Descendant of Famed Freedom Seeker Pens Script

 

Saladin Allah and Host Anthony Morgan in of the Cataract House Gallery at the Niagara Falls 

Underground Railroad Heritage Center, CBC The Nature of Things

     Ken Cosentino -Niagara Falls resident Saladin Quanaah Allah, who goes by the mononym “Saladin,” is the third-great grandson of famed underground railroad freedom seeker Josiah Henson; whose life served as the inspiration for Harriet Beecher Stowe’s “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” Last month, CBC’s “The Nature of Things With David Suzuki” featured Saladin as a historical expert and guest host alongside new co-host Anthony Morgan. The episode, titled “Secret Agents of the Underground Railroad,” was produced by Quebec-based company Attraction and filmed in Saladin’s hometown Niagara Falls, NY. The episode focused on the historic hotel called “The Cataract House,” which, due to its close proximity to the Canadian border, was a popular stop for freedom seekers along the Underground Railroad.

Stories abound of Harriet Tubman leading many enslaved people to freedom across the suspension bridge between Niagara Falls, NY, and Niagara Falls, Ontario. Lesser known are the stories of Cataract House staff who were secretly assisting enslaved people to board a rowboat at the foot of the American Falls across the Niagara River. This operation lasted for decades and was so well organized, it plays out like a spy novel. Only a small fraction of these stories were featured in the CBC documentary.

With the success of “Secret Agents of the Underground Railroad,” Saladin is currently finishing his treatment based on the Cataract House. Says Saladin, “It is important for me to honor our ancestors by keeping the story historically accurate. Several companies have already shown interest in producing this as a full-fledged series or feature, but as of right now there are no official commitments.” Saladin is a prolific writer and storyteller who has published twenty-three books, five of which are chronicled in the British Library. As an expert on the Cataract House and the Underground Railroad, Saladin has been featured in documentaries such as the award-winning docuseries “Enslaved,” narrated by Samuel L. Jackson; and the IMAX film “Into America’s Wild,” narrated by Morgan Freeman. Additionally, Saladin recently co-produced the documentary “Two Wars: The Road to Integration.” When he isn’t writing or being interviewed, Saladin can be found speaking to the United Nations and is the Director of Community Engagement at the Underground Railroad Museum in Niagara Falls, NY.

Abraham Lincoln utilized “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” as a key speaking point in his campaign for the oval office; Lincoln also drew directly from the literature while writing the Emancipation Proclamation. Says Saladin, “It is no secret who my third-great grandfather was, and how his life story came to impact the end of slavery.” Josiah Henson helped lay the tracks for the Underground Railroad, and for future underground railroad operatives such as Harriet Tubman.

CBC 2/2/23 – “Archaelogy is Rooted in Racism and Colonialism, Say Scientists. Here’s How We Rewrite ‘Everyone’s History'” – Featuring Saladin

CBC 11/9/20 – “Freedom Ships and the Little Known History of Resistance” Featuring Saladin

What is the future of Allah Youth Center in Mecca?

     For the last twenty years, I have had the opportunity to learn along the landscape of community building through successfully creating a variety of projects, programs, and initiatives and working in partnership with various organizations, institutions, and municipalities. I also ran for public office, have helped folks get elected, work as a machine inspector with the Board of Elections and I am a Human Rights Commissioner in my city who wrote its bylaws. It is important that I lead with this so that you know where my insights are coming from.

     Recently there was an update shared by a couple of brothers, Beloved and Bilal, regarding the status of our Allah School in Mecca. They met with Sid Davidoff on October 19th, 2022 in preparation for their meeting with Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Marie Torres-Springer on October 20th, 2022. The highlights of those meetings are as follows:

*The City of New York possesses the title to 2122 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd, the location of Allah Youth Center in Mecca. 

*Sid Davidoff asked those present at the meeting did they have a copy of the 99-year lease for 2122 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd that Five Percenters have historically said Allah was given by the Lindsay Administration. They did not have this document, nor did New York City Government, and there is no record of its existence. 

*The only documentation that was found regarding 2122 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd was an outdated month-to-month lease dated July 1967.

