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The Augusta News-Review - June 14, 1980 -
©je Augusta
(USPS 887 820)
Mallory K. Millender Editor-Publisher
Paul D. Walker. Special Assistant to the Publisher
Frank Bowman Director of Special Projects
Ms. Fannie FlonoNews-Editor
Rev. R.E. Donaldsonßeligion Editor
Henrietta Langford Advertising Manager
Harvey Harrison Sales Representative
Mrs. Rhonda Brown Administrative Assistant
Mrs. Mary Gordon .Administrative Assistant
Mrs. Geneva Y. Gibson Church Coordinator
Mrs. Fannie Johnson Aiken County Correspondent
Mrs. Clara WestMcDuffie County Correspondent
David DupreeSports Editor
Mrs. Been Buchanan Fashion & Beauty Editor
Roosevelt Green Columnist
Al IrbyColumnist
Mrs. Marian Waring Columnist
Philip Waring Columnist
Sterling Wimberly ‘Photographer
Roscoe Williams Photographer
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Box 953 (USPS 887 820) - Augusta, Ga.
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The recent assassination attempt on my
friend Vernon Jordan was both cowardly
and sadistic. As the sole Urban Leaguer
here, I’ve received numerous calls about
this situation. As a member of the Urban
League Alumni Association 1 did the
following: (1) Pushed back the projected
special feature column on local black
business firms. This will come later during
the month, (2) Established special news
clipping files and shared the same with
the Paine College and Wallace Branch
Libraries, Human Relations Commission
Research Department, and with Civil
Rights Attorney Jack Ruffin, who
incidentally is Vernon’s Howard law
school mate. 1 am also informing
Vernon’s many local friends that they
might send cards and messages directly to
him at National Urban League in the
Equal Opportunity Building at 500 East
62 St., New York City, NY 10021. And
of course we ask for everyone’s prayers
and good wishes during this time of crisis.
1 shall always remember a special
conference with him immediately
following Lester Granger’s funeral. I
indicated my plans to return to Augusta
following retirement. He applauded and
said, “Let’s get an affiliate started down
there.” Be sure to review the news clips at
the aforementioned sites and read the
front page story in your News-Review.
More on Vernon Jordan later.
DR. MCKINNEY TO SPEAK
Augusta will be visited by a
distinguished theologian on Sunday
afternoon, June 15. Dr. Richard
McKinney will speak at a special program
open to the public at historic Union
Baptist Church. He brings many talents
with him as a minister, former dean and
long-time professor at Morgan State
College in Baltimore, and as a history
researcher and lecturer. Now retired, Dr.
McKinney has lectured in various sections
of the nation and is widely recognized as
a student of the Bible. His wife, the
former Lena Martin, will accompany him
from their Baltimore headquarters. Come
out and hear him.
A BLACK AUGUSTA MAYOR?
Now that over 175 American towns
and cities, large and small, North, East,
West, and especially South, have black
mayors, we’ve seen welcomed opinions
locally re: “Why Not Augusta?” Blacks
have been here almost since the inception
of Augusta. They’ve tilled the soil, felled
the forests, built the roads and railroads,
SERVE PART-TIME AND WETI RffMRT OF
TOUR COLLEGE EXPENSES. UP TO
Educational assistance is one of the Army Reserve’s new
enlistment incentives. So if you’re heading for college soon, head
for the Army Reserve first. Another new incentive is an enlistment
bonus of $1,500. If you qualify, you can pick the incentive you
want when you enlist. Many Army Reserve units offer them. And
one of these units may be near you. For more details, call your local
Army Reserve Recruiter, listed in the white pages under “U.S.
Government!’
f » <1
Going Places
Our prayers for
Vernon Jordan
By Philip Waring
etc. Their sons have fought in almost
every war to protect this Republic.
They’ve been taxpayers, owned housing
and property, operated businesses and
helped pass bond issues (when deemed as
fair and just) and all the rest of what goes
into the building of a great city. While
they were unfairly shortchanged in public
school education for many years, they
dipped into scanty incomes to send their
children on to Haines and Walker Baptist
Institutes, Paine College and its high
school as well as Immaculate Conception
High School. (You’ll recall that the
Richmond County Board of Education
closed out the Ware High School well
prior to the Spanish American War. It was
not until the post-World War 11 era that
public school education was again
instituted. So for almost fifty years there
was no high school public education for
Negroes in Richmond County.) It was not
until the Federal courts brought about a
change in education, voting patterns and
employment that our group could see the
first gleam of first class citizenship. It is
indeed good to see agreement among
many groups and individuals that Augusta
should offer a black as candidate for
mayor. There are qualified persons. What
do you think?
