He is one of the founders of the National Black United Front, Jitu Weusi Institute for Development, and the International African Arts Festival.
[1][2][3][4][5][6] Weusi along with Aminisha Black and supporters were the founders of The East (East Cultural and Education Institution), Uhuru Sasa School (Freedom Now School), in Brooklyn for grades K through 12, the African Street Festival in Brooklyn which became the International African Arts Festival, the Central Brooklyn Jazz Consortium, Black News co-founder, founding member of the African American Teachers Association, and For My Sweet.
While in his teens Weusi worked as a waiter at the Village Gate in New York City where he met Thelonious Monk, and Nina Simone.
In March 1968 he was transferred to Junior High School 271 after taking students from his class to a Malcolm X memorial program.
[16] In 1968 Weusi played a significant role along with other young educators such as; Randy Tobias, Al Vann, Oliver Patterson, Leroy Lewis, Joan Eastman, and Ola Cherry for community control of public schools during the teachers strike in the fall of 1968.
More than 95 percent of the students in the public schools in the Ocean-Hill-Brownsville area of Brooklyn were Black and Latino and teachers were two-thirds white.
[20][21][22] Prior to the teachers' strike was the Brown v. Board decision calling for the integration of the public school systems through busing.
In Harlem and in Ocean Hill-Brownsville an alternative to integration and rezoning was the demand for local community boards and parent control of schools.
He stated in a 1968 interview that the project of community control, and decentralization at the test schools were sabotaged by Albert Shanker, and the United Federation of Teachers.
"[24] In an interview with Julius Lester in 1968, Weusi explains that a poem written by a young African American student which spoke of Jewish teachers using hateful slurs, and include the line "I wish you were dead.
"[25][26] The poem was aired on WBAI in New York City, which created a lot of controversy, and Weusi was labeled anti-Jewish.
[27][28][29] Due to the 20 year old controversy and negative publicity in the media Weusi resigned as co-chairman of African Americans United for David Dinkins campaign for the Mayor of New York City.
The African-American Teachers Association was organized to deal with the quality and issues of education in regards to Black and Hispanic youth in New York City.
[31] Such notable artists as Max Roach, Roy Ayers, Betty Carter, McCoy Tyner, Pharoah Sanders, Olu Dara, Freddie Hubbard, Leon Thomas, Lee Morgan, Dewey Redman, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Last Poets, Sonia Sanchez, Betty Carter, Sun Ra, Gary Bartz, Randy Weston, Hugh Masekela, and many others performed at the East.
[33] It had multiple operating functions; a bookstore, restaurant, catering business, food co-op, a newspaper called Black News, a recording label, and a jazz venue.
The CBJC organized music festivals, venues, promotes local talent, and programs for communities in Brooklyn.