Clje Cfjarlotte
THURSDAY, JANUARY 16, 1997
8A
STRICTLY BUSINESS
King’s
economic
beliefs
CHARLES ROSS
Your
Personal
Finance
The establishment of his birth
day as national holiday in 1983
placed Martin Luther King Jr.
among great American leaders
like George Washington and
Abraham Lincoln. King has
been credited with changing the
conscience of a nation. We are
all aware of his philosophy of
nonviolent protest, hut little is
mentioned about his economic
philosophy.
King’s economic beliefs were as
radical as his nonviolent policy.
They were basically centered in
two areas: self-help emd govern
ment help. His self-help pro
gram involves three issues:
developing black businesses,
taking leadership roles in labor
unions and organizing boycotts.
His government help program
also focused on political power,
fiill employment and the guar
anteed income.
Self help
One part of Martin Luther
King, Jr.’s economic philosophy
focused on black businesses. He
knew that, in the most powerful
economy in the world, black-
owned businesses where stiU at
a disadvantage because of racial
discrimination.
He felt that the community
should support and uphft these
businesses. King knew there
existed two areas where the
community could exert substan
tial influence on the broader
economy - as employees and as
consumers.
King felt that blacks should
take leadership roles in labor
unions and organize boycotts.
Back in the ‘60s blacks repre
sented 20 percent of labor union
membership. By securing lead
ership roles in labor unions.
King knew that blacks could
influence policy with companies
that hire them.
Operation Breadbasket
Organizing selective buying
campaigns or boycotts, was a
key part of King’s economic phi
losophy. This philosophy was
embodied in the program
“Operation Breadbasket.” A sim
ilar program achieved success in
Philadelphia with its originator,
the Rev. Leon Sullivan.
The purpose of the program
was to force companies doing
business in the black community
to hire black employees. King’s
idea was that companies doing
business in the black community
should give back a little of the
wealth to the people who helped
create it. The program started in
Chicago with Jesse Jackson nm-
ning the operation. This philoso
phy Jackson took with him
when he started Operation
PUSH and remains a part of
that organization’s strategy
today.
See INSURANCE on page 9A
New King works to be publishesd
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ATLANTA - The family of
Martin Luther King Jr. has
made an agreement with Time
Warner Inc. to publish seven
new works based on the writ
ings of King, his wife Coretta
Scott King and son Dexter King
said.
The deal, expected to be
announced today in New York,
SCORE
workshop
Jan. 25
By Herbert L. White
THE CHARLOTTE POST
A “Basics of Businesss” work
shop will be held Jan. 25 by the
Charlotte Chapter of the Service
Corps of Retired Executives.
'The workshop will start at 8:30
a.m. at the Charlotte Trade
Center, 200 N. College St.
between 5th and 6th streets and
ends at 4 p.m.
'The workshop is designed for
potential entrepreneurs and
people now in business who face
the challenge of growth and
change. The fee is $35 to cover
the cost of reference materials
and refreshments. Enrollment
in advance is required. To get
an application in the mail, call
344-6576 r 344-6563.
Seven speakers wrill address
the workshops, with time
allowed for panel discussion at
the end of the program. Topics
include: forms of business orga
nization; business liability and
insurance; accoimting, cash flow
and taxes; lending to small busi
ness; market research, sales,
advertising and promotion; the
importance of the business plan
and how the Business Resource
Center ca help. The center is
See INSURANCE on page 9A
win include books, Internet sites
and computer CD-ROMs. It will
be published through Warner
Books, one of the country’s
largest publishers and a unit of
'Time Warner.
“My hope is that these hooks
and multimedia spinoffs will
stimulate people of aU ages and
backgrounds to learn more
about Dr. King, his ideas and
the impact he had on social
change in the latter half of this
century,” said Lawrence
Kirshbaum, chairman of Time
Warner Trade Publishing and
chief executive of Warner
Books.
The deal is technically a joint
publishing venture between
Warner Books and Intellectual
Properties Management Inc.,
owned by Phillip Jones, an
Atlanta-based consulting firm
that servds as the exclusive
manager of King’s estate. Jones
is a longtime fiiend and associ
ate of Dexter King, chairman of
the King Center in Atlanta.
“There is an increasing
demand for information about
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. £md
for complete volumes of his life,
his speeches, his sermons and
his writings,” Jones said. “This
agreement with Time Warner
Realtor joins international company
Real estate broker Greg Lee signs on with the Realty World team as Carolinas franchise owners
Maurice and Penny Johnson look on.
Real estate broker Greg Lee
has joined the Realty World
System.
Lee, owner of Greg Lee &
Associates, joined Realty
World Jan. 1. The new busi
ness is now Realty World-lee
& Associates.
Joining the Realty World
system is an important step
forward,” Lee said. “I affiliated
with the Realty World system
because of the exceptional pro
grams and services it provides
for our buyers and sellers.”
Realty World is an interna
tional real estate franchise
organization with indepen
dently owned and operated
offices.
Herbert L. White
New Denny’s ad shines image
By Skip Wollenberg
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK - Denny’s, dis-
tancing itself from the racial
discrimination charges it
spent millions of dollars to
settle three years ago, has
assembled a distinctly diverse
cast in new advertising for its
restaurants.
