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ol|f Vol. 1 REV. HAMILTON REFLECTS ON HIS YEARS IN OFFICE ■** v £• ‘'v J| Ifyf ftA i ■ jr**** s 'Bi A- S' ft a™ - .Kftw ' ' ’ *•**• x,x * ft. ■ F URI V.F ™ F . , r If " ''"■ • /J£ - Jv "T L, i ■ *** ■ j } j/jak i JuflEft / / J t S' &W / / ■ ' f'jz*>>’ 'O^^-i^raESL—- afESui s f A\"rMl '- ffzL-' \''£mL ■?■ *.L~ i •?• / rfltrnffi S ' jf <;*!s ~ •wEs*- ■ ' f’ ~«■ u ■ »■' ' ~ i ' ■ “1 T -,' I--:- For years, Reverend C.S. Hamilton, Pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church and City Councilman from the Fourth Ward, was the premier spokesman for the Black community. However, in recent years, Hamilton has not been in the civil rights spotlight. Some have labeled him as a “do-nothing politician.” In an exclusive interview with the News-Review Hamilton denied having changed his position on issues facing the community during the past 15 years. “I’m still doing the same things. The difference is that I’m not the president - nor spokesman for the NAACP as I was then. I don’t have the voice on the issues that I had then. Problems are not channelled through my office. gagr, ■ ’ Kv *•< z. i ■»' yw^ t l- •*»» ■ -"II—* w K ■ ’ 13LZ|i^ij&J 11 ® p REVEREND LOUIS ABRAHAM CELEBRITY OF THE WEEK Reverend Abraham is Pastor of Thankful Baptist Church of Jewell, Georgia. He was recently promoted to Hie position of retail salesman at Forestone Tire and Rubber Company where he Has been employed for the last two and a half years. Married to the former Margaret Sims, the Abrahams have five children - Angela, Rebecca, Lewis Elliot, Pamela Renee Demetrice, and Tyrone. REV. CJ. HAMILTON I don’t get the news coverage I got then.” consolidation as having Blacks that are registered and will vote. ‘‘Some political organizations have sold us short but this is to be expected.” Hamilton expects that it’ll take another ten years before a majority of the actual voters in Augusta are non-white, provided that consolidation or annexation does not take place before that time. “Most Blacks are in wards 1-4 that leaves 5-8. I don’t know whether we should be concerned Blacks, but people concerned about the city. Most politicians dance to the music of the voters. What the voters want done, they will do. Hamilton places little value in terms such as moderates, 930 Gwinnett St. militants, etc. Instead of categorizing he said, “If we are to become a force politically we will have to bring all these forces together. Bring in younger men and get them oriented so they can replace the elder men going out of office. We will all have to come under one heading. According to Hamilton officials are needed. Most people expect you to raise sand and get your name in the paper he said, but you get nothing done. “On the City Council you have four Black votes and thirteen white. If you don’t work together the result is a thirteen to four defeat. You have to work together if the majority is to move.” In addition to serving on City Council and as Pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church, Hamilton is also Director of the Morehouse School of Religion of Interdenomi national Theological Seminary, President of the New Era Missionary Conference of Georgia, Member of the Feasibility Study Committee for the American and Progressive Baptist Conventions. Asked what his future will be like as a political figure, Hamilton answered, “Pastor of Tabernacle Baptist Church. I have no future political plans beyond that. Six years is enough. It takes time and energy. You spend half your time in meetings, people call you at all hours with all kind of problems. Let somebody else take it and go with it.” “I worked with B.L. Dent on equalization of salaries and jobs. But the news men didn’t write about it and I can't go around bragging and telling people what I’ve done.” Asked what changes he’s seen in Augusta politics over the last fifteen years Hamilton said, “I can’t see too much THE PEOPLE’S PAPER change. Blacks were more together then than they are now. It used to be that a Black candidate could count on the Black vote, and we had a coalition with certain whites.” Hamilton is not disturbed by white criticism of the Black block vote. “Blacks have not block voted any more than whites. Whites are always block voting. This is just one of the myths that they try to use.” In spite of the growing impatience of young Blacks, Hamilton feels that progress can be achieved peacefully. “The record speaks for itself I can’t see where too much has been accomplished by rock