Newspaper Page Text
February, 1978 ■ New National BLACK MONITOR
MEDIA
MIMATUOES..,
... Congratulations to Michael Jackson,
Diana Ross, Nipsey Russell and Ted Ross
for completing the biggest budgeted black
motion picture in the history of Holly
wood. The Universal Pictures Production
of The Wiz is set for release next summer
and the entire film industry will be Jooking
to “the black version of The Wizard oj
Oz" as an indicator of future black movie
projects.
... Just a few short months ago, famed
Hollywood gossip journalist, Rona Barrett
reported that the major film studios would
not be shooting any more so-called black
films. Well, after the statement hit the
press, top movie executives denied Ms.
Barrett’s statement.
... The Wiz is actually the only major
black movie on the boards in tinsel town
and that’s why it’s extremely important for
the black musical to overwhelm the public
at the box office. Motown Productions,
which is in partnership with Universal on
this project, will be quick to tell you that
The Wiz is indeed not a “black film,” but a
colorless musical fantasy.
... Word is leaking out of the editing
room that Epic Recording artist Michael
Jackson, who portrays a scarecrow, is
stealing several scenes from Diana Ross,
who plays Dorothy. Michael’s motion pic
ture debut is certainly a positive step in a
good direction for a long successful career
in the entertainment world.
Michael Jackson Bill Withers
... Columbia Recording artist Bill Wi
thers is set to tour with songstress Roberta
Flack for several concert dates across the
country. Bill is currently enjoying great
success on the top music charts with the
smash single, “Lovely Day,” from the
wonderful “Menagerie” album. Welcome
back to your favorite position as the music
world’s greatest songwriter and singer, Mr.
Withers.
... Speaking of Roberta Flack, the
award-winning singer also is back on the
charts again with her smash Ip, “Bluelights
in the Basement.” It’s been over two years
since Ms. Flack released an album, but her
Page 12
latest effort is definitely a must for your
record collection.
SiW
Roberta Flack Stephanie Mills
... Insiders on the Great White Way
(Broadway, that is) are saying that Geof
frey Holder’s production of Timbuktu will
be a runaway success. Starring the sultry
Earths Kitt, Melba Moore and William
Marshall, the black musical will be a wel
come addition to the present black-oriented
theatre productions on Broadway. The
Wiz, starring Stephanie Mills, recently cele
brated its third smash year and theatre
patrons are still demanding tickets for the
production months in advance. Other plays
starring blacks on Broadway are the soul
rocking Your Arms Too Short To Box
With God, the moving for colored girls who
considered suicide/when the rainbow is
enuf, and the delightful Bubbling Brown
Sugar.
... Philadelphia International recording
artist Lou Rawls recently received another
gold record, this time for his Ip, “When
You Hear Lou, You’ve Heard It All.”
Rawls, in case you didn’t notice, is the
official spokesman for commercials and
advertisements on behalf of Budweiser
Beer. Late last year, Lou made his Broad
way debut with a one-man show. Quite
naturally he walked off the stage each night
with encores and ear-wrecking applause.
i wWI
Lou Rawls George Duke
.. .“Reach For It” by master jazzman
George Duke is the hottest jazz Ip on the
market. It certainly should be included on
your record list. The Epic recording artist
will be on an extensive concert tour this
year, so be on the lookout for Duke.
Caucus Chairman Parren J. Mitchell
(Continued from page 8.)
With an enviable modesty, Representa
tive Parren Mitchell’s “politics of free
dom” is attributed in terms of its inspira
tion not to his distinguished politically
active family but to fellow-Congressional
Black Caucus member, Representative
Shirley Chisholm.
In speaking of the need to be free from
group labels, Parren Mitchell says that
Mrs. Chisholm is one of the best examples
of “going by oneself.” He notes: “One
person who does this fantastically well is
Shirley Chisholm. Shirley is very, very
popular. People like her. But generally she
is by herself.”
Here, in capsule form, is the Parren Mit
chell pattern of being free as a political
leader or going on one’s own. It means not
being enslaved to any group whose self
interest is not entirely one’s own.
MONITOR MICROSCOPE
CURRENT EVENTS QUIZ
(These questions are designed for class
room and group discussions. Answers are
always more sharply or clearly defined if
they'are written. It is suggested that, where
feasible, answers be made first in some
written form and then discussed.)
1) When the world’s image of itself is
largely that of the dominant European
powers, our world view may be said to be
“Euro-centric” or monocultural. By Euro
centric we mean that everything is viewed
or judged from a largely European view.
By mono-cultural (or “monolithic”), we
mean that only one culture dominates and
is seen to be right.
In this light, the so-called emerging
nations are proclaiming to the world that
we must have a multi-cultural world. Sev
eral issues emerge for consideration here:
(a) To what extent, then, do you feel that
weaker nations may project fresh values
upon the stronger nations?
(b) Is this either healthy or right? Why?
(c) Specifically, how may debt interest
forgiveness or entire debt forgiveness be
seen as helpful or just?
(d) What are your feelings about the pos
sibility of a multi-cultural world which has
far less of a Euro-centric view?
(e) What beneficial or positive conse
quences, if any, might follow?
2) In much of the classical or ancient
world thought about cities, cities were
thought of as “communities of people”
rather than as collections of buildings or as
municipal administrations.
(a) Which of these three views do you
Are you supporting a black college of your choice?
The collective work of the Congressional
Black Caucus is obviously the thoroughly
representative work of its membership,
even as it reflects the entirely common om
terests of all black*Americans.
Going it alone, in Parren Mitchell’s
terms, means upholding and saluting one
another and “giving honor to whom honor
is due. ’ ’ It also means sharing in all common
endeavors and constantly forging ahead in
those areas of our greatest expertise, re
sources and concern.
The collective spirit of the Congressional
Black Caucus would seem to be, then, the
epitome of what Congressman Parren
Mitchell would commend to all black
Americans in his advocacy of a new black
politics of freedom.
□□
feel is adhered to most largely in our gov
ernment planning for cities today?
(b) Which of these views would you con
sider to be the most humane?
(c) Where, in your opinion, do you feel
that the emphasis of “urban renewal”
should be placed (i.e., on people, on build
ings or on city administrations)?
(d) What kinds of programs would
follow logically from your ideal image of
what urban renewal ought to be?
3) Representative Parren Mitchell, Chair
man of the Congressional Black Caucus,
has said that black people are (and have
long been) programmed to act and feel like
less than human beings. Such a conviction
is increasingly widespread among human
rights and civil rights groups.
(a) Should our laws be adjusted to deal
with this problem?
(b) Should our courts take this problem
into consideration in their decisions?
(c) Does corporate industry have any
responsibility in this regard?
(d) What must black Americans do for
themselves?
(e) What cooperative approaches to this
problem would you suggest?