NATIONAL
P
University Prof Gets Police Protection After Death Threat
A Telephone threat comes after professor criticizes racially offensive column in student newspaper
CATONSVILLE, Md.. (AP) ? A death threat has
prompted police to provide protection for a veteran pro
fessor at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County.
"Die telephoned threat came last month after Ack
lyn Lyqch, an associate professor in the African-Ameri
can studies department, criticized a student newspaper
column that Lynch considered racially offensive.
Lynch, who has taught at UMBC since 1977,
declined to comment.
Campus President Freeman A. Hrabowski ID, in
a statement last week, said ihe threat "diminishes us
all."
4i want to make it clear that threats of violence
are illegal, deplorable and will not be tolerated,"
Hrabowski said.
-While the death threat did not mention Lynch s
criticism of the newspaper colOmn. um\ersit\ officials
believe the two are linked.
In a Nov. 9 column, junior Pete Fitzpatnck
denounced the verdicts in the California trial of sex era!
men accused of beating Reginald Denm . a white man
pulled from his truck and attacked during the Los Ange
les riots.
Fitzpatrick. 20. wrote that "Afrocentric education
must be working in Los Angeles . . . the blacks there
have learned to act like savages."
The student also wrote that Denny's attackers
"danced around like they had just successfully stalked a
lion on the Serengeti plain."
I \\j column, touched off protests from black stu
dents and editors ot the Retriever agreed to participate
in a ("rum to drscuss the controversy.
?\t that to rum. Lynch called for Fitzpatrick's fir
ing aud ti.i or o djN ersity.pn the newspaper's staff.
\ ? c v. days later. Lynch received the death threat.
Since th.'ii he has been accompanied by a university
police officer wherever he goes on campus, even into
the classroom.
I he racial climate at UMBC. where minorities
account tin about Zb percent of the undergraduate
enrollment of 8.C68 students, in not overtly hostile, said
Kenneth W Wright, president of the Black Student
1 nion
"Just like anywhere else, there is racism that
exists," he said. "Right now, it's more covert. Every
once in a while you have an example such as this article
that brings it to the surface."
Fitzpatrick said his critics have taken his words
out of context. He said he intended to describe only the
men who assaulted Denny, not blacks in general.
tlie reaction to the column has had little effect on
the newspaper, he added.
"The only thing it's really changed, we're afraid
of what will happen the next time someone wants to
write something controversial," Fitzpatrick said. "It
will only make us more cautious about questioning
things, which I think is regrettable."
'Fresh Prince' Star Sued By Former Co-Star of Television Series
? LOS ANGELES (AP) ? A former co- influenced NBC to reduce her salar\ and air day. The lawsuit, filed Friday, seeks
LOS ANGELES (AP) ? A former co
star of the "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" has sued
star Will Smith and NBC, saying she was
forced off the sitcom after she got pregnant.
A lawsuit filed by Janet Hubert-Whit
ten, who played Smith's aunt, Vivian Banks,
in the show's first three seasons, said Smith
became hostile when she got pregnant. He
influenced NBC to reduce her salar> and air
time, forcing her off the show . the lawsuit
said. ~
The lawsuit, filed Friday, seeks unspjec
According to the lawsuit, Smith said ified damages for defamation, invasion of pri
during talk show interviews that Hubert-Whit- vacy, negligence and intentional infliction; of
ten often "gave me the middle finger and emotional distress.
Smith then criticized Hubert -Whitten
on talk shows for having, a h.ul attitude on the
set. the lawsuit said. '
Telephone calls to NBC and Smith's
attorney. Ken Hertz, were not returned Sun
stormed pff the set," and that she "wanted
the show to be the 'Aunt Viv of Bel Air'
show." ; ? ? ? ?
Hubert -Whitten claims the comments
hurt her marketability. -
The show, in its fourth season, stars
Smith as a streetwise Philadelphia teen-age
who was sent to live with his rich aunt and
uncle in California.
Will Smith
Paul R.
Jervay Sr,
Founder of
Raleigh V ~ -
Black
Newspaper,
Dies
RALEIGH (AP) _ Paul R.
Jervay Sr., the founder of a black
community newspaper in Raleigh,
died Saturday at Rex Hospital
after a long illness. He was 87.
Jervay was bom in Wilm
ington and earned a degree in
printing from Hampton Univer
sity. . He went to work for several
newspapers, including The Cape
Fear Journal of Wilfnington, The
Norfolk Journal and Guide in Vir
ginia and The Chicago Defender.
before moving to Raleigh.
Jervay worked for The Car
olina Tribune before taking over
the paper in 1940 and renaming it
The Carolinian.
The newspaper has served
as a platform to battle prejudice, a
community bulletin board and a
historical record of black life in
Raleigh and central North Car
olina. said Managing Editor Cash
Michaels.
vIt takes a strong man with
a powerful spirit and a determined
heart to be the voice of the com
munity through the printed word
for over half a century ." Michaels
said.
Jervay relinquished control
of the newspaper to his daughter.
Prentice Monroe, last year.
Joseph Sansom, a banker
who knew Jervay for 35 years,
said Jervay lived by a philosophy
of self-help.
"He would have thought
that we as African-Americans
need to see what we can do for
ourselves first, and then reach out
for those able to assist us," San
som said.
His family includes his
wife, Brenda Yancey Jervay; a
daughter, a son. Paul R. Jervay Jr.;
> four grandchildren; and a brother.
Thomas Jervay.
He was funeralized on
| Monday in Raleigh.
Philip Morris
Doesn't Want Kids
To Smoke ? ?
IT'S THE
LAW
WE DO NOT SELL
TOBACCO PRODUCTS
TO PERSONS UNDER 18
At Philip Morris U.S.A.,
we believe tli.it smoking is
an adult decision. We don't
want children and teens to
smoke and that's why we
support the "It's I he Law"
program. "It's I he Law" is
a national program that lets
retailers, their employees
and, most importantly,
children know that it's illegal
to sell c igarettes to minors.
iiu i
PHILIP MORRIS
U.S.A.
It's everyone's responsi
bility to make sure kids don't
smoke. If you know of any
establishments that do not
display this sign, please write
to us or call 1-800-343-0975
and give us their names and
addresses. We'll send them
each an "It's The Law" kit for
free so they can join our
efforts to prevent underage
smoking.
II,. i.-il . M 1(1017