30 Pages This Week
Thursday, November 9,1989
on-Salem Chronicle
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50 A/Rp^7yj, , ' ?:? 'The Twin City's Award-Winning Weekly" VOL. XVI, No. 11
AL 3595Q
Wood
Republicans increase
By TONYA V. SMITH
Chronide Staff Writer
numbers on the Board of Aldermen; one incumbent loses to challenger
Uity government in the Twin City may never be the same as the city's
first woman mayor, two Republicans and a disabled Afro-American
assume their seats on the Board of Aldermen.
Martha S. Wood won 51.5 percent of the vote Tuesday, defeating GOP
challenger Lenville M. Sale, and putting an end to a mayoral campaign
marred by racial confrontation and mo^L-recently, accusations of physical
abuse. But the city's new mayor isn't thinking about the negativeness of the
last four months of campaigning. She is reflecting, instead, on the countless
hours of hard work executed on her behalf.
"Last night I was sitting, feeling numb and dazed with what had hap
pened, and was trying to think of a way to properly thank all those who've
helped me. I think the best way I can show my appreciation is by doing an
won in four out of eight precincts in the Northwest Ward.
and ... "I guess all Lhose folks I met by knocking on those doors came out and
dazed with what had happened, and was try - voted for me," she said, celebrating her victory with a small gathering of
ing to think of a way to properly thank all Republicans at the Hyatt Hotel. "I'm looking forward to working with this
those who've helped me. I think the best way I board and to doing everything I can to make Winston-Salem a great city."
can show my appreciation is by doing an out- In somewhat of an upset, Republican J. Hugh Wright pulled a surprise
Standing job as mayor " victory over South Ward incumbent Frank Frye. The race was close all
^ Martha Wood Tu^S(lay' but Mr. Wright came up with the win, 2,116 to 1,940 votes.
Mr. Frye said early on that he got a late start in his campaigning because
several of his key people were out of town.
outstanding job as mayor, she said. Nelson L. Malloy Jr. devastated GOP candidate James L. Knox in the
As she prepares to expand her role as public servant and rap the gavel Norlh Ward contest, gleaning 73 percent of the vote. Mr. Malloy, who
Wayne A. Corpening has held for 12 years, the aldermanic seal she has ^camc a quadriplegic after a shooting incident in the 1970s, took all but
held for eight years will go to political newcomer Nancy T. Pleasants. She *
ousted Democrat David C. Pillsbury, winning by 422 votes. Mrs. Pleasants Please see page A10
ANALYSIS
Black voters
usher Wood
into city hall
By TONYA V. SMITH
Chronicle Staff Writer
: Let the history books show that the Afro-Ameri
can votfc was the deciding factor in the election of
I Winston-Salem's first female mayor, Martha Swain
Wood, and that it set up the win for the country's first
black governor and other minority firsts across Ameri
ca. .
In Tuesday's general election, Mrs. Wood defeat
ed Republican challenger Lenville M. Sale by 900
votes, 15,623 to 14,723. The results are unofficial and
the figures will be canvassed by the county Board of
Elections today.
The third time was a charm for Mrs. Wood who
once again emerged the victor in the city's three pre
dominantly Afro-American wards. She also narrowly
won the Southeast Ward, which most closely repre
sents the city's racial makeup. Mrs. Wood lost the four
remaining wards, each predominantly white, as she
did in the Sept 26 Democratic primary which she lost
to G. Dee Smith. :
Please see page A11
H
Associated Press Laser Photo
Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate L. Douglas Wilder greets children of the fifth grade
class at Churchland Academy in Portsmouth, Va., on a recent campaign visit.
Doug WildeF
takes Virginia
Black candidates log historic victories
in-several mayoral races across nation
By The Associated Press
L. Douglas Wilder of Virginia, celebrating an off
year Democratic sweep, hailed a razor-thin break
through Wednesday as the nation's first elected
black,governor and exclaimed, "I'm just tickled
pink" Uavicl Dinkins was elected New York City's
first black mayor and said voters had responded
"with the voice of hope, here and in Virginia."
The volatile politics of abortion "helped me con
siderably," Wilder said Wednesday morning in
claiming a narrow victory still questioned by his
Republican opponent.
The turnout of pro-choice voters powered an
election-day nightmare for Republicans that extend
ed to New Jersey, where Democratic Rep. James
Florio reclaimed the governorship for his party and
the Democrats also regained control of the Assem
bly.
"It's a very tough day for Republicans," said Rep.
