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The Augusta News-Review - December 30, 1976 -
Walking With Dignity
By AL IRBY
Billy Davis And Marilyn McCoo
Climbing Up The Charts B
An important portion of the break-away fabulous “Fifth
Dimension” is going like a house on fire. Marilyn McCoo and
Billy Davis are getting it all together as a duet. It must be a
different feeling after ten or so years being with a superstar unit,
and it’s got to be a great feeling to be man and wife doing your
own thing. “It’s very stimulating and we feel like we are growing
again.” Those were the words of Billy and beautiful Marilyn in
unison; for ten years they sang with the Fifth Dimension who
popularized such songs as “Up, Up And Away”, “Stoned Soul
Picnic”, “The Age Os Aquarius”, “One Last Bell to Answer", and
many, many more. Now, as Mr. and Ms. however, they are on
their way back up the ladder of “Big-Time” success. Although the
Fifth Dimension have many hit records to its credit and a
splendid track record, it is the future that really matters and
Marilyn and Billy are headed to top stardom all over again. Since
they left the music public lamenting because the Fifth Dimension
with its melodious sweetness was breaking up, they have already
beat the other half to the recording studio with an album just
out. This latest album included: “I Hope We Can Get To Love In
Time”, “You Don’t Have To Be A Star (To Be In My Show)”,
which is also already on the charts, not to mention the foot
thumping “Never Gonna Let You Go” or the sweet ballads “I
Still Will Be With You” and “East Way Out”.
But even more important than the album or the numerous
variety shows like Dinah, Mike Douglas, Merv. Griffin, Soul Train,
Sammy & Company and Christmas Around The World, is their
own CBS show scheduled for the summer. This husband-wife
team tells of the plans that they have dreamed of for their future
as a duet. “We accomplished a great deal with tlie Fifth
Dimension, but there were some things we wanted to accomplish
personally. not fair to expect everybody else to have the same
goals. S- in order to move in the direction we wanted to, we felt
it neces- ,ry •.<> L ~ze the group, but surely without any malace
towai . those .e left.”
LOW EBB
“When we first k"t our bookings dropped to zero, but we
knew that would happen. So we took a couple months off,
invested quite a bit of money in our new act and more or less
started all over again, but m a higher level,” Billy said.
And it solid paid off I i the duet has been getting rave
"GOING PLACES”
By Philip Waring
Blacks Who
Helped Build Augusta Project Will Continue
The Blacks Who Helped Build Augusta Project will continue
over into 1977. This first-of-its-kind “Do It Ourselves" historical
program has been most successful, garnered an award from the
West Augusta Rotary Club and praise from various leaders of the
National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA).
Furthermore, so many local Augustans have realized both its need
and feasibility. If we don’t dig out our past achievements and
honor our fore-parents and heritage, who will do this for us? Past
support of BWHBA is appreciated.
LET US BACK THE BLACK HERITAGE COMMISSION
We also hope 1977 will be a year of movement for the
Augusta-CSRA Black Heritage Commission which is attempting
to organize a long over due Black Museum and Black History
Shrine. Jimmy Carter, 111 has given dedicated leadership. Mrs.
Addie Scott Powell has been most unselfish in offering long time
use of a house owned by her which faces Lucy Laney High
School. Bravo to its members who are also giving service to this
proposal.
BLACK FESTIVAL PROPOSAL FOR EXPANSION
Orchids to Commissioner Ed Mclntyre on his masterful move
in getting full time staff for the Black Festival Project. Its 1976
version was one of the laudable highlights of the Bicentennial
Year, enhancing culture and entertainment as never before
witnessed in Augusta. And God knows our young people, who are
the future leaders of tomorrow, need these kinds of activities.
Let’s hope his plans for state-wide expansion will also materialize.
Good luck to Rep. Richard Dent in his thrust to accomplish the
latter goal.
NOW WE HAVE A LIBERAL PEOPLE ORIENTATED
ADMINISTRATION WHAT WILL IT MEAN TO BLACK
PEOPLE IN AUGUSTA-CSRA?
I’ve received several positive phone calls and letters re: my
suggestion that Attorney John Ruffin be considered for a Federal
judicial position. The date is long overdue for a Black Federal
judge in the South. There will soon be change and movement
upward in Southeastern states as judges of the U.S. Court of
Appeals, Fifth Circuit, are growing older and reaching toward
retirement.
The names of these white Southerners who often had to face
Mostly About Women
By MARIAN J. WARING
Christian Guide-Lines
For The New Year
CHRISTMAS THOUGHTS at the end of the bicentennial year
concerning the Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus. How has
this Man from NAZARETH influenced your life?
BORN IN BETHLEHEM
Luke 1:26-35 The announcement to Mary that she would
conceive and bear a son who would be called holv, the Son of
God.
