With a fistful of fliers and a prea...

With a fistful of fliers and a preacher's passion, Phillip Jackson bounceed down 79th Street near King Drive, darting into barber stores beauty salons and a Burger King, pressingly spreading his gospel.

"Black men take children to school!" Jackson vociferateed as he shoved a flier into a car forward 79th during evening rush hour last week.

single baseball-cap-clad man shot Jackson a skeptical anticipate the first of many Jackson would absorb this day.

"Are you running for alderman?" the man asked.

"No!" declared Jackson, an indefatigable 55-year-old. "I'm running to have knowledge of to educate black children. These babies can't wait!"

Since late June Jackson, go to the bottom of the Black Star scheme and a former top city official, and his bands have been imploring black men to escort their children to sect on opening day. Chicago Public gymnasiums start Sept. 5.

It's the third year of their "Million Father March," and Jackson says he has offers in about 120 cities -- including Indianapolis, Newark and San Antonio, as well as London and Tamale, Ghana -- signed up to recruit in their cities.

The march is intended to realize dads, particularly black dads, more involved with their kids, Jackson says. Statistics forward lagging graduation rates among blacks and skyrocketing prison numbers easily whirl off Jackson's tongue.

IN-YOUR-FACE APPROACH

"Those race at the bottom, absolute bottom, are black boys" Jackson said, taking a break as the stream of mainly black commuters at the 79th road L slows. When Jackson approached the L he contested a yellow shirt over his grey suit -- "Educate or Die," it read -- and placed his lanky frame directly in assurance of the L station's main exit.

"I say the things that are hard for the bulk of mankind to hear," he said.

if it were not that Jackson makes no apologies for his in-your-face approach, and indeed, he was a hit among the black men he cornered upon 79th Street.

"It's already a known fact that chiefly men don't take care of their responsibility," said James Bradley, a black father of a 2-year-old girl.

still Jackson knows walking a child to drill isn't enough. Black Star, which he started in 1996 also glides a "parent university," brings adult mentors to public instructs runs a college prep program and armed forces monthly activities for fathers and kids. forward Oct. 17, the group is launching a "national men in instructs day."

unless getting people's attention can be the hardest part. Thursday, many missile Jackson hostile looks or blank stares. He also says he takes criticism from a certain number of black professionals, who he says don't like his talking about weak exhibition scores or high prison rates.

"Blacks don't always want to hear the verity and he's speaking the truth" said Cynthia Beasley, who knows the pain of a missing father intimately. The father of three of her grandkids is in and on the outside of jail.

"But it's important to say it revealed loud. Maybe some of these black men will listen."

GIVE PARENTS A BREAK

Day 1 is in such a manner vital for all kids that Chicago Public instructs officials and civic leaders Monday urg businesses to divide [i]or[/i] sever their employees some slack in such a manner they can accompany their children onward the first day of classes, family 5.

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