Taylor Bembery/ Mark Braboy
Flash Editors
The Jackson State University family along with the citizens of Jackson were shocked and overwhelmed to learn that the Mayor of Jackson and crusader for human rights, Chokwe Lumumba, passed away suddenly on Feb. 25.
Born on Aug. 2, 1947 in Detroit, Mich. as Edwin Taliaferro, he later changed his name to Chokwe Lumumba. Lumumba, 66, was well known for his work as a human rights attorney and activist.
Lumumba garnered national attention after successfully defending the late Tupac Shakur in a 1993 aggravated assault case as well as other political prisoners. In 2011, he was heavily involved in gathering support for pardoning of Gladys and Jamie Scott, two sisters who were serving life sentences for a controversial conviction of armed robbery.
He was also a member of the Republic of New Afrika, the Malcolm X grassroots movement, and co-founder of the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations.
Lumumba took office in July 2013 after defeating incumbent mayor Harvey Johnson in the Democratic primary and Jonathan Lee in the general election. During his short term, he was able to garner overwhelming support for the passing of a one percent sales tax in order to pay for infrastructure upgrades across the city of Jackson.
The estimated $15 million in revenue that will be raised from the tax will used to fix issues that have plagued the city, including the cracked and crumbling roads and revitalizing Jackson’s outdated water and sewer system.
JSU President Carolyn W. Meyers, in a statement on JSU’s website, remembers Lumumba for his hard work and diligence.
“I think we’ve lost his brilliance, his strategic capability — the way he formulated that one percent tax, got in the streets and got it passed. We lost a person of courage,” said Meyers.
Meyers also stated why students at JSU admired Lumumba.
“He was so visible, of course his experiences and everything were relevant to them. He spent time with us. He was at the last basketball game. He’d go in the locker room, and hearing it from a man saying, ‘Good game guys, you did a good job,’ means so much,” said Meyers.
Senator Sollie B. Norwood who spoke at a program on the JSU campus Tuesday, worked closely with Lumumba on a professional and personal level. Norwood met with Lumumba just last week and was scheduled to get together this week regarding some activities with the city.
“He ran a Poor Peoples Campaign. He was the leader in the race because he advocated for the disadvantaged. From a personal level and a professional level I talked to him about young guys that we have come in contact with. Chokwe would pick them up wherever they are and basically work with them to put them on solid footing. He was a person that never judged a person by their background but always looked at the potential they had to go on and do great things,” said Norwood.
Norwood added that Jackson can do more than mourn the loss of Lumumba.
“We can come together as a city to pray for his children and his family. We have to gather around and embrace his ideas and what he worked hard for. In order for us to continue his vision we all must give a little bit more of ourselves to our community,” said Norwood. “Lumumba was real, what you saw was what you get.”
Travieis Rhynes, a senior education major from Tchula, Miss., met Lumumba on numerous occasions and said the mayor had an authentic and kind disposition that made people gravitate to him.
“I feel that a lot of his goals didn’t have enough time to get them done simply because I don’t think the city of Jackson was actually ready for a radical Mayor like Lumumba. He was someone that was willing to work hard and fix different aspects of the city. I don’t think any other mayor would have come up with the idea for the city to vote to raise taxes by 1%, which will make a positive impact on the city. I just hope the interim mayor will keep the train rolling down the right track to implement the vision of Lumumba,” said Rhynes.
Rhynes also feels that JSU students can do more to help continue the vision of Mayor Lumumba.
“As students we need to do more than the required 120 community service hours for graduation. That would be a major impact in efforts to help the city of Jackson. JSU is creating new leaders and it all starts here,” said Rhynes.
Thaddius Wright, a junior English major from Chicago, Ill, said: “He was a mentor, friend, and my Mayor. Mayor Lumumba always had great things to say and reminded me very much of Dr. John A. Peoples Jr. He will truly be missed for he was a great leader to black history. Rest in peace young fellow.”
Karen Knox, a junior English education major from Jackson, Miss., stated: “I am shocked by the death of Mayor Lumumba. He was a great leader and I’m saddened that he wasn’t able to complete the vision that he had for the City of Jackson.”
Charles Tillman, a city council member, was sworn in as Interim Mayor, until further notice.
Lumumba leaves behind a legacy and vision for the city of Jackson. His development plans featured: People’s Assemblies to help set city policies; Energy Efficiency in city buildings; Public Transportation with clean energy buses, metro-rail, and walking and bike trails; Recycling and zero waste; Urban gardening and farming; Cooperative Development and Incubator, making it a division of the Jackson Department of Planning and Development; and a Cooperative Fund to leverage city funds with money from philanthropies, credit unions, banks, socially responsible corporations, and individual donors and investors to create co-ops.
At press time, funeral services for Mayor Lumumba had not been announced.
