By Nell Ranta

People's Weekly World

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The Sacramento Central Labor Council and a coalition of concerned organizations raised community consciousness and $5,000 for the Charleston Five at a spirited benefit event on Aug. 11.

An original composition, "Free the Charleston Five," by local songwriter and Operating Engineers Local 3 member Richard Taliaferro opened the program for an enthusiastic audience of progressive groups, labor unions and the African-American community.

Karega Hart, field representative for Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 790 and Co-chair of the Bay Area Black Radical Congress, gave the keynote speech, in which he emphasized the importance of organizing the South, where racism still divides the workers and keeps the union movement weak.

The Sacramento Branch of the NAACP was represented by its secretary, Richard Smith, a member of the Teamsters Union. Original poetry composed by V.S. Cochezi (from Straight Out Scribes) and Angelo Williams was appreciated by all. Williams also involved the audience in the "pouring of libations" to people dead but not forgotten.

Donations came from various organizations, including ILWU Local 17, the Sacramento Central Labor Council, California State Employees (SEIU Local 1000), the California Democratic Central Committee, the Los Rios Federation of Teachers, Stationary Engineers Local 39, the Black Radical Congress, Sacramento Black Caucus, Coalition of Labor Union Women, Federation of Retired Union Members, the Communist Party, the Peace and Freedom Party and the Green Party.

The largest single donation came from the Port of Sacramento longshore workers, ILWU Local 18, a tiny union of 23 members, which nevertheless gave $1,500.

Meanwhile, a group of volunteers washed cars in the parking lot of the ILWU Local 17 union hall in West Sacramento for donations to the Charleston Five.