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The Augusta News-Review - June 15, 1978
(Augusta Netos-Kelnefu
Mallory K. Millender .... Editor-Publisher
J. Philip Waring .... Vice President For Research and Development
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Frank Bowman Circulation Manager
Michael Carr Photographer
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Mailing Address
Box 953 Augusta, Ga. Phone 722-4555
Second Class Postage Paid Augusta, Ga. 30903
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•MW TOM • CHICAGO ■■ W
School board at fault
Last week it was revealed that
the son of Richmond County Board
of Education member Elizabeth
Wooten attended predominantly
white Richmond Academy while
living in an area zoned for almost
all-Black Lucy C. Laney High
School
Mrs. Wooten is in fact just one
of a long list of prominent Augusta
citizens who violate the zones
established by the federal courts
rather than send their children to
predominantly Black schools.
It is our firm conviction that
persons who refuse to obey laws
governing the public schools of
Richmond County have no business
serving as trustees of the
Richmond County Board of
Eduation.
Black citizens in particular must
understand the full implications of
Mrs. Wooten’s statement, “I’m
aware that my son was out of zone,
but he’s not going to Laney,
period.”
If Laney or any other school is
indeed that bad, then it is not fit
for any cl£ldren in Richmond
County. But: we've never heard of
Mrs. WooteiJ fighting to upgrade
the quality of education at Laney
and the other predominantely
Black schools.
Later last week test scores were
published showing that Richmond
Ups Black unemployment
In recent years, almost every
industry in the United States has
been affected in one way or
another by the unrelenting upsurge
of foreign imports, particularly
from the Far East. One of the areas
in which Blacks have been gravely
affected by this import
phenomenon is the textile apparel
industry.
Industry statistics indicate tiiat
anywhere from 66 to 200 textile,
spinning, weaving, finishing and
knitting plants have closed in the
past three years, resulting in a loss
of over 290,000 jobs, thousands of
them held by Blacks.
Although the higher costs
associated with the ability to
comply with government safety
regulations and poor industry
management planning have also
been blamed for market has
contributed in no small measure to
the masses of unemployed workers
already troubling the conscience of
America.
As in every other industry where
cutbacks, closings and conversions
to other areas of production have
affected employment statistics, the
Letter to the editor
Yerby contributes will stand
Dear Editor:
Unfortunately, sometimes when we
have a truth to be spoken, we fail to
speak it, clearly and distinctly, reserving
our individual biases to ourselves.
Often-times our expectations of
perfection in others (as we view
perfection)-while making allowances for
our personal shortcomings-are the major
causes of conflict in inter-personal and
social relationshios.
Aclose scrutinyofMr.Davis’(N-RMay 25)
incoherent rhetoric reveals two separate
themes, rendered incoherent due to their
having been combined: 1) Mr. davis has a
personal grudge against Mr. Yerby. 2) Mr.
Davis is concerned about the collective
inertia of the .Black community in the
U.S. Perhaps he also feels that his time is
also growing short, and if his contribution
is to be made, his ludicrous and abrasive
approach may start us thinking.
I might add that you were wise to have
clearly displayed that it was a paid
advertisement, or the hounds would be
baying at your door, Mr. Editor.
Mr. Yerby has the right that each of us
have: To direct his course in life in a
Page 4
County fourth, eighth and tenth
graders scored lower than state
averages for their grade-levels. Not
suprisingly the predominantly
Black schools scored below average
in Richmond County.
Tiie reasons for these poor test
scores are many. But not the least
among them is that the
“important” people of this
community can always manage to
avoid the law by sending their
children to some other school. And
no one insists that the
predominantly Black schools be
improved.
Not only do white parents avoid
sending their children to the
predominantly Black schools, but
teachers, with the help of the Board
of Education, avoid being assigned
to these schools while the more
experienced Black teachers, who
were originally working in the
Black schools, are assigned
elsewhere.
No one wants to send his child to
an inferior school. Anybody can
understand that. But we believe
that there don’t have to be inferior
schools, certainly not along racial
lines. If the school board insisted
that the greatest attention be given
where the need for quality
education is greatest, no parent
would need to fear sending his child
to any school.
impact on the Black community is
much greater proportionately than
it is on the white community.
