Paee4A - THE CHARLOTTE POST - Thxirsday, June 24,1993
Africa: A
Joumej^
Home
By Dr. Paula Newsome
SPECIAL TO THE POST
Africa, truly the land of en
chantment. Is one of the
most misunderstood and
misrepresented land masses
on the planet. The continent
of Africa Is the second larg
est land mass on the earth
and the most mineral rich of
all the continents. Popula
tion experts estimate that
over 650 mUllon people live
there. This figure is estimat
ed to be 30% of the world’s to
tal population.
There are 52 countries in
Africa. These countries
house more gold, Jewels, plu
tonium, platinum, chrome,
and copper than any other
place In the world. Africa’s
Nile River Is the longest river
In the world and the Sahara
Desert Is the largest desert In
the world. Africa Is more
than three times the size of
the United States.
Human life began In Africa
on the Omo Valley In a place
called the Valley of the
Moons. The first civilization
of the world and the first city
In the world were built In Af
rica. The Pyramids are the
only wonder of the world that
still exists unaltered.
Very few of us even realize
that the country with the
greatest African population
Is Nigeria, with over 115 mil
lion black citizens. Brazil Is
second with over 40 mUllon
black people and the United
States Is third with 35 mil
lion.
Most of the people In Africa
are of darker skin hue. In the
northern and northeastern
countries, quite a few of the
people are Arab or of Bedouin
descent. In most countries,
there are white expatriates
and In South Africa, there
are 5 million whites and also
a small Aslan and Indian
population.
Africa can be divided into
four parts. The northern
countries have small popula
tions with the exception of
Egypt originally called "kmt"
or Kemet. In ancient Egyp
tian cultures, vowels were not
used In writing. The Nile Riv
er courses through Egypt and
Is one of the rivers In the
world that runs opposite to
the flow of gravity. In other
words. It runs from south to
north.
The eastern part of Africa
gained a lot of attention dur
ing recent months with the
discharging of troops from
the U.S. to Somalia. The east
ern part of Africa Is home to
Kenya and Ethiopia. The
eastern part of Africa is very
mountainous.
The western part of Africa,
especially along the coast, is
the most heavily populated.
■West Africa is thought to be
the part of the continent
where most Africans in the
diaspora are from. The coast
is extremely beautiful and
one sixth of the entire popu
lation of the continent Is lo
cated there. Some countries
In this part of Africa Include
Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal,
Gabon, and the Ivory Coast.
Southern Africa Is one of
the most beautiful places In
the world with mountains,
lakes, rivers, and very rich
mineral deposits. Because
south Africa Is below the
equator, the seasons are op
posite ours. In other words, it
is hot there In January and
cold In July. Some countries
there Include Lesotho, Mala
wi, Namibia and the Republic
of South Africa.
Yes, Africa is a very diverse
land full of deserts, savan
nah, mountains, beaches, cit
ies, villages, towns, high
ways, dirt roads, and yes,
even large game reserves! Af
rica Is full of contradictions,
a continent that participated
In slavery yet Its countries
were the victims of slavery by
remote control otherwise
known as "colonization."
Over the next few weeks, we
will explore this vast conti
nent as we journey back
home.
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Mandela's Coming To America With Tour
Mandela
Continued From Page 3A
jointly
^warded the w*
,1993 Phlla- f
fielphla Lib
erty Medal.
Constitu
tional talks
are expected
to set the
;stage for free
elections in
July of next
year. With
the black majority able to
vote, the 74-year old Mande
la is almost surely to be
elected president of the ra
cially tom country.
Decision By Atlanta
Mayor Creates
Election Chaos
ATLANTA - The decision
by popular Atlanta Mayor
Maynard Jackson not to
seek re-election has created
election chaos with a host of
candidates now expected to
compete for the city’s top
elected post. Shortly before
his announcement, a poll
showed Jackson virtually
unbeatable with a 74% ap
proval rating. The 55-year-
old Jackson is credited with
bringing large numbers of
blacks Into the city’s white-
dominated business estab
lishment. He also succeeded
In bringing the 1996 Sum
mer Olympics to Atlanta.
