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2B -THE CAROLINA TIMES Saturday, Oct. 21, 1972 From Black By JOHN HUOGINS For too many of us in the Black community, our only cry is Unity, we need Unity. If we could only get together we could free ourselves, we could be leberated, we could eliminate our oppression. My contention is that such people are really dreamers and are not concerned with reality. To be obsessed with unity one must either have a poor understand- ing of the term, or a poor un derstanding of the forces which operate in this society. Unity refers to commona lity, and sometimes singularity (oneness). Too often we look only at the ways in whcih we are different and not at the ways in which we are alike. We did whether we like it or not come from a single ex perience. Our historic roots are in Africa not England. No more than three to five gene rations ago our folks were slaves. We all have a common labeKNegro) which is based on the above and skin tone. We have a common circle of re lationships, you don't have any Australians over to your parties, and usually no white people. Most of the people in your church look like you do. You also know the words to at least one spiritual. * Thus in looking at uour history you find a lot of things that you share with Blacks only-Unity. If we look at the things you do from day to day, other things become apparent. Most of the people you see in jail look like you. The average white policeman will call you by your first name. When you buy anything on credit at least one white person has to o.k. it. When Ali beat Quarry you felt the same thing most Black people felt. Likewise when George Wallace got shot.; And you probably have life insur ance because your savings and your investments will not bury you or j support your family after you die. What I'm trying to convey is that whether we admit it or not we have more in common with Black folks than with anybody'sfce'. "TDkt much of what wi liafo in com mon can be attributed hot to our intentions but to forces j which weat the moment) have little coatrol over. We overlook most of the simple stuff that we should emphasize in recognizing unity. Martin and Malcolm, Dußois auu wasmngton, Garvey and Walter White, Shirley Chisolm and Angela Davis, Ben Ruffin and Alexander Barnes, all have more in common than most of us take the time to talk about. scour ! CORNER G^RJ ! BACKGROUND ' By B. L. KEARNEY Note some characteristics of the world of 1910 as con tracted with the world today. The father wu a real and effective authority in the fami ly. He was in close contact with the family working near by and spending most of his even in p at home. His authori ty was accepted as a matter of course. Today, the father is increasing out of the home, working at a distance; travel ing; spending evenings at meetings, in recreation or com munity activities. As a result of this his authority over the family has been greatly weakened; some of it is paaaed to the mother, but much of it has )ust dis appeared There wu then a large, stable family roup, often three fenerations living under the roof. A boy had numerous brothers and sisters and a host of aunts and unciea, and courins living nearby; he was surrounded by a close-knit cir cle of klnfoiks who loved him, guarded him and guided him and provided basic proup ap proval and emotional security. Families seldom moved. To day families tend to be small, frequently one, two or three children. Even that small roup is often weakened by the father who travels, the mother who works away from hone, or by divorce or se- VMHIHM WAV* frm All of the above have a com mon identity(Black or Negro) md all would like to see a change in the conditions of this world that affect Black people. What happens unfor tunately is thU when we talk about the Muslims and White Rock, immediately we com pare differences and not com monality. When we get to gether we make it clear how we differ from other people who look like us. If nothing is present we even argue about whether you eat beef or pork, drink bourbon or scotch,. Boon's Farm or Ripple. I mean we even argue about white people, Nixon,McGov ern, or Jesse Helms. What is clear to me is that greater unity cannot be ex pected as long as we empha size trivial differences. What we must do is to put simila rities together and build upon them. Our oppressors recog nize us as one, so how come we don't? Finally we must recognize and use diversity within our unity. Some people actually like chitlins. We should get to gether to re-inforce what we agree on before we start has seling about the differences. If your brother wants to vote Republican, and your sister wants to bomb the police sta tion, understand that when it comes to your Mamma, nei ther of them want to see her suffer or die. So it is with whatever else we do. If we un derstand that those of us who are in any way involved in any thing do have the same basic desire for change, then we can relate to a functional kind of unity. Unity of purpose, and untty of situation. We will get unity of program, appearance, rhetoric, dress, appetite, reli gion and kind of deoderant(sil ver can or the other), when we have a perfect solution to offer and when we have the means of enforcing tins singularity. Until then, let us deal with what we have in a positive way. Let's face it, 90%. of our time we spend listening to white folks, and OREOS tell us how different we are. Let us spend the 10% that we have together appreciating how much alike we are. In di versity everybody cannot be right, but there is a chance that at least somebody might be right, and