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VOL., XXXI, NO. 1 CLARK COLLEGE, Atlanta, Ga. Oct. 18, 1968
Mays asks A.U. unity
Wright
stresses
education
James Mays, president of Clark’s
Student Government Association andpre-
sident of the Black People’s Alliance said
the biggest change that needs to come
about, is the merging of all the colleges in
the Atlanta University complex into a great
university that would compete with any
other university in the country.
Mays spoke at Opening Centennial Convocation at Clark
College this week. Mays’ speech roused the whole convo
cation by his moving speech, which was interrupted by
applause and got a standing ovation.
Mays read a poem entitled “Sheer Blackness” which
set the mood for his dramatic speech, and gave a picture
of the black man’s despair in his quest to become “A some
body.” Mays also said that many people will feel that his
speech was not appropriate for this type of event. But it
voiced student demands and aspirations to faculty and
trustees.
(Editor’s Note: Following is the complete transcript of May’s
speech) -
Blackness, sheer blackness, an unbreachable void.
My heart, my soul, my mind - destroyed.
Eternity, Infinity, purpose without aim.
Loneliness, panic, fear without name.
Confusion, rejection, Conscious despair.
I reach out for help - there’s nobody there.
Chaos, pandemonium, perpetual terror.
My life, my death, my birth - all error.
Desperation, desertion, lost and alone,
A door - I knock - nobody home.
Faster, faster, I rush through a maze
Of endless, lost dreams in a mind-bending haze.
A prisoner imprisoned in a-small private cell,
Enclosed in my mind - my own private hell.
Louder, louder, like a lost child I cry.
I listen intently - then hear no reply.
Blackness, sheer blackness, an unbreachable void.
My heart, my soul, my mind - destroyed.
*****************
No, this poem wasn’t written by Langston Hughes. Nor
(Cont. on Page 3)
JAMES MAYS
CORNY
JOKES
Policeman: When I saw you
driving down the road, I said
to myself, “fifty-five at least.
Woman motorist: Well
you’re wrong! It’s only this
hat that makes me look this
old.
* * *
Blind Date: A date you ex
pect to be a vision but who
turns out to be a sight.
On Tuesday, Oct. 15, Clark
College held its opening con
vocation of the Centennial Year
in Davage Auditorium.
Many of the Clark Alumni
and members of the Board of
Trustees were present to hear
such outstanding speakers as:
Dr. Vivian Henderson, presi
dent of Clark; Dr. Myron Wicke
of the Methodist Board; Mr.
Harold Hamilton, president of
the Alumni Association; Mr.
James Mays, president of the
Student Government Associa
tion; and Dr. James Thomas
of the Clark Board of Trustees.
Guest speaker was Dr. Ste
phen J. Wright, president of the
United Negro College Fund.
Dr. Wright said that there
has been too much emphasis in
the current Negro revolution on
“hair styles and slogans” and
not enough on education.
Wright said student demands
about courses on Afro-Ameri
can history and a greater voice
in control of school policies
were important, but he said
that the basic principle of edu
cation itself is becoming the
“missing ingredient.”
He said the Negro colleges of
America, most of which were
founded right after the Civil
War, have been the most im
portant institutions for the pro
gress of Negroes in this nation.
Dr. Wright noted that there
are presently 42,000 Negro stu
dents in UNCF colleges today,
but urged that this number be
tripled soon in order to meet
the challenges facing people to
day.
He said that job opportunities
are opening up for Negroes to
day faster than the colleges can
train them and that automation
is making it more and more
difficult for uneducated persons
to find jobs.
The biggest problems facing
Negro colleges today is lack of
money, he told the audience of
600.
Now that many of the top
national colleges are accepting
Negro students, it will be nec
essary for Negro colleges to
get more money in order to
accept poor students and those
• whose backgrounds don’t pre-
(Cont. on Page 3)
Clark College National Alumni President, Harold Hamilton,
right, presented a special award on Alumni Day to head coach
and athletic director Leonidas Epps. Given in recognition of
Coach Epp’s years of unflagging devotion to the college, the
award was accepted by Eddie Johnson of the Varsity Football
team.
DEAN SPEAKS AT CLARK
“Don’t give up on the system; it works,” a young Clark
College graduate said at the Alumni Day program on cam
pus recently.
The speaker was James Dean, 26-year-old candidate for
the Georgia House of Representatives from Dekalb County.
Dean recently won the Democratic nomination for House
District 76. He has no opposition in November.
Dean urged alumni, faculty and students to keep fight
ing within the system for what they think is right, no matter
how hard it seems.
He pointed to his election as the first Negro-to hold high
political office in DeKalb County as an example of what
can be done for progress. He told his audience that DeKalb
County is the richest and most conservative county in Georgia.
He also commended State Rep. Ben Brown, another Clark
graduate, who, along with State Rep. Julian Bond, seated
an integrated delegation from Georgia at the Democratic
National Convention in Chicago.
The 1966 Clark alumnus, who has a Masters degree in
social work from Atlanta University, said it’s a wonderful
day when black people are able to speak out in this country
for what they think is right.
“Once we couldn’t see any hope,” he said, but pointed
out that today even such political leaders as U.S. Senator
Herman Talmadge are being challenged by Negroes.
Dean urged his audience to keep working for the poor
(Cont. on Page 6)