OPINION/LETTERS Winston-Salem Chronicle * / Ernest H. Pitt, PubJi?her/Co tounder NDL'BISI EgEMONYE, Co-Founder Richard L. Williams* Executive Editor Elaine Pitt, Director of CommumtC Relations MlCHAEL A. Pin, Ad\ertising Manager MEL WHITE, Circulation Manager J ? Loan Review Board The folks ai NationsBank appear to be taking bold steps _ "in seeking to right many of the wrongs that have been perpe trated on the African-American community over the years b\ majority lending institutions. NationsBank has recently aeveloped two novel approaches to helping the historically * disenfranchised get a slice of the economic pie: It developed the Small Business Community Education Program and . .offered training to the NAACP Community Development Resource Center staff. And just this week, a program was launched that should positive!) impact on two areas where African Americans have routinely been left out: home-ownership loans and all -business loansT" NationsBank has teamed with the National Urban League to create a Community Loan Review Board here and ? n Charlotte. The new concept is likely to get Grade "A"' iesults. This program enables NationsBank customers whose Mome-purchase or home-improvement mortgage are declined for whatever reason t}o receive a "second look" - i'om the Loan Review Board. The board here qonsists of ihree bank underwriters, the local Urban League president - and three community members, including city employee Kjtchie Brooks as chairman of the board. We give NationsBank credit for putting programs in ' ice to Help African Americans realize the American dream of home ownership. We also applaud jits efforts in other t. areas, too. including contributing 6277,000 to the Winston Salem Tandem Loan Pool, which fosters neighborhood revi ! Ji/ation through acquisition and rehabilitation and provides sortgage funding, for low and moderate-income families. NationsBank also has made hundreds of calls to small and minority-owned businesses to solicit new banking relation ! ips in minority communities. Not all of those calls created .?an opportunities, but NationsBank executives were able tc (.!?> a needs assessment and determine what is lacking in the immunity. That is a first step, we hope, in addressing what in tact is lacking, which is capital. ? We need more majority lending institutions to be as for ward thinking as NationsBank. And we ask tjiat African Americans take .ad vantage of this welcomed opportunity. Stem the Violent Tide vVt were glad to see that the Police Department's recent eui bus -back program was an overwhelming success. This ? especial!} true in light of a recent Justice Department report that crimes committed by pistols are setting records * across the nation. In 1992. there were 13.200 pi stol-related-deathfr tn-the ' ; ;ed States. No group was hit harder than ynnnp Afinanzz \merican males. Black males between the ages 16 to 19 >?% ere four times as likely to be victims as wnite males their ape Black men ages 20 to 24 were three times as likely as white men to be victims. Locally, of the 17 homicides in WTinston-Salem this year, i i of the victims have been African- American males and 10 ot those died from gun-shot wounds. Two of the three ?\ii ican -American females killed were by guns. While many claim to keep a gun for self-protection, guns 'a tact make you far less safe ;inH ynn have a greater chance ? ot endangering your love ones. According to a recent study, a gun in the home increases the, likelihood of homicide threefold. A gun in the home is also 43 times more likely to be used to commit homicide, suicide or an accidental killing thanji is to be used for self-defense. Some people believe that more prisons will stop the violence ? evident by jails ?being built across the country. Nothing is farther from the truth. ? During the 19H0s. the U.Sl prison population nearly tripled while the violent crime rate continued to rise. Most gun violence occurs in the coufse of an argument and not other criminal behavior, often isJnot premeditated and there fore not subject to criminal deterrence. There is a workable solution, however. Violence is a complex problem resulting from the sum total of other social ills, including poverty, joblessness, poor schools, disinte , grating families and communities, a history of family vio lence and easy access to guns. The solution to violence will have to be equally multi faceted and long-term. Gun buy-backs ? removing a few more guns from the streets and from homes ? are a start. Student Says How to Reduce Violence in Schools To the Editor: What would I like to do to stop violence in our schools? We have a lot of problems in our schools, and if we as a whole could get together and discuss what we could do to make ij better, there would be a great change in our schools. At this time, violence is increasing at a very high rate. For example, statistics show that there has been a 21 percent increase on violence in our system than there was in 1993. We are rated, lowest in education and high est in violence. This should somehow make us see what the problem is. In order to stop violence in our schools; I