Within the Black community, tlie
number of persons unemployed as a
result of plant closings was for
1977 almost twice that in tlie white
community.
What is the Administration’s
view of this situation? How is it
planning to solve this particular
dilemma? When are we going to see
some action directed toward tlie
ever increasing infiltration of
foreign manufacturers who grow
stronger and stronger while
domestic markets dry up and the
American buying power diminishes
as a result of unemployment?
It is our hope that the Carter
Administration intends to make
this problem a major issue in its
much publicized new Urban Policy.
If the Administration is sincere in
its stated desire to reduce the tragic
rate of unemployment among Black
workers, and iq the American labor
force in general, this is certainly one
of tlie areas which deserves
immediate attention.
manner that provides his maximum
happiness. He is a man, a Black man, and
a superb novelist. He is Frank Yerby. Not
MLK, Malcolm X, Frederick Douglas,
Marcus Garvey nor Christ. Mr. Yerby is
an achiever who should be valued for his
excellence. We would do well to try to
attain a similar excellence in whatever we
select as our life’s endeavors.
Mr. Davis does have something to say.
Should we disregard his attempt to ride
on the fame of Mr. Yerby and debase it;
and disregarding the volatile expression of
his (somewhat distorted) views, his
statement will emerge: We have the
individual right to pursue happiness as we
percieve happiness, however; we have an
added responsibility to humanity. That
responsibility is to contribute as we
(honestly) can and feel the need to
contribute.
Mr. Yerby’s contribution will stand
much longer than any structure created
by Mr. Davis.
Sincerely
Mrs. B.W. Walkey
2311 Shadowood Dr. Augusta, Ga.
WHErs
■ DAY
» < 3 MB ill
— Going places
Black income
still in bad shape
B \S •
One thrill over the past 30 years in
writing Going Places for Augustans and
elsewhere around the nation while on
Urban League assignments is to share
with readers greetings from former
Augustans coupled with background
information and news from various
conferences, meetings, field visits, etc.
May 1 share with you impressions from
a recent 2,000 mile trip to upper New
England back down to Savannah?
First stop was at the graduation of my
niece, Anna Lou, daughter of my late
brother Master Sgt. Andrew Waring
Brother Llewellyn Hew in from San
Francisco. Dr. Anthony Lewis of the
N.Y. Times was speaker. Thrust on bis
and student talks was against South
Africa and its racial policies.
1 chose Amtrak for return, making it
possible to stop by Washington. Here my
batteries were recharged with valuable
background information from former
associates in the Urban League, NAACP
and those now holding top positions in
the Federal government. (Some of this
data will be shared with News-Review
readers later.) I was happy to hear that
Dr. Robert Hill, scholarly research
director for the National Urban League,
was in the process of “nailing to the wall”
an evaluation by the Rand Corporation
report which so incorrectly purported
that income, job status, etc. of Blacks was
now almost equal with whites
PERRY SENDS HFLLO
Next stop was Savannah, Georgia’s
great repository of culture and history. 1
had a short phone talk with Lawrence D.
“Bubber” Perry Perry, now retired
and ailing, is a colorful and legendary
Georgia Black leader about whom voung
people of today should know moreAn
honor graduate of “old” Atlanta
University, a great athletic figure for
many decades throughout the Southeast,
he was also a solid civic leader and top
flight business executive with both
Atlanta Life and Pilgrim Life insurance
companies About 30 years ago Perry
left Augusta and returned home to
Savannah where he assumed the
presidency of its Carver State Bank
History shows that Mr. Perry expanded it
into a useful and successful financial
resource for that city He sends hello
to his many friends in Augusta Well
done, “Bubber”
808 JAMES KEY LEADER
Upon Perry’s retirement some eight
years ago, he and associates brought in
Robert E. James of Mississippi as bank,
president... An honor graduate of Morris
Brown and recipient ot an M.B.A. from
Harvard Unhe’Sti', ". ' '
■ByPhilin Waring ——
been the same since Bob James’ arrival!...
Under bis administration, Carver State
was moved into a beautiful new building
on West Broad Street (Though somewhat
snlaller, it closely resembles our Augusta
Chamb a of Commerce building)....
Under his leadership. Carver State has
almost doubled its financial and service
thrusts... Bob is recipient of many local
and national awards and is now president
of the National Bankers Association...
