AIDA: Colossus Of Opera To Open
ENTERTAINMENT/ PAGE IB
Goodwill Extends Harding A Hi
UFESTYLES/ PAGE 8A
Clje Cljarlotte ^osft
Vol. 14, No. 15 Thursday, September 8,1988
THE AWARD-WINNING "VOICE OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY"
lilts
Davis: Bonds
Are 'Poppycock'
By HERB WHITE
Post Staff Writer
Charlotte's city council should
have reserved more money for
Improvements on the westside
before coming up with the bond
referendum that will be on the
ballot in November, the chair
man of the Black Political Cau
cus said Tuesday.
The caucus will meet Sept. 18
to discuss whether to oppose a
$183 million bond referendum,
which Includes $77 million for
roads on the southeast.
Some members of city council
have said westside leaders
should have made an appeal for
a bigger slice of the referendum
pie before it was approved for
the ballot.
But Bob Davis, head of the
BPC, dismissed that argument.
"That's a whole lot of poppy
cock," he said. "They know we're
on the westside. They say it's the
squeaky wheel that gets the oil,
but sometimes the wheel doesn't
have to squek to need oil. If you
see I need a doctor, you
shouldn't wait for me to call for a
doctor before you send one."
Davis said the BPC's Issues
Committee has been studying
the referendum and will make
its recommendation at the
meeting. Although he is an ex-
offlclo member, Davis has made
a point of not being involved
with the recommendation by
staying away from committee
meetings.
Davis said he has no idea of
what Bsxommendations the
committee will make, or if the
full caucus will approve them.
Davis
Myrick
"If the decision is to oppose
the referendum, we will do so,"
he said. "If we vote to support it,
we win."
The caucus voted last year,
while ex-Mayor Harvey Gantt
was in office, to oppose referen-
dums which neglected the west-
side, Davis said. Even with
changes on the council since
then, the organization has reaf
firmed its position.
Mayor Sue Myrick, who met
with the BPC last month, said
the issue could have been avoid
ed if the westside had Informed
council of its concerns earlier.
'The main thing I told them
was 'why didn't you come to us
before,'" she said. "This referen
dum is based on priorities...The
main thing is that we talk at
some point. As soon as they get
their ducks in a row, then we can
work on a solution."
Myrick said westside leaders
want more for their area, but
have yet to detail any specifics.
"They Just didn't give me ar^y
See BPC DECISION on page 2A.
Lightner Qui st
Over M. L. King Ad
BY JOHN PUSHER
Associated Press Writer
RALEIGH (AP) — Bruce Light
ner who urged Gov. Jim Martin
to form a panel to commemorate
Martin Lulher King says he will
resign from the board because he
thinks a Martin radio commer
cial misleads blacks into think
ing Martin
supported a
state holiday
for the slain
leader.
'That's the
whole purpose
of why I'm re
signing," said
Lightner, who
managed
Jesse Jack
son's 1988
North Caroli
na preslden- Lightner
tial campaign. "I'm making a
statement that I hope will clear
up the confusion."
Lightner announced last week
he was resigning from the com
mission. He released copies of a
letter he sent to Martin tliat said
the ad "deliberately Insults the
Intelligence of the black com
munity and preys on the racial
fears of the broader communi
ty."
At a news conference, Lightner
also said he had asked Martin to
chair the commission before
Martin offered the post to Lt.
Gov. Bob Jordan. Lightner said
he made the request in a meeting
with Martin, Coretta Scott King,
wife of slain civil rights leaders
Martin Luther King, and several
other people.
But last" Thursday Martin said
no one had asked him to chair
the commission.
, Martin defended the radio
commercial sponsored by his re-
election campaign, which ques
tions why Jordan did not serve
on the commission. Martin said
last Thursday it raises a legiti
mate question about Jordan's
See KING AD on page 2A.
New Programs Tried
At The Afro Center
JUMP BALL!...Shawn Moore, wide recicyer for the Harding Rams '
contends with the de£eni»ive efforSci of corncihack, I^trick Mack of
the Independence Patriots during ^e first game of the season.
