TAM
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ann^\
Friday, February 5, 1988
BENNETT COLLEGE, GREENSBORO, N. C.
Vol. XLIX, No. 3
Is cartoon sportswear attire inspired by racial pride?
by Crystal Sadler
Can you imagine Mickey
Mouse sporting' a Filas jog
ging suit and a nameplate,
and carrying a Louis Vuitton
briefcase? Can you envision
Fred Flintstone or his pet
Dino with a fad haircut?
Picture Snoopy wearing a pair
of Gucci shades and a sweat
shirt with one of the histori
cally black colleges’ names
printed across his chest.
Then, when you have all
of this in your mind, picture
these characters with brown
skin.
Since last January, there
has been a new look on cam
pus. Many students here and
at other black schools have
been wearing teeshirts and
sweatshirts that have pictures
of cartoon characters like
Mickey and Minnie Mouse,
Fred and Wilma Flintstone,
Snoopy and Charlie Brown,
but instead of being repre
sented as white they are all
black.
At first it appeared to be
“just another fad,” but other
sweatshirts began to be worn
as well. These new shirts fea
tured the slogans, “Black by
Popular Demand” or “Black,
Catch the Wave.” It is a well
known fact that clothing
styles make statements. Is
this new style just a fly-by-
night trend or is it represen
tative of something deeper?
Black campuses across the
country seem to be having a
resurgence of black pride.
Male students are wearing
haircuts that are reminiscent
of African tribal haircuts,
while females are wearing
braids called comrows, which
are twisted and shaped and re
semble tribal styles. Like the
hairstyles, the clothes pre
viously described are evidence
of this pride.
Many students here feel
that the new attire isn’t just
a passing fancy. “I think it’s
here to stay,” said junior
Tanya Goodwin, “I like
them!”
“It does show pride in our
heritage. I don’t think it will
wear out,” added senior
Tracey Durant.
Others seemed to feel that
the trend may be the end of
the extremely complacent
young black and the begin
ning’ of a real black power
movement like the one in the
60’s and early 70’s.
“I think that it will spur
on a true black pride move
ment,” Karen D. Jones said.
Young blacks in the tee-
shirt business, who tend to
be males, say that the tee-
shirts are profitable. One en
trepreneur in Atlanta intends
to open up his own business
and specialize in these type of
black-oriented sweatshirts.
Not all students think that
this is a beginning of a move
ment similar to the one in
the 1960’s and early 19TO’s.
“Since this style is found
on predominantly black cam
puses, I don’t think it is a
black pride movement,” Ber
nice Scott said.
“Give it a chance to spread
to the blacks on white cam
puses and I think it will spark
a movement,” stated fresh
man Akosita Nguae.
There were many ideas
about why these articles of
clothing are so popular. Bar
bara Wilkes said, “The
clothes are popular because
blacks are enjoying seeing
themselves on the things they
spend their money on.”
Another student, Jerilyn
Williams, agreed, “I like see
ing black faces on my shirts
and I think others feel the
same.”
“They are fun and inspire
smiles,” said Rhea Simpson.
It is difficult to judg’e
whether this is just another
college student fad, but with
the right amount of support
what began as “just another
fad” could turn into a black
pride/power movement of the
1980’s.
College celebrates Black History Month with speakers
by Shavaughn Neal
Black History Month is a month
of celebration around the country
as well as on the campus of
Bennett College.
lit is dedicated to blacks and
their accomplishments.
Bennett will have events that
teach students of their heritage
and of the struggle that many
endured and overcame, the strug
gle that continues today. These
programs are designed to en
lighten the minds, enhance the
lives of blacks and show students
that only together can blacks
overcome the obstacles that re
main in the path that leads to
progress.
This year’s Black ffistory Month
programs begin on Feb. 9 at 10
a.m. in the Annie Merner Pfeiffer
Chapel with Dr. Edwin BeU, dir
ector of the Black Studies Pro
gram at UNC-G, speaking on “The
Civil Rights Movement In Greens
boro: The Role of Bennett
College.”
On Ffeb. 11 at 10 a.m., in the
chai>el, Dr. Alma Adams, chair
person of the department of visual
arts and humane studies, will
speak on “Afro-American Women:
Prioritizing the Agenda For Now
and Later.”
On Feb. 16 at 10 a.m. in the
chapel, Dr. Sammie Campbell,
associate superintendent for edu
cational programs in the Greens
boro City School System, will
speak on “Personal Growth and
Development.”
The celebration continues on
Feb. 18 at 10 a.m. in the chapel
with Dr. Karen D. Wells, clinical
psychologist of OPC Mentad Health
Servicesi in Freehold, N. J. She
wiU speak on “Women of Color:
Young, Gifted and Beautiful.”
On Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 10 a.m.
in the chapel, Mrs. Maxine H.
O’Kelley, assistant superintendent
for personnel and student affairs
of the Burlington City School Sys
tem, will speak on “The Value of
An Education: A Job Is Waiting
For You Who Are Prepared.”
On Feb. 25, at 10 a.m. in the
chapel. Dr. Samuel P. Massie, pro
fessor of chemistry at the United
States Naval Academy, will pre
sent, “Black Scientists: The People
and Their Work.”
