Civil rights activist Reverend George W. Lee was killed on this day 69 years ago, but his murder remains unsolved. While driving his car in Belzoni, Mississippi, he was shot by a man who pulled up alongside and opened fire. FBI agents identified credible White suspects, but said potential witnesses appeared afraid to talk and dropped the case.

What is clear, is that Lee’s campaigning for the Black vote put him in the crosshairs of White supremacists. At the time of his murder, he was the leader of the Belzoni chapter of the The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). He was actively involved in civil rights campaigning and became the first Black person to register as a voter in the 1950s. Lee wanted others to follow suit and successfully got another 92 Africans on the voting register, with help from activist Gus Courts.

Continued….. In response, White supremacists demanded Lee stop his activism and remove his name from the voting roll. He refused. Despite mounting threats, he remained defiant. In April ,1955, Lee addressed more than 7,000 people who’d gathered for the annual meeting of the Regional Council of Negro Leadership (RCNL). He was the vice president of the Mississippi civil rights body, but it would be his last major public engagement before his murder less than a month later.

The county sheriff and state governor both refused to launch an investigation into the death, and a Department of Justice probe only followed after intervention by the United States Attorney General Herbert Brownell Jr. However, no charges were ever brought and the case was eventually closed.

His murder and its subsequent treatment by the authorities underlined the brutal prejudice he was fighting against.

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One of Beyoncé’s hits goes: “Who run the world? Girls!” - and in African and Caribbean countries at least, this might actually be true!

According to the International Labour Organization, data collected in 2022-2023 reveal that Burkina Faso and Nigeria have the world’s highest share of female bosses - 70% and 67%, respectively. The next two countries on the list are Jamaica and Botswana.

Africa as a whole, though, has a bit further to go along the road towards gender equality. I

Continued…. n 2022, 38% of managers in our continent were female - an increase of 2% since the Covid pandemic, which saw women take on more roles.

Looking at female representation in parliaments across Africa, progress is visible - with Sub-Saharan Africa recording the highest increase in women lawmakers in 2023. Rwanda continues to lead globally - with women accounting for 61% of seats in the Chamber of Deputies, closely followed by Cuba and Nicaragua (with 55.7% and 53.9%, respectively).

So Africa boasts the most progressive countries in the world when it comes to women in power and in top jobs. Why do you think that is?

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DRC PREZ: WHY WE PREFER CHINA AND RUSSIA

Europe should be Africa’s best trading partner due to its geographic proximity, according to DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi. However, it’s the arrogance of Western leaders that’s destroying any hope of meaningful relations.

During this interview with French TV station LCI, Tshisekedi says the West likes to preach on human rights (which it obliterated during 400-years of colonialism). And it’s why many African nations now choose to do business with Beijing and Moscow.

It sums up the continent’s international relations, and we’re seeing it play out in the Sahel. Russia has signed security and economic deals with Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali after the French were kicked out.

Do you agree with the DR Congo leader?

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CHINESE BOSS WHIPPING AFRICANS
SPARKS OUTRAGE

A video appearing to show a Chinese man whipping African workers with a stick has sparked debate on racial discrimination by foreign employers based in Africa. The viral clip was shared on X (formerly Twitter) by Dom Lucre, journalist and founder of BTNNetwk. He posted, ‘Chinese employer in Africa treating his employees like Trans Atlantic slaves.’

Although we haven’t been able to verify the location and date of the footage, it mirrors past cases:
* In April 2022, Rwanda sentenced Sun Shujun, a Chinese national, to 20 years after he was found guilty of whipping a worker.
*In 2021, a Kenyan court awarded an African worker more than $25,000 after he was beaten by his Chinese restaurant employer.
*In 2021, the non-profit Business and Human Rights Resource Center (BHRRC) found 181 claims of human rights abuses connected to Chinese investment activities in Africa between 2013 and 2020.

Continued….. Many incidents occurred in Uganda, Kenya, Zimbabwe, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

To give it some context, a report in 2017 by US consulting firm Mckinsey and Company estimated there were over 10,000 Chinese firms operating in Africa, employing several million Africans.

