Newspaper Page Text
® ,r Angiwta
a THE PEOPLE’S PAPER ((2Wj)
NATIONAL BLACK NEWS SERVICE \\ J J
MEMBER
Vol. 3
Pilgrim Insurance Celebrates
Its 75th Anniversary
The Pilgrim Health and Life
Insurance Company is
celebrating its 75 th anniversary
this week. The second oldest
Black Insurance Company in
All White All Male Juries
Mete Out Life And 80 Years
By R.L. Oliver
Last week in Richmond
County Superior Court, all
white, all male juries handed
down sentences of a combined
The Williams Family:
Young, Gifted And Black
_ JI
TRACY, 111
The children of Mr. and Mrs.
Tracy Williams, of 3110 Fir
Court, have distinguished
themselves in ways that can’t
help but make their parents
proud.
The eldest, Tracy Williams
111, 15, is a tenth grader at
Glenn Hills High School. He
was recently selected to
participate in the Governor’s
Honors Program, an intensive
training program for gifted
students. The students spend
eight weeks at Wesleyan
College in Macon,
concentrating on their area of
highest aptitude.
In order to be considered for
the Governor’s Honors
Phase II - . ;
"Build It Back” Campaign
Paine College’s “Build It
Back” campaign - Phase II got
underway today with the
announcement of its
co-chairmen.
General John C. F. Tills n,
vice president of the Georgia
Railroad Bank & Trust
Company, and William J.
Weltch, president of First
Federal Savings and Loan
Association, will spearhead the
$400,000 drive to rebuild
Haygood Hall, the campus
academic and administration
center and Augusta landmark,
destroyed by fire in 1968.
“It will be a real challenge to
Mrs. Zorata
Ridley
Funeral services for Mrs.
Zorata M. Ridley, who died
Thursday, was held at 4 pm
Monday at the Holy Trinity
Catholic Church with Father
Simmons officiating. Burial
was in Cedar Grove Cemetery.
the world--it was organized in
Augusta, Georgia on May 2,
1898. Deep in the red hills of
Georgia was a young ambitious
Black named Solomon W.
total of eighty years and one
life sentence.
Donnie K. Godbee was given
twenty years for robbery,
twenty years for kidnapping,
" "K
SERENA
Program, a student must have
an IQ of 130 or better. Tracy is
one of two students from
Glenn Hills who will
participate in the program this
summer.
Tracy was named Glenn
Hill’s most outstanding
sub-freshman and has had the
highest average in his class for
the past two years.
At the recent CSRA Science
Fair, his project on Modular
Arithmetic took fifth place.
But he won first place for the
lecture he gave explaining his
project during the forum at
Augusta College.
His sister, Serena, 13, took
third place for her project in
the Augusta business
community to match the
vigorous and successful efforts
of Phase I of this campaign,”
said Mr. Weltch referring to the
“first hundred thousand” drive
aimed excluxsively at the black
community here which
exceeded its goal by some
$14,000.
By June 5, it is expected
that the total in the “Build It
Back” fund will be $500,000 -
the amount necessary to secure
federal long term financing for
the proposed $2 million new
Haygood Hall.
Housing critically needed
classroom space, laboratories
and offices, the “learning
center” is a vital point in the
10-year program of
development announced by Dr.
Lucius H. Pitts, president of
Paine College, in his inaugural
statement last week. The
“Golden Decade” leading up to
the 100th birthday of the
predominately Black institution
calls for new curriculum
thrusts and for strengthening
and enlarging existing
programs.
P.O. Box 953
Walker. Young Solomon, then
a delivery boy in a grocery
store, saw the great
opportunity and benefits that
awaited Blacks in economic
and life for rape.
Godbee was convicted of
being one of two persons who
kidnapped a Medical College of
Georgia student from the
■f- -''•A ' • ‘
It 1 > F
/peter 3//
Audio"‘Visual Perception. She
has posted the highest average
in her class the past two years.
Peter, a ninth grader, has
also led his class with the
highest average over the same
period.
Not to be out done, their 9
year old sister, a 4th grader at
Glenn Hills Elementary, has
been selected to participate in
a program for gifted students
in Richmond County, to begin
next year.
Students in the program
must have an IQ 130 and
above. They must also read at
least two grade levels above
their class.
Their mother teaches
Science at John M. Tutt Jr.
High and their father is
assistant principal at T. W.
Josey High.
Shriner’s Spring Ceremony'
Saturday, April 28th at 1:00
P.M. The parade assembly will
Ml be held at 12:30 to 12:50P.M. '
. on the Augusta Avenue side of
Antioch Baptist Church. The ‘
parade will move from Antioch (
Baptist Church, North of
Augusta Avenue to Gwinnett
,* Street, turning right o
Gwinnett Street, Turning east
to Twiggs street. The parade 7
I | will end at Gwinnett and *
Twiggs Stret.
t • A i ic at 2
S' .
