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Lecture by C. Sade Turnipseed, MBA/MS/PhD
A monument (historic site) that pays homage to Mississippi Cotton Pickers, Sharecroppers, and Textile Workers does not exist in the United States, nor in any place throughout the world. These are the people who literally tilled the path to economic greatness in America, allowing it to become the Cotton Kingdom in the American South, and throughout the world. The Cotton Capital of Manchester, England, and Wall Street of New York were the greatest benefactors of the Mississippi Delta cotton. Hence, the mandate of Khafre, Inc. to initiate the International Cotton Pickers’ UNITE Movement! (ICPUM).
The ICPUM is an initiative to erect a series of monuments, museums/interpretive centers, and an international Historic Cotton Trail that embarks in the “Cotton Kingdom” AKA Mississippi Delta, USA trans-verses across the Atlantic to the “Cotton Capital” Manchester, England, to then disembark in “Cotton Motherland” Segou—Mali, re-visiting the Triangular Trade Route (in reverse).
This initiative began in 2009, when public historian Dr. C. Sade Turnipseed founded the non-profit organization Khafre, Inc., to lead the movement that intentionally showed a heartfelt respect and appreciation for the sweat equity investment of millions of people in the cotton fields of the American South, and to include the tireless work of people in the textile industries around the world. These people we affectionately call “Grandmama’nem. It is no secret that they worked for unaccountable hours (from kin to kain’t) planting, chopping, picking, and spinning cotton ... with no real profit or promise of a monetary return. Nor were there “trust funds” provisioned for them anywhere along the triangular trade route. To this day, none received the respect and public remembrance they deserve … It is time!
In 2010, the call went out to world-renowned monument developer and astronaut Mr.Ed Dwight, who provided the historic site plans and so much more. In 2012, Dr. Maya Angelou gave her blessings, voice, and original poetry to the initiative as the inaugural Honorary Chair. In 2014, Dr. B.B. King signed on to continue Dr Angelou’s blessings and gave permission to create a children’s novel in tribute to the cotton pickers tales of survival, and, in 2015, blues singer Dr. Bobby Rush followed the lead of his predecessors and became the current Honorary Chair for this Movement. The collective voice of these great Americans honors to the hardest-working people the world has ever known ... The Cotton Pickers.
After over 400 years of enslavement, neo-enslavement (sharecropping), and colonization, we at Khafre, Inc. realize the significance of the work of the Cotton Pickers and are fierce advocates for acknowledging their contributions through educational programs and economic development projects. Their unaccounted-for labor reflects the dignity, determination, perseverance, pride, and distinct vision of hope held for generations. Khafre, Inc is committed to the idea that Cotton Pickers deserve the building of a series of monuments and museums worldwide. That is the topic of our proposed presentation for your conference, social gathering, et al.
The historical documentation, lecture, and PowerPoint presentation offer tools and remedies that respectfully acknowledge this work and presents with important instruction on how to move forward to protect and preserve the legacy of Grandmama’nem—The Cotton Pickers.
In conclusion, it is time to say “Thank you” to Grandmama’nem!
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visitwww.cottonpickers.us
Emailinfo@khafreinc.org Call662.347.8198
©2024
