Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

Can we test Black teachers and keep them? VOLUME 14 NUMBER 41 Selma: 5-day march back into histroy begins SELMA, ALA. —Under a blue sky unmarred by the smell of tear gas, and on a day devoid of racial tension, more than 3,000 marchers set out Sunday afternoon on a five-day journey back into history. Led by some of the country’s most prominent civil rights ac tivists, they marched from the historic Brown’s Chapel AME Church, down Martin Luther King Jr. Street and turned right on Water Avenue. A left on Broad Street, on the edge of this south-central Alabama town, brought them to the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the huge steel and concrete structure where the nation’s attention was riveted on March 7, 1965, when it served as a backdrop for what became known as “Bloody Sun day.” At the crest of the bridge, leaders of the march, including the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Atlanta City Councilman John Lewis, knelt and prayed before resuming the trek to Montgomery, singing “We Shall Overcome.” The Southern Christian Leader ship Conference is sponsoring this re-creation of the 1965 Selma-to- Montgomery march to com memorate one of the most vividly recalled symbols of the civil rights movement. On Sunday, the first leg of the trek was conducted without in cident, and marchers were escorted by Alabama state troopers who Savannah NAA CP backs annulled vote SAVANNAH—The president of the Savannah chapter of the NAACP responded defiantly last week to a ruling by the groups national board voiding the election of local officers in Savannah in December. In a prepared statement, Curtis V. Cooper, who was re-elected to a fourth, two-year term as president of the Savannah chapter on Dec. 9, acknowledged receiving notice that the election was null and void. But he contended the election “was in accordance with the constitution and bylaws for branches of the NAACP.” Cooper predicted the actions of officers and members of the chap ter in conducting the election will be “completely vindicated.” He said he will call a meeting of the 30-member executive board “to consider this matter and develop an appropriate rely to the national Jim Brown: ‘l’m not an athlete I’m a man’ The telephone rang in Jim Brown’s home in the Hollywood Hills. On the second or third ring, he said: “Hello.” The caller identified himself. They made small talk. And then the caller asked: “What in hell is going on NOW?” Jim chuckled. “I like the way vou put it,” he told the caller. Then, he said: “I didn’t rape that woman!” On the testimony of an uniden tified, 33-year-old woman, Jim had been arrested in his home, handcuffed, taken to jail, accused of rape and sexual battery, and held until he made $17,500 bail. Jim said. “This must have been the fastest arrest in history.” On the morning after the charge was made by the woman, Jim went out of his house to pick up a newspaper and, he said, was con fronted by 10 policemen. Jim wanted to know why they were there at his home. They. Page 1 Augusta ■NeuiH-Hteuttiu showed them courtesy, rather than the clubs and bullwhips of two decades ago. The day’s activities were seasoned with oratory from many civil rights leaders, most of whom participated in the 1965 march to the state Capitol, 47 miles away in office.” The controversy centers on as many as 300 new membes who registered directly throught he New York headquarters during the months before the election. Cooper barred the new members from participating as candidates or as voters. Because they did not submit their applications to the branch office, he reasoned, they are members-at-large only and ineligible to participate in local proceedings. Printed on the cards issued to the new members by the New York office, however, is the notice, “You are affiliated with branch unit No. 5231.” the Savannah branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Esther Garrison, who led the membership drive, says she sent registration forms directly tothe allegedly said they suspected that there was marijuana in his place. But, actually, they had other reasons for being present; as men tioned. In addition to Brown, his house guest. Carol Moses —“a very beautiful young lady”—was arrested on similar charges. Her bail was set at $ 1,000. At the same time of this writing, according to a police source, the Los Angeles district attorney was to decide whether or not formal charges would be lodged against Brown and Moses. As it usually does, Jim Brown’s latest brush with the law made banner-headlines here and national news on , network television and uncounted radio stations. “I think I’m the last of the revolutionaries from the 605,” Brown told Phyllis George-Brovm during an interview on ABC-TV’s “Good Morning America.” “When my back is broken, it’ll all be over.” Phil Waring is recipient of the Jefferson Award Page 1 ■if > I 'WWMIMgW l mHmEMelw W lit\ I Si iil h Hl®®] Ul jld w | it e o O hM!ZS<sB ■?'l JEWSf v, WSF4k •-'jp MICHAEL PUGH/siaff MARCHERS GATHER AT HISTORIC BROWN’S CHAPEL A.M.E. CHURCH BEFORE 5-DAY JOURNEY BACK IN HISTORY. Montgomery. Before the marchers set out Sunday, Lewis told them of the fir st of the three attempts to reach Montogmery that occurred on March 7, 1965. He recalled Alabama trooper Maj. John Cloud’s order to disperse within New York office to avoid lengthy delays caused by the local chapter. “They were paying membership fees to the branch and not getting cards back,” Mrs. Garrison said. The 250 to 300 new members Mrs. Garrison helped register nearly doubled the chapter membership, which had dwindled during the past several years to about 400, she said. Besides the delays in processing memberships, Mrs. Garrison said members were disgruntled that the NAACP chapter was holding fewer meetings and failing to respond to requests for interven tion in civil rights matters. Mrs. Garrison said the Feb. 16 action by the national board was prompted by scores of letters and telegrams protesting the election and by a formal complaint she filed within 10 days after the elec tion. “This woman is 33 years old, and I’m not even interested in 33-year old women.” Jim is 48. More seriously, he said he believed a scientific test would prove that he is innocent —“if, ” he said, “the police reveal the fin dings.” But, in his