ED McINTYRE
The Neziah Grand Shrine
Temple and Daughters of Isis
will conduct their Grand
Spring Ceremony beginning
Saturday, April 28, 1973,
continuing through Sunday,
April 29. Registration begins at
9:00 A Al. Saturday, April 28,
1973 at the Up-Towner Motor
Inn Bth and Reynold Streets.
A parade is scheduled for
development. Walker put his
idea into action and he became
the originator of this great
insurance institution.
Walker shared his vision with
school’s parking lot, drove her
out close to Waynesboro, Ga.,
raped her, stole her car, and
left her with one quarter to get
home. Godbee is already
serving thirty years for
robbery.
Ricky Ricardo Johnson was
given two twenty year
sentences for two cases of
armed robbery. Johnson was
convicted for robbery with a
weapon at Peachtree
Apartments early last year.
Willie James Jackson, alias
Willie James Cooper, was
sentenced to twenty years in
prison for the rape of a fifty
four year old woman. Jackson
was convicted for attaching
and raping the woman on her
way home from work, and
leaving her unconcious and
naked in a vacant lot on West
Walton Way.
Other sentences include:
William Creed, three years for
two counts of aggravated
assault, to be served
concurrently.
Charles Brinson was
sentenced to five years after
pleading guilty to robbery,
Other cases were: Robert
Lee Cobb, for robbery-five
years; Melvin Rhodes,
robbery-ten years; Michael
Mitchell, theft by taking-five
years; Vern Gaber-Conversion
of leased personal property-one
hundred and twenty one days,
with credit for time already
served.
James R. Simmons, 30, was
sentenced to serve ten years
outside the confines of prison
as long as he does not violate
any laws or City ordinances,
does not consume any alcohol,
keeps regularly employed jijpd
submits to medical treatment,
as regularly as his father, Hugh
Barton (his employer), and his
probation officer decide.
Saturday, April 28th at 1:00
P.M. The parade assembly will
be held at 12:30 to 12:50 P.M.
on the Augusta Avenue side of
Antioch Baptist Church. The
parade will move from Antioch
Baptist Church, North of
Augusta Avenue to Gwinnett
Street, turning right o
Gwinnett Street, Turning east
to Twiggs Street. The parade
will end at Gwinnett and
Twiggs Stret.
A banquet is scheduled at
8:00 P.M., Saturday, April
28th at the Up-Towner Motor
Inn. The speaker for this
accasion will be Ed Mclntyre.
Lewis “Pop” Newman, Mayor
of Augusta, will present a key
to the city to the visiting Shrines
and Isis.
Kaaba Temple Number three
(3) is the host temple for the
Spring Grand Ceremony.
For information, contact
Noble Charles H. Wilderson of
Savannah Road, Augusta,
Georgia at 724-9213.
three of his young associates
and these young men decided
to launch out into the
Company’s development. The
other three were Walter S.
Hornsby, Sr., Thomas J.
Walker, brother of Solomon,
and J.C. Collier. In the new
venture they were directed by
Rev. Thomas Jefferson
Hornsby, uncle of the Walkers
’and father of Walter Hornsby.
I The organization took place
in the home of Rev. Hornsby
under a Richmond (Augusta)
County Charter. One of the
things that indicates the
determination of this group
was that the Charter was
purchased on the installment
plan and paid for out of the
meager earnings of young
Solomon Walker. The
Company was named The
Pilgrim Benevolent Aid
Association, and Rev. Hornsby
became the first President.
The growth of the Company
was steady and substantial in
spite of the many financial
difficulties. However, these
young pioneers were finally
faced with what appeared to be
an insurmountable barrier. In
1905 the State of Georgia
passed a law requireing all such
associations to place on deposit
the sum of $5,000.00 for the
protection of policy or
certificate holders. This created
a major crisis for they had no
means of raising this enormous
amount. A ray of hope was
found in a few other local
societies that came into
existance after Pilgrim.
These small associations also
faced the same unfortunate
peril for none of them were
able to secure this exorbitant
($5,000.00) sum. The officials
of several societies decided to
pool their resources in order to
Paine Graduates Return To Augusta
Two prominent New
Yorkers, who are also Paine
college graduates, will return to
Augusta during the first week
in May for permanent
retirement residence at a home
they recently purchased at 417
Goldfinch Court in Richmond
County.
Mr. and Mrs. Emory L.
Russell, Sr. were classmates at
Paine, recieved their A.B.
degrees in 1932 and left for
their first assignment at Tate,
Ga. where he served as
principal and Mrs. Russell a
teacher. The next assignment
for the Russells was in Atlanta
where he entered the U.S.
Postal Service in 1940. During
this period he also attended
Atlanta University where he
graduated majoring in
Economics and Cost
Accounting.
