Coach files bias suit against university
(Special to the NNPA) - Nolan Richardson, former Uni
versity of Arkansas basketball coach, has filed suit against the
university in federal court, claiming his free-speech rights
were violated and he was discrimi
nated against because he is black.
University Chancellor John A.
White fired the outspoken Richard
son on March I after the longtime
basketball coach complained that
he was being treated differently
because he is black.
"As the season neared comple
tion, the chances for the team to
participate in post-season competi
tion were clearly in jeopardy," the
lawsuit says. "This situation
caused pressure and tension for the
plaintiff Richardson, a perfection
ist, driven to achieve with players
and other staff each year, the sue
cessful season, which the citizenry of the state had come to
expect."
Richardson led the Razorbacks to post-season play in all
but one of his 16 seasons, making the NCAA tournament 15
times. The Razorbacks won an NCAA championship in 1994
and played in the 1995 title game.
The lawsuit also says that Richardson's victories brought
national prominence to the institution, leading donors to make
substantial financial contributions.
Arkansas agreed to pay Richardson $3 million over the
remaining seasons of a seven-year contract that he signed last
year.
"I am confident that the claims asserted by Mr. Richard
son...will be shown to be groundless and without merit," said
Fred H. Harrison, university system lawyer. "The complaint
is simply a one-sided rendering by Mr. Richardson's attorneys
of their view of the facts, a view with which the university
strongly disagrees."
Richardson
Subject of interracial book dies at 90
NEW YORK (AP) - Margaret Taylor Hancock, whose
upbringing in a multi-racial home was chronicled in a book by
her daughter, died on Tuesday in Branford, Conn. She was 90.
Hancock, who - ? .. - - ...
was born in
Washington, grew
up black and was
separated from
her white siblings
at age 4. In 1992,
after 76 years
apart, Hancock
reunited with a
sister.
These experi
ences were
brought to life by
the J994 book
"The Sweeter the
Juice: A Family
Memoir in Black
and White," writ
ten by Hancock's
daughter. Shirlee
Taylor Haizlip.
In the memoir,
Haizlip describes
how Hancock's
great-grandmoth
er came over from Ireland and married a half-black slave. The
family was classified as mulatto in the 1900 status but later
split into separate white and black branches.
Hancock went on to become a co-founder of the NAACP
branch in Ansonia, Conn., and became active in Connecticut's
foster care system, fostering six girls herself.
* wee ter-j uice
* ? A ? I I V M ? M ? 4 ?
Azapo recalls liberation hero Stephen Biko
PRETORIA, South Africa (GIN) - The Azanian People's
wigaiusauuii vrtzapv) i!> urging
that the Union Buildings and
Schoeman Street in Pretoria be
5 named after Black Consciousness
Movement leader Bantu Steven
Biko, who died in police custody
in 1977.
Azapo said in 4 statement
recently that Biko would have cel
ebrated his 56th birthday Dec. 18.
However, many of his former col
leagues, now successful business
men and governmental leaders, no
longer thought of commemorating
his life or even mentioning his
name.
"(Azapo) is saddened and out
raged by the fact that almost every street and building in this
country are named after Nfclsort Mandela and the ANC people
only."
Azapo said it wanted the Union Building to be renamed
Bantu Biko Building and Schoeman Street renamed Bantu
Biko Street.
As the charismatic leader of the Black Consciousness
Movement, Biko urged South Africa's blacks to fight for their
empowerment; the eloquent advocate of black self-pride soon
emerged as the leader of a generation of young black mili
tants.
He preached that blacks' main problem was their attitude
of inferiority, and that only they could spearhead a victory
over their oppressors, rather than the white liberals who tried
to speak for them. Biko's death made him a martyr to the cru
elties of minority white rule and racial separation.
The Chronicle (USPS 067-910) was established by Ernest
H. Pitt and Ndubisi Egemonye in 1974 and is published
every Thursday by Winston-Salem Chronicle Publishing Co.
Inc., 617 N. Liberty Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101. Peri
odicals postage paid at Winston-Salem, N.C. Annual sub
scription price is $30.72.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:
The Chronicle, P.O. Box 1636
Winston-Salem, NC 27102-1636
Biko
SOS aims to help students achieve
BY MESON PITT
THE CHRONICLE j
The Support Our Students (SOS) Initia
tive is making tremendous strides toward
improving the local school system. The N.C.
Department of Juvenile Justice and Delin
quency Prevention feels that it is saving
many students' academic careers as well as
their futures in general by administering the
program.
Gov. Mike Easley released evaluation
data that showed the achievement gap
between whites and blacks is gradually com
ing to a close. The statistics were gained
through private evaluation of nearly 20,000
N.C. students in middle schools and junior
highs that participated in SOS in the 2001
2002 school year.
African-Americans showed great
improvement last year, and it showed on the
N.C. End-of-Grade (EOG) Tests. When
combining all of the minorities and compar
ing their EOG reading scores, minority SOS
participants made almost double the gain of
white students to exceed the state's improve
ment goals.
Easley said, "This is great news for
North Carolina's entire public school sys
tem. It demonstrates that our students, teach
ers and communities are committed to doing
what it takes to ensure academic success.
