s
Text of Alderman Larry Womble's Letter to
National Civic League
March 31, 1993
I am Larry Womblc, private cit
izen in the city of Winston-Salem,
and I serve as a local elected official
in the capacity of an alderman. It
would be remiss if I did not voice
my concerns about Winston-Salem's
application to be named an AU
American City. I am a staunch
advocate of truth and accuracy just
as the city of Winston-Salem motto
says: "To be rather than to seem?'
There are a few things I like to
call to your attention after talking
with several individuals and organi
zations in the City of Winston
Salem as it relates to the City of
Winston-Salem bei^g designated as
an All American City for this year.
Several incidents of which have
been stated and is common knowl
edge that Winston-Salem, North
Carolina would be doubtful if it
would be representative of an All
American City award.
(1) White citizens in the City of
Winston-Salon will not vote gener
ally for blacks who run at large elec
tions. It had to come to the point
that there had to be carved out sin
gle member districts in order for us
to get an African-American repre
sentation on several boards that we
have here. To name a few for exam
ple: (a) It was very difficult and
almost impossible for blacks to run
and be on the school board here
because whites would not vote for
blacks when there was an at large or
common election. Therefore, we
had to carve out single member dis
tricts from the state legislature so
blacks would be represented on the
school board and that is the only
reason why we have two blacks out
of nine people who serve on the
school board; (b) There are sevei*
county commissioners - out ok
seven county commissioners ther^
are only two blacks that serve and
- the only way that we got those two
Afrip^n.-Americans on the county
commissioners^ again we -had to
carve out special districts where
blacks live so blacks could vote for
their own and have their own repre
sentative for which whites would
not vote for them, (c) We only have
two blacks in the State House of
Representatives and again we had to
use the same method carving out
single districts where blacks live in
order to get the blacks to try and
have some representation in the
State House of Representatives.
There have been numerous
times where blacks ran for office
and whites would not vote for them
although blacks that ran were quali
fied, certified and very professional
and met all of the requirements but
they were not voted for by the
whites simply because of race. To
me this is not being a good example
of an All American city that exist
today ?
(2) When it comes to economic
development, African Americans do
not get their fair share of economic
development here in the city of
Winston-Salem. For the most part
economic development goes to the
west side of town rather than com
ing to the eastern side of town. The
eastern side of town is where most
of the blacks live. The economic
development interest and the eco
nomic development spurt for the
most part has had to come from the
city trying to do what it could -
when I say city, I mean the Winston
Board of Aldermen.
(3) There have been several
racial incidents here within the last
twelve to eighteen months and it has
gotten worse. To cite you several
examples: the "Carlos Stoner" case
is where some whites murdered a
black man, left him for dead and
returned to the scene to stab and
castrate him and left him on the
strollway in downtown Winston
Salem. That has caused a lot of con
cerns in the community because of
the way the police department and
the news media handled the matter
- because he was simply a black man.
The other case involves "Mr. Pot
particular incident because he was a
black man. This incident happened
at an apartment complex where
police officers rough-housed Mr.
Potter and this has caused a great
deal of concern in the community.
Eventually this gentleman had to go
to court and the court saw that there
was come inconsistencies in the way
the police department handled this
gentleman's case simply because he
was an African- American man.
The most recent occurrence is
the outbreak of violeitce at Carver
High School because there were
whites carrying confederate flags
which intimidated some blacks and
a fight started at Carver High School
and resources had to be called in.
This just happened recently in the
last three to four weeks.
Another example is the "Sheila
McKellar" case wherein this lady
died while in the custody of police
officers. This lady's hands were tied
behind her back and her feet were
tied along with her mouth gagged
died in a jail Cell because she did nor
get the proper attention that she
needed and that case still has not
been resolved and the district, attor
ney still has this case . A private cit
izen group had to call in for an out
side investigation. They called the
FBI and also the State Human Rela
tions Commission to try and get an
objective investigation of this case.
