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The Choice for African-American News and Informa
THURSDAY, AUGUST 3, 1995
rower concedes nothing without a struggle .1 ?Frederick Douglass
VOL XXI. No. 49
:
Bitty Die. WtUiams, chairman of the Black Theatre festival and Nick Stewart of "Amos and Andy*1 fame highlighted the opening gala.
"A Reunion of Spirit"
' " 'H .
A Twin City transformed into
world stage for black theatre
By VERONICA CLEMONS
Chronic le Staff Writer
Ceremonial drums led celebrities and other special guest of the
1995 Black Theatre Festival to the dais where the international cel
ebration of black theatre would begin.
Women shouted for Billy Dee Williams and Avery Brooks,
cheered John Amos, teased Isabel Sanford by calling her "Weezie"
and totally immersed themselves in the joy and fantastic event that
started a week-long event of plays, workshops and communion.
"This is an effort to create our own situation and that's impor
tant," said Williams who is this year's honorary chairman. "I want
to see it before I drop dead and I hope this is it."
The fourth Festival boasts a theme of "An International Cele
bration and Reunion of Spirit" which reaches out beyond this
country to bring together black theatre companies from around this
world.
The gala, which sparkled with sequin dresses, fancy tuxedos
apd smiles throughout, honored several with awards for their
accomplishments in black theatre.
see A REUNION page 6
Debbie Allen, TV star and dancer says city is mecca for African
American threatrical talent
Students Learn Nonviolent Expression (
Blacks Decry Ruling
In Subpoena Hearing
A Key witness does not have
to testify at OJ. Simpson trial
By JOHN HINTON
Chronicle Senior Sttff Writer
Local African Americans
expressed disbelief with the
decision of a Forsyth County
Superior Court judge who
denied a motion last week to
enforce a subpoena that would
have compelled a North Car
olina School of Arts professor fb
testify in the OJ. Simpson mur
"This is bombshell evidence
because it impeaches Mark
Furhman," said Johnnie
Cochran, the lead defense attor
ney for Simpson. "This is the
worse decision in the history of
jurisprudence. It was an outra
geous ruling, and we are going
to appeal. It is always a setback
when relevant material is not
allowed in a murder trial."
Simpson's defense team was
expected to file the appeal this
week with the N.C. Court of
Appeals. A three-judge panel '
will likely hear the case in Win
ston-Salem.
Judge William Z. Wood
ruled that the audio tapes and
manuscript of an interview
between Los Angeles Detective
Mark Furhman and Laura Haft
McKinney, a screenwriting
teacher at NCSA, were collateral
evidence in the double murder.
bflM tif SMft^son. J J
"A screenplay is an act of
fiction," Wood said as 200 peo
ple jammed into the Forsyth
County Superior Courtroom -last
Friday. HHe (Furhman) was help
ing her with dialogue, and there
fore the material is not relevant**
McKinney wrote a book
entitled "Men Against Women,**
a fictional account based on the
hostility been male and female
see BLACKS page 7
"We Are Family Day"
Another Huge Success!
By JOHN HINTON and
SHANNON H1CKERSON
Chronicle Staff Wrifcyi
About 3,000 people gath
ered last Saturday at Rupert Bell
Park for the Second Annual
Winston-Salem Chronicle "We
Are Family Day/* a celebration
of the African- American Family
Reunion.
"I am proud to see all of
you here today,** said Ernest
Pitt, the publisher of the Chroni
cle. "It is so great to see so
many friends and acquaintances
here with us. This is an opportu
nity to commune with your fam
ily and with other families.**
Groups of families assem
bled under tents and sat under
trees to enjoy a day of gam6s,
rides, music, food, and fellow
ship. A warm July sun bolstered
the atmosphere of fun that sur
rounded the park. Participants
played bingo, volleyball, and
tug-o-war. Children rode a hot
air balloon and Shetland ponies.
Many kids and adults rode a
trolley to the tourist sites of Old
Salem, Reynolds Manor,
Bethabara Park and Sci -Works.
?
Carol Brooks-Daniel, the
director of advertising and pro
motion, says that the event is
significant for everyone in the
community.
"This is not just a picnic,**
she told the families. "We want
to you bond with your family.
"I would particularly like to
thank the sponsors for seeing
the need to be a part of Family,**
Brooks-Daniel said. "Their
involvment shows there is actu
ally some hope in recapturing
and redefining the word, 'fam
ily.'"
Co- sponsors of Family Day
are the Housing Authority of
Winston- Salem, Coca Cola Bot
tling Co., Food Lion, Planters
Lifesavers Companies of
Nabisco, Sara Lee Corp., Brown
& Williamson Tobacco Corp.,
Miller Brewing Co., and Waste
Management Inc. of Winston
Salem. The contributors were
WXII-TV and US Air.
Several people praised the
event for giving them a chanc^
to spend time with their fami
see FAMILY page 7
By SHANNON HICKERSON
Chronicle Suff Writer ,
Hitting something or cursing some!
body Out was Abashard Bass' old way al
expressing his anger. 1
But, now, with the help of an aftel
school violence prevention program spon
sored 3>y the Safer Communities Founda
tion, he feels more in control if he just
Walkslaway from an altercation.
'^The program gives me something to
do to Stay Out of trouble," Bass said, who
Will be attending Mount Tabor in the fall.
"I leadied that you can do anything if you
put yciur mind to it."
: About 30 other seventh and eighth
graders at Petree Middle School, an alter
native school, took part in this three
week-long program to learn violence pre
vention and how to handle violent situa
tions. The purpose is to work with young
children so they understand the causes
and increasing factors of violence.
"It's one way of reaching children,"
said Madlon C. Glenn, who founded the
Safer Communities Foundation two years
ago to take a positive, active role in vio
lence prevention with children .
Most of the students in the program
see STUDENTS page 6 |
?OBrrUARIES
ISPORTS
22
10
1?
21
13
This Week in Black History
\August 5, 1864
lobn Lawson, a black gunner
Ion flagship of Admiral David
?arragut, exhibited marked
courage in Battle
of Mobile Bay
and won a
Congressional
Medal of Honor.
Many African Americans Are
Unable To Get Mortgage Loans
By JOHN HINTON
Chronicle Senior SofT Writer
Homcownership still remains unat
tainable for many of the state's residents
according to a study released today by
the Community Reinvestment Associa
tion of North Carolina.
Although some banks have increased
their lending portfolio to be more inclu
sive, numerous gaps still remain.
The study entitled An Analysis of
1993 Mortgage Lending Activity w
African American and Low-Income
Household in GreensborolWinston
SalemJHigh Point North Carolina Metro
politan Statistical Area examined the
mortgage lending performance of the
regions financial institutions that made
than 30 loans.
The analysis of all these institutions
was completed using data suhmined by
the lenders to the federal government.
?ee MANY page*
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