HOLGATE LIBRAK
^ College
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ARCHIVES BENNETT CO;
Greensboro. N
FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 1980
BENNETT COLLEGE, GREENSBORO, N. C.
VOL. XLI, NO. 6
Sit-ins celebrated
by Debbie Hodges
Four separate groups are plan
ning events for the weekend of the
20th anniversary of the sit-ins at
Woolworth’s. On Feb. 2, 1960, four
A&T students refused to move
from the white section of Wool
worth’s lunch counter. They were
joined in later days by students
from A&T and Bennett, including
then Bennett SGA President
Gloria E. Brown Wise. Similar
protests were organized across the
country as a result.
Mrs. Wise will be honored as
the first woman to sit-in Jan, 21
in Pfeiffer Chapel, 10 a.m. She
will be presented with a plaque
at the vesper where she will be
the main speaker. A luncheon will
be held that day at 12:30 in the
Student Union. Dr. Willa B.
Player, Bennett’s president during
the sit-ins, will be the main
speaker.
A&T’s SGA is also planning
events that weekend. On Feb. 1 at
11:30 a.m., a luncheon for black
student leaders of North Carolina
will be held in the Student Union
Ballroom. A march at A&T will
highlight events that took place
on that campus in 1969. Unveiling
ceremonies are included in the
march. Speakers are tentatively
listed as Andrew Young, Cardiss
Collins, Jesse Jackson, Cleveland
Sellars and Ben Chavis. Work
shops on Feb. 2 are planned with
each speaker chairing a session.
Religious services are planned for
Feb. 3.
The February One Committee,
chaired by Mrs. Shirley Frye, is
organizing city-wide commemora
tion activities. The itinerary
follows;
Jan. 15-Feb. 1—Library displays
in Bleauford Library.
Jan. 27—Greensboro Equality
Sunday, proclaimed by the
mayor.
Jan. 31—4 p.m.—24-hour vigil
begins at the Church of the
Redeemer, E. Market St., former
headquarters of the sit-ins.
—7 p.m., invitational reception
for the original protesters hosted
by Chancellor and Mrs. Dowdy
at the Commons in Cafeteria,
A&T State.
Feb. 1—Civil Rights Day pro
claimed by Gov. Hunt.
—^7:30 a.m., breakfast at Wool
worth’s.
—9:30 a.m., A&T convocation,
Harrison Auditorium.
—11:30 a.m., press conference,
Hilton Inn.
—12:30 p.m., luncheon, Hilton
Inn, $10 per person; speaker,
Samuel DeWitt Proctor, profes
sor, Rutgers University, pres
ident of A&T during the sit-ins.
—2:15 p.m., unveiling of histor
ical marker. Elm at Market St.
Early elections
by Lisa Harris
The Student Legislature
plans to hold elections earlier
than usual this year.
Ellen Brinkley, president of
the student legislature, claims,
“we are holding elections ear
lier this year so that we can
work together now with the
future officers and pass on
our ideas so that they (the
incoming officers) will be bet
ter prepared for next year.”
Nominations for the follow
ing positions will be held on
February 14, at 7:00 p.m. in
the Chapel: Student Senate,
Miss Bennett and her court
(all except Miss Freshman),
Student Union Board, Recre
ation Council and the Inter
dormitory Council.
Campaign speeches for the
presidents of each organiza
tion will be conducted Febru
ary 25, in the Chapel at 7:00
p.m. Elections will be held
February 26, in the Student
Union Foyer from 9 a.m. to
5 p.m. Ellen stresses the par
ticipation of everyone on cam
pus. She states, “the S.G.A.
is a vital part of our institu
tion and a lot of problems
could be solved if everyone
participated.” Furthermore
she claims, “the SGA provides
leadership positions and pol
icy-making decisions for every
young woman here at Bennett
and these experiences should
be grasped by everyone.”
Business boost
by U. S. Dept, of Commerce
New census data on black-owned
businesses in the United States
indicates that larger black firms
are playing a greater role, both
in receipts and numbers of per
sons employed, than five years
earlier.
However, the data shows only
modest overall growth of black-
owned businesses: a 51 percent
increase in gross receipts from
1927 to 1977, a 21 percent increase
in the number of firms, and only
a six percent increase in the num
ber of persons working for firms
with paid employees.