HAINES ALUMNI MEETS IN 1981
The June 1979 national reunion of the
Haines Normal and Industrial Institute
Alumni was one of the most successful
ventures of its kind. We understand that
there will be a repeat in June of 1981.
As a history buff, I enjoyed meeting
old friends and former classmates. And
also noting their many contributions and
career successes. As examples, Dr. John
Green left upon his 1927 graduation,
then on to Lincoln and completion of
medical education at Howard University.
John is one of Detroit’s top physicians.
Augusta and Georgia people have sought
his professional services over the years.
Next let’s look at brilliant Mrs.
Mercedes Douglass. An honor graduate of
both Haines and Atlanta University (also
major’s there), she returned to Haines and
taught under Miss Laney, and later home
to Montezuma,Ga. A short look at her
career profile will show that she has
served that region exceptionally well as
an educator, civic and church leader. She
holds a high position with the CME
church Women’s Missionary Society. And
Mercedes has retained her Haines
contacts. We will feature others who
participated in that fruitful 1979 reunion.
Thanks for the many nice comments on
my annual Paine College column.
Page 4
PROMISES
PROMISES
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PROMISES
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CANDIDATE
Tony Brown's Journal
H Public responds to
call to save
v black colleges
In a recent column, I reviewed the plan
that is, thus far, successfully closing black
colleges and turning the others into
majority white institutions. Also, I issued
a call for help from anyone interested in
stopping this trend.
The response has been overwhelming,
so much so that I am forced to use this
column to respond to such a volume of
mail. As a consequence, The Project ’BO
Coalition for Black Colleges has had to
revise upwards the number expected for
the Black College Day ’BO festivities.
Those attending the march and rally in
Washington, D.C on Monday, September
29, 1980, is being projected to about a
half million and the chances of breaking
the attendance record for the March on
Washington in 1963 are good.
Why so much optimism? The volume
and quality of the responses, to begin
with, coupled with some unique and
historical firsts. The very first is the initial
event, which will be observed each year.
The spirit of the letters was typified by
one from Oscar R. Spencer of Camden,
New Jersey. “I’m a graduate of a black
college (Delaware State, May, 1978) and I
know exactly what you’re talking about!
Please send me some more information
on the destruction of black colleges and
how I might possibly help in the solution
instead of remaining dormant and
becoming a part of the problem ”
Others expressing this sentiment were
postmarked Bedford, MA , Philadelphia,
St. Louis, Memphis, Charlotte, D.C.,
Mobile, Hampton, Detroit, Greensboro,
Youngstown and scores of cities and
towns across America.
Jon Howard, president of Concerned
Students Working Together (C.S.W.T.) at
Albany State College in Georgia,
described a feeling common to the
students on black campuses. “I will do
almost anything to preserve our colleges.
It is a struggle for a higher education for
the black race.” And like this student,
writer after writer wanted to know the
concept, strategy, details of the planning
and roles they can play.
The premise of the movement is to
stop those who believe that black colleges
are inferior and unnecessary. The Office
of Civil Rights of the Department of
Education (ED) is destroying them with
seemingly innocent desegregation plans
that neither improve educational
opportunities for black students nor
preserve these historical institutions. A
new climate must be developed, based on
the awareness of informed citizens.
The strategies are myriad. The march
per se will involve, in competition, the
best of the marching bands from the 107
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call to save
By Tony Brown
predominantly black colleges One will be
selected Black College Day ’BO Band. A
queen and her court, drawn from the
pool of black college queens, will reign
over the festivities as Miss Black College
Day ’BO.
The march will be a march of
organizations -a literal coalition of every
fraternal, sorority, church, civic, student,
business, social, athletic, labor, political
and educational group in black America.
Banners, placards and signs will announce
each entity and remind the world that the
educational lifeline of 90 percent of
college-trained blacks is still alive and
well.
