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The Augusta News-Review - November 2-5. 1978
(Augusta
Mallory K. Millender • • • • • • • Editor-Publisher
J. Philip Waring Vice President for Research and Development
Paul D Walker Special Assistant to the Publisher
Robert L. Darby / Advertising Manager
Mrs. Brenda Hamilton Administrative Assistant
Mary Gordon Administrative Assistant
Mrs. Geneva Y. Gibson ••••■•• Church Coordinator
Ms. Barbara Gordonßurke County Correspondent
Mrs. Clara WestMcDuffie County Correspondent
Roosevelt Green Siumnist
w 1 • Columnist
Marian Warinp
Michael Can
We cannot be reaponaible for unsolicited photos, manuscripts and other materials.
Mailing Addrea
Box 953 - Augusta, Ga. - Phone 722-4555
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In talking recently to one of our
venerable and wonderful senior citizens
who is along-time supporter of the
News-Review, she said: “Gosh, but Ive
noticed healthy and interesting expansion
in the paper.” “We now read about
happenings in Burke, McDuffie, Aiken
and other counties ”
As a researcher-historian for the paper
I decided to analyze back issues, starting
January Ist of this year up to November,
as wee as other years. Won’t you take this
interesting review journey with me?
STAFF QUALITY ENHANCED
First, in the evaluation of 1978 one
would notice some of these items: (1) a
tremendous expansion of staff so as to
give greater services, (2) Revamping of
the front page coupled with additional
news features. (3) Outreach has actually
been established in outside communities,
thereby increasing readership, circulation
and interest. (4) A professional in-service
training program for staff has been
established. This enriches the overall
quality of performance, and hence service
to the readership and advertisers. (5)
Solid support has been given to the thrust
to stabilize and revitalize downtown
Augusta. Support has also been given to
the United Way, Red Cross, Chamber of
Commerce betterment campaigns and
other programs. Recently the
Laney-Walker Revitalization project was
given solid endorsement by the paper.
FORTHRIGHT EDITORIALS
(6) While the News-Review works for
the overall good of the Augusta
community and the CSRA, its principal
thrust is same as some 300 other Black
American Publications: Protect and
advance Black American citizens who
have many problems and barriers still
before them.
So as to support and advance the
current and future opportunities and
rights of its readers there are editorials
and feature columns. Responsibility for
writing editorials rests on the shoulders of
the eaitor/publisher. They have included
endorsements for such Black leaders as
Commissioner Ed Mclntyre and Dr. C.S.
Hamilton. The credibility, image and
respect for the News-Review is at an
all-time high. This cannot be purchased
by mere money or material things as
history will tell us. This credibility, image
and respect are among the most valuable
assets of the Augusta-News Review.
ADVERTISING ON THE RISE
Advertising, as many have noted, has
moved upward. Robert Darby, advertising
manager on board since last spring, is now
exploiting the potential. There’s over 70
thousand Blacks residing in the CSRA
and the adjacent western counties of
South Carolina with a purchasing
Ejtential exceeding SIOO million. As the
agship Black weekly here, our paper is
rapidly moving onward so that those who
have goods and services to sell may profit
Furthermore, the Greater Augusta area
coupled with the CSRA is actually the
largest economic unit outside the Greater
Letter to the editor
Appreciates coverage
Dear Editor:
Once again, yowr fine of tlw
Festiv&Ps ißteot : *
Motion," hag proven’ to be a great success.
The performance was attended by an
audience of over 600 enthusiastic people.
By the way, many of them were informed
of the program through the Augusta
Going places
The News-Review
spreads its wings
By Phil Waring
Atlanta sector. So this speaks well for our
sales and advertising goals and objectives.
HARD WORKING STAFF
The News-Review now has one of the
largest and hardest working staffs of any
of the half dozen or so (Albany,
Savannah, Columbus, Macon,
Thomasville, etc.) Black papers outside of
Atlanta.
What sort of features and news
columns do we have? Veteran columnist
Al Irby is probably the only local
journalist giving outgoing commentary on
the African situation. Mrs. Clara West,
National President of the Paine College
Alumni, is the new correspondent from
McDuffie County. Ms. Barbara Gordon, a
Paine Student, handles the
Waynesboro-Burke County sector.
The Rev. Roosevelt Green, civil rights
activist, forwards his hard-hitting column
down from Harrisburg, Pa. (He’s a former
local minister, teacher and social worker).
Mrs. Marian J. Waring, a former national
officer with both the A.K.A. and Giri
Scouts, uses her twice monthly column
‘Women’s World” to comment on that
subject.