Photo/CALViN FERGUSON
Black America's Income Unchanged
The real median Income of
Black families was $18,100 in
1987, according to the Depart
ment of Commerce's Census Bu
reau.
This figure is not statistical^
different from the 1986 median
of $18,250 after adjustment for a
3.7 percent increase in consu
mer prices.
The median Income of White
families Increased by 1.1 per
cent, to $32,270, while that of
Hispanic families, at $20,310,
did not show a statistically sig
nificant change.
The ratios of Black-to-White
and Hlspanlc-to-Whlte family
Incomes were 56 percent and 63
percent, respectively. Neither
showed a statistically signifi
cant change from their 1986 lev
els.
The median Income of Black
married couple families was
$27,180 In 1^7, compared with
$35,300 for White and $24,680
for Hispanic families. The
Black-to-Whlte and Hlspanlc-
to-Whlte married couple income
ratios were 77 percent and 70
percent, respectively. Neither
showed*a statistically signifi
cant change Irom 1986.
Among families with a female
householder, no husband
present, the median Incomes
were $9,710 for Blacks, $17,020
for 'Whites, and $9,810 for Hls-
panlcs. The apparent difference
between median incomes of
Per Capita Money Ineome by Race and Hispanic Origin: 1986 and 1987
$20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
^^$7,470 $7,260
^ ■
$13,030
$7,500 $7,610
^ WHITE
I I BLACK
Va HISPANIC
1986
Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census
1987
Blacks and Hispanlcs was hot
statistically significant.
Per capita income of Blacks
was $7,500, not a statistically
significant change from 1986 in
real terms, while those of Whites
and Hispanlcs were $13,030 and
$7,610, both higher than their
1986 levels.
The number of Black persons
below the official government
poverty level was 9.7 million in
1987, an Increase from 9.0 mil
lion In 1986. The poverty rate
was 33.1 percent, an Increase
from 31.1 percent.
The White. population living
below the poverty level in 1987
totaled 21.4 million, not a statis
tically significant change from
1986. The poverty rate among
Whites, however, was 10.5 per
cent, a decrease from 11.0 per
cent
Hispanlcs in poverty num
bered 5.5 million In 1987, up
353,000 from 1986. Their pover
ty rate of 28.2 percent was not
statistically different from the
1986 level.
The poverty level for a family of
four was $11,611 In 1987 and
$11,203 in 1986.
The Income and poverty data
are based on money Income
only, before any deductions and
do not include the value of non
cash benefits, such as food
stamps, public housing, and Me
dicaid or the value of employer-
provided benefits such as health
and life Insurance.
As In all surveys, the data are
subject to sampling variability
and other sources of error.
Black Poverty Is On The Increase In U. S.
"BY RANDOLPH E. SCHMID
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — Increas
ing poverty among blacks, but
not whites, shows that the na
tion's economic recovery is not
being evenly shjued, the head of
a private anti-poverty group
said last Thursday.
But an official of a conserva
tive group challenged Census Bu
reau figures on the extent of
black poverty.
"It seems that this is a very un
even economic recovery. The
gains are not being evenly
shared...the gap between rich
families and poor families Is
now wider In this country than
at any point In the past 40
years," Robert Greenstein said
on NBC's 'Today" show.
Greenstein, head of the Center
on Budget and Policy Priorities.
commented In the wake of a new
Census Bureau report showing
that nearly one-third of all
black Americans live In pover
ty.
Poverty among blacks climbed
2 percentage points to 33.1 per
cent last year, according to the
Census Bureau's annual study of
income and poverty released last
Wednesday. That means that
there were an estimated
9,683,000 poor blacks as of
■1987, wlflfch was 700,000 more
than a year earlier.
"We do have a great deal of une
venness In our economy and the
people at the bottom, many of
them, are being left farther be
hind," Greenstein said.
But Stuart Butler of the conser
vative Heritage Foundation,
who joined Greenstein on the
broadcast, challenged the fig-
ures.
If such benefits as food stamps
and subsidized housing were
counted, he said, "you'll find
that the poverty level among
blacks Is almost half of what the
published data suggest."
