Page 2-The Chronicle, Sunday, November 15, 1981
Brixton's Blacks Stricken By Apathy
Second article in a two-part series
London - Only three blacks from the Urixton area
bothered to show up at a recent “crucial” meeting of the
Labor Committee for the Defense of Brixton. Since the
first major revolts of April 11 and 12, the organization
has met weekly to assess its efforts in helping with the
legal defense of those arrested during fighting between
residents and police.
The group’s funds have slipped below the 300-pound-
level (about $570), and, among other things, organizers
are working doggedly to replenish them. But the defense
committee has one surprising foe.
Apathy in and around Brixton’s black community
poses a threat to the organization’s effectiveness.
Many of those arrested were black. Yet blacks haven’t
displayed any mass support of the defense committee’s
apparently sincere effort to stand beside Brixtonians in
court. How, then, are those most affected by the arrests
to take advantage of the committee’s moral and financial
aid. And how can the committee possibly gauge the needs
of bl.icks here? It is a gap that came closest to being
bridged only after the disturbances were fresh in
everyone’s mind.
At one of the organiz.ation’s initial meetings, more
than 600 people - many black - made their way into two
rooms at this same Lambeth Town Hall, said Bob Lee, a
member of the defense committee. Brixton, part of the
borough of Lambeth in south London, has a population
of about 67,000 - 24 percent West Indian, 4 percent
African.
The three blacks at this most recent meeting comprised
less than 7 percent of the 45 people who attended.
It was on this doubly sour note that Stuart Holland, a
member of parliament for Lambeth, opened the public
meeting. “This is not a mass meeting,” the MP said.
“It’s a pity it’s not a mass meeting. But it can be con
structive as a workshop.”
Holland is one of the most militant of the 635 members'
of the United Kingdom’s House of Commons - the
elected lower house. He went on to mention the oft-
Many of those arrested were black. Yet blacks
haven’t displayed any mass support of the
defense committee’s apparently sincere effort to
stand beside Brixtonians in court.
quoted unemployment figures - 18 percent in Brixton, 12
percent in London as a whole. Holland also serves as a
spokesman for the interests of blacks thrcuughout the
country. There is not one black member of the Com
mons.
London suffered, he said, from capital outflow.
Holland, a trained economist, likened this “typical pat
tern” to the same thing in the United States. That
outflow showed itself in the form of rising business inac
tivity and ensuing unemployment. The ripple effects were
not restricted to the private sector, Holland added.
“Public housing construction has virtually come to a
halt.”
Although Holland did not speak specifically to the lack
of interest among Brixton’s blacks, he hinted that this
would be different if residents achieved a change in con
trol. “At the moment, people have no control over their
Mrs.Moses Promoted At Wachovia
lives,” he said.
Holland described the “Key factor” as a lack of self
management. Allowing people to “do their own thing”
is, for him, a specific part of left-wing teaching, A
socialist policy is the “fundamental” solution, he said.
“What is to be done?” Holland asked. “In my opi
nion, there is no short-term solution in the inner-city
area. 1 call for a major redistribution of resources within
the system as a whole.”
But until government attaches itself to such a leftist
position, which is hardly possible, increased participation
on the part of blacks in Brixton will have to rely on
another stimulus. Given that many blacks in Brixton have
turned to violent rebellion as a means of being heard, it
would seem that they sense no constructive alternatives.
Sam Brown, a black member of the Labor Party
Young Socialists, also commented bitterly on political in
difference in Brixton, “There’s a mood of apathy,”
Brown said. “It is much apparent when going on
streets.”
“The explosion of riots” raised everyone’s con
sciousness, he said. “Now, it is difficult to get people in
terested in politics.”
While the Conservative Party has not, understandably,
attracted black support, the Labor Party hasn’t fared any
better. Bob Lee, who closed the Lambeth meeting, said
blacks have no will to be political, “There’s no credibility
of the Labor Party in the black community.”
Lee and defense committee supporters visit the Railton
Road area - where the worst of the disturbances occurred
- to spur some kind interest in political outlets. Leaflets
announcing this latest meeting had been handed out
there. But, thus far, it’s all been in vain.
He vowed, however, that the Labor Committee for the
Defense of Brixton would continue the push to raise
money for legal aid. And work must be done, Lee said, to
give political direction to what blacks in Brixton should
be fighting for.
VPI Photo
Albany, N. Y. - New Stale Labor Commissioner Lillian
Roberts discusses her plans for New York’s Labor
Department during an interview with United Press Inter
national.
Carolyn R. Moses has
been bromoted to turst
operations officer at
Wachovia Bank and Trust
Company in Winston-
Salem.
