Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

November 3, 1978 The Panther Page 3 Clark Student Experiences Love in West Africa Coronation By Michael S. Bailey PANTHER Reporter This past summer, Dorothy Gail Johnson, a Clark College senior Sociology major, and native of Philadelphia, lived many Black Americans’ dream. Specifically, she traveled and actually lived throughout most of West Africa. Senegal, The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, and Ghana were the places where she lived this adventure. Johnson^s trip to the “mother land” was sponsored by Operation Crossroads to Africa, an organization which has been in existence for 21 years and whose main objec tive is to enable people from the U.S. to interchange their culture with the people of Africa. 300 students applied for the trip, and she was among the 150 participants, (mostly students). She is the first Clark College student to participate in the program for nearly ten years. The 150 participants attended orientation at Princeton University July 5-7 where they were divided into groups which were to live together for eight weeks. Dorothy’s group consisted of six whites and five blacks. The trip began July 8th. According to Dorothy, her trip was a very pleasant and memorable experience. Her first impression when she arrived in Africa was that of disbelief and deep emotion: “I could not believe that I was really in Africa. I was overwhelmed," she stated. However, before she placed her feet on the African soil, Johnson bent and touched the ground, the first responsibility of a Black American upon returning to the native land. Johnson and her group spent their first night in Senegal. However, their longest stay was five weeks in The Gambia. They stayed in compounds which lacked elec tricity and indoor plumbing, and they traveled in jeeps. “The men and women in our group were assigned African counterparts who lived with us in the compound so that we could interact and interchange details of our culture," Dorothy responded. She also said that the group interacted very well, and that she especially had es tablished a good relationship with the African brothers and sisters. The group worked on agricultural projects, and among the projects they com pleted was learning to level off and cement for building. Johnson visited several villages in the Gambia where she received many gifts. Among her fondest memories was the first gift she received when she arrived in one of the villages: “When I arrived at one of the villages, I received a chicken from one of the village men. This was the first gift I received at this village, and thus, the most important because the first gift one receives is a high honor and others follow,” Johnson af firmed. In addition, she smiled and stated, “The African people are very warm and receptive to Black Americans . . . they treat you like a VIP.“ She celebrated her birthday in Liberia on August 24th, which is a national holiday, and she was honored with numerous gifts. Upon returning to the United States, Johnson experienced culture shock, a condition whereas one has dif ficulty adjusting to a sudden change in culture; however, she has recovered and plans to someday return and live in Africa. “When I was i n Africa I learned many things: I learned that I cannot hate anyone because the Africans teach that love conquers all and no good comes out of hate. My whole experience was a project of love,” she concluded. Walker Traces SCLC Roots By Ben Lumpkin PANTHER Staff Writer The first scholarly history of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) is being done by Clark history professor Eugene Walker. “The Evolution of a Southern Strategy for Social Change,” is the title of the study of SCLC history from 1955-1965. “This study spells out the happenings which led to the foundings of SCLC,” said Walker, “and traces the evolution of the organization’s thinking regarding what should be done, what could be done, to bring about a most meaningful social change.” ‘ ‘When the move first started in Montgomery,” continued Walker,“they were demonstrating to be treated fair and just and just within the scheme of segregation.” But soon they found that it was segregation itself they had to attack said Walker. “In time King and his lieutenants began to preach that one of the best ways to overcome segregation was through political involvement and especially the use of the ballot,” he added. From 1957-1965 the primary Southern strategy of SCLC was to secure the ballot and they accomplished this goal with the passage of the 1965 Civil Rights Act. Explained Walker, my study narrates and interprets this story.” Walker examined over 84,- 000 written documents at King’s collection in Mugan Library at Boston University. He’s had oral interviews with better than 200 people, read scores of newspapers and as many secondary books as he could find. The paper, which Walker has worked on since 