North Carolina Newspapers

. - vuiv-iive VMn Hon fact mnnlh th II Ciinrmi J - 1 -7 "O " -"-f ----- mwT .M Parate schools to be inherently une c..Jllev$lng tne constitutional interpretation of the tfiP2!!!!?ourt ln 1899 t established the segrega tion ooctnne m the Plessy v. Ferguson case. ' rfJS? has the Brown v. the Board of Education un orougnt us during the past quarter century? .'Ju f?lks ot a belly full of footdragging as wutnera school systems moved with "due deUberate speea to maintain segregation. ' ; - ' mm1? ,traWfc to implement this new idoctrini that wua black people have an equal right to quality educa tion, we spent a large amount of time and resources in court. . In. our search for allies in this struggle, we turned to "'. fweral bureauracy and have since inherited a Sra of programs, efforts, regulations, etc. We ve seen the diminishing of black educators, par- ?!"ly Principals, and other blacks in management. IPreviously predominantly black schools have either been closed,-even when they were newer buildings than local white schools,, or downgraded to junior high and even elementary schools. But the most important problem is the reaction to a downgrading of black education. So, using the last 25 years as evidence, we can con clude that while segregation was certainly unequal, in tegration, as it has been fashioned in this country, hasn't been equal either. ' It seems to me that going back to 1954 through the re cent we've made a fundamental error in judgement. We have traditionally believed firmly that America's white society is basically good, and when faced with certain factors, such as a Supreme Court decision, will conform the obvious. Today's record clearly indicates that assumption was erroneous. Let's consider the record. First, let's establish what caused segregated schools to be unequal, but also let's point out that these same fac tors caused black education to be as strong as it was. The cause of segregation's inequality in education was simply money. White boards of education spent ly MILTON JOIDAN more on white schools, for materials, books, etc., than .they did on black schools.' White teachers were paid substantially more, they tell me, than black teachers of equal experience. This was, of course, justified by the reasoning that no black teacher could be equal to a white teacher, because blacks weren't afforded equal education. Therefore, let us not kid ourselves that the proponents of segregation didn't realize that segrega tion promoted inequality. But because black educators understood, (ike the white powers that be understood, that education is the first ' key to freedom, black teachers and principles fought hard to turn defeat into victory. They often succeeded. Most of the blacks who have made significant con tributions to this country, and to our people are pro ducts of segregated schools. In those days of unequal segregated schools, black educators were professionals with a mission: to con tribute all they could to the freedom of black people. Today, too many black educators are professionals with something missing: the zeal and determination to inspire their students to excel to the limits of their : capabilities. But it's not all their fault. Many black educators and other blacks are victims to day of a strategy launched 25 years ago to continue in an integrated setting what has been established in a segregated setting. Many whites are dedicated to keep ing us behind by any means necessary. Hrc hnw I hlipve rhev Hid it When the Supreme Court issued its precedent-setting decision, opponents immediately established machinery to move as slowly as possible. Deliberate speed would indicate that even the Supreme Court can't change things. Even the Supreme Court, the strategy argued, can't guarantee blacks equality. Therefore, we as a peo ple are conditioned to conclude that even the constitu tion offers us no guarantees. The result of this condi tioning would be political, economic and educational apathy that would create the same conditions in an in tegrated setting that many racists designed segregation to accomplish. Another part of the strategy was to eliminate as many black educators as possible, particularly in manage-' ment. Why? The reason is obvious. These are the people who were accomplishing virtual miracles under segregated conditions. There was no telling what they would have done under integrated. They might have lifted the blinders off a lot of white folks' eyes, and the racist would lose a significant portion of their power base. But is was no simple matter to fire these people, because many of them, products of the era when blacks had to be twice as