When the Charlotte chapter of the Na
tional Council of Negro Women, Inc.,
celebrated Mary McLeod Bethune Day
last week, part of the festivities included
the presentation of Community Service
Awards. Among the award recipients
were (front row, L to r.) Paula Emerson,
Public Affair* Officer at the Charlotte
Post Office; Cornelia Belton, educator;
lone Jones, educator; Alice Kee, church
and community leader; Elaine Nichols,
who received the award for Dr. Bertha
Maxwell, Director of Afro-American
Studies, UNC-C; Virginia Wood, presi
dent, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority;
Lavenia Young,- educator and church
leader. NCNW- officers and program
committee members included (back
row, 1. to r.) Sarah Stroud, program com
mittee chairman; Irene Hunt, treasurer; ’
Gertrude Pearson, program committee;
June Davenport, president; Rev. Minnie
Conner, chaplain; and Mary Harris, 1st
vice president.
|Ma^':.McCIeodr g|
Coinciding with International
Women’s Week and the U. S. Postal
Service’s issuance of the Mary
McLeod Bethune commemorative
stamp, the National Council of
Negro Women, Inc., Charlotte
chapter, celebrated Mary McLeod
Bethune Day on Saturday, March 9,
at First Baptist Church-West.
One of the highlights of the event
was the presentation of Community
Service Awards to “women from aU
walks of life far their outstanding
community sendee,” related NCNW
Pfobldent, June .Davenport. Ac
cording to Davenport, this will
become a yearly event
Award recipients included Cor
nelia Belton, Elaine Brown, Charlie
L. Bullet, Kathleen Croabj?, Deane
Crowell, Barbara Davia, Dr.
Mildred Baxter Davis, Thereasa
Elder, Paula Emerson. Carrie
Graves, Eileen Hanson, Adelaide
Hunt lone Jonea, Alice Kee, Phyllis
Lynch, Dr. Bertha Maxwell, Lucille
MeNeel, Vivian Nivens, Jane Reid,
Sarah Stevenson, Ella Talley, Vi
Street People WMm
Continued From Page ISA . ■
income areas. Those who abstain
from drink and drugs wander the
streets until night Now that the
weather is kinder, they can find
many places to sleep. Some do fln&
others not so well. ‘.‘Some of them
lire by the railroad hacks down by
N. Graham St," informs the street
philosopher. "The area is dirty and
SSE*4'*** »**>•/
“Itty to talk to some df them," hie
says. “I tell them, 'You don't have to
go through this.’ » Yet he knows
they will have many excuses for
their behavior. "Many are hanging
on to yesterday. Others, particularly
young black men, think someone
owes them something,” il
lness is evident In others. :
Jcat like any subgroup of people,
those who inhabit the streets have
varied personalities. There are
meaa ones. "They steal to support
themadve* They don’t hesitate to
knock aomeone in the bend and rob
them," describes the philosopher.
“Others don’t bpther anyone,” he
adds. There Is a mixture of races
datea t£?Wl<3», “ttat bucks
oatnmqber whites three to one.”
Their backgrounds are as varied
•s their personalities. Many are
from out of town. They stop in
Charlotte on their way somewhere
else. Some are native Charlotteans
and have family that lives in town.
Often their families try to get them
to come home. They don’t go.
Another young men wants to tafi
Ms story. Isaac Link is from Lin
colnton. North Carolina and has
been in Charlotte about two months.
“I’ve always been a working man
and a honest man,” he says. Link
assures that he’s trying to get his Ills
together. The time he spends among
the ttreet people shows him many
“I’m not here to judge anyone,’’ he
data*. “But this la life they choose.
After you are awaken at the
shelters, you have all day to look for
work. Thera are plenty of jobe but
tbey’e not looking for them. They’ve
gotten Into the habit of asking so
meone for something. Then, they
complain about whet they get
“There’s confusion at the soup
lines. Fifty percent come there
drunk or high and start fights. They
go into the library draft. It’s
dangerous out here. I’ve seen a
white boy almost get beat to death in
the Salvation Army shelter. The
truth la. It is not peachsa and Ice
crtiro.
‘They are not helping themselves.
They don’t mind spending a few
daya In Detan to get off the streets. If
they lose their jobe they always
know that they have the shdtera to
fall bock On.
“Yon can’t beta a person who
won’t help himself," Link mentions.
Lika many of the persons who Uvs on
the streets, Link admits Us life has
had a few hard knocks. “I’d get jobs
and couldn't hold them,” he refUcts.
j'ftd 1 want to do and I want to
Around IS: JO p.m., approximately
JO to 40 of the homeless are sitting on
the front steps of buildings that are
located near the Salvation Army.
For the mod port they are quietly
waiting. A young black man with a
woman stands by the gates of the
Salvation Army and soon signal that
the doors ars opening. Immediately,
the throng of waiting people file Into
the bulkting. Many were earlier at
the breakfast program at First
United Methodist. They are now go
ing to have lunch.
The philosopher is eager to tell
more about the lives of the street
P«ople “There isn’t as many here
today as there are when It's cold.
Then you would see women and
children, entire families. Also it’s
the first of the month and many have
money from government checks,”
he points out.
difference between street
people end the rest of the world is
like night and day. When I first
entered this world it was pure
culture Shock,” be describes.
■ > * * i- J U
vtan Williams, Virginia Wood and
Lavenia Young. ,
Program moderator was Allean
Conner, while scripture and prayer
were tod by the Rev. Minnie Conner.
and Gertrude Pearson read the
Mayur*a proclamation. Paula Emer
son, Postal Public Affairs Officer.
presented the commemorative
OOfcia involved In the program in
doded: Sarah Stroud Se);
Ophelia Gray, president emeritus
(NCWW reylew^Dr. Roy Anderson
j^^^^^OwadtoglT'and^r’.
H^Brown, Owede
r«
JE™*^ iwford, Carrie Gilmore,'
Lfllie Irwin, Lucille Sewell, and
Beaate Cowan.
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