In the Spirit of Juneteenth, Sixties Activist Timothy Fitzgerald Commemorates the Pillars of the Civil Rights Movement
Juneteenth stands for freedom not only for African-Americans but for all Americans. It marks the liberation of the American citizen from bondage. However, the fight against discrimination continued through the Jim Crow era to the 1960s in which we successfully ended segregation. Sixties activist and author Timothy Fitzgerald commemorates the pillars of the civil rights movement.
San Jose, Calif. (PRWEB) June 16, 2010
Timothy Fitzgerald was a student leader in the 1960s at San Jose State University. In 1969, Mr. Fitzgerald led the winning campaign that made history in the state of California by electing the first African-American campus student body president in the state university system. In addition, Fitzgerald was instrumental in desegregating off-campus student housing in San Jose.
Mr. Fitzgerald (www. timfitzgerald. org) recently authored "The Wawona Brotherhood: The San Jose State Campus Revolt" in which he chronicles his experiences at San Jose State University during the turbulent 1960s through the early 1970s. In his eight-year quest to obtain his bachelor's degree, Mr. Fitzgerald battled mental illness and poverty while he collaborated with establishment campus figures to create a new governing system at San Jose.
"Juneteenth stands for freedom not only for African-Americans but for all Americans," said San Jose author and community activist Timothy Fitzgerald. "It marks the liberation of the American citizen from bondage."
Fitzgerald continued, "However, the fight against discrimination continued through the Jim Crow era to the 1960s in which we successfully ended segregation. I commemorate the pillars of the civil rights movement."
Since his time as an undergraduate, Mr. Fitzgerald has been a community activist in San Jose. He is the former Vice Chairman of the Disability Advisory Commission in San Jose; and he was a Green Party state leader for over a decade. Fitzgerald is considered an authority on the Vietnam era in a standard San Jose State history class.
Mr. Fitzgerald remarked, “The election of Obama is the result of modern-day generations working together to end prejudice. The paradox remains if we are colorblind, can we still distinguish excellence in racial differences? In this new age, we are challenged as we look past racial differences to distinguish refined significance in education, work and leadership in which censorship of an idea once outweighed the outcome of historical events. The cries of the masses far outweigh the color and shades of decisions.”
“We must not rest on our accomplishments, but strive for greater achievements in ending discrimination against all regardless of race, color, nationality, gender, sexual orientation or disability."
At the age of 64, Mr. Fitzgerald continues to fight for the human rights of the mentally ill, people of color, the homeless and the disenfranchised. Mr. Fitzgerald is now completing his third master's degree at San Jose State University. He is on track to be awarded this degree in fall 2010. In addition, Mr. Fitzgerald has taught social science subjects in California community colleges in the last decade.
Mr. Fitzgerald has been a guest on American Voice Radio Network's New World Order Disorder, LA Talk Radio's Bipolar Nation, San Francisco radio station KPOO's Community Worker, San Jose radio station KKUP's Silicon Valli Voice and has appeared on San Jose radio station KBAY and Mammoth Lakes radio station KMMT. He also has been interviewed by the San Jose State Spartan Daily along with the Mammoth Times and Los Gatos Times Weekly.
For more information about author and community activist Timothy Fitzgerald and his writing and ideas, visit his Web site www. timfitzgerald. org. For interviews, e-mail timothyfitzgerald97(at)yahoo(dot)com or call 408.726-9940.
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