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NUN traveled for
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Atlanta
SERVING GEORGIA’S 71 NORTHERN COUNTIES
VOL. 4, NO. 37
ATLANTA, GEORGIA
A Cry For Black Power
By CHRIS ECKL
Black power, black POWER,
BLACK POWER.
This was the cry of young
Negroes at the Baptist Taber
nacle on Boulevard Ave., Mon
day night. The chant grew loud
er and louder as Willie Ricks,
a Student Nonviolent Coordinat
ing Committee worker, shouted
into a microphone:
“If we depend on UncleToms
we won’t have nothing..,the cop
pers come here and one of us
gets kille,d...we want our free
dom and black power...we're
willing to pay any price...we
want black power.’’
The young Negroes then left
the church. They came back to
hear and argue with Hosea
Williams of the Southern Chris
tian Leadership Conference.
Williams got the microphone
and said, “We are involved in
a movement that has a purpose.
We are involved. . .’’
A girl shouted, “Don’t be
redundant, ” and Williams fired
back, “Let me expound.”
The veteran civil rights work
er continued, ’There’s aprob-
lem—one of ignorance. White
folks never allowed us to get an
education,..the white man never
let the black man earn enough
money to feedtheirfamilies...”
Williams began to perspire
under the heat of the television
lights as he continued his litany
of grievances. “A white man
can shoot down a Negro be
cause he is a black man... 1
don’t care how big ajobyougot,
how big a house you got, how big
a car you got, as long as you’re
black you’re a nigger down
South.’’
But Williams continued to
say, ‘*You had better think for
yourself.” Then he continued:
“Even if you go to school, they
won’t .give the job of a white man
unless you’re twice as good...
listen baby, listen, we deserve
something they have robbed us,
whites and Negroes have robbed
us, but we got ’em now. Every
body can play this game, it’s
the game of equality... you have
dramatized the evils of segre
gation, and you can now demand
what you want.
The SCLC leader then told
the crowd, “Don’t overplay
your hand, because they'll call
in the National Guard and crush
you.”
Williams said later while
leaning against a car about three
blocks from the church that
black power is not as entrench
ed in the Negro community as
reported in the news media.
As he talked to newsmen,
police cars moved up and down
Boulevard and several of.them
were hit by flying bottles and
bricks. Glass was scattered
in the street. Officers arrest
ed several Negroes, but the
area made it through another
night of tension without too much
damage.
Williams said he thought the
city was willing to work with
Negroes, but “if, they keep
rioting they will lose every
thing.”
Several Negroes, not involved
in the disturbance, said the city
must move to help the slum
people. One Negro man said
black power was a cry of de-
spair...the cr y of those who
have no education, no training
...the cry of those who know they
have little or no chance to ob
tain a decent standard ofliving.
He said they will not listen to
Negro leaders and accuse them
of selling out to the white man.
A WEEPING Negro mother clutches her infant as they are res
cued by police from their tear gas-filled home in the wake of a
race riot in Atlanta. Police had used the tear gas to disperse
Negro crowds, but some of the gas entered homes occupied by
women and children, who were helped out into the streets. The
riot began after police seriously wounded a Negro suspected of
car theft. Mayor Ivan Allen, .Jr., was on the scene to help
restore order. (RNS Photo)
Young Adults’ Resolutions
Newman Club Work,
Interfaith Action
Are Given Support
A strengthening of the Newman student movement, a study Of
education and increased interfaith action has been urged by the
resolutions committee of the Young Adults Congress. The pro
posals will be voted upon Sept. 24-25 when the delegate s convene.
NEWLY INSTALLED officers of the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women are (1. to r.) Mrs.
R, L. Stephens, vice-president; Mrs. William Dennon, vice-president; Mrs. George Gussman,
corresponding secretary; Mrs. George T, Mallon, vice-president; Father Michael Manning, spirit
ual director of the ACCW; Mrs. Harry B. Horsey, Jr., president; Mrs. Kesler; Mrs. Herbert T.
Mallon, treasurer; and Mrs. John Flack, parliamentarian.
