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MISS TORCHBEARER- THE BLACK WOMAN”
REGRESSION
by Amelia Hamilton
On Friday, October 18, the Black women of Spelman
College witnessed the regression of their race of some 30
years at Morehouse College and hopefully the last Ms.
Torchbearer Pagent 74—75.
Twelve of Spelman College’s beautiful Black sisters
and one other newcomer on the scene lined up to
compete for the crown of Miss Torchbearer — the
supposely Black Queen for Morehouse’s Alumni. The
Miss Torchbearer Pageant which was held in Spelman
College’s Cafeteria “free of charge” was a 314 hour
display of Black beauty, talent and intelligence. The
“Sisters” of Spelman worked very hard in preparing and
financing themselves in hope of being chosen as
Morehouse’s (particularly Alumni) representation of
Black womanhood. Much to everyone’s surprise, not one
of the twelve sisters was selected to reign as the first Miss
Torchbearer. Instead Judy Jones a girl from some island
in the Caribbean was selected on basis which are still a
mystery to many of us here on the “Yard”.
Her selection as queen cause quite an uproar among
the Black women at Spelman and some of the men at
Morehouse.
Question’s were raised as to what was the criteria for
Ms. Torchbearer why was it even necessary to select a
Ms. Torchbearer, where does she fit in, in the Carnation
of Miss Maroon and White, what purposes will she fill,
why wasn’t Miss Maroon and White recognized at the
pageant by the men of Morehouse. And what is the
Morehouse Man’s ideal of Beauty?
Ms. Jones is a very, very fair skinned lady with very
long light brown hair. I think her physical features and
the fact that she is not a native Afro-American played a
major part in her success and was aldo the cause of all
the controversy. As the old saying goes “anything but a
Nigger will do”.
Whatever the Ms. Torchbearer Pageant was based on,
we can rest assured that could not have been based on
talent nor Black consciousness since the two most
talented and conscientious sisters of the pageant were
placed in the background as the little Black servants,
were placed behind “Ms. Ann” in the days of slavery.
Miss Jones’ selection over twelve sisters was an insult to
Black women, particularly the Black women of Spelman.
The men and alumni of Morehouse may as well have told
the women of Spelman-who are for the most part Black,
that our skin is too dark and our hair is too kinky to
serve as their ideal of beauty.
I am seriously concerned about the minds of Black
people today particularly the young people in the center
who are the leaders of tomorrow. It seems instead of
progressing that we are allowing ourselves to regress and
be put back in time by the old brain washed ideas of
some elders and the past.
I am also concerned about the Morehouse Boys who
obviously fall short of being a man since the Alumni has
to come in and make decisions for them. And if you are
asking what decisions, — Morehouse Boys — then you
know why you fall short. It is a sad thing to say but it
seems that the strong and proud Black woman must
once again bear the burden of leadership and instillment
of Black pride.
Remember
Black is Beautiful
signed
A proud Black
kinky haired
Woman
Amelia K. Hamilton
BLACK QUEEN OF BEAUTY, THOU HAS GIVEN
COLOUR TO THE WORLD! AMONG OTHER WOMEN
THOU ART ROYAL AND THE FAIREST! LIKE THE
BRIGHTEST OF JEWELS IN THE REGAL DIADEM,
SHINEST THOU, GODDESS OF AFRICA, NATURE’S
PUREST EMBLEM! BLACK MEN WORSHIP AT THY
VIRGINAL SHRINE OF TRUEST LOVE, BECAUSE
IN THINE EYES ARE VIRTUE’S STEADY AND
HOLY MARK, AS WE SEE IN NO OTHER, CLOTHES
IN SILK OR FINE LINEN, FROM ANCIENT VENUS,
THE GODDESS, TO MYTHICAL HELEN. WHEN
AFRICA STOOD AT THE HEAD OF THE ELDER
NATIONS, THE GODS USED TO TRAVEL FROM
FOREIGN LANDS TO LOOK AT THEE: ON COUCH
OF COSTLY EASTERN MATERIALS, ALL
PERFUMED, RECLINED THEE, AS IN THY PATH
FLOW’RS WERE STREWN-SWEETEST THAT
BLOOMED.
THY TRANSCENDENT MARVELLOUS BEAUTY
MADE THE WHOLE WORLD MAD, BRINGING
SOLOMON TO TEARS AS HE VIEWED THY
COMELINESS; ANTHONY AND THE CAESARS
WEPT AT THY ROYAL FEET, PREFERRING DEATH
THAN TO LEAVE THY PRESENCE, THEIR FOES TO
MEET. YOU, IN ALL AGES, HAVE ATTRACTED
THE ADORING WORLD, AND CAUSED MANY
BANNERS TO BE UNFURLED; YOU HAVE SAT
UPON EXALTED AND LOFTY EMINENCE, TO SEE
A WORLD IN YOUR ANCIENT AFRICAN DEFENSE.
