The Mid-South Peace and Justice Center is a community based organization
developing communities of peace, social justice and human rights for education
and nonviolent action.
Mission and History
The Mid-South Peace & Justice Center (hereafter termed the “Center”)
was formed on January 15, 1982, the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr. The Center seeks to further the legacies of nonviolence left
by past peacemakers such as Dr. King, Mahatma Gandhi and Dorothy Day. Our
existence has been prompted by the chronic problems of social and economic
injustice prevalent in the South, especially in Memphis. In terms of national
averages, Memphis ranks among the worst in terms of poverty, crime, and
infant mortality.
For the past twenty-five years, the Center has been committed to our mission
of developing communities of peace, social justice and human rights through
education and nonviolent action.
Current Programs and Campaigns
- Peace Committee. Demanding an immediate
end to the occupation of Iraq. Working to promote nonviolence through
education and action. Organizes youth dialogue groups, educational forums,
weekly outdoor movie screening, and direct action marches and vigils
to end this war and prevent another. The Center serves as the coordinating
agency of the annual Gandhian Conference on Nonviolence.
- Gandhi-King Conference on Peacemaking: An annual conference attracting
activists, academics and community members from all over the world to
Memphis. In 2007 the conference hosted almost 700 people, including over
350 youth from mid-south high schools for an innovative Youth Conference.
More info including video footage is available at www.GandhiKingConference.org
- Alternatives to the Military Project. Providing the
information necessary for students and parents to make informed decisions
regarding military serving. This is done through reform in the administration
of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test, smarter decision
regarding military recruiters on high school campuses, improved opt-out
procedures, and equal access for persons providing information on alternatives
to joining the military for our youth.
- Grow Memphis. Cooperative organic Community Gardens
that empower youth and the development of low-income communities by turning
vacant lots into thriving centers of education, community, action and
change.
- Coalition Against Private Prisons (CAPP). Preventing
efforts to privatize our prison system and creating the largest private
prison in the country. This year we are preparing for a continued campaign
to oppose the privatization of our prisons, and proposing positive alternatives
to keep more of our young people out of the revolving door that is our
criminal justice system.
- Food Not Bombs. This youth-led program provides free
hot meals to the city’s poor, and is seeking ways to expand its
services to address the increasing criminalization of our homeless population.
- Democracy Project. Seeking the national and local
election reforms the community needs to participate in truly fair elections.
The Project continues the development of the Youth Poll Worker Project,
and lobbies for the certification of the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit
Trail by the State Election Commission.
- Progressive Media Project. Providing an alternative
and progressive source of news and events for the Mid-South. Currently
we are searching for a new station to host our weekly Peace and Justice
radio show and working to launch the Tennessee Progressive News Service
statewide.
Notable Sucesses
- 1982-2000. The Center carried out direct action to stop the passage
of the “white train” through Memphis, effectively derailing
all nuclear shipments by rail throughout the U.S. Transported dozens
of political refugees from the Central American Crisis to safety as part
of the Sanctuary Movement. Moved to stop the production of nuclear weapons
as part of the Nuclear Freeze Movement. Challenged local banks to stop
their use of racial bias in their lending practices This resulted in
changed policies to stop “redlining” locally and national
effects were seen in our input to the Community Reinvestment Act. Demanded
that Velsicol stop producing illegal chemicals into some of the poorest
communities in Memphis. Operated a nonviolence education program in two
elementary schools to foster a future generation of peacemakers.
- 2001-2005. Food Not Bombs. Served over 15,000 free vegetarian meals
to those in need using food normally wasted.
- 2004. Memphis Votes. Registered over 1700 voters--7% of the total
registered voters in disenfranchised communities, educated countless
more on election law and got many of them to the polls for Early Voting
and on Election Day.
- 2004-2005. Democracy Project. Coordinated the “Forum on Election
Reform” Successfully lobbied for the inclusion of a Voter Verified
Paper Audit Trail in the purchase of new electronic voting machines countywide.
In collaboration with the April 4th Foundation and the Bridgebuilders
youth program, we held a “Youth Voting Rights Forum” attended
by over 200 local high school students. This forum also launched our
Youth Poll Workers Project, a collaborative effort with the Shelby County
Election Commission to get our young people involved in the democratic
process from an early age.
- 2004-2005. Memphis Counter-Recruitment Coalition. Successfully lobbied
the school district to provide district parents notice of their privacy
rights, as required under the federal “No Child Left Behind Act.” Last
year, only a “handful” of parents had responded to what little
notice had been given. In 2005, with the Center’s encouragement,
the district circulated a new flyer that resulted in approximately 1,700
privacy requests. Over the course of the school year, the Center leafleted
over 15,000 high school students and their parents. We visited with principals
and staff at 27 of the district’s 28 schools, gave presentations
to six classes in various schools, and provided counseling to over a
dozen parents and students.
- 2004-2006. Memphis Living Wage Campaign. Supported an effort of faith
groups, community organizations, and labor unions calling on the city
of Memphis to provide a Living Wage for its workers. Achieved City Council
approval for a living wage for the City’s full time workers. A
comprehensive Living Wage Ordinance was passed by the Memphis City Council
in November 2006.
- 2004-2006. Coalition Against Private Prisons (CAPP). Prevented the
privatization of our local jails and prisons, this would have created
the largest private prison in the country. In collaboration with Grassroots
Leadership, we released “Progress or Profit: Positive Alternatives
to Privatization and Incarceration,” a report detailing progressive
ways to reform or criminal justice system that save money and keep more
of our young people out of jail.
- 2005. Progressive Media Project. Produced a one-hour weekly radio talk
show airing a progressive vision for Memphis and the Mid-South. Our efforts
also injected a progressive voice into local media outlets through education
and advocacy on progressive issues.
