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The Augusta News-Review • March 29, 1980 •! Nctos-JRcUiehi •*. ' * •» • ■• Mallory K. Millender . Editor-Publisher Paul D. Walker Special Assistant to the Publisher Frank Bowman Director ot Special Projects Ms. Fannie Fluno News-Editor Billy ,W. Hobbs ..,,.Reporter Ms. Mary Boynton Advertising Manager Harvey Harrison Sales Representative Mrs. Rhonda Brown Administrative Assistant Mrs. Maty Gordon Administrative Assistant Mrs. Geneva V. Gibson Church Coordinator Mrs. Fannie. Johnson .Aiken County Correspondent Mrs. Clara West .... McDuffie County Correspondent David Dupree Sports Editor Mrs. Ileen Buchanan Fashion & Beauty Editor Roosevelt Green Columnist Ailrby,;,..- Columnist Mrs. Marian Waring• .Columnist Philip Waring Columnist Sterling Wimberly ‘Photographer Roscoe Williams Photographer We taanul t>e responsible for unsolicited photos, manuscripts, and other materials. Mailing Address - Box 953 (USPS 887 8201 - Augusta, Ga. Phone (404) 722-4555 Second Class Postage Paid Augusta, Ga. 30903 /|W IH IT MtAiaA—n» J;— y PvausNCM, inc. MSrMM *<MM» laiuß.iwii-iaiumiMm-w- Walking with dignity w 3EE EM® So-called .black leaders from the original civil rights movement and a few J uhnnies-come-lately assembled in Richmond, Va. a few weeks ago allegedly to establish a black agenda for 1980. Now there is a small number of those architects of racial progress, who arc really concerned with the condition of the black masses: but lire vast majority arc nothing but racial hustlers out there to feather (heir own nests: the devil take the blacks in the streets. This was very much difference from the 1972 black political conference in Gary, Indiana. • SPRIT OF DR. KING AND MALCOM X Ideological debates look a back scat to more traditional parliamentary . procedures.. Yet the fervor of the 60s which brought the likes of Dr. Martin (.other King and Maicon X could still be heard in the thunderous verbosity delivered by the inimitable Rev. Jesse Jackson, leader of Operation POSH and Congressman Ronald Dcllums (D-Ca.), Vice Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus arid senior member, of the House ' Armed Services Committee. Congresswoman Cardtss Collins (D-IIL), Chairperson of the Black Congressional Caucus, said. “The conference is to decide for . ourselves what the priorities arc and maximize our own resources to build an infrastructure Io emphasize format political clout in the 80s.” CANDIDATES REFUSED TO ATTEND But before lite delegation of over 1,000 representatives from 300 black organizations throughout die country . could see their way Io creating a black agenda, a menacing cloud of presidential politicing had Io be cleared. Upon learning, on the second day of the conference that the three Democratic presidential hopefuls - Sen. Edward Kennedy. Jerry Brown, and President Carter, also Rep. John Anderson (R-lll.) declined to appear, the black leaders were forced to call a press conference Io respond to the insult. Consequently, the talk boys and girls went into action. “This conference was never intended to revoke around a presidential forum,” coordinator of the conference Mayor Richard Hatcher of Gary, Indiana, said. "Nor does its cancellation affect lite outcome* of this conference in any way. We came here to write a black agenda.” . By Gerald C. Home With, th?arrival of Spring, this country’s Summer ritual -- professional basebal - cannot be far behind. This year's tJ»»nRS mirfit be different as most observers are reporting that the major ■ league owners will be forcing a strike. . : Another difference this year is that these 'to more awareness and ■ determination on the part of the civH rights community to redress the absence Jf Macks in the front offices of major league basebal teams. That there is a critical lack of color in these white collar positions should come as no surprise to those famflar with the history of.racism in this industry, pie . old-timers among us recall the picketing, the protests and the pressure that finally caused the migration on the field in the person of UCLA tear Jackie Robinson. The dynamic role of Paul Robeson and crvl rights attorney Wffliam Patterson <“The Man Who Cried Genocide”) plus the arsthradst sentiment generated by the war against Nazi Germany were pivotal in Page 4 Candidates snub blacks By Al Irby II NOT CARTER, WIIO’N Till: HI LL? Nonetheless, Mayor Coleman Young of Detroit side-stepped the agenda when he came out in support of President Jimmy Carter. Coleman's remarks provoked boos from an audience of 500 delegates who apparently disagreed with his endorsement. “I say to you, based on his record, Jimmy Carter will be the next president," said Young. “I’m going with Carter. Much of the money that has gone to the cities can he traced to the man from Plains, Georgia. After you get through booing, who the hell are you for? Later Coleman noted that he felt everyone at the conference was a part of some organized lobbying organization and charged that the convenors were not dealing with the realities. “I’m not sure what the focus of this conference is, but one thing is certain, this is not a mass conference, but a leadership conference of people with axes to grind," said Young. Young was contradicted by Congressman Delluins, who was most critical of President Carter and the United States budget. Dellums attacked the budget for alloting too much money for defense spending and not enough for domestic concerns. “Society's values are reflected in the budget. The atmosphere of balanced budget and Proposition 13 will harm us all,” the fircry Dellums warned. Top bigwigs of the conference warned the presidential hopefuls that they could not ignore the strength of