BOOST FOR CIRCULATION
Paul Walker and Mary Gordon,
continue their special circulation projects.
So as to expand circulation into more
neighborhoods . The publisher recently
brought student Clifford Terrell on
board.
MESH OF BLACK CHURCH AND PRESS
The Black Church and Black Press have
worked closely together down through
the years and the same applies for the
church community and the Augusta
Black weekly. All kinds of news items,
pictures, church schedules, anniversary
programs, etc. appear weekly. This is
being further enriched via Mrs. Geneva
Yancy Gibson, church coordinator. She’s
had wide experience in church activities
in Detroit, Texas and her native Augusta.
Michael Carr, or chief photographer, has
recently produced pictures wnich are
“prize winning indeed” (Congratulations
to Mike on his new position with Delta
Airlines). And let’s not forget Roscoe'
Williams, a long time friend, who often
“gives a hand on special photography.”
TOP NATIONAL COLUMNIST ON HAND
To Be Equal by National Urban League
President Vernon Jordan and Our New
Day Begun by NAACP Executive
Director Benjamin Hooks are regular
feature columns. As both columns have
some of the best professional research
and back up, it makes readers of the
News-Review among the best informed in
the nation. And please don’t forget that
as Carl Ro wen points out so often as
well: "Racism still stalks the nation”. My
co,umn, Going Places, is now in its 31
year. We’ll discuss it later. In the
meanwhile, the News-Review will soon be
observing its eighth year of service.
News-Review.
Thank you so much for your
Maxine Lanham, co-ordinator
Augusta Black Festival, Inc.
2061 Milledgeville Road
Page 4
THE JO
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FAMILY W
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©1976 BLACK MEDIA CO-OP
endangered species
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The problem of hunger and
malnutrition is one that deserves the
thoughtful consideration of American
citizens regardless of political beliefs and
ethnicity. This country and the world is
experiencing these twin problems in ways
that demand international cooperation
for resolution.
I received a booklet from the
Metropolitan Pittsburgh Public
Broadcasting firm in Pennsylvania which
describes an upcoming November
television special devoted to the
international food problem. The special is
entitled “Global Paper: The Fight for
Food.”
The special is 3/z hours long and is
based on a one-day conference on world
food issues. I strongly urge you to consult
your local public broadcasting television
station for dates and times in your local
area.
It may be helpful to you for me to cite
some startling and tragic facts about the
food problem that I read in the
previously mentioned booklet
On three-fourths of the world globe,
500 million people receive under 50
grams of proteins a day, while the average
American consumes about 101 grams.
Before they reach the age of 5, nearly a
third of the babies in the world die of
malnutrition.
“Over 56 percent of U.S. agricultural
exports go to highly industrialized
countries, not to developing nations -
“Most of the people who are
malnourished live in developing countries
in which the average income per person is
S2OO a year. Yet more than 40 percent of
• U.S. food aid goes to richer countries that
are important to the U.S. for military and
political reasons. ”
It seems that there are two approaches
designed to cope with the world food
problem. The first is to increase the rate
of production in the countries most badly
afflicted.
The second approach is the attempt to
more evenly distribute the world food
supply. Both approaches and any others
developed have to contend with
economic, political and social pressures
that make problem-solving even more
difficult.
The world food problem is one that
will increasingly affect the lives of
citizens in this rich country. It affects
American jobs, our cost of living and our
regard for our fellow human beings. For
example, a year of drought and bad
weather would cause widespread famine
because of insufficient global food
reserves.
Some of the key issues in the fight for
food include water and weather, water
management, ownership and use of land,
land reform and productivity, the Green
Revolution, and direct aid. These issues
are dealt with in the upcoming special in
a very comprehensive manner. The
program can be viewed from November
12-16 in many areas of the country.
A number of national religious
denominations have joined in the struggle
to feed the hungry in our world. One
PART-TIME JOBS AVAILABLE
IN YOUR AREA.
THE ARMY RESERVE.
PART OF WHAT YOU EARN IS PRIDE.
Speaking Out
Hunger,
malnutrition
must be conquered
By Roosevelt Green Jr.
organization “Bread for the World,” can
be reached by writing it at 207 East 16th
Street, New York, New York, 10013.
“Bread” also has information on how
your local church or civic organization
can explore and combat the problem.
“Bread’’has some specific suggestions
for individual and group action for
dealing with this problem. I will conclude
by citing the ten suggestions and asking
you to become a part of the solution
rather than the problem.
