Forty years ago, any civil rights organization would have grabbed Victor Landrum. They would love to have him today, too.
But the 25-year-old politically and socially active English major at Georgia State University isn't interested.
"They are still caught up in the 1960s and haven't transitioned into the new millennium," Landrum said. "They are still talking about picketing and marching. To me, they are obsolete and irrelevant."
Landrum isn't the only one who thinks civil rights groups such as the NAACP and the Atlanta-based Southern Christian Leadership Conference are becoming obsolete. Students and scholars alike question the groups' relevancy and recent track record.
Landrum, who plans to attend law school, rushes from class every afternoon to work with the disabled through AmeriCorps. He also works on the student judicial board.
"This is what I enjoy doing," he said. "Something worthwhile. With the civil rights groups, I haven't seen anything that is real worthwhile. They don't offer me anything." [...]
| Continue Ernie Suggs' registration-required Atlanta Journal-Constitution article "Young shun heritage of civil rights"
posted in articles on July 3, 2004 10:09 PM | t (0)
« Previous phile: Reduce a political phenomenon like terrorism or democracy to sex.
» Next phile: Gives us a more accurate and complete picture of the struggle for dignity.
Return to top of page