(G1N/NNPA) -"-Ramsey Clark, a former U.S. attorney
general and founder of the liyernational Action Center.has
received the United Nations Prize
i ? i
in the Field of Human Rights for
his lifelong efforts to defend
human rights, and uphold stan
dards of universality.
A renowned human rights
defender, Clark received the pres
tigious award on the 60th anniver
sary of the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights.
Among the many well-known
figures that Clark defended over
the years were sauaam Hussein. **** ? ? ?
Slobodan Milosevic. Camilo Ramsey Clark
Mejia and Father Philip Berrigan
Clark played a key role rn the civil rights and peace
movements in the United States, and more recently, has
been outspoken against human rights abuses committed in
the name of -counter-terrorism. He has called for war
crimes against American. British, and other world leaders
for human rights abuses, and has criticized the Iraqi
Special Tribunal's trial of Saddam Hussein
By receiving this award Ramsey will join the ranks of
accomplished individuals such as, 'Nelson Mandela.
Jimmy Carter, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Dr Martin L. King.
Jr.
Morris Brown College rally
raises $60,000 to pay water bill
ATLANTA (AP) , Morris Brown College officials
raised S60.000 during a four-hour rally Saturday to help
pay a massive wat^rbill that is threatening to shutter the
, ^ ^ embattled institution
VThe city of Atlanta turned off the
fiool's water on Dec. 15 because
the historically black institution
owes $380,000. Unless the bill is
paid in full, the school will not
reopen when classes are scheduled to
resume on Jan. *).
School officials say they will
continue to hold rallies and other
" ? ? events unurtoey have raised tne tun
Pritchett . ,
< amount. Morris Brown acting
President Stanley Pritchett said
Saturday he is appealing to Atlanta-based celebrities to
donate money to the school.
Morris Brown is rebounding from an embezzlement
scandal that brought it to the brink of extinction a few
years ago. '.
All-Africa Prayer Day set
for-Zimbabwe on Jan. 25
(GIN/NNPA) - Africa's largest "Christian group, the
All Africa Conference of Churches." has set Jan. 25 as ^
Special Africa Day of Prayer and Fasting for Justice in
Zimbabwe.
At a meeting in the Mozambican capital. Maputo, the
group condemned Zimbabwe's President. Robert Mugabe
for "using power-sharing negotiations as a strategy for
wasting time and exercising continued control."
The church leaders called on the African Union and. its
53 member nations to state clearly, that the current
Zimbabwean regime is "illegitimate" and to stop recog
nizing it.
"The AACC member churches confess that we have
been slow to. respond, to the crisis in Zimbabwe and the
suffering of the Zimbabwean people, in part because of
our lack of unity."
Churches on the Continent and around the world should
engage in a Special Africa Day of Pra>Ter and Fasting for
Justice in Zimbabwe, they wrote. "Action should be taken
for justice and peace in Zimbabwe through measures
appropriate to their national contexts."
Chicago most segregated big city
CHICAGO (AP) - A published report says Chicago is
the country's most segre
gated big city. .
After analyzing 2008
population estimates, the
Chicago Tribane found
that blacks in Chicago are
the. most isolated racial
group in the nation's 20
largest cities.
The figures showthat
more than 80 percent of
the black or White popu
lation would need to
change neighborhoods in
Chicago ft) truly integrate
the city.
The Tribune report
points to racial patterns
that took root more than
MOO years ago in the city.
It says discriminatory practices helped spawn segregation.
But income differences and personal tastes further per
petuate segregation.
The newspaper notes that people tend to select a place
to live where their own color has a large presence.
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. N.C. 27101. Periodicals
postage paid at Winston-Salem. N.Cr Annual subscription price
is $30.72.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:
The Chronicle, P.O. Box 1636
Winston-Salem, NC 27102-1636
Plaintiff says she is happy
with NASCAR settlement
BY JENNA FRYER
RICHMOND FREE PRESS
CHARLOTTE (NNPA)
- The former official who
filed a $225 million racial
discrimination and sexual
harassment lawsuit against
NASCAR is very pleased
with her settlement and
looking forward to moving
on, her attorney said recent
ly f
Mauricia Grant reached a
confidential settlement with
NASCAR following 12
hours of mediation last
month in New York. The
session was suggested by
U.S. District Court Judge
Deborah A. Batts after the
first court appearance in
what was expected ta be a
lengthy court fight.
Grant claimed she was '
referred to as "Nappy
Headed Mo" and "Queen
Sheba." by co-workers, was
often tokl she worked on
"celored people time." and
was frightened iJy one offi
cial who routinely made Km
Klux Klan references. Grant
also alleged she was subject
ed to sexual advances from
- male co-workers, two of
"whom allegedly exposed
themselves to {ier.
"We thought^ was in the
best interest of our client not
to drag this out two to three
years," said her lawyfer.
Benedict P. Morel li of New ?
NASCAR has been trying to broaden its appeal to reach communities of color.
Mauricia Grant
York-based Morelli Ratner
PC. "She needed closure.
She's a young woman, and
when you make the sort of
allegations she did. it's diffi
cult to move forward and get
on with your life."
Settlement terms were
confidential, and neither
side admitted liability or
wrongdoing.
"She's very, very happy
with the resolution." Morelli
said. "Ant) 1 don't think
NASCAR wanted to leave it
out there."
Grant worked as a tech
nical inspector responsible
for. certifying, cars in
NASCAR's second-tier
Nationwide Series from
January unti+ ? her
October 2007 termination.
