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£2>aifj^ celebrates 50th anniversary
By Danielle Alford
Reporter
Founded in 1945 and based on
a vision of a 27-year old African-
American businessman named John
H. Johnson, Ebony magazine now
occupies the number one spot of the
most widely circulated and most
popular African-American maga
zine. For 50 consecutive years it
has maintained this position, vow
ing to “proj ect all dimensions of the
black personality in a world satu
rated with stereotypes.”
With focus on this mission.
Ebony started to tear down old ste
reotypes andreplace them with posi
tive images of black men and
women. Articles and dramatic pho
tos helped show how African-
American individuals could rise out
of the difficult situations of poverty
and racial barriers and build out
standing careers in education, busi
ness, sports, science, the military,
and arts entertaiiunent.
During the late 1950’s and early
60 ’ s, this magazine was at the fore
front of the civil rights struggles.
Writers and photographers risked
their lives by dodging racist law en
forcement officers to bring firsthand
accormts of the battle for racial
equality. In 1968, Dr. Martin L.
King, Jr. was assasinated and
£ftony’sveteran staffphotographer
nt
fersary>'
m
In the golden aimiversary issue the cover
story takes an inside look at Colin Powell,
who may be the most popular African-
American in liistory.
Moneta Sleet, Jr. covered the civil
rights leader’s funeral. He captured
the grieving Mrs. Coretta Scott King
and her youngest daughter on film.
This photo later earned him the
Pirlitzer Prize, making him the first
black male so honored.
Over the years, the
magazine has featured
many well-known
people such as Langston
Hughes, Thurgood
Marshall, former first
lady Eleanor Roosevelt,
educator Mary McLeod
Bethune, Rev. Jesse
Jackson and Maya
Angelou. Dr. King
wrote a column entitled
“Advice For Living.”
In 1963, Ebony
published a special is
sue commemorating
the 100th Anniversary
of the Emancipation
Proclamation. This
laimched a tradition of
August special issues.
Some of the provoca
tive special issues pub
lished were “The Black
Revolution”, “Black on Black
Crime”, “Black Love”, and “South
Africa Free At Last.”
The Ebony cover has also be
come as exciting as the many issues.
It is a distinction to be featured on
the cover and many black person
alities seek this opportunity. Many
celebrities have graced the cover
numerous times. Michael Jackson,
Sidney Poitier, Eddie Murphy, and
Janet Jackson are some of these re
cent covers. Three U.S. presidents,
Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lyndon B.
Johnson, and John F. Kermedy and
three first ladies, Eleanor Roosevelt,
Jackie Kermedy, and Barbara Bush
have been on its cover also.
In 1971, Ebony headquarters
was moved into the brand new 11-
story JPC headquarters building on
Chicago’s Michigan Avenue. It
became the first black business to
erect a building in the Loop,
Chicago’s famous business center.
This move reflects the changing
race relations over the years.
Ebony’s many readers have
boosted its circulation from 25,000
to 2,000,000 and its readership has
grown from 125,000 per issue to
Over the years, Ebony
has featured many well
known people such as
Langston Hughes,
Thurgood Marshall,
Eleanor Roosevelt, Rev.
Jesse Jackson, and
Maya Angelou. Dr.
King wrote a column
entitled "Advice for the
Living."
more than 11.7 million per issue.
Today, it reaches more black men,
women, and professionals than any
other magazine. Charles BeU, a se
nior, said, “I read Ebony every day
because of its interesting articles.”
Whether black or white. Ebony
magazine remains committed to
Publisher Johnson’s pledge to “con
tinue the straggle for excellence and
aproper appreciation of the beauty,
genius, and unlimited possibilities
of African Americans.”
Weaver plays excel as usual
By Ethan Pell
St off Writer
In the style of true theater showmanship.
Weaver Education Center recently put on
their production of A Voice Within and I
Never Saw Another Butterfly. Tire High Life
was there to review the plays.
A Voice Witliin is the complete story of
one woman’s life full of trauma, loss, and
hope. This one act play had a very unique
setup. It took place in a six cham
bered structure that represented
tire woman’s mind. Each
player acted as an emo
tion and told tire audi
ence about one inci
dent in tire woman’s
life tluough a mono
logue. Tlrroughout
her life the woman
has an abusive father,
doesn’t get along with
her motlrer, is para
lyzed from the waist
down, and wimess’ the
death of her own children.
For her, the worst is yet to
come.
“I think Carri Webb’s role as a young girl
facing anorexia is the most interesting char
acter. Shenotonlyrepresentsaproblemmany
young girls in Our society face, but she also
deals with the psychological reasoning for the
disease,” said Rachel Davis, a senior.
