DAVI7 12/01/12 **
UNC-CH SERIALS DEPARTMENT
DAVIS LIBRARY CB# 3938
208 RALEIGH STREET
CHAPEL HILL
NC 27599-0001
(Lunes
IME 92 - NUMBER 44
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2013
TELEPHONE (919) 682-2913 PRICE: 30
JOP Lawyers Want to Keep Voter Suppression’ Rules
By Gary D. Robertson
,EIGH (AP) - Attorneys for the state of North Carolina and
it McCrory on Oct. 21 requested that a pair of federal law-
allenging substantial changes to portions of a law overhauling
is in the state be dismissed.
ring their initial formal responses to litigation filed in August
;ame McCrory signed the bill into law, the lawyers denied all
acial discrimination allegations made by civil rights and elec-
cocacy groups and voters about the legislation.
lawsuits seek to throw out new rules requiring photo identifi-
:o vote starting in 2016, reducing the number of early-voting
' a week and eliminating same-day registration during the ear-
rg period, among other steps. The lawsuits argue the changes
matic and would make it disproportionately harder for black
i to vote, turning back the clock on voting rights.
responses lacked explanations why the portions of the law
ged on the basis of the Voting Rights Act and the U.S. Consti-
hould be upheld. Instead those responses largely stuck to law-
nguage admitting facts or denying allegations from dozens of
phs of the original litigation.
ay-Z defends deal with
Bob Stephens, McCrory’s chief legal counsel, said in a statement
“the allegations made by the plaintiffs are simply wrong as a matter
of law and fact. The governor remains confident that the law will be
upheld.”
Speaking separately Oct. 21 in Washington at a conservative think
tank, McCrory said the law “protects the integrity of our ballot box”
and many changes made still keep North Carolina’s election laws in
line with those in the majority of other states in many areas.
The lawsuits “are political and without merit, because our (modi
fied) laws have been greatly exaggerated,” he said at The Heritage
Foundation.
Lawyers representing the state chapter of the National Associa
tion for the Advancement of Colored People said later Oct. 21 the
responses were thin and didn’t give any new explanation to judges
why the law should be upheld.
Community Impact Initiative
North Carolina Central University
School of Business
Pictured from left to right are: Ronald C. Parker, president and CEO of The Executive Leadership Council and Foundation;
Lynton Scotland, co-chair of The Executive Leadership Foundation Community Impact Initiative; Michael C. Hyter, chairman of
The Executive Leadership Foundation board and managing director, Korn/Ferry International; North Carolina Central Univer
sity Chancellor Debra Saunders-White; and, Tracey Gray-Walker, co-chair of the Community Impact Initiative and senior vice
president at Axa Equitable.)
, “.They set out no justification for the law,” said Penda Hair, a
Washington-based civil rights attorney, during a conference call. Hair
said “we believe we have a very strong and compelling case” to block
what the challengers call a. deliberate effort by Republican legisla
tive leaders and McCrory to discourage blacks and other groups from
voting.
“Voting is really the basic foundation of our democracy and no
elected official should attempt to make it harder for people to partici
pate,” state NAACP president the Rev. William Barber said.
The state’s responses don’t address two other lawsuits, including
one filed by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and a state lawsuit
challenging the voter ID requirement alone. The state doesn’t have
to file those responses until later this fall. But the attorneys did ask
federal judges to delay rulings on the photo ID challenge in until the
state lawsuit filed in Chatham County is resolved.
(Continued On Page 15)
are accused of profiling
By Nekesa Mumbi Moody and Karen Matthews
VV YORK (AP) - Jay-Z - under increasing pressure to back out
>llaboration with the luxury store Barneys New York after it
cused of racially profiling two black customers - said Saturday
ling unfairly “demonized” for just waiting to hear all of the
: rap mogul made his first statement about the controversy in a
j on his website. He has come under fire for remaining silent as
urfaced this week that two young black people said they were
d by Barneys after they purchased expensive items from their
ittan store.
online petition and Twitter messages from fans have been cir-
g this week, calling on the star to bow out of his upcoming
rship with Barneys for the holiday season, which will have the
elling items by top designers, inspired by Jay-Z, with some of
>ceeds going to his charity. He is also working with the store to
its artistic holiday window display.
Jay-Z - whose real name is Shawn Carter - defended himself,
that he hasn’t spoken about it because he’s still trying to figure
actly what happened.
nove and speak based on facts and not emotion,” the state-
laid. “I haven’t made any comments because I am waiting on
nd the outcome of a meeting between community leaders and
ys. Why am I being demonized, denounced and thrown on the
of a newspaper for not speaking immediately?” he said, refer-
> local newspaper headlines.