throwing. We can get anything we want if we solidify. We have never unified to the point of getting things done. We integrated buses, bus drivers, theaters, lunch counters, etc., and we are getting people jobs etc. We got it done with as little friction as possible. Where as people used to call our office for jobs. We haven’t been able to get people jobs since May 11.” (date of 1970 civil unrest) Blacks are impatient. If they have to wait two months to see progress their interest wanes.” Many Blacks however are justifiably sick of being put off, Hamilton said. The establishment of a Human Relations Commission as recommended by the National Urban League (see June 24 issue of the News-Review) is one example. He says that “the whole study is a delay tactic. When they decided to have the Urban League come in this was a delay tactic. You don’t have to wait for a study to be done when there are inequities. When there are problems, they can be solved. Asked whether he felt that public officials were interested in seeing that justice is done Hamilton said, “No. Racism is ingrown in the structure. Racism is so interwoven that it’s like the sunshine. It’s like the day. It’ll take major social surgery to straighten it out. We don’t have to wait when we see that something is wrong.” Hamilton sees the ballot as the key to Black progress. “Every year that I was the president of the NAACP we had a voter registration drive each year. What will have to happen is that Blacks will have to register and vote. They can’t make this a completely Black thing. We’ll have to have coalitions with whites who’ll work with Blacks. We may not always have a Black candidate. But we should support a fair candidate. When we vote Blacks against whites - Blacks lose. “Consolidation probably will be good for the community, if it is done right. I don’t think that Blacks have to worry so much about William R. Candley, sociology instructor at Paine College will participate in a six week summer training program for College Teachers at Columbia University. Candley received his A.B. degree from Bishop College in 1967 and the A.M. degree in 1969 at the University of Pittsburgh. He has also studied at the University of California (Berkeley) and at Yale University as a Ford Foundation Research Fellow. Augusta Ga Phone 722-4555 REV. ERION TO ASSUME EXECUTIVE POSITION WITH ALCOHOL AND DRUG CONTROL Rev. Henry Erion will become Director of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counsel and Referral Center at 1143 Druid Park Avenue, it was announced by Dr. Neil McFadyen, President of the Official Board of the Augusta-Richmond County Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. Rev. Erion, who is now serving as assistant pastor of the Fairview Presbyterian Church in North-Augusta and Part-time Chaplain in Augusta V.A. Hospital, will assume his new duties July Ist. Rev. Erion spent his childhood in Nebraska, attended the University of Nebraska, Mercer University when he received his B.A. Degree and Columbia Seminary where he received his B.D. Degree in 1947. He has held pastorates in Macon, Ga., Jackson, Miss., Lake Mont Presbyterian Church, Augusta, Savannah, Ga., and presently Fairview Presbyterian Church. Rev. Erion has been active in community affairs both as a layman and as a minister. He is presently serving as President of Augusta Clergy. He has been Key Club Advisor, Scoutmaster as well as officer of civic clubs and Ministerial Associations. He has directed many Children’s and Youth Camps and conferences for the church. He has twice been commissioner to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church. Rev. Erion is married to the former Burrdine Jones. They have two children: Mrs. J.D. Toole Jr., of Carrollton, Ga. and Charles T. Erion: attorney, of Macon, Ga. Police Brutality Charged ML i V L T'l L Safe ’•W* ft/ ife ■ ? i Claude E. Freeman, 22, of Clark Hill, S.C., was arrested on June 23 along with three other men, Henry Griffin, Freddy Houston and Willie Marshall. The four Blacks were riding in a car driven by Griffin when they were stopped for speeding. They were taken to the Warren County jail where Freeman said he was walking behind his three companions when a policeman told him to “wait a minute.” Freeman said that without provocation he was beaten and charged with assaulting a Georgia State Trooper and being a public drunk. He was released on SI,OOO bond. Or 1 Ml' !S> v-W-M- ' W£?J!SS: th asp? ft , <• i / A (Left to Right) Attorney John D. Watkins, children - Stanley and