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SOCIAL WORKERS, INC.

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[[caption]] CENIE J. WILLIAMS, JR. National Executive Director [[/caption]]

Sisters and Brothers,

On behalf of the Association, I would like to welcome you to our Ninth Annual Conference. Our theme, "Strategies for Liberation: Review to Renew" is quite appropriate because it will provide us with the framework from which we can review the effectiveness of those strategies employed in our liberation struggles. We will also review the philosophies and ideologies from which these strategies emanated. As Black Social Workers, we represent a variety of ideologies and philosophies, and therefore, the debates of the integrationists and nationalists will inevitably permeate our discussions. Nevertheless, we should attempt to understand both the similarities and the dis-similarities of these concepts.

The nationalists want to consolidate before they integrate; the integrationists want to integrate before they consolidate, while both proponents want to obtain the same goal which is the right to determine their own destinies.

1. Isn't it true that Booker T. Washington wanted to accomodate this society, but he also espoused some of the essential elements of nationalism when he said, "cast down your bucket where you are" and went on to build the great Tuskegee Institute out of homemade bricks?

2. Isn't it true that W.E. Dubois moved from a political integrationist to a Pan Africanist and finally a Marxist; in fact, he organized the first Pan African conference?

3. Isn't it true that Nkrumah was both a Pan Africanist and a socialist because both concepts were applicable to different facets of his goal for Ghana and Africa?

4. Isn't it true that Marcus Garvey traveled all the way from Jamaica to Harlem and planned to go to Liberia because he wanted to establish a strong Black nation and integrate from a Black power base with people throughout the world?

5. Isn't it true that Brother Malcolm X was developing a new philosophy and was in the process of re-evaluating his avowed philosophy of nationalism during the latter stage of his life?

Where have we been as Black social workers during these ideological debates or struggles which gave birth to the Freedom Rides, Sit-ins, Prayers, Marches, Voter Registration Drives, etc.?

Have we been on the sidelines as spectators remaining neutral under the guise of professionalism? Have we let the profession condition our minds into believing that it is non-professional to be un-neutral? This week, we will look at our past scenario and responsibilities in the context of Black liberation. We will do this by developing models for our own delivery systems, our own accountability systems, our own social work value systems, and our own professional standards. But more importantly, we will review old strategies with a commitment to renew our determination to liberate ourselves from the obstacle of oppression.

HARAMBEE!