Newspapers / Black Ink (Black Student … / April 21, 1981, edition 1 / Page 9
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April 23,1981 BLACK INK Page 9 Monica Wilson studying on steps of Phillips hall. Denise Barnes (photo by Sonja Payton) BSM (Continued from page 4) like that, tvery time he attempted to speak, we shouted him down." In recent years, the BSM has been involved in the UNC-HEW desegregation dispute and in the 1979-80 tenure case for Dr. Sonja Stone, a professor in the African Afro-American Studies Curriculum. The BSM has also advocated the creation of an Office of Minority Affairs and rallied behind Dean Hayden B. Renwick, who cliarged the University with unfair admission procedures for black applicants. "The Black Ink also reflected the envolving ideas of black students. For ex ample, over the years, the newspapers's logos became less radical. The logo which read the "Voice of ’/j Black Liberation" in 1969 read "Freedom, Justice, Unity, Power, ' in 1976. It evolved to "The Essence of Freedom is'Understan- ding" today. Even though the paper has a staff of about 25 members, Cureton Johnson recalled its humble beginnings in saying, "It was a one-man operaton. I took all the pictures and wrote 75 percent of the stories." In 1971 the BSM Coronoaton Ball, including Miss BSM, was begun. The ball is now an annual fall event. Miss Black Ink was instituted in 1975 when Shawn Payne of Hillsborough became the first queen. When the first black student body president was elected in 1972, it became evident, however, that black and white students continued to react along racial lines. Richard Epps, a 20-year-old RTVMP major form Wilmington, has been succeeded by only one other black student government president. "They (the black presidents) were in a funny position," Allen Johnson recalled. "Blacks would claim they weren't black enough, while whites said they were too black. Many black students expected too much . . . they were in no-mans land." Even though the BSM has increased its role as the cultural social and academic identifier for the black student, chairperson Canady emphasized the importance of constant involvement before controversial incidents occur. "(Blacks) should want to get involved in the everyday workings of the University to avoid problems rather than waiting until they explode and start trying to put the fire out," Canady said. Another goal for the BSM, other than continued promotion and exposure of the black heritage, includes unification of UNC blacks with blacks in Carr- boro and Chapel Hill, Canady said. Even though no cafeteria brawls nor David Dukes have hit the Carolina campus in the last five years, the BSM continues to challenge racist attitudes. But in the words of Cureton Johnson, who visited the campus in February after several year's absence only to find "KKK" spray-painted on a column near Manning Hal, "Some things never change." Canady said the need for change is what will keep the BSM vital. "As long as people remain ignorant to the benefits other cultures offer them and ignore the (bond) that we as people of the human race depend on in general," the BSM will always be needed. great iJeas arA actfon meet Q/(rA^^.u>-ru m Become ar* Active. /^erv>t>eKyVow Bi«J\
Black Ink (Black Student Movement, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
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April 21, 1981, edition 1
9
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