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P2 The Panther
March 6. 1995
Jeffries Encourages Blacks Into
The 21st Century
(Photo by Mel Jackson)
Dr. Leonard Jeffries, historian and a profes
sor of black studies, expressed his views on
the importance of the teachings of
Malcolm X and the self-reliance of blacks.
By Pamela Wells
Contributing Writer
“No one had a more
meaningful life to me than
brother Malcolm,” said Dr.
Leonard Jeffries, noted his
torian and black studies
professor, who lectured to
students about the impor
tance of Malcolm X’s life
and the self-reliance of
blacks.
“Malcolm was not per
fect. His parents were
taken away from him, and
he had no one to feed him
the inspiration he needed to
make it in such a cold
world. This is the same
problem our young men
face,” Jeffries said. We
must see the totality of his
experience in order for us
to be what we ought to be.”
A professor at City
College of New York,
Jeffries also emphasized
that students must relate to
being African, not an
American. “If you won’t
be African, then what will
you be,"he said. "We need
to see oppression as a sys
tem that was put together
500 years ago by white
people by enslavement and
rape.”
Speaking to students in
Davage Auditorium on the
ideas of self-reliance and
business ownership,
Jeffries said, “We can’t all
run to IBM and Xerox. We
need some of you guys for
the struggle to move into
the 21st century.” Jeffries
added, “We must recycle
wealth for ourselves. We
have nothing without eco
nomics."
Jeffries said he originally
planned to go into law so
he could save his race and
the nation, but realized that
his people needed him in a
different fashion.
“I had to help my people
and to give back to them,”
Jeffries said. “There is a
proverb I love to repeat
which summarizes how I
feel: ‘Every child is born
with a destiny. Either fulfill it
Saviour’s Day
Speech Makes
History
By Diallo Marvel
Staff Writer
Minister Louis Farrakhan, leader of
the Nation of Islam, made history as
he delivered his annual Saviours’ Day
message titled, “Who Will Save the
Black Man,” via satellite to theaters,
universities and countries all over the
world.
The Saviors' Day message was
delivered in Chicago’s International
Amphitheater, where the Nation of
Islam held the first celebration of this
type. In Georgia, the program was
aired at the Atlanta Civic Center,
sponsored by the Brothers of Mosque
No. 15 on Ashby Street.
The Feb. 26 ceremony commemorat
ed the Honorable Elijah Muhammad's
indoctrination by Master Fard
Muhammad into wisdom that would
spurn the likes of Malcolm X,
Farrakhan and a nation of thousands of
followers.
Farrakhan’s address was preceded
by various high ranking ministers in
the nation. Minister Abdul Alim
Muhammad, the minister of health,
contended that their doctors have pro
duced an accurate and simple to use
AIDS test in addition to treatment pro
grams to deal with “a disease that
kills one person every two minutes
worldwide.”
Jeanette Foreman, organizer of the
event, said that because the celebra
tion ran over its allotted satellite time,
a segment of the speech was not aired.
Georgia resident Ron Stewart, a
Farrakhan follower said, '‘Even though
the speech was cut short, it was still
very enlightening.”
In terms of the Nation of Islam’s
growth, Ishmael Muhammad, the
Honorable Elijah Muhammad’s son,
discussed the "Million Man" march on
Washington D.C. scheduled for Oct.
16. He revealed the Nation's plans to
purchase 10,000 acres of land in
Georgia by year’s end and 1 million
acres by the year 2000. Atlanta has
been chosen to be the next site for a
duplication of the $5.5 million Salaam
Restaurant and a replica of the
Muslim University for children, both
located in Chicago.
Farrakhan said that biblically, the
440 years of the enslavement of blacks
is over. He said, “The prophesied time
of destruction is past. It is time for
black people to build a nation once
again.” Citing verses from the Holy
(Koran) Qu’ran and the Holy Bible,
Farrakhan deciphered their meanings
as they pertain to the black holocaust.
He scolded those who profess Jesus’
name but do not adopt his nature.
“The true name of a thing is it's
nature," said Farrakhan. "Unless-
you are willing to accept the nature
(principal) of Jesus, then saying his
name is not going to do a thing.
Jesus said, ‘Follow me,’ not wor
ship me!" He added that there is
more dignity in building a man than
a church.
Turning his attention to the white
community, the minister said that
black people do not dislike white
people because they are white, but
because of the wicked crimes they
committed throughout history
against people of color worldwide.
He questioned whites and blacks,
asking if people would follow a
black Messiah and asserted that it is
terribly ironic that black people
have been so misguided that they
would not accept a black Christ.
“The only thing a black man can
show me is which way the the white
man went,” he said mockingly.
Farrakhan also said a saviour will
come and that according to the book
of Revelations in the Bible, he will
be black and “from a people that are
despised and rejected, and will have
wooly hair and skin like brass burnt
in an oven.”
Even with the controversial stig
ma attached to his name, a 1994
poll taken by Time magazine shows
that 85 percent of the black commu
nity thinks Farrakhan is a qualified
leader.
Compiled By:
Lisa C. Flanagan/News Editor
and Sherri Day/Staff Writer
CAMPUS:
•A forum that will discuss partici
pation in "Freedom Fest" instead
of "Freaknic," is scheduled for
Tuesday, March 7, at 6 p.m. in
Clark Atlanta University's Vivian
Wilson Flenderson Gymnasium,
The proposed event includes a
13-day Afrocentric festival, sup
port to black businesses and is
expected to reinforce positive
images about the April festivity.
• Graduate Student Government
Association officers plans to
enhance networking between
graduate students by hosting
"Graduate Student First Friday
Out Networking Socials." The
socials will be held the first Friday
of each month. According to
Graduate SGA President, Philip
Dunston, the social was orga
nized in an effort "to create
more unity and networking
among different depaTments."
STATE:
• ATLANTA, Ga. - Atlanta is not
the black mecca according to
the Census Bureau. The organi
zation reports that Washington,
D.C. ranked first with a black
family median income of
$39,896.
• ATLANTA, Ga. - Fulton County
Commissioner Mitch Skandalakis
wants to create a law that
would not allow HIV infected
athletes to participate in local
sporting events, including the
1996 Olympics.
• SOPERTON, Ga. - The Center for
Democratic Renewal is investi
gating racial tensions, including
the death of Anthony Jackson,
who was shot by a white teen
while a former police officer
watched. The city's NAACP
President, Al Harden, was also
arrested for videotaping the inci
dent.
NATION:
• WASHINGTON, D.C. - According
to the U.S. Census Bureau, more
blacks are completing their edu
cation and receiving jobs, but
still earn less than whites.
• MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Citing
increased racial tensions,
Millington City High School offi
cials banned clothing featuring
Malcolm X or confederate sym
bols.
• SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Gov.
Pete Wilson is backing a bill to
repeal California's affirmative
action laws.