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1898 THE ORGAN OF STUDENT EXPRESSION 1979
Vol. 80 No. 8 Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA February 22, 1979
Jesse Jackson Still A Nationally ;
Known Black Leader
by Vincent D. McCraw
Jesse Jackson is possibly the
most exciting and dynamic young
Black leader who has decided to
work within the system while, at
the same time retain the appear
ance, the ardor and the £evor of a
Black nationalist or revolutionary.
Jackson been born white,
ne could have possible become one
of the greatest ball players of his
time. Jackson won an athletic
scholarship to the University of
Illinois in 1959 where he was
expected to burn up the gridirons
and diamonds of the “Big 10”.
However, Jackson, the son of a
sharecropper was unable to abide
the discriminations many white
universities had often inflicted on
Black athletes. Because he was
Black, Jackson was not allowed to
play at the quarterback position of
the football team. Incidents such as
those forced him to leave Illinois
and go to Greensboro, North
Carolina to attend North Carolina
A & T. After graduating from A &
T Jackson enrolled in the Chicago
Theological Seminary.
In 1966, Jackson had been a
third year member of SCLC, dur
ing which he launched Operation
Breadbasket, which was a cam
paign to enlightened hiring and
trade policies of the Country
Delight Dairy and the A & P. In
1968 Jackson was ordained to the
ministry in the Baptist church.
Through the disappointing years
that followed the death of Martin
Luther King, the failure of the
Poor People’s March and the
ascendancy of white backlash,
Jackson emerged as the Black
leader with the organizing ability
to keep the problems and
tions of Blacks before the
eye.
Reverend Jackson has tried to
maintain amicable relations with
SCLC and Rev. Ralph D. Aber
nathy since he left them in 1971,
however many speculate that the
break was not friendly and Jack
son’s Operation PUSH (People
United to Save Humanity)
instrudes on turf SCLC regarded
as Breadbaskets.
Jesse Jackson considers himself
as a organizer and not an orator.
Nonetheless, whatever the role he
decides to place himself in he has
earned a great deal of respect not
only from the Black community
but from the liberal white com
munity as well. An Atlanta Consti
tution article by Hal Gulliver
recently states that “...Jackson is
interesting... because he is for
thright and blunt and often says
things not quite expected. He
spoke recently to a Republican
Party group, declaring that Black
Americans owe no allegiance
any one political party and
not to owe such blind allegiance”.
The article goes on to state that
Jackson is one of the reasons that
Republicans will make renewed
efforts to seek Black voter support
in 1980.
Jesse Jackson, Director of PUSH (People United To Save
Humanity).
Atlanta’s Black Culture Honored
by Vicent D. McCraw
The second annual Bronze Jubi
lee Awards Ceremony was held on
Sunday, February 4,1979 at 8 p.m.
in the Martin Luther King, Jr.
Chapel on the Morehouse College
campus. This ceremony was held in
order to honor metropolitan
Atlanta area citizens who have
made significant contributions to
the development of Black culture.
The program also kicked-off a
week long celebration of Black cul
ture in honor of Black history
month.
Berlinda Tolbert served as the
program hostess. Ms. Tolbert is a
talented young actress in her own
right; presently she portrays the
character of Jenny Willis in CBS’s
television sitcom “The Jeffersons.”
The program was opened by the
Proposition Theater and African
Dance Ensemble performing
“Wedding Dance Ceremony” from
their new play production “Asafo-
hene”, their performance was
warmly accepted by the audience.
Although this program was tele
vised live by station WETV (chan
nel 30) from Morehouse, other
AUC institutions were eloquently
represented. Spelman College had
representatives in the persons of
Debra Ann Harris, a Spelman
graduate, who was this year’s Miss
Bronze. Secondly, Ms. Sheryl
Riley, a 1972 graduate of Spelman
was the executive producer and
creator of the Bronze Jubilee
Awards. The Morris Brown Col
lege Choir under the directorship
of Floyd Ruffin sung a spirit lifting
arrangement of “There’s A Little
Wheel A Turnin’ In My Heart.”
The most invigorating moment
of the program came when Ms. Iris
Little, a Spelman College senior
and the 1977-78 Morehouse Col
lege Homecoming Queen was
awarded the Outstanding Student
of the Arts Award for her excel
lence shown in the theater arts,
directing, fashion design, and her
acting abilities.
Overall the evening was a very
eventful occasion which brought
together some of Atlanta’s finest
personalities. Persons such as
Monica Kaufman, Joe Washing
ton, Mrs. Maynard Jackson and
The Atlanta Daily World Editor C.
A. Scott were in attendance.
The 1979 Bronze Jubilee Award
winners:
Music — Joe Jennings for his
excellence as a jazz musician/
performer.
Dance — Valjean Grigsby director
of the Valmar Dance Company.
Literature — Ray Mclver, writer
of the Broadway play “God is a
Guess What”
Visual Arts — Curtis Patterson
Drama — Walter Dallas, artistic
director of the Proposition Theater
Company.
Communicative Arts — Chet
Fuller, Publisher of First World
Magazine.
Arts Educator — Alma Simmons
Outstanding Student of the Arts —
Iris Little, 1977-78 Miss Maroon
and White.
Long Term Contribution to the
Arts — Georgia Allen
Community Service Award — C.
A. Scott, editor of The Atlanta
Daily World.
Special Contribution to the Arts
Community — Micheal Lomax,
p ulton County Commissioner.