This week on the Laura Flanders Show: What role did economic cooperation play in the civil rights movement? As it turns out, a huge one. This forgotten history is the focus of Dr. Jessica Gordon Nembhard's recent book Collective Courage: A History of African-American Economic Thought and Practice, out in bookstores in May.
In 2014, the LF Show was one of the first to report on Gordon Nembhard's work on Black cooperativism and civil rights. Gordon Nembhard has received wide acclaim for both her book and her cooperative work. In August 2016, she ws inducted into the Cooperative Hall of Fame, standing along side cooperative movement heroes such as Shirley Sherrod (former LF guest) and Melbah Smith. Gordon Nembhard is Professor of Community Justice and Social Economic Development in the Department of Africana Studies at John Jay College, of the City University of New York (CUNY).
Gordon Nembhard's research has had formidable impact on the worker co-op sector. co-founded the U.S. Federation of Worker Co-ops and helped that organization build lasting ties with prominent civil rights and cooperative organizations. She is also an active member of the Grassroots Economic Organizing Newsletter collective and recently joined the board of directors of Green Worker Cooperatives.
Find out more at www.lauraflanders.com/jessica_gordon_nembhard_cooperatives_and_civil_rights
Throughout the history of Black community development a common thread resonates on how those communities worked together to meet their needs. Shared markets and cooperatives were a common practice from the post slavery/civil war era through today in the United States. This session will explore the rich histories of these shared and cooperative market places and how they were models of resilience and self sufficiency. This session will also venture into the modern era community markets and cooperative grocery stores to look at how they can be used as a center of community organizing and economic development.
The Cherry Hill Food Co-op is an initiative to bring a cooperatively owned grocery to the South Baltimore community. For more information visit BlackYieldInstitute.org or contact our Food Susu Organizer, Keyona Hough at KHough@BlackYieldInstitute.org.
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