good as whites just to get jobs, were highly qualified and competent. So the strategy called for the closing of black schools to eliminate the need for so many black principals and managment officials, along with many black teachers. This segment of the strategy accomplished a number of things. SAT MAY 12, 1979 THE CAROLINA TIMES -S 7t It decreased the number of black principals. J,BIack: administrators have been consistently eliminated from North Carolina's public schools since 1964." says Ber nard Allen, a career educator who is writing his master's thesis on the plight of black educators. According to Alien, in 1964 there were 254 black prin cipals in. North Carolina who headed schools with graduating classes. In 1971, however, they were only twelve remaining. Allen says the methods of eliminating black ad ministrators have included school consolidation, demo tion to the classroom, dismissal and transfers to in significant positions. The strategy also decreased the number of black schools, many of which were multi-purpose institutions in their communities. But most importantly, it made black students feel like strangers, unwanted and disrespected. Small wonder our students have forgotten, how to learn. Parents have often been too busy, or too un concerned to motivate and inspire them, and to fight their youngsters battles with racist educators the youngsters couldn't fight themselves. The remaining crop of black teachers are often afraid to be pro-black for fear of loosing their jobs. So they become neutral, and largely just throw out information, hoping their charges will be able to regurgitate it come test time. Those black educators who have maintained their dedication to excellence, have simply been swamped with the enormity of the problem. They are simply out numbered. The third part of the strategy, I believe, was to mar shal majority white opposition to integration by pro moting its inconvenience. This segment was implemented by saying that busing somehow decreased the quality of education. So here we are, 25 years later, reaping the rewards of an attempt to maintain under integration the basic prin ciples of segregation. Thus, the question facing us today as we celebrate that landmark Supreme Court decision is what will be done about it? Next week, I'll discuss the strategy of educational racism as it related to black colleges. See you then. Blacks and the Budget The battle of the budget is underway in the Congress, and for the first time blacks have some real leaverage which could tilt the scales toward the Human Needs Amendment which Congressmen Parren Mitchell and the Congressional Black Caucus are pushing. The leverage is there, first of all, through Con gressman Mitchell whom Speaker Thomas P. O'Neill .has named as one of his deDutv whiDs. This is the first time in history that a black Congressman has been aV ..deputy whip. iiupuruuu aiso in me ngnt tor human needs is the wwa. representation on kev committees. Lou s Stnkes : Of Ohio and Rev. William H firnv III f Pin,Ul, j, - " J W" . V'.I'.Jl l.flU iirp nn inn Mm ea uni r-r ft. r . rt T. I '' it XI.... VL. I ti i j - .... -.wn "uuiu i uiu ui icinicsscc arc (in inc ways ano Means committee; and Julian C. Dixon of California, who succeeded Congresswomen Yvonne Burke, is on the Appropriations Committee. Mitchell wants a sunnlementnrv allornti on nf a killinn Black Caucus Mad Over Racist Budget The House or Representatives has been rangling on the floor over the 1980 budget that carne out Of the House Budget Committee. This proposal represents cut -Tbo Stack Side ov Ustagc 3Y SHERMAN BRISCOE NNPA dollars in '79 for such purposes as aid to black colleges, T public housing, bjack business, economic development, and CETA, the Comprehensive Employment Training Acf. Aha he waiits an additional four billion dollars in the 1980 half a trillion dollar budget. It will be interesting to watch the fight now that blacks in Congress have real power. Diggs and Herman Blacks here in Washington and everywhere else are watching to see how the Senate Ethics Committee is go ing to handle the case of Sen. Herman Talmadge of Georgia. You know, Herman is the son of Gene Talmadge who made his way to the governor's mansion race-baiting and waring red galluses. ;, . ; .. . Years later, ax handle weilding Lester Maddox followed he same route to the Georgia capitol. All signs point to kid glove treatment for Herman by his fellow Senators who ususally look after the members of their exclusive club. Over in the House, members turned their backs on Congressman Charles Diggs. Does justice wear two faces over on Capitol Hill? GOP Cuts '80 Delegation The Republicans have