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VOLUME 88 - NUMBER 47
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2009
TELEPHONE (919) 682-2913 PRICE; 30
Young Black
Soldier Hailed
a Hero in Fort
--J
Hood Shooting
By Gordon Jackson
Special to the NNPA from the
Dallas Weekly
DALLAS (NNPA) - If there are
any genuine positives that can come
from a tragedy like the shootings in
Fort Hood. Texas early this month.
it‘s that heroes can arise frohi the
turmoil and chaos. There were sev
eral at the Foil Hood army post,
including Private First Class Mar-
quest Smith, a 21-year old soldier
from Fort Woith.
Several sources account Smith's
heroic actions, starting around 1:30
p.m. on Nov. 5. That's when Maj.
Nidal Malik Hasan, later to be dis
covered as a disgruntled and de
spondent staff psychiatrist, further
unhappy about his own scheduled
deplo>ment to the Middle East,
pulled two guns and fired several
rounds inside a crowded room at
the Fort Hood's Soldier Readiness
Center, the place where soldiers
complete their paperw ork and medi
cal checkups before being deployed
either to Iraq or Afghanistan.
Fort Hood, one of the largest
military bases in the world, hous
ing close to 40.000 soldiers, has
also deployed more of them to the
wars in Iraq and Afghanistan than
any other base. That's why Smith
was in the building, taking care of
final details and getting ready for
his own deployment to Afghanistan
in Januarx'. He expected to be at
tacked in the war zone, but never at
his home base.
”1 never thought something like
this could happen. I thought it was
a dream," Smith would later tell a
horde of reporters. "\ didn't know
what was going on until I heard
yelling and moaning."
Several reports account that
when the shooting started. Smith
first helped one of the clerks in the
building to hide under a desk, then
hraveiv went into the line of fire
ana puiiea two or me wounaea to
outside of the building.
Instead of staying outside, how
ever, Smith heard cries of help from
people inside and could not ignore
their calls. Smith reportedly went
back inside to rescue two more.
Smith tried to make as smart
moves as possible under the bullet
barrage, waiting until Hasan would
have either ran out of ammunition
or paused to change rounds in his
weapons. Nevertheless, on his
way out for the last time, the gun
man spotted and shot at Smith, but
missed.
‘M could hear the bullets go past
my head and hit the wall." Smith
said. Once outside for'good. Smith
helped the wounded into a pickup
truck and drove them to a local
hospital. Only after the shooting
stopped did Smith realize that he
had actually taken a bullet that hit
the heel of his boot. He expressed
mixed feelings from fear to anger,
especially when he learned that the
gunman was also a soldier.
**rm really hurt. We're supposed
to be a family," Smith said. Thirteen
soldiers and civilians were killed
and over 30 wounded in the shoot
ing, which lasted a span of about
10 minutes. It was the worst mass
shooting at an American military
base in history. Hasan sustained
four gun shot wounds from a quick
ly reacting Sgt. Kimberly Munley,
a civilian Fort Hood police officer.
Hasan was apprehended and taken
to Brooke Army Medical Center In
San Antonio. Early reports said that
Hasan had died from the shots. It
was later corrected that he lived.
President Barack Obama. First
Lady Michelle Obama and several
high-level military dignitaries at
tended the memorial service for the
fallen; ildlers at Fort Hood on Nov.
10.
G
125
■rtil
■
^ ROYAL ICE
CRE^ SITHN
Segregation protest at ii
,^‘1 '•aclal facj|i;tf!‘"9
In this fil photograph, Mrs. Mary Clyburn Hooks and Ms. V'oirginia Williams, two of the Royal
Seven, hold marker that is to be placed, (Photo By Lawson)
Royal Sit-In Historical Marker To Be Placed,
Unveiled On Sunday, November 29, at 3 p.m.
The formal placement and unveiling of the historic marker commemorating the 1957 anti-segregation ”sit-in''
at the former Royal Ice Cream Parlor will take place at 3 p.m. on Sun., Nov. 29. at the corner of North Roxboro
and Dowd streets in Durham.
This marker documents the 1957 "sit-in" and the subsequent legal actions which helped to dismantle racial
segregation. The marker was first proposed by Durham resident. R. Kelly Bryant, and was officialK approved
by the North Carolina Historical Marker Advisoiy Commission in December of 2007.
In advance of the stale's approval, a community campaign of suppon was offered b\ a broad coalition of
elected officials, neighborhood associations, civic groups, and media editorial boards in Durham and the Pied
mont Area.
After the approval, the marker was crafted at a foundiy and delivered to Durham. A dedication program was
held in June of 2008 at the Union Baptist Church. However, since construction was underwas for the Union
Independent School at that time, officials at the state Archives and Histoiy department suggested that the formal
placement of the marker be delayed until the recent completion of the building.
The placement and unveiling program on Sunday. November 29 will last for onl\ about 45 minutes. However,
this "community unveiling" will have a significant 21st Century symbolism.
In addition to Ms. Virginia Williams, who was one of the young adults arrested for "sitting-in" at the Royal
Ice Cream Parlor, a member of the Coletta family, which co-owned the Royal, has agreed to help with the unveil
ing.
This multi-cultural display of cooperation, respect, and unity will send a strong message about the racial prog
ress that has been experienced over the past half century in Durham, in Nonh Carolina, and across the United
States of America.