A lot of the facts were hidden and
kept from the public by the police
department and also by city hall.
These are. just some examples that
can be documented.
(4) Blacks' dealings with finan
cial institutions. Financial institu
tions are very reluctant to make
loans or to venture capital to
African-Americans no matter what
the venture might involve. This has
been documented and several blacks
can attest to that. Winston-Salem is
- known as the second Tnost-racially"
segregated divided city in the
nation. Not only psychologically
and mentally, but Winston-Salem is
physically a divided city. It really is
two cities in one. With the express
way being the old dividing line
between East Winston which is
mostly African-American and West
Winston which is mostly whites.
(5) Just about all development
goes in the western side of town
rather than on the eastern side of
town. There is very little develop
ment being done in East Winston.
There has been vacant land in East
Winston for over ten, fifteen to
twenty years, but every time there is
development or an economic shot
in-the-arm, it does not come to East
Winston. Looking at the kind of
housing in East Winston there are
still people living in dilapidated
houses and a lot of substandard
houses still exist in the city of Win
ston-Salem.
The city itself is about 40-45
percent black, but this racial makeup
is not reflected into the broad spec
trum and the makeup of the differ
? em positions, botn public and pri
vate, in managerial and professional
and in directorship positions for the
city of Winston-Salem itself.
I have included some newspa
per articles and clippings to further
point to the kind of conditions that
exist in our city. 1 personally want
Winston-Salem to win the All
American City award. However, I
want it to be one that is truly earned
an(K??uly means "All American
City." I have included a newspaper
article from Mr. Bert Grisard who
happens to be white and shares the
same opinion. You can see this is
not just coming from some people
in the African-American community
but is also coming from others in the
white community as well.
There are many other incidents
that I can relate to and other situa
tlons that I can point to, but we have
a long way to go in Winston-Salem
before we become an All American
City. We have come a long way
compared to the way it used to be
years ago, but to some extent we
have regressed back to the days of
the 60' s where there is more racism,
prejudice and friction and a dividing
line. This city is sitting on a powder
keg because of the way in which
African-Americans and minorities.,
are treated and viewed upon in the
city of Winston-Salem.
I. as a private citizen, am trying
to inform you of my perception and
my feelings about Winston-Salem
being named an All-American city.
If it is going to be an All-American
city, then I want it to be truly an All
American city rather than one that is
on paper, hollow and shallow with
no meaning and no substance to it. 1
do not believe that these are the kind
of things you all take lightly and I
am hoping that you take my con
cerns that 1 have mentioned and
have them checked out and do some
research yourself to see if it is true
or not about the information that 1
am passing along to you.
As I said before I truly wish
that Winston-Salem could win, but I
want it to be an honor that is earned
and one that is true and one that is
accurate as opposed to being purely
cosmetic and one that has no sub
stance.
I can cite many more incidents
in this letter to yob and along with
the paper clippings, but because of
time and brevity 1 think you will get
an idea of the kind of perception
that exist here in Winston-Salem. It
would do you wise and good to
come and see and meet and talk
with some people rather than to the
hand-picked and hand-chosen peo
ple who are not really representative
of the ordinary hard working salt of
the earth kind of people that serve
on these committees.
Thank you tor allowing me to
voice my concerns and forward this
information to you. If I can be of
assistance in any way, please let me
know.
Sincerely.
Larry W. Womble
Alderman
? Southeast Ward
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(the civic leagues' decision) could
be confined to two letters. The com
mittee saw objectively what the city
failed to see."
Womble and CUJ's letter
talked about the racial tensions
resulting from the castration murder
of Carlos Stoner and ttie death of
Sheila Ann McKellar, who died in
police custody. Both victims were
black.
Mendez believes there is
developing underclass" of botlf
"We have not done enough
to warrant such an award at this
time," he said. "We have not rep
sonded concretely to the problems
that this city faces. This would have
been an award that would have gone
to the rich and the well-to-do, and
in essence say to the poor and
underprivileged that you don't
count.
