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Paine player eyed Ex-Augusta Sixßlj '• names
by professional ballerina looks to comp hittaker
baseball scouts to acting career el Miss America students
Page 6 Page 1 p a ge 1 11 Page 3
VOLUME 14 NUMBER 18
NAACP wants federal probe of Burke death
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GARDNER FUNERAL—Mrs. Ruby Gardner views son Larry’s body as police guard against possible violence Saturday staff photos by oiando Hamlett
Ballerina Karen Brown looks
forward to career as actress
CLEARWATER, S.C.-Karen
Brown has gotten to know many of
the World’s top performers and
found that they have a common
touch.
After graduating from Aquinas
High School in Augusta in 1973,
she went to New York and joined
the Dance Theatre of Harlem. She
has been with the Company for 11
years, and only two other members
have been with the company
longer.
On two occasions the group has
done command performances for
the Queen of England. Karen is
especially proud of that because
the queen decides who she wants to
perform for her.
When the group held its world
premiere in July at the London
Coliseum, Princess Margaret and
the Russian dancer Mikhail
Baryshnikov attended. At the end
or mat performance the Dance
Theatre of Harlem was given a
seven-minute ovation, the longest
ovation since the Bolshoi Ballet
performed there.
After one of their performances
Michael Jackson came back stage.
“He was more than his usual
speechlessness. It was his first
ballet, but he was visiblv im
pressed,” she said.
On another occasion, Mick
Jagger was introduced to the
group. He wanted to “hang out,”
and went night clubbing with the
group.
Karen has also met Sir Lawrence
Olivier, Howard Rollins, Sidney
Poitier, Bill Cosby, Lena Horne
Leoniyne Price, Marian Aiwci 3VII,
Cicely Tyson, Geoffrey Holder
cTIk Augusta Neuw-lteuttui
and Josephine Baker. And what
she learned was how ordinary they
are. “When I used to see them on
TV, I never considered that they
went to the laundry or had to try to
find something to eat. True stars
are as unpretentious as your best
friend. They are such sensitive
people. That’s what make them
great artists their spiritual
qualities.”
Members of the Dance Theatre
of Harlem are also recognized as
great artists, and for that reason
they were invited to dance during
the closing ceremonies of the
Olympics in Los Angeles.
“Being on that fieio i couia see
how the athletes feel so exuberant.
We marched out there before
110,000 people. It was the most
'xhiiiarating performance Fve ever
done,” she said.
But life for the group is not
always fun and games. Most days
they work through the morning
giving lecture-demonstrations to
young people. “Some children
have never been in a theatre
before. It is a morale booster for
Black children to see a Black com
pany doing so well.”
Most often there is a full dress
rehearsal in the afternoon. And
the performances in the evening
last up to three hours.
The travel is relentless.
Although she lives in New York
City, she has spent only 21 days
there since January, and never
more than two or three days in
succession. In the meantime she
has been to the Bahamas, Miami,
West Palm Beach, The Dominican
See Ballerina, Page 5
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DANCE THEATRE OF HARLEM—Karen Brown and Keith Saunders in The
Four Temperaments.
September 1,1984
Less than 75 percent Advertising
WAYNESBORO—The NAACP
will ask the U. S. Justice Depar
tment and the U. S. Attorney
General’s Office to investigate the
August 17 death of Larry Donnell
Gardner which touched off two
nights of rock throwing, burning
and looting in Waynesboro.
Earl Shinholster, regional direc
tor of the NAACP, said the
NAACP wants an investigation in
to the possible violation of Gar
dner’s civil rights while in the
custody of the Burke County
Sheriff Department. “We would
be most interested in the full
autopsy report, especially
Dr.(Joseph)Burton’s report which
indicated that there may be some
questionable details surrounding
the death.
“The whole case is questionable
to us. The warrants were issued in
May, and law enforcement of
ficials had seen him on numerous
occasions since then. Why was it
on that day that they arrested him?
“We want the whole thing pur
sued legally and prodecually.
Gardner was buried Saturday af
ternoon as State Troopers and GBI
officers equipped with riot gear
stood in clusters of three and four
on virtually every corner.
In his eulogy, Donald Mit
chell—who as a student at Boggs
Academy played football against
Gardner—paid tribute to the
Waynesboro quarterback.
Noting that Gardner’s deatn
brought national attention to
Waynesboro, Mitchell said,
“From now on when a Black man
is taken into custody, he will be
treated with care and consideration
until due process of law can be
rendered.
“You deserve the game ball,
because you continued to play even
after the final whistle had blown.”
Six Blacks
to vie for
Miss America
The largest number of Black
candidates in the history of the
pageant will be vying for the Miss
America title Sept. 15. The show
will be telecast on NBC at 10 p.m.,
EDT.
Here’s a look at the six Black
candidates:
Maryline Blackburn, Miss Alaska,
was born in Frankfurt, Germany.
Her father is a career soldier and
she lived in 10 different states
while her dad was in the service. A
graduate of Evergreen State
College, Maryline has studied
piano for 13 years and has more
than a nodding acquaintance with
dance, voice, clarinet and drum
lessons over the years. She will be
singing in the Miss America
Pageant and has performed with
Chuck Berry, Chris Calloway and
Sister Sledge. Maryline hopes to
become a buyer for a department
store after studying with a couture
house in France.
Desiree Keating is the firsb
Miss District of Columbia in 20
See Miss America, Page 2
30C