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EXCEUENCE WITHOUT EXCUSE
*95
Issue 53
North Carolina Central University
Durham, NC 27707
Friday, October 27,1995
MILLION MAN MARCH
Black men take capital city by storm
Men of North Caro
lina Central join in
day of atonement
By Christie Stancil
Staff Reporter
They came in droves on Mon
day, Oct. 16, moving through the
capital city like an army during an
invasion.
Their mission: to destroy the
enemy. Yet, unlike the march of
1963, the enemy did not lie behind
the immense columns of the White
House.
Instead, the marchers of the
Million Man March came to de
feat apathy, violence, and disre
spect in their communities.
This march was only the sec
ond of its kind in the history of the
United States, the first was Martin
Luther KingJr.’s historic March
on Washington, which was a call
to all Black men to atone for their
lack of leadership in the Black
community.
The turnout nearly doubled the
250,000 marchers of 1963, ac
cording to many media sources.
However, march organizers say
the turnout was more magnificent.
They reported almost two million
marchers.
NCCU contingent
Keynote speaker Minister
Louis Farrakhan says people
came for many different rea
sons.
"Some of us are here because
it’s history making. Some of us
are here because it’s a march
through which we can express
anger and rage with America for
what she has and is doing to us...
The basic reason that this [march]
Inside
Oplnons
pg.2
Marshall
Scholar
pg.3
Alumni
Affairs
pg.4
Entertainment
pg.5
Miss NCCU
pg.8
Sports Preview
pg.ii
(Top)
Men listen attentively to
Tynella Muhammed,
wife of the late Elijah
Muhammed
(Right)
Durham native Jeff
Hopkins responds to the
momentum of the march
was called was for atonement and
reconciliation."
North Carolina Central Uni
versity Sophomore Jay Johnson
went to be a part of history.
"I felt like the march may be a
turning point in this era.
"J could not miss the opportu
nity to be a part of this movement
and to participate in such wide
spread reconciliation," he said.
Johnson arrived in Washing
ton, D.C., on one of the buses
sponsored by the NCCU Student
Government Association.
"Seeing more than one million
brothers from all walks of life to
gether and on one accord was the
most significant aspect of the
march, said SGA president, Jer
emy Ardrey.
' "I felt the vibes, I felt the
warmth. I’m still thinking about
it."
Perhaps the most important
message of the march was the call
of some of the nation’s most
prominent black leaders for the
black male to clean up his act.
"Demonstrate your gift, not
your breast. Demonstrate your
gift, not what’s between your
legs. Clean up, black man, and
the world will respect and honor
you,” Farrakhan told the crowd.
Farrakhan, Jesse Jackson
and many other speakers sim
ply gave black men "a good
talkin' to." But they were also
there to uplift the spirits of
African-American males.
Respect and honor
"We’re not putting you
down, brothers. We want to
pick you up, so with your rap
you can pick up the world, with
your song you can pick up the
world, with your dance, with
your music you can pick up the
world," Farrakhan said.
Ardrey felt that Farrakhan’s
sermon was right on the money.
"It’s time to set our own standards.
not in comparison to any other
standards in society. That way you
still might come up short."
The Nation of Islam leader said
that most of the nation’s moral
standards are too low and that Af
rican-Americans should strive to
reach the highest plateau of moral
ity regardless of the poor example
that mainstream America has set.
Johnson said that the message
of the march merely reinforced the
need for attributes like respect and
involvement that he already pos
sessed. However, he added that he
recognizes the difference the march
has made on NCCU students who
had not previously been respectful
to themselves and others.
"Many male students have
A dissenting view
Minister Louis Farrakhan was
prophetic in his keynote speech
when he asked:
"I wonder what you'll say
tomorrow...! wonder what you'll say
in your newspapers.'
The media did not disappoint:
A.M. Rosenthal, columnist, New
York Times, 10/17/95
The black men's march in
Washington was a blow to the
American dream and goal to unity.
It can turn out to be as demeaning
and damaging as the civil rights
movement was decent and hopeful.
changed their language. I know
one brother who who stopped re
ferring to women as bitches and
'hoes'after the march. Now, he even
encourages other brothers to do the
same," Johnson pointed out
This transformation represents
only a part of what Farraklian asked
of black men. He also preached
spirituality.
Moral upliftment
"Every one of you must go back
home and join some church, syna
gogue, temple, or mosque that is
teaching spiritual and moral uplift,
he said.
The message of the march is not
new. Black mothers, fathers, reli
gious leaders, and politicians have
constantly stressed the importance
of respect and responsibility.
In light of that facL many lead
ers wonder whether this day of
atonement will really stir such a
disadvantaged sector of the popula
tion to action.
Ardrey believes that it will and
has been instrumental in organiz
ing NCCU students to respond to
the call of the march.
The Coalition for Campus Em
powerment has been established at
NCCU as a result of the Million
Man March, Ardrey said.
This organization will consist of
male and female students working
towards social, political, and eco
nomical empowerment on campus
and in the surrounding communi
ties.
A forum called “After The
March” has been held to discuss
the formation of the new organiza
tion.
In his speech Farrakhan equates
the disparities in the Black commu
nity to a carcass. "Here’s the car
cass, the remains of a once mighty
people, dry bones in the valley, a
people slain from the foundation
of the world. But God hath sent the
winds to blow on the bones.