Author vying for Image Award
BYT. KEVIN WALKER
1111 < HR< INK I I
Carole Boston Weatherford got
a heads-up last week on some of
the biggest news of her life from
her husband, Ron.
Ron Weatherford told his wife
^that an intriguing-looking letter
Irom the NAACP Image Awards
would soon be delivered to their
High Point home.
It wasn't a prediction. Ron
Weatherford works as a mailman
and often takes a peak at what will
be waiting for him when he gets
home.
"He said. "It might be a nomi
nation. but don't get your hopes
up.'" Weatherford recalled last
week.
The letter did in fact inform
Weatherford that she had been
nominated for one of the presti
gious awards for her children's
book "The Sound That Jazz
Makes." The book will face strong
contenders in the children's litera
ture category, including books
written by famed entertainer Deb
bie Allen and Stedman Graham.
Oprah Winfrey's longtime beau.
Weatherford has several chil
dren's books under her belt, many
of which she has won other awards
for. But this is her very first
NAACP Image Award nomina
tion. The awards are given to those
who promote positive aspects of
black life in music, film, television
and literature.
Weatherford is grateful just for
Xhe recognition.
"It was the best Christmas pre
sent I could have gotten." she said.
"The Sound That Jazz Makes"
was released a few months ago to
critical praise. Weatherford used a
rhythmic poetry style for the words
in the book, a style that is driven
home to audiences when she reads
excerpts from the book at Triad
schools and libraries.
Weatherford wrote the book so
that youngsters, especially African
American youngsters, could get
insight into the music that helped
to shape much of popular culture.
Talk that jazz was a dying breed
did not sit well with Weatherford.
who grew up listening to the music.
"(The history of jazz) is not
something that we can afford to
ignore." she said.
Weatherford is well known in
the Triad not only for the many
children's titles that bear her name.
She is a former editor of The
Chronicle and a current columnist
for the (Greensboro) News &
Record. Weatherford also often
does freelance journalism work for
various magazines.
But writing books has become
her first love, even though she sees
trends in the world of publishing
that she does not particularly like.
Weatherford says it is becoming
increasingly hard to get your books
promoted and stocked if you don't
have a name that most people rec
ognize. It's why. she said, that many
publishing companies offer huge
advances to celebrities to try their
hands at writing.
"If people recognize the name
of the author, that can determine
whether your book gets displayed
with the spine out or with its cover
out." Weatherford said.
The celebrity-driven nature of
the industry, Weatherford added,
means that great books are often
buried in bookstores. Name recog
nition or not. Weatherford is
already forging ahead with several.
projects.
She is working on a children's
book about black
lawyers, a topic that she is well
versed on. Weatherford once
served as communications director
for the National Bar Association.
She's working on a children's
story about the Princeville Hoods
as well. The book will look at the
tragedy through a child's eyes. It's a
perspective that many people over
looked during the deadly floods.
"It's a story that children need
to hear about....Children were an
integral part of that story," she
said.
The NAACP Image Award cer
emony will be held in early March.
Members of the NAACP nation
wide will determine the winners in
each of the categories by sending in
ballots in the current issue of Crisis
magazine, the civil rights organiza
tion's official publication.
Weatherford admits that she
used to ignore the ballots each year
when they appeared in the maga
zine. Not so this year. She's well
aware of the stiff competition she
has; she has even read many of
their books. But Weatherford is
hoping that her Triad neighbors
Will help her bring home the bronze
prize.
"1 hope people will want to vote
for a homegirl if they are NAACP
members," she said with a chuckle.
I -T_
1 Carole Weather
ford Boston
signs a copy of
her NAACP
Image Award
nominated
book.
I Lineup set for MLK showcase
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
The N.C. Black Repertory
Company has selected an array of
talented artists to perform during
the company's 16th annual Dr.
Martin Luther King Jf. Birthday
Celebration. It will be held on
Monday, Jan 15, at 7 p.m. in the
Arts Council Theatre, 610 Colise
um Drive in Winston-Salem. The
event is free and the entire Triad is
invited to attend.
