Newspaper Page Text
The Augusta News-Review - April 18, 1981 -
(Auguata Nefos-3Rel)iefo
(USPS 887 820)
Mallory K. Millender Editor-Publisher
Paul D. Walker Special Asaiatant to the Publisher
Ms. Fannie FlonoNews-Editor
Rev. R.E. Donaldson ... .Religion Editor
Ma. Marye M. James Advertising Manager
Harvey 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 Dupree ...Sports Editor
Mrs. Deen Buchanan Fashion & Beauty Editor
Roosevelt Green • .Columnist
Al Irby-Columnist
Mrs. Marian Waring .Columnist
Philip Waring Columnist
Grady Abrams.'Editorial Cartoonist, Columnist
Roscoe Williams Photographer
We cannot be responsible for unaobeited photos. manuscripts, and other materials.
Matting Address
Box 953 (USPS 887 820) - Augusta. o*.
Phot* (404) 7224555
Second Cim Postage Paid Augusta, Ga. 30903 I 11
AMAUWAT— Published Weekly
Jf—lt PUBUANIM, INC.
eaca was eaassae ■■ 1 11
Walking With Dignity
Mamma Duvalier Making
"Double In Haiti
....For weeks, Haiti has been abuzz with
rumors of a deepening feud between
President Jean-Claude Duvalier’s wife and
his bossy mother. Now, it becomes clear
that it is more than feuding. The two
strong-willed women are locked in a
bitter power struggle that may even
threaten the Duvalier presidency. In the
byzantine structure of Haitian politics,
presidential family feuds have become
commonplace and often play a roie of
high importance.
Jean-Claude b Siding
With Hb Wife, Michele
.... The young President-for-life has tried
to play down the “wife-mother “rivalry,
and in the process, according to in
formants in Port-au-Prince. The President
is forced to walk a tightrope as the two
women currie for his favor. He appears,
however, to be siding with his pretty wife,
Michele, whom he married just last May.
Recently, Michele flew to Jamaica, along
with the Haitian foreign minister, to lunch
with Mitsy Seaga, the wife of Prime
Minister Edward Seaga. She also met Mr.
Seaga. The visit was not announced
publicly but tended to confirm the feeling
that Michele is gaining preeminence.
Several weeks ago, the President placed
more than a dozen relatives and friends of
his mother under house arrest, and ac
cording to well-placed informants, may
deport them for criticizing his wife.
Papa Doc Sent His
Relatives Scamping
....There was even a suggestion that hie
might deport his meddling mamma,
Simone. Such steps have been taken in
Haiti. Papa Doc. Duvalier sent members
of the family packing on several occasions
during his long presidency. But Mamma
Duvalier has many powerful friends, and a
coterie of loyal admirers, some of whom
were her late husband’s closest allies.
Some of her strongest support comes from
members of the Ton-Ton Macoutes, the
paramilitary bully boys who propped up
the long dictatorship of Francois (Papa
Doc.) Duvalier, who passed on in 1971,
leaving Haiti's presidency to his son (Baby
Doc, Jean-Claude). Although the young
Duvalier received pledges of loyalty froth
Ihk w IS* Jt
Reading is fundamental! Reading is
very important and necessary for the well
informed person. Good books are like
diamonds and most enjoyable to people
striving to overcome ignorance and
prejudice. The statement that "knowledge
is power” is quite true in many ways.
Have you ever thought about how
books have shaped our lives and country?
The invention of the printing press was
indeed an important step up the ladder of
human progress. Many of us seem to take
libraries for granted. However, they
deserve greater use by both children and
adults for learning a life long process.
"Books That Changed the World”
What? I could not believe what I was'
seeing. Here was a little $1.50 paperback
by Robert B. Downs, published by Signet
books in 1956, with a listing erf 16 bodes
seen as changing the world. Who could
pass up such a bargain? I quickly bought
it and rushed home to read and see how
many books I knew about already.