reduced their 1980 Convention -delegation by 266, reducing the number from 2,259 to in the social programs of President carter s budget these superficial proposals pf both the Administration and Budget Committee of pretense of fighting inflation while protecting the politically powerful. The Caucus members are putting up a very strong fight to get the House and Administration to carry out the mandates of Humphrey-Hawkins that was passed by congress and signed into law by the President. Representative Hawkins said the 25 years of observa tion; have revealed that inflation soared when stagna tion in the economy and recession came and that price stability was attained under conditions close to full pro duction and full employment. He stated that the more the "trade off theory of reducing inflation by rising unemployment fails the more it is resorted to by both the Administration and Congress. Humphrey-Hawkins mandates will prevent the errors which, caused, a few years ago, the highest inflation since the Civil War and biggest economic downturn since the depression. Gus Hawkins emphasized that intentions to balance the ' i - i 1 . A w tvjysi iR.t 1 ? fiirlrnn By AlFIEDA 1. flADISOM budget defeats the mandates of Humphrey-Hawkins because the objectives of it are full employment full pro duction and priority justice. He further stated that the Act requires congress to bring the President's budget in line with its mandates. Congressman Hawkins said the House and Administration budgets move towards scar city rather than abundance, deterioration rather than improvement; Towards saddling the evils of inflation upon the unfortunate while fattening the pockets of the richest and most power f ul . Representative Parren Mitchell stated that both the House Budget bill and the President's failure to to deal with any specifics for reaching the goals of Humphrey- Hawkins. Mitchell said he feels the failure of both the Administration and House to set forth specifics is because to do so would require a good look at unemployment. He spoke of how ever since World War II black unemployment has, at least, been twice as high as that of whites, and that reasons given are; blacks have less skills than whites, less educated and less motivated, but during World War II the defense in dustry took the unskilled, uneducated, unlettered and unmotivated and overnight transformed them into pro ductive workers. He said that there is no commitment' by our government leaders to end black unemployment. He emphasized that since white male unemployment is 1,993 for tigher control. The Democrats, on the other hand, are expected to have their regular 5,417 delegates and alternates. Interestingly, more than hlf the GOP cut - 148 delegates has been snatched from the South. This will hurt Baker, Connally and Reagan, and will further reduce the small black GOP delegation from the South and the rest of the country. Was that ex-President Ford's hand we saw back of the curtain? Black Collges Without Influence? , . Ebony magazine has just selected its "100 Most In fluential Black Americans" and not a single one represents a black college. There of heads of all kinds of sororities and fraternities and clubs, state officers and Church convention leaders, but no college presidents. This seems odd, considering that there are some 105 predominately black colleges turning out hundreds of thousands of graduates every year. Even Cheek of Howard, Foster of Tuskegee, Leonard of Fisk, Gayles of Talldega, Dennard of Atlanta University, and Bran son of Lincoln-failed to make the list. But that's how the cookie crumbles. at 3.4 per cent some Say let s forget about black unemployment. Parren showed that in recommending cutting of the government efforts to end unemploymet because the private sector will do it, will only prove that the big businesses will continue to lower white unemployment but will have little or no affect on black joblessness. Mitchell said that whatever the corpora- ;;ftftttlT,Wring, policies tnay .?be'raicistn standsjarHhe "5empT6'yment gate7;:He said racism' can find 10,000 reasons why blacks cannot be employed but will always give one good reason why a white person can be hired. Parren said what congress is really saying is that blacks, Hispanics and other minorities are disporpor tionately unemployed and that it is going to increase their unemployment. He said that some members on the budget committee cared about human beings while others felt that blacks, Hispanics and other minorities are expendable. He showed that congress and the Presi dent are pursuing policies to increase unemployment. All members of the Black Caucus are downright sore over