Rev. John Mendez: Controversial,
Maligned, Misunderstood
From previous page
island in Cuba," he said.
A few years ago, he and Ben
jamin Chavis, the executive director
of the NAACP, went to Angola, a
nation at war with South Africa.
"I hope when I die, I die in
Africa," he said. "I have no prob
lems leaving the United States even
tually maybe to live in Africa and
die there like W.E.B. DuBois
An Ardent Philosopher
Mendez enters the Howard
Thurmond listening room inside
Emmanuel. It is a warm place that
(unctions as a counseling room and
a location for members to privately
meditate.
Thurmond, one of Mendez's
most influential role models, was a
professor of theology at Howard
University who traveled to India to
visit Ghandi in the thirties. Mendez
celebrates Thurmond's birthday
yearly.
Dr. Rembert Malloy of Win
ston-Salem, also an admirer of the
philosopher, compared Mendez' s
powerful sermons to the soft-spoken
Thurmond
"Rev. Mendez is a dynamic
speaker. He gets your attention by
the eloquence of his voice, his flow
ing words. But Thurmond was quiet
and soft. If Rev. Mendez ain't said
nothing, you're going to be listen
ing/Mjp said.
One of his primary functions as
a minister, Mendez said, is restoring
the self-confidence of African
Americans, young and old. -
Youths and young adults are an
important part of Emmanuel.
Twenty-two-year-old Lisa Black
and Mendez's 18-year-old son
Sekou, a sophomore at Howard
University, work as counselors of
the church's summer youth pro
gram.
A Family Man
Aside from his activism,
Mendez is a family man who
devotes much of his time and
energy to those he loves.
He has been married to the for
mer Sarah L. Howard for 21 years.
The attractive woman with shoul
der-length, dark curly hair met her
husband at a Harlem church. The
couple has two children, Sekou and
Jamila, a 16-year-old junior at East
Forsyth High School.
The Mendez home is a spacious
house with a two-car garage in mid
dle-class suburban Kemersville. The
neighborhood is predominately
white, with a few black families
near the minister. Mendez said that
when he first moved in, rocks were
thrown through his windows.
Inside the house is an impres
sive collection of African art, much
of which was brought back from his
many excursions to Africa. A huge
painting of W.E.B. DuBois hangs
above the front door.
The family's basement recre
ation room is the epitome of com
fort. A large-screen TV stands
against one side of the room, a train
set and wet bar along the other.
Books and videotapes line the wall
beside the TV.
Also located in the basement is
r
Mendez's personal office. Like his
church office, the shelves are lined
with books, representing nearly
every subject imaginable. Another
statuette of "The Thinker** sits on
the desk. The room is cluttered with
old photographs and memorabilia.
He shows a visitor a letter he
received that morning. Sent anony
mously, the letter is addressed to
Mendez and Alderman Larry
Womble and recommends that they
leave the city.
" Courage to Be Free" .
It is a beautiful Sunday morn
ing in July at Emmanuel, located in
a picturesque neighborhood sur
rounded by attractive houses with
well-manicured lawns. Inside, the
eclectic blend of people who make
up Emmanuel* s membership begin
to congregate. A woman in a white
suit is instructing a Sunday school
class. A couple is dressed in African
kente cloth prints. A deacon stands
in front of the congregation, singing
an inspiring spiritual.
Service is about to begin.
Mendez enters the pulpit
adorned in a white robe with a red
stroll decorated with* gold crosses.
Today he will speak on "The
Courage to Be Free and Stay Free.**
Using no prepared script, Mendez
becomes philosophical, telling his
audience that although freedom is
an inherent right, it must be prac
ticed in order to retain its utility.
"If our convictions convince us
that we are right, it becomes neces
sary that we break the silence," he
shouts.
Mendez mentions^ short list of
his role models that includes Thur
mond, King, Ghandi and Socrates as
individuals who rejected the
accepted norms to express their
sometimes unpopular views.
Referring to the derogatory let
ters in the newspaper that have
attacked him and his supporters, he
condemns the intolerance of con
trasting ideas and promotes love and
unity. (
"The whole attack is saying
'get in your place.' 1 have news: 1
have no place to be put in and nei
ther do you."
His deep, rhythmic voice is
now dynamic and fiery, ensuring the
audience's attention with every
word. He relays his own personal
struggles, recalling how he was
compelled to take a stand when it
was safer and easier to move with
the crowd. In spite of the sparse
attendance ? a likely result of the
holiday ? he is as charismatic as
ever.
m
"You may think you're free on
the outside, but you're not free
unless you're free on the inside,** he
says. 'Tree your head and free your
heart. My mother used to tell me,
'Be an engine and not a caboose.' "
The congregation stands for the
singing of the last hymn of the day.
The benediction is given and a
buzzing murmur fills the room as
the members converse among them
selves.
Service is over.
Top Ladies of Dinstinction and Top
Teens Attend Atlanta Syn-Lod
? ' _? J
(L to r.) OzeU Dean , Top Ladies of Distinction national founder; Marie
Stellos, national president ; and Bobbie Miller, inductee.
Li?
?.
Chlories Shore (left) and Bobbie Miller attend the Business Youh
Carter Awareness Conferencein Atlanta. ? ?
Top Teens Dwight Hash and Corie Morgan attend the Business Youth
Career Awareness Conference in Atlanta,
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Ladies Wilma Wheeler, Chlo
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* Salem chapter.
The Syn-Lod included a career
fair, induction and memorial ser
vices, president's reception, prayer
breakfast, forums, plenary sessions,
a Top Teens speakers tournament,
awards luncheons, workshops, black
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Lady Lena Turner received a
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Turner and Cheryl Lindsay-Christ
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- along with other employees of Sara
Lee Knit Products presented a
workshop for over 475 teen-agers.
Sara Lee also gave the teen-agers T
shirts and educational materials.
Top Ladies of Distinction Inc.,
a national professional and humani
tarian organization, was an out
growth of a meeting by Mrs. Lyn
don Baines Jones, shortly after she
and President Johnson moved into
the White House.
The organization has programs
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improving the status of women and
community beautification.
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incorporated Sept. 8, 1964. The
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chapter in the state of North Car
olina. .
It was organized in 1982 by
Lady Therfha Small, who is now
deceased.
Lady Mariett Stellos was
reelected national president
Lady Hattie Morris is the Area
IV director. Lady Wilma Wheeler if
the Winston-Salem chapter presi
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