How Did St.
Valentine^s
Day Tradu
tions Began?
-Page 4
Chancellor Bumim
Tells About His
Recent Experiences
With Student Life
-Page 6
Find Out How Much
You Know About
Black History With
The Black History
Trivia,
-Page 7
CJAA Celebrates
Its 90 th
Anniversary
Vol. 66, No. i
Circulation 2,200
Elizabeth Ciiy. NC
Februar>’ 13, 2002
The Compass
Elizabeth City State University’s award-winning student newspaper.
ANNUAL MLK MARCH MARKED BY
PRIDE AND UNITY
ELIZABETH
CITY STATE
UNIVERSITY
ECSU Students Hold University Banner During March Shebony Davis, T^anie King and Melody High
Inger Parker
Editor
ParkerJnger@hotmail.com
&
Jessica Barrier
White_dov@hotmail.com
Despite the cold, dreary and wet
weather conditions, the annual Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. march, held on
Monday, Jan. 21, was still a success
The march of pride and unity
included nearly 300 participants,
including Elizabeth City State University
faculty, staff, students and community.
Dr. Jean Holt, director of student life
and activities, was especially proud of
the ECSU student participation.
Holt, who was a first-time partici
pant at the annual MLK march said of
their participation: “It’s great. Especially
on a holiday morning when it’s kind of
cold outside.”
Another ECSU faculty member Dr.
John Luton said: “I am very impressed.
I think we have a good representation.
We should be able to make a very
powerful statement today.”
The event began with the opening
prayer by ECSU student government
association president, Keith
Richardson, who is also a member of
King’s Fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha. The
march left G. R. Little Library at about
10:15am onto Southern Avenue, to
Martin Street and stopped briefly at City
Hall, were they were led in prayer by
ECSU professor. Rev. Charles Foster.
At about 11:00am the marchers
arrived at the former Martin Street
where the crowd cheered as Mayor
John Bell and Rev. John E. Trotman,
pastor of Cornerstone Missionary
Baptist Church, unveiled the sign that
read: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr.
At 11:30am the marchers were
welcomed into the sanctuary of Corner
stone Missionary Baptist Church, which
is locate on the newly named street. Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. The church
was overflowed with eager guests, who
readily cooperated with the organizers.
There were so many guests that some
individuals had to be moved into another
room with a television screen so that
they could view the ceremony and be
seated comfortably.
First the Albemarle Youth Choir
graced the audience with a selection
called “He’s Just That Kind of God.” Then
the speaker for the occasion, Rev. Viola
R. Spivey, who graduated from ECSU in
1984 with a Bachelor’s degree in Psy
chology, delivered a speech that she
said was inspired by God. Her message
was mainly focused on King’s vision to
set his people free, in which she often
compared with the Bible story of Moses’
vision to set his people free.
“Dr. King was a man with a vision
and a purpose...to set his people free,”
Spivey said.
“Dr. King Gave great importance to
the Exodus story and God’s deliverance
of the Israelites from slavery and oppres
sion,” she said, “He saw a parallel be
tween the Israelites oppression in Egypt
and that of black people in America.”
Spivey continued to hold the atten
tive audience’s attention as she further
elaborated on the definition of freedom
and how God was able to deliver blacks
from oppression and bondage as He did
the Israelites.
“Freedom is to be able to deliber
ate, make decisions, and be respon
sible,” she said.
“Just as God was able to deliver the
Israelites, He was also able to deliver
black America,” she said, “That is what
God does...He delivers. He takes men
from where they are and put them where
He wants them to be...it is in His nature
to deliver those who are oppressed.”
Spivey used a Bible verse to explain
how King was able to find the strength to
keep the movement alive and make his
vision a reality despite constantly being
disencouraged by so many people,
black and white.
Again comparing blacks to the
Israelites she said, “We were deperson
alized and disenfranchised...and living
in fear... but still he knew that the
mission was possible with God”
Then she quoted Ephesians 3:20:
“Now unto Him that is able to do ex
ceeding abundantly above all that we
ask or think, according to the power that
work in us,” which she said was the
verse that helped King keep the dream
alive and can help America to continue
letting freedom ring.
A first time participant of the cer
emony, Elizabeth Greene, 72, marched
with her daughter Sharon. Greene said:
“I’m new to Elizabeth City and have
worked in New Orleans for several years
with many great black friends, that are
deceased now. And I have always
supported equality... and still do. I’m
honored to be a part of this parade.”
Angie Willis, who marched with her
daughters, Sierra, 11, and Kristian, 9,
said that this was not their first march;
she has been bringing her girls since
they were in strollers. “I just felt it was
necessary that we come out for the
cause. I’m simply trying to teach them
what Martin Luther King and his
struggle was all about,” she said.
Sharon Goodson, executive direc
tor of Elizabeth City Neighborhood
Corporation said, “If he were here today.
Doctor King would say this is the perfect
street to be named in his honor. It was
once a thriving African-American busi
ness district that has withered. It’s now
home to houses that need nurturing.”
Goodson explained that the Hugh
Cale community had received a 1.75
million dollar revitalization grant, which
will be used for housing, job training,
and business development in the Hugh
Cale district. The Hugh Cale community
encompasses Martin St. and its sur
-photo courtesy of Keisha Williams
rounding area.
Students who were first time partici
pants in the annual event were very
proud of witnessing a historical moment.
“As the younger generation we have
only heard about the struggle. But today I
am marching to show my appreciation
for what King did. If he and others didn’t
do what they did, I couldn’t do what I am
doing right now,” said ECSU sophomore
Jason Potter.
“I am here because I would like to
thank Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., but I
would also like to I thank the right and
left hand people who were beside him,”
said ECSU sophomore Bradley Waddy.
“It was altogether fitting that a
street in Elizabeth City be named for an
American so great as Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr.,” Mayor Bell said, “Most cities of
our size have already made just a desig
nation. We are long overdue in Elizabeth
City.”
Editor’s Note
“After about two hours of
deliberation Tuesday, January
29, a 15-member committee,
appointed recently by Mayor
John H. Bell Jr., voted to recom
mend that City Council rescind
its November decision to
rename Martin Street as Martin
Luther King Drive. However,
they said no action should take
place until council finds a
“suitable primary streef to
rename for King.” -courtesy of
www.dailyadvance.com