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Scarborough Family Honored at
Dank With Plaque And Citation ;
One of the high lights of the annual meeting of
stockholders of Mechanics and Farmers Bank ; was
the ceremony honoring the Scarborough Family and
the firm of Scarborough & Hargett Funeraf Home.
J.C. Scarborough, Sr. (now deceased) was a member
of the original Board of Directors in 1908 and was
active, without compensation, as a member of the
Board and the Executive, Committee until his death
in 172.
MR. SCARBOROUGH. HI, MRS. SCARBOROUGH, MRS. SCARBOROUGH, IH, MRS.
BYNUM, MR. WHEELER
As part of the ceremony,:
a citation and plaque were
presented ot the entire
family in recognition for.;
their long standing support
of the bank and in
recognition of the new andl
modern funeral hornet
constructed by Scarborough -&
Hargett, Inc. at 306
South Roxboro Street,
Durham.
Stockholders of the bank
received the Annual Report
of the President, Indicating
excellent results from 1973
operations. It was reported
that earnings for 1973 were
$2.42 per share ($5.00 par
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(See BANK Page 3A)
STOCKHOLDERS MEET SC1.NE
VOLUME 51 No. 11
ATTORNEY THOMPSON
1-Vm-V".''''''''-'-''!'; -i I'linimtiUikhfmi'iiVli'tiiitiifli'ii
NAACP Convention Seeks End
To Capital Punishment In State
The NAACP's Southeast
Region convention advocated
federal action outlawing both
capital punishment and all
involuntary sterilization as it
ended its three-day meeting
in Durham Saturday.
The 300 adult and youth
delegates of the senior civil
rights organization also
advocated in resolutions a
number of federal steps in
education and employment.
All the measures are
needed, the convention
declared, in order to answer
the challenge of its theme:
"Equality and justice in
another time of crisis."
The education resolution
called for the end of
(See CONVENTION Page 3A)
GOOD READING THIS ISSUE
DURHAM SOCIAL NOTES 13y Mrs. Syminer Daye
FROM BLACK By John Hadgins
WRITERS FORUM By George B. Bus
A POTPOURRI OF RECENT EV ENTS By G. Ross
ERNIE'S SPORTS SPOT By Ernie Ingram
THROUGH BLACK EYES By Rhett Tanner
DURHAM, N. C. SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 1974
PRICE: 20 CENTS
A ttorney M. Sugh Thompson Suecumbs
First Black Durham Bar Ass'n
President Buried Here Thursday
Meredith Hugh Thompson, known by . most
persons as M. Hugh Thomspon or "Tommy," and
who celebrated on August 20, 1973, fifty (50)
years of legal practice in Durham died on Monday,
March 18 at the Verterans Administration Hospital..
Thompson served as the first black president of
the Durham County Bar Association of the 14th
Judicial District and had participated in, . and
observed many changes in the administration of
justice during his half century of legal practice in
..JDuriiam..i4, .surj-Quridtng .areas..
His office was located at
203Vj Chapel Hill Street and
for years, Thompson was a
most familiar figure walking
with his cane in the
downtown section as he
made his way to the
Durham County Courthouse
to handle the many legal
problems for his clients.
The veteran lawyer, a
native of Goldsboro, was
born on May 3, 1898 and
his parents were the late Mr.
and Mrs. Solomon Thompson
of that city. Working as a
bricklayer to earn funds for
his education, he later
Shaw Nal'l Mumni Iss'n Shies
Workshop On Black Mutation
The National Alumni
Association of Shaw
University is conducting a
one-day conference workshop
at the Hilton Inn In Raleigh,
March 30. This activity is
slated to be a well designed,
highly organized, and
constructive event to deal
with , the problems palguing
black education, especially as
it affects Shaw University.
The workshops are chaired
by highly competent Shaw
graduates, who have
distinquished themselves as
outstanding Americans.
During the past year,
storng bonds of cooperation
have been formed between
the National Alumni
Former Student To Honor Dr. T.
R. Speignerat N. C. Central Univ.
The student he has taught
during 27 years at North
Carolina Central University,
and the faculty members
with whom he has worked,
will honor Durham's Dr.
