Author, civil rights activist, community organizer, medical researcher, and co-founder
Ronald Chisom (also known as Ron Chisom ) is an
African American author,
civil rights activist and a
community organizer who was involved in fighting for justice and equality for
marginalized communities in the United States.
[1]
[2] He was a co-founder of
People's Institute for Survival and Beyond .
[3]
[1]
[4] and a medical researcher at
Louisiana State University Medical School.
[5] Born in 1941 in
New Orleans, Louisiana , Chisom grew up in a segregated society that was affected by racism and discrimination.
[5]
[6]
Family
Chisom is married to Jerolie Encalade Chisom with whom they have one daughter, Tiphanie Chisom-Eugene.
[1]
The People's Institute for Survival and Beyond
Chisom was involved in the civil rights movement in the 1960s,
[6] working alongside leaders such as
Saul Alinsky
[7] to advance the cause of racial justice. In 1980, Chisom and Dr. Jim Dunn co-founded the
People's Institute for Survival and Beyond (PISAB), an organization that pursued anti-racism education and community organizing.
[8]
[4]
[3] The organization held trainings and workshops in communities, churches and schools.
[9]
Chisom v. Roemer
In 1986, Ronald Chisom filed a case to challenge the
at-large voting system
[10] used in
Louisiana's 4th congressional district against Louisiana Governor
Buddy Roemer , the
Louisiana Secretary of State , and other state officials.
[11] In the case, Chisom argued that the at-large voting system violated the
Voting Rights Act of 1965 , which prohibited voting practices that discriminate based on race.
[12]
[13]
The
US District Court for the
Western District of Louisiana ruled in favor of Chisom, finding that the
at-large voting system had a discriminatory effect on African American voters and violated the Voting Rights Act. The court ordered that the 4th congressional district be redrawn with single-member districts to provide better representation for African American voters.
[14]
In 1991, the case was appealed to the
U.S. Supreme Court , which reversed the district court's ruling. The Supreme Court held that the plaintiffs had not met their burden of proof in showing that the at-large voting system was intentionally discriminatory.
[15]
[16]
Following the ruling, the federal court adopted the Chisom Consent Decree 1992
[17] to allow Black voters in the state to have an equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice to the Louisiana Supreme Court.
[18] In 2022, Louisiana AG’s moved a motion to dissolve Chisom Consent decree.
[19]
[20]
Awards and honors
Publications
Undoing Racism: A Philosophy of International Social Change · Volume 1 (1997)
[25]
Undoing Racism: An International Philosophy of Social Change by the People's Institute for Survival and Beyond (1996)
[26]
References
^
a
b
c
d
e
"Our Founders – PISAB" . Retrieved March 30, 2023 .
^
"Our History – PISAB" . Retrieved March 30, 2023 .
^
a
b Lovchik, John (October 11, 2018).
Racism: Reality Built on a Myth . Wipf and Stock Publishers.
ISBN
978-1-5326-4822-9 .
^
a
b Fong, Rowena; Dettlaff, Alan J.; James, Joyce; Rodriguez, Carolyne (November 25, 2014).
Addressing Racial Disproportionality and Disparities in Human Services: Multisystemic Approaches . Columbia University Press.
ISBN
978-0-231-53707-0 .
^
a
b
"The Petra Foundation | Ron Chisom" . petrafoundation.org . Retrieved March 30, 2023 .
^
a
b Tabachnik, Sam (December 13, 2013).
"What's 'white privilege' all about? The People's Institute offers tough insights" . The Lens . Retrieved March 30, 2023 .
^
"Ron Chisom | Ashoka | Everyone a Changemaker" . www.ashoka.org . Retrieved March 30, 2023 .
^ Arena, John (2012).
Driven from New Orleans: How Nonprofits Betray Public Housing and Promote Privatization . U of Minnesota Press.
ISBN
978-0-8166-7747-4 .
^
"Workshop aims to undo racism" .
^ Wesley, Ruth Bailey (1991).
"The Louisiana Judiciary and the Voting Rights Act: Casting a Vote of Import, Chison v. Roemer" . Southern University Law Review . 18 : 255.
^
"Ronald Chisom, et al., Plaintiffs-appellants, United States of America, Plaintiff-intervenor-appellant, v. Charles E. "buddy" Roemer, Iii, in His Capacity As Governor of the State of Louisiana, et al., Defendants-appellees, 917 F.2d 187 (5th Cir. 1990)" . Justia Law . Retrieved March 30, 2023 .
^
"Arguments on deal that put Black justice on Louisiana court" . AP NEWS . March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 30, 2023 .
^ Stole, Bryn (September 22, 2019).
"District lines for Louisiana's Supreme Court justices are under fire; here's why" . NOLA.com . Retrieved March 30, 2023 .
^ Muller, Wesley (February 28, 2023).
"5th Circuit will hear decades-long case over Black seat on La. Supreme Court" . Louisiana Illuminator . Retrieved March 29, 2023 .
^ Jones, Daryl (January 1, 1991).
"Recent Developments: Chisom v. Roemer: Judicial Elections Covered within Meaning of "Representatives" in Voters' Rights Act" . University of Baltimore Law Forum . 22 (2).
^
"Ronald CHISOM, et al., Petitioners, v. Charles E. ROEMER, Governor of Louisiana, et al. UNITED STATES, Petitioner, v. Charles E. ROEMER, Governor of Louisiana, et al" . LII / Legal Information Institute . Retrieved March 29, 2023 .
^ Franckiewicz, Victor J. Jr (1992–1993).
"Chisom v. Roemer - The Elected Judiciary Is Subject to Vote Dilution Claims under the Voting Rights Act" . Loyola Law Review . 38 : 211.
^
"United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit" (PDF) . September 17, 2021.
^
"LDF & Other Advocates Oppose Louisiana AG's Motion to Dissolve Historic Decree Ensuring Black Electoral Representation on Louisiana Supreme Court" . Legal Defense Fund . Retrieved March 30, 2023 .
^
"Black Voters At Risk If La. Decree Ends, 5th Circ. Told – Law360" . www.law360.com . Retrieved March 30, 2023 .
^
"HSA2013" . Seattle Human Services Coalition . Retrieved March 17, 2023 .
^
"Undoing Racism Workshop" . Welcome to Mary Pender Greene, LCSW-R, CGP President and CEO of MPG Consulting . Retrieved March 30, 2023 .
^
a
b Bean, Jason (November 21, 2016).
"Undoing Racism Speakers Series Part 4" . Child Advocates . Retrieved March 30, 2023 .
^
"2019 Thomas Merton Award" . thomasmertoncenter . Retrieved April 8, 2023 .
^ Chisom, Ronald (1997).
Undoing Racism: A Philosophy of International Social Change . People's Institute Press.
ISBN
978-0-9653305-1-0 .
^ Washington, Michael; Chisom, Ronald (August 1996).
Undoing Racism: An International Philosophy of Social Change by the People's Institute for Survival and Beyond . Michael Washington.
ISBN
978-0-9653305-0-3 .
Further reading