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The Spelman Spotlight
May, 1979
Development Editor
Pamela D. Moore
Reporters
Sheron Covington
Pamela Johnson
Daisy Minter
Adele Newson
Shelia Poole
Valita Sellers
Elayne Walker
Rolanda Watts
Nancy West
Donna Williams
Dorothy Williams
Literary Editor
Gabrielle Girigorie
Photographers
Donald L. Allen
Ralph Barnette
Advertising Solicitor
Rolonda Watts
Advisor
Christopher Reynolds
Retraction & Correction
The April, 1979 issue of The Spelman Spotlight contained
an article on pages 5 and 11 entitled, “Changes Sweep AU
Public Safety.” The article contained a number of inaccurate
statements concerning the reasons for the resignations of
Jules W. Evans, former deputy director of the Atlanta
University Public Safety Department (AUPSD), and Dorothy
Wilson, former general office manager of AUPSD.
In particular, the article erroneously asserted quoting an
anonymous source that Mr. Evans had never received a
college degree, that he was angered at the prospect of some
one other than himself obtaining the recently vacated depart
ment director’s position, and that Evans and Ms. Wilson had
engaged in an amourous relationship. Further, with regard
to Ms. Wilson’s employment situation, the article was
incorrect in stating that she was lacking in the job skills
necessary to perform her duties at AUPSD, and that she had
resigned her position at the request of Evans in order to leave
with him.
Further investigation by The Spotlight has disclosed that
Mr. Evans in fact has two Bachelor of Science degrees from
fully accredited educational institutions, and that Ms. Wilson
resigned her post at AUPSD due to the Atlanta University
Center’s decision to change the requirements for her job.
The article of April, 1979 is corrected and retracted
accordingly. The editors regret these unintentional errors
and apologize for any embarrassment they may have caused
Mr. Evans or Ms. Wilson.
Status Of Morehouse
Yes, there is an idenity crisis but
this crisis cannot be placed solely
on the shoulders of Spelman Col
lege. It is Morehouse College also
who is losing its identity, and 1
shall not base my opinion on such
trivialities as the color of its stu
dents hair.
Looking back upon tne time that
I entered Spelman College, I
remember being very much
intrigued by neighboring More
house’s reputation, a reputation
established as a result of the hard
work and talents of such men as
Benjamin Mays and as a result of
the great accomplishments of the
school’s illustrious alumni (Martin
Luther King, Jr., Lerone Bennett,
Maynard Jackson, and a host of
doctors, lawyers and other profes
sional men).
However, Morehouse, your rep
utation was established long ago-
...But what about now? You’re still
clinging on to a reputation that in
my opinion warrants reassesment.
You’re a facade (that is if the fresh
men letters that you printed in the
last issue of the Spotlight arc repre
sentative of the entire student
body). That is right, you indicted
yourself with the ludicrous, poorly
constructed, nonsubstantive gar
bage that your student body dared
to want published.
Morehouse College, reestablish
your identity as a black institution
and remember...When you’re liv
ing in a glass house don’t throw no
stones.
Sincerely,
Sharon McGahee'
African Influences In Christianity
T 'r ' 'M
By Avy D. Long
It is believed by many
theologians that the inhabitants of
Northern Africa do not possess the
same physical characteristics as
those who lived in patriarchal and
pre-patriarchal periods. The
period in which Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob lived is called the
patriarchal period. These men are
considered the- founders of the
Hebrew family.
In Herodotus’ Histories, Book II
he described the African of this
period as such: “The Colchians,
Egyptians, and Ethiopians have
thick lips, broad nose, wooly hair,
and they are burnt of skin.” The
Jews or Hebrews lived in Egypt for
a little more than 400 years. Since
they lived in Egypt they were also
Egyptians by nationality; they
were Jews (or Hebrews) because of
their religion and culture. Hence, if
the Jews are to be considered
Egyptians their physical
characteristics would be as those
described by Herodotus.
In his book African Origins of
the Major “Western Religion,"
Yosef ben-Jochannan cites the
following passages from the Holy
Bible to prove that there were no
physical traits that would allow for
distinguishing one on the basis of
race, culture, or religion at this
time.
