Candidates for Nov. election announced

By Cassandra Mickens

The Selma Times-Journal

Standing alongside the Slavery and Civil War Museum on Water Avenue, representatives of the Dallas County Freedom Party announced its candidates for the November 2006 general elections Tuesday morning.

In a letter addressed to Probate Judge Johnny Jones, Freedom Party chairperson Cliff Albright and secretary April England-Albright submitted the following names for county office:

Clifford Hunter – Dallas County Board of Education, District 2

Khadijah Ishaq – Dallas County Coroner

Franklin B. Fortier Jr. – Dallas County Sheriff

The Albrights also delivered a letter to Alabama Secretary of State Nancy Worley listing the party’s two candidates for state office. Candidate nominees are Toby Blythe Nordin for Dallas County Circuit Clerk and Cliff Albright for District 67 State Representative.

All candidates confirmed their nominations at the Freedom Party’s convention held Monday evening at the Slavery and Civil War Museum.

After announcing the party candidates, Albright revealed the Freedom Party’s official logo – an original rendition of the Statue of Liberty portraying a black woman in shackles. Albright explained the reasoning behind the logo, citing the history of the 151-foot statue on New York Harbor. Albright said the statue was created in the mind of French historian Frederic Auguste Bartholdi. Bartholdi proposed to the French government that the people of France present to the U.S. a Statue of Liberty in recognition of black soldiers who fought and won the civil war.

When the statue was presented to the U.S Minister of France in 1884, it was said the statue’s shackles would be offensive to the Confederate south and the lady took on features in line with the European aesthetic. Today, Lady Liberty has a single shackle around her ankle.

Created by a local artist, the logo is a symbol meant to uplift the people of Dallas County.

“(Our logo) reclaims some of them original concepts of freedom on which this country is found,” Albright said. “Look for the statue of freedom come Nov. 2.”

Following the press conference, Albright said he and his fellow candidates have the “experience and knowledge that can be of use to this county and the state legislature.”

All candidates say they’re excited about the November

elections and look forward to spreading the Freedom Party’s message, seeking to find effective solutions to poverty, oppression and discrimination by sparking conversation based on the principles of self-determination and human rights.

“We believe as a party we have something to offer,” Albright said.