Newspaper Page Text
Augusta Proclaimed
Georgia Gospel
Music Capital
Page 1
Volume 11 Number 20
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WORLD WAR I VETS AID CENTER-Rkhmond County Barracks No. 947, Veterans of World War I, recent
ly presented a 52-piece set of tableware to the Shiloh Comprehensive Community Center for use tn its senior
citizens, youth and community program services. Shown at the presentation (1 to r) are S.M. Jenkins,
quartermaster-adjuntant Mrs. Ruth Crawford, Shiloh executive Director; Horace Dawson Sr., senior vice
commender and Mrs. Ella B. White, of the “Golden Lunch Bunch,” who accepted for the center.
Gov.ProclaimsAugusta
Gospel Capital Os GA.
Governor George
Busbee has proclaimed
"Augusta as the Gospel
Capitol of Georgia and has
designated August 3-9 as
Gospel Music Week.
*‘ Gospel music
represents the very essence
of the Black experience in
our nation, especially the
South,” Busbee said. “And
the State of Georgia,
Rites Held For
Cyrus Hickson
Funeral services were
held for Cyrus Wesley
Hickson, Jr. Monday in the
Gilbert-Lambuth Chapel at
Paine College. He died July
30.
An Augusta native he
was born September 7.
1937 to the late Rev. C.W.
Hickson and Betha Mae
Hickson.
He graduated from
Paine College, earned a
master’s degree from
Atlanta University and had
finished all the course
requirements for a
Racism Is Charged At
Miss Universe Pageant
Black contestants in
the 1981 Miss Universe
pageant have charged
pageant photographers and
news agency organizations
with racism.
Claiming photographers
who worked for both the
pageant and news
organizations refused to
take their pictures on
•several occasions prior to
monday night's crownning
while taking those of white
contestants, they insist
racism is the only
explanation..
Eighteen-yearold
Carmen Nibbs. Miss British
Yirgini Islands, one of
seven Blacks participating,
tw» incidents which
Augusta News-Seuicui
particularly the Augusta
area, is rich in gospel
music and spiritual
contributions.”
Gospel show promoter
Henry Howard cited two
factors that contributed to
Augusta being chosen for
this honor.
“Attendance at gospel
concerts has been very
good,” Howard said. “The
doctorate in English from
the University of South
Carolina.
He taught English and
French in the Richmond
County school system. He
taught English at Paine
College. Fayetteville State
University and the
University of South
Carolina.
He is survived by his
mother. Mrs. Bertha
Hickson, three sisters, Mrs.
Bertelle T. Jones, Mrs.
Lillian Goodlett, and Dr.
LeJeune Brown.
she said smacked of
prejudice. One. said she,
occurred the Friday evening
before the pageant when
several of the contestants
were invited to an exclusive
restaurant by
representatives of a shoe
firm. Ms. Nibbs said she
and several other
contestants were posing for
pictures at the restaurant
when the photographer
asked her to step out of the
picture and replaced her
with a white contestant.
■’l was so mad I
cried," she said. "The •only
thing I could attribute it to
was that I'm Black."
Another incident
occurred when three Black
Jayne Kennedy’s
Husband Answers
Black Critics
Page 3
first gospel show held at
the Richmond County Civic
Center drew a crowd of
over 8,5(X) people.”
“The Sunday Parade of
Quartet (a local gospel
program) which has been
on the air for over 25 years
is also a contributing factor.
The show attracts
performers from all over
the country, and has
' -
■ <*' A
'r ■ '
Cyrus Wesley Hickson Jr.
constestants and two white
contestants were posing for
pictures at an amusement
park in New Jersey, Ms.
Nibbs said. The women
were seated in a circle, but
the only pictures the
photographers took were of
the two white contestants.
"He went click, click,
click, turning from one
white girl to the other,”
she explained.
Steve Solomon,
pageant public relations
director, has disputed all of
the charges, emphatically
denying that any pageant
photographer refused to
photograph Black
contestants.
“Every year, some
August 8,1981
featured such Grammy
winners as Shirley Caesar
and The Mighty Clouds of
Joy," Howard added.
Awards have also been won
by local gospel groups.
Augusta is proud erf
this recognition, and we
hope to make it (the gospel
capitol) nationwide, Howard
concluded.
group charges there
weren’t « enough
photographs of them." he
stated. “We don't have any
control over whom the
press choose."
But. Ms. Gibbs insists
that they do have control.
"‘Since they are the
organizers, they should
have control over the
photographers as well.”
she stressed.
She added angrily,
"Don't invite Third World
people to denigrate them
and humilate them. Lei
them stay at home.”
Irene Saex Conde, 19,
Miss Venezuela wat
crowned Miss Universt
1981, July 20.
Richard Pryor
Gives $200,000
To Stop Gang Wars
Page 3
SCLC’s Lowery
Believes Coca-Cola
Will Be Responsive
Dr. Joseph Lowery,
president of the Southern
Christian Leadership
Conference, said if Coca-
Cola fails to continue talks
on reinvestment in the
Black community the matter
of "economic withdrawal”
would be placed on the
agenda of Black groups
across the nation, including
SCLC at its national
convention in New Orleans,
August 11-14.
