ON THE
? AVANT GARDE
J |g BY TANG NIVRI
Finding the Courage
1 tirst met minister Louis Farrakhan in Dallas sometime during
the spring of 1984. It was just after he had made his most famous
remarks regarding Judaism, exacerbating a terrible wound that had
erupted as a result of a careless remark made during the presidential
primary by then-candidate Jesse Jackson. Like many, 1 had heard
much about Farrakhan but had not met him in person. 1 sat on the
tront row in the huge auditorium hoping to catch a glimpse into his
eyes, to watch his hands, and to look at his feet.
I frankly don't remember much of what he said, other than he
thought about the relationship between Jews and blacks had been
one-sided, and that many successful blacks were not truly indepen
dent but were nothing more than "Charley McCarthy" dolls.
I remember him speaking strongly of the need for black folks to
do for themselves ? to be self-sufficient.
He finished and I made my way to the side of the stage, allowed
by his bodyguards to spend a brief moment to speak and shake
hands. As we stood in the grip of each other's hands, I was struck by
the warmth and the delicate feel of softness emanating from the hand
of a man whom I had only known as a prophet of hate and exploita
tion. "How could these be the hands of such a man?" I wondered.
Surely, there was much more to this rfran's soul than just inflamma
tory rhetoric.
"Gateways:" A God-sent Opportunity?
God granted this community with an opportunity, a privilege to
do something most would deem extraordinarily foolish ? all in the
name of love. This community served as host to a three -day sympo
sium called "Gateways: Classical Music, and the Black Musician,"
featuring some of American's best classically trained black musi
cians. A foolish idea because the event also included violinist Louis
Farrakhan, spiritual leader of the Nation of Islam.
"Gateways" was organized by concert pianist Armenta Hum
mings, who thought it a good idea to expose young black children to
the discipline and rigors of the world of.,classical music. Her idea
was shared by others including the Delta Fine Arts Center, who for
over 20 years has promoted the visual arts, music, literature, drama,
history and folk arts to people in this community and beyond.
Without Farrakhan there would be little trouble in raising funds
needed for this event. But Farrakhan was coming ? not to speak or
to proselytize ? but to play the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, a
work that demanded musical genius at the hands of someone who
would have a warm heart. But who could be sure with Farrakhan,
and what about the risks of confrontation?
Hummings and the Delta Fine Arts Center couldn't do it alone.
They needed the support of others willing to stick their necks opt.
But where were they?
They needed people who would have the courage to be caught
trying to do good, people about whom others could whisper as hav
ing "lost their good judgment in the heat of a moment."
But where would they find sijph c M. Ci i< t i S'i
Giraffes: People with Long Necks!
This community needs more giraffes, people unafraid to stick
their necks out. Few of us have the courage to blink while looking
into the eyes of another. It is a sign of weakness, an admittance that
we are unsure.
We prefer to strike with hammers, instead of the lighfof the sil
ver moon beam. We prefer to draw dark lines instead of using the
* slopes and tangents of curves. We prefer the precision of geometry
rather than the uncertainty of theology. Is this not why we suffer so
much?
We gather in our small groups and whisper what must be and
what must not be; we utter these things in the comfort of those who
would agree. Yet when confronted with the decj>er reality of our own
conscience, of our own sense of what is right and wrong, we fall
away. We are not found . . . yet happily, there arc those among us
who have identified themselves as giraffes, standing tall, willing to
forgive even when it would cost them their necks.
There arc some among us who have identified themselves as
willing to be misunderstood; willing to go to bed worrying about
decisions made but awakened still committed to the ideal.
If We are Lucky
If we are lucky, there will come a time in our lives when we will
ftttd the courage ttv reach trot to our fellow- man and say things -we
thought never possible.
We will do things for those whom we thought beneath our dig
nity. beneath our humanity, unworthy of our love.
And if we are lucky, there will be someone who will listen to us
as we beg for an audience. If we should be so blessed, there will be
people who will look at us not for who we were then, but who we arc
trying to be today, for whom we wish, so much, to be tomorrow.
No. we will be greeted by the grace of redemption, forgiveness
and love. There is great wisdom in this way ? forgiving thy neigh
bor as thyself.
? mJSl
' ^ N>. v
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Community
Clayton Tells NAACP to Fight Discrimination
B\ KAREN M. KANNON
Chronicle Staff Writer
Fighting discrimination must
continue to be a part of blacks'
agenda, Congresswoman Eva M.
Clayton said.
And although it may not be as
blatant as in years past, discrimina
tion is "alive and well," she said.
"It is far more sophisticated
these days," Clayton said. "No one
calls you nigger' to your face, they
just treat you like one. Racism has
taken a new form. It is now in the
neighborhood. It is now in the failed
opportunity to get that loan to
expand a business."
Clayton addressed a crowd of
more than 800 at the Winston-Salem
branch NAACP's Freedom Fund
Gala last Friday at the Benton Con
vention Center.
The Warren ton native who rep
resents the 1 st Congressional district
in eastern North Carolina and has
been a children's advocate for years,
challenged those present to work for
the children of communities in order
to broaden their socio-economic
opportunities.
She applauded the NAACP for
its continued work in the commu
' nity.
"It is indeed good to know that
you have been around and about the
things that made life better ? better
not only for the struggle of eco
nomic development.but for social
justice for decades," Clayton said^
"It is your commitment to make all
people equal and enjoy the constitu
tional rights that are accorded to all
citizens that you enjoy.
