Philadelphia Black Leaders Oppose Live 8 Concert

Philadelphia Black Leaders Oppose Live 8 Concert

What: A coalition of black, Philadelphia-based business, community and civic organizations will join with the Philadelphia African-American Chamber of Commerce to convene a news conference to express vehement opposition to the City's plan to host the Live 8 Concert, here, on July 2.

Coalition organizers have been disappointed that the Philadelphia Mayor's Office and local Live 8 leaders have refused to ensure that black-owned businesses and black workers can participate, equitably, in the substantial projected economic impact of the concert.

Coalition organizers say that the unemployment rate for black Philadelphians, who constitute 43.2 percent of the City's population, is twice that of white residents, and that black businesses in Philadelphia receive less than one percent of the city of Philadelphia's annual contract revenues and less than one percent of the city's private sector gross receipts.

The Coalition members believe it is especially ironic that the Live 8 Concert, which purportedly is being planned to focus world attention on economic inequities in Africa, is involved in perpetuating the same economic injustices against blacks in Philadelphia through its own racially exclusionary economic practices.

When: Monday, June 20, 2005 11:00 a.m.

Where: Philadelphia Museum of Art 26th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway Philadelphia, Pa.

Contact: A. Bruce Crawley +1-215-922-7184 crawley-haskins@att.net

PRNewswire -- June 17

Source: African-American Chamber of Commerce

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