T-shirts, worn months before the
march, will become the official momento
and fund raiser to finance the event,
occurring exactly five weeks and one day
before we pick a new Congress and
President on Tuesday, November 4.
Not only will blacks learn where
Carter, Reagan and Anderson stand with
regard to this crucial issue, but the
candidates’ grasp of the issue will
determine his acceptance to America’s
black thought leaders.
Other political aspects will include
lobbying every man and woman in
Congress on this issue. Black civil service
workers, fire backbone of the federal
government, will be asked through their
organization, Blacks in Government
(BIG), to not report to work, but to an
activity to preserve the colleges which
made their careers possible. Howard
University, University of D.C. and the
D.C. Public Schools will be asked to
suspend classes in recognition of Black
College Day. Proclamations will be issued
from virtually every governor and mayor
in this nation.
Amid this electrifying backdrop,
speaker after speaker will describe the
history and details of the local attempt,
too often successful, to destroy their
college. Reagan, Carter and Anderson are
invited to speak. White organizations are
welcome, but many will be too timid to
participate.
But its a long way to autumn and if the
Black College Day ’BO momentum
continues, 90 black colleges may
continue to graduate as many blacks as
1500 white colleges. To insure our future,
work through your church, school,
organization or social group. Write The
Project ’BO Coalition for Black Colleges,
1501 Broadway, Suite 2014, NY., NY.
10036.
TONY BROWN’S JOURNAL, the
television series, is shown every Sunday,
WRDW-TV 12 at 12:30 pm.
The government’s policy toward
refugees from Cuba has shifted back and
forth since tire exodus began, but for
those who manage to reach our shores,
America has welcomed them, in the
President’s words, with “an open heart
and open arms.” >
But the Haitian refugees are the
“invisible boat people.” While media
attention focused on Russians,
Vietnamese, and Cubans fleeing
oppressive regimes, tire Haitians were
ignored.
Over the past several years, about
25,000 fled Haiti. They made their way
to Florida in makeshift boats. Some died
in rough seas. All suffered on the arduous
two week-long trip.
At a time when thousands of Cubans
were coming to Florida about a thousand
Haitians were beaching their boats on our
coast, some of them in difficult
conditions, without adequate food or
water for their journey.
The reception tire two groups of
refugees got is a shameful indication of
America’s reluctance to welcome black
refugees. The Cubans were generally
assured of political asylum and the
government moved swiftly to help
resettle them. The Haitians were placed in
the limbo of earlier refugees from Haiti.
For years immigration officials have
put them into jails while being
“processed.” That “processing” often
resulted in attempts to deport them
without due process on the grounds that
they are “economic immigrants” seeking
work, rather than political refugees
fleeing oppression.
That distinction is a difficult one to
make, and it has been enforced in a
wayward fashion. Political asylum is
automatically granted to refugees from
communist countries, even though many,
if not most, flee because of economic
conditions.
But refugees from non-communist
countries such as Haiti are denied
political asylum, even though they escape
a dictatorship as oppressive as any
communist one. Denial of basic human
and political rights is hardly a monopoly
of communist countries.
Some non-communist countries have a
record of brutality and viciousness
Walking with dignity
If peace and independence could come
to long-embattled Zimbabwe, why not to
that other land of turmoil in southern
Africa, Namibia? Indeed, why not bring
the process to a logical conclusion with a
“Lancaster House” conference of the sort
that brought such welcome and
unexpected results in what used to be
called Rhodesia? In answer to the first
question, there is no reason that Namibia
(South West Africa) should fail to reach
freedom and order, if an already existing
agreement is carried through responsibly
by all parties.
SOUTH AFRICA’S BAD INTENT
In answer to the second, there are
various reasons that make a
Lancaster-approach even more unlikely
than it seemed in the case of Zimbabwe.
Yet it should not be ruled out, if only
because Zimbabwe proved that an
unlikely solution can actually come to
pass. What brings such matters up now is
the apparent renewal of intransigence of
South Africa, which rules neighboring
Namibia in defiance of the United
Nations, and the reported accompanying
hints that South Africa might consider a
Lancaster initiative, in view of Pertoria’s
previous delaying tactics on Namibia. It is
hard to see Mr. Carter getting so upset
about the Olympic boycott, when South
Africa is endaving a entire black nation;
not counting the entire nation, that they
call their own, treats all blacks\as if they
were aliens. The white. Western nations
should move forward making themselves
felt on pressuring South Africa to release
Namibia; if they are so concerned about
“Human Rights,” which they give so
much lip action to.
