Kamau Afrika

Kamau Afrika (born 1952) is a community activist and political candidate from the East Thomas neighborhood and Smithfield community in Birmingham.

He was born to Jimmie and Ivory Dawson Walker in Smithfield. Mr Walker was one of the first to build a home in the Sugar Hill area that became known as Dynamite Hill during the KKK's campaign of terror to enforce segregation. He also fought discriminatory pay practices at ACIPCO. Mrs Walker defied Jim Crow laws and was active in pushing for street improvements in their community.

Afrika graduated from Parker High School in 1972, from Birmingham-Southern College in 1985, and attended law school at Miles College in 1991. He is a widower with one school-age daughter. He makes his income from rental property and real estate investments.

His chosen name, Kamau, means "quiet warrior" in Kikuyu, the language of the Kinutu tribe of modern Kenya.

Activism

As a community activist, Afrika has helped get Smithfield listed as a Historic District (1985-87) and as an Enterprise Zone (1994). He served on Bernard Kincaid's transition team in 2001. He has proposed municipal amendments aimed at curbing vandalism, filed lawsuits seeking to preserve public ownership of the Birmingham Water Works and to expose the long-term effects of the proposed MAPS tax.

He has been a member of the College Hills Voters League, the Jefferson County Citizens Coalition, Alpha Phi Alpha, the Alabama Solar Energy Coalition, and the Birmingham Pledge group. He is a founding member and president of the Five Points North/Smithfield Merchants Association.

Political platform

Afrika ran unsuccessful campaigns for the Birmingham City Council in District 5 in 1989 and 1997.

Afrika is a 2006 Democratic candidate for the seat being vacated by George Perdue in the Alabama House of Representatives District 54. He supports stronger vocational and technical education in schools, a new constitutional convention, funding for police, mandatory auto inspections, alternative fuels and public transit, home rule for cities over 100,000, limits on capital punishment, tougher laws against drug suppliers, taxes and fines for businesses hiring illegal aliens, and the use of lottery revenues to fund education and alternative energy research.

References

• Responsible Citizens to Elect Kamau Afrika (November 20, 2005). Paid political advertising flyer.
• Stewart, Sherrel Wheeler. (May 22, 1999) "City studying plan to fine parents for child's actions." Birmingham News.
• "Two halt attempt to block vote." (August 1, 1998) Birmingham News.
• Smithfield Resident, Project LEAP sue to block MAPS vote." (July 25, 1998) Birmingham News.