The concept behind the One Love Unity T-Shirt was developed by Pastor Ron Evans and the congregation of Greater Community Church, which is located in Cincinnati, OH at 301 Dorchester Ave, 45219.

pic21The shirt was designed to represent unity not only within the black race, but as a nation. The different shades of the hands on the shirt represent an end to the “light skin / dark skin” divide that has been plaguing the black community for generations. The purpose of the shirt is to create a bond, and sense of connection among the people as the shirt is recognized within the community. The shirt will promote a message of unity in the community.

“Violent crime in our community is not just a problem, it’s an epidemic.”

In the year 2008 alone, there were over 20,000 crimes reported in the city of Cincinnati, and over 70 of those reported were murders.

pic3The number of these crimes that are committed not only in the black community, but also by members of the black community against other members of the black community are alarming and disturbing. Between the years of 1976-2005, 94% of black homicide victims in the US were killed by blacks. Black men (28.5%) are about six times more likely than whites(4.4%) to be admitted to prison during their lifetime. Among women, 3.6% of blacks and 0.5% of whites will enter prison at least once. ( U.S. Department of Justice) The National Institute of Drug Abuse estimated that while 12 percent of drug users are black, they make up nearly 50 percent of all drug possession arrests in the U.S.

  • In 1992 there were more Black men in prison(583,000) than in college (537,000)
  • One out of every four Black men will go to prison in his lifetime
  • 30% of Black men aged 20-29 in Chicago were arrested in 1993
  • 42% of Black men aged 18-35 in Washington, D.C. were under some form of criminal justice control in 1992
  • 56% of Black men aged 18-35 in Baltimore were under some form of criminal justice control 1992
“Nearly half of the nation’s murder victims in 2005 were black, & that number is still on the rise.”

pic6A majority of the black murder victims were relatively young-between 17 and 29. Black people represented an estimated 13 percent of the U.S. population in 2005, but were victims of 49 percent of all murders and 15 percent of rapes, assaults and other nonfatal violent crimes nationwide.

  • Never-married black people were more likely than all other blacks to be victims of violence.
  • Poorer black people were at a greater risk of violence than households with higher annual incomes.
  • Black people living in cities were more likely to be violent crime victims than people living in suburban or rural areas.

The social ills within the black community, whether it be economically disadvantaged young people, or the huge gap between the haves and have nots, will keep us forever divided, and our division will keep us oppressed, whether we realize it or not. The movement to unite this nation has to start at the neighborhood level, with the help of our local churches and community organizations. Our unity will not only help us to end the high numbers of violence within the black race, but also help create a better, stronger sense of community for future generations.