Luke 1:46-55 Mary’s response
Luke 2:10-22 The announcement to the shepherds (and to us
all)
Questions to meditate upon:
What does the word “holy" really mean?
In what way is Jesus the "Savior” of the world? How is he my
savior?
How shall we respond to the phrase: “he has filled the hungry
with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away”?
THE LIFE OF JESUS AS TEACHER, PREACHER, HEALER
Mark 1:14-15
Matthew 15:17-20
Mark 1:40-42
Questions to ponder:
What would be involved if I were to repent? In what specific
area of my life is “good news” needed most?
What was Jesus trying to tell us in the passage about unwashed
hands?
Was the writers of Psalm 51 perhaps thinking the same thing?
How do we find this same kind of healing today that evidently
took place in Jesus’ day?
JESUS CAUSES SOME PEOPLE TO PLOT HIS DEATH
John 8:51-59
Page 4
reviews, whether it be in Las Vegas or other club engagements.
Strangely enough, thus far they have not been using any Fifth
Dimension material, although they said they will one day use
some duet’s material in their acts. Billy, who once appeared at the
celebrated Apollo Theater in Harlem before he joined the Fifth
Dimension, says they are looking foward to coming back to New
York to perform. Professionally speaking, they want to enter
every phase of the entertainment spectrum that they possibly
can. Marilyn said: “We want to do everything we do well - and
not be categorized as provincial entertainers. I mean if there is
something we don’t do well because we are singers of comedy.”
Beautiful Marilyn continued: “I mean if there is something we
don’t do well, then we don’t want to do it. We feel we have a lot
to offer and there are a lot of areas we would like to cover and we
don’t want to be held back because of some pre-conceived notion
about our ability.” It has been said that marriages between
entertainers are doomed before they even began to bloom.
Consequently, Billy and Marilyn were asked to reveal the formula
for their seven years of nuptial bliss. “A lot of people say a lot of
things,” says Billy, “they say cats (meaning two men) shouldn’t
get married but they do.” Lovely Marilyn interjected with, “a lot
of people shouldn't get married, period.” She went on with; “So
far it has worked very well with us. We don’t get tired of being
together. We deal with each other honestly and very openly - and
we say what we have to say. When disagreements arise, w’e try to
work them out. Also, basically our approach to life is very similar
and we think a lot alike.”
“Our philosophy about people and handling things are very
similar.” In response to my reciting the old adage absence makes
the heart grow fonder and questioning its validity,” they retorted.
“Absence makes the heart winder, especially when you are
talking about six weeks or six months at a time.” When the “Two
Love Birds” decided to take on separate careers, for example,
films and individual albums which are slated for the future, they
say that will be no problem either because their careers are such
now that they can travel or be with one another whenever they
chose. But the time being, as far as their music career is
concerned, they left the reporters with this pithy jibe:
“Musically, we feel like there is no area we cannot touch.”
Happy New Year to all my readers.
harsh criticism and displeasure from their peers and neighbors
included such men as: Judges John Minor Wisdom of Louisiana,
John R. Brown of Texas and Elbert P. Tuttle of Georgia. They
were joined later by two L.B. Johnson appointees and included:
Homer Thomberry and Irving L. Goldberg, both of Texas and
staunch defenders of the constitutional rights of minorities. And
Judge Frank Johnson, a district jurist of Alabama, has been
courageous and fair, Governor Wallace notwithstanding.
The New York Times points out that it is difficult to judge the
direction of the Fifth Circuit during the 1970’s because its
decisions have varied from area to area.
ATTORNEY RUFFIN HAS THE QUALIFICATIONS TO
GRACE A FEDERAL COURT ANY TIME OR PLACE
Needless to say, Attorney Ruffin has the professional training
(Howard has one of the finest constitutional law schools in the
nation); Experience, outstanding practice of civil and criminal law
in the Augusta area for two decades; Proven success - winner of
notable Civil Rights cases on several occasions; And professional
equipment as witnessed by the respect with which he is held by
his peers coupled with humor and judicial restraint and balance.
Remember tho, he is Black.
WOULD JACK RUFFIN GET LOCAL AUGUSTA AND
GEORGIA SUPPORT?
One of my friends phoning from Augusta said: “But Phil, Jack
Ruffin is not engaged in local politics. He’s a church deacon and
Sunday School teacher!" But that my friends would be excellent
background for our first Black Southern Federal judge. The
question now is: “Would he be blocked by local leaders in the
Augusta Legal Community?” What about the local media? Last
year both daily papers in New Orleans supported the
appointment of a Black Federal judge as did one of its senators.
