PAGE 8
BENNETT BANNER
November 26, 1969
'^^SOBV Is Functioning^^- A First-Hand Analysis
The following statements
were made to reporters by
(Student Organization for
Black Unity) delegates some
time after the SOBU
Conference in Durham was
held:
Sandra Philpot, Student
Senate President, described
the conference as being very
beneficial, and as an occasion
that set a beautiful tone for the
opening of Malcolm X
Liberation University. Sandra
saw the purpose of the
conference as a call “to bring
Black students and other
interested Black individuals
'M
SANDRA PHILPOTT
from across the country
together to define and discuss
the aims of Blacks. It was
designed to provide Black
people with opportunities to
deal with specific projects that
would enhance the ultimate
goal of Black people-- total
liberation.”
The entire experience to
Sandra was inspiring. She liked
the conference for the “kinds
of workshops, the consultants
for the workshops, and the
mere fact that a lot of Black
people had gathered and talked
about the state of the
revolution. It was a beautiful
thing.” The discussion sessions
were found to be very good
and very enlightening. “One
point all panelists stressed was
that Black people must not
forget that we are an African
people. We must not think of
liberation of Black people only
in the United States, and not
of the revolution only with
the United States.
One thing Sandra found
particularly interesting was a
film “Battle of the Algierians.”
It is the story of the successful
struggle by Algieria for
liberation from French
domination. It was interesting
to her “because not only men
fought, but also women and
kids. That’s the way I look at
the Black struggle; not only
brothers, but sisters and kids
help. The film offered a way to
encourage sisters to get into
active struggle.”
Other events of interest
during the five day conference
Quotable Quotes
The following are notable
phrases made by Betty Shabazz
during the dedication
ceremony of Malcolm X
I iberation University in
iHirham.
“Black people
ed as a polit’
■ice the civil wai
e limelight
hen we d
inething for :
ey (whites) ti:
"We can on
)blem by faci
a war based
r skins."
"There's bee*
litancy" a
;ture from thi
"Politics ant
ne.”
'Black peop'
h other. T
my things
ths to divide i
“Many peo
ilcolni was
It Malcolm
discriminately
n.” He merel
have been
■al football
We’re put in
' dropped.
Je to do
elves, then
' how to do
solve our
■aiity..This
te color of
missionary
African
■est."
id are the
■ st support
h there’re
n in our
say that
)lent man,
not say
carry the
..serted that
“wherever and whenever the
federal government is unable or
unwilling to protect black
people, then black people have
the right to protect
themselves..Malcolm taught
self-defense.”
“Tliey (whites) can kill as
many blacks as they like but
the revolution will go on.”
“Youth are put in a bad
position. When they should be
studying they’re spending their
time trying to eliminate some
of the oppression.”
“Our job is to defend the
territorial integrity of Africa,
because while we're busy with
who’s got the best dashiki or
v ho’s got the largest afro,
hites will have taken Africa
id there would be nothing
’ ‘ft for us.”
“Whites can’t e.xpect to
jnstantly kill without
eventually being killed.”
“The U.S. spends millions
for international and national
defense. Why not spend more
for education of the black
man-there must be something
that he (the white man)
doesn’t want us to know.”
included a Night of Arts with
poetry, plays, etc., featuring
Don Lee; and a Culture
Festival. When asked how
Bennett could use what came
out of the conference, Sandra
gave several possibilities.
Included among them are: “We
can set up seminar sessions and
bring out some ideas gained in
the conference. We can begin
to use some suggestions
brought out in terms of making
our education meet the needs
of Black people and in nation
building. Because of the
conference we have established
better communications with
Black people across the
country who are engaged in the
same kind of struggle as we are
in Greensboro. We can always
call on sources made available
at the conference.
One thing we need to do on
campus is to motivate more
girls to get involved in more
things outside, the book covers
and Bennett’s four walls.”
Sandra explained that she was
glad to see Bennett girls at the
conference and the dedication
ceremony. Her only wish was
that “more could have been
there to see the amount of
pride Black people have
exhibited in setting up theii
own institution.”
