FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (7/13/11)
Contact: Rev. Ronald V. Myers, Sr., M.D., Chairman
National Juneteenth Observance Foundation (NJOF)
National Juneteenth Christian Leadership Council (NJCLC)
662-247-3364 662-247-1471
e-mail:
JuneteenthDOC@yahoo.com
web sites:
www.AMAApology.com
www.NationalJuneteenth.com
Frank McCune, M.D., M.B.A. Chairman
National Juneteenth Medical Commission
National Juneteenth Observance Foundation (NJOF)
Cosmic International Foundation (CIF)
601-720-8046
e-mail:
drfrankmccune@comcast.net
web site:
www.cosmichealthnetwork.com
3rd Annual 2011 National Juneteenth Black
Medical Holocaust "Maafa" Memorial Prayer Service
Black Medical Holocaust "Maafa" Prayer Service
on the Anniversary Date of the AMA Apology to
African American Physicians for Racism
Black Medical Holocaust "Maafa" Memorial Service
in Holmes County, the Lowest Life Expectancy
County in America
Rev. Ronald V. Myers, Sr., M.D.
Frank McCune, M.D., M.B.A.
(Tchula, Mississippi - Holmes County) - The 3rd Annual 2011 National Juneteenth Black Medical Holocaust "Maafa" Memorial
Prayer Service is scheduled for Saturday, the "16th of July", 2011, in Tchula, Holmes County, Mississippi. The
prayer service will take place at the site of the National Junetenth Black Medical "Maafa" Museum, 15548 Hwy. 49 East,
beginning at 1:00pm.
The prayer service was established on the anniversary date of the American Medical Association (AMA) apology to
African American physicians for decades of racial discrimination, which took place on the "16th of July", 2008. The
legacy of racism in medicine still remains the major reason why Africans Americans still suffer the worst health care in
America.
The National Juneteenth Black Medical "Maafa" Memorial Service, along with the National Day of Reconciliation and
Healing From the Legacy of Enslavement and the World Day of Reconciliation and Healing From the Legacy of
Enslavement were established by Tchula physician and Baptist medical missionary, Rev. Ronald V. Myers, Sr., M.D, to seek
God for healing from the legacy of enslavement, the root cause of the black medical "maafa" in America.
"As the descendents of Americans of African descent, our ancestors were brought to
America in chains, never to be forgotten, which is why we observe the end of enslavement in America on the '19th of
June',
Juneteenth," states Rev. Dr. Myers, also the Founder & Chairman of the National Juneteenth Observance
Foundation (NJOF)
and the National Juneteenth Christian Leadership Council (NJCLC). "In response, we have embraced the term
'Maafa', a Kiswahili
term meaning 'disaster' or 'terrible occurrence', to tell our own story about our enslavement and the sustained attempt to
dehumanize us."
African American physicians still find it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to maintain badly needed medical services
to the poor in Holmes County and throughout Mississippi. Many racial barriers still exist, especially when considering the
recent history of the black physicians being unjustifiably denied medical malpractice insurance by white physicians.
On January 1, 2004, the all white physician owned Medical Assurance Company of Mississippi (MACM), the only company
in Mississippi offering medical malpractice insurance at the time, forced the closure of African American Baptist medical
missionary, Rev., Dr. Myers, health ministry and family health centers in the Mississippi Delta, especially the Myers
Foundation Christian Family Health Center of Tchula, in Holmes County.
"The racism behind the 'tort reform movement' in Mississippi, lead by the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA)
and the Mississippi State Medical Association (MSMA), lead to the closure of several African American physician
practices in Mississippi," states Dr. Myers."It is no surprise why the predominately black residents of Holmes County
have the lowest life expectancy rate in America. The unjustified denial of medical malpractice insurance by MACM to
black physicians in Mississippi has had a deadly impact."
Dr. Myers established the National Juneteenth Black Medical "Maafa" Memorial Museum to tell the story of the
continuing American tragedy of institutional racism in health policy to the poor African Americans in the Mississippi Delta
and throughout America. This is contributing to a "negative population growth" that Rev. Dr. Myers describes
as "Black Genocide", historically reinforced by racially discriminatory policies by the AMA.
Dr. Myers spoke passionately about the "culture of death and destruction" that is prevalent in the black
community. He pleaded for African Americans to take responsibility for our present health care crises during the 2011
WASHINGTON JUNETEENTH National Holiday Observance at the National Juneteenth Black Holocaust "Maafa" Memorial
Service.
"I was glad to learn about the American Medical Association (AMA) apology for racial discrimination against black
physicians," states Dr. Myers. "Unfortunately, there has been no significant progress made from the apology,
especially in Mississippi. This is the state where African Americans suffer from the worst health care in the country."
Death rates continue to soar in the African American community from youth gang violence, abortion, cancer, heart disease,
diabetes, lack of access to health care, disproportionate number of young African American males in prison unable to become
fathers, etc. Dr. Myers and Frank McCune, M.D., M.B.A., Chairman of the National Juneteenth Medical Commission,
continue to host the annual National Juneteenth Health Summit to address how increasing health care disparities and the tragic
loss of African American physicians in the black community significantly contribute to the problem of "Black
Genocide" in America. The summit takes place at the annual Kansas City Memorial Juneteenth Jazz and Arts
Festival in June.
For information about the
National Juneteenth Black Medical "Maafa" Prayer Service, the
National Juneteenth Black Medical "Maafa" Memorial Museum, the
National Juneteenth Medical Commission and the
National Juneteenth Health Care Summit at the
Kansas City Memorial Juneteenth Jazz and Arts Festival, the
National Day of Reconciliation and Healing from the Legacy of Enslavement or the
National Juneteenth Black Holocuast "Maafa" Memorial Service at the annual
WASHINGTON JUNETEENTH National Holiday Observance contact Dr. Myers at 662-247-3364 or 662-235-4227, e-mail:
JuneteenthDOC@yahoo.com or web sites:
www.AMAApology.com or
www.NationalJuneteenth.com.
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