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Black elected officials held meeting in Augusta Page 1 Volume 12 Number 21 S> " - • V> *’ A »* ofc ••■''■ *' i Beauty w of the Week S 1 Kobin Crittendon of Colum- bus, Ga. is a communications dgj&jy' major at Paine College. jgjT' Born under the sign of \jL. #‘ ’*' s Virgo, she enjoys singing, MBMgjßpn& ' >• A. reading and bicycle riding. Wt ’«.•« Robin plans to pursue a W '”’ aßsk career as a news reporter. >W¥ A8 w,., *> > -« Jiik. sS<l ~ JE*" ' Wl? « -' •I ■ «b»- To discuss issues pertinent to blacks Georgia’s black elected officials met in Augusta by Barbara A. Gordon Issues pertinent to blacks in the August 31 runoff election for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, the effects of New Federalism on existing government programs, and soaring unem ployment were items high on the agenda of the black elected officials who met in Augusta last week. Approximately 100 members of the Georgia Association of Black Elected Officials (GABEO) met at the Augusta Hilton for their quarterly conference. GABEO is an organization designed to “educate and expose” black elected officials so that they can be more “productive and effective” in their positions, said State Rep. Calvin Symre of Columbus and president of GABEO. It was found by Augusta’s Mayor Edward M. Mclntyre in 1976. B* aBRL i : gnii - V IQBfc:' ' S||| I JACKSON HONORED—Former Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson was awarded the first Annual R.A. Dent Distinguished Service Award. (L. to R.) Carolyn Long Banks, Atlanta City Council, Jackson and State Rep. Calvin Symre of Columbus, President of GABEO. Augusta Netus-Ueutm ft IHHEs K Wp Ol|gSb I ■ - Wml ■ / A- ~' s ' WHIR K ' ... PURPOSE OF GABEO—Mayor Edward Mclntyre (L. to R.) and State Rep. Calvin Symre explain the purpose of GABEO. According to Representative Symre, the conference is a timely one for black officials in light of the recent elections across the state and Maynard Jackson wins R.A. Dent Service Award Page 1 the nation. In keeping with the conference theme—“ Politically. Where Do We Go From Here During the 1980’s?” During GABEO’s First Annual Awards Banquet—A Tribute to State Representative R.A. “Papa” Dent, former Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson was awarded the first R.A. Dent Distinguished Service Award. The award in honor of Rep. Dent will be given annuany to a Georgia public servant for devoted and valuable assistance to the people of Georgia. Jackson, also the featured speaker at the banquet, asked the audience, “Don’t we see in “Papa” Dent our fathers and our grandfathers? The victories he represent, to us he is a symbol.” Commenting on “Papa” Dent’s (who is critically ill) determination to go and vote in the August 10 primary, Jackson said, “If you ask yourself, Maynard Jackson receives first Annual R.A. Dent Distinguished Service A ward s< :;X>- agreement wnn Food Giant Page 6 August 21,1982 Pilgrim Insurance Company receives highest nat'lawards for marketing performance The Pilgrim Health and Life In surance Company of Augusta, Georgia, received the highest national awards in every area of marketing performance for 1981 at the National Insurance Association’s Annual Convention in Detroit, July 18-21 according to S. W. Walker, board chairman and chief executive officer. J. D. Greene, senior vice president chief agency officer at home office in Augusta, recieved the Blount Trophy as Agency Officer of the Year. This is the first time that Pilgrim has qualified for the highest award in every category of marketing operations for a single year. He said that Pilgrim captured all five gold placques for Combination Com panies in the company’s category for 1981, thereby emerging as the number one company in the National In surance Association. The following marketing placques were awarded: Beatrice Wyckoff, agent in the Mobile, Ala. district, received the Gibson Trophy as the best agent in the country in 1981. Rep. Symre added, “There has been a ‘changing of the guard’ and we must decide which direction we’re going to take in the future.” “We must also monitor the con cept of New Federalism as outlined by President Reagan and the in tolerable consequences that go along with it.” “As presently proposed, GABEO is adamantly opposed to the concept as defined by the Administration as “states rights”, he said. The three day conference, apan from regular committee and executive meetings, featured a political forum between Democratic gubernatorial hopefuls Joe Frank Harris and Ronald “Bo” Ginn, an address by William “Sonny” Walker, regional vice president of the National Alliance of Business and a tribute to Rep. R.A. “Papa” Dent by former Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson. why bother? You should bother because of “Papa” Dent and all the other “Papa” Dents who bothered. If we don’t bother, his life will be minimized.” “If we can not get it together, black people will have a tougher time understanding why they can not get it together,” Jackson told members of GABEO. “We should be sitting in the cat bird seat by using the power that we have,” he said, “the promise of GABEO is worth protecting, nuturing and struggling for. The vision of GABEO is to use what we have to get what we need.” “There has always been Reagans and there always will be. Our salvation is not sitting back and wringing our see Jackson page 5 Less than 75 percent Advertising bk r J.D. Greene Sidney Bates, sales manager in the Decatur, Ala. district, received the Olive Trophy as the best sales manager in the United States in 1981. Rosia L. Davis, district manager in the Mobile, Ala. district, received the Cox Trophy as the number one manager in 1981. *-• B"BBlMMBl ISSUES AND ANSWERS —Gubernatorial candidates voice their position of black issues. (L. to R.) GABEO President Rep. Calvin Symre, Joe Frank Harris, Mayor Mclntyre and Bo Ginn. Harris rejects KKK endorsement, Ginn promises to appoint blacks “As we approach the upcoming elections, it is important that the next governor realizes and understands our position on the major issues,” said GABEO President Rep. Symre. With this in mind, black elected of ficials questioned Democratic guber natorial candidates Ronald “Bo” Ginn and Joe Frank Harris during a political forum sponsored by GABEO. Both candidates placed funds for improving public education, more appointments for blacks and women in policymaking positions in state government, and programs to aid senior citizens high on their list of priorities. Ginn promised to appoint a black to the Georgia Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals if elected. When questioned about the endor sement he had received from the Klu Klux Klan, Joe Frank Harris said, “I did not seek, nor want or would ac cept an endorsement by the KKK.” Ginn, who brought up the subject of the KKK endorsement of Harris said, “They are welcome to vote for Igrim receives nighest awards in marketing Page 1 ■■" ?" '■ • g'jß| E.B. Johnson Jr. E. B. Johnson Jr., assistant vice president-Regional Agency Direc tor, received the Greene Trophy as the Assistant Agency Officer of the Year. Pilgrim has branch offices in Georgia, Alabama, Florida and South Carolina. my opponent and when I’m governor we will run them out of the state of Georgia. Harris said, “this is the wrong forum to insinuate that I am a sup porter of the KKK. I resent it being brought up by Ginn.” “I won’t allow racism or terrorism in my administration,” he said, ad ding that he will establish a task force to monitor KKK activities in Georgia. On the subject on making the bir th date of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. a state holiday, both candidates said they would support legislation to do so. Harris, who admitted voting again st such legislation in the past, said he did so for economic reasons — because state employees already had 12 paid holidays. And for economic reasons, he reconsidered and changed his position saying he would support the legislation to make King’s birthday a state holiday, because it could help increase the state’s economy through see Candidates page 5 25'