Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / Sept. 30, 1999, edition 1 / Page 2
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ie Photo by The Associated Press Noted philanthropist Oseola McCorty died Sunday after a lengthy bout with canter. McCarty's generosity made her a folk hero. Philanthropist Oseola McCarty Dies Washerwoman taught lesson about giving THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ? HATTIESBL RG, Miss. - Oseola McCarty. a washerwoman with a sixth-grade education and an enormous generosity that made her a national folk celebrity, has died. She was 91. She died Sunday at her Hattiesburg home after battling cancer. , McCarty accumulated $250,000 over 75 years of laundering and iron ing other peoples clothes in her. unair-conditioned home. She gained fame in 1995. when she gave away SI 50.000 to a scholarship fund for poor blacks at the University of Southern Mississippi. At the time, she had never even visited the school. "Heaven couldn't have gotten a better angel," said Stephanie Bullock, who received a McCarty scholarship. "She was an inspiration, a blessing, a treasure to the entire earth." MdCarty had dreams of furthering her education and becoming a , nurse, but she quit school after the sixth grade to help support her moth er. grandmother and an aunt. After her donation to the school, the woman who never married or learned to drive was praised by President Clinton and the United Nations and given an honorary doctorate from Harvard University. McCarty-had left home only for a one-mile walk for groceries and to go to church until she ushered in 1997 by dropping the Times Square ball in New York She said that was the first time she had ever stayed up until midnight. She promoted her unpretentious, philosophies about life in a 1996 book. "Simple Wisdom for Rich Living." It's not the ones that make the big money, but the ones who know how to save wiio get ahead." she wrote. "Oseola McCarty is one of those women whose face has wise' writ ten all over it." said actor Qanny Glover in presenting her an Essence \ward in 1996 "She is a kind and generous spirit who has taken the bib lical adage It's better to give than receive' to heart." McCarty s donation encouraged others to give money to USM for unfortunate students and the Oseola McCarty Endowed Scholarship fund began More than $330,000 had been raised at the time of her death. Nine students have received the scholarships and three have graduat ed Her activities slowed in 1998 and she was diagnosed with colon can cer that April, just a month after her 90th birthday. In 1996. she told The Associated Press she had more dreams to fulfill. I ^till want to get married." she said "I don't want no children. though." '' ? , ' r:" 1 INDEX OPINION A6 SPORTS B1 RELIGION B8 CLASSIFIEDS - B12 HEALTH C3 ENTERTAINMENT C7 CALENDAR CI 1 This Week In Black History... Sept. 30, 1975 - Muhammad Ah and Joe Frazier square off far the "Thrilla in Manila." Ah will defeat Frazier in 14 rounds to retain hiz world heavyweight title. Oct. t, 1790-Sat Hsrner if bom in Southhampton, Vb. Armed with the belief that he was sent by God to fhee his fellow slaves, he stages one of the nation's most famous slave revolts. Oet. 5,1979 - George Vashon, Seir York state's first African American lawyer, dies of yellow fever. Culture Fest draws hundreds together BYT KEVIN WALKER THE CHRONICLE Many different cultures call the city's Southside home. : They dwell in mixed-income neighborhoods that stretch from Winston-Salem State to Interstate 40. and they have transformed the landscape of the Southside s main drag. Waughtown Street, dotting it with Mexican groceries, soul food restaurants and traditional mom and pop shops But. diversity has come with a price. Race relations especially between blacks and Hispanics have been poor, and the perception of the area as haven for crime has had an adverse effect on economic development. But those who live and work there say the Southside's niche is unique in the city. Many of them came out last Saturday for the first ever Culture Fest. an event designed to promote diversity. Thousands descended on King's Plaza Shopping Center, bringing with them the art. music and dances of their individual cul tures "This is a great idea," Bettie Coates said as she walked with her young nephew. Coates lives in the Southside and has been an eyewit ness to the metamorphosis the community has undergone over the years Coates who is African Ameri can, says as inore and more His panics settled there, negative atti tudes toward them began to flour ish. But she says there is a simple cure for the schism that exists in her community. "Blacks stay away from His panics because they don't under stand them, and Hispanics don't have a good representation of blacks." she said. "I think by everyone coming together like this, we can begin to see each other for what we are." Fostering togetherness was one of the main motivations organiz ers had when sketching out plans for the event months ago. The Southside Community Develop ment Corp. put together the event with corporate backing from busi nesses like Wachovia and technical support from N.C. School of the Arts, the city of Winston-Salem and many others. "A large majority of the His panic population in Winston Salem lives on the Southside. mak ing this one of the most racially diverse communities in our city." said Carey Cain, president of Southside CDC. "Culture Fest will help celebrate the ethnic diversity of the community." The event was also an informal awareness rally. At tables and booths around the shopping cen ter's parking lot, organizations pushed everything from low-inter est loans to a nationwide crime prevention program. Veronica Zanbrano manned a booth for Casa Guadalupa. a Catholic Services program that assists Hispanics with a variety of services. Zanbrano said the group makes an extra effort to help His panics who are new to the United States and have poor English skills. She said she believes that in many cases language plays a big role in Hispanics' relationships with other groups. " Language should not be a barrier," she said. "Everyone can get to know everyone on another level." Representatives from the Bureau of the Census were also on hand to drive home the impor tance of an accurate count in the upcoming census, A few feet away. Habitat for Humanity employees talked with several people about the process for owning Habitat homes. People picked up pamphlets about the Weed and Seed Program frcftn one of the tables at the event. The federal initiative is designed to "weed out" bad elements in com munities around thf country. U.S. Attorney Loretta Biggs attended the festival. Biggs s^id Weed and Seed and other local tfforts have been highly successful in the Salem Garden development, which sits just behind King's Plaza. "We wefe able to reduce crime in Salem Gardens by 75 percent," Biggs said. Lower crime. Biggs added, has meant that more people are com ing to the area to patronize shops and eateries It has also meant a boon for economic initiatives in the Southside. "This community has taken itself back," Biggs said. State Rep. Larry Womble, who represented the area for almost a decade as a local alderman, described the Southside as a "phoenix rising from the ashes" The ashes in this case, were years of economic stagnation. Ngt * ? See ft* on A4 mo to oy Jen Toung Students from Boston Elementary School dance to the boat of Native American drums. The group eras one of several Boston classes that performed during Culture Best. - "Helping small businesses is a major focus for First Citizens Bank, and I'd recommend them to anybody." Citizens IUnk BUSINESS BANKING -Business Quest" -Equipment Leasing -Sweep Accounts ' -Capital Line of Credit -Online Banking (Business Express") -Business Credit Card with CardMiles" www.firstcitizens. com 1-888-FC DIRECT (1-888-323-4732) , Safe and Sound in the Year 2000 Leon Batts knows a good thing when he sees it. And his banking relationship with First Citizens is definitely a good thing. "It's almost like a family thing. The people at First Citizens Bank know me, and they know my company. We have a good working relationship." Triad Cabinet Co. sells and installs factory-built cabinets, designs kitchens and builds laminate countertops. "We provide the tools and vehicles for installation. Over the years, we've purchased trucks for our installers, and First Citizens has provided the financing for all of them." You're always first] Thu i? a Year 2000 readme** Aarionm Member FDIC
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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