N.C.
*
I- < . *
TOURNAMENT GETS UNDER WAY
The Choice, for African-American News and Information
THURSDAY, JULY 14, 1994
VOL. XX. No. 46
Caucus
A Access is key for
economic development of African Americans in the 20th century
,By VERONICA CLEMO^S
Chronicle Staff Writer
Faiger Blackvycll, chairman of N.C.
Black Leadership Caucus, said blacks must
look within their jown communities for ecor
nomic improvement.
"We're growing at a much slower rate
I because our communities are not focused."
Black well, ^aid Tuesday in an interview
"We're not realizing the potential our com
munities can provide."
J Economic development, Blackwell
said, will be one the greatest challenges for
- African Americans in the 21st century. It
will also be one of the topics of discussion
during the 18th annual conference of th^
Black Leadership Caucus, which will con
vene on the campus^ of Winston-Salem State
University today through Sunday.
During an economic development
workshop, participants will explore the
obstacles blacks face in economic develop
ment and discuss solutions that will improve
the economic status of blacks in the state.
Workshop moderator Andrea Harris,
president of the N.C. Institute of Minority
Economic Development, said the workshop
* is designed to provide critical information
from, four key panelists: Susan Perry, assis
tant secretary of the N.C. Department of.
Commerce; James Grace, executive director
of the East Winston Community Develop
ment Corp., Lafayette Jones, owner of Seg-;
mented Marketing Services Inc.; and Abdul
Rasheed, president of the N.C; 'Community
\ ? ?
Development Initiative.
Blackwell said he hopes the workshop
will encourage people to become entrepre
neurs and show them some positive steps to
take in that direction.
"Hopefully, we can give people some
dreams, show them that businesses are out
there, and show them how to go after those
businesses'," he syd. ? . ?
~ A; study Ituin the N.C. Minuiity Ecu*
see N.C. page 3
The Black Leadership Caucus is
different from the Black Legislative
Caucus. The legislative caucus is
comprised of state legislators, while
the leadership caucus brings together
volunteers of several organizations.
However, both work for the better
ment of the African-American comnrfU
nity. The leadership caucus takes its
coricerns to the l^isl^ive^caucua,
^legislation to meet those concerns.
rayton -
elped
7 ? ? T~i+ Vs:;-- * _ :-. ?_ ^ __
ismantle
nston
The Rev. Jetyy Drayton came to Winston
Salem in 1944 using his leadership skills and
activist, spirit to better his church and his com
munity.
- Fifty years later, with numerous awards,
rewards and recognitions to his credit, the city's
senior minister said he is proud of the fact he
has remained the pastor of New PeUiei napffor
Church for the 50 years he has been here.
Tm just grateful to God that he's allowed
me to be here 50' years," he said. "Not many
ministers in North Carolina stay at the same
church /or 50 years." ? \ ? ?
0raytdn recently celebrated his 50th
Rev. Jerry Drayton will be honored tomorrow for 50 y ears of service at New Bethel Baptist
anniversary at the 104-year-ofd church. Tomor
row night there will be a banquet in his homfe
af the Adams Mark Hotel. *
For the 50 years he has been at New
Bethel, Drayton has been an activist and leader,
making improvements in his church and a city
that was segregated when he moved here in*.
? y J /J- V v/ r' -
1944. He has served on numerous boards and
and has been recognized through
so many awards that it's too difficult to name a
favorite one.
see DRAYTON page 3
Minister: Black Churches ShoukfEducate Kids
By PAV1D L. DILLARD
Chronicle Staff Writer
Vcmou Robinson has a problem with the
pubic school system.
He feels students ? especially African
American students ? will do better if parents,
could send their children to independent
schools operated by black churches.
nrr inatiM,f",ng that have politi
cal clout and the resources," he said. "Disad
vantaged youths need the spiritual grounding
as an alternative to drugs and violence."
Robinson, a member of the North Carolina
r ^ * [tXS* 'v"" ' '
Education Reform Network, said government
regulated schools "contribute to the problems"
many children face in school. He said children
are being promoted without being properly
educated and then neglected.
"When a kid in the 10th grade reads on the
sixth-grade level they have a choice between
being dumb or disruptive," Robinson said.
"That's not a hard choice. So they act up and
get kicked out." -? ;
Some black pastors agree that churches
should monitor the education of their children.