Because of the enormous
turnout of past celebrations, reser
vations are recommended. Call the
Black Rep's office at 723-2266
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
The MLKJ Birthday Celebra
tion will be hosted by WXII news
anchor Wanda Starke.
Starke joined NewsChannel 12
in January 1994. Her broadcasting
career has taken her from her
hometown of Newport News, Va..
to such cities as Norfolk, Buffalo
and Los Angeles.
"W -*
A graduate of the University of
Richmond and Howard University
Graduate School, she finds the
most enjoyment in "meeting extra
ordinary people and sharing their
inspiring stories with our viewers."
Widely recognized for her advo
cacy and volunteer work, she was
awarded the 1999 National Big Sis
ter of the Year by Big Brothers Big
Sisters, i
"'This year marks her debut as
host for the annual MLKJ celebra
tion.
Special youth performances by
12-year-old singer Clara Mixon
and gospel vocalist Bethany Heath
will be featured in this year's cele
bration. Mixon was a runner-up in
the McDonald's Showtime at the
Apollo Talent Search. Having
grown up in the theater and music
worlds. Heath has become quite an
accomplished vocalist.
Other youth performances
highlighting this year's celebration
include the dynamic Glorious
? ^
Sounds Jazz Ensemble, a five-piece
brass eombo and I he A.W
MeCloud hnsemble under the lead
ership of Cassandra MeCloud.
This celebration is especially
designed lor the souths of the com- '
munily to be shared with their lam- ,
dies.
15 is the actual birthday of
King although the national holiday
is celebrated on the third Monday ?
of January. This year marks the
rare occurrence where the national
holiday and actual birth date fall on
the same day.
For at least 10 years, the Black
Rep was the only organization in
Winston-Salem celebrating Dr.
King's actual birthday on the 15th.
Larry Leon Hamlin and other
artists of the area thought it would
be appropriate lot artists to show
their appreciation for King on his
actual birthday by using their artis
tic talents in celebration of the pro
found contributions for such a
great member of humanity.
Johnson retires trom library
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
Annie P. Johnson, mother of
National Black Theatre Festival
producer Larry Leon Hamlin,
recently retired form the Forsyth
County Public Library after 20 years
of service. She worked on the lower
level of the audiovisual/circulation
department of the Central Library
on Fifth Street.
? a a
She was
given a retire
ment recep
tion by the
Central
Library that
was attended
not only by
staff mem
bers but also
by many of
^Hfcgl - I
Johnson
the patrons she has served. Many
patrons who checked out books or o
returned materials to the lower cir
culation desk probably know "Ms.
Annie." as she was affectionately
known. She had a kind word to all
those who passed her desk. -
Johnson said that she will sin
cerely miss the smiles on the faces of
.So Johnson "t A8
wynn
from page A1
ability to work well with at-risk
students or an ability to efTeetively
teaeh a class with large numbers of
students.
"You can be the catalyst for
change," he said.
Teachers working in concert
sharing the skills they are best at
can help to create a better school
environment for all parties. He
urged them to always look for solu
tions to problems rather than
throwing their hands up and
admitting defeat.
"The worst thing you can say is
that I can't teach these kids." Wynn
said.
Wynn was received warmly by
the crowd. Some shouted their
agreement with words like "amen"
and "all right." Before he gave the
speech. Wynn had met with many
of the teachers during workshop
sessions, giving them insight into
the art of being an educator.
?The school system hosts the
conference each year. Greg Thorn
ton. an assistant superintendent,
said the workshops motivate the
teachers and give them an oppor
tunity to network and share solu
tions. Such opportunities are abun
dant in other fields, but rare in edu
cation, Thornton said..
"We don't do enough of this in
this profession." Thornton said.
beware!!!
Termite Season
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1535 S. Martin Luther King Drive
Winston-Salem, NC
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