Newspapers / The Carolina Times (Durham, … / July 6, 1968, edition 1 / Page 2
Part of The Carolina Times (Durham, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
2A —THE CAROLINA TIMES SATURDAY, JULY 6, 1968 A Black Hour in Durham This newspaper opposes with all the might it can summons the disgraceful performance of several of the participants in the abortive and wicked meeting of the Durham Housing Authority and tenants of the facility, held at the W. D. Hill Recreation Center last Thursday night. To say, that for the most part, the session was a disgraceful affair, is putting it mildly. «, We would have our readers to un derstand in the outset that we are also unalterably opposed to the present manner in which DHA is conducting its affairs or the very low, low level at which it pretends to serve the people of Durham. Like wise, we are equally opposed to what appears to be the beastly determina tion on the part of those vested with authority, to ignore with contempt, the constant pleas of the tenants of the Housing Authority for relief or consideration of the serious condi tion with which they are faced under the administration of the DHA di rector, Carvie Oldham. In spite of the situation, as men tioned above, we now return to the low and disgraceful manner in which some of the DHA tenants conducted themselves at the meeting last Thursday night. We point with spe cial regret and shame to the filthy and indecent language used by some of the female tenants, at the meet ing, as well as the unseemly con duct of some of the men. Negro Taxation Without Representation There was much wisdom and sound advice contained in and sur rounding the words uttered by Dr. Reginald Hawkins in his appearance On the program of the University of North Carolina's educational sta tion last Monday night. It is our hope that Negro leaders over the en tire state of North Carolina will give special attention to what Dr. Haw kins had to say especially with re gards to his statement that "Negroes will show their strength 'at the eleventh hour' in the November general election." While we are entirely without knowledge of thei"secret" Hawkins referred to when he was asked to be more specific about the Negro vote in November, we are fully aware that whatever it is, it should contain a determined state-wide reg ister and vote campaign, on the part of Negro citizens of the state, to at least double their voting strength when the registration books are opened prior to the general election to be held in November. It was disclosed during the tele vision interview that in the recent Primary Dr. Hawkins received over 129,000 votes. We would remind Ne gro leaders over the state, however, that a goodly number of the 129,000 votes received by Hawkins were cast by white persons, probably a greater percentage than has been re ceived by a Negro candidate since Reconstruction days, and therefore there is little for Negroes to° get ex cited about with regard to the ex cellent showing made by Hawkins. The need and challenge now fac ing every Negro in North Carolina is to prepare for an outpouring or a doubling of the Negro voting in the general election to be held in No vember. All over the state there are thousands of qualified Negro citizens Interdenominational Cooperation Durham, probably without a doubt, can boast of the finest group of young Negro ministers as pastors of its churches to be found anywhere within the state of North Carolina. It can be truthfully said that, from the standpoint of academic achieve ment, experience and above all, high Christian character, on a whole, the ministers who pastor the church es of Durham cannot be excelled, if equalled anywhere in the state. A shining example of the high plane of operation within the pres ent corps of Durham's ministers may be found in the joint Vacation Biblf n School conducted last month under the leadership- of the pastors of White Rock Baptist Church and St. Joseph's A.M.E. Church. We invite the special attention of our readers to the full account of the closing program in this week's issue of The Carolina Times. We feel the pastors, officials and Because experience of the years has taught us that it is absolutely impossible to clean up one wrong or nasty situation by committing an other, we cry out aloud against any man, woman or child who resorts publicly to the use of such filthy words as we heard uttered at the DHA meeting on last Thursday night by one or more of the women speak ers, representing the tenants. Such unseemly conduct only serves to destroy, tear down and drive away from the side of the tenants every respectable citizen of Durham, what ever his racial identity or station in life. We defy any person or group of persons to say that this newspaper has been derelict in its duty or ef forts, over the past 45 ,years of its existence, to defend and fight for the rights of our people. We woujd have it understood, however, now, henceforth and forever that we re fuse to condone violence, threats, the use of profanity and such other vile language, especially by the women of our race, as we heard last Thursda/ night at the DHA meet ing. Yes, in this black hour of Durham when it appears that truth is on the scaffold and wrong is cm the throne in the DHA struggle, we will keep the faith and stand firmly in the be lief that "behind the dim unknown standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch over his own." who have never registered or even thought of voting in an election, be it national, state, county or city. Somehow such persons must be aroused to their duty and be made to understand that they are a liabil ity to their race instead of an asset. Again we especially call upon our young people in their respective cities, towns and counties to begin now for an intensive state-wide reg ister and vote campaign as soon as the books open and until the election on November 5. By so doing, Negro candidates in Durham, other cities and counties, whfjp they have offer ed for public office, will stand a chance of being elected. If, even a tew Negroes can be elected to public offices, where they will be able to speak