Page 4
Reflextions on
AC Phoenix History
By Sam Davis
[continued from page /]
I told him about my plans and we agreed
on a contract. He would sell advertising
for the newspaper on a commission
basis, and I, along with staff member
Malcolm Pharr, would supply all of the
editorial information. So in September
of 1982, the News Argus produced the
publication. It was a rousing success
and some 10,000 copies were distrib
uted at the Winston-Salem State-North
Carolina A&T football game at Groves
Stadium.
The partnership between the News
Argus and Sumler lasted only about
a year however. That's when he
approached me about the possibil
ity of starting a newspaper. It would
be called the AC Phoenix and Sumler
would sell the advertising and I would
handle the editorial piece, along with
the layout and production work. Thus,
in September of 1983 the AC Phoenix
rolled out its first edition. I worked with
the AC Phoenix for approximately two
years on a full-time basis before leaving.
With that experience behind me, I
have enjoyed a lot of high points in
my career. I became the first full-time
sports reporter at the Winston-Salem
Chronicle in 1984. While at the Chron
icle I also had the pleasure of working
with some outstanding reporters and
editors. I also have won many journal
ism awards, including Best Sports Page,
Best Sports Writing and Best Sports
Column in both the National Newspa
per Publishers Association and also the
North Carolina Press Association. I left
the Chronicle in February 1985 to join
the staff of theTwin City Sentinel. When
it closed, approximately two months
later, 1 became the first full-time African
American sportswriter.
Since then I have gone on to sev
eral other positions within the field of
journalism and have been fortunate
enough to win many other awards for
my writing. In 2005 I launched Triad
Sports Weekly. The paper has gone
through its share of ups and downs, but
continues to be published today. I have
watched as the AC Phoenix has stood
the test of time. I have maintained a
close relationship with Rodney over the
years and I am proud of the fact that I
was one of the newspapers founders.
August 2013
The AC Phoenix
The
Family
That
Prays
Together-
Stays Together.
Paula McCoy
Writer From Our Past
Estranged and Feeling Unloved?
By Paula McCoy
[continued from page 1 ]
Those holidays can be tough for
some, particularly if you are alone or
if you are separated from family - you
know - estranged. Estrangement
is alienation and separation result
ing from hostility. Some call it not
being on speaking terms. It seems
harder when it's a family member.
Thanksgiving and Christmas are gen
erally and traditionally times for cel
ebrating good cheer, good fellowship
and good food with family and friends.
When this is not the case, these can be
miserable times with feelings of alone-
ness, sadness, frustration, anger and
fear. It kind of makes you want to sleep
from Thanksgiving to New Years, right?
I know many people who live their lives
this way. Not relating to family, going years
without speaking to brother, sister or even
mother. I hear story after story of events that
happened 5,10 and even 20 years ago and
we're still holding on to it. Sometimes we
don't even know what it was that we were
mad about. We pull others into the drama
too; family against family. How crazy is that!
The children don't even know the story,
they're just caught up in it, taught to hate.
It's the same madness that causes one race
to hate another -something happened two
hundred years ago - you know the story!
Wake up and cheer up! Resolve this year
to not spend another holiday or any day
without being with the ones you really love.
Come thisThanksgiving and Christmas, you
don't have to go through this if you take
some advice. First of all, it's only as bad as
you allow it to be.Take charge of your life. Be
the engine, not the caboose. If you value the
relationship and it's worth saving, make the
first move toward reconciliation. Rebuilding
relationships requires a great deal of emo
tional work and willingness. Ask yourself, is
being right worth it? It may not be as easy
as it sounds but how committed are you
to your own happiness. And even if that
doesn't work, you have been responsible.
Consider that there may be some things
out of your control. As much as we want
to, we can't change anyone but ourselves.
Forgive those that hurt you; forgiveness is
an attribute of the strong. Don't spend any
time rehashing events from the past. Finally
if all of your effort does not bring about rec
onciliation, move on. Life is meant to be
lived. And there are others out there who
would love to be loved by you.
Writer From Our Past
I Have Never Been A Journalist
By Malcom Pharr
[continued from page 1 ]
be objective. I wrote to entertain and
watch the words flow. I am subjective
by choice and chosen by grace.