both the President's and House budget, and all seventeen of them are working hard to get a budget passed that will reduce unemployment and take the greatest burden of inflation off the backs of minorities, poor and elderly. So Black Citizens, contact your white congressman, immediately, and let them know that you expect them to work for minority concerns too. ATLANTA, GA - It was 83 degrees outside, in he . Georgia sun when this writer spoke to the nation's black mayors enmasse. The occasion was the fifth National Black Mayors Conference. In 1974, Mayor A. "Jay" Cooper of Pritichard, Ala., called a group of black southern mayors together lnitiak , ly to improve the social and economic conditions; 'bfc , their constitutents. V s i Commenting on their very assembly is an accurate in dication of a newly created power produced by the civil rights movement in the sixties. "Municipal Development: A priority for 1980" was the theme for this august and astute, able bodied clan of men and women. These 171 mayors who are members ; of the National Black Mayors Conference represent more than 20 million people. Populations of their cities range from below Mayor Brown's Buckner, Arkansas' 392 to as high as Mayor Bradley's about three million in Los Angeles. BUSINESS l n IfJ THE BLACK rs Mayo Meeting ly CHAIIES I. HUI A little respect was paid to the White House by these power brokers as they nodded during the course of the speech of Jack Watson, one of the white assistants to the present President. Mr. Watson was holding out a promise from the President to provide increases in employment opportunities and municipal development for the mayors. This magnificent maneuver in the plan form no less will be presented to the President in err-about six mon ths. The, black mayors no doubt sense the scheme is to be held out like a carrot to get James Earl Carter re elected. Reaching for their napkins the mayors made for the door as politely as possible. Putting politics aside for one moment, the mayors each year pay tribute to a black American. This year's dinner was devoted to Barry Gordy, Sr. "Life is somethin '. Life is really somethin '. You just got to know how to live it. There 's lots to learn. ' ' Sage advice from the man who sired Berry Gordy, Jr., President of the largest black business in America according to Black Enterprise Magazine. In my lengthy speech to the mayors, something to do with. generating needed revenues, there was much labor ing on converging political power for the benefit of black people. Pop Gordy probably did not hear me hollerin' about how black mayors must assume this responsibility of running their cities for the economic benefit of black Americans. However, what he said and truly believed is the best advice any speaker could give to any audience that is that "People are the number one project in this world. " INTRODUCING LEONARD GRAHAM Our New Manager in Durham Lftonard it the new manager of our Dur ham District office and he's in a position to do mora for you than just sell life insurance. He can help you do something for your future that's just as important as protecting , your family's security, o Because with North Carolina Mutual, you can get the far-sighted help you need to be ready for college for your kids, retirement or a new home. Give Leonard and the Durham District sales representatives a call. You'll find them ready to help you with your plans for the future. ' 8 NORTH CAROLINA MUTUAL ura INSUNANOI OOMPAMV DURHAM DISTRICT OFFICE, 501 WILLARD ST 682-5154 Turnout Continued from page 2 D. Schaefer, and Pete Rozelle, commissioner of the National Football League. Baltimore City Councilman Walter Orlinksy and Sport swriters Association Representative John Steadman spoke for themselves. Comments and presen tations of plaques and trophies were made by a score of representatives of organizations and business firms including: Dr. Andrew Billingsley, chancellor of Morgan State University; Joe Black, vice president of Greyhound; Sherman Briscoe, NNPA executive director; Fred Brown of Anheuser-Busch whose presentation included $1,000 as did Victor Julien's of Heublin. In the audience were: Claude "Buddy" Young, Mr. and Mrs. Lee Archer, Coach Eddie Hurt, and Lenny Moore. i res ? I PAY BY CHECK It is the safe easy way to pay bills. Your cancelled check is proof positive that you have paid your bill. You can. open a regular or special account, depending on your needs with minimum balance. For Complete and Efficient Banking Service, See Any of Our Courteous and ... i Experienced Staff at . ' , V.i. Qoctaoics G Farmers Dg:.!i ot Durban : Vj HO I'. Perrfeft SL-Hcfe OMco Mutual Plm Crcncft J'r"' i:.