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Vol. 3
Mays And Mayor Clash
Over Inmate’s Death
By R.L. Oliver
Augusta City Councilwoman
Carrie J. Mays was at odds with
Mayor Lewis A. Newman and
the Stockade Recorders Court
Committee over the manner
that two guards have been
“moved up the ladder”, she
said, since the admitted
negligent death of inmate
Henry O’Bryant.
One of the guards admitted
being asleep and the other
was reported outside while
Hamilton Replaces Scott On Civil Service Commission
Former city councilman C.S.
Hamilton was elected to a five
year term on the Augusta Civil
Service Commission Monday.
Hamilton, the pastor of
Tabernacle Baptist Church and
chairman of the Law
Dr. Pitts Meets
With President Nixon
Dr. Lucius Pitts President of
Paine College was one of a
group of Black college and
university presidents
representing the National
Association For Equal
Opportunity In Higher
Education, who met with
President Richard M. Nixon, in
a special conference November
29th.
The Association, composed
of more than 100 institutions
with a student enrollment of
over 200,000, expressed their
concern in a letter out-lining
several recommendations to
the President.
According to Dr. Pitts, the
meeting was arranged by
Special Presidential Assistant
Stanley Scott so the group
could state their appreciation
for the expressed positive
posture taken by the President
on behalf of Black higher
education. However, they felt
the pronounced intentions for
Black institutions have not
Augusta’s First Black Postal Supervisor
By Robert Bell
Robert Elgin Job on, of
2717 Hazel Street fee his new
job as Foreman of Mails with the
U.S. Postal Service “is a step
forward for Blacks”.
Johnson, who has been
employed at the Postal Service
for the past 7!6 years said: “I
feel honored in being the first
Black Augustan to hold this
position.
“I will do my best to
succeed,” the former
distribution clerk promised
“hoping that it will give
incentive to other Blacks in the
Postal Service.”
The former Benedict College
student said: “I owe a great
deal of credit to the people 1
work with at the Peach
Orchard annex; especially the
inmates were yelling for help
an hour prior to O’Bryant’s
death. Walter Faircloth has
been transferred to the Public
Works Dept, as a complaint
coordinator at $396 per
month.
At Monday’s council
meeting, a visibly disturbed
Mrs. Mays said, “As chief of
the city administration you
admit fault in this matter, but
you vote not to change the
system that caused this
Enforcement Committee of the
Augusta Human Relations
Commission, was confirmed by
a unanimous vote by the city
council following his
nomination by Mayor Lewis A.
Newman.
been met by officials charged
with carrying them out.
“We were warmly and
cordially received. He
reconsidered his committment
and his concern for Black
colleges,” Pitts said.
Pitts also said, “He rendered
a hopeful and heartening
response to our recommen
dations. However we will not
know how productive all of
this is until certain actions we
recommended become
operable.”
The recommendations
included: 1) The establishment
of an Advisory Council of
Black Colleges and Universities
composed of selected Black
college presidents. 2)
Establishment of a liaison
mechanism involving more
Blacks in the formulation of
educational policies. 3)
Immediate and comprehensive
review of the budget proposal
for Fiscal Year 1975, and that
presidential executive orders
by executed.
ones in Parcel Post, E.M. Click,
J. Izlar and W. Lewis.
The father of Guy and
Cheryl Johnson said he
received much inspiration from
his wife, the former Mary Alice
Ford and his two children, Guy
and Cheryl. The Army veteran
said his father, B.T. Johnson
and his two sisters were
“persistent” in motivating him.
N.B. Brown, Manager-Post
master recently performed
initiation activities at the main
postal building.
Johnson, when not
supervising postal operation
finds time for the American
Veterans Association. Other
interests include football and
basketball.
“I would like to inspire
other Blacks to do their best
and for them to seek other
accomplishments,” he said.
P.O. Box 953
deplorable negligence. Instead
you reward those guilty by
moving them up the ladder.
The system has always done
this and I cannot go along with
a system admitting its fault and
transferring those responsible
for the problem to another
position.”
Mayor Newman replied, “Do
you think firing these men will
revise things? We need to
correct the situation that
caused the problem not just
In making the nomination
Newman said, “members of
council, I would like to
nominate someone you all
know to a five year term
replacing the outgoing H.R.
Scott on the Augusta Civil
? T W
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DR. LUCIUS PITTS
ROBERT JOHNSON
single out two under paid
employes that were a part of
it.” Mrs. Mays retorted,“Mr.
