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VOLUME 19 NUMBER 953 & TR i Noud¥ ; b P A O B i f,‘,;{.:; PR SSRN T T SECTION ¢ B T R S RR e . g Foaar el ie AT A & ?:y:_&:;y{‘ Filanlratd ey e i L) e : fii’ G S A S e L 1 L 09, & gt e} A LS AR A ] e 4 : AN o R i D Yi-a o el ; : ik [Pt o AN e G gl O , P ALISI O "€2 | boy N G TiRS Do A i;i e T (i -.5;’-;'3:‘ SES R it e YR b e oo ;[‘11375 4&4§e19 0P A 0 1 $o R Y ”‘i,}?j},.‘u e oMol ’é}’fy i}«‘&. \ A ,s‘ajj:o&* bR S Yt -mat OO -’,»-.»f=figqn.‘r,w‘.:.fs-‘fi.t~ eSR R TTtke s ,‘i":«.’u"a‘:»"’_A«’l-‘m&,f,z,a:,fli{-f-u_ AR IR R R B HegTaal At BAR W "f&? Ly eRI W %,’,_{»#‘” ggl | -,14:1,1,,;7«,;‘v,;,-9;,} et ST R P 3 Ry Ag7i Ogt fiil’f‘lv‘g' P S L R&}on Al ¢ e A P eRe kY T N L R g el R e fi:x:,.t,‘f:'vfiv.*; R A Lo e I,“A~4’u,»£€s’i“‘° > ot ?; Ko is T fli“#;‘ WECAVRITA Y ! 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'a‘ % f . ks e e "‘I % L < F ol ".. e i ‘ P K i e el s %z\ ey ¥ - ik ; : s 4 sty riar - o ”’”i#i i"& S ¢ Nk i 2 8 f»: g Rt o - --~»—-—-—-‘ . L R South Carolina Gov. Jim Hodges signs into a law, May 1, 2002, «a biil creating a regular state holiday honoring slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. The bill also creates a regular state holiday for Confeder ate Memorial Day. The bill was signed during a ceremony at Rosewood Elememtary School in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Lou Krasky) City mourns death of I.E. Washington Educator, historian, city leader will be buried on Friday, May 5 By Lillian Wan AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer AUGUSTA Dr. Isaiah “Ike” Edward Washington passed away last Saturday, April 29, 2000. Augusta and the world lost a valuable education, history and political force with his death. He has been known throughout his life for promoting the rights of minorities in Augusta in every way involving educa tion, history, civil rights and politics. As sistinghim and serving by his side through much of his activities was his wife, Dr. Justine W. Washington. “Ike”began his 38 years as an education leader by serving as a principal of four local schools ranging from elementary to high schools: -Peter H. Craig Elementary School 1937- 1939; - Charles T. Walker Elementary School 1939-1964; -AR.JohnsondJunior High School 1964- 1971; - Lucy Craft Laney High School 1971- 1976. He influenced the history and politics of Augustawith hisservice of 17 yearson the Augusta City Council; hejoined in 1974 as one of the first black members of the Council. Though heavily involved in the defense of civil rights during its heyday of tension in the ‘6os and “70s, “Ike” was respected for his efforts by both sides. He was' credited by city officials as a major and positive force in healing and dispel ling racial strife. Dr. Washington also served on the Au gusta-Richmond County Planning Com mission, as a member of the board of the Augusta-Richmond County Museum (now the Augusta Museum of History),and asa life member of the Salvation Army Advi sory Board. He was also involved in the Senior Citizens Council. Among many accomplishments “Ike” helped establish two historical local events. Augusta’s First Black Summit Confer ence held in January 1979. Besides Dr. Washington, other leaders involved in the set up the conference were J. Philip War- & ‘ ; Serving Metropolitan ™= Ayqusta, South Caroling and the Central Savannah River Area T 3 i 1,%.& 3**& ing, Jack Ruffin, Ed Mclntyre, Charles Walker, Henry Brigham, Henry Howard, Dr. Justine Washington, George Brown, Rev. N.Y. Young, Rev. C.S. Hamilton, Kingsley Riley, A K. Hasan and Willie Mays. The following year, “Ike,” Waring, The Augusta Black History Committee and others approached then Mayor Lew Newman with a plan to establish the first monumentin Augusta tohonor an African American, Dr. Scipio Solomon Johnson Sr. Their historic efforts resulted in the dedication of the S.S. Johnson Plaza and plaque on November 3, 1985. When Augusta State University finally named its previously undedicated four story college activity center in 1997, the tallest building on campus, they honored Drs. “Ike” and Justine Washington for their longtime efforts on behalf of educa tion by dedicating the building to them as Washington Hall on May 28, 1997. The choice of the Washingtons was a double honor: the building was the first campus building to be named after living people or African Americans. The couple known for making history was made indelibly a part of history at an institution of higher learn ing. Dr. Washington’s funeral will be held on Friday, May 5, at 10 a.m. at the Paine College Gilbert Lambuth Chapel. Offici ating will be the Rev. Canon Lewis P. Bohler Jr, Interment will be at the Southview Cemetery. Survivors include his wife, Dr. Justine Washington; a devoted cousin, Mrs. Daisy See WASHINGTON, page 3A Augusta Focus writer wins award for “Best Education” _feature ~4A xZuilet Kriant Dr. IE. Washington 1909-2000 Dr. Isaiah “lke” Edward Washington six months before his death. Photo by Timothy Cox MAY 4 - 10, 2000 Larke: Flagisoffensive, but law says it must fly BRichmond County School Superintendent says his hands are tied when it comes to removing the flag, but a state lawmaker says the school board has the power