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VOLUME 93 - NUMBER 29 DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - SATURDAY, JULY 19, 2014 TELEPHONE (919) 682-2913 PRICeT^P
Marches and Protests
Predated 1964 March
on Washington
By Freddie Allen
NNPA Washington Correspondent
WASHINGTON (NNPA) - Although many are nostal
gically reflecting on 50 years ago when the Civil Rights
Act of 1964 was signed into law, there was no univer
sal agreement on what tactics, to deploy in the fight for
equality, according to a report on the movement by the
Economic Policy Institute.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Southern Christian Lead
ership Conference (SCLC) and the Student Non-Violent
Coordinating Committee (SNCC), both based in Atlanta,
were born during the movement and favored direct-ac
tion over lawsuits, commonly used by the older National
Association for the Advancement of Colored People led
by Roy Wilkins.
“There were differences in philosophies and tactics.
Eventually younger, more militant protestors, many of
them associated with SNCC, broke with the nonviolent
creed and tactics of Martin Luther King Jr. and the SCLC
and embraced 'Black Power,’ stated the report titled,
“Looking Back on the Fight for Equal Access to Public
Accommodations.”
The path to the 1964 landmark civil rights legislation
of the mid-1960s has been a long, tortuous one.
In fact, there were strong laws on the books more than
100 years before passage of the 1964 law. There were
(Continued On Page 3)
Jazmyn Scruggs, 11th grade, Brittany Tarband, 10th grade and Nora Lawrence, 9th grade, are part of the
Enviro-Kids Booth at the Festival for the Eno. The program helps teach you students about how environmental
issues affect their lives. Ms. Yasmin Fozard is the leader of the group. They passed out literature and answered
questions during the Festival. See more photos from the Festival on page 7.
Join The
NAACP
Union, Durham NAACP Join
REP GARLAND PIERCE
Not on the Backs of Our Children’ Says
N.C. Black Legislative caucus
RALEIGH - Members of North Carolina Legislative Black Caucus and Democratic House Caucus
held a press conference Thursday, July 10. in the General Assembly.
The North Carolina State Senate debated its proposed budget Wednesday both the Senate and the
House want to change the way the state determines who qualifies for childcare subsidies. Currently all
children under 13 years old whose parents earn less than 75 percent of the state median income -about
$50,244 for a family of four- are eligible for a state subsidiary. The budget proposals would tie the subsi
dies to the federal poverty level, which is $28,850.
“This cut will negatively impact working families. Afterschool care is very important to our communi
ties with the safety of our children,” said Representative Garland E. Pierce, Chairman, NCLBC. “We are
hoping our leaders will not balance this budget on the backs of our children. We are concerned that we are
slashing the budget for those who may be blind, disabled and those facing other healthcare needs. That’s
the real argument between House and Senate leaders, that folks at the bottom of the economic ladder must
bear the burden of another tax cut for the wealthy, and this is unacceptable,” said Pierce.
“We came into this session with a clear understanding and charge from teachers and education profes
sionals across the state that the issue with pay needs to be resolved and the number one priority in the
budget,” said Representative Charles Graham, District 47. “We need a budget and a process that provides
a long term sustainable plan to ensure that NC keeps the best and brightest teachers in our children’s
classes. Our Teachers need a budget that maintains Teacher’s Assistants. We can no longer afford to lose
teachers to South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia and Tennessee,” said Graham.
The North Carolina Legislative Black Caucus is an association comprised of Senators and Representa
tives of African American and Native American heritage. The primary purpose of the Caucus is to operate
as a vehicle through which African Americans and people of color residing in the State of North Carolina,
will be able to exercise their political power in a unified manner. The Caucus ensures that the views and
concerns of African Americans and people of color are carried out by their elected representatives; and
work to develop the political consciousness of all people.
Shaw University worker to donate lottery win to school
RALEIGH (AP) - A longtime worker at Shaw University is using her $2 million lottery
prize to fund a scholarship and help with her grandchildren’s education.
Mrs. Marilyn Fields is the executive assistant to the president of the historically black col
lege in Raleigh. She says her lottery winnings will allow her to fully fund a scholarship in her
family’s name in addition to helping her grandchildren.
Mrs. Fields says by awarding a student with the Richardson Johnson Fields Endowed
Scholarship, she can give students doing the best that they can academically the same opportu
nity she had by attending Shaw.
Mrs. Fields won the money in a recent Powerball drawing. Because she added the Power
Play feature for an extra $1, what would have been a $1 million prize on a regular ticket was
worth twice as much.
Forces to Fight Firings from
City Water Resources
The local branch of the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America
Union 150 is complaining that two of its workers, Dwight Walker and DeCarlos Stanley
were unfairly dismissed from their jobs in the Water Management Department of the
City of Durham.
Walker was dismissed Jan. 30 of this year and DeCarlos Stanley Dec. 2, 2013. Both
had worked for almost eight years.
The two and representatives of the Union and the Durham Branch of the NAACP
delivered a list of concerns and complaints to City Manager Thomas Bonfield. Bonfield
was not available, but Ms. Nathanette Mayo, secretary of the Union #150 chapter, left
the information him.
The two said that they went through the complaint process but that the panel oversee
ing their complaint was overturned by City Manager Bonfield.
“I told them that I fell, but I did tell them that they should put down salt and sand.
Not to gain anything financially or fraudulently.” Walker said. “But they accused me of
trying to get money from a fall.”
In 2013, he was off of work, and that “a citizen assumed at 1210 Elizabeth St., that
he was still on City time, when he was looking at firewood, but the incidence happened
at 4:05 p.m., on his own time and this incidence was overturned by the City Manager.”
“I would have not been suspended now if that incident was not included (in the later
disciplinary action.”
In a statement from the Union, they say:.
“The City of Durham has been under national scrutiny due to racial profiling and
murders from its Police Department. Unfortunately, the problems do not stop there.
There are suspected patterns regarding promotions, pay raises and disciplinary actions
that disproportionately effect Black city worker employees within many city depart
ments.
Most recently, two Black employees in the Water Department have been unjustly ter
minated and are appealing their cases, with the assistance of UE 150 Durham City Work
ers Union, to the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Dwight
Walker, in Regulatory Compliance, and DeCarlos Stanley, in Water and Sewer, have
filed charges of racial discrimination for their unjust firings. In June 2014, the EEOC
responded assigning their claims to the Enforcement Unit.
The Durham City Workers Union (UE150) is demanding that the city immediately:
* Due to persistent racial discrimination, all disciplinary actions should be cleared
from personnel files.
* Make the existing grievance process fairer by moving the review panel to be under
the authority and appointment by City Council, with union input, and prohibit the City
Manager from reversing grievance hearing panel rulings.
* End discrimination and favoritism in pay raises, all workers should get same across-
the-board wage increase annually.
* Immediately rehire Dwight Walker and DeCarlos Stanley and make them whole for
all damages.
* End police racial profiling, brutality and murders. Support the recommendations of
the Fostering Alternatives to Drug Enforcement (FADE) coalition and the Human Re
lations Commission. Also, grant subpoena and full investigatory power to the Civilian
Police Review Board; lobby legislature to respect cities local autonomy, including the
right to make this decision
The union staged a press conference, along with community allies to “fight for jus
tice” on July 7 at City Hall,
When asked about the how often the City Manager or Deputy City Manager intervene in
disciplinary actions, Ms. Regina Younglood, director of Human Resources, said not often. Ms.
Regina Youngblood “5 out 21 times” the punishments were reduced” for other disciplinary ac
tions this year.
Walker and Stanley admit to disciplinary action in the past, but they contend they have been
unfairly targeted.