The AC Phoenix is as much a part of
me today as it was thirty years ago. The
career path I've chosen; the friends I
have gravitated towards and even
the soul mate I was fortunate enough to
marry all have a connection to The News
Argus and The AC Phoenix.
Rodney J. Sumler, Sam Davis and myself
probably have three different, but yet
similar accounts of how the AC Phoenix
came to be.
Sam Davis and I were students at Win
ston-Salem State University. Sam was a
RE. major from Winston-Salem. He had
been a member of a Division III football
program before returning to Winston-
Salem State University to finish up his
degree. I never knew why Sam did not
attempt to play football at W.S.S.U, I
never asked either. I knew, and know,
that he loves the game.
I was recruited to play basketball at
Winston-Salem state University in 1978.
I chose to go to a small two-year school
in Parkersburg, West Virginia called Ohio
Valley College. My father was a former
football and baseball player at W.S.S.U.
(Teacher's College) in the 1950's. He was
not happy about that decision. Some
where between O.V.C and Winston-
Salem I lost the desire to compete.
Sam and I were from different worlds.
"What we did have in common was our
love for the games (football and bas
ketball) and how to play a part without
physically playing. We both wound up
being a part of the News Argus staff at
W.S.S.U. Most of the work was put in by
Sam, a hand full of underclassmen and
myself. Marilyn Roseboro was the advi
sor at the time.
Sam and I had a conversation at the
beginning of the 1983 school year. It
involved doing a CIAA Football Preview.
I am not sure what Rodney and Sam dis
cussed prior to our conversation. I also
did not know what Sam had discussed
with Ms. Roseboro. All I knew was...
it was on. In September 1983 W.S.S.U.
quarterback Michael Winsbush was on
the front cover with N.C A&T defenders
in pursuit.
The entire process was exciting for me.
The articles written; the pictures taken
and the laying out of the paper was a
long way from the hardwood, but a nice
filler for a 1983 graduate with an English
degree.
Each morning I awaken there is some
thing different that I can write about my
experiences during the early years of
the AC Phoenix... the difficult years in
which the Phoenix persisted...and the
influence it has had on my life.
When Rodney asked me to write this I
thought I could sit down and do what
I did so many times...just write and let
it flow. Truth is it is a difficult undertak
ing that has stirred emotions; opened
up old wounds; been therapeutic and
challenged me as the "story-teller" that
I believed I was meant to be.
Sam and Rodney had defined roles. Sam
is a journalist/writer. He pulled me along
and helped me find a voice through
sports and writing. I love him and appre
ciate him for that always. Rodney is a
Publisher/Master Account Executive. He
taught me that Mass Communications
(which I minored in at W.S.S.U.) werejust
words heard, seen and written without
advertisements to move them.
Needless to say, my role was never
defined. I was a writer, lay-out person,
photographer. Account Executive, circu
lation person etc... During these times
I was also a firefighter, manager trainee
for Kentucky Fried Chicken and material
handler for R.J Reynolds. I also was an
employee for Forsyth County Schools.
While associated with the AC Phoenix,
I always had a job. Along with family
obligations and personal demons, my
life was full beyond belief.
I can associate periods of my life with
the AC Phoenix. It has been something
that I can associate with almost every
job and decision I've made in my life
since 1983.
The AC Phoenix is for average black
folks. They are written, photographed
and editorialized in an extraordinary
way. The things that I most remember
are the subjects we touched and the
relationships we developed along the
way.
When I think of those early years I think
of the small Black Businesses without
budgets for advertising. They dug deep
to show the community that both their
businesses and The Phoenix were there.
Erwin's Beauty Services, Goody's, Crown
Drug's, Davis Garage, Park's Chevrolet,
Russell's Funeral Home, Ziglar Distrib
uting, Sam's Clothing are some of the
businesses that graced the inside of the
early AC Phoenix. Individuals like Willie
Guess, Benie McBride, Mose Belton-
Brown, Wilhelmina Carson, and the late
Larry Leon Hamlin supported the efforts
of The AC Phoenix.
It would be a travesty to omit people
like Asim Rahim Razzak, Avis Nelson, Art
Blue, Dennis Schatzman, Brenda Nance,
Lateefah Razzak and the many guest
writers, photographers and one time
account executives who contributed
during these 30 years.
For many years after my tenure with
the Phoenix I watched Ann Sumler
and Tanya Wiley (Rodney's wife and
[continued on page 21}