North. Carolina is making more progress
than any other state in closing the achieve
ment gap, but we cannot be satisfied until it
is eliminated. By encouraging more people
to volunteer and mentor in our public
schools, we will realize our goal more quick
ly"
SOS has inspired youths to want to do
better in the classroom. Teachers reported
that SOS participants have made wonderful
changes in class in a number of areas. Over
all attendance has improved. In- and out-of
school suspensions dropped 5 percent from
last year, and 40 percent of students said they
like school better after joining SOS.
"It is a self-esteem issue as well. Home
work gets done, and you're not making
excuses; plus they get this role model,"
Carol Yardley said. Yardley works closely
with the community outreach services
department of the YMCA and supports a
number of programs that encourage academ
ic achievement and character development.
Yardley believes that programs such as SOS
are good for students and parents alike. She
said, "So many youth go home to an empty
house. Parents are both working. They're
just dead tired when they get home. They
don't have the time. They would probably
like to have the time to help their kids."
Yardley said that in grades six through
eight, which SOS targets, the after-school
hours are when kids are most, vulnerable and
at a higher risk of committing crimes. They
are most at risk between 3 and 6 p.m.
The Support Our Students staff encour
ages parents to add their children to the list
or seek similar programming.
SOS is very affordable. At $10 a month,
kids cato get enrichment and snacks for five
days a week.
Locally, Wiley Middle School, Hanes
Middle School and Northwest Middle
School have been active in the program.
Others include Ladeara Crest Community
. Center and the Ledges Apartment Complex.
Recreation centers were facilities in the past,
but SOS decided to move into the schools in
order to get better cooperation from students
and teachers. Parents are glad that their kids
are playing less basketball and doing more
homework.
George Sweat, the secretary of the N.C,
Department of Juvenile Justice and Delin
quency Prevention, said, "Many times, clos
ing the gap is about catching up. Instead of
struggling academically or being home
alone, SOS participants are succeeding in .a
safe, supervised, drug-free environment, a
They receive such benefits as healthy
snacks, one-on-one tutoring in various core *
subjects, and access tq oomputers. Many_
spend time with an adU(TWntor, a figure
often missing from their livfcs. The pro
grams are supported by community volun
teers, which enables high, quality services
and low tutor-to-student ratios that would
otherwise not be possible."
Photo by Al While
Students in the SOS prepare to take a trip to Tanglewood last week.
Initiative feeds community for holidays
BV T. KEVIN WALKER
THE CHRONICLE _
Christmas came early for
several hundred people at the
Happy Hill Community Center
on Dec. 21. The center, a place
where children usually gather to
play games and take computer
lessons, was transformed into a
yuletide banquet halt. The occa
sion was a festive Christmas
dinner hosted by Community
Outreach, a religious initiative
spearheaded by New World
Cappadocia Outreach Center
that brings churches together to
tackle issues that face mostly
low-income residents.
Members of several local
churches served as hosts, host
esses, waiters and waitresses at
the dinner, serving up hot
turkey and ' ham plates along
with tons of warm smiles and
holiday cheer. The Kiwanis
Club also supplied food and
volunteers for the dinner. Many
residents of Happy Hill came
out to enjoy the event.
Organizers also went
around the city in church vans
to pick up people off the streets
or anyone in need of a good
meal.
The Rev. Melvin "Rip"
Wilkins, pastor of New World
Cappadocia and founder of
Community Outreach, person
ally went around to homeless
shelters, bringing back a van
full of appreciative men.
Wilkins said the dinner was a
way of trying to feed not only
the spiritual needs of people but
also the physical.
"Our mission is to go out so
that people might be saved and
set free. The people on the out
side want fsjho the inside of the
church until we come out and
show love," he said.
The dinner was just one of
many outreach efforts Wilkins
and his flock have been
involved with over the years.
Community Outreach efforts
also include prison and streqf
ministry programs,' clothing
giveaways and youth counsel
ing. Wilkins said outreach
efforts are done all over the city,
wherever there is a need, but his
church has a special bond with
Happy Hill because many resi
dents of the community attend
New World Cappadocia.
Yvonne Jefferson is one of
Happy Hill's best known resi
dents and also a longtime mem
ber of New World Cappadocia.
Jefferson helped to serve at the
Happy Hill Community Center,
where she serves as the center's
director.
"There is a need for this,"
she said. "Peoplc\are hupifig, -
especially at this ~~tilne of
year....! see them crying out.
They need this help." V
^^^^PhoIob^Kevii^Iilk^
Organizert tay that mare than 200 people ate at the holiday dinner. \ J
INDEX
OPINION. .A4
SPORTS. SI
RELIGION. B3
CLASSIFIEDS. B6
HEALTH. C3
ENTERTAINMENT....C7
CALENDAR. C9
Dixie Classic Fair
together?
If you've ever wanted to have a say in
the Dixie Classic Fair, here's your chance. 7 CvlwT IS
The Winston-Salem Public Assembly w *
Facilities Commission is seeking individuals
throughout Northwest North Carolina interested in -M
serving on the commission's Fair Planning Committee.
The committee assists Fair Dire<*or David Sparks in planning the annual
Dixie Classic Fair.
Interested? Need more information?
Call David at (336) 727-2236, write him at &ctie (ZttM&U,
P.O. Box 7525, Winston-Salem, N.C. 27109
or e-mail him at sparks@dcfair.com.
The deadline for applying is Jan. 10, 2003. www.dcfair.com