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T.W. Josey Band Teachers must Hosea Williams UNCF telethon
goes to be judged by to complete focus
Peach Bowl their compotency jail term on education
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VOLUME 14 ’ NUMBER 31
New
‘Princess' of Black poetry reveals
her inner feelings
She is earthy and natural, at
tributes that carry over to her
writing, giving it realism that
works like magic on her readers. It
is no wonder she has been called
the “Princess of Black Poverty.”
Nikki Giovanni has been writing
for as long as she can remember.
While her poetry is no longer the
sounding board for her anger as it
was during the 60 s, she still is con
cerned about the problems con
fronting man today.
“1 don’t fight reality. I never
started out to change the world,”
Giovanni said.
Yet it was clear from her conver
sation, as she addressed students at
San Francisco State University in
the McKenna Theatre, that she is
troubled.
“This cannot be as far as we can
go. We can do better. We have to
take in information, evaluate it,
and give it back. We must find a
way to bring out the best of our
selves,” she said.
“You know, we created all the
problems of this world, and it’s up
to us to come up with a solution.”
Giovanni praised the work of
the anti-nuclear groups.
“But if they don’t drop the
bomb, then the question is how
shall we live? What about the
elderly, the students who won’t be
able to afford school? How will
we survive?
“You know, man is something
else. If we were wiped off the ear
th, do you know not one seal, not
one bird would say damn, I miss
What distresses Giovanni in her
personal like is the rumor being;
circulated by several groups that
she supports the apartheid gover
nment in South Africa. In 1974 as
part of a tour to Ghana, Nigeria,
Zambia, and Kenya to read her
poetry at various universities and
libraries, she was required to make
a courtesy stop in Johannesburg,
South Africa, to obtain a visa
that she could continue to Uganda.
“They have accused me of per
forming in South Africa, where my
books are banned. Some groups
have tried to put me in a class of
artists who are in cahoots with the
racist government.”
“I don’t support the boycott of
South Africa. I refuse to join
because it’s the fashionable thing
to do this year. Hell, I’m a mem
ber of the NAACP, that should be
enough,” she said, hurt in her eyes
as she removed her glasses from
her slender face that mirrored her
frustration.
“You know, we’re real good at
Melvin Bradley to help plan for Blacks
role in upcoming inauguration
A 56-person ethnic-heritage
organization headed by White
House Aide Melvin L. Bradley will
plan and implement the par
ticipation of hundreds of Blacks in'
the four-day 50th presidential
inaugration in mid-January.
Sponsors said the second
inaugural for President Reagan
will attract more Black
Republicans to the nation’s capitol
than any other GOP ad
ministration.
Divided into an advisory and
steering committee, the
organization hopes to spotlight
former high ranking GOP of
ficials, such as Vai Washington, E.
Fredrick Morrow, first Black ever
to serve at the White House (under
Eisenhower), and Clarence
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doing things that are mean and
ugly; we don’t need to practice
that. What we need to practice is
love,” she said, drawing applause
from the audiende.
Giovanni read material from
“My House” and her latest book,
“Those Who Ride the Night Win
ds.” Themes of love, loneliness,
growing old and childhood ex
periences dominated the writing.
“I’m a Gemini, I fall in love
quickly, and I fall out of it about
as fast. But it’s nice to be young
and in love.”
“I support sex, I’m a dirty old
lady, and for you virgins out there,
don’t worry it will go away.”
Giovanni talked about the Rev.
Jerry Falwell and his brand of
morality.
“He talks about the problem of
young girls getting pregnant, and
having abortions, but if they have
the babies, then he calls them
welfare cheats.
“Hey, ask any girl, she’ll tell
you the problem is the boy’s erec
tion. Falwell needs to tell them
boys to keep it down.”
Giovanni also takled comically
about her childhood, growing up
in Cincinnati, Ohio, with her
sister. Although they were poor,
they were happy.
“White people will never under
stand that Black love is Black
wealth.
Townes.
Several events will honor the late
Samuel C. Jackson, founder of the
Council of 100, and many leading
campaigners. Co-chairing the
overall organization will be enter
tainer Pearl Baily and Robert
Brown, who served at the White
House under Nixon.
heading up the advisory commit
tee in Lionel Hampton with Wen
dell Wilkie Gunn as vice chair.
Members include T. M. Alexander
Sr., LeGree S. Daniels, Jewell
LaFontant, John H. Bustament,
C. J. Patterson. Gloria Toote and
Wendel G. Freeland.
Los Angeles Rev. E. V. Hill co
chairs the steering committee with
John L. Wilkes serving as vice
chair. Among its members are
Nikki Giovanni
“But my father didn’t want to
give us things and it got to the
point where we didn’t want
anything. I mean, hell no, I don’t
want no bike.”
