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ACLU to honor First B ] ac k Black women 11 Amprie a ns John Ruffin, Rose Bowl speak 01 E George McGovern Queen elected Vanessa starve Page 1 Pagel Page 3 Page 1 VOLUME 14 NUMBER 24 Tenants call it 'murder' NEW YORK—The head of a community activist group has writ ten to Governor Cuomo seeking an immediate investigation into the fatal shooting last Monday of a 67- year-old grandmother in the Bronx by a city housing police. Rev. Herbert Daughtry, chair man of the Black United Front said he also intends to ask the U.S. Justice Department to look into the matter. Mrs. Eleanor Bumpers, mother of three, was shot to death when she allegedly resisted an attempt to be evicted from her $89.44 a mon th apartment in the Sedgwick Houses at 1553 University Ave., in the Morris Heights section of the Bronx. Vai Coleman, a spokesman for the Housing Department said that Mrs. Bumpers, who had been living in the apartment for more than two years, was about five months in arrears in her rent payment and had been asked to give up the apartment. When city housing police were called in to assist a marshal to evict her. Mrs. Bumpers who weighed 300 pounds put up a resistence. Although Mrs. Bumpers had swollen feet due to arthritis and could hardly get around, police , said the victim lunged at them with a knife. At this point, investigators revealed, she was shot at point blank range by Officer Stephen Sullivan, 43, a veteran of 19 years. After the shooting, Sullivan repor tedly collapsed and was rushed to nearby Lincoln Hospital where he was treated for shock and released. Mrs. Bumpers’ daughter, Mary told reporters that she was on her way to her mother’s apartment when she saw several cops standing around. “I heard a gun shot and started to run. When I arrived there police Black Rose queen For the first time in the 67-year history of Pasadena’s Tournament of Roses, a Black woman will reign as Rose Queen over the New Year’s Day parade and football game, tournament officials said Tuesday. She is Kristina Kaye Smith, 20, of Altadena, Calif., chosen 1984- 85 Rose Queen from among nearly 900 contestants. “She screamed”, spokeswoman Alison Holt said, describing the Sybil Mobley named to Hall of Fame Ju Dr. Sybil C. Mobley Augusta Neuis-IReuteui 1 • ■ * " X ‘ l||L Rev. Herbert Daughtry were all over the place and as I at tempted to get into my mother’s apartment, I was physically blocked by about two officers,” the daughter explained. The daughter said most of the police whom she saw at her mother’s apartment were equipped with restraining bars, plastic riot shields and shotguns. A tenant in the building, Rosale Thomas confirmed Mrs. Bumper’s daughter’s statement, adding, “It seemed as if the police were ready for combat duty”. “I hope this will not become a practice with the police. I cannot get over the thought that a woman was shot to death because her rent was overdue,” Ms. Thomas said. Deputy Police Commissioner Alice McGillion said it appears that the shooting was justified and within department guidelines. “We don’t have to wait until someone is stabbed before we act”, referring to charges that Mrs. Bumpers had threatened the new Rose Queen’s reaction. “She was shocked and surprised and very excited.” Smith, a Pasadena City College sophmore majoring in; child psychology, enjoys cooking, hiking, reading and aerobics and plans a career in psychology or journalism. The theme of the 1985 Rose Parade, presided over by Chrysler Chairman Lee lacocca as grand marshal, is “The Spirit of America”. TALLAHASSEE, FL Florida Governor Bob Graham has named Dr. Sybil C. Mobley, dean of Florida A&M University’s in ternationally recognized School of Business and Industry, to the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame. She is one of eight women honored this year. Mobley, 58, is a member of the boards of directors of Anheuser- Busch, Champion International, Sears, Roebuck and Hershey Foods. A CPA, Mobley earned a B.A. from Bishop College, and M.B.A. from the Wharton School and a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois; and has served as a special consultant to the United States Agency for International Development. police with a knife. Meanwhile, Bronx District At torney Mario Merola said he will launch an inquiry into the fatal shooting. Mr. and Mrs. James York, tenants, said they were shocked at the shooting and couldn’t believe an old lady would be killed over rent payment. The couple said they heard about the shooting when they returned home. They said they couldn’t eat dinner because they were too upset. Mrs. York said she had seen Mrs. Bumper on a num-" ber of occasions and she didn’t seem to be the type who could harm a fly. A top official of the Housing Department almost incited the tenants when he said that “if you Americans diet while Africans starve Hundreds of thousands of people have died from hunger in Africa in the last year, with a million more expected to perish before the end of 1984. At least 5 million Africans may starve to death this year, ac cording to Bread for the World, a Christian advocacy group for the hungry. Bread for the World reports about 150 million citizens of 24 African countries are severely af fected by food shortages. The