“When they came to their father
Revel, he said, ‘How is it that you
have come so soon today?’
They said, ‘An Egyptian
delivered us out of the hands of the
shepherds...’” (Exodus 2:18-19)
The Egyptian referred to is
Moses. When he fled from Egypt
to the land of Midia (which is now
the Sinai Peninsula), he helped the
daughters of a priest draw water
from the well. The women
described him to their father as an
Egyptian—not a Jew (or Hebrew).
Jochannan uses these verses to
. substantiate “the indigenous
African characteristics of the
Haribus (Hebrews or Jews),
proving at the same time that there
was no more difference in the
physical makeup of the Jews than
any other indigenous African of
any different religious conviction
along the entire Nile Valley
civilizations (from present day
Uganda to the Mediterranean
Sea).”
The Rev. Norman Rates,
campus minister, agrees “with
Jochannan’s contentions about the
inhabitants of Northern Africa. He
believes that it was not until
Northern Africa was invaded by
the Arabs and their Islamic
religion that the inhabitants of
Northern Africa became those who
now possess the indigenous
characteristics of present day
inhabitants (fair skin and straight
hair).
In a manuscript (soon to be
published) entitled “Early
Christianity in Africa,” Rev. Rates
cites several biblical characters
who are native Africans. The man
who carried Jesus’ cross was from
Cyrene (an ancient city in northern
Africa). He returned to Africa with
a new religious conviction and
must have converted others in
Cyrene. He had two sons v <
carried the faith as far as A t
Minor as early as the first century.
In Acts 8:26A0 the Holy Bible
describes the conversion of an
Ethiopian eunuch. This man was a
high official in the Ethiopian
government who was converted to
Christianity by Philip. After his
conversion, he returned to
Ethiopia to spread the news about
Jesus Christ. His ministry took
place around the first century
about the same time as that of the
apostle Paul.
The Rev. Rates has been
conducting research in two major
areas: (1) early Christianity in
Africa and (2) the African presence
in the Old Testament. Through his
research he has traced the lineage
of many popular biblical
characters and has found them to
be of native African descent or a
mixture of native African and
some other race.
The Christian faith is familiar to
most but one thing that is not so
familiar is the African influence
which can be found in this religion.
When speaking of Christianity, the
first image that usually comes to
mind in Jesus. This image
generally bears the physical
characteristics of a Caucasian.
Blacks are most often associated
with Christianity in the context of
being witnessed to by other
Christians who are most often
white. The majority of black
people in this country profess some
type of Christian belief, but quite
often one gets the impression that
Christianity is a religion adopted
by blacks from Europeans. Very
seldom is there any mention of
black people (Africans) who
witnessed to others and
participated in the early
developments of this religion.
SCJ Convention
By Malrey Head
Members of the Spelman-
Morehouse Coalition of the
Society for Collegiate Journalists
(SCJ) attended the 1979 Biennial
Convention on April 19-21. The
members went to Eastern Ken
tucky University (EKU) in Rich
mond, Ky.
Two delegates from each school
served on committees and were
able to exercise one vote each.
Delegates Ms. Valita Sellers and
Ms. Adele Newson served on the
constitution and nominating com
mittees, respectively. Jerome
Walker, delegate from Morehouse,
served on the Chapter, Pin and
Ritual Committee. Each of these
three delegates chaired her respec
tive committee.
According to David Reed,
national secretary-treasurer of
SCJ, the purpose of the convention
is to get the committees together.
The various committees are what
govern SCJ.
-HI committees ..orked hard to
make SCJ a better organization.
The nomination committee was
one of the more productive com
mittees. It was responsible for con
sidering persons for national
offices for 1979-81 and for consid
ering school chapters to be repre
sentatives on the executive council.
It put in long hours and inter
viewed numerous people for the
offices. They also interviewed
school representatives to deter
mine if the school was qualified for
nomination. Ms. Newson suc
ceeded in getting Spelman nomi
nated by the committee. Although
the chapter was not elected to
serve, chapter members were
pleased with the nomination and
recognition of the chapter.
Along with the business meet
ings, delegates and other chapter
members were able to attend work
shops in various areas of
journalism.