Mayor, 1 agree. Let’s correct
the situation, but you cannot
correct it by transferring
people who are wrong to newly
created positions. We are not
helping the people or the
system by doing this. I cannot
be a part of a system that
maintains this type of thing.”
Newman countered by
explaining, “I transferred the
Service Commission. He has
served six vears on council, and
has been an outstanding citizen
for a long time. 1 think it is
only fair to say that he was a
supporter of mine last year. 1
nominate C.S. Hamilton to the
post on that commission.”
Augusta, Georgia
man you are referring to at the
request of the Stockade
supervisor to the job in the
Public Works Dept. He is
making the same salary $396.
We have been needing a
position like that for a long
time.”
Eighth Ward city
councilman C. Thomas Huggins
made a motion to censure the
guards for “neglative duty”
which received support from
the full council.
A' \ Z
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REV. C.S. HAMILTON
Ralph Stone Mutual
Black News -GM
WRDW Radio Station’s
former news director and
editorialist, Ralph Stone, has
been appointed general
manager of Mutual Black
News.
He joined radio station
WRDW in 1970 as news
director-editorialist, and in less
than one year moved to station
Mrs. Mays was asked just
what does the censure mean
and how will it affect
Faircloth’s present job? She
replied, “The censure means
nothing, he still maintains his
job mainly because the mayor
doesn’t know what the word
censure means.”
During the heated session,
Charles Walker, director of the
local Human Relations
Commission read several
recommendations to city
manager of WJBE radio,
another James Brown station,
in Knoxville, Tenn.
As general manager of
Mutual Black News (NBN)
Stone will concentrate on
public relations with radio
stations across the nation.
He is a native of
Montgomery, Ala.
council in regards to the
troubled city stockade.
The following is a summary
of HRC’s investigation and
recommendations;
After careful review of the
Stockade and Recorder’s Court
Report, we recognized some
conspicous weaknesses on the
part of the entire Recorder’s
Court System, in that there are
no clear cut guidelines
governing the activities of
second and third line
employees. As a result of this
inequity, we recommend the
following:
1) That written instructions
be given to all guards and
supervisors explaining the
various duties and
responsibilities.
2) That clear cut procedures
be outlined concerning
emergency procedures to all
employees.
3) That a city vehicle be
assigned to the Stockade on a
twenty-four hour basis for
emergency purposes and that a
qualified dirver be on duty at
all times.
Approximately 80% of those
persons incarcerated at the
City Stockade could be
considered social problems and
should be treated as such.
Therefore, we make the
following recommendations:
1) That methods be devised
to identify chronic alcoholic
repeaters and a reciprocal
agreement be worked out
between the Georgia Regional
Hospital and/or other agencies
Walker Elected
State HRC Head
I ' H
CHARLES WALKER
The Director of the Augusta
Human Relations Commission,
Charles Walker, was recently
elected chairman of the 159
body Georgia Association of
Human Relations
Commissions.
Walker is the first Black to
hold this post.
“I was not anticipating being
elected, but 1 knew they had
me up for consideration,”
Walker said.
The Association’s Human
Relations Commissions are set
up basically the same as the
Augusta HRC “As a matter
December 6, 1973 No. 38
dealing specially with
alcholism.
2) That records be kept for
at least three (3) years at the
City Stockade so chronic
repeaters and other persons of
known ill health could be
identified by the supervisors.
The Recorder’s Court
Committee's Report indicated
that certain employees have
been sleeping and engaging in
other activities during working
hours. The Commission
recommends the following:
1) That the bunk located in
the front entrance of the
Stockade be removed.
2) That sleeping during
working hours become a
condition for on-the-spot
dismissal.
3) That a ranking officer
from the Augusta Police
Department be responsible for
night checks to insure that
item No. 2 above becomes a
reality.
4) That members of the
Stockade and Recorder’s Court
Committee make periodical
visits to the Stockade for the
purpose of inspection and
investigation.
5) That in the event of
severly cold weather it become
mandatory that inmates be
transferred to a facility with
adequate housing conditions.
In reference to those persons
on duty during the time of Mr.
Henry O’Bryant’s death, the
Commission recommends that
corrective actions be taken by
the appropriate body.
of fact,” Walker said, “The
Augusta branch was used as a
model for the entire state.”
It was noted that the
function of the statewide group
was to operate as a
communications network for
all local agencies. “We will be
able to utilize the governor’s
influence to get things
achieved. As a statewide
organization we will operate
out of Governor Carter’s
office.” he added.
Walker is the Augusta
HRC’s only director in its
two and one half years
existence.