Ayana, Poetry Contest featured in Ink 1
BLACK INK
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The essence of freedom is understanding
Volume 13, Number^^ '
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BLACK STUDENT MOVEMENT OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
April 21.1981
student leaders say
Black students need unity and communication
LaVlE ELLISON
Staff Writer
Black student leaders from public and private state universities re( entl\ met and
proposed starting a state-wide student organization that would include Black
representatives from predominately Black and white universities.
The heads of the meeting, held earlier this month, were part of th(> Blac k Student
(Governments of the UNC system, which was organized last summer.
The meeting, held on I avetteville State Universit\ s campus, w-as conduc ted b\ 27
represerriatives from Winston-Salem State University, llizabeth State Universit\,
I asetteville State and the University of North (,'arolina at (,'haf)el Hill,
Presently, only those students attending predominately Blac k UN(^ s\stem institu
tions give Black input at Board of Governors meetings or UN(." s\stem student
government meetings,
Ro\ Davenport, president of the t avetteville State Student (jovernment, said,
lach student government president at the ()redominatelv white UN(! institutions
has been urged to invite a Black '.tudent unibn representatPve to UNCSG.A (UN'(.' Stu-
dc'iit Government Association), but no school has done so. In fact, Blacks ot one
Black student union (UNC's Black Student Movement! did not even know that
meeting was being held on their own campus,"
The meeting was held March 20, the same night a cultural program featuring the
BSM Gospel (^hoir, Opeyo Dancers and tbony Readers was held. Both programs
were held in the Carolina Union,
I ormer BSM vice-chairperson jesse (!ureton said student body president Scott
Norberg did not tell BSM members of the UNCSGA meeting,
I asked Scott, (after the meeting) and he said he didn't have an\ idea we would
be interested," Cureton said.
But he (Norberg) was aware I was highly disappointed we weren't told about it,'
he added
But some Black student government leaders met with liSM officials that e\ening
Davenport added at the April meeting that each student governmcMit leader should
represent the interests of all of his constituents but that a lack ot c ommunic ation
often inhibits the process,
Susan Shelton, director of social affairs at Winston-Salem State Universit\, s,aid.
We (WSSU) are committed toward a strong, united Black student organization in
North Carolina because it is essential to our existence,
lohn T, Wolfe, director of humanities and fine arts at l ayetteville State Universii\
said Black student leaders ought to represent concerns, interests and needs ot other
Black students,
"\\e can't allow other people to say what we think, need or are. We must detine
ourselves," Wolfe said.
The leaders also discussed the Reagan administration's proposed federal budget
c uts to student aid.
Letter-writing campaigns to ex|)Tess disapproval of the proposed cuts began at
WSSU and Tayetteville State University before the meeting. Those representatives
urged other university representatives to do the same.
Davenport asked for the leaders to pray silently during the meeting in memor\ ol
murdered and missing Black children in Atlanta since luly 1979.
A native of Atlanta, Davenport encouraged students to wear green ribbonsv the
c olor of life, in memory of the children.
The death count was 21 at the time of the meeting. But the death count has risen to
2 ! dead and two missing in Atlanta.
The next BSGUNC meeting will be held April 25 at UNC-(;harlotte in c onjunc tion
with the UNCSGA elections.
Students say publication supplies information
JOHN HINTON
Editor
A Black Student Movement
subgroup, Black Ink, is seen as impor
tant by some Black students.
In a recent survey, students agreed
that Black Ink informs readers about
Black community issues and events,
Kathryn Pointer, a iunior dental
hygiene maior, said Black Ink
enlightens the Chapel Hill Community
about Black events and issues pertain
ing to Blacks.
"The Black Ink informs the Black
community about issues and upcoming
events, i,e,, political, economical,
historical, and campus-wide," Pointer
said,, "In an overall sense, if does its
lob."
Walt Faison, a junior from Warsaw,
N.C. said that the Black Ink's most
significant aspect is its coverage of ac
tivities on campus.
[he most important feature of the
Black Ink is that it informs Blacks about
the activities on campus," Faison said.
Ffe noted that he was a "regular
reader" of the newspaper.
Kathryn Pointer
Walt Faison
Darryl Hart
Ronald S. Dixon
Debra Cooper
Anthony McNeil
Sophomore industrial relations major
Darryl FHart said that Black Ink covers
the happenings on campus.
"The (Black Ink) tells what's happen
ing, what has happened, whose com
ing, and whose going," Ffart said. "It's
a source where Blacks can present pro
blems and come up with possible solu
tions."
Charlotte native Ronald S. Dixon
cited that the Black Ink is "informative
to the Black community. " Dixon a
freshman, however has reservations
about the true purpose of the Black Ink,
"The sole purpose of the Black Ink
should not be covering the slack of the
Daily Tar F^eel,"" Dixon said, "The pur
pose of the Black Ink should be to keep
the Blacks aware of what's going on
campus, in the community, and on the
national scene."
Debra Cooper, a freshman
psychology major said the Black Ink in
forms Blac-ks at UNC and in the com
munity and deals with the issues which
the DTH seems to leave out.
"1 he Black Ink gives us an insight on
what's happening with Blacks on cam
pus and in the community, " Cooper
said, " It addresses the issues which the
DTH seems to leave out, like
"Discovery" and discusses the BSM's
functions,"
Sophomore chemistry major An
thony McNeil said that He has not read
many Black Ink publications because
he lives off-campus,
"For those who read it, it lets them
know what Black-oriented activities
will take place on campus, " It also can
be used for education and cultural pur
poses,"