Continuing the celebration on
that day will be the children of
the Children’s House under the
direction of Mrs. Naomi Dupree,
Mrs. Jeanette Keith and Ms.
Wanda Williams. At 4:00 p.m. in
the Pfeiffer Science Assembly, the
children will present. “Voices of
Great Leaders and Accom-
plishers.”
The events planned on the Ben
nett College campus in celebration
of Black History Month should
serve to uplift the spirit of blacks
and bring pride and dignity to all
who see and hear the words
spoken on these days. They are
words spoken from the wise in the
hope that they will bring wisdom,
knowledge and understanding to
others.
Dr. Martin Luther King: what he means to us today
by Kimmberly Waller
Martin Luther King Jr.’s
dreams are still meaningful
for the Bennett College stu
dents.
Another year passes, mark
ing the 20th year anniversary
of Dr. King’s death. This year
we celebrated his birthdate
on Jan. 18, three days after
his original birthdate. Dr.
King left the black society
with many inspirations and
expectations concerning the
brotherhood of all mankind.
Audra Henning, a senior,
said, “To me Martin Luther
King means a pillar of faith
from the past.”
Bennett was the first
college in Greensboro to allow
Dr. King to speak on campus.
It happened Feb. 11, 1958.
This inspired many Southern
ers that attended Bennett at
that time.
“He was important to black
history and gave blacks lee
way into the white society.
At one point he brought all
blacks together as a whole
and after he died everyone
separated,” stated Michelle
Sherod, a senior.
In today’s society blacks are
still striving and fighting for
their means of freedom, but
there aren’t enough strong
black activists in the world
who know the meaning of non
violence.
Mrs. Elaine Harrigan, di
rector of Audio-Lingual Lab,
shared some of her exper
iences as a young black acti
vist. “I went to jail for 17 days
in Orangeburg, S.C. We were
chased by bloodhound dogs,
sprayed with fire hoses and
I had bruises and scars for
two months,” she said. “We
went from riot to riot, but
we were strictly non-violent
and we walked hand in hand
during each demonstration. I
was a member of the non
violent campus committees
and I remained involved as a
non-violent activist for inte
gration and student rights for
the next 10 years.” Mrs.
Harrigan was a member of
the Southern Christian Lead
ership Conference. This was
the same organization Dr.
King founded. “His death
helps make my dreams more
apparent and each year more
meaningful as we honor his
memory,” she said.
Dr. King’s “I Have A
Dream” speech had such an
impact on the society when
he was alive that it has been
(see page 4)
/
Gone but not forgotten: Miss Sallle A. Hayes has left the office of public rela
tions for an advertising position, but she has also left behind many good
memories.
Hayes Praised
by Tammy Winchester
For 16 months, she had a
difficult position that required
creativity, dedication and en
durance. She made it look
easy.
Miss Sallie Hayes, direc
tor of the office of public re
lations, left Bennett College
on Nov. 30. She took a ix)si-
tion as project manager with
Cooper and Cooper, an adver
tising company in Winston-
Salem.
Hayes will still be a resi
dent of Greensboro. She will
be commuting to work be
tween the two cities. Her new
responsibilities include the
completion of all accounts for
various clients. She will also
be required to do some writ
ing.
Hayes has a great deal of
fondness and respect for the
college.
“Bennett has been and will
continue to be a very unique
institution. Its founding and
purpose have always been to
better black people, especially
black women, which will never
change. That is one of the
things that contributes to its
uniqueness. Bennett is also a
family that includes students,
faculty, and staff,” stated
Hayes.
Hayes is looking forward
to the new challenges ahead
of her, but hasn’t forgotten
her achievements here.
“Getting the college more
exposure is what I consider
one of my biggest achieve
ments,” says Hayes. One of
the things Hayes is sorry that
she didn’t get completed is
the college darkroom. All who
know Miss Hayes have very
positive things to say about
her and her job performance.
“Miss Hayes has done a
good job. I like her. She is
dedicated,” stated Mrs. Chris
tina Bizzell of the financial
aid office. “She is doing a
wonderful job. She is youth
ful, knows how to talk to the
students. She also listens
very well.”
“Many of the students come
to Miss Hayes just to talk,”
says Ms. Vicky Rose of the
admissions office.
Many of the students went
to Hayes because she always
enjoys talking to them. She
never appeared to be bothered
by the visits, which en
couraged the students to drop
in more often to say hello.
When working with the stu
dents, she was patient as well
as kind.
Hayes is a friendly person
who really enjoys people. She
makes everyone she works
with feel comfortable and wel
come.
One member of the staff
has a great admiration for
Miss Hayes. “She does a mag
nificent job for someone who
had no help when she ar
rived,” says Mr. Henton C.
Jenkins of the maintenance
staff.
There have only been very
positive things said about
Hayes as a person and her
work. She has been called
dedicated, excellent, dynamic
and sensitive. She is a won
derful woman with a great
deal of talent and style. Ben
nett will remember Miss Sallie
Hayes and what she meant
to each and everyone here.