It begs the question, exactly how widespread is the problem?

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RWANDA’S INVOLVEMENT IN THE DRC

On 22 April, African Stream hosted two experts to discuss the crisis in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In this clip from the whole conversation, Rwandan gen*cide survivor Claude Gatebuke (@shinani1), co-author of 'Survivors Uncensored,' unpacked Rwanda's role in inflaming the conflict for three decades.

Kigali invaded the eastern region of DRC twice in the late 1990s to allegedly flush out what it claimed were Hutu militia accused of perpetrating the 1994 Rwanda Gen*cide. And, now, the presence of between 120 to 140 externally-funded militia groups in the DRC's east complicates the long-running conflict.

Continued….According to a December 2023 UN report, Rwanda supports the M23 militia group with cash and arms.

Unfortunately, about 6 million Congolese have lost their lives since the mid-1990s, and more than 6 million are internally displaced. For example, on 3 May, alleged M23 and Rwandan army bombs k*lled 12 people—including children—in displacement camps near Goma.

Watch the entire episode on our YouTube channel.

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MONKEY CHANTS AT UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI

In this 2 May video, a group of hecklers from a fraternity at the University of Mississippi, known by the byname, 'Ole Miss,' jeered and made monkey noises at a Black woman in a group of about 30 students demonstrating in solidarity with Palestine. The mostly white counter-protesters, some donning outfits featuring the US flag's red, white and blue stars and stripes, also reportedly chanted 'Lizzo,' the name of a rapper and singer, and chanted, 'F*ck you, fat *ss.'

Continued….. The student who made monkey noises has been removed from his fraternity, Phi Delta Theta, according to its 5 May statement.

Republican Congressperson Mike Collins of Mississippi made headlines after he endorsed the counter-protesters on social media platform X, posting the video with the comment, 'Ole Miss taking care of business.'

The Associated Press has tallied more than 2,400 arrests on 46 US university or college campuses since 17 April. However, nobody was arrested during the 2 May counter-demonstration at the University of Mississippi, where hecklers outnumbered Palestine supporters who were calling for an end to Israel's 6-month bombardment and escalated siege of Gaza.

Video Credit: Stacey J. Spiehler

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SALAH STORM OVER GAZA AID PLEA

Simon Jordan, a British media personality criticized African and Egyptian football star Mohammed Salah over his plea for humanitarian aid to be delivered in Gaza.

African Stream's @ahmed.ghoneim.official highlights the double standard of Jordan's analysis taking into account that he had previously said the Qatar World Cup is "morally wrong" and supported the sports boycott against Russia over the war in Ukraine.

Moreover, we briefly explore the movement working towards a boycott of Israel whether it be in football or sports, and how a similar boycott against apartheid South Africa brought down a racist colonial regime.

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COLONIALISM SPAWNED CONGO’S CATASTROPHE

Brutal armed conflict has ravaged the eastern region of the Democratic of Congo since the late 1990s. Millions have been killed and displaced, with some blaming the West’s desire to get its hands on the country’s resources. It’s argued they work with neighbouring Rwanda and Uganda, to support rebels in DRC who extract minerals then sold on international markets.

However, Pan-African scholar PLO Lumumba, says despite the new dynamics, the seeds of war in Congo were planted during the colonial era. A deliberate policy of divide and rule that not only created tension between different ethnic groups but also weakened the capacity of central government to enforce its authority across the country. That created fertile ground for the emergence and growth of rebel groups like M23 that have recently ramped up attacks against the Congolese military and civilians. Do you agree with him or this just an excuse to let perpetrators of the hook? Leave your comments below.

U.S. POLICY TO DIVIDE AFRICANS AND DIASPORA

US imperialists have gone all out to ensure no synergy between Africans from the continent and Africans in the diaspora. It is a testament to the fear of what a united Africa, joined by its sons and daughters in the Americas, is capable of achieving. Watch as two African brothers reveal what goes on behind the scenes—from government agencies to classrooms—to dissuade Africans from joining forces.

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BURKINABE BIKERS REV UP AGAINST U.S.

