6 SATURDAY, APRIL 2, 2016 - THE CAROLINA TIMES
Durham Committee Holds 81st Annual Meeting
Howard N. Lee, a veteran North Carolina public official whose service has included state senator,
secretary of the North Carolina Department of Natural Resources and Community Development and
mayor of Chapel Hill, among other positions, was the speaker at the annual meeting of the Durham
Committee on the Affairs of Black People (DCABP) on Sunday, February 21 st at Community Baptist
Church in Durham.
The DCABP, also known as The Durham Committee, celebrated its 81 st anniversary. The meeting was
held at Community Baptist Church and the Rev. Percy Chase is pastor.
This was the final meeting of the organization under the leadership of former state senator Ralph Hunt,
who stepped down from his post after having served as chair for the last two years. Newly elected chair
Omar Beasley, who has been serving as first vice chair for the last two years, was sworn in to serve as
chair for the remainder of this year, while other leaders of the organization elected in 2015 will continue
to serve out the balance of their two year terms.
The theme of the meeting was “United in Service Advancing the Community”.
The Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People is a broad-based organization in Durham’s
African American community whose constitutional mission is “to serve as a representative of and as a
leadership body for the Black citizenry of the City and County of Durham... in promoting the welfare
of that citizenry in civic, cultural, economic, educational, health, housing, political and youth affairs.”
The DCABP constitution also says that its principal function is “to work collectively toward the
elimination of racial discrimination or racial distinction in public and general private affairs.” The
organization’s political action committee (PAC) is often noted as one of the three most powerful PACs in
the city, along with the People’s Alliance and The Friends of Durham.
Judges Elaine O’Neal, left an d William A. “Drew Marsh, III, right, adminis
tered the oath of office to Omar Beasley as new chair of the Durham Committee,
center.
Speaker Howard N. Lee, left, and new chair of the Durham Committee Omar
Beasley.
Members of the Hillside High School Dance group who performed. In bottom
Pastor Wanda Boone Min. Deborah Bryson photos is after their performance an above is part of their performance. Ms. Pa ¬
mela Oxendine, director of the group.
Clarence Birkhead
Omar Beasley and his wife, center and family officers, and Pastor Percy Chase, far right
2015 Officers of the Durham Committee