Eastern Michigan University's Department of Africology and African American Studies will be hosting the event "Black Intifada: The Roots and Legacies of Black and Palestinian Solidarity" on Thursday, Feb. 22.
The event will begin with a lecture by keynote speaker Nadia Alahmed, an assistant professor of Africana Studies and Middle Eastern Studies at Dickinson College. She will speak on the history of the Black and Palestinian solidarity movement, covering the Black Power and Black Arts Era through the current day.
"I am very grateful for the opportunity to speak at Eastern Michigan University," Alahmed said. "I cherish every chance to speak on Palestine."
Following her lecture, a panel discussion will take place with three panelists: Professor Emeritus Charles Simmons, who previously taught at Eastern, attorney and organizer Sahar Faraj, and cultural organizer Owólabi Aboyade.
Together, these panelists have had involvement in the struggles for Palestinian liberation, in the struggles for Black liberation in the United States, and in the anti-colonial movements in Africa. They will share personal experiences, perspectives, and lessons with attendees, in addition to answering any questions that may be asked surrounding Palestine and the solidarity movement.
"We wanted to have people that could speak from different experiences, different eras, and to provide kind of a broad depth of experience and analysis of various eras of struggle," Peter Blackmer, assistant professor of Africology and African American Studies at Eastern, said.
One of the reasons Blackmer was inspired to organize this panel was due to the current war in Palestine.
On Oct. 7, 2023, a militant group attacked a music festival in Israel. AP News reported that around 1,200 individuals were killed and around 250 hostages were taken. Israel then declared it would launch a war against Hamas.
Israel's response has led to international protests. A temporary, four-day cease-fire was enacted on Nov. 24, 2023, with attacks resuming after the period. On Jan. 11, South Africa brought a case forward to the U.N. International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of conducting genocide.
The Biden Administration stated support for Israel on Oct. 9, 2023. The Administration also announced on Oct. 18, 2023, that $100 million would be provided for humanitarian assistance for Palestinians.
Additionally, the House of Representatives passed House Bill H.R.6126 on Nov. 2, 2023, which was brought forward to provide Israel with $14.5 billion in aid, but was not passed by the Senate. A separate foreign aid package for $95 billion was brought forward and passed in the Senate on Feb. 13, which would include $14.1 billon toward aid for Israel, but has yet to pass in the House.
The "war against the Palestinian people is being carried out with our tax dollars with the complicity of the U.S. Government... It's being done with our support as residents of the United States," Blackmer said. "We have a real stake in the human rights violations... upon the Palestinian people and a responsibility to intervene."
Another reason for the creation of this event, Blackmer said, was to bring attention to the shared experiences among African Americans and Palestinians, such as oppression, colonialism, and exploitation.
"The conversations about Black and Palestinian alliance, its lessons and future possibilities is as crucial as ever," Alahmed said.
Blackmer said that he hopes the event will help students and community members learn more about the traditions of Palestinian resistance, as well as understand the stake of involvement in solidarity work with Palestinian liberation movements.
The event will run from 6-8 p.m. in the Student Center Auditorium. For those who cannot attend in person, the event will be streamed online using the platform Zoom.
