Newspaper Page Text
March, 1981
Spelman Spotlights
Page 5 — NEWS
Dr. Stewart Addresses Klan Issue National Black Student
A recent attempt by NBSA
sympathizers to have the Kleebler-Duke
debate thake place at Spelman College
has ended in failure.
In a February 26 memorandum to the
Spelman College Community, President
Donald Stewart stated that “on the advice
of legal counsel and the Police” the
Spelman College administration “cannot
condone this person (David Duke)
coming onto the campus and will not
grant permission for him to do so.”
The move to have David Duke speak at
Spelman was initiated at a convocation
held on Thursday, February 19 to discuss
academic concerns at the college. At that
time a student asked President Stewart,
after referring to the concept of academic
freedom, if a controversial person could
speak at Spelman given that at least 100
students desired to have him speak.
According to student reports, Stewart
gave his consent without knowing what
speaker the student was referring to.
In his memorandum, Stewart stated.
"While embracing the right of free speech
totally, 1 have asked these students to
consider the feelings and well-being of
others in this matter. I have asked them to
think of Spelman’s well-being at this
critical time in its history and the possible
consequences of such an act. Reason
seems not to work.”.
Stewart further stated that “they
(NBSA) do not have the right to endanger
the lives of others or the well-being of this
institution. An historically black college
entertaining someone like this defies
understanding.”
“At this place, at this time,” he stated,
“the Klan would love to see an explosion
at Spelman. Given the tension in our city
because of the deaths of our children and
the economic problems in the country,
one fight, one shot would do it.”
Stewart ended by saying that “this
cannot take place on our campus. Care
enough about Spelman not to want it to
take place.”
Association Invites Klan
Member To Speak
Julian Bond Upset
Over Duke Invitation
By Gregory Clinton
Jr. Reporter
David Duke, ex-imperial wizard of the
Ku Klux Klan (KKK) and current
president of the National Association for
the Advancement of White People, has
been invited by the National Black
Student Association (NBSA) to
participate in a debate expected to take
place toward the end of March.
NBSA is a chartered organization of
Clark College that is headed by two
Morehouse students, Clinton Lacey and a
young man called Kokie. According to
NBSA, “The students in the Atlanta
University Center are asleep — unaware
of the oppressed state black Americans
constitute.” Duke is questionably ranked
as one of the top ten most sought-after
speakers by American colleges and
universities and is expected to be paid
SHOO.00 by NBSA.
Clinton Lacey describes Duke, 30, as a
young articulate man. Lacey continued
by saying, “Duke is a graduate of the
“Duke is a graduate of the University of
Lousiana, who speaks the truth in
reference to the race issue. Duke favors
the systematic elimination of blacks in
American through open competition —
opposed to violence.”
Columbus Keepler, a graduate of Miles
College, where he majored in Education,
Religion and Philosophy, is expected to
debate David Duke. Keepler is also a
1974 graduate of the University of
Illinois, where he received a Juris
Doctorate Degree. NBSA has much
confidence in Keepler and feels he will
reign victorious over Duke.
The underlined purpose of this debate
is to “arouse the consciousness level of
blacks in the AUC and community.” It is
believed by the NBSA that “nothing else
would do this.”
President Donald Stewart will not be
the only one to go down in history this
year for writing scathing memorandums.
In a February 25 memorandum to the
Atlanta University Center (AUC)
President and the AUC Student
Government Presidents, State Senator
Julian Bond stated that he is “appalled to
discover that some students at a Center
school have extended an invitation to Ku
The Klan
Klux Klansman David Duke to speak.”
“Through this invitation,” he said,
“Atlanta University Center students give
sanction to the Klan’s philosophy and
subsidy to its evil work.”
Bond said, “This invitation to David
Duke is an invitation to dance on the
graves of the anonymous thousands sent
to death by the hooded hooligans of the
Ku Klux Klan.