There were 231,203 black-owned
businesses in the United States
in 1977, according to the prelim
inary report issued by the Bureau
of the Census, U. S. Department
of Commerce. «
The total of black-owned firms
five years earlier, ^he report notes,
was 190,478. The difference be
tween the totals stems partly from
inclusion in the 1977 report of
businesses such as those in legal
and health services that were not
covered in 1972 and partly from
an actual increase in black-owned
firms.
The majority of black-owned
firms in 1977 was concentrated in
retail trade and various service
occupations. These two areas of
business comprised 68 percent of
all black-owned firms and 61 per
cent of the gross receipts of such
businesses in 1977, the report says.
Counted by the Census Bureau
in its 1977 survey were 101,706
black-owned service businesses—
an increase of 51 percent over the
67,406 counted in the less exten
sive 1972 survey. Gross receipts
in this area of business increased
104 percent, unadjusted for infla
tion, over the same period. The
additional coverage, the report
notes, accounted for some but not
all of the increase.
According to the report, industry
sectors increasing their relative
share of gross receipts included
wholesale trade, manufacturing,
selected service and finance. Sec
tors not growing as fast included
retail trade, transportation and
construction.
The number of firms in the
wholesale trade sector increased
from 1,729 in 1972 to 2,211 or
about 20 percent. The number of
firms in retail trade increased
from 54,914 in 1972 to 55,405 in
1977 or less than one percent.
—4 p.m., end of 24-hour prayer
vigil.
—4 p.m., ringing of bells at all
churches (original time of
sit-ins).
—4 p.m., unveiling of location
plaque at Woolworth’s, donated
by WEAL-AM.
The Feb. 2 Mobilization Com
mittee (Mobilization-2) is plan
ning a separate march for Feb. 2.
Rev. C. T. Vivira, on the SCLC
board of directors, and Lucius
Walker, Jr., executive director of
Interreligious Foundation for
Community Organization, Inc., are
co-chairmen of the umbrella or
ganization of the 45 groups of the
committee. Greensboro branches
of the NAACP, SCLC and CWP
are among the 45 group members.
Tyrone Brooks, executive director
of the Martin Luther King Foun
dation recently separated from
SCLC, will join the march. Al
though asked for its support, the
Pulpit Forum of Greensboro and
Vicinity does not endorse the
march. Outgoing president of the
forum, Cleo McCoy, said the
march is not relevant to the mem
bers’ roles as community leaders.
However, individual members of
the forum may decide to
participate.
The march was not planned as
a commemoration of the 1960
sit-ins but as a protest against
civil injustices, including the rise
of the Ku Klux Klan. The anni
versary of the sit-ins seemed an
appropriate time to the committee
to protest.
As of this printing, a route for
the march is not finalized. The
committee had planned to end the
march at the Coliseum. However,
a Danville concert promoter holds
an option on the Coliseum for that
day. The committee charges that
the promoter received city finan
cial offers to hold on to the Coli
seum on that day. The promoter
denies the charges.
Pres. Miller receives second insfallmenf of a $50,000 grant awarded by the
Western Electric Foundation. Making the presentation is W. E. Rheingrover,
general manager of the Human Resources at the Guilford Center.
Photo by Myra Davis
NAACP aided?
by Myra George
The Bennett College chap
ter of the NAACP sponsored
its annual Unity Week fes
tivities during January 14-18.
Although the celebration
was originally scheduled for
first semester, poor planning
and lack of communication
caused it to be postponed.
These problems were also the
reason that some of the activ
ities scheduled did not take
place.
Jane Brandon, president of
the chapter, said the “whole
week has been a disappoint
ment because I expected more
interest and participation, es
pecially of people who are
members.” However, the Stu
dent Government Association
and Interdormitory Council
did provide aid by scheduling
a chapel service and dorm skit
contest respectively.
Other activities held
throughout the week were a
soul food dinner and Greek
“stepping” with participation
from the Kappa Alpha Psi and
Alpha Phi Alpha fraternities
as well as the Zeta Phi Beta
sorority and Alpha Kappa
Alpha and Delta Sigma Theta
sororities on this campus and
A«&T’s. The climax of the
week was the Miss NAACP
pageant followed by a Unity
Week disco.