talk with Phyllis George-Brown, Jim was not critical of the police. “I think,” he said, “the police did the best job they could under the circumstan ces.” What puzzled him, though, Jim said, was the fact that the story had, as mentioned, become so big in the media. Phyllis George-Brown, a former star on “The NFL Today” show which preceeds Sunday National Football League games, explained that he is a famous athlete, a celebrity, and, that being the case, whatever he does makes news. I am a man—not an athlete,” Jim Brown said. “I am law abiding. I’m forward. I speak my See Jim Brown, Page 4 Abdul-Jabbar is hooked wif paternity sui Page 6 March 9,1985 three minutes. And when the mar chers refused, he gave the com mand: “Troopers advance.” “We shed blood on the Edmund Pettus Bridge for the Voting Rights Act, and we must not forget it,” Lewis said Sunday. “There may be interruptions, there may be Among the dissidents was Prince Johnson Jr., a new member who had intended to run for president of the chapter but was disqualified by Cooper, Mrs. Garrison said. Although national officials of the group declined to discuss the controversy, they confirmed that a new election will be scheduled. “We have ordered a new elec tion,” said William Penn, NAACP director of branch and field services. “Someone will be designated soon to preside over (it).” Jefferson Award presented to distinguished Augustan J. Philip Waring, chairman of the Augusta Black History Com mitttee and columnist for The Augusta News-Review, has been selected as a winner of the Jeffer son Award for outstanding public service. The award is presented annually by WRDW TV-12. Waring was an executive for the National Urban League for 40 years, serving in Florida, New York, Conneticut, and Missouri. He has been recognized for out standing contributions to civil rights, communications and Black history. A native Augustan, he has often been called the dean of Black Augusta communicators. His weekly column, “Going Places,” appeared in the Weekly Review Tom 1947-1970, and in The Augusta News- Review from its in ception in 1971 to the present. His award-winning series, “Blacks Who Helped Build Augusta,” was carried in more than 40 issues of The News-Review and helped to revitalize interest in local Black history in the mid-70s. Waring was a leader in helping to get the first public library Less than 75 percent Advertising some setbacks. But we will not turn back, we will never turn back. We’re marching because we want to pass the torch on to the next generation. As we march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, it will be a new day.” Jackson, who called Selma a Local attorney prepares legal battle for widow of Frankie Lymon An Augusta attorney said he plans to show that Emira Lymon is the rightful widow of 1950 s teen age idol Frankie Lymon and that another woman claiming to be Lymon’s widow made false statements. William McCraken told The News-Review that the woman, Elizabeth Waters Phillips, filed an affadavit stating that she and the singer lived in common-law in « - tr r- r ■ f % I k J. Philip Waring program for Blacks started in the mid-30s, and also helped secure equalization of teacher salaries and facilities through efforts of the Community Forum. It was he who first proposed changing Gwinnett Street to Laney-Walker Boulevard. He organized a two-day Black summit conference and a seminar on Black-on-Black crime in 1979. Last year, he exhibited an Augusta Black History display, which he developed, at the World’s Fair in New Orleans. Ventriloquist Willie Tyler “sacred place,” told the cheering crowd that “20 years ago, we decided to put our lives on the line and to put our nation on a new direction. We stand here today because of unfinished business.” Jackson and others urged that the march be considered as tran scending traditional racial arguments and extending to social and economic concerns worldwide. “Twenty years ago, we marche to Montgomery. We cannot stop in Montgomery. We’ve go to go on to Washington,” Jackson said, as well as Nicaragua, the Middle East, Ethiopia nd other strife-torn areas. Sunday’s march marked the first day of what is scheduled to be a five-day hike, which will end with a rally Thursday evening on the Statehouse steps in Montgomery. Only 300 marchers are expected to resume the walk Mondav. com pared with the estimated 8,000 to, 10,000 who participated 20 years ago. Instead of spending their nights in muddy fields, the mar chers now will be bused to nearby churches and colleges at the end of each leg, where they will be pro vided food and shelter. Sunday’s event began with breakfast at 8 a.m. at a Black social club downtown and con cluded 6!4 miles out in the coun try. “We’ve come here today because we have one more river to cross,” said Joseph Lowery, executive director of the SCLC. “We’re just not looking back.” Philadelphia, New York and Virginia. “Our position is that it was a fraudulent marriage. Virginia does not recognize common-law marriage. New York does not recognize common-law,” he said. “We’re going to show that she made false statements to the court. We’ll show that they never lived in Pennsylvania and that the allegations are false.” Emira, a Richmond County school teacher, met Lymon when he was a soldier stationed at Fort Gordon. They were married in June of 1967. She is seeking compensation for all monies due and owed to Lymon from 1968 to the present, as the rightful heir to “Why Do Fools Fall in Love,” which Lymon wrote when he was 13. The song has produced more than $1 million in royalties since Diana Ross recor ded it in 1981. McCraken said that Frankie Lymon and Associates hired a ser vice company, Broadcast Music, Inc. to monitor royalties from the use of Lymon’s material. “When the song was redone by Diana Ross that company collected sums in the six figures. The Teenagers got ab solutely nothing.” There is a lawsuit pending in the Southern District of New York and Emira is the plain tiff. “Every woman in the country then claimed to be married to him. “Everytime that it seems that we’re going to get this thing straightened out for collecting the money, another woman throws a nut into this thing. We’re going to have to fight it all the way.” Zola Taylor, former singer for the Platters, also is reported to have married Lymon, in 1965 in Las Vagas.