Operation PUSH has
called for a national boycott
against Coca-Cola for its
failure to put money back
into the Black community
proportionate to the S4BO
million Blacks spend
annually on Coca-Cola soft
drinks. Lowery, who will
speak at the Medical
PUSH Announces
Boycott Plan
Corporations that don’t
return Black dollars to the
Black community stand to
lose Black customers,
Operation PUSH has
warned.
Leaders of Operation
PUSH, the Rev. Jesse L.
Jackson's, anti-poverty
organization, announced
plans for the nationwide,
clergy-organized boycott at
the opening of the
organization’s 10th annual
convention.
They said they want
major corporations to hire
more Blacks, give to Black
colleges and other Black
charities and to spend their
advertising dollars with
Black media.
PUSH leaders also
serv erely criticized
President Reagan’s plans
for economic recovery,
saying they are doomed to
failure and will hur t Black
Americans before they
adversely affect more
affluent white society.
PUSH MORTGAGE BURNING-Tbe Rev. Jesse Jackson (left) barns the mortgage on the PUSH headqnarten
bwllding In Chicago at the closing session of PUSH’S 10th Anniversary convention held In Chicago. Among
those applauding the historic occasion were Gary Mayor Richard Hatcher, who is chairman of the PUS» board
of directors, and boxing promoter Don King, who was presented the PUSH community service award for Ns
financial support of Black causes. Joining King at the ceremony was WBC heavyweight champion Larry Holmes
(In rear), along with three other boxing champions.
College of Georgia
described his meeting with
Coca-Cola president Donald
Keough as "cordial and
positive.”
Good faith responses to
Black proposals would avoid
the confrontation certain if
economic withdrawal
becomes a reality, he
added.
Lowery said, however,
that Coca-Cola has been a
leader in relating to the
Black community,
particularly in Atlanta.
While Coca-Cola’s
record has been better
than others, "it has been
inadequate when compared
to the investment of Blacks
in Coca-Cola,” he said,
noting the S4BO million
Jackson described the
President’s program as
"radical surgery without
anesthesia” and warned
that the effects of the
policies on white
Americans, though they
may be delayed, could be
devastating.
“When it begins to
rain,” Jackson said, “We
may get wettest first, but
others will not be far
behind."
A list of corporations
who must change their
ways or face a boycott will
be announced later this
wee, said the Rev. B.W.
Smith, a PUSH national
.board member.
That list was to be
released Tuesday, but there
is still disagreement within
Operation PUSH over what
firms to include. Smith did
say that PUSH has
investigated over 30 firms
that do business in the
Black community, including
Fed, GBI Probe
Violence Against
Mixed Marriages
Page 2
Blacks spent on Coca-Colas
in 1980 and that Black
consumers account for 14
percent of Coca-Cola’s
volume.
I urged the increased
investment in Black banks
across the nation...from
less than $300,000 to S2O
million, and increased
business with Black
advertising firms including
Black publications from
less than $500,000 to sls-20
million.
"Venture capital is
sorely needed in the Black
community and Coke, with
more than S4OO million in
profits after taxes,could be
helpful.
Lowery said the role of
the private sector is "more
food processors like
Pillsbury, car manufacturers
like Datsun and Toyota,
restaurant chains like
Church’s Chicken and Pizza
Hut. and oil companies like
Mobil and Texaco.
Smith said the boycott
campaign would be
organized by a national
clergy board and local
boards of clergymen in 50
cities with large Black
populations.
“We are going to
awaken a sleeping giant,
the Black church, a major
economic force," said
Smith, pastor of St. John
Baptist Church in Buffalo,
N.Y.
“I refuse to pastor
3,(XX) people at St. J ohn
and let the businessmen
tell them what to buy,"
Smith said. “I’ll tell them
what to buy."
He said there are
2O.(XX),OOO Black church
members in the United
States and that Blacks
25C
critical than ever” since the
public sector under the
Reagan administration "is
retreating from strong
affirmative action and
economic development in
the Black community.
"If we cannot receive
proportionate re-investment
from those companies that
receive overwhelming
support from Blacks, then
where is there any hope for
deliverance from economic
chaos?”
Lowery gave no
specifics on Keough’s
response, but he said the
response was
"encouraging.”
"I believe he sincerely
wants to move forward and
1 sincerely urged him to do
so.”
annually spend $125 billion.
“We’re talking about
reciprocation,” Smith said.
"We feel they have an
obligation to put back into
the Black community part
of what we spend with
them.”
Smith said that PUSH
will negotiate with
companies placed on its
"economic dishonor roil"
before calling a boycott
against the firm's products.
“But if they choose to
evade our negotiations then
we will respond with a
slective withdrawal of
enthusiasm," Smith said.
"We want a Black to
go from the boiler room to
the board room," he said.
S’tjiith said that PUSH
is close to concluding an
agreement with Coca-Cola
Co. that would avert a
boycott of that company’s
products. He refused to
give details, saying a
statement could upset
negotiations.