The Bible was not included in the
listing, nor were other great books of the
religions erf the world. Nevertheless, the
books that are listed are certainly well
worth reading. The two sections of the
Page 4
By Al Irby
the Ton-Ton at the same time as he
curbed some of their power, there is an
open question whether their loyalty rests
with Jean-Claude or Simone. Influential
members of the Haitian elite-some 5
percent of the 5 million people in the
island nation who have more than 80
percent of the wealth-are watching the
Duvalier power struggle uneasily
Mamma Simone Has
Her Backers Abo
.... Many of the wealthy elite tend to side
with Simone-not that they were always
happy with her late husband during his
presidency, but there was, in their view,
more certainty under “Papa Doc.” than
under Jean-Claude, particularly since his
marriage. They worry about Michele’s
continuing overtures to the Haitian
masses. Among the things they question
are her efforts to set up a social welfare
foundation in the mode of the late Evita
Peron in Argentina. Many business men
openly resented a letter she sent them in
December that suggested how much they
should contribute to the fund. Most
ignored the appeal. The foundation has
yet to get off the ground.
b It A Battle Between The
Blacks and The Malattos?
....Observers in Port-au-Prince say that
the Michele-Simone struggle has reached
the point that it threatens Jean-Claude’s
nine year rule. Some members of the elite
are reportedly ready to tell Jean-Claude
that he must either put a curb on
Michele’s activities, or eke. It is even
suggested-and seriously -- that the
President could be forced to divorce his
wife. Some Haitians even ascribe a racial
conflict to the struggle between wife and
mother. The Duvalier family is Black,
while Michele’s family, the Bennetts, are
Mulatto. Her father is a prominent banker
in Port-au-Prince. Michele was previously
married to the son of Alix Pasquet, a
businessman who staged an abortive coup
attempt against Papa Doc Duvalier in the
19605. Simone Duvalier’s original ob
jections to her son’s marriage to Michele
were based on that former marriage. She
also did not like the idea of Jean-Claude
marrying a divorced woman, although
there have been numerous divorces in the
Duvalier clan.
Speaking Out
Reading Is Fundamental
By Roosevelt Green, Jr.
book are “the world erf man” and the
world of science.”
The ten books enumerated under “the
world of man” are as follows: The Prince
by Nicole Machiavelli, Common Sense By
Thomas Paine, Wealth of Nations by Adam
Smith, Essays on the Principle of
Population by Thomas Malthus, Civil
Disobedience By Henry Davis Thoreau,
and Unde Tom’s Cabin by Harriet
Beecher Stowe. Also, Das Capital by Karl
Marx, The Influence of Sea Power Upon
History by Alfred T. Mahan, The
Geographical Pivot of History by Sir
Halford J. Mackinder, and Mein Kampe
by Adolph Hitler.
The six books cited under the world
of Science” are as follows: De
Revoiutionibus Orbhim Coiestium by
Nicolas Corpemicus, De Motu Cordis by
William Harvey, Prindpia Mathematic*
by Sir Isaac Newt cm, Origin of Spedes by
Charles Darwin, Hie Interpretation of
Dreams by Sigmund Freud, and
Relativity, The Spedal and General
Theories by Albert Einstein.
Continued On Page 6
«> * fr . S l' Muß ft ft
BUT I THOUGHT
YOU WERE OPPOSED OfSUgSSHI
TO BUSING/
JlftD!
A
THE SUN BELT SOLUTION
Going Places
Voting Rights Act
By Philip Waring
One of the major fights ahead for all
of us is to retain the Voter Rights Act of
1965. Senator Thurman has vowed to kill
it. Recently, however, both the Atlanta
Constitution and Atlanta Journal
newspapers came out for it editorially.
Leaders of the Congressional Black
Caucus, AFL-CIO, the national
headquarters of major Protestant, Catholic
and Jewish religious bodies coupled with
the Washington Post and New York
Times have given support. The NAACP,
National Urban League, SCLC, Operation
PUSH, National Council of Negro Women
and many other groups stand solidly
behind it. We must now urge our U.S.
Senators and congresspersons to back its
retention. There are over one hundred
Black churches in the Augusta area, a
powerful force, whose letter writing
campaign would speak out with vigor.
And also our civic groups, lodges and
fraternal bodies as well as individuals
should act.
