Numbers

The Jena Six

• Robert Bailey, Jr.
• Jesse Beard
• Mychal Bell
• Carwin Jones
• Bryant Purvis
• Theo Shaw

How It's Used

“A grass-roots movement is spreading across black America in support of six black high school students charged with attempted murder for beating a white classmate in the small Louisiana town of Jena.

"On black radio, black college campuses and websites from YouTube to Facebook, the young men known as the Jena Six are being held up as symbols of unequal and unfair treatment of blacks in a case that evokes the Deep South's Jim Crow era, complete with nooses hanging from a tree."

“Local civil rights groups objected to what they saw as a throwback to the worst kind of Deep South justice, and that protest has escalated into a nationwide campaign, through Web sites, bulk e-mail and instant messages, black radio stations and YouTube. The effort will reach its peak on Thursday, when thousands are expected to demonstrate here against what they say is the unfair treatment of the black students, who have come to be known as the Jena Six.”

“The case of 'The Jena Six' --- For months now, the story of six African-American high-school students in Jena, La., who initially faced serious felony charges in connection with last year's beating of a white classmate, has been all over Internet blogs and black radio. In fact, it is the one news story that I can remember my daughters, ages 23 and 17, talking about to their friends.

"But when the story hit the front pages of major newspapers this week, many readers were hearing for the first time about the series of incidents that has mobilized a new generation of demonstrators. Thousands went to Jena on Thursday to call attention to racial bias in the criminal justice system."

“Obama wrestled with the issue of racial equality yesterday when hecklers confronted him at a town hall meeting in St. Petersburg.

"'Why is it that that you have not spoken to the issues or spoken on behalf of the African community?' demanded Diop Olugbala, 31, citing the plight of poor blacks targeted by predatory lenders, police brutality and racist attacks.

"Obama defended his record, saying he had spoken out on every issue the hecklers raised, from the shooting of Sean Bell in New York to the prosecution of the 'Jena Six' in Louisiana to predatory lending targeted at blacks and Hispanics.

"'That doesn't mean I'm always going to satisfy the way you guys want me to talk, which gives you the option of voting for someone else, which gives you the option of running for office yourself,' Obama replied, amid deafening cheers.”

“The victim of a beating that stirred massive civil rights demonstrations in a small central Louisiana town has reached a settlement in the civil case against the LaSalle Parish School Board. The settlement is the last matter expected in the so-called Jena Six case in which six black students were charged with beating a white schoolmate. School Board attorney Lottie Bash said Thursday that the board and Justin Barker, the victim, had reached an undisclosed agreement.”