to keep the state flag from flying. By Eileen Rivers AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer . AUGUSTA Superintendent Dr. Charles Larke, refuses to take action toremove the Geor gia flag currently flying on the grounds of Richmond County publicschools, claim ing that a state law, which allows school boards to decide when the flag should fly, has his hands tied. “The African-American community should be outraged that the superinten dent is not willing to challenge the racist laws that allow this flag to fly on school grounds,” Alexander Smith, Augusta branch NAACP president, said after an unsatisfactory meeting with the super intendent. Larke refused to comply with NAACP demands to remove the flag during an 5 ¥ It’s arson! James Brown’s headquarters torched; Fire investigators say blaze was set deliberately By Timothy Cox AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer AUGUSTA The smell of smoke still lingers around charred ashes at the corridor of soul legend James Brown’s offices in West Augusta near Wheeler Road. Amid bro ken glass and water damage, in the park ing lot of the two-story building are secu rity guards, dressed in black garb. State and local fire officials have ruled the two-alarm fire, which partially de stroyed Brown’s headquarters, was de liberately set. Although 24-hour surveil lance is now apparent around the prop erty, no witnesses have come forward to relinquish information about the blaze which occurred Friday, April 28, at Brown’s two-story office building near Wheeler Road. . The Richmond County Fire Depart ment received the call around 9:45 p.m. and responded three minutes later, ac cording to a fire department spokesper son. Damages were contained enough to deem the facility as salvageable. Chief arson investigator G.B. Hannan, led a team of inspectors at the site Wednes day, May 3, also Brown’s 67* birthday. Reportedly, a gasoline-based substance was detected in several sections of the building, leading to the arson suspicion. Samples of fire remnants were shipped to the Georgia Bureau of Investigations crime lab in Atlanta. In a prepared release from Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John W. sl 4 ‘?’ e ,f-.-’ } :“, A d —— s - 1 b ;&"fif e el p o ff R i “;).v‘; ) o : w i . A gy 1 r Dr. I.E. Washington and his wife Dr. Justine Washington. Photo by J. Carter o Georgia state law is anything but clear on the matter of flying or not flying the state flag. April 26 meeting, despite the fact that he is “personally offended by the flag’s con federate symbol.” “I’m an African American, just like you are,” Larke said, during an interview at the Richmond County Board of Educa tion. “Ifit were up to me I wouldn’t have this flag flying anywhere. The confeder ate symbol was put on for political rea sons in 1956, and doesn’t belong there, TN R e A o e R ) ‘;&' s it ; " _ e\ oy . - i o GERENT ’ e 4 , il LI e et i r ?" } ! JRTCHRCRETE L i b T | : : i ‘ : R ) 5 ’Z;‘ ¥ g f .‘ / Mg W - S L i A \m“'].z N| & N s “’n; e A | oAI : e | it i i T T o BB A s ‘)’ Sb M g O “ P b b w{;‘li"‘." A 5 !}i& kr e L BT I WS i A RV IR G o e s i WO YREAC el bSR R R L. %mfi(‘*‘wna e 4 B e y,‘ T R J(s .v‘:m;; = (fi\‘: xfl&i”%fi{f{t& g T County fire investigators survey damages outside James Brown Enter- «; prises on West Medical Park. Experts suspect arson may have led to ihg_”:‘;, fire. (Photo by Timothy Cox) b Oxendine, rewards up to SIO,OOO are being presented to anyone providing in formation leading to the arrest and con viction of an arsonist. Folks are urged to call the Georgia Arson Hotline at 1.800.282.5804. The brunt of the damages occurred in the front lobby of the building and the roof area. In days following the tragic RS IR BULK RATE ; U.S. POSTAGE PAID NO. 302 AUGUSTA, GA 3 but astate statute prevents school boards from individually lowering the flag.” - Smith, along with the Atlanta-based Coalition to Change the Georgia Flag, argues that such alaw doesn’t exist, and that Larkeishidingbehind a similar flag statute to avoid decisively dealing with theissue, mislead his school board mem bers, and duck out of “doing the right thing.” - “There is no statute that requires any body in Georgia to fly the state flag, except for Atlanta government and we.: are flying the state flag of our choicé,” Rep. Tyrone Brooks (D-Atlanta) GABEO (Georgia Association of Black Elected Officials) president, and member of the ‘Coalition to Change the Georgia Flag, said. Georgia’s “flag, seal, and other sym bols” statute “requires that the state flag be displayed in schools on appropriate - occasions, as determined by local school boards, within their ... discretion.” -7%. It also states that school board mem bers can remove the flag within the scope of that statute, for reasons that are nef: “arbitrary or capricious,” according fe? Georgia’s deputy attorney general, Mike Hobbs. w¥a Smith questions the vagueness of the law, stating that the words “appropp: * . See SCHOOL BOARD, page 3A “~* fire, onlookers driving down Augusta West Parkway and Wheeler Road were noticeablein their efforts to see damages to the building with its gold and brown sign which reads James Brown Enter prises. o In a local TV report taped at Browns. e See ARSON, page 2A 03,