Julian Bond has passed away and the world has lost a champion for equality.
When influential people die, there is a tendency to wax poetic. To overlook a person’s transgressions or shortcomings with mountains of praise that may at times surpass the accomplishments or reality of the person being discussed. This is not one of those times.
Julian Bond is a figure of immense historical and cultural significance. He was also an individual who managed to make people laugh and smile each day.
I learned this for all too short a time as a student of his at American University. Professor Bond would not remember me, but even after my one semester with him, he left an impression on me. He was so humble that even while learning from him, I did not fully grasp his place and importance in US history. He covered many of his greatest accomplishments with humor and grace and a polite engagement that made him at once impressive and completely comfortable and engaging.
And as a student who was not as diligent as I could have been with turning my papers in on time, I do remember one conversation in particular with him. Explaining the lateness of my paper, I went in ready to throw myself on his mercy. Instead, Professor Bond (as he is always in my head), stopped my litany of excuses and asked what I was doing with my time. I explained that I was involved in founding a new chapter of my fraternity. I then braced myself for the inevitable “so you’re partying too much” type of response.
Instead, he asked me why I was founding the new chapter and what my plans were to make better men out of my new fraternity brothers. Ten minutes later, after outlining my plans (that I was genuine about trying to accomplish, and later did accomplish, most of them) to get the chapter involved on campus, and make the fraternity-owned philanthropy that focused on improving the lives of people with disabilities a force on campus, he seemed less annoyed at my being late. He still docked me for being late (fairly) but he told me that I was doing good works, and that I needed to make sure I had balance in my life.
With that moment of good advice (I still to this day struggle to find a balance in life/work), he gave me something I still think back on. My moment with him does not begin to encapsulate his personality, or contributions to the US and the world, but it was a kind moment from a great teacher who both treated me fairly by penalizing me for being late but left me feeling motivated to do better.
But there are much broader reasons society as a whole should remember him.
Julian Bond is a name that may not be familiar to many young people today but his contributions are immense. In the pantheon of US civil rights leaders his name should rank among Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcom X. His career as an activist is second to none.
US President Obama summed up Julian Bond’s resume succinctly:
He was a person who lived his words. He channeled his passion into cause after cause--from Civil Rights to Gay Marriage--and inspired the people around him to do the same.
One of my favorite quotes I’ve heard describe Julian Bond (I keep wanting to type “Professor Bond”) came from Calyola Brown, president of the A. Philip Randolph Institute, a labor rights group: “He was one of the architects of the Black Lives Matter movement before there was a hashtag. His presence is no longer with us, but his voice will remain echoed through the work we and others do in civil rights movement.”
I like that quote because it focuses on the words and actions of Mr. Bond. His words will live on, but he was a man who throughout his life and career matched words with actions.
To give you a sense of the power of Mr. Bond’s oratory here are some of my favorite quotes of his:
“The truth may hurt, but it's the truth.”
“Violence is black children going to school for 12 years and receiving 6 years worth of education."
“As legal slavery passed, we [black people in the US] entered into a permanent period of unemployment and underemployment from which we have yet to emerge.”
“The civil rights movement didn’t begin in Montgomery and it didn’t end in the 1960s. It continues to this very minute.”
“There is no coloration to rights. Everybody has rights. I don’t care who you are, where you come from. You got rights. I got rights. All God’s children got rights.”
“The humanity of all Americans is diminished when any group is denied rights granted to others.”
“If your Bible tells you that gay people ought not to be married in your church, don’t tell them they can’t be married at city hall. Marriage is a civil rite as well a civil right, and we can’t let religious bigotry close the door to justice to anyone.”
“There’s this big debate that goes on in America about what rights are: Civil rights, human rights, what they are? And I think it’s—in part—it’s an artificial debate. Because everybody has rights.”
“I tell young people to prepare themselves as best they can for a world that grows more challenging every day-get the best education they can, and couple that education with real-life experience in social justice work.”
“…leadership can come from anywhere. You don’t have to be a certain type of person or have a certain type of education to be a leader. You just have to be willing to throw yourself into the fight. That’s all it takes.”
“Good things don’t come to those who wait. They come to those who agitate!”
My life was touched by Mr. Bond in a small way. He was a memorable figure in my education, but his impact on the United States goes deeper. Since his passing, politicians, celebrities, and activists of all sorts have flooded the internet with praise.
Global Citizen Festival Host Kerry Washington expressed her shock at the sudden illness and death of the civil rights icon.
Just got the wind knocked out of me. We have lost a true hero. A beautiful warrior for justice. A hero. #JulianBond 🙏🏾
— kerry washington (@kerrywashington) August 16, 2015Activists “The Dream Defenders” pulled some great photos and heartfelt praise.
Rest in Peace brother Julian Bond. You contributed so much to our liberation. We will continue in your honor. pic.twitter.com/GEbR2L2VfU
— The Dream Defenders (@Dreamdefenders) August 16, 2015And I’ll close this small online recap with another quote from US President Obama:
Quote of the Day http://t.co/kYLNIhZlyhpic.twitter.com/5fMH6ZXZw6
— The New York Times (@nytimes) August 17, 2015I was truly lucky to have studied under Mr. Bond. I hope everyone can study his words here and allow them to echo throughout the work we all do to make this a better world.
Professor Bond- you will be missed but not forgotten. Thank you for making our country, and our world a better place.