Theodore R. Spelgner at a
testimonial banquet Saturday,
March 30 at the Durham
Hotel and Motel
Among the former
students who will particiapte
in the ceremonies are Dr.
Marion D. Thorpe,' chancellor
of Elizabeth City State
University, Superior Court
Judge Sammie Chess, and
Dr. Dudley E. Flood,
assistant superintendent for
human relations and students
affairs of the North Carolina
Department of Public
Instruction.
The principal speaker, for
the banquet, another former
student of Dr. Spelgner, was
the first NCCU geopgraphy i
graduate to received his Ph.
D. degree in that field. Dr.
Woodrow. W. Nichols is
currently assistant professor
of geography at the
University of Miami (Fla.).
The banquet will begin at.
6:30 p.m. Saturday, March
30. Dr. Spelgner was
employed as a member of
the North Carolina Central
University faculty by the
late Dr. James E. Shepard,
founder and first president
of the school. He taught In
the division of social
sciences for .several years
before he became professor
and chairman of the
Department of Geography.
Among those expected to
attend the banquet from
Durham are NCCU
Chancellor Albert N.
Whiting, John S. Stewart,
former City councilman and
(See SPEIGNER Page 3A);
Association and the
University's Board of
Trustees. The alumni feel
that this type of assolcation
is absolutely necessary if
predominantly black
(See SHAW Page 3A)
attended Syracuse University
in New York andlwjs
graduated from Howard
University Law School in
Washington, D. C. Following
his graduation from Syracuse
University, he enlisted in the
Army and with the rank of
lieutenant, fought abroad in
both France and Germany.
On the last day of World
War I, November 11, 1918,
shranpnel hit him in the leg
and gave him the limp for
the rest of his life.
After graduation from
Howard University Law
School he returned South to
Durham to begin his legal
practice. In an interview with
this writer he related and
recalled many incidents of
discrimination . and other
Injustices during his long
tenure as a practicing
attorney. Of special interest
was the practice of using
different Bibles for white
and black witnesses as they
were sworn to testify as
well as the non use of Mrs.
or Miss when addressing
black women In the courts.
(See THOMPSON. Page 3A)
,".'7 i
Mint- - .ii ...
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PRATT
J. Fred Pratt,
Well-Knovn
Citizen Passes
J. Fred Pratt, Durham
native and labor leader died
on March 14, 1974 at the
Veterans Administration
hospital in Durham. He was
born on January 28, 1887
in Durham. He was a World
War I veteran.
He joined White Rock
Baptist Church during his
youth and was an active
member of the church. Pratt
was a member of the
Trustee Board, Committeman
for Boy Scout Troop, 55
White Rock Sunday School
Orchestra (when the
Orchestra was active) and
Senior Choir.
Pratt was a member of
(See PRATT Page 3A)
V 'ft I tfih
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APPRECIATION SERVICE HELD FOR REVEREND PERCY L. fflGH-Dr. Pui tt Johnson,
Pastor, Martin Street Baptist Church, Raleigh, his choir ushers and congregation wer guests of
Mount Vernon Baptist Church on , Sunday, March 1V 1974 at 4:00 p.m. for an
"Appreciation Service" for Reverend Percy L High, Pastor. Dr. Johnson is the former pastor
of Reverend Hish. This was a very meaningful service and! was well attended. A social hour
was held in Fellowship Hall following the service. Making the presentation to Reverend and
Mrs. High are Mr. J. R. Parham, Trustee and Mrs. Haiehne wuson, member oi me finance
and Social Committee. Other pictures on 4 A,
floyd FMisshh Announces 27
Million Dollars For Soul City
Floyd B. McKissick, President of The Soul Qty
Company, confirmed today the all of the final
closing documents enabling him to proceed with
the development of the multiracial new community
of Soul Qty had been signed and delivered recently
in New York. Mr. McKissick also announced that
the sale of the HUD Guaranteed Bonds assured
funding in excess of 27 million dollars for
ttevetopment of North- Carolina V -fmt ..new:4pwn
and a regional water system to serve Soul Qty and
the neighboring communities of Henderson and
Oxford.
