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THE BLACKMAN
Greetings and Salutations UNIA Family:
As I was preparing to address this great organization today , I started reflecting on the past and three points of thought kept coming to mind. First , I found myself happy to be involved with such a great organization and to be surrounded by such a great group of individuals that make up the high executive council of the UNIA & ACL. Individuals that truly want to make a difference in the lives of our race of people and mankind. Second., sad that we as a race of people have allowed this great organization to fall so far out of focus with our people and society. Third, encouraged that through the grace of God, team work, good leadership, dedication and determination, we can re-build and make this organization the UNIA & ACL even greater than it was before. “ Up You Mighty Race You Can Accomplish What You Wish !” Many years ago the Honorable Marcus Garvey and UNIA members world wide, planted seeds into our hearts and minds as to how great we could be as a people . Some of the highest standards and conducts known to man were introduced to the world through our great organization. Our organization was the first to bring racial consciousness and pride to us as a people. It gives us our own creed, flag, nursing corporation, military, businesses, self identity, and the list goes on. But we as a people have not lived up to our part. We have let the seed wither and in some cases die. We have forgotten that in order for the seeds to grow we must nourish them. We as a people have been sleeping too long and its time to wake up and take our rightful place in society again. We must began to heal ourselves from within, we must stop the fighting, and back stabbing, We must at all cost unite Garveyites around the world who have been deceived and given wrong information about the true history of this organization. The Journey we are about to embark upon, and believe me it is a journey, is going to be long and hard. There are going to be peeks valleys , and a lot of mistakes along the way. But we can make the journey seem a lot easier if we keep in mind our mission and purposes. We must also understand what our roles and responsibilities are as well , no matter how big or small. The blueprint has been given to us in the form of our Constitution and Bylaws, we need only to follow and improve upon them. We need bright and intelligent minds with vision. Young and old to help rebuild the UNIA and to began to create a new legacy. Members who are not afraid to stand up for what is right and to those who are not willing to follow the Constitution and Bylaws of this great organization. For an organization is not worth anything if its members are not willing to abide by it rules and regulations. This past year has been very productive, exciting and history making for this great organization. High lighted in August when the Universal Negro Improvement Association 1918 and 1929 were unified as one, a high Executive Council Established, and a ten year directive was given to us by the Potentate. In September, High Executive Council members met with President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania and members of his administrative staff in New York to discuss ways of working together. In October members of the High Executive Council and my self addressed world leaders of N’Cobra in Washington D.C. concerning Reparation and Repatriation. We met with the Attorney in Congressman Rangel’s office concerning the bill before congress for the exoneration of the Honorable Marcus Garvey. We met with Members of the African Stock Exchange in New York an organization that is deeply inspired by the Honorable Marcus Garvey and the UNIA to discuss a possible affiliation. Members of the of the high Executive Council traveled to Belize to check on land willed to the UNIA 1918.  L to R: Jendayi Robinson (Secretary-General of the UNIA-ACL); Steven Golding (UNIA Ambassador & High Commissioner to Jamaica); Ahmed Assalam (Potentate of the Universal Negro Improvement Association) Photo Courtesy of UNIA-ACL.
In November members of the High Executive Council attended the 77th Anniversary Ethiopian Millennium Coronation celebration at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. We accomplished a lot in a very short time in 2007 but, 2008 is here upon us now and promises to be even more exciting. We must now began to link the various Divisions, Chapters, and Auxiliaries to the American Headquarters and Parent Body in Cleveland, Ohio and the International Headquarters in Washington D.C.. We must also prepare for our August convention to be held in Cleveland this year. In the near Future I hope to meet and greet with as many divisions and chapters as possible. Until then ,one of the most important thing that we can do as an organization is to open up the communication lines . We as members of the High Executive Council are not perfect and we don’t have all of the answers. We must at all times keep an open mind and share ideas and thoughts of meaning that will lend itself to the growth and progress of this great organization. We can all learn from each other, for each day that we live and we don’t learn something and share it with others we might as well cease to exist. Finally, the lines of communication are always open with me. We may not always agree with each other, but we must always respect each other as humans beings, and at the end of the day try to come together as one. Your Humble Servant Cleophus Miller Jr. President General THE BLACKMAN Vol.2  
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