An Instrument Of Peace
Church Must Live And Breathe
Vatican Council, ACCW Is Told
The committee recommended
in resolutions on the church on
the college campus that a spec
ial committee should study how
to strengthen the Newman Stu
dent Federation. The study
committee would consist of four
students, three lay persons, and
two priests, one of whom should
be a Newman chaplain.
It also urged the Newman fed
eration to take steps to form a
union of all religious clubs—
Christian and non-Christian—
on the college campus in the
spirit of ecumenism. Dialogue
among the different religious
clubs was also urged, and 'the’
committee proposed teaching
of accredited college courses in
comparative theology and the
philosophy of religion. The
courses would be open to all in
terested students.
In education, the committee
urged a study of the reasons
behind the percentage of drop
outs in the CCD program, in-
depth teaching of the historical
backgrounds of Christianity,
Judaism and other religions,
workshops on Vatican II for the
entire parish and a series of
well- publicized lectures on
facts of Christian community
life.
Workshops in connection with
the lectures should include en
cyclicals, pastoral letters, laws
passed or being considered,
support or nonsupport of public
issues (e.g. Vietnam), sacred
scripture, the sacraments, par
ticularly marriage, the commit
tee said. It was suggested that
an ecumenical library be es
tablished to implement the work
of adult education and the dis
cussion groups.
Discussing interfaith action,
the committee said the arch
bishop should work with the
leaders of other faiths so that
events of common interest be
held in an accessible location
and be supported by extensive
publicity. Open house tours of
Catholic churches on a yearly
basis and more active partici
pation and union with the At
lanta Council of Churches were
supported. The committee said
the Church should become a full
and equal member of the coun
cil at the earliest possible date.
In the field of communica
tions, the committee resolved
that a liaison committee of sev
en young adults be formed to
establish communication with
the archbishop and bishop.
The committee called for
meetings and discussions of the
clergy, in union with the bish
ops on the ideas and concepts
of Church teachings and laws so
that one, unified opinion may
be expressed by all of the cler
gy.
’There are often seemingly
diverse opinions expressed by
different priests on certain sub
jects because of a lack of un
derstanding and interchange of
ideas among the clergy,” the
committee , said. ‘This situa
tion is certainly harmful and
should be remedied at the earl
iest possible date so that all
ideas and opinions would be
unified by one spirit.”
Examples cited were birth
control, dating practices and
censorship.
The committee resolved that
consideration be given to calling
of a “Congress of the People of
God” within a year to enable
all of the “People of God” to
work together as one, to en
courage and increase inter
communication among the dif
ferent stations of life.
’This single congress should
be convoked on a yearly basis
or as often as found to be feas
ible so that the greater and en
riched understanding of God’s
people may be brought forth and
explored in the light of Christ.”
the committee said.
The committee said that rep
resentatives of the Young Adults
Congress should attend the
priests' synod.
Frank McBrearity and Mrs.
Mary Rauton are serving as lay
advisers to the committee.
If the Church is to be an in
strument of peace it must be a
vital, vibrant, living servant
church, the Archdiocesan Coun
cil of Catholic Women has been
told at its 10th convention by
Msgr. William J. Croghan of
Columbia, S. C.
“It is the local Church that
must live, breathe and speak
Vatican II,” the priest said at
Saturday night’s banquet. "It
is the local church that must
be the instrument of reconcilia
tion.” The topic of his talk
was “Lord Make Me an Instru
ment of Your Peace.”
Msgr. Croghan asked how
can Catholics and the Church in
1966 be instruments of peace.
Meeting Place
Changed For
Holy Spirit
Father John F. McDonough,
pastor of Holy Spirit Parish,
made the following announce
ment this week in regard to
masses for the parish:
“Beginning Sunday, Sept. 18,
Sunday Mass will be held at
Dykes High School Gymnasium,
4360 Powers Ferry Road, NW,
instead of Pace Academy. The
Sunday morning Mass sche
dule is 7:30, 9:00, 11:00 and
12:30."
Should they be vastly different
from 5 to 10 years ago?
He said, the first step is a
true reconciliation between
pastors and their assistants.
“Our own concept of pastor-as
sistant relationships may have
worked well in the past, but to
day in the Church of the Vati
can Council it does not work.
The whole concept has to be re
constructed so peace, harmoiiy
and goodwill may flow. Wheth
er the parish is dead or pulsat
ing can be traced tohowpriests
work together.”
