Newspaper Page Text
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Spelman Spotlight 'April 9,1999
BeyondtfielSates
Are Blacks
Unfairly
Targeted in
Customs
Lines?
By Summer Brokaw, Beyond
the Gates Staff Writer
In response to allegations that customs inspectors
at Hartsfield International Airport discriminate against
Blacks, Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) called for a formal
investigation March 31. A half-dozen customs inspec
tors have come forth with complaints that there is an
unwritten rule at Hartsfield Airport to “go after Blacks”.
A recent report on Fox Television’s WAGA-TV also
alerted Rep. John Lewis that customs inspectors target
Blacks.
Rep. John Lewis sent a letter to Treasury Secretary
Robert Rubin, who oversees the Customs Service, say
ing that he has heard that 90 percent of the individuals
sent to Atlanta area hospitals to be X-rayed for drugs
were Black. Lewis said, “I am convinced based on what
I’ve heard, that there is a systematic pattern on the part
of customs agents in Atlanta to select Black males.
There’s something unfair about this, something that is
not right.”
Dale Russell’s I-Team Report on Fox Five News
revealed a pattern of holding Blacks for customs
inspections two out of every three detainments. It was
found that 80 percent of the time, the individual is
innocent. Joe Beasley, Regional Director of the Rain
bow-Push Coalition voiced his concern that everybody
should be treated the same.
The Senate Finance Committee will also review
how the Customs Service Agency conducts inspec
tions. Senate Finance Chairman William Roth (R-Del)
plans to hold hearings on the matter. In a statement,
Roth said that he is aware of racial discrimination in the
customs process nationwide, and he has expressed this
concern to the upper ranks of the agency.
Dennis Murphy, a Customs Service spokesperson
and Cathy Harris, a customs inspector for the last three
years in Atlanta and Miami have divergent views about
customs inspections. Murphy said, “Smugglers come
in all races. Babies have been used to smuggle drugs as
have 70-year old grandparents. I do not believe we are
being discriminatory. In fact, our policy is just the
opposite.” On the contrary, Harris said, “It is a matter
of routine for the agency to single out Blacks. If you ’re
Nigerian, forget it, your name is in the computer.”
Spelman Alumna named
Executive Director of
University Heights Science
Park
By Tiffany Edwards, Beyond
the Gates Section Editor
Jeanette F. Brummell
has been named the
new executive direc
tor of University
Heights Science Park
(UHSP) in Newark.
Brummell is a suc
cessful banking in
dustry executive with
more than 20 years
of experience in fi
nance, real estate de
velopment and com
munity planning.
Ms. Brummell,
of South Orange,
earned her bachelor’s de
gree in history from
Spelman College in At
lanta, Ga., and her master ’ s
degree in urban planning
from Hunter College in
New York City.
Ms. Brummell comes
to University Heights Sci
ence Park with two de
cades of experience at
Chase Manhattan Bank.
She joined Chase in 1977
and during her tenure was
responsible for arranging
financing for a wide range
of commercial and resi
dential developments. She
was appointed managing
director in the government
and finance group in 1994.
University Heights
Science Park (UHSP) is a
collaborative venture of
Newark’s institutions of
higher education (Rutgers
University/Newark, New
Jersey Institute of Tech
nology (NJIT), Essex
County College (ECC), the
University of Medicine
and Dentistry of New Jer
sey (UMDNJ), the City of
Newark, community
groups and private indus
try.
Dr. Stanley S. Bergen
Jr., Chairman of the Board
of Trustees of University
Heights Science Park and
founding president emeri
tus of the University of
Medicine and Dentistry of
New Jersey (UMDNJ),
said, “We are fortunate to
have someone with the
education, skills and expe
rience of Ms. Brummell as
our new
executive
director.
She brings
an exten
sive back
ground in
baking,
real estate
develop
ment, ur
ban plan
ning and
commu
nity relations.”
Ms. Brummell said,
“I am thrilled to be part of
this important economic
and community develop
ment initiative in Newark.
This mixed-use develop
ment represents the best
example of the kinds of
public, private and aca
demic alliances required to
enhance economic devel
opment of cities.” Ms.
Brummell represents the
best example of what a
Spelman graduate can
achieve.
“We are fortunate to have someone
with the education, skills and
experience of Ms. Brummell as our
new executive director. She brings
an extensive background in baking,
real estate development, urban
planning and community relations. ”
Dr. Stanley S. Bergen Jr.
Board of Trustees of University Heights
Science Park
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