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My View
By Deborah C. Lipscomb
The warm, soothing breeze that filled the night air was
relaxing. Students from all over the Atlanta University'
Center came out to see and hear a Black woman whose
talent i§ unique among contemporaries.
As the near capacity audience waited lot cthe program
to begin, the members of the Clark College SGA entered the
Vivian W. Henderson gymnasium with a bouquet of redanq
white flowers.
The night of the poetic genius was about to begin.
As Nikki Giovanni entered the gym, she was greeted
with a standing ovation. Dressed neatly in a blue blazer and
blue pin-striped slacks, Ms. Giovanni waved in ap-.
predation.
The poetic genius began her speech by thanking the
audience for being present because she thought everyone
would be watching the miniseries on Martin Luther King,
Jr. She said, “It’s nice to know there are heroic Black men
and women. We do a little more than tell jokes,” she said
smiling.
Ms. Giovanni discussed the role of the Black student in
the lives of Black Americans. She said the most important
step all Blacks must taking is to learn how to read and
write. She expressed concern for the misguided concept of
the printed word’s insignificance.
“It is a mistake to think the printed word is not
needed,” she said. “How are you going to learn if you don’t
read?”she asked.
Ms. Giovanni said she was saddened to think the people
in the audience werethe only hope for Blacks. She stressed
the importance of becoming aware of the person one really
is inside. Having the ability to smile and retain knowledge
should be present in everyone’s personality, said Ms
Giovanni.
“The better you think of yourself, the better you’ll be
able to communicate,” she said. Creating a positive self
image is the most important goal any person should have,
she added. She also emphasized the importance of
becoming independent. “It is important to understand one
of your goals is to become independent,” she stressed,
“That’s the reason you are enrolled in school.”
Ms. Giovanni apparently felt there is a need for Black
people to create a positive image. By having a positive self
image, you can establish better communication with other
people, regardless of their race, creed or color. The poetid
genius has great insight on the plight of Black Americans.
She has realized what needs to be done in order for the race
not to end up as illiterates.
“Open yourself to new things,” she said. “Take a
minute to do something different. “The purpose is to make
us capable tq survive wherever you are. I don’t want Black
America to go into the year 2000 like we came in the year
1900, ” Ms - Giovanni said as she ended her speech.
I agree with Ms. Giovanni. I certainly don’t want the
education that I struggled for to go down the drain because
the students didn’t want to do their part in improving our
socioeconomical conditions.
Lack of Skills
Hurt Pupils
By Kathy Moore
Lack of skills and
psychological preparation
are causes for the failures in
the Clark College English
Proficiency Test, said an
assistant orofessor
in the English Department
at Clark College recently.
Edwin Kuehn said in an
interview that within the
last two years since he had
been nead of the Clark
College English proficiency
test the percentage of
students passing the test
was approximately 20
percent to 40 percent each
time the test was given.
“Some students who fail
the test at Clark do not find
out what they need before
they take the test,” he said.
He said students take
the test without a clear
knowledge of how they are
suppose to write.
Students would get a
clear idea of the standards
used in the test if they would
pick up a booklet describing
the test from the main
English office.
Many students do not
take the time to plan and
proofread their test
thoroughly, Kuehn said
“Some students get so
upset over the test that they
cannot think when its time
to take the test,” he said.
He said these students
generally have a negative
attitude and a feeling of
defeat before they even
start the test.
“The test is a college
requirement not an English
requirement which must be
passed before graduation,”
Keuhn said.
Sophomores are urged
to take the test upon com
pletion of English 105 and
106.
March 17,1978
SGA President's Message
Clark Visited By ‘Poetic Genius’
On Sunday night, February 12, Clark College was
privileged to have on its campus the poetic genius of Miss
Nikki Giovanni. Sponsored by the Clark College SGA. Miss
Giovanni spoke to a near capacity crowd of concerned
students, friends and supporters
Giovanni, the world renowned author, lecturer, poet,
recording artist and humanitarian spoke on many topics
ranging from South Africa to Jimmy Carter
Giovanni said Jimmy Carter^ preparing; to run fm
reelection and the wants to abolish the electoral ct^lege
system so that this would lessen the power of the Black vote.
She warned of the power of the Black vote and how they (the
power structure) were trying to take it from us.
Giovanni spoke for nearly two-and-a-half hours and
even read some of her poetry, including her famous “Ego
tripping ”
She received two awards, (the “Social Action award
from the men of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity and the “PUSH
FOR EXCELLENCE” award from the Student Govern
ment Association ) and a special gift from the ladies of
Delta Sigma Theta * Sorority
King Movie A Disgrace
’this past week a national television audience viewed a
movie called “KING.” The movie aired three nights
(Sunday thru Tuesday nights) and was supposed to depict
the life of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., but I feel
that the movie fell far short of its goal
Although I must applaud the writers and producers for
their attempt to show a Black man as a hero (especially to
young children who may have heard about King but didn’t
know who he was) , because I have been involved in the
civil rights movement since 15, I feel this movie was poor.
To me the movie depicted King as a weak man of little
strength and lack of decision.
Although Paul Winfield played the part of King very
well, I feel there was a lot missing from the movie. Several
characters that were central to the movement were never
portrayed. The movie never showed the spirituality that Dr.
King exemplified throughout his life, and in many cases the
movie failed to show the power and authority which Dr.
King used in his speeches to deliver his messages.
In general the movie never kept up with the character it
was supposed to portray. They (the writers) made Mrs.
King look as if she was the strongest person in the film, as if
Dr. King got all of his strength from her instead of the fact
that they both shared the strength of each other.
It seemed to me that every time Dr. King had to make a
decision he was always seen in the film in a dark room or
with his head dertvn in his hands not knowing what to do.
They always seemed to make him run to the Kennedy’s for
help. I even heard one person in the film say that “the
Kennedy’s were the best friends the Negro ever had” as to
indicate that Dr. King couldn’t make a move with out John
dnd Robert.
I do believe it was quite possible that the FBI was
responsible for Dr. King’s murder. I have always believed
that the FBI and not one man, was behind the murder. The
movie pointed out the fact that the FBI had paid several
persons to spy on the movement and the leaders. I wonder
just how far the FBI would go to silence the movement or
the leaders of the movement?
Student Turnout Poor: Moore
By Kathy Moore
Student support from
Clark College was lacking
when guest speaker Nikki
Giovanni appeared at the
college, said the Student
Government Association
(S.G.A.) president at Clark
College recently
Maddox D. Moore III,
said in an interview, that out
of approximately 1,776
students attending Clark
College less than 300
students attended the affair
in the Vivian Wilson (Hen
derson Gvmnasium on
Clark’s campus.
“Where was the student
support from Clark that was
needed at this affair?” he
asked.
Students at Clark are
always complaining about
the need for more speakers
at the college, but when the
speakers show up students
fail to support them, he said.
Activities such as guest
speakers when sponsored by
S.G.A. are designed solely
for the student body.
“Students attending
ClaFk need to readjust their
priorities and decide which
direction they are going to
gg ” Moore said.