Page 8 The Skanner August 23, 2017
News
Lumumba Becomes Youngest Mayor of Jackson, Mississippi
Chokwe Antar Lumumba expected to usher in a new era of leadership in Jackson
C
hokwe Antar Lu-
mumba became the
youngest
mayor
in the history of
Jackson, Miss., when he
was sworn-in last month
in front of a standing
room-only crowd at Jack-
son’s Convention Center
Complex.
Lumumba, 34, defeat-
ed the business-friendly
incumbent Mayor Tony
Yarber aft er losing to
him in a special election
in 2014. The seat was left
vacant when Lumumba’s
father, Chokwe Lumum-
ba, died aft er serving less
than a year in offi ce.
Lumumba called his
victory a celebration of
the city’s unity.
“It’s about our collec-
tive eff orts to move Jack-
son forward,” Lumumba
said to a cheering crowd.
A blessing deferred isn’t
a blessing denied.
Even though he had
hoped to fulfi ll the unex-
pired term of his father
in 2014, Lumumba said
he was grateful for los-
ing to Yarber, during his
fi rst campaign.
“I’m actually grateful
that we lost the election
in 2014, not because the
sincerity was not there,
not because we didn’t be-
lieve we would have done
a good job, but, we’ve
been able to appreciate
far more what’s going on
with the city of Jackson,
and I’ve been able to ap-
preciate more within my-
self,” Lumumba shared
during an interview with
“Democracy Now!”
Lumumba continued:
“People have to remem-
ber, in 2014, not only did
I bury my father in a two-
month time span and
“
When I
become
mayor, you
become
mayor
then enter into an elec-
tion, my wife was preg-
nant with our fi rst child.
And so there was a world
of change. You had a fi rst-
time candidate, who had
not run for junior class
president, much less
mayor of a city. And so,
we’ve been able to, you
know, gather more infor-
mation and position our-
selves better.”
Lumumba said that ev-
erything happens in a
perfect timing.
“We’re happy where
we fi nd ourselves at this
time, to move forward
the agenda that my fa-
ther embarked on, an
agenda of a people’s
platform, one that was
not only, you know, sym-
bolic of his work in his
short term as mayor, but
symbolic of a lifetime of
work, that he subscribed
to and also ultimately
dedicated his family to-
ward,” said Lumumba.
During
Lumumba’s
swearing-in service, on
JAY JOHNSON/MISSISSIPPI LINK
By Othor Cain
The Mississippi Link
NNPA Member
Chokwe Antar Lumumba (left) is sworn-in, becoming Jackson’s youngest mayor. Court of Appeals Judge
Latrice Westbrooks right) administers the oath of offi ce to Lumumba as his wife Ebony looks on.
the same stage where his
father stood on and was
sworn-in, just four years
ago, he became over-
whelmed with emotions.
“A son only holds his
father’s hand for a short
while, but he holds his
heart forever,” he said as
he fought back tears. “I
can’t help, but to be emo-
tional today.”
The young mayor also
paid homage to his moth-
er.
“My mom’s spirit was
infectious, she was the
fi rst person to tell me
that I was brilliant,” said
Lumumba. “If you had
the privilege of knowing
her or meeting her, she is
someone that you would
never forget.”
In Chicago, earlier
this summer, speaking
at the People’s Summit,
Lumumba shared his
thoughts about “the peo-
ple’s platform.”
“From the moment we
announced, we worked
hard and aggressively on
an agenda that included
social justice, economic
democracy and making
certain that the people
had a voice,” he said.
“That’s our story, and
we’re sticking to it.”
Lumumba said that
he plans to implement
“people’s
assemblies,”
that speak directly to
his campaign promise to
the community that he
serves.
“‘When I become may-
or, you become mayor,’”
he said, echoing a cam-
paign. “These assemblies
will give residents an op-
A career you can
be proud of.
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portunity to participate
in the decision-making
process.”
Attorney and die-hard
Jacksonian Carlyn Hicks
described Lumumba in
a post on her Facebook
page: “My brother, my
friend, and now…our
mayor. The youngest
mayor in the history of
our city, an advocate’s
advocate, a man’s man
of integrity and candor,
and a thoughtful, criti-
cally-thinking mind of
sheer brilliance.”
Lumumba said in Chi-
cago that all eyes were on
Jackson.
“So what happens in
Jackson, Mississippi, im-
pacts each and every one
of us. And so we have to
make the decision that
we’re going to start con-
trolling the way electoral
politics proceed. We’ve
made the decision that
we’re going to be the most
radical city on the planet,
that we’re going to make
certain that we change
the whole scope of elec-
toral politics,” said Lu-
mumba. “No longer will
we allow an individual to
step before us and tell us
all of the great things that
they’re going to accom-
plish on our behalf, only
to fi nd that nothing in
their past demonstrates
a sincerity, a willingness
or an ability to do so.”
Tackling the city’s bud-
get is top priority for
Lumumba, who is also
known as a social justice
activist and attorney.
“Shortly aft er we take
offi ce, we have to pass a
budget. And so, it’s im-
portant that we have the
right people in place,”
said Lumumba. “We have
a transition team that’s
in place right now, look-
ing at the issues which
Jackson is facing, mak-
ing certain that we don’t
make plans just off con-
jecture, but a fact-based
analysis of where we fi nd
our city, and bringing
together not only people
who have the acumen
and ability and skill to do
the job, but people who
have a passion, a passion
which goes beyond just
the way we see electoral
politics, but a passion to
change people’s lives.”
What Does the Name
Lumumba Mean?
Many have; many do; and
many will, mispronounce
and misspell Lumumba’s
name, including this writ-
er. When asked the origin
and meaning of his name,
he shared a quick historical
perspective with democra-
cynow.org: So, my father
changed his name when
he was in law school, and
accepted a name that he
believed to be more cultur-
ally identifi able. Chokwe is
the name of a tribe in the
Angola region, a tribe that
was resistant to the slave
trade. The name Chokwe
means “hunter.” Antar is the
name of a historic poet and
warrior who died while sav-
ing a woman from drown-
ing; Antar means “poet” and
“warrior.” Lumumba, given
that name from our name-
sake, Patrice Lumumba, the
former prime minister of
the Congo, Lumumba means
“gifted.”
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