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ILUME 94 - NUMBER 23
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 2015
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Video of officer outside
pool party sparks
protests in Texas
By David Warren
McKINNEY, Texas (AP) - A black teenager in a swimsuit repeatedly cried out, “Call my momma!” as
a white police officer pinned her to the ground, only moments after drawing his handgun on other black
teens.
“On your face!” the officer yelled at the girl, amid screaming from a crowd of onlookers.
The officer’s actions raised tensions and led to protests Monday in this Dallas suburb, where some
community activists accused him of racism while others urged calm until the facts are investigated.
Jahi Adisa Bakari, the father of another teenage girl at the party, said he would press for the .officer to
be fired, saying he “was out of control.”
But Benet Embry, a black local radio personality who witnessed the incident, said it was “not another
Ferguson” or “another Baltimore,” referring to other police encounters that have left suspects dead and
fueled a nationwide “Black Lives Matter” movement.
“This was a teenage party that got out of hand,” Embry said.
Police said some of the young people did not live in the area and did not have permission to be at the
pool in McKinney, an affluent, predominantly white city.
According to neighbors, Embry said, a woman who lives in the community reserved the pool for a
party. The homeowners’ association limits the number of guests each homeowner may have at the pool to
two. But about 130 people, mostly kids, showed up for the woman’s party, he said.
At one point, several kids began jumping over the fence to get into the pool area and were causing a
disturbance, Embry said, and a couple of fights broke out.
While he did not agree with the officer’s profanity or belligerence, Embry said, police were right to
respond.
(Continued On Page 2)
Members of the Beta Theta Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., which is the
mini chapter of the Fraternity in Durham, N sponsored a Voter Registration Booth during the
cent Bimbe’ Celebration. “A Voteless People Is A Hopeless People” was initiated as a National
fogram of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. during the 1930’s when many African-Americans had
it right to vote but were prevented from voting because of poll taxes, threats of reprisal, and a
tk of education about the voting process. Voter registration and education has remained a domi-
int focus of this National Program for over 75 years. The brothers of Beta Theta Lambda were
roi/d to stand on behalf of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. at the Bimbe Cultural Arts Festival
til's effort. We readily recognize how important it is for members of our community to engage
the voting process. Being registered to vote is a critical beginning, but we also acknowledge that
ter education is equally important in order to be responsible participants in this civic process,
lerefore, in addition to conducting voter registration drives throughout the year, our fraternity
ins on hosting voter education & candidates forums to inform citizens of Durham of this vital
lie process, and to introduce voters to candidates in various local & state races. Finally, another
y component of the “A Voteless People Is A Hopeless People” initiative is to increase voter turn-
itfor all elections. Beta Theta Lambda members will volunteer to transport voters to the polls, as
ihave done in previous elections.
Our Fraternity’s mission statement is: “ Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. develops leaders, pro-
jtes brotherhood and academic excellence, while providing service and advocacy for our corn-
unities.” The members of Beta Theta Lambda Chapter enthusiastically represent Alpha Phi
pha Fraternity, Inc. in upholding this mission in Durham, North Carolina. - Dr. Roger A. Mc-
lugal, chairman- A Voteless People Is A Hopeless People, Beta Theta Lambda Chapter of, Alpha
u Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Clinton wants voting
rights overhaul,
more early voting
By Ken Thomas
WASHINGTON (AP) - Seeking an expansion of voting rights, Hillary Rodham Clinton plans to call
ran early voting period of at least 20 days in every state and push back against Republican-led states
it have sought restrictions on voting access.
The Democratic presidential candidate spoke June 4 at Texas Southern University in Houston, a his-
ically black university. Democrats have filed legal challenges to voting changes from GOP lawmakers
the presidential battleground states of Ohio and Wisconsin.
Clinton’s campaign said she intends to denounce voting restrictions in North Carolina, Texas, Florida
d Wisconsin and encourage states to adopt a new national standard of no fewer than 20 days of early
■person voting, including weekend and evening voting.
About 20 million people voted early in the 2014 elections. However, about one-third of states do not
ve any early voting.
The former secretary of state will also urge Congress to take steps to address a 2013 Supreme Court
ling striking down a portion of the Voting Rights Act.
Clinton said at the time of the decision, in a speech to the Delta Sigma Theta sorority, that the court
d “struck at the heart” of the landmark law and warned that it would make it difficult for the poor,
lerly, minorities and working people to vote.