U.S. Congress has appropriated $l5O million, or about $1 per af fected person, for emergency fund aid. In Ethiopia alone, 6 million people are in danger of starving, according to a United Nations report. Seventy percent of Africans live in rural areas where small lan dholders and laborers produce most of the food. Women do 70 percent of food production work. The rapidly escalating famine in Ethiopia has been brought into American living rooms by television news reports, but the "4:s w \ W’ B ff 1 —*-**-■? November 10,1984 folks had acted earlier, Mrs. Bum per wouldn’t have been five mon ths behind on her rent payment. He was booed and told to get the hell out of the meeting hall. Mrs. Busy Leila Crttendon, a girl scout leader, found it difficult to understand how an armed police officer could shoot and kill a defenseless grandmother. Debra Kirby said:“My mother was murdered. I don’t know why but I know she was murdered”. Mary Bumpers, the oldest daughter of Mrs. Bumpers added: “My mother was killed by an of ficer with vengeance in his heart”. Agnes Johnston, secretary of the Tenants Association said : “We underestimate the crowd. This shooting has residents of the Bronx demanding better policemen”. From the Amsterdam News recent massive attention is the news media is about a year late. Western relief officials, mean while, said there were indications the famine was spreading from the north of the country to parts of the south and west. “The number of affected areas and people is growing on a weekly even daily basis,” one official said. Relief officials estimated that as of now between 6 million nad 8 million people face starvation in Ethiopia with as many a 1 million deaths expected between March and December this year. Ethiopia’s famine has been exacerbated by the mountainous country’s poor transportation system. Another contributing fac tor to starvation has been Ethiopia’s politics. Since the country went com munist, some countries have been reluctant to provide aid. In the United States, there are still some reservations about aid, but by and large, the U.S. Agency for Inter national Development and the State Department have been motivated to help. Less than 75 percent Advertising h I Mi b 1 | | .& S J * —• TlfW/' / B J HBB' 'T A CL U to salute attorney John Ruffin, ex-Sen. George McGovern Augusta Attorney John H. Ruf fin Jr. and former Democratic presidential nominee George McGovern will be honored Friday night by the American Civil Liber ties union at the Twin Towers State Office Building in Atlanta. The annual banquet pays tribute to persons who have made outstan ding contributions to the protec tion of the Bill of Rights. Ruffin is a former president of the Augusta branch of the NAACP, and has led most of the legal battles for civil rights in this area. He has also argued cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. A former chairman of the Voter Education Project, he is a member of the State Judicial Nominating Election surprises No one can argue that Ronald Reagan represents the values of most Americans. But that in itself is a sad commentary. The best that can be said for Reagan is that he has given Americans hope for greater prosperity, although most of them have benefited little from the alledged recovery. Reagan, we believe, was re elected just as much for his racism—as evidenced by his sup port of South Africa, opposition to affirmative action, support for tax exemptions for private schools that discriminate based on race—and his trigger-happy macho image. As for Mondale, we applaud his honesty and his willingness to try to make America live up to its promise of equality and justice. However, decency in America of tens spells political suicide—as evidenced by his telling the people he would raise their taxes, and his courageous decision to choose a Attorney John H. Ruffin Committee. Ruffin is the former president of the Georgia Association of Criminal Trial Lawyers Association. He has also served as president of the Georgia Association of Black Lawyers. A graduate of Morehouse College and the Howard Univer sity Law School, he has been a finalist in consideration for a federal judgeship as well as seats on the Georgia Court of Appeals and the Georgia Supreme Court. A former chaiman of the Voter Education Project, he is presently a member of the State Judicial Nominating Committee Editorial woman running-mate. Locally, there were a number of surprises. Mrs. Julia Glover’s vic tory in the school board election increased Black representation on that board to five (of 16) for the first time. It was an ironic victory given the fact that she had recently appeared before the board in an effort to fight being terminated as a teacher. She agreed to retire, then ran for the board and won! Two veteran Democrats, State Rep. Travis Barnes and State Sen. Jimmy Lester, were defeated by Dick Ransom and Frank Albert. Both lost by less than 100 votes. While most Blacks found little to cheer about in the national and state elections, we picked up three important seats locally. In addition to Mrs. Glover’s victory, Henry Howard and Henry Brigham will have seats on the County Com mission. It will mark the first time a Black has served on that body other than former Mayor Edward M. Mclntrye. 34K