out or convey the desires, aspi rations and often the plight of Ne groes, such will have much to do with easing the racial tension that now exists in many parts of North Carolina. When it is considered that for over a half-century now no Negro's voice has been heard in the legisla ture of this state and in many cities, towns and counties, Negro citizens -are forever kept on the outside look ing in when it comes to public office, it is a miracle that there has not been more race riots or outbursts of strife. We think the goal of better race relations can be achieved in any city, town, county or elsewhere in the state if Negro citizens are accorded representation as well as taxation in the affairs of public office hold ing. This is the goal sought by Dr. Hawkins and every other intelligent Negro citizen of North Carolina. Un less somehow it can be achieved strife, discord and interracial mis understanding are certain to be the harvest. members of White Rock and St Joseph's are to be congratulated for the fine example of interdenomina tional cooperation they have dem onstrated in conducting jointly the Vacation Bible Schools of their churches. Here, we think, is an ex ample to be followed by churches in other cities, as well as Durham, especially those cities where the idol worship of denomination has stifled to death the true spirit of Christian ity found in the new command ment of Jesus which invited all man kind to "Love one another." It is our feeling that as long as they live the teachers, along with the children in the joint Vacation Bible School, will remember with pride the fine experience of Chris tian brotherhood and cooperation they received in working as a team to teach the Bible to the youngsters of Durham without any thought of their respective church affiliations. 'Violence Must Be Stopped 7 " ' 'SWPRESSiNGA CULTURE CONTEMPT FOR POi/E&TYI *IGMOUMOMEDICAL MEEDS Sww?^^^ 7 /5 VIOLENCE' Letters To The Editor Carolina Times Dear Editor, If Durham should explode in violence this summer, it will be largely because the white community has been worried about the wrong thing, and has not become in volved with the right things, namely, the plight of its poor people, both black and white. I am a white citizen who be came acquainted with the pub lic housing problem through the Model Cities program in the past six months. ' It is my understanding that the Durham Housing Authority has not responded adequately -Schools {Continued from front page) eluding food, health and jani torial services and expansion of services in student publica tions. Dr. Lewis C. Dowdy, presi dent, who was commended by the trustees for "contributions be had made towards the con tinued growth and develop ment at the University," re ported an enrollment of 1,883 students in summer school, the largest in recent years. He an nounced the admission of 1, 366 freshman students for the fall semester. North Carolina College will ask the North Carolina legisla ture for $22,000,000 for the 1969-71 biennium, according to William Jones, financial vice president of the college. Almost $15,000,000 of the request is for operating ftinds. Requests for capital improve ments total $7,152,000. Hie "A" budget, which in cludes student fees and appro priations, totals $12,434,563. This amount represents the ftinds necessary to maintain the college's program at its current level. "B" budget requests, for improvement and enrichment of the academic program, will total approximately $2,300, 000. The "B" budget requests are estimated at this point, Jones said. Hie total operating budget for the two year period wfll be $14,585,931. The capital Im provement budgßt, for new construction, building renova tion, and building equipment, is $7,152,000. Included among the capital improvement request are functe for the purchase of three par cek of land near the campus at a total estimated eoat of $760,000; renovations and ad dttkms to tire fine aits build ing, at $460,000; additions to the home economics budding, $241,000; a communications budding to house daaaes in English, German, Romance bnpagM, reading, wilting, speech, and audio-visual la bo- to the needs of the tenants lor the past several years. As a re sult, the tenants have become frustrated, angry and abusive. Instead of the white com munity worrying about wheth er there are enough policemen to hold down this anger, we should be finding out whether the Durham Housing Author ity is performing its functions satisfactorily or not. If each of us does not be come involved in determining the facts and then taking quick remedial action, we have our selves to blame for what occurs in the future. Just as much to blame will be those who are.. fftil B3 ratories and television studio; a health science building for health education, nuising, re creation, and physical educa tion classes; athletic field con struction in a 13-acre unde veloped area southeast of the campus. The communications build ing request has been top priori ty in NCC's budget requests since 1964, and was supported at that time by a recommenda tion of the Board of Higher Education. Hie other requests being made are also revisions of earli Dos And Dorits I- ■ FHT Car^la^Cuitggi FtMlthtd mmy sSwwlLy* Durban, N. C. HR UIHTDHMUTTIL IMP. L. E. AUSTIN, FubUm SAMUEL L. BRICCS "rTigftif EdUtor J. EL WOOD CARTER. -AAwrtMag Mm m* Seoood dam Portage Paid at Durham, N. C. 17708 SUBSCRIPTION RATES SB.OO par year phis (15c tax in N. C.) anywkara fa tfaa U J., and Canada and to i li—i Q Parana, $750 par year, Single copy 20a Pi—m Omcm Locum AT 438 E. Pfcn—w §nar, DP— AM. Nostra CaaoMMA 17701 becoming violent, or inciting to violence, for this only paralyzes the community with fear and hatred, rather than spurs it to positive action. The public housing tenants have no power on their side other than the power to do violence. We must open up other avenues of change that will bring more productive re sults for the poor, as well as for Durham, in general. I hope all citizens will join me immediately in this effort. The hour is very late. The crisis in our city is urgent. ~*T MRS. JOAN BOTWINICK er requests. Requests