Msgr. Croghan said next the
parish must reconcile its peo
ple, He said the liturgy is most
important in doing this because
it is the cause and effect of
community. “If it has the pow
er it can create and be the ef
fect of this community so that
we want to make each Mass the
best we can,” he said. "It
means being aware that a Mass
can be alive or without life.”
The speaker said the vote
and the voice are vital in a livr
ing parish. “Why shouldn’t all
be informed? Why shouldn’t we
vote on important issues? The
time. has come when people
need to have a voice, a shar
ing in the works of the Church.
Perhaps the day will come when
people will have the chance to
choose their priests and some
day choose their bishops.”
Another important factor in a
living Church, Msgr. Croghan
said, is to free the priests so
they can do priestly duties. He
said the Church will see a busi
ness manager, a director of
education and perhaps layprin-
cipals for Catholic schools.
“If we are a servant Church,
we must give service to the
community,” he said. “How
much of our parish income is
used for work outside of the
parish? How much of the dio
cesan development fund is used
for other than strictly Catholic
buildings?
“We must expand ourselves
we must be involved with all
people and any ppople...alco-
holics, prisoners 1 , the mentally
ill, the Negro and the whole
area of poverty.”
Msgr. Croghan said after
these things are reconciled, the
Church has to extend to em
brace all other churches. ‘The
Church has to carry out sincere
ecumenical activity. It’s in
conceivable that a parish would
put up walls,” he said.
The speaker pointed out that
it will take adequate support to
do all of these things. “If
priests and people gave 10 per
cent we would have all of the
money needed and still some,”
Msgr. Croghan was introduc
ed by Bishop Joseph L. Bernar-
din and Mrs. Harry B. Horsey
Jr„ new ACCW president, in
troduced guests. Msgr, Crog
han's talk highlighted the day
long meeting.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1966 $5.00 PER YEAR
He Was At Scene
Priest Says Riot
Caused By Unrest
A young Catholic priest said
Sunday night’s riot on Boule
vard Avenue was caused by
general unrest in the area, the
fatal shooting of a 14-year-old
Negro boy and the handling of
a wounded youth.
Father Paul Kelley, 28, a
priest at Sacred Heart Church,
said he went to the area and
talked to Negroes at the scene.
Negroes hurled bottles, rocks,
bricks and fire bombs at police
who attempted to stop the riot
ing. The priest said the rioting
was not caused by the jailing
of Stokely Carmichael, a leader
of the Student Nonviolent Co
ordinating Committee, though
many Negroes called for his
release.
’The Negroes were bitter
about the boy being shot,” the
priest said,’’“but they also did
not like the way another wound
ed boy was left on the street.
A wounded policeman was taken
to the hospital in an ambulance
and a police car later came
and took the boy to Grady,”
he said. The priest said the
body of the dead youth was left
on the "scene'“for" s stWie“ltiHf&'
“I didn't detect any positive
leadership in the incident,” Fa
ther Kelley said,” It was more
or less spontaneous and it par
tially was the result of what
happened at Summerhill last
week.”
Father Kelley said several
policemen told him the crowd
had been egged on earlier, but
the agitators had left before
violence erupted. “Most of the
Negro leaders who live in the
area were trying to cool off
the crowd. The crowd was ve
hement against the mayor,”
he said.
The priest said residents of
the Bedord - Pine area have
been upset because they are
afraid of being moved, since the
city auditorium will be built
in the area. “The Negroes also
know of plans for public hous
ing units, but the city has not
outlined the plans to them.”
He said Negroes told him if
they had to move from the area
they may lose their jobs be
cause of the difficulties of pu
blic transportation.
He said the crowd did call
for the release of Carmichael,
who has been in jail since last
week's riots.
“I asked one Negro if he
thought Carmichael was the an
swer,” the priest said,” and
he replied, ‘Not really, but we
don’t have any other answer.”’
The priest said ma ly Negroes
asked him why he had come to
the area. “I went because it
is within the boundaries of Sa
cred Heart and because we have
student’sfrom St.Joseph's High
School who live in the area,”
Father Kelley, a religion teach
er at the school, said.
He said he found himself in
the middle of the disturbance
by circumstance, and that he
was treated well. Later, how
ever, he said he was told it
would be better if he left.
