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Sunday, December 11, 2022

Discover How This Black Descendant Of The English Royalty Is Challenging A Racist Symbol Of British Slavery

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Black Descendant Of English Royalty Looks To Cancel The Symbolic Racist Crest Of
British Slaver John Hawkins

By Kamau Austin and Venita Benitez

Venita Benitez is on a mission.  Her mission is one driven by faith and purpose believing in her people's ability to make a change in the world.

She is a Black woman with obvious Latina roots, but what is less discernable is her family ties to European royalty.  Nevertheless, Benitez is determined turn the tide on racism now within the auspices of English royalty.

Venita has made it her mission to ask the British monarchy to vacate an unsavory vestige of horrific slavery in its ugly past the crest of maritime slaver "Sir" John Hawkins.  Ms. Benitez has written the late Queen Elizabeth II, in the past.

In light of present controversial news stories in relation to modern racism, in the monarchy, she is relaunching her efforts to remove the distasteful racist crest.


Here is her open letter that she wrote to the Queen:

May it please Your Majesty,

Your Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, how do You do?

My name is Venita Benitez, living in Dallas, Texas USA. Servant to the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Christ. I descend from the Plantagenets, Henry II, John and Henry III. I wish to inform you of an important occurrence I believe deserves your attention. An amazing opportunity to bring healing and reconciliation to all nations around the globe will take place during the month of August, in the year of our Lord 2019, for the 400th Anniversary of the arrival of the first Africans on English American soil, Fort Comfort, present day Hampton, Virginia and I believe Your Majesty will bestow recognition upon the people.

Forgiveness, healing and reconciliation have been a focus of many nations in response to hatred and discrimination. There has been a growing global focus on community healing and forgiveness. My purpose on this earth is fueled by passion for this very moment for the global healing of all people on our planet.

Queen Elizabeth I, knighted Sir John Hawkins (Hawkyns pioneer of the British slave trade), a coat of arms and a bound slave as a crest for a massive profit made in the slave trade. His coat of arms, sable on a point wavy, a lion passant, in chief three bezants, and for his crest, a demi-Moor in his proper color (naked), bound, and captive with annulets in his arms and ears.

John Hawkins as in previous voyages, went to Sierra Leone, took part in native wars, assaulted and set fire to native towns of over eight thousand inhabitants. Which we are still living the aftermath from these voyages. His coat of arms and crest may represent the heraldic achievements and massive material wealth for England, however it symbolizes forms of discrimination and hatred not only going on in America but across the global.

Your Majesty, I mean no disrespect to the constitutional monarch and I apologize in advance if I have offended the constitutional monarch. I only want to see healing and reconciliation to all nations and I believe this kind of power and authority rest in your hands to have John Hawkins crest honoring him for the slave trade taken down and/or removed and publicly dishonored to help restore love in our world and conqueror the evil of hatred that is causing so much grief, suffering and disharmony in America, as well as, around the globe. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Yours Sincerely,

Venita Benitez


The Crest Of Slaver John Hawkins

Venita's revived attempts to get rid of the crest of British maritime slave exporter John Hawkins, is forged against the backdrop of the the Royal Family being charged with racist attitudes by others close to them.  For instance England's fundraiser Ngozi Fulani is charging racism against one of the late Queen Elizabeth's staffers Lady Susan Hussey, who subsequently resigned with a spokesperson for Prince William saying "racism has no place in our society."  


Also in recent years Meghan, the wife of Prince Harry, pointed out bias by the Royal Family in an interview towards her and her son.  The press even reported her treatment was so humiliating she had thoughts of suicide.

Meghan, the wife of Prince Harry, has reported racial issues with the Royal Family
Photo Credits: 
By Londisland, Click For Info

Given this charged racial backdrop I felt moved to touch base with
Venita Benitez
 for this exclusive interview about challenging the Royal Family to get rid of the racist crest of John Hawkins AKA John Hawkyns below...

Interview On Venita Benitez's Initiative To Have The British Monarchy Cancel The Crest Of Slaver John Hawkins Continues After Sponsor's Message Below...

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Article On Venita Benitez's Initiative To Have The British Monarchy Cancel The Crest Of Slaver John Hawkins Continues Below...
Kamau Austin, Publisher Black News Scoop (Left) Interviews Venita Benitez (Right)

Kamau's Question: Can you tell us a little about your background and life growing up before you became aware of your heritage related to the British Royals? 

Venita Benitez's Answer: We always knew.  We always grew up knowing who we were Royal descendants. I was born in 1960 at Saint Francis hospital in Hartford, Connecticut.

On the East Coast we grew up with so many people who had ancestors from so many different backgrounds. The family history stories were always kept within the family. It wasn’t in our best interest to tell it.

The country was transitioning into desegregation.  So, our family history belonged to us. 