Minorities Are A
Majority In 2,000
U.S. Counties
WASHINGTON - According
to a Census Bureau report re
leased in June, blacks and
other minorities are the ma
jority population In over
2,000 counties, cities and
towns around the nation.
The largest Is Detroit, which
Is nearly 80% black and His
panic. Among the smallest Is
Tuskegee, Alabama, where
there are 325 whites and
nearly 12,000 blacks.
Gay Protest Against
Powell Ineffective
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - A ho
mosexual protest against
Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair
man Colin Powell drew little
support recently as Powell
delivered the commence
ment address at Harvard
University. The gay commu
nity and is supporters are up
set with the highest ranking
African American In the
U.S. military because of his
opposition to homosexuals
openly serving In the armed
forces. Fewer than 200 of the
30,000 people attending the
ceremonies stood and turned
their back on Powell as gays
had requested.
El Rukns Members
To Get New Trial
CHICAGO - New trials were
ordered this month for three
members of one of the na-
Louis Farrakhan: 'Never Meant
To Slander The Jewish Faith'
ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK-Louls Farrakhan says he did
not mean to offend Jews with his much-
quoted remark calling Judaism a "gutter re
ligion."
In an Interview with Newsweek magazine,
Farrakhan, the Nation of Islam leader and
prominent advocate of black self-reliance,
said the comment was meant as a condemna
tion of Israel for Its treatment of Palestin
ians.
"I never meant to slander the Jewish faith,’’
he said. "I was speaking of Israel."
Farrakhan, 60, has begun a campaign to
mend fences with the white mainstream and
with Jews, Newsweek reports.
"I’m not the ugly fellow you would like to
make people think I am," he said during an
interview in his Chicago home. "It’s neces
sary for the garbage to be cleared away so that
a new and better relationship can be struc
tured between blacks and Jews."
In a gesture that many saw as conciliatory,
Farrakhan made a surprise concert appear
ance in Winston-Salem In April and played a
violin concerto by composer Felix Mendels
sohn.
He’s made overtures to Jewish leaders.
Newsweek said, dining last month at the
Farrakhan
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The Charlotte Post
tlon’s most notorious black
street gangs - the El Rukns
of Chicago. A federal Judge
ruled that prosecutors had
tainted the trial by miscon
duct and the withholding of
Information. Thomas Bum-
side, Cordell Griffin and C.D.
Jackson had been convicted
on charges. Including nar
cotics conspiracy and racke
teering. The El Rukns - for
merly Black Stone Nation -
had dominated several crim
inal enterprises in the Chi
cago area for over 20 years.
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home of an unidentified Chi
cago rabbi.
And later this year he’ll pub
lish a book, "Torchlight for
America,’’ recasting the
teachings of his late mentor,
Elijah Muhammad, as reme
dies for dmg addiction and
crime In black and white
communities.
Farrakhan’s efforts at con
ciliation have been received
coolly by critics.
"Playing the music of a dead
convert (Mendelssohn’s parents converted to
Christianity) will not repair the depth of
hurt, insult and damage that Reverend Far
rakhan has spewed," said Abraham Foxman,
national director of the Antl-Defamatlon
League of B’nal B’rlth.
And Chicago Jewish leaders complain that
The Final Call, the Nation of Islam’s newspa
per, Is filled with antl-Jewlsh invective.
Asked about his frequent criticisms of Jews,
Farrakhan told the magazine: "Look at me
like a Jewish mother who may spank her
child not because she hates the child. She
wants the child to take a correct course. If I
have spoken words that hurt, the question
comes right down to this: Did he speak the
truth?"
GettingHeieRDin
IburHome MavBe.Easier
mM
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