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Freedom Hal Underway By Adele S. Newson Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson told a crowd of more than 2,000 people that Mrs. Coretta Scott King has done a superb job in coordinating the Freedom Hall Complex, honoring the late Martin Luther King, Jr., at the ground breaking ceremony Oct. 18. Jackson went on to say that Mrs. King “has the unqualified support of this city’s govern ment.” The city has pledged nearly $2 million dollars to aid the $3 million dollar complex “in continuity.” Also in attendance were Vice President Walter Mondale, for mer Ambassador Andrew Young, Henry Ford II and a' host of political leaders, businessmen, community representatives, and scholars from all over this coun try. Vice President Mondale pledged an additional $1.5 million from the federal Economic Development Administration “to continue the work” of the center. Henry Ford II announced that as of date $8.2 million had been raised for the project. According to Ford, “Reaching our goal means many things: it means the center can begin construction on all buildings of the Freedom Hall complex. It means the center can plan with certainity its future programs and activities and it means the center can begin this Photo by Keith Harriston new chapter during the 50th an niversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birth.” The complex will be located on “Sweet Auburn Ave.,” surroun ding the marbel tomb of Dr. Mar tin Luther King, Jr. It is estimated that the complex will attract more than 225,000 tourists a year. The complex will bring in a con siderable amount of revenue by selling $175,000 worth of souvenirs this year and by con ducting tours of Martin Luther King’s birthplace for $1.00 per adult. Mrs. King conceived of the idea of a Jiving memorial to her husband in 1968, just after his death. It is now, more than 10 years later, that her dream will be realized. She views her efforts as “a living memorial filled with all the vitality that was his, a center of human endeavor, committed to the causes for which he lived and died.” Critics maintain that the King Center is grappling for an iden tity. Dudley Weeks, former program director of the center, contends that administrators of the center are trying to decide if “...they want to be ac tivists—reaching out to the people Dr. King would have wan ted to help if he were still alive.” Currently the center maintains 10 programs. The day care center and the reading institute are the only two of the 10 programs geared to the general public. The other eight programs are in tellectual in scope, training in dividuals for leadership. This fact has caused many to wonder if the center’s chief concern is for the “disadvantaged.” Former UN Ambassador An drew Young said that this criticism is unfounded because the “Martin Luther King Movement was never an economic movement,” rather it was directed to “training people for social change.” Woman Molested In Howard Harreld On Sunday mprning, October 7, three o’clock a man entere 1 onto the ground floor of Howard- Harreld Hall. He was described as being a black male, light skinned, medium build, about (See MOLESTED, p. 3) S.W.A.C Involved ByLaRondaLMorris Academic Affairs will work on student/teacher evaluations and October 22-26th was the week dedicated to Protection Awareness by the S.W.A.C. Organization. The Spelman Womens Action Coalition (S.W.A.C.) took on this new name after the newly elected Ad visory Board Chairperson, Carolita Jones, felt that the Organization would have a more positive influence on students if the name were changed. The purpose of this organization is to act as a liaison to channel the concerns of the students to the S.G.A. and/or President of Spelman. Under this organization are various com mittees such as: Academic Af fairs, Food Services, Housing, Security and Student life. There are presently twenty-five active members in the organization. Some of the accomplishments that the S.W.A.C. team hopes to achieve during the academic year 79-80 are: Protection Awareness during Homecoming to make students aware of protective measures, also dealing with rape on and off campus: a survey will be taken by the Housing Com mittee to ensure better housing arrangements for next year; establishing an honor society; the Student Life Committee is in the process of working on taking a “PROF” to lunch (faculty, ad ministration, staff). The remaining committees are also working on other activities. Carolita feels this organization will continue throughout the years because concerned studen ts need somewhere to channel their complaints. When asked how this organization will benefit Spelman students, Carolita responded, “They will have a channel which they (Spelman students) can directly relate problems or complaints having to do with Spelman with the feeling some action will be taken to help modify the problem for the bet terment of the student body.” Inside •Blacks and the Kennedy Boom p. 4 •Special Tribute to Stevie Wonder p. 12 Rev. Lowery Visits Middle East By Cynthia Williams In a historical trip to the Mid dle East for a meeting with Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations and the Palestine Liberation Organization’s United Nation representatives, key mem bers of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) called for an end to the senseless killing of innocent Israeli and Palestinian citizens. This delegation consisted of national religious leaders as well as SCLC members and was led by SCLC president the Reverend Joseph E. Lowery. The con ference with the representatives of major Middle East factions was held August 20 and 21 of 1979. The SCLC called for a joint moratorium on violence while peace negotiations in the Middle East continue. President of the SCLC Reverend Lowery, who was elec ted to this position in August of 1977, gave some background in formation on the problem in the Middle East with the PLO while here in Atlanta. Reverend Lowery explained bv telling of the formation of the Nation of Israel by the United Nations in 1940. This creation of the Nation of Israel was com posed of much of the land area where the Arabs or Palestinians lived. This was done without con sultation of the Arabs. The Arabs were then offered land on the West Banks, but refused because they had been left out of the original agreement. Reverend Lowery continued by stating, “Today there are three and-a-hair Palestinians who are now homeless. They were kicked out of their land and the Palestian people have a ligitimate gripe. The recent peace negotiations in the Middle East do not include the Palestian Liberation Organization even though they are willing to accept the West Banks and Gaza Strip area. Israel, Reverend Lowery further (See REV. LOWERY, p. 3)