Ayinde Jean-Baptiste has been recognized since he was a childfor his activism and academic brilliance. He has shared the stagewith such leaders as the Rev. Jesse Jackson, author Alex Haley,civil rights figure Rosa Parks, President Clinton and NationalAssociation for the Advancement of Colored People President KwesiMfume.

But on the night of March 20, Jean-Baptiste, a Weinberg juniorand son of an Evanston alderman, shared quite a different spacewith quite a different crowd.

He was crammed in with about 25 fellow war protesters in a jailcell designed for one person at a police station in Chicago’s SouthSide. The detainees were forced to make do with just one hardwoodbench and an aluminum sink-toilet combination.

“My folks were stressed out because there are certain realitiesabout how police deal with young black males, and they didn’t knowwhat kind of shape I was in,” Jean-Baptiste said. “Fortunately, Iwas only tired and sore because I had been cramped and hungry.”

It was the first time in his 20 years that Jean-Baptiste hadseen the inside of a jail cell. He was arrested after traffic wasstopped on Lake Shore Drive by a protest against the war in Iraq.

But one night in a jail cell would stop him from continuing tomake his voice heard. In fact, Jean-Baptiste, who transferred fromHarvard University to Northwestern during Winter Quarter, is inChicago today, speaking out on the need for slave reparations.

Jean-Baptiste said he is determined to remain outspoken in hisbeliefs, even though some might expect his activism to diminishwith the end of the war.

“It must be done,” Jean-Baptiste said. “We have a responsibilityto look at the world and our place in it and the things that we doand how they affect other people.”

SOLIDIFY THE MIND

Jean-Baptiste’s activist spirit didn’t begin with protestsagainst the recent U.S.-led military action in Iraq.

At the age of 12, he was propelled into the national spotlightafter delivering an electrifying speech at the 1995 Million ManMarch. Since then he has been featured on several television shows,such as “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” the “Today Show” and “The PhilDonahue Show.”

Jean-Baptiste started speaking publicly when he was 4 years oldand has traveled across the country and also to Africa as a guestspeaker.

“He’s very smart and I think he’s got some very big questionshe’s trying to answer,” classics Prof. Daniel Richter said. “He’sgoing to do some very important things that will contributegreatly.”

Richter, who taught Jean-Baptiste in class and speaks to himfrequently, briefly observed Jean-Baptiste at the March 20protest.

“He’s a very intense and powerful, but quiet, protester,”Richter said. “He has a way of of galvanizing people without beingaggressive about it.”

In the Evanston community, he has mobilized around the issue ofslave reparations. Today he is in Chicago attending the hearing ofa class-action lawsuit filed against corporations accused of beinginvolved in the U.S. slave trade.

But no night solidified Jean-Baptiste’s commitment to protestlike March 20.

Jean-Baptiste was the only student in Northwestern Opposing Warand Racism arrested at the demonstration. He said he remained inthe same cell for almost the entire night. He did not getphotographed and finger-printed until about 4:30 p.m. on March 21and did not leave the jail until about 6 p.m.

Ayinde’s father, Ald. Lionel Jean-Baptiste (2nd) said he went toa few police stations during the night but was only able to locatehis son the next day. “It was disturbing,” Lionel Jean-Baptistesaid. “The status quo has been that the police are omnipotent andcan do whatever they want to do, so you always have to befearful.”

A RISK WORTH TAKING

Despite the dangers involved, the alderman said he encourageshis son to stand up for his beliefs — even if that involves takingunpopular positions.

“The difference in this society is made by those who dare tostand up,” Lionel Jean-Baptiste said. “We cannot allow the voice ofdissent to be silenced, and sometimes it means taking certainrisks.”

Ayinde Jean-Baptiste, who was charged with reckless conduct, isscheduled for a jury trial next week. He said he thinks the casewill be thrown out because police officers were just trying to makea statement.

“There was a protest the next day, and they wanted to keep usoff the streets,” Jean-Baptiste said. “When you have people lockedup in jail and out on bond, they will think twice before protestingagain, because they are still trying to recover.”

But Jean-Baptiste didn’t hesitate the next time an opportunityto protest the war was available — he participated in anotherdemonstration April 5 at Chicago’s Federal Plaza.

Although the April 5 protest was small, Jean-Baptiste saidprotesters still were passionate and had a “heightened level ofcaution.”

“People were dealing with a lot of difficult questions,” hesaid. “Some people were scared and that’s understandable.”

And the Iraq issue still is something Jean-Baptiste plans toremain active on.

“It’s true that folks are coming to us saying, ‘The war’s over,everything is back to normal, so chill out,'” Jean-Baptiste said.But “the U.S. has a poor track record of installing democracy. I’mtrying to be as unbiased as possible in saying that in the past,bombing has not brought democracy.”

Other members of NOWAR said they believe Jean-Baptiste can lendhis voice to campus debate on this, and many other, issues.

“I think Ayinde is adding a fresh voice and perspective toactivism on campus,” said Desiree Evans, a Medill senior and memberof NOWAR. “He’s a natural leader, a good orator — and he candefinitely hold an audience when he talks.”

TACKLING THE FUTURE

Jean-Baptiste said he is clueless about his plans aftercollege.

“To be perfectly honest, I’m not sure where I’m going or whatI’m doing,” he said.

Despite his passionate involvement in community activism,Jean-Baptiste said he also prioritizes his schoolwork. Hisprofessors confirm that he’s an outstanding student — and that hisactivism transcends into the classroom.

“Ayinde is the sort of student that professors like to have,”said African-American studies Prof. Martha Biondi. “He is verythoughtful and he really contributes to classroom discussion in away that stimulates debate. He has a positive impact on hisstudents and they respect his insight.”

And his father said he hoped other students can benefit from hisson’s contributions.

“He’s offering a perspective that takes what he studies andapplies them to conditions that we face,” Lionel Jean-Baptistesaid. “Through his interaction, (other students) can become strongscholars, contributing to our nation’s development to struggle forwhat is right.”