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The Choice for African-American News from
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iJUIUUI s
location
not set
in stone
Many thought new
school would be off
Old Greensboro Road
FROM STAFF REPORTS
Tonight's scheduled forum to
update the community about the
new inner-city high school could
not have come at a better time.
School officials have announced
that the school, which will be
built with money from a bond
referendum passed by voters last
year, may not be built off Old
Greensboro Road as perviously I
hinted.
I
cials now
say they
have their
eyes on a
cheaper,
larger
tract of
land near
Kern
ersville
Road,
close to
nan-woouwara Elementary
School. Although both proposed
sights are in the city's East Ward,
many of the African Americans
that supported the bonds last
November did so under the
impression that the school would
be off Old Greensboro, a site
closer to the heart of East Win
ston.
The bond issue split several
African American organizations.
Some groups thought that the
black community would not get
enough out of the bond package.
Those on the other side touted the
benefits a new high school would
bring to East Winston. Alumni of
Atkins High School, which was
closed in the 1970s when integra
tion came about, hope to name
the new high after their alma
mater. Among those with that
notion is school board member
Victor Johnson.
The Black Leadership
Roundtable in conjunction with
the 'city-county school system
will present tonight's forum.
Officials from the school system
are expected to be on hand
tonight to answer questions about
the proposed school.
The forum will begin at 7
p.m. and end around 8:30 p.m.
The forum w ill be held at Carver
High School, which is slated to
get millions of dollars of renova
tions with bond money. Delores
Smith, president and CEO of the
Winston-Salem Urban League,
will moderate the forum.
Johnson
Photo by Kevin Walker
Al Sharpton chats vrith State Reps. Larry Womble and Mickey Michaux.
Ready to Run?
Al Sharpton inching closer to run for presidency
BY T. KEVIN WALKER
j THE CHRONICLE
RESEARCH TR1ANCJEE PARK - Al
Sharpton is showing more and more signs
thai he would like the word "President" to
precede his name instead of thb word "Rev
erend."
The outspoken New York-based activists
and founder of the National Action Network,
said Friday, after taking part in a town hall
meeting, that he will decide by the end of the
summer whether or not to run for president
in 2004.
"I'm more than 50 percent sure that I am
going to do it," Sharpton said when asked
which way he was leaning in the decision -
making process.
Sharpton was the guest of honor at a
forum that kicked off the Black Legislative
Caucus 17th Annual Legislative Education
and Scholarship Weekend Conference. He
was among a panel of state officials and had
been slated to discuss issues of national con
cern for African Americans. Sharpton did
just that but managed to throw in several
hints about a possible 2004 run. including a
jab at Sen. John Edwards, the North Caroli
na junior senator, who like Sharpton, is also
rumored to be considering a presidential run
in 2(X)4 on the Democratic ticket.
Sharpton brought up the point that many
say Sharpton lacks the experience to be pres
ident. Sharpton then juxtaposed his career as
See Sharpton on All
Artists
create
history
downtown
BYT. KEVIN WALKER
THE CHRONICLE
Eleven budding teenage artists armed
with brushes and gallon-sized buckets of col
orful painl have been using the city's down
town transportation center as a blank canvas.
But don't call CrimeStoppers just yet.
The teens are part of The Arts Council's
Artivia program - which provides paid sum
mer employment to high school students
who have an affinity to art - and under the
direction of professional local artist Leo
Rucker.
Together. Rucker and the teens, are in the
process of fusing art and local history.
For the last three weeks, the teens have
been painting the 24 columns that support a
large outside metal canopy at the Winston
Salem Transit Authority Transportation Cen
ter. When completed in two weeks, the
columns will pictorially tell the story of the
Safe. Bus Co.. the historic company that
became WSTA. ' '
"We hope to add some color and brillian
cy to downtown but also to enlighten people
about Safe Bus." said Rucker. a popular city
artist known for his portraits. "A lot of peo
ple are uneducated about Safe Bus. even
though they ride these buses everyday. I did
not realize this much history was in the tran
sit system. It was eye-opening for me."
The Safe Bus Co. took shape in the mid
1920s when a group of independent African
American jitney operators (men and women
who transported passengers in small buses or
cars for a fee) agreed to join forces. Over the
next several decades the company would
become the largest black-owned transporta
tion company in the world, employing hun
dreds of local men and women.
