Businessman Joe LDudley celebrates
birthday and raises funds for museum
"It's all about
entrepreneurship,
helping our people
lecome job makers
and not job
takers."
- John Raye, publicist
for Dudley
Dudley
?
* BY TIMOTHY RAMSEY
FOR THE CHRONICLE
? ?? 1
A black tie gala was held in honor of the legendary
founder of Dudley products, Joe L. Dudley Sr., and late
Chicago-based business tycoon and civic leader, S.B.
Fuller, on Sunday May, 22. The gala was an effort to raise
funds for the construction of the Fuller-Dudley
Entrepreneurship Museum and to celebrate Dudley's 79th
birthday.
Dudley started his company with "$10 and a dream"
and is the best-selling author of "Walking by Faith." His
company is the only third-generation black-owned busi
ness in the country.
"It's all about entrepreneurship, helping our people
become job makers and hot job takers," said John Raye,
publicist for Dudley. "The whole idea is to empower
black people to go into business for themselves. So the
point of the Fuller-Dudley Institute of Entrepreneurship is
designed to encourage people to become business-minded
individuals."
Raye stated that they plan to not use loans or grants
from the government, but to raise the funds themselves to
build the museum. He also stated that there are plans to
have the museums all across the country in an effort to
teach entrepreneurship.
"I am very honored to be in the presence of Mr.
Dudley," said Dr. Jackie Mayfreld, owner of Comprotax
and long-time friend of Dudley. "It's all about what we do
for the community and not for ourselves. It's gonna take
us being self determined as a people to get out of the quag
mire that we are in. And it's gonna take people who have
I
done it before to show the
younger professionals how it is done. With the enthusi
asm of the younger individuals, mixed with the wisdom of
the older folk, I think we can do quite well."
The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan was also in
attendance as a keynote speaker in an effort to raise funds
and close out the historic event.
According to Raye, this is just step one in the plans to
be able to reach people from coast to coast.
Fellowship
from page AT
argan solo of "A Mighty
Fortress is Our God."
Imam Effrianguan
Muhammad, representative
of Farrakhan for the
Winston-Salem Local
Organizing Committee,
observed the significance
of this interfaith gathering.
"I have never witnessed
such a gathering before in
Winston-Salem. Muslims
and Christians were
encouraged to get up and
embrace each other. I have
never experienced that
before," said Muhammad.
'I have only experienced
this with our great friend
and pastor Dr. John
Mendez and his friend and
brother, the Honorable
Minister Louis Farrakhan.
Because the love was gen
uine, it literally brought
tears to my eyes."
"This is something we
have always desired, that
black Muslims and black
Christians can come
together in genuine love.
This was an example of
what genuine Christian
love and interfaith dialogue
should look like," said
Muhammad.
Mendez was elated and
overjoyed that this extend
ed family had come togeth
er.
"This day is like a mir
acle to me. Only God could
have made this possible.
There is a preacher in the
house. I am honored to
present someone I have
known most of my life.
Growing up in Harlem and
on 116th Street, where the
mosque was located, I
often passed by, and
Minister Farrakhan would
always take time to talk to
me," said Mendez.
"When I was student
body president at Shaw
University, I invited
Minister Farrakhan there to
speak to the student body.
This morning, I bring him
again to Emmanuel Baptist
Church," Mendez said.
"He has been a voice for
the oppressed, a prophet to
this land. He taught all of
us how to stand for justice,
for truth. He taught us how
to deal with persecution
and rejection and still come
out on top. I present one of
the greatest orators in
America, in the world. The
Honorable Minister Louis
Farrakhan."
Before Farrakhan took
the stand, Willie Johnson, a
junior at Carver High
I
School, dedicated an origi
nal poem in Farrakhan's
honor. The poem is titled
"What is a Leader?" The
final lines of the poem are:
"And so, Minister
Farrakhan, continue to stay
strong./ Because God
always knew that you were
the greatest leader in the
world/ Before you were
born."
Farrakhan thanked
Johnson for the poem, and
extended a charge to him
that he become the leader
that he wrote about.
"In the name of Allah,
the Beneficent, the
Merciful. We give Him
praise and thanks. ... As
Salaam Alaikum. Peace be
unto you. I want to first
apologize to you. You have
never been to church and
been searched," said
Farrakhan.
"I can imagine the trau
ma you went through.
Martin Luther King's
mother was shot down in
church. Pastors have been
killed while they preached.
They did not search. Eight
black people were shot
down during Bible Study.
We even need to search the
preacher," Farrakhan said.
"I am honored beyond
words to be here today.
Muslims and Christians are
worshipping together in a
time when Muslims,
Christians and Jews are
lulling each other in differ
ent parts of the world.
There is peace, love, broth
erhood among us. Surely,
God has made us an exam
ple for the entire world,"
Farrakhan said.
