-T:—TBTiaaSt:
Winston-Salem Chronicle
Vol. Ill, No. 51 Saturday August 20, 1977
Suite 603 Pepper Bldg. Winston-Salem, N.C.
* 20 Cents
Minority Businessmen Meet To Discuss New Bill
By Sharon Bratcher
Staff Writer
Winston-Salem’s min
ority businessmen gather
ed at Winston-Salem State
University August 10th to
discuss the 4 billion dollar
Local Public Works BiU,
recently passed by Con
gress and now available to
qualified local communi
ties.
The bill specifies that
10% of the money in the
program must be spent
with minority businesses,
and the big questions
among those at the
meeting were: “How does
it work?’’ and “How do I
qualify?’’ Among those on
hand to answer those
questions were Estrelita
Smith, of the legal office
of the Offices of Minority
Business Enterprise
(OMBEI in Atlanta, John
Duncan of the Mid-West
Piedmont Area Business
Development Organizat
ion, and Walter Farabee,
economic development co
ordinator for the City of
Winston-Salem.
Winston-Salem has re
ceived $1,612,000 of
Public Works money,
which is to be used for the
construction of public
works projects. According
to Farabee, Winston-Sa
lem plans to use its money
to fix up some of the city’s
tennis courts and to
construct a building to
house maintenance vehi
cles.
Those who qualify as
part of the 10% minority
business participation are
companies in which 40%
are minority group mem
bers, or in the case of
publicly-owned busines
ses, those in which 50% of
the stock is owned by
blacks, Spanish-speaking
persons, Orientals, Ind
ians, Eskimos, or Aleuts.
The minority businsess
does not ■ have to be a
construction company in
order to qualify. As long
as the company contri
butes something to the
project, and is paid for
doing so, it is coimted as
participation. This could
mean employing a black
architect, hiring a black
firm to carpet the
building, buying gas for
the bulldozers at a
black-owned gas station,
or letting a firm of black
accountants keep the
books. Any and all of
these may satisfy the
requirements of the pro
gram. The figure 10% is
intended as a Minimum
figure, officals stated. It is
hoped that minority in
volvement may exceed
that figure.
As for how one
volunteers for the pro
gram, it was agreed that
John Duncan of the
Midwest Piedmont Area
Business Development
Organization wiU keep the
list of those who wish to
be considered. Those
wishing to receive more
information should contact
him at 623 Walughtown
Street, or call him at
784-7970.
Holy Church
Rebukes Hunt
At it’s 8th annual
convocation the Western
N.C. District of the United
Holy Church of America
appealed to Governor
Hunt to commute the
sentences of the Wilm
ington Ten. Calling the
case a “miscarriage of
justice,’’ church leaders
strongly condemmed the
governor’s refusal to
“speak out with bold
ness,” linking that refusal
to political considerations
surrounding the ‘ ‘pending
referendum that would
allow the governor to
succeed himself.”
The conviction of the
Four Run In
S.E. Ward
A third candidate has
joined incumbent Eugene
F. Groce and challenger
Larry Womble in the
democratic primary of the
Southeast Ward alder-
manic race.
Donald F. Holcombe, a
former alderman, was
forced to resign in 1973
when he pleaded guilty to
accepting a $5,000 bribe
to rezone a lot on
Reynolds Road.
Ten for arson and
conspiracy arising from
social disturbances in
Wilmington during 1972
has prompted a number of
local and national leaders
and organizations to
request intervention in the
case. Despite direct ap
peals, Governor Hunt has
remained adamant in his
refusal to intervene in the
case. The statement by
the church group marks
the first time the
Wilmington Ten case has
been tied with the
successsion issue. The
controversial Ireferendum
is scheduled to be
presented to N.C. voters
in November.
Addressing itself to s
number of other local and
national issues, the Con
vocation urged the gover
nor and President Carter
to appoint more Blacks to
“all levels of govern
ment.”
In a series of statements
on social issues the
Discrimination Is
Leveled At Integon
By Sharyn Bratcher
Staff Reporter
Six black women employed by Integon Insurance Corporation have filed a class action suit against the
company, charging that Integon discriminates against minority employees in hiring, training,
performance evaluation, sick leave, promotions and terminations.