Hector Black, a white man
who has become well known
for his efforts to help Negroes
in Vince City, said he dis
agrees “with the argument in
the press and on TV that SNCC
was the cause of the trouble”
on Boulevard.
“Some seem to think if you
get rid of SNCC, you’ll get rid
of trouble, but this is not true,”
Black commented. Black point
ed out that neither he nor the
Vince City Council agree with
SNCC’s objectives, but added,
“I have an uneasy feeling that
some people are being used to
get rid of SNCC.”
Black said he was not pre
sent at the riots on Boulevard,
but witnessed the rioting last
week.
That’s Why He Came
To Work With The Poor
Joseph B. Flanagan leaned
back in achair and searched for
an answer to the question to why
did he give up a prosperous
insurance business and a place
on the Lake Charles, La,, city
council to become executive
secretary of the St. Vincent
de Paul Society in Atlanta.
It definitely wasn’t for money
because he will earn a great
deal less. “I’m not making a
financial sacrifice,” he said,
“because my material- needs
are less and have never been
paramount. The job is going to
give me a measure of fulfill
ment, I will be able to involve
myself and talk about Christ
to people who have never heard
laymen talk about Christ.”
Flanagan, soft-spoken and
scholarly looking at 51, contin
ued to explain why he came to
Atlanta. “The Church in At
lanta has a fine image and a
reputation for openess. I hope
that the society can create in
creasing depth to that image
with iay activity among the poor-
We want them to know the
Church means what it says.
“The welfare programs are
good, but they are established
on material needs and are not
carried out with any feeling of
spirituality,” he’ commented.
Mass For Justice
Will Be Offered
Mass will buffered Saturday
at 10:30 a.m. at the Cathedral
of Christ the King for racial
peace and justice in Atlanta.
At the Mass, prayers will be
offered for the 16-year-old boy
who was killed and others who
were injured in repent rioting.
The St. Martin’s Council on
Human Relations requested the
Mass and all interested persons
in the community have been
urged to attend.
The St. Vincent de Paul So
ciety can get the message of
Christ’s love to the poor, he
said. “The message has been
discussed in churches by mem
bers of the clergy, and if lay
men accept the responsibility
of witnessing Christ the mes
sage will reach into every area
of the community.”
JOE FLANAGAN
Flanagan came to Atlanta in
a roundabout way. He applied
for the Institute of Lay Theo
logy at San Francisco, but was
rejected because of his age. It
Was through the institute that
he made contact with the so
ciety in Atlanta.
Flanagan said one of the rea
sons for his decision was that
three of his four children are
now self-supporting. A son,
Dennis, will attend high school
here. “I’ve enjoyed meeting and
working with people more than
I did business, but before now
I had to think of my family,”
he said.
The scope of his jobis some
what uncertain because this is
the first time the society had
tried an executive secretary in
the country. Flanagan does hope
to become a clearing house for
the society and develop aware
ness of the need of Atlanta’s
poor and the need of programs
to assist them.
A sheet describing the job
classifications says it is the
job of the executive secretary
to assist in the revitalization
of existing conferences, to de
velop new conferences within
communities as opposed to the
concept of parish conferences,
to promote closer ties between
the society with other civic
and church organizations and to
involve young people.
Flanagan explained that the 15
conferences are set up by lay
men to help the poor within
their parishes. “We will work
mainly in depressed areas. The
poor congregate in areas where
their income allows them to
live. Many have an income of
sorts that is just above the wel
fare level, but is not enough
to give them any hope for the fu
ture.”
He said he hopes the society
also can become involvedin pri
son work “tohelpthosewhowill
soon be leaving prison.”
The new executive secretary
did point out that, “we don’t
intend to centralize cases—
those are confidential and are
kept in each parish, but we hope
to distribute the case load.”
A native of Rutland, Vt., Fla
nagan has a B.A. degree in
English and was active in the
Knights of Columbus, Scouting
and served on the Diocesan
Human Relations Council in
Lake Charles.
His wife, Mary Hope, said,
“I have followed him across
the country a couple of times
so I was ready to go if this is
what he wanted. We’re at an
age when we’re ready to pull
a stunt like this.”