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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)