Giovanni is busy raising her 15-
year-old son Tommy, a challenge
she takes seriously as a single
parent. She realizes what young
people are facing in the 80 s.
“Young people have a higher
rate of suicide than they ever had
and, hell, I don’t blame them.
Reagan took 49 states. 1 know
why they’re depressed.
“Most importantly though,
don’t let anyone tell you, Black
youngsters, that you’re not
capable. Don’t listen to someone
who gets paid to tell you that.”
Giovanni stressed the importan
ce of molding young people with
positive thoughts to enable them to
have good self-images.
“If you have it in your mind that
you’re wonderful and smart, then
you will be just that. ’ ’
At 41, Giovanni says that she is
aging gracefully. Still looking
sharp, she was dressed in navy blue
blazer, light blue pants and hair in
a short natural. With age, she
has calmed the raging fires that
once burned, but the flames that
still flickers is one that symbolizes
hope. As she says, “I know there
is something more to this life.”
George Haley, Lance Wilson, Joe
Kirven, Bill Pickard, Constance
Newman, Larry E. King and
Leßoy Jeffries.
The first major event will be a
salute to George Bush at the D.C.
Convention Center. The next
night, President Reagan will be
honored at a black-tie gala at the
center.
On Sunday, a prayer service will
beheld at the National Cathedral
with a private swearing-in at the
Whtie House.
On Monday, Jan 21st, the
President will be sworn in on the
west portico of the Capitol
Building followed by the parade
down Pennsylvania Avenue. Eight
inaugural balls will be held.
From Jet Magazine.
December 29,1984
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The T.W. Josey High School
Band will perform in the Peach
Bowl in Atlanta Dec. 31.
The band’s excellence has been
rewarded by invitations to the
Peach Bowl in 1979, 1980, and
1982 when they won the
President’s Award. Last year, 11
members of the band received full
four-year renewable scholarships
estimated to be worth more than
$200,000. Since 1977 the band has
won more than 130 trophies and 40
plaques. Col. Charles Smith,
director of the band, said, “When
we perform, it’s got to be serious
and business, too. But it’s also got
to be fun. The students have to
know that they can achieve
educationally and compete against
the very best. That’s what’s im
portant—not the awards, but that
they’re happy with their perfor
mances.”
Smith said that the band set a
record at last year’s 10th District
Concert Festival. His most
significant achievement was the
band’s “all superior” year.
Josey’s band was the only band to
get a perfect score in marching,
concert, and stage band, including
ail auxiliaries.
Excellence and winning are not
T.W. Josey band to perform in
Peach Bowl festivities
Less than 75 percent Advertising
new for the 35-year-old Smith. A
native of Demopolis, Ala., he
taught at D.C. Wolfe High School
in Shorter, Ala. before coming to
Josey in 1977. His band won the
Alabama Bicentennial competition
in 1976 against 328 bands and
represented the state of Alabama
in the Bicentennial Parade in
Philadelphia and Washington,
D.C.
Smith is a graduate of Jackson
State University and earned a
master’s degree at the Vander
Cook College of Music in Chicago.
Looking at the band perform one
is immediately impiessed by the
style, which Smith refers to as
“FAMU” style.
“I studied a little show design at
Jackson State and a little with
A.R. Casavanti in Chattanooga,
but the show designs that 1 put
together are all original. That’s
what I enjoy. I’ve seen a lot of
bands. I like to put on a show that
anyone sitting there will enjoy.”
He says the band has never got
ten a negative comment from a
judge. He said that despite the fact
that band festival audiences are 90-
95 percent white and that he has
seen only three Black judges in
eight years-one in marching band
and two in concert—it’s not a
Black-white issue. “Fans, band
boosters, and the public really
make the band fell like they’ve
contributed something to the
event. They make us feel that way
even when we don’t make the
scores we think we should.”
Augusta, he said, is one of the few'
cities with Black band directors
(seven).
Smith credits his success to high
school band director William C.
Brassfield, who is now band direc
tor at Tuskegee Institute High
School. “He put in time with me
and other students. He had college
directors to work with us. He’s
been my role model all these years.
“I take my hat off to my parents
who pushed me,” he said, adding
that Josey has a supportive ad
ministration and band boosters.
He said that he is not surprised
that the students are willing to put
in the time to achieve excellence.
“In art and music, if you have
something exciting, educational,
and fun, kids are going to work
hard to achieve it. We put in a lot
of time. We know the public is
going to expect the best, and we’re
going to give it to them.”