1. Become better informed. Read
books, magazine articles, newspapers.
Start clipping and develop a file. Learn
about (and from) hungry or malnourished
people in your own area. The better
informed you are, the more effective you
will be.
2. Become a citizen advocate. Contact
your congressional representatives (or
other appropriate leaders) on such issues
as establishment of a grain reserve.
3. Influence public policy. Discuss
hunger issues. Develop a strategy for
influencing your member of Congress (or
other appropriate leaders) on specific
items. Create a phone network for use
when targeted issues are being debated.
Get others to contact government leaders
at the local, state or national level.
Arrange a visit with a member of
Congress, or invite him or her to a
meeting to discuss one or several food
issues; but do your homework first.
4. Discuss the problem of hunger with
your family. It needs to be on the supper
agenda. Parents especially can do
themselves., their children, and others a
great favor by putting this front and
center in family discussions.
5. Write a letter to the editor of your
local paper. Be brief; choose a specific
issue, preferably one reported or
commented on editorially. Mention your
member of Congress, if appropriate -- he
or she is certain to see it.
6. Examine your own pattern of life.
Keep a record of meals eaten and the
food consumed by your family for one
week. Contrast these eating habits with
those in several developing countries.
7. Help to form a local group. Groups
can be formed within communities,
churches, civic organizations, etc. If one
already exists, take part.
8. Investigate hunger in your area and
take steps to help. For example, are there
people who qualify for food stamps but
are not in the program? How can they be
helped to enroll? Groups may already be
working on local hunger problems. Find
them; learn from them; work with them.
Take the initiative where needed.
9. Form working coalitions with other
groups for particular goals. Which groups
(grocers, bankers, corporate leaders,
farmers) might be prepared to back
specific legislation, if approached? Which
would take part in some community-wide
educational or fund-raising effort on
hunger?
10. Sponsor events. A public forum, a
fund-raising dinner or hike, a food day or
fast day, a car wash, etc. Involve the
youth and senior citizens.
HARAMBEE!!!!!!!!!! .
Walking with dignity
A key figure in the World Counsel oi
Churches’ decision to make a
controversial grant to the Rhodesian
Patriotic Front has been elected president
of the National Council of Churches in
the United States.
NOT FAR FROM PLAINS
The Rev. William Howard, a Black
Baptist who grew up in Americus, Ga.,
was selected without opposition at the
semi-annual meeting of the National
Council of Churches (NCC) in New York
last weekend. The Rev. Mr. Howard, who
directs a program for Blacks in the
(Dutch) Reformed Church in America,
will relinquish his post as moderator of
the Advisory Commission for the World
Council of Churches’ Program to Combat
Racism. At a press conference after his
election as NCC president, an unsalaried
officer with a term of three years, Mr.
Howard said World Council executives
had final responsibility for making PCR
grants, But he said that the commission
recommended Patriotic Front grants, foi
humanitarian, not military, purposes,
which amounted to $85,000, and he
supported it fully.
A BACKDROP OF CONTROVERSY
The Rev. Dr. Howard, at 32, the
youngest in the NCC’s 28-year history,
said he has never met his fellow Baptist,
President Carter. But as a Cub Scout he
camped at Koinonia Fram, an interracial
enterprise led by Clarence Jordan, uncle
of President Carter’s chief aide Hamilton
Jordan. The NCC governing board met
against a backdrop of controversy over
dismissal by its executive committee of
the Rev. Lucius Walker, Black executive
head of its division of Church and
Society. Mr. Howard refused to
comment, but William P. Thompson, the
council’s outgoing president, said the
action was taken because of “fiscal
mismanagement” that Mr. Walker failed
to correct, after he was “admonished.”
Mr. Walker told interviewers he had taken
corrective action. He charged that the real
issue was an NCC “retreat” for addressing
the “hard issues” of social justice.
A STORM IN HIGH CHURCH CIRCLES
Mr. Walker also cited the governing
board’s decision to issue a 43-page paper
on energy issues, prepared under Church
and Society auspices, as only a study
document rather than a statement of
policy, as proposed. The document had
been critized as excessively negative
Many of the more sophisticated,
advanced businesses in America have
indicated their concern with revitalizing
the cities. But relatively few have
developed coherent corporate strategies
that deal with urban revitalization within
the framework of corporate activities.
Many have however, and their
Erograms ought to be more widely
nown. One problem with singling out
one or two companies is that the work of
others is neglected. But perhaps
discussion of some things Control Data
Corp, and Sears, Roebuck & Company are
doing will stimulate later wider interest in
positive steps being taken by others.