What about Senators Nunn and Talmadge? Would they approve
him or would rather have the first Black judge come from another
Southern state? What do you think? Let Richard Dent, Ed
Mclntyre, Ike Washington and Carrie Mays and others know
about your feelings and suggestions. As this entire Ruffin
proposal is based on basic American justice and equal
opportunity, please discuss it on this basis with white Augustans
on a broad leval. Send in your letters to the editor at the
NEW-REVIEWHappy New Year!
John 19:13-16
Questions to think about:
Is there more than one death?
Is death different for a person who has faith in Jesus?
Remember the song "WERE YOU THERE WHEN THEY
CRUCIFIED MY LORD"? In what sense were we there at the
crucifixion?
A great English preacher, Leslie Weatherhead, once said, “Jesus
chose to die.” We also, on a humbler plane and with different
motive, should claim the right to die.”
Does this seem to be a disturbing thought?
In what way does the life we live give evidence of our choice of
death?
THE RESURRECTION EXPERIENCE
1 Corinthians 1 5:12-14
Luke 24:5-8
Matthew 28:5-6
John 20:30-31
An experience to consider:
The resurrection of Jesus was very real to the writers of the
New Testament.
How does this experience affect us today?
How' can we use this experience to go out and spread the
“good news”?
**********
Through the spirit of Divine Love let the violent, obstinate
powers of thy nature be quieted, the hardness of thy affections
softened, and thine intractable self-will subdued; and as often as
anything contrary- stirs within thee, immediately sink into the
blessed Ocean of meekness and love. (G.T.)
Nothing less than the majesty of God, and the powers of the
world to come, can maintain the peace and sanctity of our
homes, the order and serenity of our minds, the spirit of patience
and tender mercy in our hearts. Then will even the merest
drudgery of duty cease to humble us, when we transfigure it by
the glory of our own spirit(J.M.)
**********
WISHING YOU THE HAPPIEST OF NEW YEARS
or •
1
Blacks’ Destiny In Own Hands...
BLAMING THE POLICE FOR THE ILL-TREATMENT OF BLACK JUVENILES MESUT
STOP THEM FROM KILLING OLD MEN AND WOMEN.
SITTING AROUND DOING NOTHING WONT HELP ETHER.
-
FACTS THAT ARE NOT
FRANKLY FACED HAVE A
NASTY HABIT OF STABBING .Y&W fV / i
US IN THE BACK. ik/sSK
SIR HAROLD BOUDEN / -.W A
1J 1 w
'f/i v'
Jr > B- W x
"Health Care In The Black Community”
By Joe Cecil Williams
One of the key issues in the 1976 presidential campaign was
national health insurance. This issue was one of the reasons why
people of African origin in America voted for Jimmy Carter so
overwhelmingly on November 2. He was the candidate who
promised that one of his first orders of business as President of
the United States would be the institution of national health
insurance for all citizens.
Black people regard health care and national health insurance
as key issues in regards to our survival in America. We are just as
concerned about education, employment, housing, urban
development, political and economic power. It is obvious that the
problems faced by us in the area of health care are inextricably
entwined with the problems just mentioned. Health care is
therefore, not an isolated issue and serious people should never
regard it as such. In order to change the health situation
concerning Black people in America, you must be willing to
change the other problems that confront us. Our poor
socio-economic status is the major factor in the Black
community’s deplorable state of health. The incidence of
pneumonia, tuberculosis, rheumatic fever, veneral disease, lead
poisoning, cancer, premature births, and infant deaths almost
double the white incidence of these diseases.
The shortage of Black health professionals is one of the
greatest handicaps that the community faces in trying to improve
our health. The shortage of Black health professional in our
community is critical for two reason: (1) it has been
demonstrated that those who control the health care system have
not given priority to a healthy Black community and (2) without
adequate numbers of Black health professionals there are no
strong forces trying to correct our health care problems. In
Augusta there are only 4 Black physicians; Columbus-2 Black
physicians; Savannah - 6 Black physicians; Macon -1 Black
physician; Albany - 4 Black physicians. Consider that each of
these major Georiga cities have over 50,000 Black people. There
are only one hundred Black physicians in the state of Georgia
serving more than 1.5 million Black residents. There are only
7,000 Black physicians nationally serving 30 million Black
people. These disinal figures can be repeated in dentistry, nursing,
and health administration.
TO BE EQUAL
By Vernon E. Jordon Jr.
The twelve months now drawing to a close have been rough
ones. The depression of 1975 receded to recession levels, but the
selective improvement in the economy still left millions out of
work.
The so-called “pause” brought a halt, hopefully temporary, to
the recovery. Last month official unemployment figures were
back up to over eight per cent. Translated into real bodies, that
means about 15 per cent of the labor force was out of work.
