Newspaper Page Text
Page 4
The Panther
April 11, 1980
Black Women's Image Depicted
BY BEVERLY A. QUARLES
Panther Staff Writer
“Their Eyes Were Watching
God,’’ by Zora Neale Hurston isa
novel that black women of all
ages can enjoy. It illustrates the
role of a black woman in various
stages of her life, ending with
one main goal accomplished to
know love and be free in love as a
black woman.
This book was first published,
shortly after the Harlem Renais
sance, the date most often given
is 1937. The book also gives you
the feeling of the Southern rural
setting, because of it’s dialect
and folkloric materials.
Janie the main character in this
novel, exemplifies the epitome
of the black woman.
Janie is raised by her
grandmother, Nanny, an ex
slave who suffered many of the
abuses common to black women
during the post - slavery era. Like
too many black women she
received vindictive treatment at
the hands of the white man and
had to take a job that only con
sisted of hard, physical labor.
Nanny isawoman whowasnot
fortunate enough to receive a
formal education, but always had
a dream of becoming a school
teacher. And lived with the hope
that her daughter would some
day fulfill this dream.
However, this hope was soon
shattered after her daughter was
raped by a local white
schoolteacher. Her daughter,
then, gave birth to Janie and ran
away from the predominantly
black town in Eastonviile,
Florida, leaving the child in Nan
ny’s care. It is through Janie that
Nanny feels her dream may still
be fulfilled.
Janie is raised in a white en
vironment and does not realize
she is black, until she is six years
old, because Nanny works for
and lives with a white family.
When Janie begins to develop
into a young woman, Nanny
attempts to set a life plan for her
and educate her on what life is
really like in a cold white society.
Nanny says, “Honey, de white
man is de ruler of everything as
fur as an been able tuh find out..
. de white man throw down de
load and tell de nigger man tuh
pick it up because he have to, but
he don’t tote it. He hand it to his
womanfolks. De nigger woman
is the mule uh de world so fur as
an can see.”
The image of the black woman
as the mule of the world
becomes a metaphor for the
roles Janie disowns in her search
for self fulfillment and the belief
that the book implicitly argues.
Janie holds on to her search for
Students -
Think Jazz!
BY CHRISTINE WILLIAMS
Panther Staff Writer
James Patterson, director of
the Clark College Jazz Orchestra
and music instructor, said that
only a small percentage of Clark
students attend the jazz orches
tra concerts and have a poor
understanding of what jazz really
is.
“I don’t think they know what
jazz is,” said Patterson. Many
students know only of two styles
of music,” he explained, a black
andawhitestyle.and ifthemusic
isn’t rhythmic or funky they
don’t care about it.”
Patterson said that the orches
tra playedonly pure jazz andthat
students could only relate to the
Earth, Wind and Fire styles of
music which is of a poor jazz
style.
Because students don't know
the real definition of jazz they
attend the concerts expecting to
hear a funky, jazz-rock sound,
and become disappointed when
they hear the real thing, he said.
The style of jazz that they play
is of the Duke Ellington, Dizzy
Gillespie, Jimmy Owens and
New York styles. The orchestra
has been performing for ap
proximately four years, and
perform four concerts a year at
Clark.
Charles Thomason, drummer
of the orchestra and Bruce
Walker, bass player said that low
attendance at concerts is
because of poor publicity, along
with the fact that students cannot
dance or snap theirfingerstothe
“If they hear us once or twice, I
guarantee they’ll be willing to
come back,” said Walker.
The orchestra went through a
transition said Thomason. It was
called the Clark College Jazz
Band under the direction of Joe
Jennings. Band members were
more professional, and many
had degrees in music.
The band played contem
porary jazz, and some of the
favorite tunes were “Well you
needn’t” and “Lady Bird.”
According to Patterson, the
emotional energy is more radiat
ing than before. The technical
knowledge, then, was better,
said Thomason.
The orchestra has done
concerts with Jimmy Owens,
Dexter Gordon and have
performed in all of Atlanta’s Free
Jazz Festivals. They have also
performed live on WCLK.
The orchestra’s future plans
include performing in the up
coming Spring Arts Festival. They
are presently recording an
album and may appear in a
movie with Dizzy Gillespie.
pure happiness through two
unloved marriages. Nanny
arranges the first marriage to an
older farmer, who has 60 acres.
Nanny arranges this marriage,
because she feels that Logan
Killicks a self made guy can
provide Janie with the emotional
security that is needed in this life
and it would release her of the
pressure of having to worry
about if the girl will be taken care
of.
However, this marriage does
not work, because Killicks is such
a un-romantic creature and only
being provided for is a bit less
than Janie wishes to settle for.
Janie meets a more romantic,
industrious guy Joe Starks that
proves to be a dangerously,
possessive male chauvinist after
the wedding is over.
However, he does provide for
Janie and buys her the material
things that most black women in
the turn of the century only
dream about. But in doing so, he
keeps her from becoming the
social being that she wanted to
be, and allows her to have no
part in any decisions being
made.
In the community Janie is only
known as “de mayor's wife.” Joe
Starks fulfills Nanny’s dream in
the sense of security, but stifles
Janie's growth and makes her
very unhappy.
