August 18, IMO ili€fclRfc
Local citie8 could have racial diiturbane^s aluo
DONNA D. WHITAKER
AiaoclaU Editor
What a shock it was. We were all ihock-
ed to hear about the May riota In Miami,
Fla. and even more shocked to hear about
the ones In Chatanooga, Tenn. In July, and
later, trouble in Orlando.
Why are Blacks in those cities going on
so, we ask ourselves? Why are they
rioting?
We have the same kinds of pressures
present in our cities.
We all have to live with Innation,
unemployment, starvation, police brutali*
ty and prejudice, not to mention ln]uitlct
Miami again?
Can Miami happen again? Can the
discontent that vented itself through the
riota In the Liberty City community be of •
continuing and threatening presence ?
The spark that Ignited the Miami rloti
was the acquittal of four white policemen
accused of killing a Black Insurance ex
ecutive. Nevertheless, the causes go much
deeper and carry with them a greater im
pact than the appearances of a
neighborhood outraged at one man's
death.
Miami did not explode just because the
policemen were acquitted.
Miami exploded because of the constant
and unrelenting pressure of an economic
system that had failed Blacks, an influx of
refugees who threatened to take away
what fsw Jobs there were and a growing
despair with the Justice system.
In other words, Blacks were fed up and
could no longer bury their feelings against
the racism that so often showed Its true
colors.
The violence that went through Liberty
City should not be condoned, but must be
understood. As In the sixties, rioting once
again became the voice through which
Blacks shouted their hopelessness with the
world.
In the coming months and years storiei
of riots could again fill the front pages If
economic conditions are not improved.
Black rage should be converted to Black
pride, which has been regrettably low late
ly, in an effort to change and improve
situations for this country's Black popula
tion.
However, this can only be done by In
creasing the number of Jobs available to
Blacks. Funds for Jobs and Job tranlng
need to be instituted In the nation's ghettos
to enable Black people to help themselves.
Blacks need to have an option other than
violence, because in the long run, violence
may get attention, but It ultimately
destroys many more valuable entities;
like Black lives and property.
Check Black Ink
for
Personal features
Facts
Campus athletics
of iom« lort. §ut we didn't §tapt a Fi§l:
Policemen ieeuied §( killing a ^Fgthef ih
Miami were let ott the and Ky KIum
Klinimen ae§ueed e( killing feuf §la@k
iliteri In Chatane§ga were set free: The§e
actloni added te the anger that devel§ped
inalde the leuli ef many ilaek Affl§FiesH§;
The rioteri blew a fu§e hut we didn't;
No, It didn't happen In loeal eitle§, ^yt
why didn't It? And what i§ stepping it rrsffl
happening In Chapel Hill?
Southern eltlei are kn§wn far their
dliturbaneei. Twenty yeer§ age
Qreenibore wai the eenter §f §it=in§ and
proteiti, remember?
Condltlona are al§wly drifting laek te
Wti§F« Wtii(e tfidfl
jlF(! iHtfiF FlgHls tiilve
denied aHtj ilFli (H Uiie riiirs
Whill i§ ^(8pt)lflg (fbiihlF^ FFtitti (UFH-
iHM iHl6 i ilKe ItlHfcr pi^k tif
f ti§ disiUF&tint^e!! sldrifed #ith Blabk ebb
What ptlFi art We gbing t8
pla>iRih§lS8tjs^
WIf WU§t (iKg a gUUH IBUk ilFHUna Us antj
mk BU( 8UF bFOititrs iifld si^l^rs Ih (^hatjel
Hill (e fiRd eu( Wtlilt'ii an (heir Ihlnds:
if m will fiHd oaF^tilv^s t^tirt af
(he pF8bl§m iH§(§id (He solUliBH tlils
UR1«;
u
Cornrowis
They’re a purt of culture
Alih6U§h e@FHF6W§ dpe Hbt
quite a§ UNS's bamptis
a§ if) pa§t ve£iF§, F§getil sIhhs §hew
that the FathSF libeFai haiF
he FetuFf^irii t6 Ihe §8f»ewh{i( k8H§§F-
vative yNtHashieR;
AfteF ail, t!8FHF8w§ aFe an AfFi^an
iFaditieH moFe than five thdii§afiy
^eaF§ §ld: Ah^ II yN6 i§ piHg (8 he
esnseFvative with fa^isn^,
§inee eveF¥§ne will §88h he wmihu
e6FHFew§, why nal itHsw a little ahhiit
thetfi;
y§ually Htsdeled h)^ gUF8=
AmeFiea» w8F»en. sueh a§ Se bepekt
§laF ifl the wivie ‘'IQi" Blagk weHiefl
weFe §een weaFifig 06FHFew§ Ih
AmeFiea §if)ee they weFe fiF^t hF^ughl
eveF iFem AlFiea almasl §§§ yeaps
I'ven while §n the way ipem Afpiea
Id Ainefiea and theiF §68h he slave
maBteF§, the eapUves 8h (he slave
ship§, in spite el (he pam (hey fat>edi
§6fflenew weFe able te ^eFhFew (helF
§hildFefi'§ haiF ana Hiest likely ea^h
8theFs al§8:
f he P8iht (8 Hoiei i§ that theiiF Wiiar:
lh§ c8rhF8Ws WeF§ Wbfe thari for
taShlbHi bu( also fbF Syttibbl.