Herman Stephens, attorney for the women, five of whom are no longer with the company, stated that
the suit asks for an injunction requiring Integon to cease its discriminatory practices against these persons
and aU other members of minority groups, and to reinstate them to their jobs, with commensurate salaries
and the back pay they had missed since their dismissal.
The suit also asks for $600.00 in punitive damages and the cost of the legal fees in bringing the suit.
Liz Todd, one of the employees bringing suit against Integon, said that she began to work for Integon in
1976 as a filing clerk.
Several months later, she had to go on sick leave when an abdominal cyst required surgery.
“When I got back,
my job had been filled,”
said Mrs. Todd. “They
moved me around to five
different jobs.”
For a month, she said,
she held a “grade five”
job, higher in rank than
her old job, but she was
told she was not qualified
to hold the job perman
ently.
Producers Of King Film Respond
SCLC-Film Distorts Image
Carolina Community
News Service
Paul Maslansky, a
spokesperson for Film-
ways Corporation, has
ary to step back from it,
that’s why historians are
so very important.”
One critic of the film.
Dr. C.t. Vivian, a former
member, said in an
interview that some scen
es in the film were not
factual and would be
Convocation condenmed
Angela Watson, a senior at A&T State University,
accepts the title of Miss Black America of North
CaroUna in Friday night’s pageant.
Black employees that Southern Christian Lead-
Integon hires have to have grship Coference that the
responded to charges by King aide and SCLC board
several directors of the
See Film, Page 2
Holcombe made his
armouncement to run for
re-election last Wednes
day in the office of
Holcombe Motors, Inc. on
Waughtown Street.
In his prepared state
ment Holcombe apolo
gized to the people of
Winston-Salem for what
he called “a human
error.” ‘‘With great
reluctance and mixed
feelings,” Holcombe an
nounced that he would run
for office. He is being
urged to run, he said, by
supporters in the South
east Ward who circulated
a petition asking -Hol
combe to enter the race.
Asked about the support
of blacks in his ward,
Holcombe answered that
the top priority in his
“acts of violence, looting,
stealing and other anti
social behavior,” and
further, “acts of systema
tic violence demonstrated
in unemployment, under
employment, the cheating
of merchants and other
acts of racism.” This
statement was apparently
in response to the
outbreak of lawlessness
which occured in the
ghetto areas of New York
during the recent black
out. On the local level, the
Convocation spoke out
against what they termed,
“The apparent efforts of
the state of North Carolina
to undermine the status
and programs of the
traditionally Black col-
See Church, Page 2
Angela Watson
Wins Pageant
some college but the white
employees come from
places hke Pizza Hut,”
.she charged.
Mrs. Todd was dischar
ged from Integon several
Three Candidates
Now In Mayors Race
Angela Watson, a 21-year old senior at A & T
State University, was selected as the new Miss Black
America of North Carolina.
Miss Watson, who succeeds Phyllis Tabron to the
title, performed a modem dance routine to the song
“I Believe.” She wiU represent North Carolina in the
Miss Black America Pageant in HoUywood in
September.
Another Greensboro girl, robin J. Simmons of
Greensboro was first runner-up. Sherry Burnette
Cobb of Kinston was named second runner-up. The
third and fourth runner-up positions went to two
local beauties; Winifred W. Straks of Winston-Salem
and Janice Price of Walkertown. The Miss
cOngeniaUty Award went to Melanie Wheeler.