Deedee, Hosea Williams, Mrs. Alma Ree Mack, Elaine (in mothers arms but not visible) and Tony. HOSEA WILLIAMS SAYS MACK WAS LYNCHED Hosea Williams, Chairman of the State-wide Black Leadership Coalition, held a press conference in Augusta Attorney John D. Watkins’ office Wednesday where he charged that Thomas Mack was lynched in the Jefferson County jail. Mack was found dead in his jail cell June 1. Jail officials said he committed With Williams at the press conference were Mack’s widow Alma Ree and their four small children, and attorney John D. Watkins who has been retained as the family’s attorney in the alleged lynching. Watkins said the evidence indicates beyond a shadow of a doubt that Mack was murdered. In a prepared statement Williams said, “the State-wide Black Leadership Coalition called this conference to bring to the attention of the nation, and particularly the state officials of Georgia, that our investigation into the death of Thomas Mack has been completed with the exception of the family’s private autopsy Freeman was photographed immediately upon his release from the Warren County Jail with a torn blood-stained shirt and had been beaten about the face and head. He said he had been beaten by two Georgia State Troopers and Sheriff A. Roger Dye. According to informed sources Freeman is the fourth person known to have been beaten by Dye in the last month, three of them were Black. According to news reports Dye paid a SSOO fine in U.S. District Court two weeks ago for having beaten a Black woman. He pleaded no contest. report. Yet, we anxiously await the results of the United States Justice Department’s and Governor Carter’s investigations.” All demonstrative evidence and all oral evidence we discovered in our investigation controverts the conclusion of the law enforcement officials of Jefferson County that Thomas Mack committed suicide by hanging himself. The evidence we gathered, both demonstrative and oral, indicate beyond question that the life of Thomas Mack was taken by persons with the approval and the involvement of law enforcement officials of Jefferson County and that a slave labor camp is now in operation in Louisville. It will be incumbent upon the Sheriff of Jefferson County and his Deputies, along with Mr. A.P. Jones - the employer of Thomas Mack -- to proceed forthwith taking a lie detector test administered by the federal government, if they in fact still claim that they had nothing to do with the death of Thomas Mack. The State-wide Black Leadership Coalition has decided to assist the family of Thomas Mack in seeing to it that those responsible for this outrageous crime are brought to trial in the proper courts. The family of Thomas Mack, on the advice of Hosea Williams, Chairman of the State-wide Black Leadership Coalition, has employed Attorney John D. Watkins to take whatever steps are necessary in seeing that the ends of justice are met and HBHB mm! Hhlh James Brown Cites Problems, Plans Rally Entertainer, James Brown told the NEW-REVIEW that he felt that the three major problems confronting Augusta are (1) drugs (2) racism (3) July 1, 1971 No. 15 retribution and compensation are delivered. The family of Thomas Mack is certain that their beloved one did not hang himself, nor did he commit suicide, and evidence will overwhelmingly show that he was lynched while in the custody of Jefferson County law enforcement agents. All persons of goodwill - Black and white - interested in assisting the widow of Thomas Mack and his four small children, are urged and requested to send whatever contribution or donation they may have to the ‘THOMAS MACK FUND,’ Citizens Trust Company Bank, Atlanta, Georgia.” Commenting on Governor Carter’s statement that he (Williams) is more interested in publicity than in trying to help people, Williams said that “it is very unfortunate” that the Governor would stoop to such a low ebb. Seven Blacks have gone to their deaths in the last thirty days at the hands of the police.” It is a shame Williams added, “that the Governor is too busy trying to become Vice-President to solve problems of the people. The friend of the poor is now the friend of the establishment.” Referring again to what he called Jefferson County’s “slave labor camp,” Williams said, “Thomas Macks death was not exclusive but inclusive of what is going on in Jefferson County Mack was killed to teach other Blacks they must come to work everyday.” Blacks who lack the guts to ask for what they need and demand it, and whites who are See JAMES BROWN Page 6