The U.S. Senate has been criticized for
dragging its feet on compensation for black farmers based on the famous Pigford discrimination case. The case was supposedly settled by an alliance between black farmers and Tom Vilsack, the secretary of agriculture. The Obama administration has promised an extra $1.25 billion to settle the claims of the lawsuit.
Although a settlement had been reached, the Senate failed to move forward with the authorization to release the funds. That has led to a tremendous amount of frustration on the part of black farmers, who've been patiently waiting for the first black president and his colleagues to make amends for the discrimination they've suffered for decades.
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BV's Most Memorable Moments of the Decade
Most Shocking Celebrity Death
What: The King of Pop Dies
Who: Michael Jackson
When: June 25, 2009
Why: In what became the decade's most shocking death, music icon Michael Jackson died after suffering cardiac arrest at his California home. The multiplatinum-selling singer's unforeseen death came on the brink of his highly anticipated 'This Is It' tour. The 50-show concert series was scheduled to begin on July 13, 2009, at London's O2 Arena. He was 50.
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BVs Most Memorable Moments of the Decade
Most Shocking Celebrity Death
What: The King of Pop Dies
Who: Michael Jackson
When: June 25, 2009
Why: In what became the decade's most shocking death, music icon Michael Jackson died after suffering cardiac arrest at his California home. The multiplatinum-selling singer's unforeseen death came on the brink of his highly anticipated 'This Is It' tour. The 50-show concert series was scheduled to begin on July 13, 2009, at London's O2 Arena. He was 50.
BVs Most Memorable Moments of the Decade
Biggest Political Triumph>
What: Obama Wins 2008 Election
Who: President Barack Obama (with loving support of wife Michelle)
When: November 4, 2008
Why: President Obama was elected the first African American president of the United States in a landslide victory. An achievement that many blacks did not believe they would ever witness, Obama's election as the 44th president of the United States is the fulfillment of the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King. President Obama was elected rightly due to the excellence of his character, thus becoming an inspiring example and showing all that personal greatness overcomes all barriers.
BVs Most Memorable Moments of the Decade
Most Notable Business Achievements
What: Rise of Black Billionaires
Who: Oprah Winfrey, Bob Johnson (founder of BET) and Shelia Johnson (ex-wife of Bob Johnson)
When: 2000/2003
Why: Bob and Shelia Johnson, then married, became instant billionaires with the sale of BET to Viacom in 2000 for $2.34 billion in Viacom stock. Oprah Winfrey became the first African American woman to become a billionaire in 2003, and was also the world's only black billionaire from 2004 through 2006. These amazing achievements saw black entrepreneurs finally reach the highest echelons of the media business as owners rather than just entertainers.
BVs Most Memorable Moments of the Decade
Best Movie Star Moment
What: 74th Annual Academy Awards
Who: Halle Berry and Denzel Washington
When: Mar. 22, 2002
Why: In 2002, Halle broke through the Oscar color barrier by becoming the first African American woman to win an Academy Award for best actress for her part in 'Monster's Ball.' Ms. Berry wasn't the only person making history that night. Actor Denzel Washington also took home the gold for best actor for his role in 'Training Day,' making him the second African American man, after Sidney Poitier, to receive the prestigious award.
BVs Most Memorable Moments of the Decade
Most Salacious Sports Sex Scandal
What: Sex, Lies and Criminal Cases
Who: Tiger Woods and Kobe Bryant
When: Late 2009/Summer of 2003
Why: At one point, both Tiger Woods and Kobe Bryant were seen as role models to the kids who idolized them. This image came crashing down for the married Bryant in 2003 when he was accused of sexual assault and later for Woods when a holiday fender bender set in motion a tabloid field day that would eventually reveal the golfer's many extramarital affairs. Bryant's career and marriage bounced back after his accuser declined to testify, and Woods has vowed to step away from golf indefinitely to work on his marriage. Moral: never make assumptions about our how our sports heroes conduct themselves off the course and court.
BVs Most Memorable Moments of the Decade
Most Fierce Fashion Moment
What: All-Black Vogue Italia Cover
Who: Naomi Campbell, Liya Kebede, Sessilee Lopez, Jourdan Dunn, etc.
When: July 2008
Why: In response to valid concerns from models of color that the runways and editorial pages of fashion magazines were becoming less and less diverse, Vogue Italia editor Franca Sozzani decided to dedicate an entire issue to black models. Smart move for Sozzani: it was the highest selling issue of Vogue Italia, and it marked the first time publishing giant Conde Nast ever had to reprint an issue based on demand (and they had to do it twice!). Who says black cover models don't sell magazines?