Brandon said that all money
collected from the disco would
replenish the organization’s
treasury while all money
raised from the pageant would
go to the United Negro Col
lege Fund.
The purpose of Unity Week,
she said, was “to unify; to
unite everyone in one specific
goal and cause; to give as
much of one’s self so that we
can live in harmony with each
other.”
Names you should know
The Home Economics Depart
ment recognized the achievements
of its students on “Awards Night,”
held Dec. 5. The winners were:
“Most Creative Fashion Designer”
—Billye Davis (Related Art 321);
“Outstanding Achievement in Be
ginning Clothing Construction”—
Cynthia Porter (Clothing 101);
“Most Conscientious Student in
Family Clothing”—Wynetta Scott
(Clothing 221); “Highest Academ
ic Average in Clothing Retailing”
—Patrice Vailes (Clothing 433);
“Outstanding Pattern Designer”—
Margaret McDowell (Clothing
323); “The Competency Based
Teacher”—Vivian King (Educa
tion 423); “Most Punctual in Com
pleting the Observation of Chil
dren”—Cynthia Bryant (Family
Life 321); “Highest Academic
Average in Foods”—Eileen Green
(Foods 101); “Highest Overall
Performance in Nutrition”—Deb
bie Nelson (Foods 221); “Most
Efficient Manager of Time, Energy
and Resources”—Leiia Mickens
(Home Management 421); “Home
Manager of the Year”—Felita
Claybrooks (Home Management
426).
“Forgotten Village,” a film
based on the work by John Stein
beck, was shown Jan. 21 in Black
Hall. The movie, set in Mexico,
deals with the conflicts between
the belief in magic and witchcraft
and belief in science. A second
film, “Starry Messenger,” a Time-
Life series offering, was also pre
sented. It concerns the evolution
of astrology into the science of
astronomy.
!(: *
The Winston-Salem Journal and
Sentinel newspapers are accepting
applications for the 1980 Summer
Internship program. The intern
ship is geared toward students
with good academic records who
have demonstrated serious inten
tions to pursue careers in print
journalism. Rising seniors are gen
erally preferred, but others will be
considered.
Selections are based on grades,
interest in newspapers as a career,
evidence of writing or editing
ability demonstrated in clippings
or class exercises, experience on
college or other publications, and
personal interviews and refer
ences. Editors announce their se
lections in late winter. For further
information and an application
form, write to; Mrs. Carlene C.
Shelton, Personnel Manager, Jour
nal and Sentinel Newspapers, P. O.
Box 2509, Winston-Salem, N. C.
27102.
Jf: * *
The first volume of the “Fred
erick Douglass Papers,” a com
pilation of speeches, letters, and
debates of 19th century America’s
most important black person, has
been published by the Yale Uni
versity Press.
Funded by a grant from the
National Endownment for the Hu
manities, “The Frederick Douglass
Papers” constitute the definitive
edition of the former .slave’s work.
The material sheds new light on
Douglass’ life and on the social
history of 19th century America,
particularly in the area of race
relations.
The first volume is one of 14
planned for publication over the
next 14 years. Editor of the mas
sive undertaking destined to con
tain over 15,000 separate docu
ments is John Blassingame, a Yale
University history professor.
“The life and words of Fred
erick Douglass give all of us an
insight into the larger dimensions
of the human experience . . .
Douglass’ dream is also our dream,
his work our work,” Joseph D.
Duffey, NEH chairman, said in
remarks prepared for a special
program in Washington, D. C. to
mark the publication of the first
volume.
Blassingame has recorded over
10,000 events which took place in
various antebellum black commu
nities. Also, an obituary-biography
file of more than 20,000 names has
been compiled, making it the most
comprehensive source of informa
tion on the lives of 19th century
blacks and reformers.
The material compiled for the
entire project includes Douglass’
famous “slaveholders sermon” to
slaves and many modern sophisti
cated analyses of slavery. Blas
singame and his staff have also
collected more than 5,200 letters
to and from Douglass including
correspondence with Ulysses S.
Grant, Henry W. Longfellow,
Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Susan
B. Anthony.