Well Done Ann Brown
.... Recently friends and members of the
Augusta area chapter of the League erf
Women Voters (LWV) praised and saluted
Mrs. Allen Brown. Why? She had just
ended two terms as its president. This
was a “first” for a Black woman. She has
been associated with the LWV since
1964, held key positions locally and on the
state level while attending three of its
national conventions during this time.
We’ve witnessed many progressive strides
during her two administrations. Many
have seen Mrs. Brown and LWV members
on local television interviewing candidates
for public office. She indicates that the
League helped register several thousand
persons. During both of her terms major
public forums and educational projects
were held to develop civic interest in
public affairs. She recounts LWV
assistance in helping bring about the
consent agreement which resulted in new
voting districts for the Richmond County
School Board. A native of Oklahoma, she
is a graduate of the School of Nursing at
Meharry Medical College, the mother of
seven children and married to Dr. Allen
Brown. They have resided here since the
Tony Brown’s Journal
Will A Black Revolt Start In The 80’s
The riots in the 60’s in the nation’s
northern cities left their mark on
American society. But many of the con
ditions that fostered the outbreak of racial
violence have not been eliminated. In the
struggle of Black Americans to achieve
social and economic parity, one scholar
has found a pattern marking the
resurgence of Black activist periods. An
historical comparison on the national
documentary series TONY BROWN’S
JOURNAL indicates that a Black revolt
will hit the country in 1983.
"Protest movements have been the
way Blacks have made gains in this
country since 1865, but even beyond that,
since the Revolutionary period,” says Dr.
Robert Brisbane on this edition, "Black
Revolt In The 80’s” According to Dr.
Brisbane, a professor at Morehouse
College in Atlanta, there have been five
major Black protest movements in the
United States. In his bode, "Black
Activism,” Dr. Brisbane outlines the
periods of Black revolt in America.
mid-19505. Mrs. Brown has been out
standingly active in various civic
organizations including the NAACP and
the Episcopal Church Women
organization. Going Places joins with her
many friends in thanks for the splendid
leadership and service she has given to
the Augusta community during the past
twenty years.
Military Salutes
Engendered Pride
.... Many thanks to those who helped in
the production erf the “Salute To Blacks
In the Military,” parts one and two. They
brought in several out of town letters and
many local phone Calls. As aforemen
tioned, our next project will be “Black
Women Defenders of America” and will
include those who’ve served in the
military, USO staffs, Nursing Corps, etc.
Your cooperation in getting names and
pictureswill again be appreciated. This is
a “first" and “ for once and for all”
Black History project for Augusta.
In our out of town search we’ve just
heard about Mrs. Lilly Whitfield May,
R.N. She was trained at Haines Institute
and the Lamar School of Nursing in
Augusta. She served as a WAC during
World War n. Mrs. May just retired after
a distinguished professional health career
with the Cook County Department of
Health. She and her husband now reside
in Chicago. Her record and many
achievements should be helpful to the
next military edition.
Historic Role of
News-Review
....All of these editions of your News-
Review are placed in the Library of
Congress and most especially the Black
Press Archives at Howard University.
Thanks to the affiliation of your News-
Review with NNPA, all Augusta Black
happenings will be recorded and
preserved for future use. It is good to
note the splendid support given by a
large number of readers to the News-
Review during its period of crisis. A city
without its own Black publication is a poor
city indeed. There are well over 300 Black
papers and magazines around to serve the
special needs of Black people.
Although the Black struggle in
America has taken varying forms. Dr.
Brisbane’s research has uncovered a dear
pattern marking the development of Black
protest movements throughout the nation’s
history. He says Black activist movements
generally developed as a result of let
downs from a period of rising expections.
Now a conservative mood seems to be
sweeping the country. Some Blacks
perceive a growing opposition to af
firmative action and the resurgence of the
Ku Klux Klan has gained momentum
High employment continues to thrive in
the Black community. Evidence indicates
that the Black-White income gap is
growing and Black advances are being
systematically eclipsed by greater White
progress.
After nearly 20 years of sporadic dvil
unrest, protest and government programs,
the dties continue to dedine while a
permanant underclass of poor Blacks is
caught in a revolving „ pathology of
hopelessness.