While he was in Washington during my
stop, 1 visited the bank and met his vice
president. Joseph S. 8e11...
OPERATES NEWSPAPER
Five years ago, Bob James made
possible the re-birth of the Savannah
Tribune newspaper... Old timers will
recall that this paper, under the
leadership of Masonic leader, Sol
Johnson, was one of the South’s leading
papers for over 75 years... It closed with
his.passing some years ago)... Today,
however, thanks to Bob James it is now a
vUo'ious spokesman for the Savannah
Black Community.
Last Tuesday I visited the new and
attractive Tribune office and talked with
its able staff including astute
editor-general manager, Ms. Tanya
Milton. Also met dynamic Angela
Crawford, news editor, who recently
returned home to Savannah from a North
Dakota press assignment... She wants to
“Pay my dm and work on a Black
paper’ Bob has also brought in Dennis
Modre as director of advertising and
public relation Dennis has had valuable
national experience... Barbara Boling is
production manager and Onnye Jean
Seifc writes a newsy and informative
social and community news column... I’d
say -io Bob lames that his new Tribune
has great potential for all Savannah... We
plan through Going Places to highlight
Savannah news several times a year and
wi|l also send them summaries about
Augtista...
BLACK INCUMBENT WINS
A rump group of Blacks attempted to
unseat able Aiderman Roy L. Jackson
and failed miserably, loosing five to one...
Another Black, Leon Chaplin also won a
seat on the board... Ms. Jean Loadholt
came out second in another district,
thereby making the run 0ff.... Hopes were
thereby justified that the new Savannah
annexation charger would not pose a
threat to Blacks Last Tuesday I also
witnessed a massive “get out the vote”
1 impaign which Augusta could use...
I rank Wise is assistant city manager. Ms.
Carolyn Bell s the first Black female city
administrator and Blacks hold other key
n| JK J|
1 Ml
The United States is inveigling a group
of old imperialists to try to head-off the
bad, bad Soviet and Cubans boys. This is
a thin-ice maneuvering and may lead to
another Vietnam debacle. It is not likely
that Congress or the American public
would tolerate sending of American boys
to die on African battle fields. But the
public must also remember that our
involvement in Vietnam started with
advisers and American dollars. The
United States is famous for siding with
the ideological wrong position. This
current tug-of-war started when Zaire’s
exiled Luanda tribesmen opposed to the
country’s president, Mobutu Sese Seko,
and invaded. Just like the United States is
versed in killing Asiatics, Britain,
Belgium, West Germany and France are
experts in butchering Black People in
Africa.
KILLING BLACKS
The French rushed 600 Foreign Legion
paratroopers to Zaire to save the rich
copper mines for the money greedy
Western Powers by driving out the native
Luanda rebels. Last Sunday, the United
States took a direct role when the United
States Air Force began ferrying some
1500 Moroccan white troops to Zaire to
replace white French troops. Yet it is
something to think about. It is a direct
American involvement in internal warring
within an African nation.
YOUNG TELLS IT LIKE IT IS
United Nation Ambassador Andrew
Young said in an interview the other day
that is is proper for the United States to
have some concern about Soviet-Cuban
activities in Africa. But, said Young,
“when concern is turned into panic by
others, 1 don’t think it serves the United
States interest.” The good Ambassador
thinks we have been acting “childish” to
the idea of Cuban and Soviet intervention
in Africa.”
VORSTER LAUGHING WITH GLfcE
South Africans are raising a pertinent
question: Does it really make sense for
the white Western powers to equip an
“All-African force” with American
weapons, ostensibly to fight Cubans who
carefully present themselves as supporters
of revolutionary Black nationalism? This
is bound to appear to Africans as an
about-face of what President Carter told
many Black African leaders. Vorster is
assidusouly attempting to propagate the
idea that Africa is essentially an East-West
battleground for the super powers and
their surrogates, rather than a collection
of nations with their own rights and their
l >
Another May 11 anniversary of the
deaths of six Black men killed in Augusta
on that date in 1970 has passed. Those
men were killed or murdered during the
riot of that period in the “building of
Augusta” after a Black youth-killed in the
local Richmond County Jail.