In 1945 he was transferred
by the Postal Service to New
York City. From this new
assignment Mr. Russell was to
serve for 26 years in the city
and regional offices of this
federal service. During this
time he advanced rapidly
upwards in promotional ranks
fro Foreman, transportation
research officer, chief of
routing branch to his final
position as chief, New York
Region transportation planning
and distribution branch. He
retired from this position in
Augusta, Georgia
.u'n 1 i'L-?-- ~~ ■*
I
- I
~SB
fell fckt l E
-i w-'^B. 1
■B ■■ ■ Jr QpWFXI
■BB w- ■■■■■ I
I I zip s2 * I HR Mjfcj
I- -"'■'Tfßßiik I
S . ■ B : > B|||
I ? ■ 4
■■- & f
—— ■ -* MB M®gjg|gg|
THE PILGRIM HEALTH AND LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
raise the required five thousand
dollars and merged their
activities under one banner.
Thus in 1905, The Cooperative
• Society, The Benevolent Relief
and Benefit Association, The
Southern Mutual Aid Society
and The Pilgrim Benevolent
Aid Association, all of
Augusta, united and became
The Pilgrim Health and life
Insurance Company.
In the succeeding years, the
progress of the Company was
marked with significant
achievements. In 1923 the
scope of the company’s service
was broadened as it entered the
state of Alabama and seven
years later qualified to do
business in the state of South
Carolina. Pilgrim’s moving on
progressively qualified in 1951
1971. He was the first Black to
be appointed regional field
officer in the Postal Service.
Mr. Russell’s inovative work
thrust won for him five
national and regional citations
and awards, one being from
Postmaster General Arthur
Summerfield in 1958. An
active member of both the
National Postal Transport
Association and the National
Alliance of Postal Employees,
he served them in official
leadership capacities. In 1948
the National Urban League
cited him for outstanding
leadership in labor relations.
Upon retirement in 1971 the
Flying Tigers Airlines
employed him as a special
consultant. Mr. Russell is a
nationally recognized
authority in transportation,
and planning in postal airmail
and cargo.
Mrs. Russel (Mae) is a native
of Milledgeville and Emory
Fort Valley. She retired in
1969 after a long assignment as
Administrative Assistant in the
United Nations Office, Board
of Missions of the Methodist
Church headquarters in New
York City. She was also closely
associated with Miss Thelma
Stevens, a national officer of
that agency and formerly
Director of the Augusta
Bethlehem Center.
The Russells have one son,
to do business in the sunshine
state of Florida. In 1931
Pilgrim took over the Georgia
Mutual Life Insurance
Company of Augusta, Georgia,
and in 1938 it reinsured the
business of The Mutual Relief
and Benevolent Association of
Columbia, South Carolina.
Today, the Company
operates 19 offices in the states
of Georgia, South Carolina,
Alabama and Florida. Pilgrim
employ approximately 375
people. In addition to many of
its employees being
stockholders, the Company
provides a full ine of benefits.
Also last year, paid its
employees in salary wages and
commission around three
million dollars.
Through the Company’s
Emory, Jr. a graduate of
Syracuse University and
currently an industrial
designer-engineer in Los
Angeles where he lives with his
family. Mr. Russell, Sr. is a
member of Alpha Phi Alpha
Fraternity, the NAACP and
National Urban League. She is
an active Methodist and both
have worked with the Paine
College Club. In 1955 Mr.
Russell was co-chairman of the
Citizens Committee which
sponsored a reception for the
late Dr. Channing H. Tobias
upon his return from a U.N.
assignment.
NEWS-REVIEW columnist
Philip Waring has observed that
the Russells will be a welcomed
Paul Robeson
Honored
By Charlie Cobb
National Black News Service
NEW YORK—Blacks from
all walks of life paid tribute to
Paul Robeson at a massive and
moving “cultural celebration”
of the Black actor-singer’s 75 th
birthday. Robeson, in ill health
at his home in Philadelphia was
unable to come to the event
held in New York’s Carnegie
Hall , but sent a tape recorded
message.
April 26, 1973 No. 6
Mortgage Loan Department, it
has provided millions of dollars
for Blacks and whites to
borrow money to build homes.
Today it has over two and a
half million dollars in Mortgage
Loans.
At this writing Pilgrim has
about 85 million dollars of
insurance in force, and by the
end of this year, it is predicted
one hundred million or more
will be in force.
The Pilgrim Health and Life
Insurance Company was
founded as a medium through
which Black people could
combine their scanty means for
mutual protection against
sickness and death. Its second
purpose was heretofore denied
them. Pilgrim has served these
purposes and more.
r ? jMHhi
Mr. & Mrs. E.L. Russell, Sr.
addition to the civic life of
Augusta and the Paine college
Alumni organization.
“I want you to know that I
am the same Paul”, Mr.
Robeson said in his message,
“dedicated as ever to the world
wide cause of humanity for
freedom, peace and
brotherhood”.
A gifted singer and linguist
Robeson achieved world wide
acclaim for his singing. His
SEE ROBESON
Page 6