"Another point that's impor
tant to recognize...is that this
so-called expansion of poverty
at the lowest end and among
blacks is very largely attributed
to the breakup of families." But
ler said.
"Among the Ijlack community,
about half the families are head
ed by women ... and of course
that means that you have fami
lies with one earner or no ear
ners and that heavily pulls do'wn
the average for that whole com
munity."
White House spokesman Mar
lin Fltzwater said the Increase
In black poverty "ob'viously Is
disappointing," but maintained
that the report had good news
overall, reporting rising In-
See BLACK/POVERTY on pg. 2A.
By Jalyne Strong
Post Editor
Following a period of person
nel turn-over and the Insltution
of new management, Charlotte's
Afro-American Cultural Center
is revamping its cultural base in
the community.
"We want lj let the community
know that the center is alive and
well and momentum is build
ing," says Vanessa Greene, a
partner in Greene Rankin Long,
the team that began manage
ment of the center in July.
Greene, who Is executive direc
tor at the center, announced
Wednesday new plans for the
year 1988-89.
The plans include more cultu
ral events and educational pro
grams for children.
According to Greene, the center
has established a Visual Arts
Advisory committee. The com
mittee consists of local artists
and art educators, who have the
direction to guide and inform
the center's visual arts program.
Members of tills committee are:
Ethel Guest, Juan Logan,
Charles Rogers, Tommie Robin
son, Robert Moody, Ester Hill,
Tony Felmster and T.J. Reddy.
Another plan for the center is
to Insitute satellite centers
around the city. Greene calls the
satellites "a major initiative."
Greene hopes to establish two
community locales.
The center has also esta
blished the "Building Bridges
Program," staffed by Defoy
Glenn, Angela Simpson and An
thony Ford.
This 20-week program will in
volve more than 25 children and
their parents, from the Pied
mont Courts community. In
twice-weekly classes In art and
Afro-American culture. The pro
gram was established, says
Greene, "in order to make the
cultural experience a part of as
many lives as possible."
Expansion of the center's Arts
Education program is also In the
works. The center will continue
to make artists available to
Charlotte-Mecklenburg chil
dren through the public school
system. There will be art classes,
art Instruction and art history.
"There's special emphasis on
the Arts Education program,"
says Greene. "1 see that as the
heart of the Afro Center's opera
tion."
Greene
Finally, Greene announced
that the decision has been made
to convert the center's two shot
gun houses.
One will be turned into a small
museum and resource center
containing Information on
Afro-American histoiy, art and
culture.
The second house will serve as
an "artspace" where local artist
can work, sponsor lectures and
workshops, present, exhibit or
perform their art.
Greene says in formulating
these plans for the center,
Greene Rankin Long worked un
der the direction of the center's
See CULTURAL on page 2A.
Inside This Week
Editorials Pg. 4A
George Bush and the
Caucasian-only covenant.
Entertainment Pg. 1B
JazzC harlot te begins
SatuTdayl 5B
Lifestyles Pg. 8A
Sports Pg. 7B
Elizabeth City squeaks pass
Johnson C. Smith, 19-15.
Classifieds Pg. 12B
The Alliance Sec. C
Church News Pg. lOA
Re-vival begins at
Greater Mt. Sinai.
Obituaries Pg. 11A
Subscribe to the Charlotte Post, call 376-0496.
Queen City News
Hearing
Set On
Bond Issue
The Charlotte City Council
will hold a public hearing on
Tuesday, September 13 at 2:30
p.m. to receive comments on
the $182 million bond referen
dum scheduled for November 8.
The hearing will be held in the
Council Chamber at City Hall,
600 East Trade Street.
The fall bond Issues will In
clude: Street Improvement
Bonds, Parks & Recreation Fa
cility Bonds, Storm Drainage
Bonds, Cultural Facility Bonds,
Water Bonds and Sewer Bonds,
totaling $182, 795,000.
Persons wishing to speak
should contact the Office of the
City Clerk, Charlotte-
Mecklenburg Government Cen
ter, 600 East Fourth St., tele
phone 336-2247.