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Page 4 — NEWS
Spelman Spotlight
May, 1981
SPELMAN
CELEB RA TES ITS
CENTENNIAL
Dinner With Ruby Dee
and Ossie Davis
By Helena J. Wright
Class of ’81
As I sat there waiting on them to arrive,
my mind started racing. What would Isay
to them'' God please let something
profound roll off these lips. Just one
really profound statement. I thought so
hard, that I developed a “thinker’s
headache” so 1 stopped. 1 took a few deep
breaths and reflected on some of the
things they had said earlier that day at the
lecture. Quite naturally, one would
expect that as an aspiring actress/
playwright. I would be interested in any
advice coming from two highly respected
figures as Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis. But
their message transcended the arts.
Unlike many “celebrity-speakers” who
come, give dramatic synopses of their
lives and then leave, the Davises spoke on
the real issues facing Blacks.
They talked about the commitment
needed within the Black race to ensure
survival. They stressed the need for
Blacks to start developing their own
mediums and to stop allowing their
survival to rest in the hands of the white
power structure.
Using themselves as examples, Ossie
stated “had we waited on someone to
‘give’ us a break, we would still be
waiting.” So they created their own
break, and are now calling on us to do the
same. In the spirit of self-help the Davises
have grown, from community theatre, to
Broadway, to movie, and to television
and radio. The key to their success is
"create it yourself,” which is exactly what
they have done for the past 32 years.
Suddenly they were there. Sitting with
us having dinner. Talking to us with
concern and even more wisdom. And 1
began to think how fortunate we were to
have had them - with us in this our
centennial year as two perfect examples
of what we can do together.
Above left: Charlayne
Hunter- Gault, reporter of
the McNeil-Lehrer TV
News Show, and first
black admitted to
University of Georgia’s
Journalism School, was
keynote speaker at
Thursday night’s
Centennial Dinner.
Above right: Alumnae
on verge on Spelman
ollege campus Friday,
ide: Maynard Jackson,
layor of Atlanta, poses
vit h his mother, a
-pelman graduate during
he Centennial Dinner at
he Peachtree Hotel.
Spelman is 100 years old!
Ossie Davis
Enjoy the fun at the April 4 Founder’s
Day Fair.
Alumnae
A Very Special Sisterhood
By Karen Burroughs
Sr. Reporter
During the week of April 4 through
April 12, Spelman celebrated its 100th
year anniversary. On April 10th and 11th,
several symposiums were presented under
the theme, “Spelman in Transition:
Agenda for the Second Century.” In
Howe Hall, on Friday, Spelman
presented “Alumnae:. A Very Special
Sisterhood.”
Dr. Beverly Sheftall, English teacher,
opened the symposium by welcoming the
alumnae and students. A slide
presentation was then shown of profiles
of selected Spelman alumnae who have
made, names for themselves.
Mrs. Willie Blackburn, a former
student of Spelman, Ordie Chapman,
president of the sophomore class, and
Sheila Webb.a 1975 graduate of Spelman
who is now a psychiatric social worker,
spoke on Spelman Sisterhood.
Mrs. Blackburn stated, “It is my
premise that we have a very special
sisterhood because Spelman is and has
always been a very special college." She
went on to say that Spelman has
produced thousands of strong, talented,
and well educated black women over the
past century and that Spelman has a way
of instilling not only pride,.and self-
respect in her students, but respect for
others as well.
Odrie Chapman added that the very
special sisterhood means “caring with a
deep committment and enables us to
combine a bond of courage and strength
to move forward.”
Finally, Sheila Webb said, “We have
only skimmed the surface of our abilities.
We ca not afford to be complacent. Part
of being a Spelman sister means reaching
back and pulling your sister up. There is
not a Spelmanite alive who cannot rise to
meet this challenge.”
One of the highlights of “Alumnae: A
Very Special Sisterhood” was a slide
presentation that featured outstanding
alumnae who had earned national and
international respect as pioneers,
crusaders, and distinguished career
women in the fields of law. medicine,
education, business and community
service. The presentation featured
Georgia Brooks who founded a hospital
for blacks, prominent civil rights activist
Maxine Smith. Geneva Haugabrooks
who was founder of one of the largest
black funeral homes in Atlanta, and
manv others.