1974, will be completed in December after which Walker will receive his Ph.D. from Duke University. Continued from page 1 Clark College (Olivia Bush) appeared from the rear of the gym walking briskly down the aisle toward the stage; first attendant (Sherry Stenson) followed Ms. Bush in the same manner. After the bold an nouncement of Miss Clark College 1978-79, there was a moment of silence and rotat ing spotlights in the air; then Miss Catherine Kitty Edwards descended from the rear bleachers in a white full- bodied gown. While walking lively down the aisle, she Dimension By Denise L. Green As hot as modern dance has become lately, the prime suspect accused of setting the fire would have to be Alvin Ailey. Ailey formed his own dance company in 1958, debuting in New York’s 92nd Street YMCA. The dance company received outstanding recognition and along with that Ailey also choreagraphed such famous plays as: Carmen Jones, Dark of the Moon and African Holiday. During the early stages of his dance troop, it was all black and indeed a showcase of Afro-culture. “Then I met some incredible dancers of other colors, who could cutthework,” said Ailey. So, the following six years Ailey’s dance troop became multi-racial. Not only did the young Ailey concentrate on dancing, he also accomplished some ac ting. His debut was in 1961, at New York’s One Sheridan Square in Call Me By My Rightful Name, Ding Dong Bell, Talking To You, and lastly Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright; which made it to the Booth Theatre on Broadway. During his childhood, Ailey lived in a small town called Rodgers, located in Texas, where he attended church gospel meetings, processions, and rituals that helped spark the “down-home” atmosphere in his works. Ailey left Rodgers at the age of twelve for Los Angeles. After graduating in 1948 from Thomas Jefferson High School, he attended UCLA and later Los Angeles City College. While attending LACC, Ailey began studying dance with Lester Horton, a devoted black dance choreographer. Not only did Ailey dance his way through school, he also worked as an office clerk, bus- boy, baggage handler and counterman to help pay for his expenses. In 1950, Ailey was officially introduced to society as a greeted the audience with a gleaming smile. The audience applauded with an extended standing ovation. While await ing on stage, they were brought roses from the dove of peace (portrayed by Harold Moore). In the grand finale all of the lovely queens were presented flowers by their escorts and taken down the center aisle where they assembled in the rear of the gym. This ended a delightful evening of first- class production. dancer with the Horton Com pany in Los Angeles. Popularity and talent enabled Ailey to perform with many established performers of that era, such as Harry Belafonte in 1956 in the play Sing, Man Sing. After many years of diligent and creative work, the U.S. State Department funded an Australian and South East Asian five month tour in 1962. In the years to follow this “good-will” tour, the company appeared in the Middle East, Rio de Janiero, Sao Paulo (Brazil), New York, Chicago and Russia. Aside from the company winning First Prize at the International Dance Festival in Paris in 1970, other highlights of Ailey’s are stag ing and choreographing An tony and Cleopatra, Carmen, Lord Byron and Mass which opened in Washington, D.C., at the J.F.K. Center for the Perform ing Arts. More recently, in 1974 Ailey produced a Thanksgiving Day special for CBS entitled, “Ailey Celebrates Ellington.” Then in January of 1977, the American Television audience saw the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre receive the only standing ovation given to performers during any Inaugural Eve Gala for President Jimmy Carter. Because of Ailey’s dedication to the arts, he has been awarded honorary degrees of Fine Arts, the Dance Magazine Award 1975, and the NAACP Spingarn Medal in 1976. Recently in Atlanta, Ailey once again proved rich his peoples’ culture and heritage at the Atlanta Civic Center, October 6-8. And on Spelman’s college campus in Read Hall, auditions (which were closed to the viewing public) were held for the purpose of gran ting scholarships. Now a history-maker in his own right, Ailey has created one of the most outstanding multiracial institutions of dance repertory in the world. Mill iiw «K"sg; The Clark College Philharmonic Society Choir sang during Heritage Month worship services at Central United Methodist Church. Special emphasis was also given to Clark College, which had its beginnings at Central. Dr. Elias Blake, Jr., president, congratulated Central’s Pastor, Dr. Joseph Lowery on the church’s 112th birthday. Former Clark president Dr. James P. Brawley’s book, The Clark College Legacy, which traces the history of the college and its relationship to Cen tral, was also highlighted. (Photo by Tyraun .Patterson) Ailey Brings A New To Dance