Book Tells Truth
"Stranger than Fiction"
In 1841, a tree African Ameri
can from New York who was visit
ing Washington. D.C.. was kid
napped and sold into slasery in the
South. . He li\;ed ava-slave for Y2
years Detore regaining his treedom
in 1853. Solomon Northup told of
his harrowing experiences in a full
length book. At the time of its pub
lication before the Civil War. Fred
erick Douglass called Northup's
story truth that is "stranger than fic
tion."
Now Many Cultures Publishing
has released "Twelve Years a
Slave," excerpts from the real life
story of Solomon Northup. The
story has been produced in book
fqrm and on audiocassette. Actor,
playwright and director Ossie Davis
calls it: "a powerful work. I recom
mend it without reservation."
Northup's story is retold in a
dramatic reading by African-Ameri
can actor, singer and high school
teacher Wendell Brooks, who lives
f
in Oakland Calif. The resulting
three 30-minute audiocassettes fea
ture Brooks singing work songs and
spirituals from the period and pla> -
in-g the- vi&TTri.' the musical' i'nstru
ment that Northup played w ith vir
tuosity.
Brooks chose work songs and
spirituals appropriate to the narra
tive. always using actual text from
the" period. In the tradition of the
music, he sometimes improvised the
accompanying melodies.
" I his. music empowered slaves
to gain some control over they
lives. "Brooks said. "It is important
for today/ s Afncan-Amencan youth
to understand the dynamics of slav
ery. How African Americans as a
people-developed over more than
two centuries of slavery, and how
their identity was molded by it.
Twelve years a slave is an important
tool for teachers in furthering this
understanding by showing how
African Americans were able to
W endell Brooks
maintain their dignity in spite of
slavery."
Northup was extraordinary . not
only because he was so talented, he
was perceptive. Despite being bru
talized. he understood slavery left
its cruel mark .even on the slave
holder. In recounting the recapture
of a runaway, Northup observes:
"The effect of these exhibitions
of brutalit> on the household of the
sla\e holder that he is cruel, so
rouch-as ?t is the fault of the system*"
under which he lives."
"This book presents a unique
view of sla\erv from the inside by a
literate free African American."
says editor Alice Lucas, former San
Francisco middle school teacher.
"Northup possessed a "compassion
ate understanding of the people who
helped him as a slave.
He had the insight to recognize
how terribly crippling the slave sys
tem was to the white people who
participated in it. Classroom teach
ers tell me what a great need this
work fills. It performs a valuable
service to our students."
"Twelve Years a Slave" can be
ordered from Many Cultures Pub
lishing. P.O. Box 425646. San Fran
cisco. Calif. 94142-5646.
N
Shaw Elected
To Bank Board
Talbert O. Shaw, president of in Illinois, where he was a Univer
Shaw University in Raleigh, has sity Fellow.
6een elected to the board of direc- He is listed in the Who's Who
tors of4First Citizens BancShares among Black Educators and is an
Inc., parent company of First Citi- Academic Associate with the
zens Bank, according to Lewis R. Atlantic Council of the United
Holding, chairman of the board. He States. Prior to being named presi
will also serve on the board direc- dent of Shaw University in 1987, he
tors of First Citizens Bank. held senior administrative positions
A native North Carolinian, at Morgan State University in Mary
Shaw earned master's and doctorate land and Howard University in
degrees at the University of Chicago Washington, D. C.
Urban League Gives Awards
Gloria Frazier, director of the Felecia P. McMillian. Outstanding
Winston-Salem Urban League's African-American Female Award;
"Side By Side Family Development Barbara O. Benson. Outstanding
Program." coordinated the African- African- American Elder Award:
American Family -Conference on
Feb. 12-13 at the Holiday Inn-North.
The conference featured workshops,
an awards ceremony and a luncheon.
Awards re&joients were: The
Rev. Benjamiflr. Daniels, Out
standing African-American Pastor
Award; the Vannoy Family. Out
standing African-American Family
Award; Kalida Lovell. Outstanding
African-American Single Parent
Award; Robert Greer. Outstanding
African-American Male Award;
Maggie Edwards. Outstanding
African-American Economic Devel
opment; and William L. Sturdivant
and Thomasina L. Lentz, Outstand
ing African-American Youth
Awards. Community resource per
sons and a several people outside the
community presented workshops to
uplift the African-American family.
Delores J. Smith, president and CEO
of thg Winston -Salem Urban
League, presented "African Ameri
cans from a Historical Perspective."
E r
Sonya Jennings '
Michael Jennings
Game to Benefit Jennings TamUy
In memory of Police Officer
Michael R. Jennings, a benefit bas
ketball game between the Winston
Salem Police Department and the
Winston-Salem Recreation Depart
ment wil be held March 28 at 3
p.m. at Hanes Hosiery Recreation
Center. Proceeds will go toward a
scholarship fund for Jenning's 1
year-old daughter, Nia.
Jennings was killed on duty in
January in an automobile accident.
Tickets are available at Winston
Salem recreation centers.
Omega Psi Phi Hosts
Memorial Services
y The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity
Inc.. Psi Phi Chapter, hosted a
memorial ceremony on March 10 at
the Winston-Salem Urban League
to honor the memories of Omega
men. This was the first time that the
memorial service was opened to the
public, and a large audience turned
out to share in this occasion.
Wives of deceased brothers
were presented long-stemmed red
roses.
Edwin L. Patterson, coordina
tor of the memorial services and a
Omega for many years, opened the
ceremony with prayer.
Alonzo Stephens said: "We
honor these men who created Psi
Phi Chapter then and now. They
were gTeat men. and we honor them
and their steps in the sand."
Omega Psi Phi has mandated
the month of March to hold annual
memorial services to honor Omega
men who have died. The ceremony
is a tradition that was started shortly
after the formation of the fraternity.
.
Omega Basileus Ronald !
Hughes said: "This is somewhat of {
a solemn occasion ... however, we j
all here are friends. These Omega j
men were very important men not ,
only in the lives 6f the Psi Phi I
Chapter, but in the heartbeat and the
life-line in Winston-Salem.
We pause to contemplate the
good lives they lived ... they lived a
spirited and challenging life that is j
demanded of all Omega men."
T albert O. Shaw
The power
to become.
>
HSMttT
Sab
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Reynolda House Museum of American Art
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The Spirit of Reynolda House
African-American Contributions, 1912-1962
. exhibit of photographs and reminiscences from people who lived at Reynolda
researched by Eugenia Parent and assisted by Sarah Friende Hamlin
Sunday, March 28, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Reception followed by slide lecture at 2:00 p.m.
St. Paul's United Methodist Choir at 3:00 p.m.
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