Newspaper Page Text
P2 The Panther
March 27, 1995
A CHANGING OF THE GUARD!
NAACP’s New Chairman Means New Image
By Catrina D. Harvey
Staff Writer
A new chairman in office could
mean a shinier image and positive
changes for the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored
People, NAACP.
Myrlie Evers-Williams, former
wife of slain civil rights leader Medgar
Evers, is now the chairman of the
National Board of Directors of the
NAACP.
“We are very happy,” said Katina
Everheart, president of Clark Atlanta
University’s student chapter of the
NAACP. “As you know, we are just a
branch of the NAACP and as we
thrive on being leaders of tomorrow.
We’re looking for any change that’s
good.”
Continuing Everheart said, “We
support the decision that has been
made and it’s a good change that’s
taking us into a new millennium.”
Everheart said since this is the first
position ever held by a woman, it is
even more encouraging, adding that
Evers-Williams is familiar with the
struggle of blacks because of her first
husband’s tireless involvement in the
cause.
Meanwhile, James Stark, an
NAACP member said, “I think that the
problem as a whole is that the younger
people are not involved in the organi
zation like they should be and they are
not true to the cause.”
Stark said he thinks younger indi
viduals need to be more active to ful
fill the mission of the NAACP.
Freaknic Odds Continued From pr
Atlanta University, explained to the
estimated crowd of 500 why he felt
the tension with the mayor existed.
“The refusal of the mayor and the
city to dialogue with us has created
this environment today,” Coleman
said. “The mayor has stated that our
friends and families are not welcome
in the city of Atlanta. We are wel
comed by helicopters and arrest
teams. This is not Bosnia, South
Africa, or South America, this is sup
posed to be America.”
The only visible AUC pres
ident. Dr. James Costen of the
Interdenominational
Theological Center, spoke on
behalf of the other center pres
idents.
The mayor expressed his
views about Freaknic after
speeches by Spelman.
Morehouse and Morris Brown
College SGA presidents.
“Everyone knows there were
problems (last year’s event). I
don't know where you come
from, or what you believe, but
riding down sidewalks is a
problem,” the mayor quipped.
“Simply because you are a
college student, you are not
above the law. You are no
better or any worse than the
people of University Homes or
John Hope Homes. If you
come and obey the law in
Atlanta you will not have a
problem.”
The mayor then stressed
that he would answer students and
citizens questions — but only if he
was given respect.
At that point Civil Rights leader,
the Rev. Hosea Williams who came
out in support of the collegiate event,
proceeded to ask the mayor if stu
dents were only allowed to speak
with Campbell during the meeting.
To that, Campbell responded he
would speak to Williams later on that
evening about his concerns. Williams
then left the library.
Some of the issues raised by stu
dents, parents and professors includ
ed barricading streets and highways,
underground jails, the mayor’s “zero
tolerance plan” and the city’s han
dling of other activities such as the
Super Bowl, Pot Fest, St. Patrick’s
Day activities and the Comdex com
puter convention, which will take
place the same weekend as Freaknic.
“Don’t our dollars spend as well
Meanwhile, the mayor denied
sending letters to black institutions
throughout the nation requesting that
college students not come to Atlanta
for “Freaknic” and denied calling the
National Guard and additional police
during that weekend.
Mayor Campbell only answered a
minimum of 10 questions and
throughout the forum continuously
threatened to leave. In fact, when the
forum became intense, student
microphones were turned off
and the mayor stepped away
from the podium.
“I could have stayed in my
dorm room,” said Clark Atlanta
University junior Radiah
Rupert. “No real answers were
given.”
Likewise, Terance Coffee, a
junior at Morris Brown College
stated, “Bill Campbell did not
address the issues and should
be more concerned with the
civil rights of his own people
instead of the white man.”
Due to limited seating, at the
entrance of the library, students
had to present a current school
I.D. and register their names,
addresses and phone numbers
with city employees in order to
receive a ticket to enter the
Exhibition Hall. According to
city officials, these measures
were taken to ensure that only
students attended the meeting.
The 98 seats available caused
many students and concerned
citizens to bang against the glass
doors of the hall, after they were not
allowed in. City officials then decid
ed to let everyone waiting outside
into the closed media meeting.
“The media was not allowed in the
hall in order for information to stay
intact and not become miscon
strued,” said Michael Langford,
director of Community Affairs for
the Mayor’s Office.
Some of the issues raised
by students, parents and
professors included
barricading streets and
highways, underground
jails, the mayor’s “zero
tolerance plan” and the
city’s handling of other
activities such as the
Comdex computer
convention, which will
take place the same
weekend as Freaknic.
as the Comdex conventioners?”
Coleman asked the mayor.
“It is the same for everybody that
comes no matter who you are, every
one must obey the law,” Campbell
stated. “There are no plans, no
underground jails. One of the prob
lems we have here is the inaccuracies
spread through the media. I’m not
aware of barricades or any other
security measures. We’re not barri
cading highways 75 or 85.”
Compiled by
Lisa Flanagan
News Editor
CITY
• Herman Russell, businessman
and construction developer,
recently resigned from the Board
of Directors of the Martin Luther
King Jr. Center for Nonviolent
Social Change.
• Beginning in late 1996, public
institutions in the University System
of Georgia will require professors
to take performance reviews of
their teaching skills.
- Jack L. Falls, an ironworker for
McDonough, was killed while
working on the Olympic Stadium
when a 150-foot steel light tower
fell 50 feet.
- A Morehouse student, Gibran
Patterson, was killed in a moped
accident during his senior class
trip to Jamaica over spring break.
Spencer Tolliver, SGA president for
Morehouse College, is reportedly
asking that the institution award
Patterson's degree posthumously.
NATION
• In a plan to cut back on govern
ment spending, Senate Majority
Leader Bob Dole (R.-Kan.), has
proposed the elimination of the
Departments of Commerce,
Housing and Urban Development,
Education and Energy.
• According to the American
Council on Education, Hispanic
and black students are going to
college in record numbers.
• West Virginia, Mississippi,
Minnesota and Florida are suing
cigarette producers because of
the large amount of money spent
to treat Medicaid patients for
smoking related diseases.
• WINSTON SALEM, N.C. - Wake
Forest University officials are in the
process of implementing a rule
that would require incoming stu
dents to have laptop computers.
- Colleges throughout the nation
are creating strategies to recruit
and keep students who are con
cerned about the rising costs of
tuition. Indiana University is offer
ing aid to fifth year students, and
Middlebury College is offering a
three-year degree.