For Those Who Don’t Know
* The Klan is an organization
dedicated to the notion of white
supremacy.
* The basic thesis of the Klan is that
from a genetic and biblical standpoint.
Blacks and Jews are inferior.
For those members of th Spotlight
readership who don’t know, the Ku Klux
Klan is alive and active.
A recent publication by The
Tennessean who devoted entirely to the
Klan, their activities and doctrine. The
publication demonstrated the fact that
the Klan is an organ — ignition
committed to terrorism and racism. And
in addition, the many articles written by
investigative reporter Jerry Thompson
suggested that many factions of the
American population are growing more
sympathetic to the Klan and their
activities. Thompson writies, “. . . There
is surprising latent sympathy for the Klan
movement among many ‘respectable’
citizens who shun KKK memberships. In
numbers, Klan members are small when
compared to the thousands and
thousartds who belonged to what
amounted tb a Southern guerilla army in
the 1960s. Aiit many people, who decline
X6 “sigh 1 hh ’application black, still feel
supportive of the white supremacy and
ahti Semitic rhetoric of Klan leaders."
It is such support that can not be taken
lightly, according to Thompson and other
writers on Klan activities. The Klan is
increasingly gaining the support of White
Americans who have never supported a
hate group before.
Many ask, “Why the increase in Klan
support?”, and “Why from ‘respectable’
JULIAN BOND
District 39
36t Weslvicw Drive. S.W.
Atlanta. Georgia 30310
COMMITTEES:
Consumer Affairs. Chairman
Governmental Operations
Human Resources
SUBCOMMITTEES:
Merit System
Aging
®l|c J&tatc Senate
Atlanta, ©eoryin 30334
February 25, 1981
[ E M O R ANDUM
TO:
Atlanta University Center President,
Student Government Association Presidents
FROM: Julian Bond, State Senator
RE: DAVID DUKE INVITATION
members of our society?'’ An editorial in
the special edition of The Tennessean
answered these question, “and people are
listening to them (the Klan) even decent
people. They are listening to them
because they feel frustrated about their
jobs, about their lives, about their
country. They are listening to them
because Mr. Wilkinson and Mr. Black
(leaders of the Klan) travel around the
country and take advantage of local
tensions and confrontations. The
numbers may be few but the danger they
pose is great.”
The Tennessean, black leaders and
Continued on page 6
I am appalled to discover that some students at a Center school have
extended an invitation to Klux Klux Klansman, David Duke, to speak.
Duke is associated with a 116-year-old terrorist organization dedi
cated to the subjugation of Black people.
Klan mentoers take an oath of racial loyalty.
These hoodlums have been responsible for the documented murders of
more than 5,000 Black people, for the mutilation of hundreds of others,
and for the orchestration of a century long campaign of racial terror,
religious bigotry, and militant, violent opposition to the most elemental
human rights.
Through this invitation, Atlanta University Center students give sanction
to the Klan's philosophy and subsidy to its evil work.
It is beyond my comprehension that educated Black people would voluntarily
donate their funds to an individual and organization dedicated to their
destruction.
Would students at Brandeis University invite Adolph Hitler to address
them?
Would students at Carlyle invite General Custer?
Would students at Notre Dame invite Ian Paisley?
It was Klansmen who dynamited the 16th Avenue Baptist Church in
Birmingham in 1963, murdering 4 Black children.
Klansmen killed Lemuel Penn in Athens, Georgia; Mickey Schwerner,
Andrew Goodman and James Cheyney in Philadelphia, Mississippi.
Klansmen kidnapped Judge Aaron in Montgomery, Alabama, castrated him
with razor blades, poured kerosene in his wounds, and dumped him in
a drainage ditch.
Neither space or time permit a listing of Klan atrocities ranging
from 1865 until 1981.
This invitation to David Duke is an invitation to dance on the graves
of the anonymous thousands sent to death by the hooded hooligans
of the Ku Klux Klan.
Julian Bond