Mrs. Moses joined the
bank in 1970 in sales
finance and in 1971 became
an accounting clerk. In
1977, she was named cor
porate action specialist and
has been supervisor in the
income processing section
of the trust operations
department since 1979.
Mrs. Moses is a native of
Winston-Salem.
Ms. Watkins joined the
bank in 1966 in trust ac
counting. In 1976, she was
named cost analyst and has
been a tax analyst in the
Personal Trust Department
since 1973. A native of Lex
ington, Ms. Watkins
graduated from Winston-
Salem Business College.
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Support Split From Page 1
■I mill mill mini mimm mi
‘I’ve done much more
business than I ex-
pected. ”
Johnny Miller
- -
1
ed because the unique pro
duct it sells, according to its
founder James Mack. HRC
is a management consul
tant firm that researches
and advises corporations in
the field of community rela
tions, public relations and
equal employment oppor
tunities.
“Providing a service that
is rather unique and need
ed in the corporate com
munity is an asset for us,”
said Mack. “It was difficult
to gain the confidence of
clients when we first start
ed out, but as we did job
after job our reputation
began to precede us. This is
a result business.”
For Mack, the objective is
clear; “To get large enough
to create jobs for other
blacks and other females.”
He also believes black
businessmen of 1980 are
laying the foundation that
will one day give rise to a
stronger black community.
George Hill, president of
Winston Mutual Life Insur
ance Co., got his start in
business the way few
blacks have the opportun
ity-inheritance.
Hill’s grandfather, along
with four other men, found
ed the company in 1907,
selling industrial insur
ance. Today Hill heads a
company that sells every
major insurance plan, in
cluding real estate and
investment in stocks, bonds
and mortgage loans. He
said that the main problem
of his company is black
patronage.
“We have found your
middle-class blacks take on
the values of the social
majority,” explained Hill.
“They”willcome toyoufor a
loan, but in terms of pur
chasing any portion of their
life insurance with us-no.”
Becoming a viable force in
the community is what Hill
said is the priority of his
company and he added that
it is the responsibility of all
black businessmen to com
municate with black
people.
“Blacks are suddenly
realizing that if we don’t
protect and patronize our
own black business, then
we will never have any
thing. We as black busines
smen have not articulated
that to our people.”
In the communications in
dustry is A. Mutter Evans,
owner/station manager of
WAAA radio station, who
is deeply committed to
articulating that message to
the community of Winston.
Evan.s , at 27, is the young
est person (male or female)
to own a station in the
state.
“We look at our responsi
bility as a threefold task;
first to entertain, then to
make people aware of
things happening in their
immediate communities,
the state, and nationally
through news and public
service. Third, we hope to
help further educate the
masses through public af
fairs programming. The de
gree of commitment is deep
because we believe it needs
to be done,” said Evans,
WAAA signs on at 6 a.m,
and signs off at sunset,
an obstacle which Evans
said is a hindrance but one
that can be worked out.
“Quality is the preferred
item, and we go for it every
hour we are on the air,”
Evans said, “Of course it
takes some commitment
from the community to tune
us in at the times of the day
we do operate, but 1 feel
that the only thing we are
missing is the full-time
operation,” said Evans,
The smaller minority busi
nesses have the advantage
of direct contact with the
public while the larger ones
overcome this obstacle by
perpetual growth in both
cash value and scope of
investments. Interestingly,
most of the heads of the
larger businesses did not
characterize themselves as
“successful”, while most
proprietors of small busi
nesses did.
Large or small, the entre
preneurs agree on the ad
vice they would give any
one thinking about starting
a small business;
-Have both practical and
technical knowledge in the
chosen field.
-Do a thorough research of
the prospective market
--Have adequate capital
and always get more capital
than you think you will
need.
Despite the problems they
face, all the minority busi
nessmen interviewed were
happy with the choices they
had made for themselvds.
They take pride in their
work and have hopes for
the future.
“It gives you a great deal
of satisfaction,” said one
businessman, to know that
what success, if any, you
achieve is accomplished by
you.”
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from pg. 1
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gressional Club, part of the
Helms’ political camp, said
the election had not yet
become the topic of discus
sion there. “That’s a long
way off,” she saidl’No one
has mentioned the election
here.”
Another increase
in interest rates for
U.S. Savings Bonds.
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These changes make Bonds much more desirable. And with
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In fact, almost all outstanding Savings Bonds will benefit from a
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So take another look at Bonds. They’re still easy to buy
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For you, and for your country.
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A public service of this publlcstion
ar>d The Adveitlstng Council.
Take.^
. StOCKVs»r
in^nerica.