To commemorate the 35th Anniversary of Furman v. Georgia and to Celebrate the 90th Birthday of its Oldest Survivor on the eve of the Furman decision
Thursday, June 28, 2007, 5:30-7:30 pm at The National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
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Friends of the Journey, June 17, 2007
You are invited to Journey of Hope…from Violence to Healing’s Birthday Party for Reverend Moreese “Pops” Bickham from 5:30-7:30 pm on Thursday June 28, 2007, at the National Press Club in Washington DC.
On June 29, 1972, the US Supreme Court handed down a ruling called Furman v. Georgia. The Furman decision declared the death penalty unconstitutional in its application and death rows were emptied throughout America. It was the law of our land until Greg v. Georgia, July 2, 1976 -- a Supreme Court case that reinstated capital punishment.
Moreese "Pops" Bickham is the oldest living survivor of The Furman Class of '72 and the Journey of Hope will be honoring Pops' 90th birthday on June 28th 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM at the National Press Club, Holeman Lounge, 13th Floor 529 14th Street N.W. Washington, DC, as well as a reception to honor the lawyers and abolitionists of the Sixties and Seventies who worked to get this case to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Pops Bickham participated in the Virginia Journey of Hope last year and plans on coming to the October 12-28 Journey in Texas this year. In fact at the start of the year Pops told some folks he was coming to the Texas journey even if he had to walk or crawl. He calls us the “people of Hope.” We lovingly call him Pops. We don’t want Pops to walk or crawl. We want Pops to come to Texas as our honored guest as we travel around the state working for abolition. This fundraiser is designed to help make this happen.
Five of the six Journey of Hope board members will be in DC on the 28th when we honor Pops. Leading abolitionists from DC and around the country are coming, too.
We would like to hear from you. Please RSVP as soon as possible. We are asking for a minimum donation of $75 per person. You can pay at the door.
If you cannot attend you can still make a donation by check, money order, credit or debit card in honor of Pops by clicking here.
If you would like to come please RSVP by contacting me at bill@journeyofhope.org, or (305) 775-5823.
Below is a picture of Pops with Sister Helen last year on the Virginia Journey. On June 29th, the 35th anniversary of Furman, Pops will see the US Supreme Court Building where the decision was made that saved his life. Pops has prayed for this day.
Help us make this a special time for Pops. You can also send him a birthday message by contacting me.
Please feel free to forward the link to this page to anyone you think might be interested.
Peace,
Bill
Bill Pelke
President Journey of Hope
Journey of Hope…from Violence to Healing
PO Box 210390
Anchorage, AK 99521-0390
www.journeyofhope.org
877-9-24(GIVE)4483 Toll free
