Black Caucus Members Refuse to Denounce Ellison's 'Black State' Proposal

Several Democratic congressmen in the Congressional Black Caucus did not denounce a proposal by Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison he wrote while in law school that called for the formation of a "black state."

"I don't see anything really objectionable," said Georgia Rep. Hank Johnson, according to The Daily Caller News Foundation.

In his proposal, written under the name Keith E. Hakim, Ellison wrote, "Finally, blacks would have the option of choosing their own land base or remaining in the United States. Since black people toiled most diligently in the southeastern section of the United States, this land, quite naturally, would be most suitable.

"That means Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Blacks, of course, would not be compelled to move to the black state, and of course, peaceful whites would not be compelled to move away."

The Daily Caller asked if Ellison, America's first Muslim-American congressman, was expressing black nationalism in the proposal, but Johnson said, "It seems to have been born out of academia, a thoughtful discussion of possibilities."

Johnson added that he did not support the idea, but would have when he was a college student. "These are not ideas that have not been discussed by black folks throughout history," he said.

Rep. John Lewis said he would not comment on whether Ellison would be required to denounce the writing. Others, including Indiana Rep. Andre Carson and Missouri Rep. Lacy Clay also refused to comment, the Caller's report said.

Congressional Black Caucus chairman and North Carolina Rep. G.K. Butterfield told the Caller that, "I have to find out if he said it. It doesn't sound like Keith Ellison to me."

The Caller's report said that it contacted Ellison's office to ask if he still believed in what he wrote, but got no response.

Last week, Ellison announced that he is running for chairman of the Democratic National Committee. He received endorsements for the job from Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, incoming Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, according to The Daily Caller.

Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay slammed Ellison during an appearance on Newsmax TV, calling him a "black racist."

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