*Beloved said that Sid Davidoff, not New York City Government, stated that the 99-year lease did not matter and that the Five Percenters were the "defacto owners" because it has always been everyone's vision and understanding that you would hold that site as a school. So Davidoff advised the group to go into the meeting with the Mayor's Office and tell the city what we wanted and request a transfer of land as a part of the development deal.

*Davidoff also shared that there were other Five Percenters with different plans for the site and encouraged us to all be on one page.

*The group shared a presentation with the Mayor's Office regarding the history of the Five Percenters and their idea for developing the site.

     As Five Percenters we are supposed to live according to our word is bond, and bond is life. That is not a City Government's policy nor its legal department's policy. So while the presentation sounded excellent, it legally means nothing to a municipality. Even if you were to get a signed MOA from a City Government, its legal department can still find a way to maneuver around it if it conflicts with a department's policy or a new administration comes into office. That new administration is not required to honor that. A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) is a written document describing a cooperative relationship between two parties wishing to work together on a project or to meet an agreed-upon objective. This serves as a legal document and describes the terms and details of the partnership agreement. Nothing was shared in this update about an MOA, just hope that we can rely on our history and that the current New York City Government will leave this prime real estate that they possess, alone. Another important part that was not discussed in detail was the actual budget for the development plan and the actual CAPITAL we have in our account to complete this project. However, it was shared that there will be a fundraising initiative spearheaded by Black Just, the brother of Carmelo Anthony. 

     While I commend the Gods for their will and concern to move us collectively forward, I think that it was premature to engage City Government with an idea, no economic development plan, and no CAPITAL to develop the city's prime real estate that we have no legal rights to. This meeting has now set into motion a timeline for the Five Percenters to demonstrate to the current New York City Government our commitment to completing a proposed development plan that doesn't even have a blueprint or CAPITAL. This also establishes a justification for the current New York City Government to remove us Five Percenters from their property if they feel as though we are not committed to developing this prime real estate. If some corporation, institution, or organization has a better development plan and the CAPITAL to complete that project, the current or future New York City Government has no legal obligation to the Five Percent. 

     From here it is important to understand that we, as the Five Percent, have officially put the current New York City Government on notice regarding our intention and the timeline that they expect us to establish. Here are a few things that I would suggest moving forward:

*Create an actual development plan and secure CAPITAL investors in 2023. 

*As Five Percenters, we are now officially on the city's economic and workforce development radar. Remove and do not post any Universal Parliaments online. The arguments that broke out, and the disorganization that was captured, after Beloved and Bilal shared their update should not be available to the public, which includes New York City Government. From this point forward it must be understood that the current New York City Government, and its partners, have a vested interest in developing the prime real estate located at 2122 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd. Anything that Five Percenters say or do will be held against us as evidence of incompetence, not as adults trying to work it out.  

*According to public records, the total assessed value of 2122 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd is only $186,300 -which is a steal for a major development company. The value of the building [Youth Center], which measures 1,200 square feet, is $69,300. The value of its land, which measures 12,490 square feet, is $117,000. Its current market value, or the actual price someone is willing to pay for this property, is $414,000. These figures help set a reasonable CAPITAL investment goal. Taking a development plan to the current New York City Government with CAPITAL investments that are less than the property's market value does not make business sense to that municipality. A multi-million-dollar project from a major development company does make business sense.

*Build a relationship with the current New York City Government. That requires more than having one meeting sharing an idea with no money. Be consistent about attending city meetings, functions, and initiatives. Be consistent about participating in meetings, functions, and initiatives. Learn the pulse and heartbeat of this administration.

*Strive to get the current New York City Government to establish a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Five Percenters use and outlined development plan of 2122 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd. If the current New York City Government is unwilling to establish a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), that is your indication that they do not intend on honoring the Five Percenters' future use and development of 2122 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd. The current New York City Government's unwillingness to establish a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) also nullifies a "de facto" rule. In other words, someone could "de facto" be a parent because they behave like that... until someone has a court order.