Control Data Corp., the giant
computer company, has joined with a
number of other corporations to start a
new company, Gty Venture Corp. The
aim of the new firm will be to plan and
manage programs designed to improve
conditions in inner cities, and to benefit
businesses locating there. The new
company will draw on Control Data’s
experience in constructing and operating
plants at a profit in a number of urban
poverty areas.
The significance of the venture is that
it is not designed to be a charitable
enterprise - it’s intended to be a
profit-making concern creating jobs
where they are most needed.
American business has not taken full
advantage of the economic opportunities
offered by inner city neighborhoods. By
stressing technological breakthroughs,
identifying new markets and products,
and by training the neglected human
resources of urban ghettos, corporations
can revitalize the conomics of the cities.
Gty Venture will be watched closely
by the Black community to see if it
follows through on its potential for
creating productive jobs, and by the
corporate community, which is bound to
view it as a test of the profitability of
poverty-area economic development.
The positive step taken by Control
Data and other backers of the new
company should be acknowledged. So
too, should a different approach be taken
by Sears, Roebuck.
Upon this rock
By Al Irby
toward nuclear energy and implicitly
socialistic in reference to a possible need
for changing “esisting values, institutions,
and vested interests.” But other critics
found the document unsatisfactory
mainly because of its length, and the
board kept the energy debate alive by
asking that a more concise statement be
prepared for consideration at its next
meeting.
ETHNIC SPIRITUALLY
In other action, the NCC board
approved a policy statement on Indian
affairs that endorses “the sovereignty of
Indian nations. ” It declares that Christian
churches historically have played “a
direct part in the destruction of Indian
nations” through such activities as
operating mission schools “to civilize and
Christianize Indians who in a large way,
have always been more civilized, than the
nation as a whole. The NCC committed
itself to “support Indian efforts to.
maintain the integrity of their
spirituality” and said Christian churches
recognize “God is revealed to other
peoples and cultures in many and diverse
ways. ”
The board accepted the United States’
branch of the Coptic (Ethiopia)
Orthodox Church into National Council
of Churches membership, bringing the
total to 32 Protestant and Orthodox
churches with some 40 million members.
AMERICAN INDIANS AND BLACKS
Recently, Indians have been scoring
some big victories in their battle to
reverse some of the wrongs imposed upon
the American natives. The current
land-claim settlements that are in the
Sirocess of being worked out by the
ederal government are all well and good,
and also overdue. State officials, private
landowners, in which Indian tribes are
seeking the return of more than 15
million acres they feel were illegally taken
from them in the past, the Rhode Island
settlement could provide an important
new mosel for settling complex land
disputes out of court.
BUT WHERE ARE THE 40 ACRES
That phrase was kicked around at the
end of the Civil War as a
conscience-soother for 300 years of
enslavement of over 5 million Blacks.
Instead of trying to help us overcome this
historic stigma, they throw the like of
ignominious “Bakke cases” in our rocky
road to progress.
To be equal
Corporations
and cities
By Vernon E. Jordan
Sears has been faced with a problem
common to many retailers in
economically declining neighborhoods.
Housing abandonment has resulted in
population declines that translate into
lower retail volume and financial losses.
The hard facts of business mandate that
stores cannot be carried if they lose
money over a period of years. This has
meant that some Sears stores in inner
cities face closing.
But Sears didn’t do what others have
done - just walk away. In St. Louis, Sears
followed its corporate policy of seeking
other uses for the doomed store. It
embarked on a joint venture with the St.
Louis Urban League to turn its North St.
Louis facility into a Community Services
Center.
S ears financed the necessary
remodeling, paid taxes on the property,
and turned tne management of the new
building over to the Urban League. The
tbuilding has been turned into a center,
housing businesses and non-profit services
and educational agencies. Community
meeting facilities are included.
Had Sears simply moved away, the
vacant building would have been a t
deteriorating eyesore, dragging the entire
neighborhood downhill and damaging
property values in a part of the city
where many Black people own homes.
Instead, it has become a focal point for
community services and activities, and
holds the promise of being a catalyst of
neighborhood revitalization.
It is important to note that while such
steps as Control Data’s and Sears’ are
relatively unusual, they are not unique. In
many cities, corporations are working
together with community-based agencies
and local authorities to bring new life to
declining neighborhoods. In San Diego,
for example, the Urban League spurred
development of a job-creating industrial
park in a minority neighborhood and
helped arrange financing for companies
moving into it
There are many positive things taking
place in our inner cities and it’s time
more attention was focused of them.