The Compass Friday, November 19,1999 3
Editorial
Telephone Numbers You Should Know.
Hello Mighty Vikings!
By Artelia Covington
Editor
It’s a brand new year with new
ideas, new faces, and new chal
lenges. I trust that this semester
has been a good one for each of
you. I am hopeful that everyone
had a wonderful summer and that
you were making your university
proud. I had a wonderful summer.
I got the opportunity to do
something I have always wanted
to do- intern with a nationally
known magazine. For those of
you who did not know this, I
interned with Emerge magazine,
the print arm of BET this past
summer. And let me tell you it
was an absolutely amazing and a
wonderful learning experience.
While interning there I got a
chance to see how a professional
magazine is run and how they do
business. Since doing the intern
ship and working with some sea
soned journalists like George
Curry and Flo Purnell, I have a
different perspective about jour
nalism and I even walked away
with some new ideas I wanted to
put in place here at our paper.
Some of the new things you have
to look forward to this year is a
health column, a financial col
umn, and a host of other surpris
es. Once again I have taken on
the task of trying to be your eyes
and ears as editor of your
Compass. I will admit that it has
not been an easy task, but who
said that everything good for you
must be easy? The Compass staff
has some new faces and some
returning ones, each of them with
the same idea in mind to report
the news at any cost and to report
it to the best of their abilities. I
will admit however, that
sometimes we make mistakes, but
it is all apart of learning and
growing and each of us should be
familiar with that. One of the
most important things I was able
to take away from my experience
this summer is that whatever your
niche is do it, and do it well.
Don’t be afraid to experiment
with new things and above all-
don’t ever think you are above
criticism ( a lesson I had to leam
the hard way). At any rate, I hope
you enjoy your year and leave
here just a little bit more
informed than when you first got
here.
The Compass
Editor.... * Artelia Covington
Assistant Editor Stacy Brock
Sports Editors «....j€mayne King
Arts Editor. Mike Fonnup’
Copy Editors .MicheUe Lewis^ William Nelson
Ad Editor .James PoUi
Photo^apher Je’aime Powell
Sports Staff ,....A1 Randolph
Staff Inger Parker, Blass Gatling, Amber Hassell
Advisors Kip Branch and Stephen March
The Compass is published by Elizabeth City State University students under the direction
of the Department of Language, Literature, and Communication; Dr. Velma Blackmon,
Chairperson; Mr. Kip Branch and Mr. Stephen March, faculty advisors (editorial); Dr. Kgrl
Terryberry, advisor for business affairs and technical support. Elizabeth City State
University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of
Colleges and Schools to award Baccalaurcate degrees.
The Compass welcomes letters to the editor. Please send letters to The Compass, CamplJs
Elizabeth City State University is a constituent institution of tine University of North Carolina and is
accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
The University is committed to equality of educational opportunity and does not discriminate against
applicants, students, or employees based on race, color, natural origin, religion, gender, age or
ability.
Editorial
I’m Black and That’s Good.
By Artelia Covington
Editor
In my African-American Literature class we had a discussion about
color and the issues African-American people have with color and hair
and themselves. And my professor posed this question to us: Could we
honestly say Fm Black and That's Good and mean it.
Some of us said we could but that there would be some howevers or
what ifs. I myself could not honestly say it without drudging up all of
the issues that I deal with that relate to color. So I decided to do what I
think any thinking and capable person would do, I gave it some thought
and weighed the pros and cons of the issue.
I thought about my second grade teacher who told me that all African
people (black people especially) were descended from monkeys. I
thought about my high school guidance teacher who never
recommended Duke or Carolina to me because she thought Fd be
happier at a historically black institution where I would fit in. And then I
thought about the way I treat my own black brothers and sisters.
I have to be honest, it was not easy for me and it was quite appalling
and painful. But after some deep soul searching and begging forgiveness
from God, I realized that after much painful reflection and deep thought
I can now say "Fm Black and That's Good." You see, I discovered that it
is not about what people think of me or what standards I must adhere to
in order to get my foot in the door, my foot is already in the door and I
am sitting at the table and rubbing elbows with the likes of some people
you would not believe.
As I write this I am thinking about Mrs. Ida B. Wells, an outstanding,
proud and not to mention top-notch journalist, and I am reminded of the
obstacles she faced to be a journalist. This woman risked her life to make
people aware of the social ills black people faced on a daily basis and
who should held accountable. This also brings to mind Mr. James
Weldon Johnson, who some of you may attribute the Negro National
Anthem, "Lift Every Voice and Sing, " a man who refused to bound by
labels and color and was proud not only to be who he was but was
proud to come from a people who were proud of who they were and
what they were. And then there is my personal favorite, Mr. Langston
Hughes, an accomplished playwright, poet and novelist in his own
right, who dared to challenge the thoughts and beliefs of the social order
of the day just to prove a point. That point being; not only is being black
good, it's wonderful. In this day and age when no one is especially
happy or comfortable with who they are, I am proud and amazed of
these pioneers of the African-American spirit who weren't afraid,
couldn't be persuaded, and who paved roads upon which the likes of
even me could now travel. I do not doubt that had they lived to see
what their contributions had done for our race no doubt would they
have been proud of what we were able to do. It is because of
W.E.B.Dubois and Booker T. Washington that we had Martin Luther
King and Malcolm X, it is also because of Sojourner Truth' and Phillis
Wheatley that we have Toni Morrison and Alice Walker and even
because of Hiram Revels we have Jesse Jackson. Now do you see why I
am so full of emotion and pride? Now do you understand why I gave
this a lot of thought. It is because of wonderful and beautiful people like
Langston Hughes and Ida B.Wells that I can even write this editorial
with any amount of knowledge about writing or even journalism for
that matter. And' it is for, these pfetSOns sacrifices and trailblazifig that I
can now say'with pride and immense emotion: "I'm Black and That's
Good."