the black vote or face repercussions. Os course they mostly spoke for themselves. The bulk of black voters have minds of their own, and that tends toward Jimmy Carter. That last press conference marked a turning point in the agenda session. Black leaders who were not present were hurriedly sent for to backup the sagging enthusiasm. Topping the list were former UN Ambassador Andrew Young, President of the . National Urban League, Vernon Jordan; tire president of the Center for Political Studies, Eddie Williams; Rep. Cardiss Collins (D-IIL); Rev. Jesse Jackson, head of Operation PUSH, and Coretta Scott King, wife of slain Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King. This huge group of black political brokers blew their talented tops at the entire spectrum of political candidates that passed them by with their campaign “Hot Air.” Iffirmative action and baseballttime to stop playing ball this integration process. The irrationality of segregation is underscored by the fact that black stars such as Josh Gibson, Judy Johnson, Jay “Cool Papa” Bell and legions of others were deprived of an opportunity to earn a living at their chosen trade, despite their obvious “merit.” The continuing segregation of “Negro League” stars in the Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, New York is continuing insult heaped on a continuing injury. Since the day that Jaclde Robinson first stepped on to the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers, there has been a continuing stream of black (U.S., Cuban, Puerto Rican, etc.) players adding lustre to the country’s pasttime. Indeed, the National League’s continued domination of the American League in All-Star Games is attributed often to its preponderance of black players. Unfortunately, this representation on the field has not been duplicated off the field. This is one reason why the Rev. Joseph Lowery of the Southern Christian / \ kA \ W 1 /<%> \ r □ _ NATIONAL \to / j CONFERENCE J FOR A BLACK / VX/WaAM /) 1 AGENDA FOR / /XvNW 11 1 THE 'BOS 7 RICHMOND, VA- | r am; - CHICKEN! To be equal By Vernon E. Jordan The 1980 Census officially begins April 1, and it is the most important event of the year for minorities, perhaps even more important than the outcome of the presidential election. That’s because the census results will affect just about every area of minority life. Part of the problems faced by minorities in the seventies derived from the fact that so many were counted out, affecting a wide variety of federal and state aid programs. The Census Bureau itself admits that it missed five million people in the 1970 Census. But while only one out of fifty whites was not counted, one out of fourteen blacks and one out of seven Hispanic-Americans were not counted. Almost one out of five young black men were missed by the census-takers. Over the course of the decade that undercount cost minority communities billions of dollars in job programs and other social services allocated in part on population figures based on inaccurate census numbers. Apologists for the undercount claim that minority suspicions of official documents and government probers were the main cause. But more important was the failure to design procedures to ensure that everyone is counted. Major efforts were not made to pentrate suspicions and convince people that it was in their own interests to fill out and return the census forms. It is questionable whether the 1980 census will do much better on that score. There’s been little evidence of concentrated advertising campaigns directed at minorities. Some urban neighborhoods that are predominately Spanish-speaking will be mailed forms in English. This year’s census will rely more heavily on mail returns than ever before, although pilot tests show this method results in lower compliance rates. The forms themselves could be simpler. Most families will get a form that supposedly takes fifteen minutes to fill out, but many will get a longer form taking nearly an hour. Leadership Conference (SCLC) called for a meeting with Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn to discuss the civil rights community's concern with this lament able situation. Despite the urgency of the matter, Kuhn has dragged his heels on discussing this issue. Perhaps this is because he would have difficulty justifying the apartheid-like conditions in baseball’s white collar positions. In the office of the commissioner, there is only one black - Emmet Ashford (bounced from being baseball’s sole black umpire) and Monte Irvin. Emmett Ashford, who was also in the front office, recently died. In the front offices of the clubs there are a few blacks, e.g. Hank Aaron (vice president, player development, Atlanta Braves); Ernie Banks (member of the board and manager of group sales, Chicago Clubs); Don Newcombe (director, community relations, Los Angeles Dodgers); Tommy Harper (marketing and promotions, Boston Red Minorities must be counted in census But do those time figures reflect the fact that many poor households are disadvantaged educationally? For them even the sort form will be a test of perserverance, and many may just ignore it. These and other shortcomings place a heavy burden on minority community organizations, churches and othere to ensure that people in their neighborhoods are counted. And that means providing information and assistance so that everyone gets their census questionnaires filled out and mailed in. People have to know why their cooperation is important. One key reason is redistricting. Exactly one year from now the Census will release the official population figures to states and localities for the purpose of redistricting legislative seats. Without maximum minority participation