stating that a juvenile’s record could not be held against him in a Civil Service appointment.

I called Raspberry and explained to him there was a problem in the DC Police Department personnel office relating to my brother’s employment. His response, “I will check it out and get back to you!”

Ollie Johnson in background with ball while Dewey Hughes, Bill Raspberry, and I look for a ball of our own. The ocassion a celebrity basketball outing against the Washington Redskins at the Georgetown University Gym.

Three days later my brother received a letter from Turner saying, “We apologize Mr. Bell it was all a mistake”. Thirteen years as a DC cop–the Thin Blue Line and Code of Silence ended his career in 1984.

Sgt. Bell was disciplined after an abusive Lieutenant stepped on his foot while wearing shower shows in the 7th District Station. The Lieutenant was knocked out with one punch. When the air had cleared Sgt. Bell was lett hanging despite several officers willing to testify on his behalf. Several months later he was was taken off the streets and assigned to the Police & Fire Clinic in SE DC.

The first morning of his new assignment he met a 16 wheeler on a icy Southern Avenue and Suitland Parkway overpass-the 16 wheeler won.

Washington Post columnist Dorothy Gilliam picked up the baton and kept the legacy of Sgt. Earl K. Bell alive. Cops were wall to wall in the reception room of the hospital. They came in all colors, shapes and forms to show their respect for the MAN they called “Sgt. Bull Bell!”

Raspberry joins Fatty Taylor (NBA)-Larry Brown (NFL)-Petey Greene and HB for Community Day at the Kids In Trouble Hillcrest Saturday Program.

DC Recreation Department Director, Joe Cole-Bill Raspberry and Carlton Snipes (U Street Mayor) thank everyone for their participation.

Washington Post columnist, Bill Raspberry expose police union for breaking the truce between youth and Officer Friendly cops in the inner-city. A peace that had taken years to cultivate.

Officer Friendly, Charles Robinson and I have a friendly encounter in “The Hood” with Ricky Dargin and Kirby Burkes.

This brings me full circle back to Black Farm Leader Corey Lea and Washington Post Editorial columnist, Colby King.

On September 12, 2023 I received an email from Corey Lea regarding the Biden White House and Agriculture Secretary,Tom Vilsack who was trying to destroy the Black Farmer. Along with Vilsack, BlacK leadership has kicked the Black Farmer so far to the back of the bus there is an overload. Rosa Parks can’t find a seat.

Politicians, Corey Booker (D-NJ) once a Presidential candidate and Rafel Warnock (D-Ga.) a benefactor of the black vote in a recent run-off election. They were what was once thought to be die-hard supporters have all but disappered without a trace from the Black Farmer landscape.

These two brothers are in Washington, DC this weekend (September 21st thru the 24th) to celebrate the annual Congressional Black Caucus Weekend. They will be singing our decades old theme song, “We Shall Overcome”, with added lyrics, “There is a party over here and there is a party over there!”

Michael Stovall and spokesperson, Lawrence Lucas, don’t seem to know “Who’s on First Base” and whether or not it will take a base hit, stolen base, sacrifice fly, walk or error to reach second base. Their relief pitcher President Biden is in the White House–its the blind leading the blind.

In the meantime, neither of the three are in Washington, DC to confront Booker, Warnock or members of the Congressional Black Caucus, to ask the question–“Why is there no support for the Black Farmer?”

The according to the latest statistics, MVP Vilsack is pitching a shutout, no-hitter and blocking home plate-No body is on First Base!

FOOTNOTE: In March, it will be 3 years and Biden-Vilsack has yet to deliver pandemic relief to Black farmers. On this same weekend, the Congressional Black Caucus is partying it up in DC while Black farmers may not get relief and ultimately not get crops in the ground in 2024. Biden-Vilsack are enriching White farmers at the moment so they will be able to buy the foreclosed farms that once belonged to Black farmers. This is a reality! Black America’s allegiance to the Democratic Party will be put to the test in the Polls in 2024. This is a personal hell for Black farmers to have Biden in the White House!!!!

REACHING ACROSS THE ISLE BLACK-WHITE-DEMOCRAT-REPUBLICAN FOR THE KIDS

THEY NEVER ASKED ME IF I WAS A REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT!

LONNIE TAYLOR-THE FIRST BLACK CHIEF OF STAFF FOR A WHITE CONGRESSMAN ON CAPITOL HILL. HE WAS AN INNER-CITY KID WHO NEVER FORGOT!

“EVERY BLACK YOU SEE IS NOT YOUR BROTHER OR SISTER & EVERY WHITE FACE YOU SEE IS NOT YOUR ENEMY!”