Longtime imperialist countries like the United States and the United Kingdom are at a loss as Sahelian countries like Burkina Faso turn away from the Western camp. Recently, the two powers, the US and the UK, denounced Burkina Faso's government in light of a Human Rights Watch report accusing the Burkinabe army of massacring 223 civilians. But the people of Burkina Faso are not buying it. On Friday, May 3rd, they rushed to the embassy of the United States, where they rallied in support of Ibrahim Traoré and the Burkinabe government.

Continued…. "We have come to deliver a message to the Americans to put an end to these accusations against our armed forces, who are defending the country at the cost of their lives," stated Mahamadou Ouedraogo of the Burkind Faangf Meenga (Liberation) Federation of Pan-Africanists, which organised the protest.

The people of Burkina Faso and neighbouring Sahel states Mali and Niger are increasingly fed up with media attacks on their countries and the governments that they work tirelessly to defend.

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U.S. CONGRESSMAN CALLS OUT 'COVER-UP' IN NIGER

Congressman Matt Gaetz, a vocal critic of the Biden administration's foreign policy, condemned the US State Department on 16th April for what he described as a 'cover-up' of the allegedly inhumane conditions American troops face while stationed in Niger, asserting that it puts at risk the lives of military personnel.

Gaetz questioned why the US is still in Niger after the latter’s new government recently ripped up an agreement on military cooperation. He also accused the US embassy in Niger of obstructing the dissemination of intelligence. Gaetz warned of potential security risks akin to the Benghazi attack.

Regardless of political affiliation, more people in the US are questioning why their country is in Niger, what's taking it so long to depart and the transparency of the Pentagon’s military operations overseas.

What would you tell these people?

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WELCOME TO UNITED STATES OF ISRAEL

If you want a concise summary of how Israel influences US politics, look no further than high school student Guy Christensen. He’s racked up over three million followers since deciding to challenge Western narratives with his social media posts.

In this one, he nails how new laws and law enforcement are strangling pro-Palestine sentiment and how Joe Biden’s received millions of dollars from pro-Israel lobby group APAIC. Founded in 1951, it advocates pro-Israel policies to the US government, while Tel Aviv continues its illegal settlement expansion and inhumane treatment of Palestinians.

As of September 2023, AIPAC had given at least $3.6-million to members of the Congressional Black Caucus. Those who refuse AIPAC's political priorities, invitations to speaking engagements, and trips to Israel have historically faced smear campaigns and AIPAC-backed opponents in elections.

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BURKINA FASO PM SLAMS WEST’S HYPOCRISY

For far too long, words like 'democracy,' 'human rights' and 'freedom of speech' have been used as weapons employed by powerful imperialist nations who celebrate their minimal achievements while vilifying states that refuse to submit to their will. The West upholds itself as a champion of human rights while simultaneously exercising violent imperialist ambitions across the globe.

Continued…. Meanwhile, countries that stand up for their sovereignty and the wellbeing of their people, countries like Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and others, are accused of violating human rights and the principles of democracy.

Well, Burkina Faso has had enough of this hypocrisy. On May 6th, 2024, the country’s prime minister, Apollinaire J. Kyélem de Tambèla, called France and other Western governments out for their manipulation of the above-mentioned ideals. How can a country that shakes hands with notorious dictators like Paul Biya and (until recently) Ali Bongo turn around and accuse Burkina Faso of human-rights violations? How can a country notorious for police murders of African migrants, such as the teenager Nahel Merzouk, believe itself to be democratic? French citizens have been out on the streets protesting state repression for years.

Perhaps it is time for the West to get its own house in order.

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UNI PROFESSOR ABUSING MUSLIM WOMAN VIRAL VIDEO

A depressingly familiar scene, this video shows two White men hurling abuse at Muslim women in the US.
What makes this more shocking, is that one of the abusers is a faculty member at Arizona State University.

Jonathan Yudelman, who’s wearing a blue T-shirt, is now being investigated by the college. You can see him screaming at a woman with a head scarf near the campus on April 5th at a pro-Israel demonstration.