On Sunday, October 15, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan delivered the keynote address for the 22nd Anniversary of the Million Man March/Holy Day Atonement. The title was “Separation Or Death”.
Min. Farrakhan delivered the highly anticipated message live from Newark Symphony Hall in Newark, New Jersey. Members of the Black community and various ethnicities viewed the webcast in venues all over the world via the Nation of Islam’s website at NOI.org.
Min. Farrakhan addressed the controversy surrounding Colin Kapernick and the U.S. flag. “Colin Kaepernick took a knee. That brother was not trying to disrespect the flag. He was disturbed over the police killings of Black and Brown people outside of the law of justice. And he wanted to draw attention to it,” said Min. Farrakhan.
“All of the evil that we have suffered, we suffered it under the confederate flag and we suffered it mostly under the so-called American flag,” he stated.
“Did you know that there is a code on how to respect the American flag?” asked Min. Farrakhan, as he pointed out the Congressional Research Service’s flag code. He further pointed out that Section 8 of that code titled “Respect for Flag” shows how the National Football League is actually the one breaking the code by displaying the flag horizontally.
The pre-program stopped and the audience rose in standing ovation as Mother Khadijah Farrakhan, First Lady of the Nation of Islam, was escorted to her seat.
Present in the hall were people from various religious, spiritual, organizational and ideological backgrounds, including Christians, Muslim, members of the Moorish Science Temple, Baptists, Pentecostals, Sunnis, Shiah, and various fraternities and sororities.
Min. Farrakhan spoke on so many issues plaguing the Black community, and America as a whole. Using scriptures, he began with the divinity of man, and detailed how and why, though divine, Blacks have acted differently under wicked, Caucasian rule.
That was permitted by God, but their time to rule is over, Min. Farrakhan said. The greatest of all knowledge is the knowledge of self and the knowledge of God, he continued.
Min. Farrakhan revealed to most and repeated for some the true identity of Jesus.
He spoke directly and often to the U.S. government, and he spoke to his leadership friends – some whom he said ‘punked out’ on him with Justice or Else (the 20th Anniversary of the Million Man March).
“We’re not just somebody that’s desirous of separating from you on our own. The program of separation is given by God and backed by God as the only solution to the toxic relationship between Black and White,” stated Min. Farrakhan.
He elevated the Muslim Program of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, which calls for a full and complete freedom. The program, introduced in 1962, has been kept before the world, displayed on the back page of every issue of the Final Call Newspaper, as it was before in the Muhammad Speaks Newspaper.
“We want justice. Equal justice under the law. We want justice applied equally to all, regardless of creed or class or color,” Min. Farrakhan said. “Do you want to see any human being deprived of freedom, deprived of justice,” he asked.
Most of the people actually think separation is a pipe dream, but it’s not, Min. Farrakhan said. “He’s (God) coming to get you, if he has to whip you into submission,” Min. Farrakhan warned. “He’ll whip you into submission, but he’s going to kill your enemy, so keep on loving the devil, because he gives you nothing. It’s separation or death,” he warned.
Min. Farrakhan further warned Blacks that their behavior is unacceptable to God, and their rebellion is what brings rain, hail, earthquakes, and snow, as seen with recent, unprecedented weather disasters.
He expressed gratitude to Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, his staff and police department for the great service they provided. “We do not take that for granted…We strive to be worthy of such honor,” he said.
The beloved warner, teacher, and guide uplifted the Honorable Noble Drew Ali, founder of the Moorish Science Temple of America. He also thanked God for all of the great ancestors that came before him. “Always give honor to them …Always speak reverentially concerning them, because they suffered to make us who we are today,” Min. Farrakhan admonished.
The Million Man March/Holy Day of Atonement is a day set a side for unity, healing, and reconciliation in the Black community. It is a momentous occasion, highly anticipated all year by people across America and the world.
Early Saturday, Newark Central High School was the scene for a forum on issues affecting youth.
“Youth Speak Out” featured special presenter Jesse Muhammad, creator of Min. Farrakhan’s Twitter Army. It was put on in conjunction with Baraka’s Office of International Relations and Diaspora Affairs.
The free event covered social media, leadership, youth and politics, debt slavery, DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), and health and wellness.
Later that day, festivities during Family Day included bounce houses, a live DJ, 3-on-3 basketball, tag football, face painting, games, food, and other fun.
The weekend proved a great tribute to the original, historic, unprecedented Million Man March on October 16, 1995. Min. Farrakhan called one million Black men to the National Mall in Washington, D.C. to repent to God, and atone for not being the men that they could be, and two million Black men from all walks of life – mostly Christians – answered.
(Darrielle Muhammad contributed to this report.)
