Black Philadelphians Gather to Learn About Gun Rights as DNC Rolls Into Town

PHILADELPHIA — A gun rights advocacy group on Monday hosted a town hall-style meeting to teach black Philadelphians about their Second Amendment rights and how to legally exercise them while Democrats gathered at the Wells Fargo Center for the Democratic National Convention.

The event was run by Black Guns Matter, a gun rights advocacy group founded by Philadelphia local Maj Toure. Although the group is only a few months old, it has already outgrown its meeting space at the Philly Firearms Academy.

“We’re a firearms safety, education, and training organization that helps people to not only maintain their Second Amendment rights but become more responsible firearms owners and good citizens,” Toure said. “That’s what we’re about.”

“We’re informing people because there seems to be a push to keep people, especially in certain demographics, unaware and ignorant about their rights. It’s not something they should have to fight for, it’s something that they’re born with. We’re just an educational resource for anybody who wants to learn.”

The event featured Minister Jazz, who spoke about de-escalation techniques, and Jose Morales, the National Rifle Association-certified instructor who owns the academy.

“About a year and a half ago Maj walked in my door,” Morales said. “He had some questions on concealed carry and a casual conversation became a two and a half hour-long conversation on all sorts of things from the Second Amendment to firearm history to the history of people of color carrying guns. He’s a kindred soul. He gets it. He doesn’t look like me but we have a lot in common.”

More