would call for group mediation ses sions, appeal to school representa tives and better school safety. First, 1 would appeal to coun selors and teachers to start media tion classes. We need a weekly session that consists of all students in our schools who would like to partici pate in discussing what is happen ing in our schools. Two other groups that I would like to form would be an all-male group that would meet once a week and dis cuss the problems that they are hav iifg in school and the problem that they have out of school. We also need an all-female group that will meet once a week to teach them how to get along ;with each other, and show the students how to han dle conflicts. Second. I would write to repre sentatives. I would write to mem Clarence and Clara Gaines "j ?? ? ; ' William Turner's Column was Stimulating ?. # ? r The column '"Clara" Lucille Berry Gaines: The Virtuous written by William H. Turner's "Lift Every Voice", in the vl9 edition, was stimulating and exhibited excellence from the ?r, Readings of this nature can be appreciated because we as not only glorify those whom are in our limelight; but also those whom are our shadows. The 'Writer mentioned the impor tance of the family and the roles in which we must all take 'en and the need to fulfill them. the writer, 1 say thank you for your excellent work. You have once again proven that we as a black race can avoid extensive self servicing -and the reluctance lies upon njaie-female, father-mother and brother-sister in order to achieve the unity in whicfe we so des r^perateiy need. . ,? ? : ' ?? ' v Vkrlde R. Nelson swap ? ? I ; ?'& ' . ; , ?; , ?: * : .. . . -y_ F. weapon on school property, and if they see anyone with a weapon on school property they report it to a school administrator. The Security Committee will reduce the violence that occurs in our schools. Danyetta Jackson West Forsyth High Thanks for Support To the Editor: ' On May 4 at Miller Park, over 200 hearing-impaired students rang ing from Pre-K tQ high school from North Carolina schools participated in activities developed and designed for competition, fellowship, making new friends and renewing old acquaintances in an environment of total communication. We would like to thank all who helped to make this event ? The Third Annual N.C. Deaf and Hard of Hearing Track & Field Day ? a' complete success. We al*o thank our guest speaker. 1985 Deaf Olympian Sil ver medalist Steve Rash: the Win- - ston-Salem/ Forsyth County schools, principals, teachers, inter preters and parents all of the hard working volunteers. We thank the Winston Salem/Forsyth County Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing; the Win ston-Salem Parks and Recreation Department; the Chamber of Com merce and the 7 Days in Winston I ^Salem photographers; 'Allman Humphrey & Spry PA; Com Prod ucts; Sam's Club: Skidmore's; Wachovia: Pepsi Cola Corp.; Lowes Foods; McDonal J's: Burger King; and many others who helped sup port this event. I Sharon Agnew & Ellen Loomis Event coordinators CHRONICLE MAI LB AG Our Readers Speak Out hers of our school board and Con gress. 1 would" let our schtiot fi&&rd' members know that we need their help, and also1 let them know the -^pi obiem s -w-e-are- - h a v4 n g-. < -I wou Id - write a letter to Congress letting them know what we are in need of, and what we want from them to help us to stop violence in our schools. Last. 1 would try and make schools safer.; A way that I would accomplish that would be to form two committees. They would be known as the Security Committee and the Crime Stoppers Committee. The Security Committee would make sure that no one conceals a also be responsible for putting up private, QAfl)&*as, in the hallways bathrooms, and locker rooms, so we can stop violence in our schools. The Crime Stoppers Committee will consist of students from all grades that agree to keep all information about violence among group mem bers only. But, they would have the authority to release any information on any violence that, occurs or looks to as if it will occur to the adminis trator ot our school^ These things 1 have mentioned in the above paragraphs are what I'd like to do to stop violence in our schools.' Everywhere. If everyone would do these things, maybe it w ill CLARIFICATION The name of the author of a let ter written in last week's issue was inadvertently ommitted. The author was Ricky A Jones. The Chronicle regrets this ommission. ?