Newspaper Page Text
Local/Region
Unity Street Festival
seeks to build bridges
By Danielle Robinson
AUGUSTA FOCUS News Intern
AUGUSTA
With the rash of church
burnings plaguing the nation,
organizers of an upcoming festi
_val feel there is no better time to
tunite against the perils of rac
ism. :
On Saturday, July 20, the Au
-1 gusta Riverwalk will be swarm
ing with vendors, music, shows,
_and food as Heritage Unity, Inc.
,presents its first annual Heri
.tage ’96 Unity Street Festival.
© “We want to break down the
< walls of racism in the churches
* and the community at large,” says
~Charles Walker Jr., unity coor
dinator for the festival.
The one-day, all day (10 a.m.-
10 p.m.)event highlights the his
:tory, heritage, and spirituality of
_people of color.
Scheduled events include a
family march, a gospel extrava
ganza, a cooking contest, and
_entertainers. Children will be
.able to enjoy arts and crafts,
‘storytelling, face painting, and
“pony rides while parents groove
~to the hits of the ’6os and *7os at
.the “Blue Lights in the Base
rment” dance party.
- dJoyce A. Brooks, executive di
.rector for the event, saystheidea
_for the festival struck her last
.June when she “saw all the other
‘ethnic groups having festivals
and felt Augusta needed one for
African Americans.”
Brooks then teamed up with
Walker and began making plans
for the street fest.
The coordinators agree that the
Heritage '96 Unity Street Festi
val has more to offer than the
Black Arts festivals of the ’6os
Bias lawsuit hits firm
From page one
Although he was a team leader
and an efficient worker, Mr.
Camp often deliberately under
cut his authority and attempted
to cause friction between Dean
and other workers, Mr. Dean
recalls.
“He [Mr. Camp] was waiting
for something to happen so he
could fire me.”
Eventually, Mr. Dean was
fired, but he was not the only
one. Many of the people who
worked on his team were also
fired shortly after. They believe
they were fired because they
voiced support for Mr. Dean or
had lodged complaints of their
own in response to abusive be
havior.
Among them was dJohn
Sherwood Jones, a white worker,
who was fired shortly after John
Dean. Mr. Jones is convinced he
was fired because the fact he was
writing a letter in support of Mr.
Dean had leaked and come to the
attention of Mr. Camp.
Mr. Jones was appalled at the
treatment many blacksreceived.
The tension heightened when a
staffmember reportedly referred
to a black worker as a “nigger.”
According to Mr. Jones, Mr.
Camp was overheard referring
to John Dean as a “smart-ass
nigger.” He tells a story of pref
erential treatment he received
because he was white. Mr.
Camp’s hostility to blacks was
not subtle, Mr. Jones suggested.
“They fired this young black
man because he had to take offto
take his momma to Atlanta.
When I ask for time off, it was
granted — no problem,” Mr.
Jones said.
Mr. Camp’s preoccupation with
race resulted in some disturbing
encounters, Mr. Jones said.
“Dave Camp said to me, Tm
sorry for putting you on an all
black team. I fired John Dean and
hired ... [another white worker]so
Look in the growing classified
section of the AUGUSTA FOCUS
for your next job!
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Internationally renowned opera singer Jessye Norman is
the honorary chairperson of the Heritage Unity Street
Festival. Ms. Norman (L) is shown with Joyce Brooks, execu
tive director.
and ’'7os.
“The old Black Arts fests tar
geted arts, dance and poetry,”
says Breoks. “We'll give you a
larger scope by also teaching our
history through entertainment
and education.”
Walker adds there will be more
focus on the family and the reli
gious community.
“Unlike the past Black Arts
festivals, we're making an ag
gressive stance to unify all cul
tures in Augusta,” says Walker.
Heritage Unity, Inc. is a non
profit organization whose pur
pose is to strive toward “the uni
fication of our multicultural com
munity.” Their programs are
“designed toinspire,educate, and
gradually change the atmosphere
of racism in our community.”
Placing emphasis on the spiri
tual g 0 mm,gp,i,ti#,(a: lmi] ; D =
youth, Heritage Unity it Span:
sors programs such as the Per
In a very blatant
demonstration of
racial insensitivity
Mr. Dean and Mr.
Jones describe an
incident where a
black worker was
called a “nigger”
by a white staff
member and it was
overheard over the
intercom.
you won'’t have to be alone,” Mr.
Jones said.
“I was the first white man that
stood up in Dave’s (Camp) face.
Andherealized, asstupid as heis,
that ‘I gottogetrid ofthese people.
I got to get rid of everybody that I
can’t buy off.”
In a very blatant demonstra
tion of racial insensitivity Mr,
Dean and Mr. Jones describe an
incident where a black worker
was called a “nigger” by a white
staff member and it was over
heard over the intercom. The of
fending staff member was not
harshly disciplined, they said.
In all, six workers that worked
along with John Dean attempted
to seek relief from local agencies
but got nowhere with the EEOC.
Only Mr. Dean’s case received
serious consideration. The others
sought a class-action classifica
tion with the U.S. Department of
Labor Office of Federal Contract
Compliance. That agency con
ducted aninvestigation and noted
possible violations, but the initial
report was overruled by someone
higherup the ladder and the mat
ter was bouncedback tothe EEOC.
At this point, their faith in the
appeals process had hit rock bot
tom. They believed that the fed
eral government was more inter
ested in impeding their progress
than assisting in the quest for
sonal Development Referral Net
work, Unity Support Forums and
the Heritage Academy, which
educates children of all races on
African-American culture.
