On our campus, there has been a lot of talk about unity within and between different communities. Today, Tufts' Pan-African Alliance anticipates that we can begin to bridge the gaps between us through the celebration of Black Solidarity Day. In 1969, Dr. Carlos E. Russell, a professor and community activist, established Black Solidarity Day on the campus of Brooklyn College in New York City. Dr. Russell was inspired by the play "Day of Absence" by Douglas Turner Ward, in which a small Southern town wakes up one morning to find that all of the blacks in their community have vanished and the town's activities are paralyzed by their absence. Black Solidarity Day is an extension of this idea and aims to highlight the extreme social, political and economic consequences that would result from the disappearance of all blacks. Celebrated on the Monday before Election Day, it serves as a reminder of the collective strength and political power of African-Americans. Generally, on Black Solidarity Day, the black community avoids making purchases and taking part in political activities. Since its inception in 1969, the observance of Black Solidarity Day has spread across college campuses and into the wider community. It is celebrated in a variety of ways, from concerts and rallies to educational discussions about issues facing the black community. The meaning of black solidarity has been widely disputed and does not mean the same things to all people. African-Americans are not the same in many ways, including income, education, and political ideology. Black solidarity does not mean that we vote the same way or that we even feel the same way about a particular issue. Some might say that the one similarity among members of the black community is that we have all experienced racism and are outraged at its continued hold over our nation. But even this is not true. Then what is black solidarity? For many it is an expression of support and an acknowledgement that we are part of a group of people that is connected in many ways. The Oxford English Dictionary lists solidarity as "the fact or quality, on the part of communities, etc., of being perfectly united or at one in some respect, especially in interests." There are many African-Americans who share a common interest: the eradication of racism and discrimination everywhere. But we are not the only ones who subscribe to that goal, nor should we be. The black community, the Tufts community and all people should share that interest. As Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." Here at Tufts the Pan-African Alliance has been observing the day for several years. You may have noticed that students in the black community wear all black clothing and attend an annual program on the campus center patio. But Black Solidarity Day is about more than what color outfit you wear. It is a day for the black community to reaffirm its ties to itself and to examine alliances and relationships with other communities. And more importantly, it is a time for the Tufts community to gather together and stand opposed to the myriad of injustices that occur on a daily basis. Recently the news has been awash with stories of racist and discriminatory incidents, especially in our legal system. For every Jena Six there are many more instances of racism that go unnoticed. On college campuses across the nation incidents have ranged from nooses being hung to students being physically assaulted. And here on our own campus we have our own set of problems, including bias incidents and other racial attacks. I am not rehashing old news for no reason. We, the Tufts community, need to acknowledge these incidents for what they are and stand in unity against them. That is the point of Black Solidarity Day. While it is important for the black community here at Tufts and elsewhere to work within itself to fight against racism in all its manifestations, fighing racism will take more than that. Every student on this campus needs to make themselves aware of the problem and work actively to combat them in their own community. Black Solidarity Day is a reminder of our collective responsibility. Can the intentional absence of a group spur action in others? The hope of Black Solidarity Day is that it can. It may appear counterproductive but through mass inaction it is possible to get someone's attention. The point is to show the nation that every black dollar and every black vote makes a difference and, because of that, issues that affect us are just as important as all others that are on the table. Whether it is the political leaders of our nation or those with economic power or just an individual student, as long as one person stops and pays attention we are that much closer to reaching our goal. Today Tufts' Pan-African Alliance invites you to stand in solidarity with us. We hope that you recognize that our contributions matter. We hope that you realize that the black community and your community are connected. Above all, we hope that you stop and pay attention.
Alexis Marion is a senior majoring in political science.
