Newspapers / Black Ink (Black Student … / April 1, 1975, edition 1 / Page 1
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April, 1975 BLACK INK BLACK STUDENT MOVEMENT OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina Freedom Justice Unity POWER Vol. 6, No. 6 Uncontested, Diggs voted new chairman Lester Diggs, new BSM chairman Lena White Staff Writer Lester Diggs was elected as the new chairman of the Black Student Movement on March 19. The junior politicol science and speech nr»ajor from High Point said of his victory, "I v/as deeply dismayed because total participation was part of my platform. It's ironic that I was uncontested. Non-members and even some members could look at this situotion and say that Blacks don t care about the BSM. I hope that by next year this administration would have marshalled enough interest to have a slate of not less than ten candidates." Few run in elections BSM Elections By Lena White Black Student Movement Central Committee elections were held on March 19, and approximately 300 students voted out of the total Black population on the campus. Many of the candidates ran uncontested. Lester Diggs won the chairman's position virtually unopposed despite several write-in votes for Buddy Ray. Gloria Carney was chosen os vice- choir-person over Walter Davis. Bernadine Ward was uncontested for Uplift students get exposed to campus Deborah Craige Staff Writer Once again the BSM, Student Government, Undergraduate Admissions and the Department of Student Affoirs have come together to sponsor the "Project Uplift program for North Carolina high school juniors. Approximately 300 letters were sent out to juniors whose names were recommended by their high school guidance counselors. The annual program is sponsored to give the student a first hand look at Carolina and the university environment. According to Phil Geddie, co-ordinator of the project, this is done by exposing the students to classroom situations, and Black college students to give them a down to earth picture of Carolina. Two weekends have been set aside for the Program, April 10-13 and April 17-20. Student counselors serve as guides and as resource persons for the high school juniors. They will answer questions or direct students to persons who can answer the questions. The project participants attend meetings and are exposed to university admissions personnel, administrative personnel and the Chancellor. They ore further introduced to BSM, its activities and functions, including the Gospel Choir and the Ebony Readers, films or other rap sessions. The project is co-ordinated by Dean of Special Affairs Harold Wallace, George Coates and Phil Geddie. This is the fourth time the project has been held on campus. According to Geddie, the project is a success because about 75 per cent of the participants do apply and are accepted here even though they may not decide to enroll here. secretary. Binky Bynum was elected as Cultural Coordinator over two opponents: Bobby Broadway ran unchallenged for Upendo Board Chairman; and Pearl Burris was elected treasurer by write-in votes. Various representative positions were filled also: Hinton James, dorm, Elson Floyd: Morrison dorm, Sandra Clark: Ehringhous dorm, Pamela Mumford; Granville Towers, Dawn Clayton, Alma Fitzgerald was elected Graduate representative: Darrell Watts, On-Compus Coordinator; Alonzo Hines, Off-Campus Coordinator and Deborah Craig as off-campus representative. North Campus representatives elected were; Al White and Nadine Williams. Vanessa Gallman received the majority of votes for Minister of Information. The minister and her staff ore responsible for all communications concerning the BSM, and the publications of the "Black Ink" and the "Weekly Ink". The Cultural Coordinator is responsible for the planning and execution of all cultural events of the BSM, such as the Coronation Ball, the Block Arts Festival and James Cates Memorial. He is also generally responsible for the functions of the Gospel Choir, Opeyo dancers. Ebony Readers and other BSM cultural groups. The On-campus coordinator is responsible for supervising special events on campus and staying in (Cent, on page 10) Diggs was the only candidate in the race for chairman. Several other positions were also only sought by one person. Diggs served as sophomore class president and student body president in high school and has been an active member of the BSM for three years. He also attended several leadership conferences. "1 felt I had something to offer the BSM and the Blacks on this campus. I saw a need to change the image of the BSM from one of radicalism, os seen by some, to one of professionalism. I felt that I could best do this os chairman," he said. He added that a great amount of organization is needed for the BSM and that his experience os an organizer will aid in developing a functional organization. Innovations are in the offing during Diggs' administration. He hopes to initiate a Black Inter- Froternity and Inter-Sorority Council because he feels the Greek organizations might divide Blacks on campus. The groups can come together to shore ideas, to maintain solidarity and fellowship on campus. "1 don't condemn the fraternities and sororities, they're useful for group association. Yet they need to be completely integrated into the BSM." A special projects committee is also in the planning stage to begin community activities such as programs for the aged, tutorial assistance to junior high and high school students in the community. "1 hope we will notice improvements in the relations between the BSM and the rest of the Black community." Diggs feels that this is necessary because the BSM doesn't just apply to college students but to students in general As to the relations among Black students here on campus, Diggs remarked, "The majority of Blacks ore sensitive only to those who belong to their group status. All need to become sensitive to each other. Personally, I want to encourage Blacks to come out of their shelh and get to know others because in my view of the college experience. Blacks need to get to know what other people's desires and needs ore and help fulfill them. Interaction needs to be increased." In ttie future, Lester Diggs hopes to attend law school, possibly at Columbia, the University of Chicago or Georgetown. He hopes to hove a public service career and to run for governor of North Carolina someday. Diggs said, "I think the BSM should be designed to mirror the attitudes of the Black members of the organization because I see the attitudes of most of the students to be radical and not professional. I see the need to change the image. However, if this organization encounters a situation where radical action is necessary, I would hove no reluctance to employ it." Bullock, Marbley received awards By Stephanie Murray Staff Writer Connie Bullock and Algenon Marbley were presented awards of outstanding service by the BSM during the Black Arts Cultural Festival Consortium, April 13. Bullock, a senior business administration major, received the James Brewer Memorial Award, the first ever presented. The Brewer Award is given in remembrance of Dr. James H. Brewer who died in 1974. Brewer initiated the African and Afro-American Studies curriculum at UNC and worked closely with Block students. Bullock, an enthusiastic worker for the BSM, served as treasurer, sargeant-at-arms and as a member of central committee. He was instrumental in the acquisition of Upendo, in Chose Building, os the BSM lounge. He has also worked diligently with BSM special programs such os Notional Achievement and Project Uplift. "It has been a pleasure for me to work with the BSM these post years and 1 hope that the struggle will not end here, but go on after I graduate," Bullock remarked on the night of the presentation. Selection was based on outstanding scholarship, achievement and service. An award was also presented to Algenon Marbley for his dedicated service to the BSM as chairman for 1974-75. Marbley, a junior political science major from Rocky Mount, has coordinated many programs to better the academic and social aspects of Block student life at UNC.
Black Ink (Black Student Movement, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
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April 1, 1975, edition 1
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