The ads never mention nor
allude to the racial mix, but
admakers for the nation’s
biggest family-restaurant
chain have clearly paid atten
tion to it.
The campaign, which
debuted last week on TV sta
tions in Florida and Arizona,
introduces “Common sense
served daily” as Denny’s ad
theme. The commercials will
run nationally on cable TV
networks next month.
In the commercials, a wise
cracking man representing
Dennis coaxes pairs of people
to join him at one of the
chain’s 1,600 restaurants,
where he says they can get a
good meal for a fair price
whenever they want it.
In each case, one person
being courted is white and the
other is black.
The new advertising is the
first campaign aimed at estab
lishing a brand personality for
Denny’s since the chain set
tled racial discrimination com
plaints in 1994 for $46 mil
lion.
John P. Reiman, the lead
attorney for those who sued
Denny’s, said showing some
one representing the chain
actively tr3ring to bring minor
ity customers to the restau
rants “is a good message for
the public to be seeing
whether it is intended or not.”
Denny’s officials said the
chain has historically used
minority groups in its adver
tising and didn’t intend to
give its ads a racial subtext.
“Whether we had settled a
discrimination suit or not, you
wouldn't see dramatically dif
ferent advertising in this cam
paign,” said Jon Jameson, vice
president of marketing for
Denny’s. “We are trying to
make sure we are reflective of
the customers we are tr5ring to
reach out to.”
Denny’s is required, howev
er, under provisions of the dis
crimination case settlement to
See AD on page 9A
enables us to preserve, perpetu
ate emd protect the integrity of
the King estate.”
The deal is a boost for the
legacy of King, the famous civil
rights leader finm Atlanta who
weis slain in 1968. 'There eire no
published complete volumes of
his works and very little is
available in emy digital format.
See FARMERS on page 7A
Money
Management
Taxpayer
protection
stronger
By Amanda S. Danchi
SPECIAL TO THE POST
Congress not only legislates
taxes, it also legislates taxpayer
protection. 'That protection was
strengthened last year when
President Clinton signed the
Taxpayer BiU of Rights 2. The
North Carolina Association of
CPAs points out some of the
changes that are particularly
helpful to taxpayers, especially
those experiencing hardships in
meeting their tax responsibili
ties.
Installment agreements
Taxpayers may be able to
enter into installment agree
ments to pay their back taxes,
as long as the IRS agrees to do
so. Once such a plan is set up,
the ERS has the right to modify
or terminate it in ceitain situa
tions. However, the IRS must
permit taxpayers to request a
review of a decision to terminate
an installment agreement. So
that taxpayers don’t get caught
in the lurch, effective Jan. 30,
1997, the IRS also must provide
30 days notice before ending or
changing the Eigreement.
Seizures of property
A taxpayer is generally enti
tled to 30-days notice before the
IRS seizes property to collect
any taxes. The notice must
include information about
appeals and other procedures
that can help taxpayers avoid
liens on their property. Under
the new law, if the IRS does
decide to seize the property, the
value of personal property
exempt from an IRS levy is
increased from $1,650 to $2,500
and the value of books and tools
of a trade exempt from levy is
increased fi'om $1,100 to $1,250.
In most instances, a taxpayer's
principal residence is also
exempt fi’om IRS levy.
See TAXPAYER on page 9A
BUSINESS BRIEFS
Anthony Brevard has been Brevard has
named national development held several
officer for NationsBank’s positions at
Professional Afiican American NationsBank
Market Development group. since he
PAAMD works with black joined the
business people nationally to bank in 1990,
assist them in wealth accumula- most recently
tion, management and preser- as a vice pres-
vation. The program was start- ident in corn
ed last year. mercial lend-
Brevard
ing in Columbia, S.C. The 1990 Brewing Co.’s
graduate of the Citadel serves Southwest
on several professional and civic Field Business
boards, including Palmetto Area, has been
Legal Service Board of promoted to
Directors, 100 Black Men of vice president
Columbia and S.C. Bankers of market
Association Executive development.
Committee. Jackson will
• Michael Jackson, former relocate to
area vice president for Coors Coors’ head-
Jackson
quarters in Golden, Colo., to
assume his new duties. He pre
viously memaged the brewery’s
sales, marketing and distribu
tion for Southern California,
Nevada and Hawaii. In his new
role, Jackson will be responsible
for identifying high growth mar
kets and developing three- to
See BUSINESS on page 9A
BUSINESS TO BUSINESS
N
OUCH. INC.
A Motivational Training
Consultant Service
-providing workshops for:
* home* school • workplace* church
* community
Senior Consultant, Glenda Horton Manning
* 1906 Oaklawn Avenue * 561-3731
* Fax 377-0790 'Touching Tomorrow Today"
At Last! A Certified MBE Company
That Can Handle Your Office Needs!
• Copy Paper • Computer Paper • Toner
Ink Cartridges, Etc.... And We Deliver
Call or Fax Today!
(704) 522-9411 * Fax (704) 522-9413
8227-E Arrowridge Blvd. Charlotte, NC 28273 • Don Black, Pres.
TO ADVERTISE IN
STRICTLY BUSINESS
CALL
FRAN FARRER
(704)376-0496