By Pamela Gentry, Senior Political Producer  

Posted Sept. 20, 2007 – Today several members of the caucus are traveling to Louisiana to attend the rally being held for the so-called “Jena Six,” the group of African-American teens facing extensive prison sentences for a schoolyard fight with a White school mate.  

I spoke with Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.)  right before she left for Jena to join others at the protest.  She told her role was to show support for the young folks who planned the rally. “It’s their time, I’m so proud of them - this may be the new Civil Rights Movement for this generation. ”

 Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.), who represents the city of New Orleans, will carry a message from caucus Chairwoman Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick and the rest of the Black members of Congress.  Like the protests of the 1960s, “It often takes a non-violent display of solidarity to bring about change,” Jefferson said.

Jefferson, who faces legal challenges of his own, said, “It is my hope this event will be a catalyst of fairness in the justice system of Jena.”

The themes of “fairness and justice” are why several workshops will address the number of African Americans in prison.   Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) told me that the incarceration trend must change because those serving time for non-violent crimes can be rehabilitated.  “Now, we’re not going to put a pedophile in a day care, or a bank robber as a teller, but just because someone robbed a bank, doesn’t meant they can’t do construction,” he said.

The number of Black folks in prison continues to climb and, even more disturbing, Black women are the fastest growing segment of the prison population.  Rep. Donald Payne (D-N.J.) said the “cycle must be interrupted early. We need to create a pathway to prosperity, not prison.”

Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, and Rep. John Conyers, (D-Mich.), who heads the House Judiciary Committee, are founding members of the Black Caucus.

 As pilots of arguably the two most powerful committees in the House, they say they have watched conditions for African Americans worsen under President Bush.  “We know pain and sacrifice, we know the struggle continues for us even here,” Rangel said.

Next week, the 43 members of the Congressional Black Caucus host its Legislative Weekend, an annual conference focusing on issues affecting the Black community. This year’s topics include Black love, rap music and preserving equal rights.

The workshops and town hall meetings are designed as a wake-up call to constituents and America as a whole. Some issues hit the radar every year – i.e., education, health care and economic independence – but some topics from the past are now the topic of today and call for immediate attention.