TODAY YOU HAVE BEEN DETHRONED, THROUGH
THE WEAKNESS OF YOUR MEN, WHILE, IN
FRENZY, THOSE WHO OF YOURS CRAVED YOUR
SMILES AND YOUR HAND, THOSE WHO WERE ALL
MONSTERS AND COULD NOT WITH LOVE
APPROACH YOU
HAVE INSULTED YOUR PRIDE AND NOW ATTACK
YOUR GOOD VIRTUE. BECAUSE OF DISUNION
YOU BECAME MOTHER OF THE WORLD GIVING
TINGE OF ROBUST COLOUR TO FIVE
CONTINENTS, MAKING A GREAT WORLD OF
MILLIONS OF COLOUR RACES, WHOSE CLAIM TO
BEAUTY IS REFLECTED THROUGH OUR BLACK
FACES.
FROM THE HANDSOME INDIAN TO THE
EUROPEAN BRUNETTE, THERE IS A CLAIM FOR
THAT CREDIT OF THEIR SUNNY BEAUTY THAT
NO ONE CAN ER’ER TAKE FROM THEE, 0 QUEEN
OF ALL WOMEN, WHO HAVE BORNE TRIALS AND
TROUBLES OF RACIAL BURDEN. ONCE MORE WE
SHALL, IN AFRICA, FIGHT AND CONQUER FOR
YOU, RESTORING THE PEARLY CROWN THAT
PROUD QUEEN SHEBA DID WEAR; YES, IT MAY
MEAN BLOOD, IT MAY MEAN DEATH; BUT STILL
WE SHALL FIGHT, BEARING OUR BANNERS TO
VICTORY, MEN OF AFRICA’S MIGHT. SUPERIOR
ANGELS LOOK LIKE YOU IN HEAVEN ABOVE,
FOR THOU ART FAIREST, QUEEN OF THE
REASONS, QUEEN OF OUR LOVE. NO CONDITION
SHALL MAKE US EVER IN LIFE DESERT THEE,
SWEET GODDESS OF THE EVER GREEN LAND
AND PLACID BLUE SEA.
Marcus Garvey
EDITORIAL POLICY
The Spelman Spotlight is published by-monthly by
the students of Spelman College. Signed letters and
columns do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the
Spotlight Staff. Unsigned editorials reflect the opinion
of the majority of the staff.
The Spotlight welcomes letters expressing views and
opinions on any subject. Letters and articles must be
typed and triple spaced and must be signed by the
author (names can be withheld from publication upon
consent of the editor.) Once articles and letters are
received they become the property of the Spotlight.
IS SPELMAN PREPARING US
FOR THE PROFESSIONAL
WORLD?
by Marian Cobb
Spelman College is described in our catalog as a
Liberal Arts College for the education of black women.
Most of us are unaware of the connotations of a
liberal arts college in relation to job opportunities and
capabilities in the real world. Ideally, a liberal arts
college is designed for the purpose of producing
educationally well-rounded individuals for intellectual
lives in the leisure classes. What does this mean for us?
Do we consider ourselves members of a leisure class? Are
we aspiring to become ladies of leisure or working
women?
Upon an inscrutinous investigation we find that
maybe Spelman isn’t the ideal liberal arts college but
neither is it a driving technical institution. Although
culture, versatility and the ability to move with ease in
intellectual circles are developed within our students, the
hard core truths and practices of life are not shielded
from our learning eyes.
It is a general belief that a liberal arts education is of
the best sort for women who are seeking to further
themselves academically; general knowledge in all
subjects is obtained as opposed to a closed instruction in
one specialized field. This is a definite advantage whereas
it affords one the privilege of moving from one area of
study to the next with ease.
The technical school education is best for those
whose intentions are primarily geared to labor careers
that do not deal with the arts. However, the majority of
modern Black women do not embrace careers of this
caliber.
A look at the careers chosen by Spelman graduates
lends proof to this contention; we see that Spelmanites
seem to be adequately prepared for the careers that they
choose to pursue. After all our curriculum provides for
careers in almost any field of study that interests our
students.
On the other hand, should some of us become lucky
enough to eventually become “ladies of leisure” the
education that we’re receiving at Spelman will most
certainly prove more than adequate for our needs.
BLACK LIBERATION:
DEAD
OR
ALIVE?
by Margaret Lee
Since the late sixties the great interest in the
movement for the liberation of Blacks has died down,
but it has not dissolved totally. Historically the
movement has encompassed the interests of the
Christian Nationalists to the interests of the Communist
Party. Recently the October League, a Communist
Organization, held a discussion at the Catholic House in
the A. U. Center to express their position on the Black
Liberation Movement today.
Sherman Miller of Detroit, Michigan, a member of the
Central Committee discussion on September 23, 1974,
speaking for the League, called for Blacks to join
together to form a Black United Front which will
encompass nearly all the classes and strata of Black
people. He stated that, “The Black workers must be at
the core of the United Front for they produce the
wealth and therefore should control it.” Among the
main objectives of the League are to overthrow the
capitalist government in the United States and to
institute a communist form of government which will
cease to exploit the masses of Blacks.
According to Miller, the October League feels that
the right of the Black nation to determine its own
destination is at the heart of the liberation movement.
Though at this point the October League opposes the
secession of Black from the United States, it is felt that
in order for Blacks to acquire political power secession
must eventually occur. When it is time, it will take place
in the Black Belt of the South, because it is here that the
soul of the liberation movement exists.