Newspaper Page Text
SPELMAN
Jgt
■THE VOICE OF BLACK WOMANHOOD"
SPOTLIGHT
Vol. XXVII, No. 2
Atlanta, Georgia
November, 1970
Spelman, Morehouse sponsor event
'Poets to recite in Archer Hall Nov. 12
**. /, //
■V N
The revolutionary Last Poets
3 attend 'lee Man 9 Cometh
confab at
Poetry has always had many different forms. But today, poetry
is creating a history of its own.
The Last Poets are young Black men who seek to incite an
awareness of Black conditions by directing their song-poems to
Black brothers. The Last Poets have undisputable power behind their
words which reach a large portion of colleges and the Black com
munity.
The voices of Abiodun Oyewolte, Alafia Pudim, and Omar Ben
Hassen chant to the explosive beat on the congos by Nilaj a, the
percusive accompainist. They speak the ahgry cries of the Black
revolution.
These brothers present music, poetry and song-poems that are
touching, beautiful, threatening and consoling.
Their song-poems are written for Blacks dealing mainly with
“Niggers” or “Knee-grows” who are either brainwashed by the
white man or so dedicated to the protection of their own illusory
security that they cannot or will not embrace the Black revolution.
The Poets sing relentlessly of revolution, not always making
rhymes or pretty melodies; they aren’t easy to listen to, but they
are one of the most socially important groups to appear in years.
They speak of Black culture, undiluted and uncensored with fierce
ness that can be frightening, irritating and eye-opening.
The realities presented by the Poets of the Black ghetto are
not melodic or subtle. The chants are sarcastic, bitter, shocking
and profound.
Their poems are as harsh and cruel as Black living itself. The
Last Poets must be heard! As the Poets would say, “Wake Up,
Niggers” to the serious business of Black survival or you’ll have
to “Run, Nigger, Run.”
Harvard U.
Three people represented Spel
man College at a science confer
ence at Harvard University Oc
tober 14-16.
Dr. Barnett Smith, chairman
of the biology department, Mrs.
Caroline W. Graham, director of
Career Planning and Placement,
and Sharon Strong, a senior bio
logy major were guests of the
Division of Health Sciences at
Harvard in Boston.
The three - day conference,
which involved approximately
12 Black colleges, was an effort
to acquaint these institutions with
Harvard’s offering in the doc
torate programs of health scienc
es, public health, denistry, medi
cine and the university’s interest
in recruiting Black students.
The Spelman delegates were
commended for having four Spel
man graduates in the Harvard
School of Medicine.
Sisters, dig it! The Ice Man
cometh with the Last Poets on
November 12 in Archer Hall. Is
that Black enough for you?
The “Ice on Ice” man is Jerry
Eutler but to his fans he is
known as “Mister Cool.” The
stone cool man will perform
Thursday night at 8.
Not only is he a performer, but
Jerry Butler is also a producer
and owner of two publishing com
panies. He is an honary member
of the Junior Chamber of Com
merce, a member of the Chicago
Urban League and Boys Clubs of
America.
Jerry was born December 8,
1939 in Sunflower County, Miss.
He later moved to Chicago with
his parents in 1943. He graduated
from Waller Summer School in
1953.
Producer addresses
black educators
V.WW.Vj V,
Merry Turkey
.WAWVWAV.V.V.ViW.*
' Jerry was 15 when his father
died. He was the one to assume
the responsibility of the head of
the family. He got a job as a
bus boy and a dishwasher and
finally worked his way up to
assistant chef.
In 1957 he graduated from
Washburn Vocational School as
Valedictorian. He was also editor
of the school newspaper.
After graduating he began
singing in his spare time. He
joined a group of young men
from Chattanooga, Tenn., known
as the Roosters. In 1958 they
were signed by Vee-Jay records
in Chicago as Jerry Butler and
The Impressions.
‘Ice Man’ Jerry Butler
Jerry left the group that same
year. He recorded, “He’ll Break
Your Heart,” “Moon River,” and
“Make it Easy on Yourself,” all
of which received BMI awards.
Some of Jerry’s other top hits
were “Never Give You Up,”
“Hey, Western Man,” “Are You
Happy” and “Moody Woman.”
His release of “Only The Strong
Survive,” sold over a million
copies earning Jerry his coveted
gold record.
He has written songs for other
artists as well as for himself. He
wrote for such artists as Jackie
Wilson, Count Basie and the late
Otis Redding.
The mellow
ing!
“Ice Man” is com-
By HARRIETT GREDDES
Four Spelman students attend
ed the General Session of the
National Association of Black
Adult Educators.
Joyce Horton, Carol Rawls,
Harriett Geddes and Patricia
Benton attended the session on
October 28, 1970 at the Regency
Hyatt House. The president, Dr.
Joseph C. Paige, Dean of Com
munity and Director of the Dis
trict of Columbia Cooperative Ex
tension Service of Federal City
College, Washington, D. C., pre
sided.
Tony Brown, Executive Pro
ducer of the New York based
National Educational Television’s
“Black Journal” series, and As
sociate Professor in the Graduate
Adult Education Program, Fed
eral City College, was the key-
not speaker. Mr. Brown said he
is an African who was going to
deliver an African message.
“Separatism in this country is
an absolute reality,” he said.
“Black power is the only salva
tion this country has.’
Mr. Brown said there are
three kinds of white people in
this country: the conservative,
the moderate and the liberal. He
further explained that alliances
at this point in history are ab
solutely necessary.
“I believe in integration of col
ored folks and blacks into Afri
cans,” he said. Mr. Brown said
Blacks are a nation that has
not awakened to the fact.
To white America, Mr. Brown
said they cannot genocide blacks,
tie said that Blacks will survive,
that the spirit of blackness can
and never will be destroyed.
Mr. Brown closed his African
message by saying, “There is only
freedom, because we are indeed
oppressed.”
Blue
and
White
banquet
Nov. 23