Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / May 25, 1995, edition 1 / Page 1
Part of Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
Nortl I Voi V^I .. .? Forsyth County Public Library 660 West Filth Street Winston-Salem, WfDl ,tr 1 ?r;; * -lil ? W; ;? V W?-T' 77ie Choice for African-American News and Information - THURSDAY, MAY 25, 1995 \ I I : I ' ? / I'crfci'K h / )on ''la \ s *'? 4 VOL XXI No 10 Agencies Neglect Black Firms A Disparity Study Highlights Need for Legislation By JOHN HINTON ? ' Chronicle Senior Sttff Writer State purchasing officers have neglected ? the services of a local accountant for nearly eight months even though his firm is listed as a underutilized minority business. * ?? . . - "I am on the list, but I have nothing to bid on," said Frank' McKissick, the African Amer ican owner of FM Enterprises. "They (state purchasing officers) don't send me any con tracts to bid on." : The accountant said that racism still ; existed in the state government contract sys tem, which spends more than S1.2 billion annually on goods and services. White-male ? owned businesses receive the majority of the purchases. "There is a good ol* boy system in the state contract system/' McKissick said. "Some folks, whites and blacks, have gotten work because of someone they knew in Raleigh." McKissick's complaints come in light of a study conducted for North Carolina that high lights the dilemma facing minority-owned businesses receiving state contracts. The study shows disparity in the number of state con tracts awarded to businesses owned by African Americans, women and persons with disabilities. 1 The study found a number of obstacles that make it difficult for small businesses to receive state contracts, such as a lack of access to information, inability to obtain bonding and financing, competition with large firms, and duplicate certification at different agencies. State agencies in Forsyth County reflected a dismal record of awarding public contracts to minority-owned firms. During the first half of the 1993-94 fiscal year, Winston-Salem State University, a pre dominately black institution, awarded less than one percent. of_iis_ service contracu-to ? see AGENCIES page 7 By JOHN HINTON Chronicle Senior Suff Writer Willie E. Cunningham of Winston-Salem faces new challenges after Surviving the dangers of combat in the Vietnam "I was wounded in tne fifth firefight that 1 was in," said Cunningham, who was drafted into the Army when he was 24. "I had perfo rated ear drums from a hand grenade. It was very hard for us (black soldiers). I lost a lot of friends there in Vietnam." He served his tour of duty with the 101st Airborne Division in 1970-71. Cunningham were among four members of the American Legion Post 220, an African American veterans' group who spoke to a Chronicle reporter about their experiences during the Vietnam War, the Korean conflict, and World War EL. The nation will remember the men and women who gave their lives in service to their W y country on Memorial Day, May 29, with cere monies throughout the United States. The country has historically overlooked the contributions of its black veterans, who suffered hardships and displayed heroism as their white counterparts in every American war during the 20th century. The American Legion Posts 220, 453, and 128 will hold a Memorial Day ceremony on Monday at 10 a.m. at Evergreen Cemetery on New Walkertown Road to honor the servicemen and women who have died. Cunningham, 49, the host of a local veter ans talk show, was awarded the Vietnam Cam paign Medal, two Bronze Stars, and Army Accomodation Medal during his service in Southeast Asia. Despite his military achievements, the ex see SALUTING page 14 Willie E. Cunningham Henry A.Wilson Clarence Simington Henry A. Wilson Alveta Hay, sister of Paul Hay, reads a poem during prayer vigil in Roiling Hills, dedicated to forming community union and protecting die children. Coad In Custody, Vigil I By VERONICA CLEMONS Chronicle Staff Writer A Winston-Salem man charged with the May 15 shoot ing death of Paul W. Hay surren dered himself to the authorities Wednesday afternoon, ending a nine-day search for him, authori ties said. Tracy Lamont Coad turned himself in at the Winston-Salem Police headquarters where he was charged with murder and assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, accord ing to Albert-Moore, a deputy U.S. Marshall in Winston Salem. Bridgette Lynn Boston was wounded in the shooting that occurred in the parking lot at Rolling Hills Apartments ten days ago. She is recovering from a head injury. Coad, who was taken to the county jail, will appear in Forsyth County Superior Court on Friday, June 9 for his proba ble cause hearing, Moore said. Local and federal authorities had been searching for Coad in the Winston-Salem as well as checking out a rumor that he had traveled to New York City. "Apparently, he never left Winston-Salem," Moore said. While Coad was still at large, the adults in the Rolling Hills community encompassed an inner circle of their young ones in a prayer vigil that focused on protecting youth and controlling their community after the death of Paul Hay. "We put our children in the middle because we should pro tect them," said Robert Greer of Black Men and Women Against Crime. "We're not doing a good job of that." The prayer vigil was in remembrance of Hay whose funeral was held earlier that day. Meanhile, local and federal authorities are searching for the murder suspect Several speakers, including family members each made their way into the circle to speak about life, death and a better neighborhood. = Hay's family members said they did not wish harm on his alleged killer, who is still at large. "We're not holding a grudge against him,N said Doaald McNair who is Hay*s uncle. "We want that young man safe. Many of God's greatest leaders were murderers and thieves. We don't want him to die we want him to live." Hay's sister, Alveta Hay, stood tearfully in the center of see COAD page 14 CLASSIFIEDS OBITUARIES 27 -U .17 This Week in Black History May 31, 1979 Zimbabwe proclaimed independent. Youths of Praise Assembly Christian Center, (pictured above), will be offering shoe shines for the public during their "Youth Extravaganza" June 3rd at Moore Elementary School State's Longest Serving Prisoner Ready to Die Behind Locked Bars HIGH POINT, N.C . (AP) - John f Phillips has pulled more time than any other inmate in North Carolina, but his dreams of freedom fizzled years ago. He's almost 43 years into the 1952 life sentence he received on a conviction of accessory before the fact of first-degree rape, a crime that might keep a person in prison 20 years these days. In the South of the 1950s, Phillips was a prime candidate to be lost in the criminal justice system: He was poor. mentally retarded and black, and the 5* year-old victim in the case was black. For reasons it won't discuss, the Parole Commission has routinely denied him release. Phillips, identified by Depart- * ment of Correction officials as the state's longest-serving prisoner, has been eligible for parole since 1962. For Phillips, it's too late to be free anyway. see STATE'S page 14 FOR SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION PLEASE CALL 722-8624 ?
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
May 25, 1995, edition 1
1
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75