CIVIL RIGHTS HERO ASSASSINATED
ON ELECTION DAY 1871

Countless African martyrs have shed their blood to liberate our people. Today's hero is Octavius Valentine Catto (1839-71). Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Catto grew to be a prominent activist, scholar, athlete and military officer.

While raising 11 regiments of 'Colored Troops' for the Union army during the US Civil War, he championed Black self-determination, including helping establish a Black literary and debate society named after Black mathematician Benjamin Banneker called the Banneker Literary Institute and the Pennsylvania Equal Rights League. Catto also started a movement in Philadelphia that led to the passage of an 1867 Pennsylvania law prohibiting racially segregated public transportation. That year, Catto co-founded the city's second Black baseball team, the Philadelphia Pythians.

Continued.....At the age of 32, he was assassinated alongside other Africans on election day, 10 October 1871, as they attempted to vote. Democratic Party operative Frank Kelly shot Catto through the heart. Authorities found him six years later to stand trial. Despite six eyewitness testimonies, an all-white jury acquitted Kelly.

SOURCES

The story of Octavius Catto
https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/octavius-valentine-catto-1839-1871/

Biden on Black vote
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBQ4PAT1hTg

Dems ignore Black issues
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/07/democrats-are-betraying-black-voters/619573

Benjamin Banneker Institute
https://exhibits.temple.edu/s/william-still/page/benjamin-banneker-institute

On 7 October, Burkina Faso's Higher Council of Communications suspended Voice of America (VOA) from broadcasting for three months. This comes after a 19 September programme, during which VOA reporter Bagassi Koura described the 17 September t*rrorist attack on Bamako, Mali, as 'courageous.' In that same interview, Koura claimed Malian Armed Forces did not take any security measures. Burkina Faso's communications council says VOA fabricated casualty statistics, which it claims are designed to crush the morale of Burkinabé and Malian military forces.