Many Blacks believe those six
unexplained deaths were the result of
alleged “shoot to kill” orders given to
Augusta policemen. Former Governor
Lester Maddox and local officials
conducted an investigation of the civil
disorder that was never made public as
promised. Did those six Black men die in
vain? Who really cares except their
families?
The memory of the May 11, 1970
massacre is still quite upsetting. One can
recall the racist Georgia National Guard
occupying the Black community. There
were also numerous incidents of hostile
Black - non-Black confrontation.
What has happened in Augusta since
that terrible ordeal? Have Black and
white relations significantly improved
since then? What progress have Blacks
made in recent years? Have Augusta
Blacks become more united in the
struggle for justice and equality? These
are just some of the questions that could
be raised in the aftermath of violence and
destruction.
It is helpful to note that the true story
of the civil rights movement in Augusta
has never been documented or written.
There were many persons who made
Walking with dlgnli
By Al Irby
Speaking out
By Roosevelt Green
Carter acting
immaturely
own concerns, chief among them the
ultimate Black-white struggle for power
in southern Africa.
CONCERN SHOULD BE IN
AND OF SOUTHERN AFRICA
There, in South Africa, Rhodesia, and
Namibia, should be the number one
conern of the “Free World”, and that is
where the focus of American policy
should be. President Carter’s frustration
at Soviet and Cuban audacity may be
understandable, but he will pay a high
price if he falls into Vorster’s apartheid
trap and aligns the United States again
with the forces of reaction, racism and
exploitation. Today, however, American
military involvement in Zaire, for
instance, is strengthening the possibility
that Carter’s show of power will surely
undercut the promising new approach to
African affairs that marked Mr. Carter’s
first year in office. Recent reports suggest
that American arms for this African
effort will be supplied second-hand by
Saudi Arabia and Iran. But the real
“international response,” if any, will be
undertaken in concert with France,
Belgium, West Germany and Britain, all
the old white colonial bullies in Africa.
ONLY SANE AND PROGRESSIVE VOICE
Diplomacy instead of bullets or
crookedness is the waytocounteractCuban
activities in Africa, says United Nation
Ambassador Andrew Young. “Almost
anywhere we have worked militarily we
have produced next to nothing,” Young
said in an U.S. News and World Report
interview. “And almost everywhere we
have moved covertly we have failed
miserably and have produced results that
are often counter-productive to our
interest.” The Ambassador said there is
“almost no Cuban presence” in areas
where the United States takes the
diplomatic initiative. “Had we been able
to move diplomatically in the Horn (of
Africa), we could have prevented the
Cuban presence there,” the Ambassador
said.
YOUNG COULD GIVE
LESSONS ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Young noted the administration has
already succeeded in one instance in
inducing, the Cubans to pull back in
Africa. “We made it clear to them (the
Cubans) that we would take it as a serious
breach of principle and a violation of
territorial integrity had they gone into
Somalia and they stopped at the border.
“I think we can get them (Cuba) to
work toward a peaceful solution with us
in .Namibia, because I think it’s in their
interest also.”
Black theology
without fear
or apology
courageous contributions to that struggle
that have never sought, or been given
credit, for their efforts. Others have
claimed credit after having done little if
anything but dance in the spot light.
I believe Augusta has perhaps matured
to the point where the Rev. Dr. Charles
Hamilton has a good chance of becoming
the next Mayor of Augusta. He was one
of the true heroes of the Augusta civil
rights movement’s climactic struggles.
Positive signs of the willingness of whites
to make Augusta more progressive were
in evidence as early as 1972.
Perhaps the greatest obstacle the Rev.
Dr. Hamilton may face is Black disunity.
1 have seen many Uncle and Aunt Toms
in Augusta over the years. However, the
Black community has always rallied to
travel the more constructive avenues.
Blacks and whites have a tremendous
opportunity in Augusta to demonstrate
movement into the twentieth century.
Petty jealousies and envy should be put
aside as Blacks unite behind the Rev. Dr.
Hamilton’s election as the next mayor of
Augusta.
I did not cite the May 11, 1970
incidents to rekindle the flames of racial
discord. However, we must always
remember the pages our our history
books if we are going to grow and
develop a more humane society. While we
must not live in the past or the future too
much, our mastery of the present
depends on the best perspectives of both.
HARAMBEE!!!!!!!!!!