THE D.C. STATEHOOD GREEN PARTY
http://www.dcstatehoodgreen.org
July 12, 2006
Released July 10, 2006
Contact:
Scott McLarty, DC Statehood Green Party Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624,
mclarty@greens.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- DC Statehood Green Party members expressed their sympathy and condolences
to the family of Bro. Chris Crowder after his death on Saturday, July 8, and remembered him as
a dedicated community activist.
Mr. Crowder was found early Saturday morning, the victim of a homicide. The Metropolitan Police
Department is investigating.
Mr. Crowder was one of two Statehood Green candidates for Mayor of Washington, D.C. who had
filed petitions on Wednesday, July 5 at the D.C. Board of Ethics and Elections.
The party had looked forward to its first contested nomination for the Mayor's seat. The
D.C. primary election will take place on September 12; the other Statehood Green mayoral
candidate is Chris Otten.
"Bro. Chris was a very thoughtful, intelligent, fun-loving brother," said Asantewaa
Nkrumah-Ture, party member and a friend of Mr. Crowder. "His energy and passion for justice for people of
African descent, for youth, for over-all community improvement was amazing. He had great
ideas and he got around this city in his wheel chair to attend meetings, rallies, etc.,
better than most other people."
Mr. Crowder, a graduate of Howard University who lived in the Mount Vernon neighborhood, was an
outspoken advocate for the rights of District residents, especially for affordable housing and
for the needs of young people. The victim of a shooting in 1990 by a teenager who had mistaken
him for a police officer, Mr. Crowder was partially paralyzed and used a
wheelchair.
As a member of the Shaw Coalition, he was very active in the fight against the new Convention
Center in Mt. Vernon Square and spoke out against the impending removal of long-time low and
moderate income residents, most of them African Americans, in the Shaw neighborhood. Mr. Crowder
also participated in the citizens' movement against public financing of a
baseball stadium, and attended numerous rallies and public meetings.
"He will certainly be missed," added Ms. Nkrumah-Ture.
MORE INFORMATION
The DC Statehood Green Party
http://www.dcstatehoodgreen.org
"Activist Fatally Shot In NW: Man Who Took On Bigwigs Had Filed To Run for Mayor"
By Robert E. Pierre, The Washington Post, July 9, 2006
washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/08/AR2006070800861.html