Clinton’s comments will be closely watched by black voters, who supported President Barack Obama
large numbers and have said that voting rights restrictions unfairly target minority voters. The event
ne 4 event was hosted by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, and Clinton will be honored with an
lard named after Barbara Jordan, the late Texas congresswoman and civil rights leader.
Clinton is also expected to urge the full adoption of the recommendations of Obama’s bipartisan com
ission on voting administration.
The Democratic front-runner is making the speech during a fundraising trip through Texas, where she
holding private events with financial donors in Dallas, San Antonio, Austin and Houston.
Elizabeth City State cutting nearly 3 dozen positions
ELIZABETH CITY (AP) - Elizabeth City State University is cutting its budget for
scorning year by nearly $3 million.
Local media outlets reported that the historically black college is cutting $2.8 million
ider orders from the University of North Carolina system.
Those cuts will eliminate 34 positions, some of which are already vacant.
Enrollment at the 124-year-old college dropped to fewer than 1,900 students in the
11. That’s about half of what enrollment was five years ago.
The school has cut $5 million from its budget over the last three years.
The school said it also will take advantage of energy savings and reduce technology
aintenance costs.
USA BASKETBALL ANNOUNCES NCCU’S MOTON AS COURT COACH
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - North Carolina Central University men’s basketball head coach
LeVelle Moton has been selected as a court coach for the 2015 USA Basketball Men’s U19 World Cham
pionship Team training camp, USA Basketball announced Wednesday.
Moton is one of three to be selected as court coaches by the USA Basketball Men’s Junior National
Team Committee, chaired by Syracuse Hall of Fame head coach Jim Boeheim.
The three court coaches (Moton, Donnie Bostwick of Southwestern Assemblies of God University
and Kerry Keating from Santa Clara University) will assist the 2015 USA Basketball Men’s Junior Na
tional Team coaching staff during training camp, which will take place June 13-19 at the United States
Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
“It means the world to me to be selected to USA Basketball,” Moton said. “I am humbled and honored
to have an opportunity to represent my country and impact young lives while doing so. As a kid, we all
dream of US A Basketball opportunities, and I thank God that mine has come true.”
The 2015 FIBA U19 World Championship, will be played June 27-July 5 in Heraklion, Crete, Greece,
where the USAwill be led by the University of Arizona’s Sean Miller and assistant coaches Ed Cooley
of Providence College and Archie Miller of the University of Dayton.
Moton enters his first USA Basketball coaching assignment after becoming the first men’s basketball
coach in NCCU history to repeat as Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference regular-season champions with a
16-0 record in 2014-15.
In his six years at his alma mater, Moton has amassed a 114-75 record (.603 winning percentage),
which includes three consecutive 20-win seasons, trips to the NCAA and NIT postseason tournaments
and the school’s first MEAC Tournament championship title.
(Continued On Page 2)
Alabama Senate seeks to rename
Edmund Pettus Bridge
By Kim Chandler
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - Alabama senators are seeking to rename Selma’s Edmund Pettus Bridge,
a historic site in the voting rights movement that also bears the name of a Ku Klux Klan officer.
Senators on June 3 approved a resolution to rename it the Journey to Freedom Bridge. The bridge
became a symbol of the fight for voting rights after marchers were beaten by state troopers on the bridge
on March 7, 1965.
The bridge that spans the Alabama River is Selma’s most notable landmark. It is named for Pettus, a
two-term U.S senator, a Confederate general and a KKK grand dragon. The KKK connection had faded
from local memory until this year, when approaching the 50th anniversary of the “Bloody Sunday” beat
ings, a Selma student group launched an online petition to rename the landmark bridge.
“There was a thought that every time you lift the name, you also lift the name of the KKK grand
dragon,” said Selma Sen. Hank Sanders, who sponsored the resolution.
“That bridge became a symbol of the struggle for freedom,” Sanders said.
Sanders said several new potential names were kicked around, including “the Bloody Sunday Bridge.”
He said “Journey to Freedom” is appropriate because it says we are still on the journey.”
However, Lee Sentell, director of the Alabama Tourism Department, said he worried changing the
bridge’s name could threaten its status as a national historic landmark.
“I believe its status would be in jeopardy because it would be altering the appearance of the structure
from its historical period,” he said.
The Alabama House of Representatives has not voted on the idea with just two more meeting days in
the legislative session.
Sanders said lawmakers named the bridge for Pettus in the 1940s. He said he believes they can legally
change the name by resolution.
An Alabama Department of Transportation spokesman said they are reviewing the resolution.