If this question intrigues you, especially if you live in Virginia or North Carolina, perhaps you should read on. This is an invitation to visit an extraordinary place, Surry County in Virginia across from Williamsburg. In 1968 Surry was like the rest of the 258 counties and cities of the black belt, 65% black, 45% of its people below the poverty line, and had no black elected official since Reconstruction. The answer to the question is no, but it sure has made one heck of a dent.

Today there are still people in poverty, but the average wage has risen from below $2,000/yr to $19,000/yr, the jail has been closed for years and the number of graduating seniors going on to further education has risen from below 20% to over 90%. Surry has had a black political majority for 25 years, the first Black Belt county to achieve majority public decision power for its population majority.

The National Association for the Southern Poor (NASP) has been organizing and supporting local citizen assemblies for nearly 30 years, based on principles that originated with Thomas Jefferson. The Assemblies use a model based on the British House of Commons, with a facilitative overlay which helps assure the leader remains impartial. The driver of the decision process is the submission of problem sheets from within the Assembly, and the initiative taken by its members.

The Kellogg Foundation has funded the development of 20 Assemblies in Misissippi with $750,000. NASP wants to continue to build momentum toward organizing an Assembly in all 258 counties and cities by the year 2000. If you would like to see for yourself, meet the people who have participated in this process for decades, and support the telling of this story, please contact me at jballard@boardconsult.com or call at 805/563-9313.