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Page 2 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.