The riots in Miaifii, Florida - in an
' ■ : •< . . \ ' • f
To Be Equal
MB
Why is it that
Americans seem able to be
united only in times of
tragedy or crisis. An ex
perience like the terrible
attempt on the life of
President Reagan brings all
people together in prayers
for his recovery and
outrage at the vicious
attack on his life.
And that feeling cuts
across the political
spectrum. Even the most
outspoken opponents of his
economic program, in
cluding myself, like him as
a human being, respect the
office he holds, and abhor
violence of any kind,
especially violence of the
sort we witnessed in
Washington.
The President is
president of all of the
people, and all erf the
people have a stake in his
ability to discharge the
functions of his office. We
all have a stake in the
stability of the government.
We all realize that our
freedoms are endangered
when dangerous weapons in
the hands of people with
twisted minds replace the
political process.
As one who has been
the victim of a similar
attack, I know what the
President is going through,
and he has my prayers and
hopes for a complete
recovery.
America chose Ronald
Reagan to be its President,
and all Americans want him
to serve his term in the
White House for the next
four years.
The would-be-assassin
that wounded the President
also wounded America. It is
impossible to look back at
the past twenty years of
assassinations and at
tempted assassinations
without sinking into an
awful feeling of doubt
about our society.
It has become a cliche
to talk of a “sick society”
and people are tired of that
kind of self-flagellation. But
after yet another
assassination attempt we
have to face the awful truth
of violence and mindless
brutality So often displayed
in America.
We have to face the
fact that Presidents erf
America can be gunned
down while their coun
terparts in Europe and
other industrial democracies
are not. We have to face
the fact that America has
as many guns as people,
while other countries do
not. We have to face the
fact that 4 our society
For the children of
Atlanta and for all
children who are
hungry, suffer and live
in fear.
area ironically called Liberty City -
illustrate the growing discontent in the
nation’s urban Black neighborhoods. The
economic instability and urban plight of
the poor could very well fuel the an
ticipated Black revolt in the 1980’s.
“I don't think the Black middle class
will be as deeply involved in another
Black protest movement as it was in the
last one, the King movement,” says Dr.
Brisbane. He continues, "The young Black
middle class mere and more is becoming
establishment oriented. We are inside the
gate, at least the Black middle class is,
but the vast majority of Blacks are not
middle dass and they live in the Black
central dties. That’s where I think the
sixth protest movement is going to center.
I think the leadership will be the young
Black youth in the ghetto.”
The program filmically highlights the
fifth Black protest period in America,
known as the Civil Rights Movement or
the Black Revolution, featuring clips of
Mr. Martin Luther King, Malcdm X and
President john Kennedy.
America
Prays For
President
By Vernon E. Jordan, Jr.
produces many people who
are rootless, angry and
alienated, while other
societies do not.
And it is not just this
one incident, or even the
chain of attempts on the
lives of American leaders.
It is also the killings of the
Black children in Atlanta,
and the similar events that
have’ occurred in recent
years. Mass killers have
worked their evil in
Chicago, Houston and New
York just in the past few
years.
And there is mindless
violence in the streets as
well. It has become a part
of American life we cannot
and should not accept.
One way to express our
indignation is to press for
gun control. But even a
simple suggestion that
handguns, which are not
used for sports, be
registered, has been
defeated time and again.
Perhaps it is time to
declare for full and com
plete domestic disar
mament. I know the old
line that guns don’t kill
people, people do. But
people with guns kill
people. Take away the guns
and you reduce drastically
the chance for such lethal
possibilities.
Beyond such steps,
what can we do to make
our society less productive
of misfits and violence
prone people. A long
history of frontier violence,
racism, and mindless
selfishness may be at the
root erf the problem.
How do we counter
that awful heritage to
encourage tolerance and
respect for human life?
There are no easy answers.
No one knows how to create
a caring society that values
the lives of its members.
But it is a copout to
blame the violence on
isolated, alienated in
dividuals. We must ask
why there are so many
such people, why their
sickness takes the form of
violence against others,
and what there is in our
society that encourages
this.
My own feeling is that
a society that directs its
energies to social justice,
that devotes itself to caring
concern for the least of its
citizens, and that
demonstrates respect for
life by trying to make all
lives meaningful, would be
a society that has a better
chance to escape the
destructive pattern in which
we seem trapped today.