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Vol. xxvm, No.7 Atlanta, Georgia April25,1984 “THE MAKING OF A NEW LEADERSHIP” by Carolyn Grant WSB-TV commentator Ron Sailor spoke in Giles Hall at Spelman College on Thursday evening, March 29 to students on "The Jesse Jackson Campaign: The Making of A New Leadership.” Mr. Sailor focused his speech on what the Jesse Jackson cam paign means in terms of it being a movement, which he cited to be its greatest and most pronounc ed meaning, and as it related to electoral politics. Establishing a brief historical basis of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the beginning of his move ment in Alabama, Mr. Sailor said "The Jesse Jackson campaign represents in its infancy what the King campaign and the Montgomery Improvement Association represented in its infancy." Drawing this relationship between the two campaigns, Mr. Sailor said he remembered when Martin Luther King began to announce his movement of freedom in Montgomery. There were Negro leaders who basically advocated that it was the wrong time to start a movement, said Mr. Sailor. He pointed out that for Dr. King this was, as W.E.B. Dubois stated, and internal and external struggle. “He had to not only convince the very hostile and the very vengeful environ ment externally of his capability to lead and more importantly of the rightness of the movement," said Mr. Sailor, "But he had an internal struggle that was just as mean and filled with just as many mountains, obstacles, and pit- falls." Reviewing the Jesse Jackson campaign, Mr. Sailor implied that the struggle still exists. He said that when Mr. Jackson began to announce for presiden cy, a lot of people, including the press, wanted to challenge him on the basis of credibility, capability, qualification, and any factors which we use in the American norm to disqualify as opposed to qualify. Watching the campaign close ly for the last few months, Mr. Sailor said he has not only seen the maturing of a presidential campaign, but he has seen the maturing of a presidential can didate. With the issues arising and having some effect, he said Jesse Jackson has come to realize that his campaign, much more than a step forward into electoral politics, represents an oppor tunity to step into a vacuum of Black leadership in this country. “What the Jesse Jackson cam paign is doing, although not intentionally, “said Mr. Sailor," is firming and fixing Jesse Jackson in the forefront of Black leadership.” According to Mr. Sailor, Mr. Jackson, at this point, has the attention of Black America in a way that no other national leader has had the attention of Black America since Martin Luther King, Jr. "Jackson has transfixed Black America. Not only has he done this, but he has also en franchised an element in Black America which henceforth has been absolutely uninterested in democratic * presidential politics,” he sated. Referring to the figures of Super Tuesday in Georgia, Mr. Sailor pointed out that 24% of the people who had never voted before voted in this election. He also pointed out that this figure is not as signifi cant until it is considered that of those 24% virtually 80% had been eligible to vote before. "The Jesse Jackson presence Continued on pg. 11 Funeral Services Held For Benjamin Elijah Mays by Gary K. Foster Funeral services for Dr. Ben jamin Elijah Mays, distinguished educator and President Emeritus of Morehouse College, were held Saturday, March 31. Mays, whose health had been declining for some time, made achievements that span from the early 1900’s to his death. He was known to have made many quotable quotes in his lifetime. His words reflected just what he believed: "Not failure but low aim is sin.” With his brilliant ideology and ambition to excel, he influenced many people including the late Dr. Martin Luther King. In his 89 years, Mays received 39 honorary degrees and wrote seven books, including the powerful Born to Rebel. In a tribute to Mays, Morehouse College President Hugh Gloster said that the last time they saw each other, Mays still had three more books in mind, Mays first came to Morehouse in 1921 to teach mathematics. During his three years in Atlanta, he also served as pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church. In 1940, Mays returned to Atlanta to serve as President of Morehouse College for 27 years. He was later respected and admired as the man who had increased the enrollment, en dowment and national reputa tion of the one time suffering school. Mays was a humanitarian and respected by many. He was a friend to many people, from the man on the street to U.S. presidents. In 1962, President John Kennedy had considered appointing Mays to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. The appointment was opposed by the two Georgia U.S. senators because of Mays’ alleged association with Communist influenced organizations. Ex-President Jimmy Carter quoted the beatitudes to describe Mays in a tribute at the funeral services. Even after retiring from Morehouse in 1967, Mays was soon elected to the Atlanta School Board. After becoming president of the school board, Mays helped make Atlanta school desegregation a smooth process. He retired from the school board in 1981. Dillard University President Samuel D. Cook said in his eulogy that Mays died dreaming and aspiring.Hisquotes, wisdom, and ideology will live on. In the words of what was reported to have been one of Mays’ favorite songs, "I keep so busy workin’ for my Jesus, ain’t got time to die.” Inside this Issue: Founders Day 1984 pgs. 6&7 Review of “Raisin” ... pg. 11 A Spelman Woman ... pg. 10 PHOTO OPINION .... pg. 5 ! AND MUCH MORE!!