Civil Rights Icon Representative John Lewis (D-GA) to be honored
Alabama’s
Congressman Artur Davis (D-AL) is the Event Chairperson of the upcoming 41 year Celebration of the Southern Cooperation, August
14th–16th
2008.
August
14th at the Shelton Birmingham in Birmingham AL the Federation will award the Honorable John Lewis (D-GA) with
the Estelle Witherspoon Lifetime Achievement Award. This is in acknowledgement of John Lewis outstanding leadership that transformed
laws and policies that have led to a more just society. His contributions are unparallel.
The
Estelle Witherspoon Event will begin with the Honoree Reception at 5:30pm at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute located
at 520 16th Street North with Honoree John Lewis and Event Chair Artur Davis.
A General
Reception at 6:00pm at the Shelton Hotel Birmingham Ballroom located at 2101 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd Birmingham AL.
On
August 15th-16th the Annual Meeting will be held at the Federation Training and Research Center in Epes,
AL.
August
15th staring at 9 am there will be a workshop and panels throughout the day primarily focusing on the 2008 Farm
Bill and how it benefits small farmers. Other workshops will include the “Women in Agriculture”, information forestry
and specifically about long-leaf pine trees, and a tour of the Federation’s Training Center will also be conducted during
the weekend.
The
U.S . Secretary of Agriculture, Ed Schafer, will be attending and speaking at the annual meeting on Friday August 15
at 1pm at the Federation’s Training Center. In addition, there will be repentatives from numerous USDA agencies who
will also share information about the Farm Bill as it relates to their department with in the USDA.
Importantly,
for Black Farmers there will also include in the Farm Bill a provision to assist farmers who attempted to file late in the
Pigford Class Action Lawsuit filed by Black farmers against the USDA. Lawyers will be speaking about this new effort to assist
farmers who have not yet had the opportunity to file a claim in Pigford case.
If you would like to contribute toward the fundraiser on August 14th or contribute
to the Federation of Southern Cooperative/Land Assistance Fund to help them continue their cooperative development work and
save black owned land, please send a check or money order to the:
Federation of Southern Cooperative
2769 Church Street
East Point GA 30344
Or to contribute online at www.federation.coop please feel free to also contact the Federation’s
offices in Atlanta GA at (404) 765-0991 or the Epes AL office at (205) 652-9676.