Mr. McKissick, former
Durham attorney and
National Director of the
Congress of Racial Equality,
formed McKissick
Enterprises, Inc. nearly six
years ago to begin Soul City
'and to begin Soul City
undertake other economic
development projects to be
owned and controlled by
blacks and other minorities.
McKissick Enterprises
submitted it's formal
proposal for Soul City to
the HUD New Communities
Administration on February
24, 1971. On June 28, 1972
the new town developer
received an Offer of
Commitment from HUD to
guarantee 14 million dollars
in private borrowing.
On February 22, 1974
McKissick Enterprises formed
a North Carolina limited
partnership, The Soul City
Company. In addition to
McKissick Enterprises the
General Partners in The Soul
Citjf Company are the
National Housing Partnership
of Washington, D.C. MMI,
Inc., of Cleveland, Ohio (the
development arm of
Mad ison-Madison
"Interna, Uo n a I , a
minority-owned architectural
firm), itnd Mr. McKissick.
The General and Limited
Partners Capitalized The Soul
City Company with more
than one million five
hundred thousand dollars
equity. In the weeks
following, The Soul City
Company marketed and sold
five million dollars in
HUD-Guarunteed Bonds,
entered into a Project
Agreement with New
Communities Administration,
and Indenture' of Mortgage
with North Carolina National
Bank, Trustee, and executed
all other enabling documents.
(See SOUL CITY Page 3A)
Defiiocraf Parly Afoiv Seeking
Wer Participation Of Ofacfrs
The Democratic National Committee, with key
votes from its Black members, has now adopted
new rules for the selection of 1976 Democratic
National Convention delegates. These new rult'-s
obligate state and local parties to open up eve n
more, all of their activities to the widest possible
public participation.
In place of the so called "quotas" provision.,
there has been Instituted the
requirement that all state
parties develop and execute,
under close supervision from
the newly formed
Compliance Review
Commission, a detailed
affirmative action program
that Is designed to
"encourage full participation
by all Democrats, with
particular concern for
minority groups, native
Americans, women and
youht." In another provision,
Blacks joined with
progressive elements and
other interests of the party
to keep the Compliance
Review Commission (CRC)
as an enforcement body
rather than changing It to a
strictly supervisory capacity.
The new Compliance
Review Commission will.
Include six Blacks. They are
Representatives Barbara
Jordan and Andrew Young,
Mayor Richard G. Hatcher,
Compton, California Mayor
Doris Davis, Felicia Bragg
and Colorado State House
Representative, Arte Taylor.
' Most of the rule changes
were worked out in : the
Democratic National
NIA Sponsors the 35th Agency
Officers' Mid-Year Conference
The 35th Annual Agency Officers' Mid-Year
Conference sponsored by the National Insurance
Association (NIA) will consider effective ways of
"Coping with Change," March 20-22 in Mobile, Ala.
Under the leadership of Agency Section Vice
President John W. Jones, Vice president-agency
d irector of Security Life
Committee's Executive
session the day before the
regular meeting. Black
members of the Executive
meeting include: Vice
Chairman Basil Peterson of
New York, Secretary of the
Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, C. Delores
Tucker and Danville, Virginia
Attorney, Ruth Harvey
(See DEMOCRAT Page 3A)
Insurance Company ot the
South, agency officers from
the Association's 39 member
companies will examine how
to deal with recent
developments within the
insurance industry induced
by inflation, new and
prospective legislation and
comtemporary social
attitudes.
Principal speaker W.
Franklin Stelner, former
president of the National
Association of Lift
Underwriters and district
. manager of Liberty National
Life , Insurance Co. wQl
specifically focus on
combination companies
coping with ; change at the
conference's opening session
on March 20.
Other guest speakers and.
panelists will include
Honorable A. J. Cooper,
mayor, of Prkhard, Ai. as ,
well as leading
representatives from NIA as
E. J. Half acre, CLU, regional
agency director, North
Carolina Mutual Life
Insurance-, Co., L. JL Gunn,
CLU, vice president-agency
director, Atlanta Life
Insurance Co., and AJtonzo
Gary, Jr., itgency director of.
(See INSURANCE Page SA)
v.. I