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Iissioner Leon Kerry presented Congresswoman Eva Clayton with a
Women's Tipoff Banquet where she was the keynote speaker: r
Clayton: Women Can Do the Job
+Congresswoman Keynotes C1AA Tipoff Banquet
By JOHN HINTON
Chronicle Senior Staff Writer
Today's young women have the attitudes and skills
to meet the challenges of a Republican-controlled Con
gress that is curtailing programs benefiting women ath
letics, U.S. Rep. Eva Clayton said recently.
"You are the role models to so many young people
struggling to find their way in life," Clayton told the
women's players at the 1996 CI A A Women's Tip Off
Banquet at die Benton Convention Center, "Be part of
the solution. You have the talent, ladies."
The women represented 13 schools competing in the
51st ClAA Tournament. More than 400 players,
coaches, administrators, and tournmanent sponsors
attended the event.
"You must lead the charge for a better tommorrow,"
Clayton said. "We have met the challenges. You are as
strong as you believe you are."
Americans face a difficult economic and social cli
mate.
"If some Republicans in Congress have their way,
see CLAYTON page 10
Winston-Salem Chronicle
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 1996
? 75 CENTS
Dedicated to the Memory of Clarence E. Nottingham: 1903-1995
JL
VOL. XXII, No. 29
NAACP Chief Stresses
Importance of Education
By Maurice crocker
Chronicle Staff Writer
Increased education and continued
support from the churches will ensure a
brighter future for the National Associ
ation for the Advancement of Colored
People (NAACP), said the organiza
tion's newest leader, Kw^isi Mfume.
He was in Winston-Salem this
week speaking to students, residents,
the business and religious community
during several Central Intercollegiate
Athletic Association (CIAA) tourna
ment events.
During a morning address at Win
stttn-Salem State University, Mfume
stressed the importance of historically
black colleges and universities along
with education.
"One hundred years ago, no one
expected this college to be here today,"
Mlume said.
"No one thought the students would
lease here and contribute to the build
ing of this nation." ?
He told the audience that there are
some people that do not feel predomi
nately black colleges and universities
are needed in a culturally diverse soci
ety.
"In the past, black colleges were
fighting for more staff and buildings.
But now they are fighting for their exis
tence," Mfume said.
Education is important because it
allows a person to learn about them
selves and their heritage, which builds
sell-esteem, he said.
"The only way a person can eat off
your back is if it is bent over," Mfume
said. "Once you get educated, your
iu
see MFUME page 10
a
I am very
offended
by this. /
-LciRue P. Cunningham
Teacher Has 18 Checks
with Race, Gender Noted
Cliroim l< Senior Suit W'ntci
A Winston-Salem woman has 18
checks where local grocery cashiers
wrote "BF." "WF." or HI '' attempting
to identify her race and gender.
LaRuc P Cunningham, an African
American and histor) teacher at W iley
Middle School, sent the Chronicle
copies of cancelled Checks that she
paid lor items at The Kroger Co.. Food
Mart, and Stein Mart Cunningham
wrote the checks from January 1995 to
August 1995.
"1 am very offended by this," Cun
ningham said. "! think it is a terrible
policy."
Cunningham's revelations come
two weeks after Evon L. Crooks of
Winston-Salem complained that a
cashier at Lowe's hardware store on
North Liberty Street wrote
"BM " on his check, indicating that ,
he was a black male
Mike Collins, co-manager of
Kroger store on Jonestown Load, said
the store was following the policy set
down b\ the Forsyth Count) Magis
trate's Office to identif) check writers
by race and gender.
"Our office nevei icquired any
business to put race and gender on
checks." said Stephen Honaker, a
county magistrate Local businesses
are required b) law to identify people
suspected of writing bad checks before
arrest warrants are issued, he said.
Cunningham says that she has
neverswritten a bad check Two other
African Americans have joined her to
see TEACHER page 10
WSSU Underwrites Some
CIAA Tickets for Students
By JOHN HINTON
Chronicle Senior Staff Writer
The CIAA Basketball Tour
nament should make it possible
for more students to attend the
16 games in the men's and
women's competition, Dr.
Alvin J. Schexnider, chancellor
of Winston-Salem State Uni
versity, said this week.
"I am concerned that the
tournament doesn't provide
enough student access to the
games," Schexnider said. "It's
an adult event, and it is very
important. However, more stu
dents need to be part of the
event."
