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Page 4 Black Ink October 18, 1984 news An attempt to improve Black/White Relations by Denise Moultrie Staff Writer In the fall 1982, white sororities refused to give bids Black rushee. Melanie Williams rushed several white sororities in hopes of pledging that year. She was the first Black since 1979 to rush white sororities. At the time, Williams said, "there's no concrete evidence that I was cut from certain houses because I was Black." One anonymous sorority member said in The Daily Tar Heel Williams was cut either because some of the alumni or sorority members didn't want to give a Black girl a bid. She also said several sorority members were worried that Williams would not feel comfortable as the only Black in a white sorority. In an effort to find the reason Williams was cut, a group of white women formed Sorority Women Against Discrimination (SWAD). SWAD was later renamed People Against Racism, said Sibby Ander son, par's chairperson. PAR is a committee specifically designed to make people aware of racism on campus, Anderson said. "The purpose of PAR is not to rid the campus of racism—a goal such as that is not feasible," she said. Racism is not completely limited to the student who is the only Black (or white) in a class being taught by a professor who may use his race as a grounds for lower grades, she said. "Racism here is very subtle; peo ple at this University are very in telligent and wouldn't be so bold as to say 'I don't like you because you are the wrong color,' she said. "We are aware that everyone is prejudiced to a certain extent due to the way we were raised, but prejudice results from not knowing about other people." One example of racism at the University is "when most white students hear 'South Campus' they automatically think—'Oh, that's where all the Black people stay,' Anderson said. She said statistics show that even with a disproportionate number of blacks on South Campus, whites still outnumber Blacks there. Another example of racism on campus, Anderson said, is the ex perimentation with housing integra tion. She said, "I feel that people should live where they want to live and not be asked or forced to move to North or South Campus." She said the housing department feels that if 'we integrate-everything will be better.' Dorm integration, she said, forces minorities to make a com promise. Right now, race does not determine where students live, whereas mandatory integration would make a student's race a major factor. Anderson said a recent survey done in the Sociology department shows "how students interact with people of their own race and people of other races." One problem pointed out in the survey is that students usually stereotype people of their own race as frequently as they do other races. Anderson said she wants PAR to look at racism with a broader view. "Not just Blacks suffer from racism," she said. "A lot of white students have complaints against Black professors." Though PAR is searching to im prove the relations of Blacks and whites on campus, their purpose is not entirely devoted to the Black/white relationship. Anderson said other students who are con sidered minorities have the same pro blems as Blacks. Last year PAR dealt exclusively with Black/white issues; this year, she said, PAR wants to involve problems of international students as well. One international issue concern ing PAR this year is Apartheid the systematic racial segregation and discrimination practiced by the South African government. Anderson said the University indirectly supporting this practice by investing in com panies which have financial dealings with South Africa. PAR serves as a support group for larger organizations, she pointed out. One organization can not fight racism. par's other duties include serv ing as a go-between for students and professors'-people negotiating with professors who may be using race as a basis for assigning grades, she said. Aiam activities scheduled for UNC-CH by loy Thompson Stall Writer Ayana, translated from Swahili, means "flower." But for the African and Afro-American curriculum culture series, it denotes "a celebra tion of Black culture." Also the title of the curriculum's culture series newsletter, Ayana was the brainchild of Allen Johnson in 1979 when he became the first African and Afro-American culture series coordinator. Herman Bennett, a junior from Hanau, Germany, has taken over this year as culture series coordinator and he said he will "expose the student body to various academic topics and cultural events that affect or concern Blacks." Dr. Colin Palmer, chairman of the African and Afro-American studies department, said of the culture series; "We want to foster an awareness of Afro-American culture in its broadest sense. This incor porates a number of themes like religion, art, music and other things." Palmer, who selected Bennett for the position, served as the coor dinator last year because he said he couldn't find the right student. "The student should be somebody who is...able to generate ideas and bring those ideas to conclusion," he said. He said he was pleased with the new coordinator. Bennett, who said he was the idea man, maintained; "More or less, the sky is the limit. It's up to the creativity of myself and others." But he said he welcomed suggestions from students and faculty alike. So far Bennett has scheduled; • poetry readings by Black faculty members and students. • a joint performance by the Black Student Alliance Choir at Duke, the North Carolina Central University Choir and The Black Stu dent Movement Choir. • a panel discussion on the 1984 elections featuring syndicated columnist Walter E. Williams. • several films including The Discarded People, You Have Struck a Bock and Fundi: The Story of Ella Baker every Tuesday night at 7;30 p.m. in 101 Greenlaw. Palmer noted, "I think our calen dar is very full this fall." "I think turnout has been satisfactory," Palmer said. About 100 students attended the Nanette Bearden Dance Company perfor mance sponsored by the culture series Oct. 3. But, Palmer pointed out that at tendance varied. "We expect the choir performance to be well attend ed as well as the panel discussion," he said. He said, "The films in particular have attracted a majority of white students and this is reflective of the fact that the courses in the Afam department are very mixed." Bennet said he was also in terested in increasing the number of students who come to the events. He pointed out that many of the events were not academic and that students need not take African and Afro- American courses to enjoy them. Palmer added that because of Bennett's success in scheduling events, the series has grown im mensely and will continue to grow. Friday October 26 Great Hall Admission $1.50 8:00 p.m. Party Immediately Following MU ZETA CHAPTER Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. presents (( Fall Fashion 84” Models from Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. The Ladies of Black and Gold and the Brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha Fra'ernity, Inc. Fashion from Showroom Tyndall’s Formal Wear Merry-Go-Round The Junction ir id I )n I
Black Ink (Black Student Movement, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
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Oct. 19, 1984, edition 1
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