Newt Gingrich, the Republican House whip.
As significant as the shift in abortion-voting senti
ment was the extension of black political success in
America s large city halls. Led by Dinkins, blacks
Please see page A6
As Wood supporters celebrate victory, Sale predicts tough times ahead
By ROBIN BARKSDALE branch of the NAACP, at the Board
Chronicle Staff Writer 0f Elections wondered aloud about
the future of the city "now that
Reactions to Tuesday evening s we*ve got five women on the
mayoral and aldermanic election board n
ranged from unabashed delight to But over at the Sawtooth Build
concern about the effect of the jng^ where the Democratic Party
Board of Aldermen s sudden swing was folding its victory celebration,
to a majority of female members. campaign workers, party members
As the election results rolled in and interested citizens eagerly
and some races were decided, a awaited the history-making
group of Afro-American males, announcement that Manj^ S. Wood
which included an out-going alder- would become the city's next
-man and the head of the local mayor. That announcement came
just before 9:30 p.m. when the final through our area. Wc are just so
precinct, St. Andrews United happy. I'm glad our prccinct was for
Methodist Church, reported in. her."
"This is just wonderful. To As she had done following her
think that we're going to get a -victory in the Oct. 17 run-off, Mrs.
woman as mayor is just great," said Wood danced down the staircase to
Dinah McNeill, prccinct chair of the "Shakedown, Breakdown, You're
14th Street Recreation Center, Busted," and greeted her supporters,
which was a pivotal precinct in the Her spccch included expressions of
October run-off for mayor. "We appreciation to her family, cam
have worked together so good. This paign workers and supporters and a
is just great. She (Mrs. Wood) came promise to be a mayor that repre
in our ward and talked to us, and sents the total community and not
she was in a caravan that rode just one segment of the community.
"What you have to know is thai lot of work to do. Party well
you have earned this victory tonight, we're going to get busy
bccause everyone here tonight has tomorrow."
worked very, very hard for us to get But her opponent, Lenville
to this point. It's been a tough climb Sale, said that Mrs. Wood's work
but we've made it, and we've made will be in vain unless she changes
it in every section of our city," said her "combative attitude."
Mrs. Wood. "This campaign "I'm pleased with the votes we
showed what a community we can got. I think we surprised everyone
have in Winston-Salem. It showed with the number of votes we got,"
that it's a community for all of our Mr. Sale said during a telephone
citizcns, black and white, rich and interview Wednesday morning. "I
poor, young and old. I will work
very, very hard for you. We have a Please see page A2
The legacy of the civil rights movement
By TONYA V. SMITH
Chronicle Staff Writer
This is the first in a series of articles examining
civil rights movements, their purpose and effective
ness, how they have fared with the passing of time
and how their future will determine the future of
Afro-Americans. ^ -
Shackled in chains, carted and packed away like
animals, Africans were shipped nearly 400 years ago
from their native land to the New World and forced
into a cruel system of slavery which flourished for
250 years.
Because they were considered less than human
and unfit for civilization, it was acceptable for them
to be marketed and sold on public auction blocks to
the highest bidders.
In 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln
signed the Emancipation Proclamation, Afro-Ameri
cans thought they were free. However, historians
,have said the nation's 16th president was pressured
politically and militarily to issue the proclamation so
blacks would he able to fight along side whites in the
war between the states.
The 13th Constitutional Amendment outlawed
slavery, the 14th protected the rights of newly freed
slaves and the 15th amendment gave Afro-Ameri
cans, who were for the first time after the Civil War
made citizens, the right to vote. Afro-Americans
were being elevated in the political realm. Between
1870 and 1876, 14 blacks served in the U.S. House
of Representatives.
Determined to keep blacks poor, uneducated and
powerless, southern whites set out to reestablish their
powes. The Ku Klux Klan formed and between 1882
and 1901 lynched 2,000 blacks. The reforms of the
Reconstruction Era were swept under the rug when
? in 1896 the U.S. Supreme Court basically put its
stamp of approval on "Jim Crow" legislation in
Plessy vs. Ferguson. The high court ruled that sepa
rate facilities were legal as long as they were equal.
Please see page AAO* ?
r- : I
Associated Press Laser Photo
This photo shows the civil rights memorial which was dedicated Nov. 5 at the Southern Poverty
Law Center. The black granite memorial was designed by Maya Lin.The memorial include* a
black granite table engraved with the names of 40 people killed during the civil rights era.