IN 1991 A GROUP OF YOUNG BLACK MEN, COINED IN THE PRESS THE RICKY JIVENS GANG, HELPED TO PROPEL SLEEPLY, AND RELATIVELY SMALL, SAVANNH, GEORGIA INTO THE NATIONS MURDER CAPITAL BASED ON A PER CAPITA ANALYSIS. OUTRAGED BY THIS, A LOCAL GOSPEL RADIO HOST, ELIJAH LARRY MCDUFFIE, CALLED A COMMUNITY MEETING AT THE OLDEST BLACK CHURCH IN AMERICA, FIRST AFRICAN BAPTIST CHURCH. LARRY TO THE SAVANNAH COMMUNITY, MCDDUFFIE AS THE CITY’S MOST POPULAR RADIO PERSONALITY WAS ABLE TO GET PEOPLE MOTIVATED. HUNDREDS CAME AND VOICED THEIR OUTRAGE INCLUDING FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE SLAIN, CITY OFFICIALS, AND POLICE DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVES. IN THE END AFTER A FEW MEETING THE LUSTER WORE OFF AND THE CROWD FADED, BUT A FEW OF US DECIDED THAT NOTHING WOULD BE DONE WITHOUT A SUSTAINED, ORGANIZED EFFORT TO CHANGE THE CONDITIONS THAT FOSTERED THE VIOLENCE. WE KNEW THAT THE CRIME WAS NOT CREATED IN A VACCUME SO WE DECIDED TO FORM UNITY POLITAL ACTION COMMITTEE. FIRST TO CONFRONT INJUSTICE IN THE SYSTEM AND THEN TO DEVELOP COMMUNITY BASED SOLUTIONS TO THE GROWING DESPAIR
OUR PURPOSE IS BASED ON THE THEME “FIND OUT WHAT IS RIGHT TO DO, THEN DO IT”