in the census, Congressional and legislative seats may be redistricted out of black and brown communities and given to predominately white suburbs. Already, experts are predicting a massive drift in Congressional seats away from the big northern states to California and the South. If that shift is based on undercounting both northern minority communitys and those of the South and West, then the little political power minorities now yield will decline evn further. Census figures will also decide the distribution of some S6O billion in federal funds for revenue sharing, job training, educational aid and other programs. They’ll help set guidelines for equal employment opportunity programs. State and local programs are also at stake. Census figures may be used to justify closing hospitals, libraries, schools and fire stations if an ur.dercount suggests lower population than actually exists. So minorities have a special stake in being counted in 1980. We’ve been counted out in previous censuses, and that meant being counted out of jobsand programs too. We can’t afford to be counted out again. Sox); Brooks Lawrence (director, community relations, Cincinnati Reds); Jim Plummer (assistant director of promotions, New York Mcts); Minnie Minoso (public relations, Chicago White Sox); and Darrell Joseph (assistant controller, Kansas City Royals). A number of facts emerge from an examination of this list. First of all, it is obscene that major league baseball owners, who profit handsomely from the sweat of black players and the money of black fans can only see fit to hire a measly eight blacks in front office positions. Second of all, with the possible exception of Aaron and Joseph, the major function of the blacks hired appears to be to keep black fans turning the turnstiles (“group sales,” “public relations,” etc.). The owners seem to realize that if they do need a token black, his job should be to make sure that the “natives” don’t rebel against discriminatory practices by staying away from the ball park. Thirdly, the -Behind the Scenes |flCMg*£ Probably not since Emperor Ceasar Augustus sent out a decree that all the known world would be counted for the purpose of tax collection has there been so much preparation for the enumeration of Americans. In many respects, April 1, will be the more important than the Nov. 4 election of the president of the United States. On that April morning, the decennial count of all persons who dwell within the borders of the nation and its territories will officially get underway. Being included in that number is far more meaningful titan wetting a finger and ticking off people like so many heads of cabbages at a market stall. The big compilation which takes place every ten years not only registers the population of the United States, but it is the basis for establishing congressional districts, securing data on housing, employment, health and education and determining how the wealth of tire country will be shared by states and municipalities. Because many people are “lost" in the numbers game, the undercount becomes a paramount issue. Minorities, in particular, have been systematically short-changed in each census since it began in the 18th Century. Whatever the reasons, the Bureau of the Census has been making elaborate plans to correct this omission in 1980. It established advisory councils on the various ethnic groups -- blacks, Hispanics, Asian-Pacific and Native Americans. Joseph and Mary had to make the arduous journey from Nazareth to Bethlethem by donkey despite the fact that Mary was great with child. The modern census is so refined that the only laobr involved is in filling out the questionnaire which will be mailed to the heads of each household and handing the completed form to the postman. This is far cry from the old system of head counting. Some years ago, I served for a short period as a consultant to the Social Security Administration. I learned at first hand the complexities of locating warm bodies. Then it was a hazardous risk to climb the stairs of public housing projects and take nose counts. In the rural areas of the South, the nice ladies who were the enumerators had a fashion of standing outside their cars hollering across a drainage ditch to a dilapidated shack, “How many of you all in there?.' Depending upon the mood of the folks inside who were wary of why the white folks were asking such questions, the answer could be one to 20. Whatever the response, the counter got back into her car and wrote down whatever figure suited her, and that was the end of that census. We all know about hiding folks for various reasons -- they may be in trouble with the law, or the welfare people may be tracing them down or many other reasons. These are among the hidden population. They remain anonymous from fear of being discovered. Poverty naturally compounds the situation. But one sure way to find black folks was tlrrough the undertakers. They were the ultimate link to body count. No place, no matter how remote, was inaccessible to the conveyors of departed souls. A good undertaker was and is always on the alert for customers. He or she has first-hand knowledge of where the live ones are. I’m glad that there is improvement. I’m happy that the bureau has gathered up some of the “most leadingnest blacks” in the country to advise them on how to find more, not less of us. Anybody who can see and/or hear knows that there are a lot more than 25 million black folks in America. If you don’t believe it, just stand on the corner of 125th and Lennox in New York, 75th and King Drive in Chicago, or other familiar comers in Baltimore, St. Louis, Los Angeles, Atlanta, New Orleans, you name it and there are black folks for days. In