for improvements to existing facilities total $1,696,000. Among these re quests are funds for comple tion of the new chemistry building now under construc tion and for renovation of the Robinson Science Building for use of the physics and mathe matics departments; air con ditioning for four classroom buildings and the auditorium area of the B. N. Duke Build ing; and renovation of the in firmary and health building as an infirmary. "Separate But Equal" Is A Myth By SAMUEL L. BRIGGS . A news release on another page of this newspaper reports tlut a new organization, Na tional Association of Afro- American Educators (NAAE) has been formed whose aim is to achieve black control of black schools. At first reading, this goal may appear commendable but a deeper analysis raises some serious questions regarding the soundness of such a proposal. A segment of black Ameri cans evidentally is as frustrat ed in their efforts to seek iden tity as an ethnic "roup and at the same time establish rapport in their relationshfp with other Americans as white people are in seeking answers to race re lations questions. For more than 100 years, Negroes have sought an elusive freedom in the land of free dom. They have had their Har ri e t Tubmans, Sojourner Truths, Nat Turners, John Browns and hundreds of other lesser known and unknown freedom fighters who gave time, energy and in many in stances their lives. All sorts "f organizations, from the abolit ionist groups, and the Quakers to the present day, civil rights organizations, nave sought and are seeking to obtain liberty and equality. , These men (and women, for the most part,\sought to find the means wffereby black Americans could be integrated into America's mainstream on an equal basis, to have Negroes share equally, maximum oppor tunities and advantages on every level of endeavor, with the white man. The fight has been long and hard. Due to the white man's belief in the superiority of his own race and because of nu merous other social and eco nomic factors, the Negro has not attained complete and total To Be Equal By WHITCNET M. YOUNG, JR. Race And The Election ♦i -noiarn«rr» intu 90* ?o ' I 'HIS NOVEMBER'S election could be the most important A one this nation has faced in many years. I can't recall an election year in which the electorate has been so divided or concerned with so many crises. Racial tensions, the war in Vietnam, the student rebel lion, and political assassinations have divided and embit tered the nation. It is vitally important for all candidates to realize that this year of crisis demands intelligent discus sion of the issues and a refusal to deepen ■ our divisions with appeals to the backlash vote. Recent elections have resulted in de feats for candidates who played upon anti- Negro prejudices. But there is still a danger that race may become a factor in the cam paign through subtle appeals to backlash ers. This may be done through what I call the "code of racism" which consists of tak ing seemingly innocent phrases and cliches and giving them an anti-Negro meaning. Mr. Young Since I first wrote about the way "crime in the streets" or "neighborhood schools" have be come misused for these purposes, I've received many let ters of protest from people who insist that the terms them selves have no racial connotations. Better Police Protection I know that everyone who uses the term "crime in the streets" Isn't a bigot. In fact, crime is one of the biggest problems faced by the ghetto. Every time a survey is taken In the ghetto, better police protection comes out at the top of the list of concerns. But my concern is with the way candidates use terms like "crime in the. streets." Instead of saying that crime is a problem and that the answer to the problem is more and better trianed policemen, as well as eradication of the cov erty which breeds crime, they take off in wild-swinging attacks on the Supreme Court. Now, how can people who supposedly revere "law and order" hope to foster respect for the law when they strongly attack the highest court in the land? The bulk of the decent citizens tke terms like "crime In the streets" and "law and order" at face value. But a large minority associate these terms with racial tensions. '-AND BgBM»B.Wt BOTHTHINK EXACTLY ALIKE, - WE HATE EACH OTHER / integration. The emphasis now appears to be changing. One rarely hears the din for integra tion anymore, the cry now Is for black separatism, black ownership, black control, black power, black schools, black housing, black everything. The old saying "if its white its right" has changed to "if Its black it can't be wrong." Black identity is beautiful. To see black people pride them selves in being black is beyond condemnation; however, the Negro as a group in America can no more subsist alone than the.white man. The black man needs the white man and vice versa. For this country to sur vive white and black must find a workable solution to their differences and this solution must include respect for each other's individuality and worth. It is entirely wrong for black students to seek housing for blacks-only, on a predominantly white university campus. To do so is to revert to the exact level which the white man has practiced for years. It is equal ly as wrong for NAAE to seek black control of black schools. If separate but equal is an er roneous doctrine for the white establishment then the doctrine is equally amiss for blacks. There cannot be a truly democratic America if racial bias and division, based on re ligion, skin color, creed or ethnic background, is perpet uated. Too long has such a foul practice been allowed to exist. Nothing in this country, be it education, religion, housing, job opportunity, government or you name it should be all black or all white solely on the basis of one's racial identity. Wheth er we like it or not, blacks and whites in America are interde pendent, and it is only through complete integration will full equality be realized.
The Carolina Times (Durham, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
July 6, 1968, edition 1
2
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75