During February, Everything Co-op will celebrate Black History Month by focusing on the Association for the Study of African American Life and History‘s theme. This year’s theme is African Americans and the Vote. This week, the show will feature David Thompson, President of the Twin Pines Cooperative Foundation. David will join Vernon Oakes for a discussion on how cooperatives have helped African Americans prepare for the voter registration test, and other roles that cooperatives played in helping African Americans exercise their right to vote.
David Thompson has conducted extensive research for his upcoming book, Cooperatives and the Civil Rights Movement. Through his research for the book, he has learned a great deal of valuable information regarding the involvement of cooperatives in efforts to get African Americans registered.
Thompson has worked for national cooperative organizations of the United States, Britain and Japan as well as the United Nations. He served as Vice President of the National Cooperative Business Association and was Regional Director of the National Cooperative Bank’s Western Office. He specializes in cooperative development financing with a focus on nonprofit and cooperative housing. He was inducted into the Cooperative Hall of Fame in Washington D.C. in May 2010, and continues to work with cooperatives.
Tune in to WOL 1450 AM on Thursday, February 5, at 10:30 a.m. for Everything Co-op, hosted by Vernon Oakes.