The second play entitled I Never Saw
Another Butterfly takes place in the Terrazin
ghetto during the Holocaust era. A yoimg
girl named Raj a was forced from Prague to a
school in a Jewish ghetto. Due to the fear of
the death camps. Raja is traumatized, and
takes a little guidance from her teacher, Irena
Synkova. Raja’s teacher gives her, along with
other smdents, a new hope that things will be
okay in the future. Raja does grow up and
livesundertheguidanceofherteacher. Raja
is devoted to helping diildrenregain their self-
consciousness just as Raja’s teacher helped
her. However, tragedy strikes in Raja’s life.
Just as she had gained everything back, it is
suddenly lost.
It took me a while to understand A Voice
Within, but when I finally caught on I found
myselfenwrapped in its format. The dialogue
was beautifully synchronized, so the whole
thing ran smoothly. On the side of the stage
were two performers playing acoustic guitars.
The music set the mood for each emotion and
was the perfect touch. However, the play was
entirely too serious. I would even go so far
as to call it depressing. Some form
of comic relief was needed to
tone down the emotion,
even though this was a
tragicplay. It did make
the audience think
about the problems of
today’s society. If
tliat was the point the
cast was trying to get
across, then they most
definetly succeed.
I Never Saw An
other Butterfly was easy
to understand from start to
finish. It was set in an envi
ronment and situation that was
realistic and drew sympathy from the
viewer. The highlight of this play was the
more than spectacular acting jobsby all per
formers and the story in general. Weaver
added its own twist at the end by giving the
message that the holocaust is still going on
with Bosnia and other countries. An end to it
all must be found soon.
“Being with all the other actors,” was the
best part of the production for Lara Dean, a
sophomore. “I feel really close to them and
that’s what I enjoy most about this class.”
Overall, I enjoyed Weaver’s versions of
the two plays. I have been to productions in
the past at Weaver and all were great. This
night was no exception in my opinion. I
would encourage anyone who enjoys theater
to see a performance at Weaver the next time
it is available.
By Mary Kathryn Ross
Reporter
Old bands create new tunes
Many thought tliey had heard the last of
some of the greatest contributors of rock and
roll. Although the frontmen of the Grateful
Dead, Queen, and The Beatles have died,
through tlic bciiuty of digital remixes and re
corded live performances, their talents will
never fade.
The legendary band Queen, creti tors of tire
hit “BbhLernian Rhapsody,” released their
newest creation on Tuesday, November 7.
Thisband was responsible for several Top 10
hits in the late seventies, such as "We Are
The Champions,” and“ We Will Rock You.”
Made In Heaven,” their was actually re
corded prior to the death of vocalist Freddy
Mercury. Several of the songs are reflections
on his battle with the AIDS virus. Mercury’s
haunting voice provides tire listener with a
heart-wrenching experience.
The Grateful Dead also released a new al
bum on November 7. Tlicy were eo-founded
in 1965 by guitarist Bob Weir, lyricist Rob
ert Hrmter, and Jerome “ Jerry” Garcia. Tliis
band is famous for tlreir blues-inspired gui
tar lines and tlreir improvisational concert set
lists: Their two disc set
“Dick's Picks 'Vol. 3,
includes live perfor
mances of several favor
ites. The discs contain
“Dancin’ In Tirol
Streets,” and “Morning
Dew,” wlrich were re
corded at a Dead show
in 1977. This band has
become an icon in the
music industry, despite
the fact that they ha\e|
only produced one Bill
board Top 10 single,
Another double disc
Beatles Anthology I,” includes sixty tracks
with new music from their prime, 1958 to
1964, songs from various television and ra
dio pcrfomrances, as well as original com
edyfrom the members of die Fab Four. The
set also includes snrash hit favorites drat we
all know and love; songs diattriggeredBeade
Mania, such as “Let It Be,” as well as rare
finds are included on die discs: A bonus edi-
tionto any Beatles Ian’s colleetion can also
be found on their new release-die song, “Free
As A Bird,” written and performed by Jolm
Lennon, was recendy discovered and touched
up by the remaining B eatl es. The new air;
bum is sure to provide a deeper and more
personal glimpse into the lives of these leg
endary musicians.
Several students at Grinrsley are excited
aboutthe new releases, but diere are mixed
feelings about the discs. “I like the idea of
hearing new stuff from old bands, but it’s just
not the same without all the members,” said
Perry Hughes, a jimior.
Matt Prince, a senior, said, "I think its a
good concept, but because members in each
group me dead, new songs would not have as
deep as a meaning and would sliglrtly cliange
mstvle.”
set was released on No- -Fhe Queen of England presented the Beatles with The'^^’^ r
vember 21 by perhaps Excellent Order of the British Empire award for
, jt K a tlie British economy. The Fab Four
the most legendary band i-eieased a new album together along with other
in history, The Beatles, famous bands from the 1960s and 70s.
Hieir new release, “The