* ' 4' ^ I k -,??! !?' r*-IUi'j4l l/V'\ About letters ? s N tu??; k- ? . ?? ? ? V ' * ' *? . ^ V The Chronicle welcomes letters as welt as guest columns^frvm its readers. Letters should be as concise ns possible and should be typed or legibly printed. The letter must also include the name, address and telephone number of the writer 4o ensure the authenticity of the letter. Columns must follow the same guide lines and will be published if they are of interest to our general readership. The Chronicle will not publish, any letters or ^ columns that arrive without this information. We reserve the right to edit letters and columns for brevity and clarity \ Submit letters and columns to Chronicle Mailbag, P.O. Box 1636 Winston-Salem, N.C. 27102 V . . ' * - . ;f ? ? * ?? ' ? ** HBCUs are being Challenged to Prove their Value No one alive today experienced slavery. We onlv know what it was like through_thp storips passed down from generation to generation and from the books and speeches written by aboli tionists and writers of the day. We know that it was illegal to educate slaves - even illegal to teach them to read the Bible. In spite of such laws in the South, there were colleges founded in the North to educate blacks ? including Chevney State College and Lincoln University, both in Pennsylvania and Wilberforce University in Ohio. These were among the first Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), which "grew to include a number of institutions serving the black community in the South, since most Southern colleges and universities did not admit black students. Today, the more than 100 HBCUs are under attack on several fronts. Some of them are facing Toss of state funds or are actually being phased out in an effort to integrate state higher-education institutions. Some of them are facing charges that their students are anti-white or anti-Semitic. All of them are being challenged to prove their value in the present-day world. For example, recently the National Associa tion for the Advancement of Colored People sponsored a national march on Jackson, Miss., to support equal funding of all state-supported HBCUs. HBCUs generally receive a dispropor tionately lower funding than their white counter parts. The state of Mississippi is proposing that Jackson State be downsized, Alcorn State be merged and Mississippi Valley State be closed. At the same time, the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). which raises funds for 41 black colleges, has been receiving letters accusing stu dents at black colleges of being racists because of the recent publicity surrounding the speech of a Nation of Islam speaker at Howard University. The irony is that Howard is not a member of the UNCEr that^aii press-- reports-have indicated that ^Rlv-^malt-Twmber of students actually attended the speech and that the majority of students at Howard do not agree with that speaker. In addi tion, only three of 55 Nation of Islam speakers have appeared at black colleges: the others have been at white educational institutions. Neverthe less, the UNCF is fearful that its fund-raising efforts will be dampened by these false accusa tions. The Historically. Black Colleges and Univer sities do have a unique and critical mandate and role to play in the multi-racial society in which w.e 1 ive- These institutions h ave become havens for able students who were deprived and rejected elsewhere. Often they are able to provide the remedial education, self-esteem building and mentoring that determine the suc cess of their students. Indeed, it is no accident that 70 percent of African-American elected officials. 80 percent of African -A men can lawyers and 85 percent of all African-American professionals are graduates of HBCUs. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Thurgood Marshall and the writer. Zora Hurston. are just three of the more well-known graduates of HBCUs. ' ' ?' While virtually all Historically Black Col leges do have non-black students (including for eign students), their principal mission is the edu cation of African Americans. Most of these institutions also have non-black faculty and staff members as well ? about one-third of most black-college faculty members are black, accord ing to the National Association for Equal Oppor tunity in Higher Education. As the Afncan-Amehcan community contin ues to face a crisis threatening its very survival, it -wtmteHregrrr thai histoiicatty"btac1r colleges have a special rule to play in the rpvji*ii>:itinn ni miri communities. With over a 1(X) years of history- of designing curricula and programs focussing on developing self-esteem, raising basic skills needed for academic success and establishing role modeling and mentoring relationship*. HBCL's have a proven track record of working with African- American youth. At a time when there are said to be more African-American men in prison than in college. HBCL's can play a pivotal role in the lives of our youth. Just a new elementary and secondary pro _giamh are Iocu**m^ -on- African-' American males. HBCL's are in an unique place CIVIL RIGHTS JOURNAL By BERNICE POWELL JACKSON to provide higher education for African American men. But they need the support of all of us to sur vive and to find new ways of serving our com munities. Several years ago Bill and Camille Cosby donated $20 million to Spelman College, one of the better-known HBCUs. Most of us can't do that, but we can give what we can to the UNCF or directly to the college of our choice. And we can work to make sure that HBCUs receive equal funding from federal or state gov ernments so critical to their survival. We need the Historically Black Colleges and Universities ? and they need us. ( Bernice Powell- Jackson is Executive Director for the United Church of Christ Com mission for Racial Justice.)