"If we're going to prepare our
selves for suchawards in the future
. . . then we have to take racism and
poverty seriously. They must
become No. 1 items on the agenda
of both concern and response."
Mayor Martha S. Wood said^,
the issues raised in Womble's letter
weighed heavily on the judges ques
tions and their subsequent decision
not to award Winston-Salem All
America City status.
"Dr. (Lenneal) Henderson,
(one of the judges) told me that the
issues raised in Womble's letter
were disturbing to some of the
judges," Wood said. "The issues
raised in the letter were also raised
by the judges during the question
and answer period."
Womble could not be
reached for comment In his?three
page letter, he mentioned several
areas where blacks are adversely
affected in the city.
He noted that blacks are under
represented on elected boards and
of the city's economic development;
that racial violence is widespread;
that blacks are denied loans by
financial institutions at a high rate;
and that few businesses are devel
oped in the predominantly black
eastern part of town.
"There is very little develop
ment being done in East Winston,"
he stated in the letter. "There has
been vacant land in East Winston
for over 10. 15, 20 years. But every
time there is development or eco
nomic shot-in-the-arm, it does not
come to East Winston."
Wood has said the city is mak
ing progress in dealing with racial
animosity and she believes the com
munity is working together more
closely.
"There are people who put their
heart and soul in to trying to build
this community," Wood said. "It
would have shown recognition of
their work and effort."
Mayor pro tempore Vivian
from page A 1
Burke said Womble and the Citi
zens United for Justice are being
unfairly blamed for the rejection.
"No one individual or
small group could stop a city,"
Burke said. "I don't think they can
put all the blame on them for being
the cause of Winston-Salem not
being named an All-American City.
As an elected official. (Womble)
has the right to voice the opinions of
the people he represents."
Burke felt that the city should
ronrcnfratp nnJssuex of unemplov
ment and underemployment among
blacks and other racial minorities.
"I feel there are citizens work
ing to make a difference and we
have made a few gains but not many
economic gains for minorities. Even
though the Board of Aldermen is
working to bring businesses into the
community, the kinds of jobs that
blacks in a city this size have don't
make a great impact on the minrK nf
people."
Wood didn't dwell on
W'omble's letter, but said they would
have to wait six weeks for the cri
tique to come back so they can ade
quately access the reasons why
Winston-Salem was not chosen.
"Our community has had a
number of significant triumphs, so
it's a disappointment but not a dev
astation," Wood said.
Winston-Salem was named an
All-America City in 1959 and 1964.
MIST BE H/A V J
Holdout Juror Calls
from page A1
tion was overturned. He was con
victed again in 1990.
Everhart, who is white, refused
to comment when contacted at his
home on Thorn as ville Road.
"I have no comment," he said.
Other jurors said they felt as
though Everhart enjoyed the "con
trol" he held over them.
"I felt like he knew that he was ]
in control," said juror Toni Dalton.
"And at one point he told us how we
could talk to him if we wanted him
to change his mind. And if we didn't
talk to him that way he would not
change his mind."
Gordon said she was angered
over Everhart's sarcasm and his
ability to make the others cater to
him.
Meanwhile some jurors are
keeping newspaper clippings sur
rounding the case. They will present
them along with letters to lawmak
I ers and the state Parole Commission
to prevent Knight from being
released from prison when he
becomes eligible in 20 years.
"I'm hellbent and determined
that this man will not get out of
jail," Gordon said. "I've got my
heels dug in as deep as (Everhart)
was in his verdict."*"*
Last May. Stoner was taken
by four men to a greenway at
Washington Square Park where he
was stabbed at least 27 times. He
had a gaping hole cut into in his
chest and his penis was cut off and
stuffed in his mouth.
"This man had a family; he was
somebody, and we should not allow
Carlos Stoner to be forgotten," Gor
don said.