BLACK INK
The essence of freedom is understanding
Celebrating
Blaek History Month ^
February 28, 1>79
BlJ\C K STLDF.NT MOVKMENT OF FI( lAI. NEWSPAFKR University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill,
Volume 11, Number
Black history thrives locally and nationally
UNC greats reveal talents
I r-)
WHIl
ONLY
Famous First . . .
Fventa lucfa u Miss Jane Pittman’s
drinking from a once white only water
fountain opened the doors for Black
pioneers in other areas. One such pioneer,
Blyden Jackson, became the first tenured
Black professor at any white school in the
southeast in 1969.
Ebony Americans succeed
By DONNA D. WHITAKFJl
News Writer
Do you know where you came from,
where you are, and where you are going?
Many Blacks do not, because we do not
know about our forefathers who helped
build America and made it possible for us
to enjoy many otherwise unattainable
institutions and positions.
Black Americans are not dumb; our
history proves this.
BIJ^CK FIRSTS
The First College Graduate— John
Russwurm received his degree from
Bowdoin College (in Maine) in 1826. He
was one of the editors ai Freedom’s
Journal, the first Negro newspaper printed
in the United States.
The First Physician in America—James
Derham, bom into slavery in 1762, learned
medicine while an assistant to his master
I who was a doctor). By 1788, he was free
and was considered a leading physician in
New Orleans by both Blacks and whites.
The First Woman Doctor—Dr. Susan
Smith McKinney (1848-1918), a native of
Brooklyn, N.Y., graduated in 1870 with
honors from New York Medical College.
She practiced in Brooklyn for more than 20
years.
The First Member of New York Stock
Exchange—Joseph L. Searles, III, became
one of the three floor traders, as well as a
general partner, for Newburger, Loels and
Co.
The First Woman (State) Legislator—
Oystal Bird Fauset was elected to the
Pennsylvania House of Representatives in
1938. She died in 1965.
First Lawyer Admitted to the Bar—
Macon B. Alien passed the Bar exam in
Worchester, Mass. in 1845.
The First (Toach of a Major League
Team—Bill Russell, former basketball
star (center) of the Boston (Celtics, was
named coach for the (Celtics in 1966.
First General in the U.S. Army-
Benjamin 0. Davis, Sr. (bom 18^)
became the first Black brigadier general
in 1940.
First Ensign in the U.S. Navy (Naval
Reserve)—Bernard W. Robinson was a
medical student at Har\-ard University.
He won a commission in the U.S. Navy in
1942.
First Black Baseball Player in the Major
Leagues—Jackie Robinson was a pioneer
in diffusing the color barrier in all major
American sports, particularly baseball.
He started with the Brooklyn Dodgers in
1947.
By LINDA A. BROWN
Features Editor
Have you ever thought of looking
back at the way the UNC Black com
munity used to be? Have you ever
thought of looking back at the times
when Black campus Greeks used to
dine together in Chase Cafeteria every
Tuesday and Thursday or when the
UNC black community was continually
making their first entrances into the all
white campus organizations?
Since their arriving on the UNC
campus. Blacks have desegregated
many formerly all white organizations
and also have formed several of its
own.
Blyden Jackson became the first
tenured Black professor at any white
school in the Southeast in 1969. He is
now assistant to the Graduate Dean
Lyle Jones and is professor in the
English department at this university.
Black students also protested in 1969
for Black studies courses to be offered
on campus. As a result Dr. Gordon
Qeveland of the political science
department was put in charge of
initiating the program.
Dr. James Brewer later came to
speak at the university in 1971 and
bwame a permanent co-director of the
Black Studies program with Cleveland
in 1972. Professor Brewer died in the
spring in 1974.
The Bread of life Ministry became a
part of the campus in 1973. It was
estabiished ‘‘to help the social and
academic adjustments of Black
students.”
:
In 1978 Karen Stevenson became the
nation’s first black female Rhodes
Scholar.
Among the many first for Blacks in
the years 1972-74 were also the first
Black cheerleaders in Carolina’s
history. They were Mary Rudd from
Burlington, N.C. and David Belton from
Charlotte, N.C.
Janine “Cookie” Bell, UNCs first
Black majorette who made her debute
at the S^. 22, 1972 Carolina-State
game also broke an all white tradition.
The marching band completed its
desegration when Wilmington’s Sheila
Brewington in 1974 became the first
Sheri Parks became UNC’s first Black
Homecoming Queen in 1976.
Black in the flag corps known as the
“Marching Carolines” and Daryl
Bowks became the first Black drum
major in Carolina’s history.
Omega Psi Phi and Delta Sigma
Theata were the first Black fraternity
and society at UNC. Both organizations
were “started as an effort to jM’ovide a
sense d togetherness for Blacks as well
as promote scholarship, leadership and
service.”
The president then of Omega Psi Phi
was Al Timberlake. The organization
started on the campus on Feb. 16, 1973.
Melta Weaver was president of Delta
Sigma Theata Sorority when it began
here on July 21, 1973.
The desegregation had not long began
when Richard Epps and Marcus
Williams later became the campus’
first and second (consecutively) Black
student body presidents in the years
1972-75.
Since that time blacks have continued
to push for recognition and equality on
campus. In 1978 Karen Stevenson
became the first black woman to
receive a Rhodes Scholarship. An
example of the unity in UNCs Black
students struggle is the past election of
the first three Black homecoming
queens Sheri Parks, Cheryl Anita King
and Martina Kendricks.
CM