Student fees support the
athletic departments at the 13
schools in the CIAA,
Schexnider said. WSSU is
underwriting 100 tickets so its
students can buy a tournament
package half price, for $42.50.
"I agree that we need to get
more kids involved," said Leon
Kerry, CIAA commissioner. "It
is difficult to do because this is
a public event and we are
always sold out."
More than 20,000 people
are expected to attend the tour
ney, which runs through Satur
day.
The tournament package of
tickets that costs $85 is not
overpriced, Kerry said. The
average admission is about
$5.30 per game.
The CIAA provides tickets
for each game to students for
$8 to $ 10.
"They don't buy them,"
Kerry said. "What the students
want are free tickets. If we do
that, we would go broke and be
out of business."
')r. Alvin J. Schexnider, chancellor of \YSSL\ has a vision for the
\chool that focuses on student academic development.
Schexnider, who is serving week,
is ninth week as chancellor, Schexnider, the former
lys WSSU will reach out provost for undergraduate stud
lore to its alumni during the ies and associate vice president
IAA tourney. He also spoke for academic affairs at Virginia
lout the future of WSSU, stu- Commonwealth University, has
:nt athletes, the value of his- a vision for WSSU for the >ear
.rically black colleges and Sce VVSSI' nace 10
diversities in an interview this Pa8e 1U
NAACP Calls For
Principal's Firing
From Chimin lc Suill Reports
The Greensboro NAACP has
joined a concerned mother in call
ing for the dismissal of Kent
Byrd, principal of Jamestown
Middle School.
Brenda McCollum. mother of
sixth-grader Markey Whitsett.
was advised by Byrd on Jan. 19
that her son was being disciplined
for ' issing his girlfriend in the
hallway. McCollum alleges that
the principal also asked whether
she knew the girlfriend was
w hite.
McCollum did not view the
situation as a racial incident. "1
don't nund if he dates a w hite girl.
I can't understand why the princi
pal would bring it up.^ she told a
Greensboro newspaper.
Her son. Whitsett, says the
girl, a sixth-grader he was dating,
kissed him on the cheek pnd
hugged him. A teacher who wit
nessed their affection sent him to
the office, where a vice principal
warned him that kissing violated
the school's code of conduct.
Upon returning to class, he
was called back to the office by
the principal. Kent Byrd. who
allegedly told him of tragic con
sequences of interracial dating,
from heartache to hate violence.
Whitsett said the principal
inquired whether he had heard of
the Ku Klux Klan and shared a
story about a black college athlete
who committed suicide after
being jilted by his white girl
see NAACP page 10
?
This Week in Black History
March 1, 1841
Blanche Kelso Bruce,
lirst black to serve
a full term in the
United States
Senate was
horn a slave
in Prince Edward
Giunty. Virginia.
r+i
4b
:.:y
Lee Democratic Candidate for Secretary of State
lis J()H\ III* . I O n
( hitiim It V r< i *??'.i!I W Iitci
Valeria L. Lee of Winston-Salem, a
Democrat, is running for Secretary of
State, seeking to become the second
Afriqan American to win a statewide race
and the first woman to serve on the Coun
cil of State in North Carolina.
"I believe I can win," Lee said. "I am
suited to carry out this work."
Lee says she will use her administra
tive experience to make it as easy as pos
sible for businesses to comply with laws
that require them to deal with the office of
Secretary of State.
"Many of these laws
ate intended to protect
the public interest and
individual consumers,
and I pledge to enforce
them vigorously," said
Lee, a native of Hollister,
N.C.
Lee admits that she
doesn't have statewide
name recognition. How
ever, she is well-known
acrt^ North Carolina
through her work with
community organizations
?km Ah.
?I. .
\ alcria /.. Lee
and her service on
boards, including the
Universitx of North Car
olina Board of Gover
nors.
"The voters in the
state want a person of
integrity in this office."
Lee said. "1 am really
committed to this state."
Lee is one of six
Democratic candidates
running for Seeretarx of
State The winner of the
Max Democratic pnmarx
\ill face Republican Richard Petty, an ex
MASCAR driver. in the November elec
ions.
She notes the Secretary of State's
esponsibilities tor administering the
date's security laws that are designed to
srotect the investing public Lee said that
senior citizens have become the targets of
scam artists who ig"<>re securities regula
ions.
"The Secretary of State helps make
he process of both entering and doing
business in North Carolina run smoothly,"
see LEE page 10
WEI COME CIAA FANS!! CALL 722-8694 FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS