Glover: Prison like slavery

By Montrel Spencer/reporter

Today’s youth share some experiences with slaves, a minister and educator told students last month.

The Rev. Clarence Glover, also known as Mr. Freedom, presented Sankofa Men Feb. 27 on South Campus as part of its Black History Month celebrations.

“ Slavery was abolished everywhere in America except the prison system,” he said. “Today’s prison system was designed to put you back in shackles.”

Glover compared the baggy pants worn in prison to the look worn by the youthful hip-hop generation. He told his audience of urban adolescents the same “saggin’” pants young people wear in the free world would mean they are “available” in prison.

When Glover asked the audience how many of them have a relative locked up in prison, the majority of the hands in the room raised.

“ They are building prisons closer to home to make it easier to see daddy,” he said.

To illustrate how ancestors paved the way for today’s youth, Glover showed a sack similar to the ones slaves used to fill with cotton as they worked the fields.

“ They took the pain for our gain,” he said. “I’m here today because someone pulled this sack!”

Glover also shared details about his trip to Africa. He showed slides of people and places to put Africa in a different perspective for his young audience.

To conclude his presentation, Glover reminded the students about the little things everyone takes for granted.

“ People who can’t preserve freedom, don’t deserve freedom,” he said.

Glover, executive director of special training projects for Dallas ISD, previously served as an adjunct professor of African American studies at SMU.