; two Barneys customers, Trayon Christian and Kayla Phillips,
lis week they were detained by police after making expensive
ises.
ristian sued Barneys, saying he was accused of fraud after us-
s debit card to buy a $349 Ferragamo belt in April. Philips filed
:e of claim saying she would sue after she was stopped by de-
js outside the store when she bought a $2,500 Celine handbag
iruary.
the criticism grew, Barneys said Thursday it had retained a
ights expert to help review its procedures. The CEO of Bar-
Mark Lee, offered his “sincere regret and deepest apologies.”
•Sten John Foy, an official with the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National
a Network, said he would meet with Barneys officials on Tues-
> discuss the racial profiling allegations.
'-Z - who rose from a life of crime in Brooklyn to become one
most heralded rappers and one of entertainment’s biggest su-
rs - has in the past called for a boycott of labels perceived to be
, and has become more political in recent years, from speaking
>out the killing of black teenager Trayvon Martin to campaign-
r President Barack Obama.
i-Z said in this case, he’s still trying to find out what happened
h is why he was silent.
ontinuedd On Page 15)
Executive Leadership Foundation Awards NCCU $350,000
for Summer Youth Business & Entrepreneurship Academy
ALEXANDRIA, Va. - The Executive Leadership Foundation awarded North Carolina Central University a grant
of $350,000 during its annual Recognition Gala on Oct. 24. The grant was provided under ELF’s Community Impact
Initiative, a national program aimed at closing the achievement gap among black middle and high school students.
Previous grantees include INROADS, LEAD and A Better Chance. Dr. Debra Saunders-White, NCCU chancellor,
accepted the award which will support the university’s Summer Youth Business & Entrepreneur ship Academy.
“Through our Community Impact Initiative, we are making a strategic investment in the next generation of business
leaders, providing more than $1 million in just three years to deserving grantees,” said Ronald C. Parker, president
and CEO of The Executive Leadership Council and Foundation. “We are pleased to expand our impact and reach by
providing this grant to North Carolina Central University’s Summer Youth Business & Entrepreneurship Academy.”
The NCCU School of Business and ELF are aligned around the goal of preparing students for career success and
global leadership. Under the Summer Youth Business & Entrepreneurship Academy, high school sophomores and ju
niors take part in a two-week, non-residential business and entrepreneurship immersion program. Students participate
in lectures, corporate visits, and a case competition, where they work in teams to prepare a business plan. A panel of
judges from the business community evaluates the plan and awards a prize to the winning team.
“This generous gift from The Executive Leadership Foundation will enable NCCU to invest in training for the next
generation of business leaders, entrepreneurs and scholars,” said Dr. Debra Saunders-White, NCCU chancellor. “We
are thankful to the ELF for supporting our efforts to build a pipeline of skilled individuals for the workforce in North
Carolina and our nation.”
The partnership with ELF will allow the NCCU Summer Youth Business & Entrepreneurship Academy to expand
its outreach to include more students and provide additional services at no cost to the student. The program began in
2012 with 16 and is expected to grow to 60 students in 2014 and double its enrollment in both 2015 and 2016.
Former Rep. Major Owens of Brooklyn dies at 77
By Karen Matthews
NEW YORK (AP) - Major Owens, a New York City Democrat who served 12 terms in the U.S. House and was credited with helping tc
pass the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, has died at age 77. : .
Owens died Oct. 21 at NYU Langone Medical Center of renal failure and heart failure, his son Chris Owens said. The family posted or
Owens’ Facebook page that “the brave heart of Congressman Major Owens stopped and he joined the ancestors.”
Owens represented a Brooklyn congressional district from 1983 to 2007.
“Today, our country mourns the loss of a devoted public servant who dedicated his life to lifting up the voices of those who too often gc
unheard,” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said in a statement. “From the classroom to the halls of Congress, Congressman Owens taughi
all of us what it means to serve with strength, compassion, and commitment to the public good.”
New York City Comptroller John Liu said: “New York City has lost a champion who exemplified the very best of what a Congress membei
can be. His work in helping to pass the Americans with Disabilities Act will serve as one of his lasting legacies.”
Owens was born in Collierville, Tenn., and earned a bachelor’s degree from Morehouse College and a master’s of library science at Atlanta
University. He worked as a librarian at the Brooklyn Public Library before entering politics.
In the 1960s, Owens worked on anti-poverty programs in the administration of New York City Mayor John Lindsay, and he was elected tc
the state Senate in 1974.
(Continued On Page 15)