if he is, Black people, all Black people stand to gain. Unity...Right 0n... Together! quently and have no imme diate contact with relatives. The 1910 family was pro ducing group, economically speaking, In which children played an important part. In a largely agricultural aociety, children were aaaeta and large families were the rule. Chil dren worked alongside their parents after school, week ends, and summers with re sults that were not only eco nomic and educational and ?lritual aa well. Today the family Is largely a consuming roup. Children are an eco nomic liability and the small family Is the rule. Not only the economic but the moral and spiritual as well as the other values of parents and children, working aide by side, have largely disappeared. The boy of today received neither the discipline nor the vocation al and social training of work* Ing productively alongside he paran ts. Yesterday's community was smell and closely Integrated. Everybody knew everybody eiae Neighbors were life long friends. Social customs and standards of conduct were dearly established. An indi vidual's action were commonly known, and/social preaaure tend to enforce conformity. People traveled relatively little and there were few outalda influences and a limited know ledge of divergsnt idaas and umtmmmMmmttmmtmmtmfuiimMtMMiMmimitiMMU) § Tie Carolina § Feature Page ioOOQOOQOQOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOQOOOOOOQOOOOOOaOOeOQQOOOOOftOQOOOQQOOQI Writers By GEORGE B. RUSS Forum HHBGf fli H v f-y-' ■■H « MRS. NEAL The Union Baptist mem bership held its first service in the New Union Baptist edi fice; at 904 N. Roxboro Street. May 9, 1954. During the opening ceremonies, a nu mber of persons gave long tes timonials. Some of these were of excellent quality—others were mass redundancy—still others were thought provoking. One in particular gave cause for resentment. A gabby at torney included in his testi monial, words to this effect; "You folk here at Union Bap tist have done a remarkable job. Personally, I don't see how you did it. I know for certainty that most of you folk don't earn more than thir ty five dollars a week. God had to be on your side." If you have an analytical brain, you will readily come up with the idea that the lawyer was more surprised that the con gregation had had seise e nough to obtain such a struc ture rather than schocked at at discovering that nearly 700 members, with an average in come of thirty-five dollars per wuek, had the nerve to pur chase such a building. Besides, Mr. Attorney had not taken stock of the number of mem bers who were'nt earning thir ty five dollars. Many of the members had only a great love and loyalty for God's House of worship. Mrs Winnie Neal, one of the oldest members of UCB., was among those loyal, ferverent workers who worked like a beaver to "git us outah that Glendale Avenue mud." Mrs. Neal is one of her kind, she is made of much ster na- stuff than the average wo man. "Miss Winnie," as she is best known, is the truly posi tive pioneer type of woman hood: strong, vigorous, fear less, kind, gentle, The type of person who is able to perse vere best when the odds are a gainst the grain. In other words, hardships were her tee th-ring; nevertheless, Mrs. Neal "kept her hand in God's hand.' kept her head held high, eyes ever searching for the good life that God has promised those that love and serve him. The bondage to destroy her great spirit "ain't never been born." No matter what ills ; might have befallen "Miss Win standards Today community* tend to be large and looeely Integrated. People move from one community to another and often do not know or can to know their neighbor*. A confusing variety of cus toms, traditions, ideas, and values exist aide by side. People travel widely and get new Ideas and new ways of living. In addition, modern communications have every community with an amazing array of divergent patterns of thought and Ufa. Children had leeponribil ties and duties Around the home. Evan In many BO tan families, ehikken were respon sibie for a variety of daily chores such aa bringing In ftiei and water, carrying out ashes, running errands, carry ing poceries, taking can of kerosene lamps. Today mo dem lighting hearing and plumbing and the automobile and the telephone have eihri nated thaae and many shnlar duties of youth and along with them values that come (fan nie" during the six days of the week, the 7th Day—GodfcSrb bath Day found her stepping high toward Zion—"Th' House of God." Mrs. Neal, the wife of Hen ry Neal, a long time figure head of Durham, loved and honored "Mistah Neal." Hen ry's passing left a great void in "Miss Winnie's life, however, she picked up the shattered life, and found solace in work ing harder for Th' Mastah." If one were asked to spell out a single weakness of this proud lady, the task would prove problematical however, "Miss Winnie" has a weakness for beautiful hats—the expen sive, pituresque varis^y. Although Mrs. Neal retired from Liggett and Myers To bacco Company during the early '3os there has been "no mourning at the bar" of idle ness for "Miss Winnie"—she had plenty to keep her busy: "mah house work and mah church work." And true to her word, she made herself busy doing both; and when the pas tor, Rev. A. S. Croom, made known his plans to build a church for his flock, Mrs. Neal accepted the appointment of Building Fund Captain for a group. She cooked and sold dinners and used coin folders to raise funds for the construc tion of the new church—"l'm working to help git us outah th' mud" was her slogan. The years have been kind to "Miss Winnie," she admits that she isn't spry as she used to be; but, "God and my daughter, Addie, have been good to me. I don't do no more work than I want to do. I wash th' dishes 'n sweep 'n dust if I wants to." On days when she feels up o-the-top of the day, she will walk with the neighborhood children from her home on Belvin Avenue to the A & P Store in Braggtown. Sister Winnie Neal still holds Inactive Membership with the Gaieda Class and the Senior Missionary Circle. Writers Forum proudly sa lutes "Miss Winnie." and all of the other loyal, courageous, stouthearted women of the Ba ptist Churches of yesteryear. being respondbt«, dependable, useful, cooperative members of the family proup. Boys ad girls have an increasing amount of leisure to be InUisofcd somewhere for foods or evil. These are juat a few of the changes that have ooeund Am soouthig began in the United States la 1910. ' Boys, mom than ever, need ptldaaee k dndng snd living bjr a stable oode of moral and social values. The deaf leader ship and the firm support a tight family and community orpaliaHnu once gave a boy i in knowing what to bade** , and how to lhre can be re- > placed in part by other groups with hlgh idsas and effective | Mdßfthlp. Youth needs to (sal the , aolkl backing of hh hind of people In flndhif his way hi a confuaed social pattern. Boys ■aod also to undsrstand deaf ly and believe strongly in the ideals of our democratic way of Ufa. Love Me, Love My Wife By GEORGE B. RUSS „i • . • .1 Chad took a rear seat inside of Gladys' Jaunty, little Ram bler. He felt, strangely enough, as though he were being taken for his last ride; that- his own children were delivering him to , his executioner. He sat straight on his seat like a knot on a log, into space. He was try big hard to see where he had made a wrong torn along the bumpy road of life. Men, ac cording to historians, has been stepping out on thek wives since creation. Why should his fling at this thing called, keep ing a mistress, become the fias co of the century? What had been a simple romance had turned into an awful night mare. And he couldn't hon estly, call the romance a love affair. Effie was a good friend whom he had slept with from tkne to time. She had been a hot -blooded female who knew the arts of making love and when she had found what she wanted, caution had been thrown to the winds. He had not condoned her salacious ness, but in all honesty, he could not say that he had not thoroughly enjoyed her wild capers. Effie knew how to make a fellow feel ten feet tall. Basically, effie was his sup erior in the area of sexual cogency but he had disco vered, accidentally, the secret to her fulfillment, Knowing the secret, he had played the role of prince charming to the hilt. She had died believing he was some sort of master man. Poor, dear Effie would never know that he had simply played —preyed -upon her weakness- the love spot. "We are here, daddy!" Mar ion's laughter filled voice shat tered his day dreaming. "I must have dropped off to sleep," Chad chuckled. "You've got it bad, pops. ¥§u were sleeping with your eyes wide open." Ronald ad ded lazily. "Let's not put our feet in our mouths." Marion teased. Chad pused his feet care fully toward the side-walk. His movements were like those of an invilid; he deliberately did so in an effort to prolong the time. Where he was concerned, there was no hurry to face Gladys, however, his dread was limited to distaste for an awk ward situation rather than the fear of being hurt in any way. "Where is the place?" Chad asked , looking from left to right for signs of Aunt Lizzie's Party Pantry. "Right around the corner, pops," Ronald answered and walked away from Buster- Brown, thinking, "man! Dad dy is an awful drag. Why all the coaxing?" he mused. Chad moved mechanically toward the glass door of Aunt Lizzie's Shop. A dozen or more women customers were standing in front of the bright TODAY'S PEOPLE HAVE SEEN THE UGHX . | *3.30 4 /s $ »j|j^ If you can find a fighter bourbon, buy it ANCIENT AGE ly lighted counter. Ronald pushed the door open for his father and sister. The od of cinnamon and other spices made Chad's taste buds throb. And for a mo ment, he stood gaping at the pie and cake cases and at this precise moment, Gladys' eyes met his and she said,"close that door, please.!': Marion placed her tiny glo ved hand inside his and steered him gently toward another door. The sign over the door read: Aunt Lizzie's Kitchen. Chad had to think positively abtut everything he saw here. Gladys nad done a mam mouth job. Aunt Lizzie's Kitchen buz zed with activity. Chad count ed five women busy in va rious stages of pastry making: Doughnuts were frying in a bright shiny-steel deep-fat fry er; pie crusts were being rolled on a gleaming steel top table; at another table, a fat, squatty woman was spreading icing on cake layers. Another tall, skinny woman wearing a blue and white striped uniform and, a huge white cap on her head, deftly rolled icing on a pencil into a rose-bud. Chad stood awestruck, he couldn't imagine his Gladys being operator of such a gigan tic organization. He forgot his own state of affairs; of why he was here; his dread of meet ing his wife face to face. Marion and Ronald sped from one table to another, saying friendly, nonsensical things to the calks. Then he heard' a soutsister ask, "Is he th' pot-washer?" The idea of becoming a part of this organization didn't offend Chad, he waßted some of the action. Walking over to to a table where his children stood, he watched huge wads of yellow dbugh being, dex teriously cut, rolled, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and