On Monday March 31, 2014 Nichiren Buddhist Anthony “Amp” Elmore who lives in Memphis, Tennessee met with South African Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool. Ambassador Rasool was a youth Activist in South Africa who fought against Apartheid. Ambassador Rasool became a youth leader in the African National Congress better know as the ANC. In 1987 he was thrown in jail where he had the opportunity to meet Nelson Mandela. Ambassador Rasool is a leader in his Islamic Faith and he uses his life to promote the peaceful side of Islam.

Elmore who has been a Nichiren Buddhist for 40 years met with Ambassador Rasool at the South African Embassy in Washington, D.C. Elmore traveled to Kenya in 1990 to premier his movie “The Contemporary Gladiator.” While on Safari at the Massai Mara plains in Kenya Elmore notes that he was visited by his African Ancestors who encouraged him to dedicate his life to bringing those of African decent back home to visit our ancestral lands in Africa. Elmore notes that we are letting Japanese disregard and disrespect our African Ancestry.

Elmore who was an SGI member attempted to get the SGI organization in Japan to recognize our African historical value as Buddhist in our community. Elmore departed the SGI and became a Nichiren Shoshu Temple member. Elmore attempted for almost two decades to get Nichiren Shoshu Priest to make the history and culture of Africans and African Americans “inclusive” in Buddhist teachings and at meetings. In 2012 Nichiren Shoshu Priest Shingi Iwaki asked Elmore to leave “Culture out of Buddhism.” Elmore noted that while he would not attend Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist meetings he introduced others to Nichiren Buddhist teachings. In October of 2013 Elmore had enough of Nichiren Shoshu and he looked to join the Nichiren Shu organization. Elmore posted a Buddhist question to Nichiren Shu leaders and he was asked not to come to Nichiren Shu Meeting in Memphis. Click on the picture to see why Nichiren Shu described Elmore as a terrorist and a Bully.

Elmore traveled to Washington D.C. to ask the Government of South Africa to honor African Americans with a �Formal State Reception.� South Africa is the largest economy in Africa. In December of 2013 over 85 World leaders attended the funeral of South African hero Nelson Mandela. Elmore notes that something is wrong in Buddhism when he can visit the South African Embassy and honor and discuss celebrating one of the World�s greatest leaders in the 21st Century in Nelson Mandela, while discussing honoring African & African American leaders Japanese Buddhist refuse to discuss. Elmore notes that such Asian Ethnocentrism border �Racism.� Elmore created a plan called the �Safari Homecoming Celebration that will take place in South Africa in July of 2017. The Celebration will honor African and African American Culture. Elmore attempted to get Japanese Buddhist organizations to be �inclusive of African and African American Culture and History. Historical evidence proves of a strong African Heritage in Buddhist and Elmore has fought for years to get Japanese Buddhist to include Black History with its Buddhist teachings. Elmore was considering joining the Memphis Branch of Nichiren Shu however he was told that he was no longer welcomed at Nichiren Shu Meetings in Memphis. Elmore makes clear that he would never encourage anyone to join any religion that disregards and disrespect the culture of others as we find in Nichiren Sects in America.

Elmore organized the Proud Black Buddhist World Association. In July of 2017 he hopes to bring the World to South Africa where African and African/American Culture will be respected and recognized. Elmore note that we can properly honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela with Buddhist prayers and we do not need to ask any Japanese based Buddhist to lead us in prayer. Elmore notes that Buddhism was in Africa 1500 years before it reached Japan. Learn more about the celebration via the website www.homecomingcelebration.com