1976 was the year in which it was announced that the numbers
of poor people increased by ten per cent. It was year that saw
continued slack in housing construction, with new homes priced
higher than most Americans can afford and older homes rising in
price to exclude larger numbers of people from decent housing.
On the civil rights scene, it was a year of controversy over
affirmative action programs, lessened enforcement of
anti-discrimination laws, and signs of further retreat on issues like
busing.
Cities continued in trouble, with major urban centers like
Detroit. New York and others closing schools and hospitals. It
was a year that saw many people latch on to “planned shrinkage"
as an urban strategy -- kick poor people out of the cities and bring
in the middle class, luxury apartments and offices to replace
them.
Given all this, it’s hard to be optimistic, but is is possible that
we have not just seen the end of a pretty bad year, but also the
end of an era.
1976, like the years preceding it, was characterized by a policy
of “benign neglect” of our national problems. Decisions and
policies were made based on what will produce short-term
stability and not what will cure long-standing problems.
The attempt to resolve race and class conflicts was abandoned
and in its place came a concern with a supposed “silent majority”
of middle class citizens that just wanted lower taxes and less
government.
That the majority was not so silent and not so negative became
apparent in the election results. The electorate’s rejection of a
President who was hesitant about inaugurating programs to deal
with our problems is a sign that the election of 1976 was a
mandate for federal activism to cure a sick economy.
Thus, 1976 was different from the years that preceded it in
that it may mark the end of an era.
Whether it will in fact be the end of the era of benign neglect
depends in large parts on President-elect Jimmy Carter and his
new Administration. Carter and his transition team have a
plateful of choices before them - appointments to be made,
altering plans for federal spending, new policies on manpower,
health, housing and a iiost of others.
As those decisions are made, we'll have a better idea of
whether the era that brought such a wide-scale retreat in social
Guest Column
How does all this enter into the decision for support of
national health insurance? The present system has not improved
our health and this can be attributed primarily to our lack of
economic and political power. Some of us are eligible for
Medicare and Medicaid but are not getting the full benefits of
these programs because of the administrators and some private
physicians who refuse to treat patients on these programs.
Oftentimes people with Medicaid and Medicare are not given
proper respect when they seek medical care. There are some of us
who have jobs that sponsor health insurance but catatostrophic
illness can soon wipe out these benefits. The majority of Black
people, though, are generally unable to pay the fees demanded by
private insurers and private physicians and face financial ruin if
they have to be hospitalized. In a nutshell that is how the present
health care system is financed.
Physician's fees, hospital fees, insurance fees, and various other
health expenditures totaled sllß billion in fiscal year 1975. The
end of this price increase is not in sight. The faults of the present
system are many including: (1) the fee for service health care
system is based on profit taking. The main motive behind the
present system is for the hospitals, physicians, and insurance
companies to make money. Business is primary and the health of
the people is secondary. The health care system should have the
profit motive removed because they are completely incompatible.
Why should a citizen have to worry about finances when he is in
need of physician services?
(2) The underrepresentation of Black people in the health
profession is another fault that must be remedied. This is a direct
result of white racism both past and present. Legal action against
white professional schools should be undertaken promptly. On
the other hand we must encourage our children to excel in
sciences and math throughout grammer and high schools so that
they will be well prepared to enter professional school. Health
professionals, are servants of the people, and should not pursue
health career if their primary motive is economic gain.
(3) The lack of uniform health services can be solved by
national health insurance. Health care is a right and each citizen
should be entitled to the same treatment as any other citizen
regardless of his economic background. This is of course
impossible under our present system. African-Americans should
all push the national government and President Jimmy Carter to
institute a national health insurance program for all as soon as
possible. Our political organizations, such as S.C.L.C., C.0.R.E.,
NAACP, and political leaders must be made aware of our concern
for this issue.
(Note: Mr. Williams is a student at the Medical College of
Georgia.)
progress is over. Meanwhile, Black people, working people, and
concerned citizens have to apply the pressure to ensure their
interests are taken into account.
For Black people the period since the election has been a time
of hope, just as the years preceding it have been years of
increased hardship. The malfunctioning economy has caused
erosion in the ranks of Black businesses and the still too small
Black middle class, nad has been catastrophic for the Black poor.
But Black people will remember 1976 as the year Black
political strengths were at their highest point. Black votes elected
the President and made a crucial difference in many other state
and local elections. Thus we see how reforms of one era pay off
in another, for the Black vote in ’76 was the direct result of the
Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Oh yes, in case anyone missed it, 1976 was the Bicentennial
Year. While that meant some people could play-act about the
past, it also gave impetus to a movement of Black self-discovery,
as seen in the new stress on the Black past and in such voyages
into that past as Alex Haley’s exploration of his - and our -
“Roots".
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