Rucker has been leading Artiva projects
for three summers.^Ihe folks at WSTA saw a
mural that Rucker'tthd Artiva teens did at
Experiment in Self Reliance, an agency that
supports the working homeless, and began
putting the wheels in motion for the column
project.
Art Barnes, general manager of WSTA,
and others have worked hard to ensure that
Safe Bus' rich history is not forgotten.
Sec Art/history on A9
Photo by Briuce Chapman
Leo Rucker, rear, center, takes a break with the teens. The teens are, from bottom,
Melik Walker, Erran Hamlin (from left, second row), Megan Jacobs, Monique
Smart, Leslie Branch, Dustin Friend, Emily Kelker, Nora Debroder, Brittany Davis
and Ceasar Brantley.
BLR
recounts
string of
victories
Roundtable
celebrates 5 years of
active participation
BY T. KEVIN WALKER
THE CHRONICLE
When new breath was
pumped into the Black Lead
ership Roundtable in the sum
mer of 1997, it was made
instantly clear to city resi
dents that members of the
organization were not about
having afternoon socials or
mere chit-chat.
The roundtable is about
action, a fact that became
apparent
rive
years
ago
when the
organi
zation,
still in
its infan- ^
cy. took I
on the I
police ,
depart- '
nieiu s use 01 pepper spray.
The death of a black man who
died after being pepper
sprayed by officers brought
the issue to the roundtable's
attention. The organization
successfully pushed for the
city to adopt guidelines for
pepper spray use.
There were many more
successes to come. In 1998,
the roundtable successfully
lobbied for the city to expand
WinxInn-^tilpmV l-.irnoct nnls.
pub
lic African American ceme
tery. The following year, the
organization went to bat for
three African American police
sergeants who were demoted
after a rafTConcert they were
charged with securing got out
of hand. After roundtable
leaders vocally expressed
their outrage, the officers'
demotions were overturned.
Last week, the Black
Leadership Roundtable took
time to reflect on its victories
and honor some of the people
that have helped the organiza
tion be all that it can be.
About 100 people attended
the roundtable's fifth anniver
sary celebration at Goler
Memorial AMH Zion Church.
They included everyone from
longtime members of the
organization to candidates
seeking political office.
"Some people think that
we have been around for 10,
See BLR on A10
Griggs
Locals honored for helping students
>5
President of United Negro College Fund makes special
appearance to give area contributors a pat on the back
BY FELECIA P MCMILLAN, PH D
COM Ml MTV ( ()RRhSPC )\DIM
The United Negro College Fund repre- ,
sentatives inducted more than 70 of the 120 ,
charter members of the Kennedy Society
into the Kennedy Society: A Mind is Soci- ;
ety. Winston-Salem Chapter on Saturday, {
June 22. at the Piedmont Club. Charter
members are^those individuals who gave
$1,000 and above during 2001 and who ]
make a pledge of $1250 or more during j
2(X)2, The members were awarded a certifi- j
cate of induction. ,
In order to recognize UNCF's growing ,
list of generous individual supporters, the |
"Kennedy/A Mind Is Society" (KAMI) was .
founded in 1995 to honor UNCF's most t
generous individual annual supporters. The
KAMI Society recognizes four levels of
support. The Golden Circle is comprised of
individuals who give $1,000. The Friends
of the College Fund give $1,250, while the
members of The Century Club give $2,500.
Members of the Cornerstone Society give
55,000, and members of the President's Cir
:le give $10,000.
Members of the Presidents Circle who
were recognized were Dr. Charlie L. and
Mrs. Willie Kennedy. Mr. William C. and
Mrs. Shelma L. Scales, and Mr. Harden and
Mrs. Janet Wheeler. Members of the Cor
lerstone Society who were recognized
were Col. Andrew M. and Dr. Mary
3erkins, James H. and Brenda B. Diggs,
?nd Alan and Lisa Caldwell. Members of
he Century Club are Dr. Stephen and Mrs.
See UNCF on A4
Photo b> (electa McMillan
Several county educators helped raise money for UNCF. They included (from
left) Velma Friende, Martha Holmes, Janice ferguson, Regina Elcock-Win
ningham, Avon Ruffin and Dr. Irene Hairston.