Marshal in Rockwell print gets Kentucky hometown honor
As Hunger Increases
Across the Nation, So
Do Helping Hands
* Bv Phiroh Martin
NNPA National Correspondent
WASHINGTON (NNPA) - As a new USDA repoil finds that more than
a quarter of all African-American households suffered from food rnsecu-
rit\ last year, compared to 15 percent of While households, public and
private agencies are scrambling to help feed those w ho might olherxv ise
go hungiy .
"Our agencies are reporting seeing increases from 30 to over 100 per
cent in the demand for food assistance and are reporting longer lines, see
ing new faces and the need to reduce the amount of food being given to
each family so that eveiy one gels something." said Shamia K. Hollowav
spokesperson for Capital Area Food Bank, a Washington-based free food
distributor. "The economic crisis has touched so man\ people in unex
pected ways: and it puts a squeeze on those alreadv struggling individuals
and families. We expect to see more people this vear."
The face of hunger is changing. Holloway said that her organization
has received calls from former donors and volunteers w ho are finding lhe\
need assistance from the veiy organization the\ used to support. More than
49 million people lived in food deficient households last vear. Nearlv 27
percent of African-American and 27 percent of Hispanic households had
food deficiencies, compared to 10.7 percent of While households. Food
insecurities among African-American households grew b> 17.7 percent
from 2007 to 2008 and 35.3 percent for Hispanic households, according
to the USDA.
African-American and Hispanic households were roughly two and one-
half times as likely to be food-deficient as While households. The overall
increase of food deficient households from 2007 is the largest one-v ear
increase since the USDA first began publishing its annual data.
Food deficient or "food insecure" households are defined as those in
which "the household has multiple indications of food access problems
impacting at least one but not necessarilv all members of the household."
"The faces that we're seeing coming through our door are the same faces
that we have seen previously - only more." said Roxanne Rice, executive
director for Food for Others. Northern Virginia's largest non-profit dis
tributor of free food to the needy. "We see young families with children
and the working poor or who had pan-lime work previouslv but w ere laid-
otT or lost their jobs completely, and they are coming to us for a little bit
of help."
They are seeing increased numbers over last vear. which was a record
year for the food banks. The area that Food for Others serves is one of the
wealthiest regions in the country yet it still suffers a 5 percent poverty rate,
according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
(Continued On Page ! I)
Mississippi Governor’s Pian
to Merge Three HBCUs Come
Under Fire
By Gina Kinslow
GLASGOW, Ky. (AP) - The Norman Rockwell print titled "The Problem We All Must Live With" features a
small, black girl walking between four very tall men.
The little girl was Ruby Nell Bridges, the first black student ' attend a white school in New Orleans, in
1960.
The legs of the man on the far right side walking behind Brie . belong to Jesse Grider, one of four U.S.
marshals ordered to escort the kindergartner and her family the five blocks from their home to the William Frantz
School.
Grider is originally from Glasgow and on Veteran's Day he was honored for his service as a U.S. Marshal and
with a Kentucky National Guard unit during the Korean War in a special ceremony at the South Central Kentucky
Cultural Center.
"It's quite an honor. I think I told someone I've been recognized by about three attorney generals in the United
States and the president of the United States, but this means as much to me as any of them. This is my hometown
and always will be," he said.
Since that day in New Orleans, Grider has been back to visit with Bridges twice.
"I went back to see her maybe 15 years ago. A U.S. attorney in New Orleans called me and wanted to know if
1 would come back and meet with her and I did,” he said.
(Continued On Page 11)
By Dominique M. Grant
Special to the NNPA from the Mississippi Link
.lACKSON. Miss. (NNPA) - Dozens of students, members
of the NAACP. alumni and concerned constituents gathered in
a "rally” at the Mississippi State Capitol last Friday to protest
Gov. Haley Barbour's proposal to merge Mississippi's three
historically Black universities.
Barbour has proposed merging Mississippi Valley State
University and Alcorn State into .lackson State University.
Outraged, students from each of the respective universities
gathered on the steps of the State Capitol to let their voices
be heard.
"Education is an economic equalizer." said Othor Cain,
.lackson State University NAACP adviser. "If the governor is
serious about fiscal responsibility, he should understand that
students need a quality education in order to rise out of pov
erty.”
A crowd of students attended the state College Board meet
ing last Thursday expecting a discussion about the proposal,
but there was none. Barbour also has said he wants to consoli
date Mississippi University for Women with Mississippi State.
Under his plan, no campuses would close.
The governor said the restructuring could sav e the state $35
million off a nearly $5.5 billion budget. The proposed change
would leave Mississippi with five public universities rather
than the current eight. Barbour's consolidation proposal would
have to be approved by lawmakers. It is part of his suggested
budget for the fiscal year that begins next .luly 1.
Some Alcorn State University alumni called the governor's
recommendation to merge the college with Jackson State Uni
versity devastating. Lawmakers would have to approve the
governor's plan to merge the schools before it happens. The
governor said the plan may not be popular, but it's necessary to
help balance the 2011 budget as revenues continue to fall. "It
would be like stripping us of part of our culture and our heri
tage and our camaraderie.” said Alcorn graduate John Smith.
The governor's office said it's too early to say if the school's
names will change, but they will all be run by Jackson State's
president. Also the sports teams at Alcorn and Mississippi Val
ley would be disbanded with JSU's athletic program remain
ing.
Opponents of the merger have created a website that has up
dates and an online petition. For more information visit www.
savemshbcus.org