Miss Rose Coles stated that
she found SOBU to be a
“major necessity if Blacks are
to have some national student
organization relevant to the
needs of Black people. Her
findings at the SOBU
conference have conveinced
her that the organization is and
shall be effective in helping
Negro campuses become Black
campuses. Ideas for projects
directly related to this campus
stemmed from the conference;
however. Miss Coles said that
she is not at liberty at this time
to give specific details retailing
these projects. They will be
disclosed at a later date. She
did state that some of these
Thought For Today
“Out of all that we’ve been
through we stand head to
shoulders with any other
ethnic group.” Shabazz
An Observation
N on-compulsory classes
should be an incentive to the
Bennett College instructors.
After all. if a teacher is
interesting he won’t need a
captive audience.
Of course there are those
teachers who feel insecure
because of the ruling on
non-compulsory classes, and
the reason is understandable.
How many classes have you
taught where the only person
awake has been yourself?
How many times have your
students left one of your
lectures and could not even
remember the topic that you
lectured on?It’s time to put
you, the instructor, on the
ball. This of course does
not apply to all instructors,
but if there is a picture of a
cross on a desk, in one of
your classrooms, with the
inscription: “This is in honor
of those who died waiting for
the bell to ring,” then you’d
better take heed.
long range projects are
designed to integrate the Black
student with the Black
community. _
Miss Linda Goodman
expressed strong faith in the
SOBU organization before and
after attending the SOBU
conference. When asked to
compare SOBU and NSA she
stated that it was better to
belong to an organization
orientated to help Black
students (SOBU) than one that
was unable to do so (NAS).
She feels that the conference
was a rewarding experience.
The open panel discuasions and
small group discussions were
most informative and helpful
in defining the problems that
all Black schools face.Many
suggestions were given on
possible ways to solve these
problems.
Ange McNeill represented
the sophomore class at the
SOBU Conference in Durham.
The purpose of the conference,
as stated in a newspaper article
issued to all delegates, was
“..to bring together Black
students and other interested
Black individuals to define and
discuss the aims of Black
people.”
Before Ange left for the
conference, she had, in mind as
being the principle aim of a
conference of this type: “..to
get ideas for student projects
to further the liberation
struggle.” Having this in mind
before hand, she had a basic
idea of what the proceedings
of such a meeting would
include. She added that
conferences and workshops
were held “..to define and
di scuss (plans) for such
projects,” and that the
conference’s basic goal was
reached.
Plans were made for several
days for commemoration for
Black people.
I
NELSON JOHNSON
Students Support Strike
In support of black workers
on strike at UNC-Chapel Hill,
several colleges who are
members of BSUL held a news
conference Friday, Nov. 14.
The workers are striking for
better wages, standard working
conditions, and several other
demands. Bro. Franklin
Williams, coordinator for
BSUL, and Bro. Nelson
Johnson, national convener for
SOBU, were key speakers at
the conference. Bro. Williams
pointed out that as black
students, we support black peo
ple wherever there is a struggle
involving black people. In
addition, Bro. Johnson
emphasized that any act of
agression against black people
in Chapel Hill would be
interpreted as an act of
aggression against black people
Spanish Club News
The Spanish Club held its
first official meeting at which
newly elected officers for the
1969-70 school year were as
follows: President...Karen
Woods; Vice Presi
de n t... J oy 1 e t te Mills;
Secretary ...Brenda Steele;
Treasurer...Sherry Peterson.
The Spanish Club Advisors
are Dr. Hortensia Boudy and
Mrs. Maria Tano of the Spanish
Department.
The aims of the Spanish
Club are to work diligently as a
group to further acquaint the
Spanish-speaking students, and
other interested students with
the Spanish Customs. It is
hoped that the club will afford
the opportunity for the
students to express themselves
in Spanish outside of the'
classrooms. The club will also
serve as a menas of conveying
to the other members of the
student body what is taking
place in the Spanish
Department.
The Spanish Club is now in
the process of planning a
Spanish Program, which will be
presented in the future to the
entire student body. The
program will feature Spanish
songs and dances among many
other things done by the
Spanish students.
ANNOUNCEMENT
Attention students that are
now receiving aid or hoping to
receive aid for the 1970-71
school year. Applications will
be distributed Dec. 15-16,1969
in the Financial Aid Office.