The Rev. John Mendez, pastor of
Emmanuel Baptist Church, said black churches
>-?**" . . . / * . * ... ?? :v. ?
!
need to ensure black children are getting a
quality education in the public school system.
"It's a matter of survival for our people.
The whole community should get involved," he
said. "African-American children are being
done in at an early age. They are neglected and
rejected in the classroom." , ^
Mcndez, who with Citizens United for Jus
tice has worked to incorporate African-Ameri
can history into the school curriculum, said the
current system destroys children's ability to
learn. ' . ' '
see MINISTER page 3
Black Media
Baron Buys
WMQX-AM
A WAAA 's Miitter Evans says new
station could be competition
By DAVID L DILLARD
Chronicle Staff Writer
I
The black community will gain
another black-owned radio station
when a media conglomerate takes
over WMQX in September.
WMQX, which 1340 on the
"As an advocate of expanded black owner
ship, I applaud the fact that the numbers are
increasing in terms of properties controlled
by blacks. " '? -
AM band and located off Peters
Creek Parkway, is currently owned
by Max Radio of Greensboro and is
being sold to Willis Broadcasting, a
major black-owned conglomerate
based in Norfolk, Va., which will
officially take over in September.
Willis Broadcasting is the sec
ond-largest black-owned radio
group in the country. The group
owns close to 20 gospel and con
temporary radio stations across the
country, including WTNC in
Thomasville.
Gary Weiss, WMQX's general
manager, said he doesn't know what
format the station will have under
Willis Broadcasting.
"At this point. 1 don't know if
they plan to change anything we
have been doing, but it's going to be
targeted toward the African-Ameri
can community totally," Weiss said.
Bishop L.E. Willis, owner of
Willis Broadcasting, could not be
reached for comment.
Mutter Evans, owner of
WAAA and first vice president of
the National Association of Black
Owned Broadcasters, said Willia'
presence should continue to
strengthen the economic power of
the black community here.
"As an advocate of expanded
black ownership, I applaud the fact
that the numbers are^increasing in
terms of properties controlled by
blacks," Evans said. "Him being
able to take advantage of property
being for sale is a plus. What he
does with it remains to be seen."
Evans, who has owned WAAA
for 1 5 years, has gospel in her regu
lar format and said Willis could be
competition.
"Yes he could (be competi
tion)," she said. "At this p&int, I
have to wait and see how involved
he gets in the community. His per
sonal involvement will decide what
impact he could have on the com
munity."
Weiss said Max Radio decided
see BLACK page 7
Program Aims to Increase Number of Black Teachers
A WSSU, Forsyth County school system hope to form partnership
By VERONICA CLEMONS
Chronicle Staff Writer
Stephanie Young always knew
she wanted to be an educator, but by
being the first recipient of a scholar
ship sponsored by her college and
?the Rowan County school system,
she didn't even have to look for a
job. '
"1 know a lot of people who
graduated who had no opportunities
and no doors opened," she said.
"With this plan, I knew I had a job."
The "plan" that Young, 22, is
referring to is the the Rowan-Salis
bury Board of Education/Living
stone College Scholarship Loan
Program. For agreeing to teach in
the Rowan County system for at
least three years, she gpt her tuition
paid for four years and something
most college graduates don't have
immediately after finishing college -
job security. ^ -
The scholarship program,
started by Rowan County Superin
tendent Donald L. Martin, is
designed to -increase the number of
African-American teachers in the
Rowan County classrooms.
"It's a good vehicle," he said.
"It's working for the students and
the school at the same time."
Now that Martin has been hired
as Forsyth County's superintendent,
he wants to start a similar partner
ship with Winsion^SaLem State Uni
versity with the same goal in mind
for Forsyth County schools.
Thirty-eight percent of the stu
dents in Forsyth County's school
system are African American, and
according to the Forsyth County
School System's Minority Hiring
Report for 1993-94, 22 percent of
the teachers are African American.
Lelia Vickers, director of the
division of education at WSSU. said
the school would be very receptive
to a program like the one at Living
stone.
"We would be very amenable ~
to any group that tries to raise the
number of African Americans in the
school system," she said.
see PROGRAM page3
Donald L. Martin
Business 20
Classifieds 24
Community News... 4
Opinion..... 10
Entertainment.. 21
Obituaries .....23
Religion 22
Sports ........15
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