BVs Most Memorable Moments of the Decade
Most Horrifying Crime Spree
What: DC Sniper
Who: John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo
When: Oct. 3, 2002 - Oct. 22, 2002
Why: Before the D.C. Sniper, black folks could at least pretend that there was no such thing as black serial killers. Muhammad and Boyd forever dispelled that myth with a three-week murder spree that froze the entire nation. Muhammad and Malvo were finally arrested on federal weapons charges on October 24th. For their crimes, Boyd is serving a life sentence with no opportunity for parole while Muhammad was executed on November 10, 2009.
BVs Most Memorable Moments of the Decade
Biggest Celebrity Power Couple
What: Hov and Bey's Reign on Top
Who: Jay-Z and Beyonce
When: April 4, 2008 – 20xx
Why: This decade's Sonny & Cher award goes to none other than hip-hop's dynamic duo: Jay-Z and Beyonce. After numerous public appearances and music collaborations, Hov decided to upgrade the 'Dreamgirls' actress and put a ring on it in 2008. The couple exchanged wedding vows during a low-key ceremony on April 4 at Jay's Manhattan loft.
BVs Most Memorable Moments of the Decade
Worst National Tragedy
What: Terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.
Who: The Taliban (a radical political movement) with Osama bin Laden (allegedly) at the helm. Prior to the 9/11 attacks bin Laden was called America's most wanted terrorist suspect.
When: September 11, 2001
Immediately after the attacks, pop stars recorded patriotic songs and mourners conducted candle-light vigils honoring the lost souls and symbolizing unity. More importance was placed on relationships and less on materialism. From September 11, 2001 on, America's culture changed. The reality of a safe democratic province would forever be questioned. Racial-profiling as we knew it would now focus on all unsuspecting Arabs, as opposed to Blacks and Latinos. Like never before, great measures were taken to heighten security at hubs of public transportation. Billions of dollars have been spent implementing high-tech security systems at US airports. American citizens now recognize the challenge and inability to remain invincible. Five suspects were arrested for the attacks, which killed nearly 2,750 people and are being detained in Guantánamo Bay prison, awaiting trial. Osama bin Laden is still at large.
BVs Most Memorable Moments of the Decade
Some senators are finally moving to obtain the funds, but the process is far from done. Senators Kay R. Hagan (D-N.C.), Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) and Mary Landrieu (D-La.) are behind the legislation. They've introduced a bill to compensate black farmers and have claimed that they are willing to either attach the farmers' payments to other bills or create something that stands alone.
Lincoln, who is the head of the Senate Agriculture Committee, came under fire from black farmers, after she and other senators
passed a multibillion-dollar subsidy for white farmers after denying support to African American farmers who'd proven their case in court.
"We want to ensure black farmers in our country finally receive the justice they deserve,"
said Hagan. "More than 4,000 African American farmers in North Carolina and over 75,000 nationwide have been discriminated against and denied just compensation for decades."
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"We will try to attach this bill to any moving legislative vehicle in the Senate. But if the political environment is such that no bill is moving, Senate leadership will need to call up this stand alone bill and debate it on its merits. I think that Senate leadership is going to need to take a good, long look at that option,"
Landrieu said.
The settlement is expected to pay roughly $50,000 per farmer if the funds are released. But the money has been held up primarily by Republicans who are working to portray themselves as fiscal conservatives. Republicans typically fight nearly all legislation designed to alleviate poor wealth distribution or social inequality in America.
Black farmers, as victims of massive discrimination on the part of the federal government, were unable to get loans to make land purchases in the 1960s and 1970s from the USDA, unlike white farmers. As a result, many of their farms are mortgaged to the highest levels, and some of them are being forced into bankruptcy. This inability to access necessary capital to grow their businesses has caused financial hardship for many African American farmers.
Even paying the settlement of the Pigford case won't be enough to make things right. Many farmers died or lost their land waiting for the case to be settled. By the time the government pays out the funds, it will be too little too late for thousands of farmers who missed a chance to build their wealth. Researchers have already concluded that black farmers only get between one-third and one-sixth of the subsidies given to white farmers. So, the truth is that the $1.25 billion farmers won in the Pigford case is only a drop in the bucket relative to what they truly deserve.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce's commentary delivered to your e-mail, please click here. 
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