NEWS
BLACK INK
The essence of freedom is understanding
I®
February &, VST9
BIJVCK STUDENT MOVKMENT OF FKTAL NEWSPAPER University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill,
Vol. 11 No.
Harry Amana arrives at J-School
By CAROL LEWIS
Staff Writer
During the spring of 1978, Black Jour
nalism students became more aware of the
need for Black jounalism instructors and
courses on the Black l>resa. As a result,
several black Journalism students
organized the Journalism Organization of
Black Students.
JOBS held a discussion with the J-School
faculty and the students stressed their
needs for Black instructors and courses on
the Black Press.
JOBS, along with the Afro-Am Depart
ment, succeeded with the hiring of Harry
Amana, a new Black jounalism lecturer,
and the cross-listing of AFAM 68 as
Journalism 68, the Black Press.
Terri Bums and Edna Brown, both
active m JOBS, said that they felt the
meeting with Adams and the Journalism
faculty aided in the hiring of Amana.
“The J-School said that they were trying
to recruit but were having trouble fmding
qualified Blacks,” Brown said. “They
even asked us if we knew of anyone.”
The J-School also asked the aid of the
Southeastern Black Press Institute (SB-
Pl). The SBPl worked with the School of
Jounalism, and together they were able to
find a qualified instructor, Harry Amana.
Amana said that environmental,
economical, and financial conditions must
be considered when recruiting and
retaining Blacks.
Amana recei\t#d his bachelor's degree
and master’s from Temple University, and
he has been teaching journalism there for
the past two years. He has worked as a
reporter-photographer for the Phildelphia
Tribune, the nation’s oldest Black con-
tinumg published newspaper and has also
taught at the University of Pennsylvania
and at Rutgers.
“Money and academia are two reasons
Blacks are not hired for faculty positions
at predominantly white schools” Amana
said. Blacks who are qualified and have
the time and energy are attracted to
places of higher pay. One will always take
the highest paying positioa”
Amana said another reason is that
Blacks are not encouraged to go to
graduate school, and they are not told
about available scholarships. “Most
Blacks are anxious to get out and get a Job
quick and are turned off by the academia.
They almost never think about teaching,”
Amana said.
‘‘Academia, for faculty, staff and
students is an unreal world.” Amana said
some students and faculty stick with their
department and have no idea of what is
happening in the outside world or even
within the university. “Some even gloss
over the glaring deficiencies in their own
department,” he said. “It takes a certain
kind of mentality to deal with that a long
length of time.”
‘Black professionals, who have done
work in Black areas. Black literature,
Blark .Studies and Black newspapers find
their experiences down-rated because the
experience was Black," Amana said.
“I was in the English department at
Rutgers but it was always assumed that I
worked with the Black Studies Program. It
was referred to like a put-down.” Amana
said Blacks will not emphasize on their
resumes that they taught Black Literature
or Black English. “It means less and if
people are rated for tenure along these
lines. Blacks do not get it”
“Until we get to where our publication
credentials are accepted even if you write
for mass oriented Black publications,
you’re not going to qualify for the highest
positions.”
Gripe Line caller
new N. Campus Rep
By ALLEN JOHNSON
Staff Writer
New North Campus Representative
Pauline McNeill was the first BSM
member to use the “Gripe line.” The
freshman biology major from Erwin was
armed with so many suggestions and ideas
that she was asked to take the North
Campus post.
McNeill IS one of the community of black
students who sometimes feel left out
because of the BSM’s South Campus
orientation.
• Most of the blacks that I’ve Ulked with
on North Campus have a positive attitude
of the BSM,” says McNeill, a Cobb
resident. “They’re supportive of the BSM
and believe in what it tries to do for the
t)lack community at Carolina. However,
many feel that the BSM fails to involve
North Campus blacks in its activities.
Some feel that too many BSM activities
are concentrated on South.”
Specific projects McNeill plans for
North Campus residents during the spring
semester include:
—distribution of a weekly newsletter-
calendar
—social gatherings aimed at acquain
ting North and South Campus blacks with
one another
—one major get-acquainted activity for
North Campus blacks
As for things she’d like to see the entire
BSM do, McNeill suggests “activities that
would allow blacks at Carolina a chance to
get to know brothers or neighboring
predominantly black campuses to perform
here at Carolina,” she says.
“We could also sponsor a few activities
geared toward those students who don’t
particualarly enjoy ’Jamming.”
Photo by Divid R. Squlrti
Amana and Journalism student Carol Lewis review an issue of the Black Ink.
MIEM prepare for Howard
Communications Conference
By DONNA WHITAKER
Staff Writer
Members of Minorities in the Electronic
Media plan to attend Howard University’s
Eighth Annual Communications Con
ference February 14-18, at the Shoreham
Americana Hotel in Washington, D.C.
Co-presidents Kathleen Hoskins and
Roscoe McClain, along with any number of
the twenty other members will leave
Feb. 15 to attend the conference, whose
theme is “Focus on Communications and
Health.”
The conference will consist of panels,
workshops and seminars for students
interested in a career in broadcasting.
Also seniors will be able to engage in job
interviews with actual employers.
An essay contest was offered to allow
students a chance to win their way to the
conference.
To raise money for the trip, MIEM has
held several jams and plans to hold a
raffle.
Hoskins, a junior broadcast Journalism
major from Wilson, N.C., said the con
ference is what MIEM members look
forward to. “It is...where we get our most
practical information on fields that we
want to go into to.,”
MIEM exists as a medium for minority
students to learn more about broadcast
journalism and broadcasting. The five-
year-old organization offers field trips,
speakers and projects to its members.
■Deltas to celebrate birthday-
The Kappa Omicron Chapter of Delta
Sigma Theta, Inc., a public service
sorority, will celebrate the 66th birthday of
the sorority with activities beginning on
Wednesday, February 7 and culminating
on Sunday, February 11. Kappa Omicron
has the distinction of being the first Black
sorority to receive a charter on the UNC
campus.
Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. was founded in
1913 by 22 Black students at Howard
University in Washington, D.C. The
Founders envisioned an organization that
could up-lift their race through combatting
ignorance, prejudice, discrimination and
injustice. It wmild reach into all parts of
the country and bring together Black
college women of similar ideals,
scholarship and potential.
I
FYesident emeritus ot Delta Sigma
Theta is Soror Sadie T. M. Alexander, the
first Black woman to earn a Ph.D. in the
United States. Mrs. Thelma Thomas Daley
is the current national president. She is a
nationally recognized guidance and
counseling professional. She is employed
by the Baltimore County Board of
Education and directs the Career
Education Program for that system. Ms.
Dydra Hines is the president of Kappa
Omicron.
The Deltas will give a step show Friday
in Great Hall. Also they will host their
annual Sweet Heart Ball this weekend. For
details check the Cube at the Student
■Jnion or ask a member of the sorority.