Farrakhan attended
Winston-Salem State
University (WSSU) in
1955. At that time, his
name was Louis Eugene
Walcott. He had mastered
the violin as his instrument
of choice, and in 1993, he
returned to Winston-Salem
to perform the Mendolsson
Concerto in the Gateways
Music Festival held at
Reynolds Auditorium
"I am honored to be
here in Winston-Salem. I
came South on a scholar
ship to Winston-Salem
Teachers' College. It was at
that College that the pro
found love of black people
was planted in my being,"
said Farrakhan. "I remem
ber climbing all of tfiose
steps to go see a movie at
the Carolina Theatre. We
were treated as second
classed citizens just to see a
movie. Don't tell me about
the Confederate flag. All
the hell we are catching -
we are catching it under the
American flag.
"How can they have
a preacher except they be
sent? The Doctrine of
Liberation. Is it taught in
these theological cemeter
ies of Great America? They
do not degree you to come
out and free your people
from their grip," Farrakhan
said. "God has to intervene.
God has to raise up men
and women who know God
is. When you know God is
the strength and the joy of
your life, how can you
walk away like a coward
suffering inhumanities and
not speak up about it?" he
said.
Farrakhan spoke out
about the homicides that
occur when black males
kill each other. Some of
these murders are associat
ed with gangsta rap.
"When brothers kill one
another, the root of this cri
sis is the lack of knowledge
of self, lack of love for self.
Out of this roots comes
lying, slander, murder,
backbiting, betrayal of our
people."
We need to replace that
root with a new paradigm.
We can tell we have passed
from death to life because
we love the brethren."
"Hip-hop is a part of a
cultural evolution of the
revolution that brought
gospel, jazz, blues, music
that brought us to where we
are. Gangsta rap begins to
use music to glorify and
honor a life of drugs, crime,
the B-word, violence. Hip
Hop, when it started, was a
way to put wisdom in a rap
with a beat. David said
praise God with the
psaltery and the harp.
Praise Him on the loud
cymbals. Praise Him with
the dance. All things are to
be done in praise to God. If
hip-hop moves toward that
direction, it can lift us
rather than degrade us,"
said Farrakhan.
"I was most impressed
with my university, WSSU.
It is wonderful die things
they have done to evolve
WSSU. I am pleased with
the direction the chancellor
and staff are taking. I
would say there is hope.
"I hope our young peo
ple will get self-determined
to do something for them
selves so that they will not
have to lie down at the foot
of white men begging to be
blessed. I am very grateful
for the opportunity to be
invited by my friend and
brother Rev. Mendez,"
Farrakhan said.
"Every decision
you make and
every action you
take is designing
the life you
deserve."
-Erika James, Dean of Goizueta
Business School at Emory University
?
The Sojeffl Cnli
%Sii2?*Z '?>* urn cou-*1-?
tH ?Uest college, undcrgraduate orgra7S jeUm *?*'
e degree from
Grads
frompage A1
School of Business, and a visiting profes
sor at Harvard Business School. Her aca
demic career includes involvement in
diversity initiatives and membership on
multiple university councils and commit
tees.
During her 15-minute dissertation
style speech entided "Choose Wisely,"
James told the students that every experi
ence they encounter after graduation will
be further preparation for the future. She
also told the graduates to choose friends
and peers.
"Every decision you make and every
action you take is designing the life you
deserve," she continued. "So choose wise
ly, for tomorrow is only as good as you
make it today."
City native Brittany Smith is one of
those students who is preparing for tomor
row today. While working toward her
master's of arts in teaching degree, Smith
also worked as a teacher at Southwest ,
Elementary School. Smith said she will
continue to teach until she finds something
else.
Smith said what she will cherish most
about her time spent at Salem is the family
atmosphere.
"Everybody here is really friendly and
the professors are always willing to help,"
she said. "That family atmosphere is
something you can't get anywhere else."
Education major from Lexington
Danielle Beck said she plans to use her
degree to become a teacher as well. Beck
said she always dreamed of becoming a
teacher and walking across the stage is
something she has worked long and hard
for.
'Today marks the end of a long jour
ney," Beck said with a smile.
"It was hard at times, but it was well
worth it. I am proud to say I am officially
a graduate of Salem College."
Correction
The Chronicle apologizes for an error made in The Chronicle on May 19. The article,
on page A1 has the headline "Alan Caldwell,.Reynolds' civic engagement head, retiring."
In the article, the name of Alan Caldwell's brother was incorrect. His brother is named
Edward Lee. The Chronicle regrets any misunderstanding that may have resulted from
this error. The Editor
The Chronicle (USPS 067-910) was established by Ernest
UnvP an H. Pitt and Ndubisi Egemonye in 1974 and is published
v <ui every Thursday by Winston-Salem Chronicle Publishing
A* ? M<) Co. Inc., 617 N. Liberty Street, Winston-Salem, N.C.
V/pillion ? 27101. Periodicals postage paid at Winston-Salem, N.C.
Annual subscription price is $30.72.
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