My four siblings and I are first-born generation of Puerto Ricans on my father’s side, a territory of the United States.  On my mother’s side of the family we descend from the Wingfield family.   They are those that helped raise much of the proceeds for the three ships the Discovery, the Susan Constant, and the Godspeed that set sail in December 1606 for the colonization of Jamestown.  We descend also from the Gosnod’s family.

Captain Gosnod efforts were related to recruiting members for the proposed colony in Virginia.  Life growing up for me was the same as everyone else, we knew, and it didn’t change anything. Nobody would believe us anyway.  So, we didn’t talk about it.
 

Kamau's Question: When did you learn you are related to certain people in the Royal Family and who are your ancestral relatives the Plantagenets? 

Venita Benitez's Answer:  Around 1984 our cousin Dr. James Hamilton contacted my grandmother Nancy and my mother Lillian to tell them that he had completed our family genealogy and wanted to make sure we were verified and notified with all the completed historical details.

Our ancestral relatives the Plantagenets were Henry II, John, and Henry III. The House of Plantagenet, was a royal house which originated from the lands of Anjou in France. Under the Plantagenets, England was transformed. First King Henry II.

Dr. Hamilton’s work was published in the Connecticut Society of Genealogists. 

Dr. Hamilton -  Article in the Northend Agents, Hartford, CT, 6 September 1982, about my genealogical research.

Dr. Hamilton was inspired by Alex Haley “ROOTS” Royalty living in our community. 

I pass most of my research credit to my cousin Dr. James Hamilton who assisted me in my research before he died in 2008. There are many published articles supporting our family history like the one below. 

Royalty living in our community
Article in the Fort Devens Dispatch, 11 March 1987, regarding my mother's royal ancestry. 

 

Kamau: When and what inspired you to take on the British Crown because the racist crest of English enslaver "Sir John Hawkins?" 

Venita Benitez's Answer:  In 2004, I learned about Sir, John Hawkins crest after I saw a book called Neighboring Virginia.  Early in the first chapter it mentioned about a British slave trader and his crest.

It piqued my curiosity to learn what it looked like, so I started researching about it back in 2004.  I found it disturbing to look at.  I felt the struggles of many lives lost, beat down and punished just for the color of their skin.

I had a personal connection, and I was inspired to address the British Crown because in my heart I felt the hatred towards black people, people of color in looking at this crest. I Saw perhaps in my mind my connection to the British Crown, in hopes to denounce such a symbolic obtusity and disrespect for black people and for all people. 

Kamau: How do you see your efforts helping to bring racial healing? 

Venita Benitez's Answer: My efforts have already brought light to a small group but not the massive. It helps to uncover untold stories and events in history that have not been told.

It is my belief an opportunity for the stories to be rewritten about the actual truth about the history of this period brings healing.  We as people of color, black people, are bound for inclusion, equality, and equity NOT captivity.

This crest symbolizes captivity. It needs to be denounced.  It is offensive and should be to many. 

Kamau:  What was the answer you received last time from the British Royals? 

Venita Benitez's Answer: I will send you the letter from Buckingham Palace. (Editor's Note - Click Graphic Below To See The Response From Buckingham Palace...)

Click Picture Above for Larger Image

Kamau: Can you tell us about some of your goals and plans to use this "Sir" John Hawkins Crest issue to bring about racial healing?

Venita Benitez's Answer:  It’s about closure.  The British Royals contacting the world and making a statement denouncing John Hawkins crest will embark peace, understanding and healing. Telling the story who John Hawkins was and how disturbed he had to have been to request a bound African as a crest.

This illustrates or tells the connection to racism and hatred from 
under the control of Queen Elizabeth I.  It is my belief this hatred descends to present day.

John Hawkins was in his thirties.  Today, we are still carrying on this hatred led by a thirty-year-old, blood greedy intelligent fool.

If we tell the truth, we can learn perhaps why we discriminate. Malcolm X said, “we didn’t land on Plymouth Rock, the rock landed on us.” He was correct, John Hawkins was the Lord Mayor of Plymouth, England.

Prince William and Princess Kate said, “Racism has no place in our society.” 

Kamau: What is the best way to contact you and support your efforts? 

Venita Benitez's Answer: venita@nationalfreedomday.com.  People can support “we the people” efforts to bring truth and understanding at project1619.org. I am a national advisory board member at project1619.org


Below are pictures of a recent business event where Venita Benitez had a receptive audience looking to cancel the crest of John Hawkins.






Writer's Bio:  Writer Kamau Austin, is the award winning Publisher of the Black News Scoop and Scoop Publications, a division of AMS Digital Media.  He is a long time activist, entrepreneur, and author.

Austin has been featured in Black Enterprise, Fortune Magazine Small Business, CNN, radio, cable, and countless newspapers and blog sites.
 

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Posted by community events coordinator, Nzinga Lonstein Austin, is a prolific blogger who writes on the entertainment industry and issues for people with developmental and physical challenges.

She is presently in high school looking to have a career in video, film, and media. You can see more of her entertainment writing on Lonstein Movies.


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