     The only way forward is progress, and the only way to be progressive is to work together. A year ago I invested in an IP and strived to gift it to our nation. This not only enabled us to protect our cultural identity in the public domain but was a legal means to successfully secure immediate CAPITAL through license agreements and infringement suits against its illegal use. While some understood its value, some publicly spoke out against it. I took the initiative to secure this IP for us knowing that a day such as this would ultimately come; a time when our vision for a sustainable future and financial vulnerability would be completely exposed. Although I was disappointed that some of our nation members did not see the value of this gift, I remain hopeful that this will be realized in time. I just will that those who spoke the loudest, and had the most to say, will be the same ones to step forward and answer the call to legally secure the economic development future of Allah Youth Center for our nation. 

Peace,

Saladin

Standing Rock Activist Lawyer to Speak in Niagara Falls

(Niagara Falls, NY) — The Atlantis School For Gifted Youngsters will host Niagara Falls' 1st Annual Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration featuring internationally renowned Standing Rock Lawyer Activist Chase Iron Eyes and Lakota Wisdom Keeper Chief Bear Cross of the Ghost Nation. This celebration will consist of three events:

⦁ Friday October 8th, 4pm-5pm Speaking Engagement at the Niagara Falls Public Library. Topic of discussion "Sacred America: Breaking 500 Years of Silence." Following a brief Invocation by Chief Bear Cross, Chase Iron Eyes will discuss the power of Indigenous culture, sovereignty and lessons from Standing Rock. This event will be free and open to the public.

⦁ Saturday October 9th, 11am-11:15am Official Press Conference at the Veterans Monument at Hyde Park in Niagara Falls. Chase Iron Eyes will briefly speak on the history of Wounded Knee and plight of the Lakota People. Media Interviews will follow.

⦁ Saturday October 9th, 2pm-4pm V.I.P. Meet & Greet with Chase Iron Eyes and Chief Bear Cross at an undisclosed location. Tickets are $40. Tickets can be purchased online at: HERE 

Chase Iron Eyes TEDxCharlottesville

"In the spirit of solidarity and in celebration of the original people of North America, Indigenous Peoples Day was created to honor the past, present, and future of indigenous peoples, acknowledge the legacy of colonialism and to raise awareness of its present day impact on their communities. To celebrate the 1st Annual Indigenous Peoples Day we are honored to have Six Nations members, the Seneca Mothers, internationally renowned Standing Rock Activist Chase Iron Eyes and Lakota Wisdom Keeper Chief Bear Cross of the Ghost Nation to represent their voice and rich cultural legacy."

About the Speakers

Chase Iron Eyes, Activist Lawyer for the Lakota People’s Law Project, was raised on the Standing Rock Nation and now lives on the Oglala Lakota Nation (Pine Ridge Reservation). Chase co-founded the Last Real Indians media model of frontline reporting in addition to an uncensored critique of the issues of the day as a way to give voice to the voiceless, presence to the unseen and action to prophecy. He is also a spokesperson for the Leonard Peltier freedom campaign as well as the public relations liaison for Julian Bear Runner, the president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. Chase is married to Dr. Sara Jumping Eagle and they are raising their family in Lakota Treaty lands.

Chief Bear Cross, Wisdom Keeper of the Lakota People, is the Leader of the Ghost Nation who received his war bonnet from Spiritual Leader Leonard Crow Dog. Leonard Crow Dog led the takeover of the town of Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge Reservation in 1973, known as the Wounded Knee Incident. Chief Bear Cross also received the very last war bonnet ever given by Spiritual Leader Leonard Crow Dog while he was still alive.

About the Atlantis School For Gifted Youngsters 

The Atlantis School For Gifted Youngsters a private estate and learning institution founded in Niagara Falls, NY to teach/train youth in the growth, development and control of their powers. The mission of our institution is to globally inspire, empower and educate youth to be Ambassadors of our future.

NEW BOOK RELEASE: The Map IS NOT The Terrain

Purchase HERE

     My twentieth book, "The Map IS NOT The Terrain" describes the relationship between Five Percenter culture as an object and a representation of that object as the culture. 

   In a series of insightful essays, this book explores Five Percent principles, values and customs as a conceptual territory [a map] and their practical application in every day life [the terrain].

     "The Map IS NOT The Terrain" and my other nineteen titles directly support the Atlantis School Renovation Project and can be purchased at Quanaah Publishing. I appreciate your support!

Peace,

Saladin