Newspaper Page Text
Atlanta
r s i t y
Clark
U n i
The
September 24, 1992
Volume IIII Number XV
Atlanta, Georgia
Student fulfills dream of opening a bookstore
Thomas Randolph III stands among books in his bookstore. Photo By Glendon McKinney
By Jayme L. Bradford
News Editor
Thomas Randolph III, a junior
finance major at Clark Atlanta Uni
versity from Detroit is doing at age
19 what some people have been
attempting to do for most of their
lives...start a business.
On Aug.25, the Bookbag Book
store, located in the building next
to Stegall’s, officially opened in full
competition with the Campus Shop
co-owned by CAU and Morris Brown
(MBC).
“I started planning for it (the book
store) approximately a year ago,”
which Randolph also said was
around the time he began search
ing for a building.
Randolph gave a survey to stu
dents from CAU and MBC in order
to see whether or not they would
Dionne Lang
Staff Writer
More than one thousand Atlanta
University Center (AUC) students
jammed the Clark Atlanta Univer
sity (CAU) quadrangle Sept. 17, for
a massive voter registration drive
headed by Rev. Jesse Jackson.
“The hands that once picked cot
ton can now pick congressmen and
presidents,”Jacksontold the people
assembled in front of Trevor Arnett
Hall. “Vote for yourself, your des-
„tiny."
Jackson said the power of
unregistered African American vot
ers could have tremendous impact
on the nation. In Georgia alone,
602,000 potential African Ameri
can voters are unregistered.
Utilizing the potential of
unregistered African American vot
ers could have tremendous impact
on the nation. In Georgia alone,
602,000 potential African Ameri
can voters are unregistered.
Utilizing the potential of
unregistered African Americans
voters would put more African
Americans in Congress. “The direct
support his efforts. Randolph says
that the main reason for him open
ing the bookstore is because he
knew “we needed one.”
For years the Campus Shop’s top
white management has been a con
troversial issue among students.
interest here is to impower the
community you are being educated
in, said Jackson. He told students
that getting political power alone
was not enough, but that power
and application was.
Jackson advised students to par
ticipate in local elections rather than
registering in their hometowns. He
encouraged students to vote where
they live. “Home is where you slept
the last three nights in a row,”
Jackson said.
He reminded students of the 27
years Mandela stayed in jail for a
voting right that he has still not
received. He also reminded them of
the "injustice" that he said Rodney
King suffered.
“Would you have liked to have
been a juror on the Rodney King
case?” he asked. “Only registered
voters can serve as jurors.”
Jackson told students that reg
istered voters can serve as jurors as
well as elect the judges who preside
over such cases as Rodney King’s.
“You can not walk up to the plate
and expect a home run if you drop
the bat,” he said.
Jackson encouraged AUC stu
dents to help put more African
“Some kind of effort should go to
find some other means of manage
ment, preferably African American
management when the contract
expires,” said Jamal Coleman, un
dergraduate co-vice president of the
CAU Student Government Associa-
Americans in the political forefront
of America. He reinforced this point
by giving the scores of political races
in which small numbers made the
difference.
“John F. Kennedy beat Richard
Nixon by a mere 112,000 votes;
Hubert Humphrey lost to Nixon by
500,000 votes," Jackson said.
The rally attracted several guests,
including Congresswoman, Cynthia
McKinney; Georgia State Legisla
tor, Able Mable Thomas; SCLC Presi
dent, Joseph Lowery; entertainers
Bobby Brown and Keith Sweat.
The rally was sponsored by the
Rainbow Coalition and the Atlanta
University Center Student Leader
ship Forum.
GRADUATES
Don't forget to go to
the Registrars Office
to be measured for
your cap and gown
Deadline: Dec.4,1992
tion.
Despite a slow advertising cam
paign, Randolph says that busi
ness has been great. “Students
have been very receptive. At first it
was disheartening seeing long lines
at the Campus Shop and three or
four students at The Bookbag,” he
said.
“I think its really nice that he
(Randolph) took the initiative to have
something of his own,” said Tracy
Hobbs, CAU junior and regular
Bookbag customer. Hobbs said she
also admires that The Bookbag
Bookstore is black-owned by an
Atlanta University Center student.
She said that she supports The
Bookbag because the books are
cheaper and the service is good.
Randolph has even been talking
of expanding. “We’re expanding due
to the needs of students at other
schools. The interest is there from
students from Morehouse and
Spelman because their bookstore
is also white-owned."
But by no means has Randolph’s
business endeavor been easy.
Randolph admits that there have
been quite a few problems.
“Being so young” Randolph said
he has to convince investors that
he can “run a business.” He has
been able to open and maintain his
business without taking out loans.
Randolph said he needs informa
tion from deans and departments
on books and quantities. “If they
bring in titles, authors, and pub
lishers to me, in a matter of days,
we can have the books at lower
prices," he said.
Another problem has been his
“struggle with capitalization”.
Randolph said he has also had to
deal with CAU’s administration.
“Administration has a contract
wherein they can’t assist.” The
school wasn’t helpful about allow
ing the Bookbag to accept book
vouchers,"said Randolph.
Director of administrative ser
vices, Roy Lee Bolton, said the build
ing that facilitates the Campus Shop
is under lease. “According to con
tract, we can not be dealing with
other book (distributing) compa
nies,” he said.
Coleman said that CAU should
support its own. “It’s there for stu
dents to take advantage of. I do
shop there frequently and I encour
age other students to do the same.
We need to help our young black
men,” he said.
Bolton said that the school is not
against Randolph’s bookstore. “It’s
not a matter of endorsing. We just
can’t do business.”
Jackson pushes voters registration in the AUC
at rally.