Attracting children from
around the world, the academy
will offer an eight-week program
designed to develop in-depth
knowledge and understanding of
the African-American culture.
The “culture-sharing institution”
will be completed next summer;
however, its Augusta location is
unknown.
Proceeds from the festival ben
efit the Augusta Youth Center,
Teen Al-Anon and Heritage
Academy.
World-renowned opera singer
and Augusta native Jessye
Norman is the honorary chair
person for the festival.
wLor more information contact
Joyce A Brapks st (706) 722-
3423. :
fairness.
They took theirappeal to Wash
ington and enlisted the aid of a
U.S. Senator, but still, they ap
peared tobe getting the brush-off.
Mr. Jones, however, was
granted a federal ‘right-to-sue’
document for both Rogers Techni
cal Services, Inc. and Proctor and
Gamble, but lack of resources have
prevented him from exercising
that right — until now.
Buoyedby the successof Mr. Dean,
Mr.Joneshas secured legal counsel
andis going after Proctor & Gamble
and Rogers Technical Services.
“We will sue both Rogers Tech
nical Services and Proctor and
Gamble,” said Jones’ attorney
Cary King of Slater, King and
Grossbased in Atlanta. “We know
that Proctor and Gamble employ
ees and supervisors were there on
a daily basis.”
Mr. Jones is seeking reinstate
ment, back pay, damages for pain
and suffering, and attorney fees
and costs.
Harold Pettaway, personnel
manager and public affairs offic
er at Proctor & Gamble, told
Augusta Focus that his company
“is aware of the investigation of
Rogers Technical Services by the
Equal Employment Opportuni
ty Commission and has cooper
ated in its investigation. Rogers
Technical Services is an inde
pendent contractor which does
provide certain technical servic
es to P&G....The matter in ques
tion does not implicate Proctor &
Gamble or any of its employees.
The Proctor & Gamble Manufac
turing Company affirmatively
acts to provide and maintain an
equal opportunity environment
and has the same expectation of
those companies that supply con#
tract services.”
Mr. Pettaway categorically de
nied suggestionsthat Rogers Tech
nical Services is a subsidiary of
Proctor & Gamble.
Spokespersons for Rogers Tech
nical Services declined comment
onthefederal citation or Mr. Dean.
Laney coach ‘shakedown’
From page one
“My client has passed a lie de
tector test. I challenge her to take
one,” said Mr. Long.
On July 3, the coach took a
forensic polygraph evaluation and
was posed three questions: Did
you ever have sex with the ac
cuser? Did you ever try to have
oral sex with the accuser? Did you
ever sexually touch the accuserin
your home?
Responses to the questions re
sultedin “nodeception indicated,”
based on records obtained by the
Augusta Focus from Federal Poly
graph Associates of Norcross, Ga.
The test was administered by
Richard Rackleff, a 27-year FBI
polygraph coordinator, Mr. Long
said.
In trying to reach the ex-Laney
athlete and her mother, the Au
gusta Focus left messages with a
woman whoidentified herselfasa
neighbor. No calls were returned
to Focus offices by presstime.
Based on paraphrased excerpts
from the letter, which appeared
in June 26 issue of The Augusta
Chronicle, Mr. Smart allegedly
drove the girl to his home at 2005
Balkcom Court.
“Ididn’t even move to Balkcom
Court until January of this year,”
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AUGUSTA FOCUS
said the coach who lived on Oslo
Road in Augusta last summer.
“I'had no connection with her at
any time.”
Mr. Smart’s attorney said his
client has received unfair treat
ment from local media and law
enforcement.
“They’re all overreacting,” said
Mr. Long. “It’s like they’re already
saying he’sguilty. He has a distin
guished career as a coach. He’s
happily married with three chil
dren.
“What about this woman’srepu
tation? Was all that checked out?
Why didn’t she go to authorities a
year ago?” Mr. Long asked. “She
knows she’s lying.”
Capt. Ken Autry of the Rich
mond County Sheriff's Depart
ment reacted to Mr. Long’s
charges.
“There’s no overreaction on our
part. Wereceived a complaintand
we had to respond.”
Capt. Autry said the teen-ager’s
story was thoroughly investigated
before authorities took action.
Concerning related investiga
tions by Richmond County School
authorities, Mr. Smart acknowl
edged being questioned by the
board’s public safety department
in July 1995.
“They asked me do I ever prom
isescholarships for favors. Abunch
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BN YA D KNG WS UGNV MO DRI (NS RN AR GOSN DT NN FIONG
North Augusta
310 E. Martintown Road
Augusta
1647 Gordon Hwy
July 11, 1996
of nothing,” he said.
Attempts to contact Richmond
County school administrative and
legal representatives by phone
were unsuccessful.
“There are no other charges
against him. Wedon’tknow of any
other cases” Mr. Long said.
“You want a motive? Coach
Smart wasn’t a sucker. She
couldn’t shake him down,” said
the lawyer.
Mr. Smart has worked at Laney
for 17 years. He's also a special
educationteacher. Asacoach, argu
ably, he’s considered the premier
prep coach in Georgia — having
amassed a 332-66 record for Laney’s
girls’ basketball program.
Since posting a $5,050 bond and
being released from the Richmond
County Law Enforcement Cen
ter, Mr. Smart said he’s received
enormous support from the entire
Augusta community.
“I'm so thankful for all the sup
port I'm receiving from parents,
friends, former players, Laney
almuni and especially my wife
and family. Everyone has been
supportive,” he said.
Mr. Long said the truth will be
revealed if his client’s and Mr.
Smart’saccuser’s lie detector test
results are admissible in the
court room.
Martinez
3830 Washington Road
3
