Newspaper Page Text
April, 1980 - New National BLACK MONITOR
NCNW (Continuedfrom page ••••••••••••••••••••••
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Women from national women’s organizations in Senegal and Togo, participating in a Twinning Program directed by the Inter
national Division of NCNW. This visitor-exchange program is another step NCNW has taken towards the achievement of
significant relationships between NCNW and women of the Third World. Here they get a briefing by Miss Dorothy Height, about
NCNW’s programs designed to help the black woman, her family and community.
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Muhammad Ali is prepared for shot at NCNW’s National Immunizations Project 'Kick-off Day,” in Columbus, Ohio.
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From left to right: Mrs Remay Pierce. President. Newark Section NCNW; Dorothy I Height; Kenneth Gibson. Mayor of Newark,
New Jersey; and Brenda Rasbury. Director of Operation Sisters United-Newark, New Jersey
jobs, and what courses to study in order to
prepare for different careers.
“The problem of unemployment among
minority youth is so big that sometimes it
may seem easy to say, *Oh, it is too big.
What can we do?” I think all of us have to
do the things that we have a chance to do.
NCNW wants to make a difference in the
lives of the young people we touch. If local
ly we can help 150, or 200 or 300 in some of
our communities, or whatever number hap
pens to be in the program, to get a sense of
direction and set goals for themselves, and
if we support them in achieving their goals,
then I think we shall have made a contribu
tion.
“NCNW is made up of women of many
different backgrounds, with many different
talents—and we think that we can use our
talents to be of some help. I think we can
make a unique contribution because of the
unsurpassed role models in our affiliate
organization membership, which enable
young people to see people who are work
ing to achieve. And hopefully they’ll be in
spired to do the same.
“We are putting our hearts and minds
into this effort. Part of our uniqueness is
that we not only have professional staff to
help, but we also have local community
volunteers who give us their time and have a
deep interest in the program. This is one of
the advantages of our vast outreach to more
than four million women.
Principal Legacy
“In its efforts to strengthen NCNW by
greatly widening its base, Miss Height made
it clear that black women’s organizations
that come under NCNW’s umbrella adds
strength and depth to each group’s effort,
and it builds tremendous —indeed, almost
incalculable—power for black women to
change their lot and to change America for
good. “We must believe that such a day is
not too far off,” she said.
“During my own administration, the
principal legacy which we have sought to
leave is a broad framework for the inclusion
of black womanhood into American life.
Together with our pilot programs, we have
helped to demonstrate that our hopes and
aspirations are realizable as we work
together.
“Our programs are admittedly small. We
have made beginnings. But our nationally
sponsored programs are not really the heart
and center of our strength. Every activity in
which our constituent members engage
moves us along toward our goals. We want
to serve increasingly as a clearinghouse for
the efforts of black women throughout
America.”
It is precisely this effect that NCNW
hopes to achieve by strengthening its State
Action Coalitions. The State Coalitions are
the principal coordinating bodies through
which the strength of NCNW is being
drawn closer together at the state level,
where the most crucial decisions are often
made. The Coalitions enable NCNW, it’s
national affiliates, and local sections to
work in concert with other community or
ganizations and individuals, especially
women who are most affected by the prob
lems on which the National Council of
Negro Women is working. “We recognize
the tremendous trust which we have in this
regard, since no other cooperative effort in
America can readily do what we ideally are
becoming equipped to do,” says Miss
Height.
For 1980, special emphasis has been
placed on working to achieve an accurate
census count to insure that blacks are not
shortchanged for yet another decade
because of a census undercount. NCNW,
along with other organizations, are also
participating in the nationwide, non
partisan voter’s crusade, under the aegis of
Operation Big Vote, to increase voter edu
cation and registration among blacks and
other minorities. It is also at the state level
that NCNW will join hands with other
groups to work for the ratification of ERA,
in which women of color have a substantial
stake.
Joining Hands
The picture presented here is of a na
tional coordinating mechanism for the em
powerment of black women and black
families throughout America. “We seek to
join hands with every black woman, ex
tending to each of them—through
NCNW —the helping hand of all other
black women in our country.. .and also
abroad,” so Miss Height states.
Since its inception, the National Council
of Negro Women has emphasized world
wide cooperation. NCNW has programs in
Africa, and its affiliates have chapters
which serve in the Caribbean and in Africa.
Most recently, NCNW’s International
Division developed an exchange program
with the national women’s organizations of
Senegal and Togo. Os this effort, Miss
Height stated: “This is another step toward
the achievement of significant relations be
tween the National Council of Negro
Women and women of the Third World.”
Through its work with women in other
countries, the International Division has
become a repository for information related
to the roles of women in a variety of
developing countries.
The Human Good
The National Council of Negro Women
has participated in a continuous succession
of national and international conferences
and consultations on human rights and on
the status or concerns of women. At the
first national Women’s Conference in
Houston, Texas in November of 1977, the
National Council of Negro Women secured
the adoption of the following perspective:
“For more than a century, American
women have struggled against sexist denial
of their rights as citizens. For almost 200
(Continued on page 21.)