In the federal lawsuit she
filed in June in New York,
Grant alleged 23 specific
incidents of alleged sexual
harassment and 34 spe^fic
incidents of alleged racial
and gender discrimination
during her employment.
NASCAR chairman
Brian France denied Grant
ever complained to her
supervisors about anything
listed in her lawsuit. But an
internal investigation into,
her claims ultimately result
ed in the firing of -t wo of the
17 officials named in .her
suit.
Obama taps Jackson as first black to head EPA
FROM THE LOUISIANA
Weekly
NEW ORLEANS
(NNPA) - Presidentelect
Barack Obama has nominat
ed New Jersey's Lisa
Jackson, a New Orleanian.
to become the first African
"f American to lead the
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
Jackson was born in
Philadelphia. Pa. but was
raised and educated in New
Orleans. She is the second
New Orleanian selected by
Obama as a member of his
Cabinet. Barack Obama
announced late last month
that Orleans native Desiree
Rogers, a former Zulu
queen and the daughter of
the late New Orleans City
Councilman Roy Glapion
Jr.< will serve as- White
V ?
House social secretary for
the next four years.
Born Feb 8. 1962. in
Philadelphia, Pa.. Jackson
was adopted a few w'eeks
, later and raised in the
Lower Ninth Ward in New
Orleans. A straight- A stu*
dent .who once described
'herself as "a geek basical
ly,"' she graduated' first in
her class at St. Mary's
Dominican High School.
After graduating summ'a
cum laude from Tulane
University's School of
Chemical ' Engineering, she
earned a master's in chemi
cal engineering -from
Princeton University.
She and her husband,
Kenny Jackson, and their
two " sons live in East
Windsor, N.J. Like Rogers,
Lisa Jackson rs a proud New
Orleanian whose signature
culinary dish - gumbo - is a
tribute to her Louisiana
roets. A talented party-giver^,
in her own right. Jackson is
renowned for her annual
Mardi Gras party, which she
has not thrown since
Hurricane Katrina devastat
ed her hometown in 2005.
Jackson worked for 16
years at the EPA in
Washington and in ' New
York before taking over the
helm at the New Jersey
Department of
. Environmental Protection in
2002, an agency that has
been plagued by budget cuts
and personnel shortages.
Jackson was named the head
of the department in 2006
by Gov. Jon Corzine. over
seeing environmental regu
lation in a state besieged
with pollution problems and
home to the most hazardous
waste sitesjfi the country.
She left earlier this
month to take a job as Gov.
Corzine's chief of staff. -
During *her brief stint.
Jackson has worked to pass
mandatory reductions in
greenhouse gases, to reform
New Jersey's cleanup of
contaminated sites and to
establish a scientific adviso
ry board to review agency
decisions.
Not everyone was
pleased with Obama's selec
tion of Lisa Jackson. A
small but vocal group of
Lisa Jackson
environmental protection
groups campaigned against
her the week before she was
officially selected, asking
President-elect Barack
Obama not to consider
Jackson as a candidate.
In a letter to the transi* -
tion team, the Public.
Employees for ?
? See Jackson on A5
BlueCros? BlueShield
of North Carolina
Your plan for better health": .
Blue Medicare HMO Blue Medicare PPO
.V:;.
Medicare Advantage plans offered by PARTNERS National Health Plans of .
North Carolina, Inc. (PARTNERS) and administered by its parent company, ?
Blue' Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) ?
NEW! $0 monthly premium plan available
with prescription drug coverage
Attend an upcoming Medicare Advantage meeting in your area!
, ? ? ?' " ? ? v ' ? ... *?? ?
An authorized sales representative will-be present with -
? information and applications. There is no obligation to enroll.
For accommodations for persons with special needs at sales
r meetings, call the number below. _ , '
. ? ? ' ' '<?
Call today! 1-800-328-9605
Monday - Sunday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
-r>ii r f- -
For the hearing and speech impaired (TTY/TDD): 1-888-451-9957
Presentations designed for potential NEW members
J - KilliVv.
? t Ml ?,
Thurs., Jan. 8, 10:00 a.m.
Winston-Salem Hampton Inn
1990 Hampton Inn Court
Winston-Salem
(Near Hanes Mall)
Tues.r Jan. 20, 2:00 p.m.
Broyhill Conference Center
3540 Clemmons Rd.
Clemmons (I-40 to Exit *184
on Clemmons Rd.) ,
Tues., Jan. 13, 2:00 p.m.
Courtyard By Marriott
? 1600 Westbrook Plaza Dr.
?- Winston-Salem
(1600 Westbrook Plaza Dr.)
Thurs., Jan. 22, 2:00 p.m.
Winston-Salem Hampton Inn
1990 Hampton Inn Court
Winston-Salem
(Near Hanes Mall)
Open Enrollment Period ends March 31st.
Other products offered for Medicare beneficiaries include Blue
Medicare Supplement? and Blue Medicare Rx
Benefits, formulary, pharmacy, network premium and/or copayments/coin'surance
may change on January 1, 2010. Please contact BCBSNC for details. PARTNERS
is a Medicare Advantage organization with a Medicare contract to provide HMO
and PPO plans. 1 You ifiust continue to pay your Part B premium. 2 BCBSNC is a
prescription drug plan sponsor with a Medicare contract. BCBSNC and PARTNERS
are Independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
U4S70, 9/08 H3449_4143, 9/11/08, H3404_ 4143, 9/11/08