Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Sept. 20, 1984, edition 1 / Page 22
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Dr. Maxwell Is An Inspiration To Young Hack Women By Loretta Manago Poat Staff Writer Strang, black women like Dr. Bertha Maxwell's god mother, Carrie Hunter, her grandmother, Rosa Lions, and her first female men tor, Janie Hemphill, were perhaps the sources for much of whom Dr. Max well is today. - No doubt, as a youth, she saw Hr each of those women a positive attitude and an iron clad deter mination that she too would possess. And certainly today Dr. Maxwell is an inspiration to young black women who see In her those same outstanding quali ties that she once saw in her own role models. “My grandmother impact ed my life tremendously. I looked up to her because she was strong and because she was an organizer," reminisced Dr. Maxwell. Like the UNCC professor, Carrie Hunter was also an educator. The role or an educator for Dr. Maxwell was not one that she chose for herself; rather, it was one that was chosen for her. It had been Dr. Maxwell's intention to pursue a career in nursing when she was a student at Johnson C. Smith University in 1950. ‘‘I had really wanted to become a nurse, but I started changing my mind after talking with people about the opportunities in education. And financially, it was going to be easier to complete a major in Edu cation in contrast to nurs ing.” That education career began with the Chariotte Mecklenburg School Sys tem. During the 16 years with CMS, Dr. Maxwell worked as an elementary teacher at Alexander Street School, as a Cor rective reading instructor, as an assistant principal at Villa Heights Elemen tary School in '68 and as principal of Morgan Ele mentary School in '69. The next year two impor tant change* happened. Desegregation was intro duced into the school system and Dr. Maxwell decided to quit the public school system. Her deci sion to leave was largely due to her personal feel ings about the desegrega tion process. '*1 was not opposed to desegregation, but I was against the methods that were chosen. I felt that more constructive ways could have been found to achieve the process with out iata« little black chil dran to cure a 300 year old social ill. Our Mack chil dren had to be bussed way across town, whereas the wjdte Children still attend* There was ns equity in it. I Dr. Bertha Maxwell .Director of A.A.A. Studies felt it was morally wrong and unfair. Feeling as I did there was no way for me to continue to work in the system." Working in a post secon dary environment revived a sense of challenge that Dr. Maxwell has always thrived on. For. the first seven years that she was at UNCC, she and other ad ministrators, students, teachers and communica tors were completely im mersed in developing an Afro-American and African Studies curriculum. “When we had completed putting the program to gether, it was at a time when the African studies at other universities was col lapsing. Our program was so strong and unique, that despite what was happen ing at other colleges, we proved that ours bed a legitimate academic disci pline and it was approved,” asserted Dr. Maxwell. This one project was . accomplished in addition to 1 her other responsibili ties. As an instructor in the College of Human Develop ment and Learning, Dr. Maxwell supervised stu dent teachers as well as taught intermediate level courses of study. She had, before that time, already earned her Master’s of Education And Admini stration degree front UNC Greensboro. In 1976, another profes sional change was to trans pire in the life of Dr. Maxwell. For one year she was the first woman vice president at her alma mater, Johnson C. Smith University. Although she did not remain in the posi tion long, she said that she learned one valuable les sen and that was that “you can’t go home.’’ “My perception of me is that I am a professional activist Being that I know I haVe to be about active change. I have to make waves and I can never be 'We will give you the Look he Loves jCc^Lptitit iSeauly (ltnir\ MBnMNMn JM-4717 satisfied with the status quo. But I never deal with negativism. At Smith, I knew that 1 could not be that professional activist. When I decided to return to UNCC the following year I was doing what was best for my alma mater and myself.” Her return to UNCC presented another challenge - to get depart mental status for the Afro American and African Studies program that she had helped to create. As a “professional acti vist" tbh roles and con cerns that Dr. Maxwell has are many. She is particu larly concerned with the black race and pointed out there are three things that we (blacks) must be aware of: “We need to be fully cognizant of our identity and proud of our African descent. We should be able to make connections with others and ourselves. And lastly, we should learn to control our environment. the family and the church as well as our personal environment.” She does not give this advice as a person who does not practice what she preaches, but every day she lives the creed in which she believes. In tangible ways it has shown itself in her role as an educator, as a black woman and cer ' tainly as a “professional activist." From her involvement with others like herself, has been the creation of Afro American Cultural Center, I... an outgrowth of the Afro American African Studies at UNCC, the National Council of Black Studies of which Or. Maxwell is the founder and Big Brothers and Big Sisters which stemmed from the WBT Advisory Board on which she serves. But none of these ac would qualify her being an achiever or a success. In her opinion if she is a success it’s only because she has simply "dimi nished failure." Best Wishes and Continued Success to JAMES ROSS*. ROM , The Bounty Corp. 3201 Beatties Ford Rd YOU CAN WIN CASH ON CHANNEL 36 The television show that’ll shake up Charlotte premieres Monday. September to and we want YOU to be a contestant. Wn big cash prizes! Win as a bowler or win as a "Pin Par home contestant. -Pin Pals" win the same prizes the bowlers do. To enter, just fill m the entry blank below and send it to Channel 36 Contestants must be over 18 years of age. and wiH selected by the program producers on the basis of the information submitted. The producers decision is final Weeknights At V. BOWUNO FO* DOLLARS I wish to be a contestant □ WPCO-TV P O Box 18665 \ Pin Pal I—1 Charlotte. N.C 28218 L“J Name .in ■ ■ -. Phnna Street.,.—.- , . .Age—— -State,.. Zip_ OocuP***00 * ■ ■ ■ . Bowling Average— 1 Bowl At--—City___
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Sept. 20, 1984, edition 1
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