plump juicy raisons—he could refrain from asking :"Whatcha making?" H Cinnamon Buns, buddy." "Looks good. You handle that dough like an expat." "I see right away thatwe*re going to hang in there. I've been called a lot of things, but never an expert. Keep standing around, Betty Lou will show you-ah-thing or two." She threw her back and laugh ed loudly. Chad might have stood a while longer, but Betty Lou stirred him out of his stupor. "You sinks are right ova there, fellow. My advice to you is to start cleaning up. Within the hour, Chad found himself surrounded by pots, pans, mixing bowls wire whip 6, sheet pans, icing pots, spatulas, crocks, pie pans and an array of other culinary e quipment. Marion and Ronald quickly YOUR #% MIND \A WE SHOULD BANISH DEEP FEELINGS OF SUPERORITY A HK7A I i ii By WILLIAMTHORFII I After twenty yean or more of dealing with people, ob serving and exchanging ideas, a person can get a lot of ex periences pertaining to evejy day living. Alao, living in this so called "Get Hip" gene ration, in which almost every body seems to be ki a' hurry, all the many happenings, help me to analyze people and keep in tune with the world and its conditions. Therefore, in all my columns that have been written, it has been my aim to leave eveyrone with certain fundamental facts about ourselves. That is why during my moments of medi tation, it gives me pleasure to express my ideas and thoughts in words which may be more effective. As was mentioned in my column a few months ago: "Prayer, to be effective, must be meaningful." Some of us might have received a satisfying answer and achieved some of the things we desired, which may develop in us a feeling of superority. This kind of feel ing could cause a person to slight or illuse certain people considering himself superior to them, which can lead to losing friendship with his fellowman. We must remember that everything we do or think con tinues to have an effect upon us And if a person lets a deep feeling of superiority stand in the way of a friendship, no matter who he is, he will re gret it sooner or later. To my knowledge, when an individual gets up to the status that he feels Mnself so superior to others and thinks he knows it all, and can do exactly as he pleases, take whatever he wants, whether he has earned it or not; Historical Legend Of Britt Johnson The Te by Matthew Braun "If Britt Johnson had not been a black man, his nam« would have undoubtedly be come as renowned as the most legendary of frontier scouts," says Matthew Braun, author of BLACK FOX, to be published as a Fawcett Gold Medal paper back in November. But Britt Johnson was black —and an ex-slave to boot. Until now, his singular exploits have remained nothing more than a footnote to history. The story of Black Fox takes pi ice in Texas at the time of the Civil War, when over 700 Comanches and Kiowas joined forces to raid Young County and drive the white settlers from the Indian's ancestral hunting grounds. For any Texan, black or white, to ven ture north of the Red River in that time was suicide. Yet Britt Johnson made the danger ous journey not once, but four 1 * ' \ ; WAFR-FM « • • .'I 90.3 Durham's » t • ■ •" } i BLACK! Radio trample upon the feelings of others, he has let his feelings of superiority reach one of the moat dangerour phases that a person can have on earth. Whether you know It or not thare is a mental or spiritual it* bfchind'MU Ttfe which punishes us when we fail to govern our individual lives in accordance with it, such a feelings of permitting wrong impressions and mental attitudes to remain in our mainds. Its punishment is impersonal and automatic. We should now know that we attract or repel people in accordance with the nature of our character and mental at titude. Therefore, we are liv ing on this earth to communi cate together in unity, and do our duty that our creator has given us to perform. Now, to be plain frank with everyone, it is bad to have smug feelings. In other words so pleased with ourselves as to be annoying to others, and too self-satirfied. It all leads up to discordance and false pride. We should consider everything that we have gained in life can be osily banished. No matter how high in life a person ad vances, he is still just a human being faced with problems like everyone else, and is going down on e day like drops of water in the ocean of time, and this universe will still be existing as it has been doing long before he was born. To the end, we all should control our thoughts pertain ing to deep feelings of su periority, and abide by the laws that require "Brotherly Love" toward all men. Also by doing not from promise of reward or fear of punishment. times, scouting the land with only his Cunning to protect him. ' I-. |• •.!. Author Matthew Braun writes in his introduction to BLACK FOX, "The sage of Britt John son's courage actually encom passed seven years. For the purposes of this narrative,, his harrowing adventures have been compressed into a single year. While certain aspects of BLACK FOX are pure invention, the story is essentially true and accurate in detail." Matthew Braun is steeped in the lore of the Old West. He was born and raised in the greater Southwest, living at one time or another in Oklahoma, Kansas, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and Missouri. He spent his boyhood years on a ranch and was once known locally as "The Sweetwater Kid."
The Carolina Times (Durham, N.C.)
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Oct. 21, 1972, edition 1
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