The pageant, which was emceed by WXU’s Jane
Harrington and Mr. Dan Andrews, was sponsored
by the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Proceeds from
See Angela, Page 2
and is
liberal”
film ‘‘Martin Luther
King” distorts the history
of the civil rights
movement, and defames _
many of the key civil Cecil Butler is no longer , mayor's race is
rights figures, including the only candidate for WUUam G. Pfefferkom, a
weeks ago. The company the late Dr. Martin Luther mayor of Winston-Salem, 'ocal attorney, who has
cited insubordination and King Jr. and Dr. Ralph although since Carl Rus- represented environmen-
David Abernathy, Presi- sell is stiU deliberating, he
dent Emeritus of SCLC. is stUl the only black in the
Film ways is the pro- race,
ducer of the 245 minute As expected, Wayne
serial to be shown on NBC Corpening, the former
television stations much county chairman of the
like Alex Haley’s Democratic Party, an-
“Roots”. nounced Tuesday that he
Maslansky says that the was entering the race,
charges by SCLC officials Corpening, who is a senior t:ity.
are “natural” because tor vice-president of Wacho- ' aUow Win-
them “everything is via Bank & Trust Co., ston-Salem to become an
subjective from the point stated that he wiU put in ’^^ban sprawl with specta-
excessive absenteeism as
causes for her dismissal.
Eric Gordon of Inte-
gon’s personnel depart
ment stated that the
company position regard
ing the suit is, at this
time, “No comment.”
It is generally agreed
among lawyers that class
action suits are very hard
to prove. As one attorney
put it; “ Any company who
talist groups,
considered a
Democrat.
In his press conference,
held at his campaign
headquarters at 725 Bon-
hurst Drive, Pfefferkom
expressed concern over
the growth pattern of the
wants to discriminate of view of the people who for early retirement if he growth at the
usually uses a
acceptable excuse
so.”
more
to do
took part in the (cival
rights) movement.” Mas
lansky continued saying,
“they have their own
perspective. It’s necess-
... elected, in order to outside and decay in a
devote all his time to the growing circle in the
mayor's job. middle?” He asked.
The other candidate in Mayor Franklin R.
the Democratic primary oi See Three, Page 2
Aldermen Clash Over Row Street Houses
■*- y.
See Four, Page 2
Chronicle
Weather
Outlook
Partly cloudy.
Highs in the 80s across
the state; lows ranging
from the low 60s in the
mountains to the low to
mid-70s elsewhere.
Showers on and off
today thru Sunday.
Sunny and hot Monday
and Tuesday.
. I
-I
I
Mrs. Lucille S. Edwards, a resident of Row Street, repair the houses or build
lives in a house with holes in the wall and no central DeVries and Clarence
heating while city officials debate over whether to incumbent Eugene Groce
new ones. Candidates Jon
Washington say repair;
says no.
I A candidate for aider-
man and two incumbents
r-M clashed over a housing
issue at a meeting of the
Board of Aldermen's
finance committee last
Thursday night.
Jon DeVries, who is
running for alderman in
the Northwest Ward,
criticized the committee
for refusing to endorse a
plan to renovate 15 houses
in the Boston-Thurmond
Street Community Deve
lopment area.
; The Fitzgerald Mort
gage Company, which
owns the houses, requests
city approval to repair the
houses in order to
participate in the federal
rent-subsidy program.
Aldermen Richard Da
vis and DeVries’ opponent
Eugene F. Groce ex
pressed doubt about that
the houses were worth new house,” she decided.
repairing.
“They don't have
central heat or underpin
ning. They’re poorly
constructed,” says Davis.
“Groce is a builder and he
once worked on those
houses. They’re not worth
repairing.”
Jon DeVries contends
that the residents want
the houses renovated, and
that they want to remain
where they are.
Mrs. Lucille S. Ed
wards, an elderly resident
on Ro'" Street, has mixed
feelings about the plans,
but she is sure of. one
thing: “They ought to do
something.”
She does not want to
live in a high-rise, though.
“The neighbors would
make too much noise,
fighting and carrying on. ”
Row Street is a nice quiet
neighborhood, she said.
She indicated the holes
in the wall of her house.
There is no central
heating, either.
“I’d like to move to a
If the owners of the
houses could bring them u
to standard, at their own
expense, the federal
government would subsi
dize the tenants' rents,
about $200,000 for each
five year contract period.
“I don’t think we ought
to spend money to keep
black people living in
slums,” Davis insists.
Fix up the houses or
move-the tenants on Roiv
Street are still waiting for
something to be done—
and winter is coming.