"It is only when you know that
you are a child of God ancl that no
one can put you in a position of sec
ond-class citizenship unless you
accept it," Clayton said. "Thank you
for not accepting it."
Clayton, the first woman
elected to Congress from North Car
also commended the NAACP
lor's'electing the Rev. Benjamin F.
Chavis, a close friend of Clayton s,
as its new executive director. She
said the North Carolina native, who
succeeds Benjamin F. Hooks, is a
man of "proven leadership, scholar
ship, commitment and courage."
As a lifetime member of the
NAACP, Clayton said although the
civil rights movement has removed
some socio-economic barriers, there
is still room for improvement.
"We have yet come a long
way," Clayton said. "We can stop at
any hotel in America and order any
room. But often many of us do not
have the resources to pay for that
because many of us are under
employed, if employed, and others
are jobless or perhaps threatened bv
that. But the majority of us can say
that we are better off than before."
But Clayton said even though
African Americans have made
strides toward greater opportunity,
the struggle is not over. She said
that in recent years, society has
begun to ask the African American.
"What more do you want?" &
"If you believe we have come
too far, why can we say today that
the measure of this community can
be judged by its children?" Clayton
said. "If we have come too far, why
are there more children born into
poverty than ever before? Every
forty-six seconds of a school day, a
black child walks away from school
and never comes back. And guess
what happens when that happens?
AH society pays for tfiat child.
Every one of us pays for the failures
of us not to respond to the least of
us."
Clayton said only until each
child has an equal opportunity can
we say, We have made it.' #
She said African Americans
need to help to remove the stereo
type that young blacks will not
excel.
"We need to remove the myth
that blacks have a distinctive barrier
for learning," Clayton said. "We can
do that by not enforcing mediocrity
in our schools. We can excel, but it
requires discipline and hard work."
Eva M. Claytpn (left) prepares to address a crowd at the NAACP " Free
dom Fund Gala" at the Benton Convention Center last Friday as Mazie
Woodruff, Forsyth County commissioner pins a corsage on her lapel.
Kenny Faulkner, chairman of the Finance Committee of the local
NAACP (far right), presents Aliya McMillan (center) the Charles
MfijLeAiL'Award qh behalf ofher father, Joseph T. McMillan, as local
president, William Tatum (teft, standing) looks on. Seated are (I. to r.)
Judge Loretta Biggs and Congresswoman Eva M . Clayton.
C.B. Hauser (left), Life Membership chairman of the NAACP , presents
Life Membership plaques to Lena C. Turner and tiaomi W. Jones.
Pictured are (I. to r.): Isaac "Ike" Howard, Judge Loretta Biggs , Eva
M. Clayton, Hazel Brown and local president. William "Bill" Tatum .
Rep. Stephen Neal to Speak in Winston-Salem
The public is invited to hear
Rep. Stephen Neal speak at 2:00
p.m. on Sunday. April 25, in the
Auditorium of the Winston-Salem
Public Library , 660 W. 5th Street.
Rep. Neal will be discussing his
proposed Savings & Loan legisla
tion, Foreigh Aid and Campaign
Finance Reform at the monthly
meeting of United We Stand, Amer
ica, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County. meeting and all Fifth Congressional
A question and answer period District residents are encouraged to
will follow. attend.
If additional information is
This will be an open UWSA needed call 768-1 100.
Crisis Control Ministry Observe Anniversaries
Downtown Church Center and
Crisis Control Ministry are both cel
ebrating importanuanniversaries in
1993. On April 25 from 10 a.m. to 2
p.m. the Downtown Church Center
will celebrate 25 years of urban min
istry in the Winston-Salem commu
nity at an open house in their offices
at the Augsburg Community Center.
502 V Broad St. Directly following
this event, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Cri
sis Control County at an open house
and rededication at the Ministry. 200
E. 10th St.
A brief ceremony, including a
ribbon-cutting for the newly
expanded pharmacy will start at 2:15
p.m.
The career Center photography
classes of the Winston-Salem/
Forsyth County high schools Will
exhibit photographs depicting the
Crisis Control motto, "Bringing
together people in need with people
who care."
The public is invited to attend
both events.
Church leaders who founded
both ministries perceived the great
needs of people living in the inner
city during a time of social upheaval
and racial tension in the late 60 s
and early 70's. Under the direction
of the late Rev. Ron Rice in 1968 the
Downtown Church Center was cre
ated to bring a Christian response to
those people.
The center developed programs
for older adults, such as. home visi
tation. transportation. Adopt-a
Grandparent. Saturday Night Fel
lowship, and care-giver support
gTOUpS.
For inner-city children, after
school and summer programs, and
camp scholarships were created.
Within the next tew years sev
eral important ministries dealing
with the specific areas of need were
spawned by this "parent ministry."
Crisis Control Ministry was
one of these. Created by religious
leaders in 1973. under the direction
of Rice, to provide basic essentials
such :is food, clothing, medicine,
rent 'tie! and utilitv ;is 'stance to
peopi. ;n severe crisis. tMs ministry
has. over the years, tecome the
largest provider of emergency ser
vices in Forsyth County.
Many hundreds of volunteers
have given time and direction to
keep these ministries strong and
viable through the years.
They will be honored at sevnai
special events during this anni-.v
sary year.
In October a community wor
ship service will be held at Wait
Chapel at Wake Forest University,
sponsored jointly by both ministries.
Marian Wright Edelman, president
of the Children's Defense Fund will
be the principal speaker.
For further details, call Down
town Church Center of Crisis Con
trol Ministry.