fact, you’ll wonder where the whites went. By my own private computer, there must be at least 10 million more highly overwhelming majority of these blacks are ex-players. What’s wrong with that? Nothing necessarily. But why can’t these owners see fit to hire some of the thousands of black business school (MBA’s) and business administration grads exiting from universities every year. They hire white MBA’s, so why can’t they hire blacks? It can’t be argued that “qualified blacks” are unavailable. The Affirmative Action Coordinating Center by itself can supply a life of a hundred or more qualified and experienced blacks who could be hired and that is not even our main line of work! Unfortunately, the issue of racial discrimination is not simply limited to the front office. There are still significant examples of racism on the field. Why is there only one black umpire, Eric Gregg, of the National League; there are only five black umpires in the minor leagues, So the prospects for a further increase do not seem bright. Where are the black managers? There are none in the majors Being counted in census as important as voting By Ethel Payne visible, identifiable stone “bloods” than what the “Man” admits to. Even I am impressed by all that blackness flowing like the mighty Congo River through the streets. Next year’s count will cost well over SI billion. Several dress rehearsals have been held in cities around the country to test the viability of the mail plan. Census takers will call on only those households which do not send back their completed questionnaires. At that time, they will ask for missing information. Advice will be sought from experts across the country on such issues as (1) adequacy of available techniques for undercount measurement (2) the scope of the possible adjustments relative to census population counts (and possibly - characteristics data) for a range of geographic areas, (3) the conference will establish the legal philosophical, legislative and political concerns involved in adjusting census numbers, (4) it will address the equity of using adjusted figures in federal fund allocation formulas, and (5) it will deal with the implication of adjusting census data for the federal statistical system in general. All tli is will be hammered out at a two-day conference in Washington in the spring of 1980. The importance of the census was underscored by Vernon Jordan, president of the National Urban League. In an open letter to the delegates and participants at the recent annual conference of the League in Chicago, he had this to say . “You will be asked to make many important decisions in 1980 that may very well help to shape the course of this nation's future. A major one, of course, is the opportunity to exercise your Constitutional right to vote, to select our nation’s leaders. “But there is another ballot that you will be asked to cast - next year -- your vote to be counted in the 1980 Census. ... This census undercount has shortchanged thousands of communities both politically and economically. The two million blacks who were missed (in the 1980 Census) are equal to the loss of five Congressional representatives and scores of local legislators... “These communities lost billions of dollars in possible fiscal relief since population figures arc increasingly being used as the basis for government aid to state and localities in such areas as housing, education, employment, transportation, etc. ... Let us all work together for a 100 percent count next year.” Jordan’s admonition should be taken quite seriously. One prime purpose of the census as provided by the Constitution is to establish the basis for fair apportionment among the States of seats in the House of Representatives. That will have a direct effect upon black political representation in Congress. As it now stands there are 15 blacks in the House (Reps. Barbara Jordan and Yvonne Brathwaite Burke resigned last year). The reapportionment could reduce the number of blacks even more through gerrymandering of congressional districts. The precensus estimates show population drops in some heavily black districts that have been sending representatives to the House since tire 1970 Census and even longer. By law, the Census Bureau must report the State population counts to the president by January 1, 1981, nine months after the census. Exactly a year after the Census Day - April 1, 1981 - the Bureau must make available to each state legislature population totals for all counties and cities and other political subdivisions in the State. Court rulings on the one person, one vote principle have led state and local governments to use census data for drawing legisla ive and other district and ward boundaries. It is important also to remember that while the census is mandatory, each household’s answers to the questionnaire See “CENSUS” Page 7 and only one, Johnny Lewis of Gastonia of the Class A Western Carolina League, in the minors. Again, prospects for the future do not appear bright. There are a out fifteen coaches in the major leagues. Not bad at first glance; buy they are mostly segregated in the first base coaching slot and virtually barred from the third base slot, which involves more responsibility and duties. Other areas are equally discouraging. Only two teams have black broadcasters - Bill White of the New York Yankees and Mudcat Grant of Oakland - despite the surplus of articulate, heady blacks who could fill this role. The technical crews that broadcast the games are virtually as white as Ole Miss’s law school class of 1933. Os course, the sorry statistics for baseball could just as well be cited to condemn professional football, which has no black head See “BASKETBALL” Page 7