He says, “Someone has to
think for women, children,
chickens and cows.” However,
after a few years of marriage, she
is released from distorted hopes
and dreams hersecond husband
dies of a kidney ailment.
Janie is now a widow with
many assets, including property.
With many experiences and still
a very beautiful, energetic
woman. She now meets and
marries a third guy, who is
younger and has, very little to
offer as far as material wealth.
They move away to Tampa,
Florida leaving many floating
rumors behind that he will only
use her for personal gains and
leave her with a broken heart.
However, the negative rumors
turn out to be only a falsity. Tea
Cake is the man that can tickle
her fancy in every way. He
touches her life with a pure love
and fulfills her ture quest for
happiness.
Continued on page 12
Ferguson Stays Ahead
BY SHERRY JONES
Panther Entertainment Editor
Maynard Ferguson, the
Columbia recording artist
behind the production of the
musical theme for the Oscar win
ning movie, “Rocky’’, recently
rocked the stage of the North
Druid Hills High School
Gymnasium.
Ferguson, in sticking to his
philosophy of staying “one step
ahead of the young,” conveyed
his love for music during the
concert.
Featuring such selections as
the “Theme from Star Wars,"
“Chameleon,” and the “Theme
from Battlestar Galactia,”
Ferguson aroused the audience
as he played his trumpet two oc
taves past high-C.
The real excitement was yet to
come. His final selection, the full
length disco version of “Rocky
II” sent the audience (both
teenagers and adults) soaring to
their feet, applauding him con
tinuously.
One is inclined to get a
different impression of the on
stage Maynard Ferguson and the
off stage Maynard Ferguson.
Dressed in blue jeans and
surrounded by psychedelic and
strobe lights, he appears to be
just another rock artist in
concert. But sitting behind a
conference table, he’s a man
highly concerned about musical
education.
“The greatest thing America
has done today, is the uplifting of
the education of music,” said
Ferguson during a press party a'
the CBS Atlanta Branch Head
quarters earlier that day.
“The young people today are
more into music compared to
years ago,” stated the recording
artist. “They have a variety of
musical interests and that’s
good."
Maynard Ferguson’s interest
for music started when he was at
an early age. Born outside of
Montreal, Quebec, at the age of
four, he started studying piano
and violin. Five years later, he
enrolled at the French
Conservatory of Music.
While at the conservatory, he
studied all the reed and brass
instruments. “My instruments
were my toys." stated Ferguson.
The artist had been “a
whirlwind force” in music since
the age of nine, when he first
decided to be a musician. At age
13, Ferguson was playing in a
band and at 15, he formed his
own orchestra.
Nicknames “The Fox,”
Mavnard Ferguson proved that
his love for music and his
experience in it, is rewarding.
For three consecutive years
(1950-52) he won the down beat
poll "hands down.”
He achieved commercial
success with “My Jazz Band” and
in 1959 he came in second place
in the Down Beat Reader's poll.
Spring Fever...
The world turns on a mysterious axis
Each revolution represents a cycle of change.
The cycle of change is an inner force
Connected to the source of our future.
The source of our future manifests from
Our present thoughts of today.
Because prosperity is pure for he who
Thinks it in his mind and believes it in
His heart.
BRUCE HEARD
BY JOYCE N. CALDWELL
Panther Reporter
Sunshine, warmth, and relax
ing weather encourage one to
take advantage of Atlanta’s
entertainment side.
The Omni International has a
variety of shops and stores from
the Omni Six, a movie theater,
Mimi’s, a conservative lounge
and restaurant, to baskin and
Robin’s Ice Cream Parlor, the ice
skating rink, and the Omni
Coliseum. You may also seek
cozy little gift shops suitable for
expensive taste.
If you like a cool breeze, the
Peachtree Plaza Center is the
place for you. With its abstract
waterfalls, the breeze it dis-
siminates gives you a sense of
relief, their pina coladas will
soothe your mind as well as your
taste.
Piedmont Park, the talk of the
town, is a fantastic place which
promotes leisure to all of you
who feel that the park is a sure
way of relaxing. Ocassionally
organizations will site Piedmont
Park as the central location for
having festivals such as Atlanta’s
Jazz Festival, held here last
Spring. You may roller skate
(today's fad), bike ride, picnic,
study, or just enjoy the fresh air.
Of course, Atlanta is a city of
fine culture. Try visiting Atlant’s
Memorial Arts Center or the
Callanwolde Cultural Arts
Center for fine quality and a
variety of moods. Enjoy the
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra's
performance at 8 p.m., at the
Atlanta Memorial Arts Center,
March 20-22.
Sunny afternoons may be
spent visiting some of Atlanta’s
leading shopping malls. Lenox
Square, Greenbriar Mall,
Cumberland MalF, and Colony
Square sell quality merchandise
and have a selection'of stores
and prices. Stores you may see
include: Hahn's Shoes, Rich’s,
The Limited, Singer's Sewing
Store, Merry-Go-Round, David
son’s, leather goods stores, and
movie theaters.
Take advantage of warm,
pleasant weather and get to
know Atlanta’s Entertainment
side. These places may be easily
reached by taking a MARTA bus
Rail System. Call MARTA for
transit details.
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