Camp Constition Loses A Friend With the Passing of Barbara From Harlem
On Monday August 7, we received word from Bebe Reid that her precious mother Barbara from Harlem has gone to be at home with the Lord. I had the honor of first meeting Barbara and Bebe at the annual 2nd Amendment-Flag Day Rally in Auburn, MA back in 2018.
I extended an invitation to Barbara to teach a class at our annual family camp held a few months later where she gave a short speech entitled ‘Made in the Image of God”:
Over the years, we were blessed to have Barbara speak at our ladies’ retreat, luncheons, numerous events at the Lane House in Lexington, MA, and our 2nd Annual Independence Day Barbecue held at my home in Alton, NH. She joked about the seclusion of our home and property and said that she may want to “use it as a hideaway.” I replied with “Why do you think we bought the place.”
Barbara also spoke at our Chrisitan Flag Prayer vigil on a cold evening in January of 2022 in front of the U.S Supreme Court and the rally the following morning prior to Oral Argument of our lawsuit Shurtleff v Boston. (http://www.lc.org/flag We gladly donated hundreds of pocket copies of the U.S. Constitution to her ministry. She and Bebe would walk around New York City and visit college campuses handing them out and engaging people in conversation about the Constitution,
She led an incredible life which she wrote about in her book Escaping The Racism Of Low Expectations. She was a great American Christian patriot freedom activist who travelled around the region with her message of love for the United States. A regular guest on dozens of radio shows, she co-hosted with Bebe ‘Our Urban Story” https://www.oururbanstoryddv.com/?page_id=8 a radio show on Saturday afternoons where she introduced Camp Constitution to listeners on a regular basis. Barbara helped me get bookings on radio shows and introduced me to Pastor Willian Green of the Mordecai Mission https://mordecaimission.net/ which led to a working relationship with this excellent organization.
An excerpt from her book:
“I was a liberal by default. I asked no questions. I had no answers. I just pulled the lever to vote for Democrats as was expected of me. Most of my fellow Black Americans do not fully understand what the term “liberal” means, or who or what they are voting for. And, in turn they don’t realize how harmful those “liberal” policies are to our freedoms and liberties as Americans.
‘I was born into a culture that believes Black equals Democrat. A broken home, failed marriage, and a feeling of victimization fueled my need for inclusion, which the Democratic Party fulfilled. As an activist and member of the NAACP and Democratic Clubs in Harlem, the men I looked up to—the Rev. Jesse Jackson (whom I also campaigned for), Congressman Charlie Rangel, and Rev. Al Sharpton—reinforced the negative perceptions that shaped my world.
But just like false prophets, the false narrative that has been spoon-fed to us by Black leaders, the Black community, the media, and progressive politicians has enslaved Blacks in a victimhood mentality and entitlement mindset.
But my eyes were opened to reject victimhood and lack of accountability. My journey has proven to me that when you have clarity of conscience, love of God, and a deep-seated belief in America’s goodness, your life will be enriched and your focus will change to one of accountability.
I am Barbara from Harlem. I fought my way out. You can too.”
Barbara will be greatly missed, but she leaves a rich legacy which Camp Constitution will always honor.
To learn more about Barbara, order her book, and information about her funeral arrangements, please visit her website: https://www.barbarafromharlem.com/