geH(Urie§ Mi)8 AfFitahS develdped
haiF hFaidiHgi iH^ludihi (He stvie hbw
ealled tdFHFbWsi IH(8 ah art ftitm.
m
u§ei
HaMed the diffepeH( styli^s and
(hem as.syfflhbls (8 idendfy,
affl8Hi 8(heF (hiRiSi Sb^ial s(a(US; al^t^
iF8upaHdFeliii8ii§amlia(ibH. ,
They ifi68FB8Fa(ea (He braidea hair
syfflh8l§ lR(8 (helF e«FeHibHies;
fesdvalsi Fi(es and Fi(uais and ih (Hat
way symhslie^hFaided^haiF s(yies
weFe BMssed 8h fFsm rieneFadbH Id
... , Ml
eReFa(l8h and eslahlished as ^aFt ar
i8H, a
(8 go
e AfFitaR euKuFal stippeFt ^
ARd 08FRF8WS heesKie a fasi
syRF)h8l and a (Fadi(i8K:
§»(; 68FRF8WS had fUrtheF
(iel8Fe (hey he^airieim^biaF.
SuFlRg slavepy, §laek eeeplet (he
vittlrfis bf (iehaVI8F-Rfl8dlfyiRg (Fea(^
mefl( (Ha( ifiade (hehi bcueve Bflly
whi(e was righ({ hegan to alieF (hc^ir
a((i(udes ah8U( themselves ahd (heiF
haiF;
5^ aress wiinCi
helieve white. (A( least some Bf (^etfi
fel( (ha( wayj degraded, they didHl
waR( (8 ^aii a((eRti8n (8 (hemselvei^
The ffleh S(8pped wearing bhaidS;
They s(6pped beeause western saeiety
dldR'(88RsideFi(fflaHly:
AI8RM With l^laeit tfiusicj daneet atid
soeial behavlHF) bFaidiRi; became Ibw
felasS t8 prafcidSe;
Hewever, (fle 60s tft8Vethehl feviv:
ed a l8(; iHcludiRi sbFRFows, t revived
(he Slatfft mattes fFeeaom (8 lil^e
hifflselfi tb feel pF8Hd «f t^hat He wasj
and R8( wha( he t-onid neref be; 8F
wha( he sh8uld R8( even mFe (8 be:
The glaek maR eeuld H8lB his head up
agaifi and be pfbud 8f What he Feally
WCiS'
N8Wi tha( 68FRrrtWs have fbdfld
theiF Way ifl(8 8WF lifestyle* we Heed
R8( W8FFy ab8ti( it beiHi; abrepted by
whi(e S8eie(y:
Whi(e pe8ple are Hbw gbiflg (8
seh88l (6 leaFR (o fe8Fnrow the way
§laelts have fsf- yearS; this shHuld be
a huie lRspiFa(i8H tb a lot bf tHbse peo
ple wh8 ReveF (hlRit aRy(hinii t^la^k is
aRyaeBd until whites afrcept it.
BUt gBFRFdW.s do FUR (he FIsk 8f be=
ifljj (ufRed iR(8 a “rad" and dismissed
iR fu(uFe yeaFS as beiRg oui-8f^(yle
^ (h8se wh8 ape Hdw e*piBl(iHti i(.
Bees (hat weaH that ftincjt -?Heie(f
Hn pailf 91