SWAPO NOT FIGHTING HARD?
In any case, the possibility of a
conference is complicated by the
differences between the Zimbabwe and
Namibia situations (and not just the
obvious one that Britain and its
redoubtable Lord Carrington do not have
any special link prompting them to step
in). For example, there was little dispute
over which groups ought to be
represented in the Zimbabwe talks. But it
is believed South Africa would want to
include not only itself and SWAPO
(South-West African People’s
Organization) - the parties recognized by
To be equal
A fair break for
Haitian refugees
By Vernon Jordan
toward their own people that makes it
impossible for any fair person to simply
assume that their refugees are motivated
solely by economic considerations.
Haiti’s well-documented system of
political repression, acknowledged even in
our own State Department’s Report on
Human Rights Practices, makes it clear
that the Haitian refugees qualify for
political asylum.
Court documents filed in a case seeking
to legitimize the Haitians’ presence here
reveal that U.S. immigration officials
implemented a plan two years ago for
speedy deportation of the Haitians.
That plan was shoved through even
though some of the officials had doubts
as to the legality of their actions. A
memo introduced in court has one
official saying the policy was to expel the
Haitians as a deterrent to others.
This was in spite of evidence indicating
that refugees were imprisoned on their
return to Haiti, and that political
prisoners there suffered harsh treatment
and had high death rates.
But while immigration authorities
implemented a deportation plan for
Haitians, there was no such plan to
deport Asians or Cubans as a “deterrent.”
Why? It is hard to escape the
conclusion that race is a factor. Many
white Americans may harbor prejudice
against Asians and Hispanic people, but
those feelings flower into brazen racism
when they are confronted with blacks.
A result of this differential treatment is
the hardships faced by the small,
struggling Haitian community in Florida.
Without legal status and work permits,
many have been forced into the shadow
economy of rotten jobs, long hours and
paychecks well below the legal minimum.
While assistance has been showered on
others, they have been left to wage a lone
battle for survival.
The President refused to grant the
Haitians political asylum while he still
had the authority to do so, a refusal seen
by many in the black community as a
callous disregard for the plight of black
refugees. Immediate steps should now be
taken to grant the Haitians legal status
and assistance to contribute to their new
homeland.
What about
Namibia?
By Al Irby
the United National, but seen as
subservient to South Africa.
Another point of difference is that
there was no independence plan approved
by both sides in existence before the
Zimbabwe conference. By contrast,
South Africa and SWAPO long ago agreed
to a plan negotiated through the good i
offices of five Western nations. It indues
such provisions as a demilitarized zone '
along the border of Namibia and Angola,
the withdrawal of armed forces under UN
supervision, and the election of an
independent government also under UN
supervision.
SOMEBODY DRAGGING FEET
It is implementing the plan, rather than
negotiating it, that is the big problem
now. And South Africa once more has
presented obstacles to implementation
that effectively prevent it. For example,
it has asked the Secretary-General for an
end to UN funding of scholarships and
office expenses for SWAPO. But this
request depends on General Assembly
decisions not subject to the Secretary
General.
Some see in South Africa’s phrasing
the possibility of loopholes permitting an
interpretation that its demands are being
addressed. The question is whether South
Africa intends such loopholes and will use
them to assist the peace process it is
inhibiting now.
LEADERS MARKED FOR DEATH?
Rev. Jesse Jackson believes black
leadership is marked for annihilation,
other leaders disagree. But file fact
remains that American blacks are in a
precarious state. Art McDuffie in Miami,
Terry Troungburg in Mississippi and die
attempt on the New York Yankee slugger
Reggie Jackson’s life in downtown
Manhattan give credence to the premise |
that it is open season on the vulnerability |i
of black Americans. Then to put die cap |
on the rumor that top echelon blacks are '
on contract, Vernon Jordan, top man of
- prestigious Urban League, was gunned
down. These atrocious incidents are
regrettable, but far too many successful
blacks think they have it made; they are
even sending their children to white
private schools. Have you ever heard of
Justice?”