Alzheimer's Association elects first black woman chair
, The Alzheimer's Association has elected its first African American
woman to the post of chair of the national board of directors. Orien Reid.
former Philadelphia television and radio journalist, accepted her new role
with great enthusiasm.
"It is a terrific opportunity to help more people understand that
Alzheimer's is a major health issue in this country. I plan to lead the fight to
help find a cure to end this disease."
Reid said her chief priority in the new millennium is to fight for an
increase in federal funding to S500 million for Alzheimer research, and
increased support for programs to assist Alzheimer care goers and their fam
ilies. (
She began her volunteer career with the Alzheimer's Association in 1990
as a member of the board of directors of the Southeastern Pennsylvania
Chapter. She started the city of Philadelphia's first Memory1 Walk and has
helped raise SI.4 million for her chapter. Reid joined the national board of
directors in 1992 and served as chair of several committees prior to being
selected senior vice chair of the board in 1997.
After 26 years in broadcasting. Reid made a bold decision to retire in 1998
to devote more time to her Volunteer efforts with the association. She is
strongly committed because her mother, maternal uncle and aunt had
Alzheimer's disease.
"Orien has been a true champion for the Alzheimer's Association," said
Edward F. Truschket president and CEO of the Alzheimer's Association.
"Her passion, dedication, drive and sensitivity make her the perfect person to
lead the association into the new millennium."
A 'Love Thang' in Georgia
Lovers, partners, couples attached at the hip. and lost souls searching for
a new love are invited to It's A Love Thang. The one-day seminar, hosted by
Infinite Love Inc., will premiere for the first year at the Georgia Internation
al Convention Center on Sunday. Feb. 6. 2000.
Sherry Y. Smith, seminar* proprietor and former publisher of Assorted
Chocolates singles magazine, said there will be mental, spiritual and sexual
food for thought to nourish the healthy relationship that couples desire.
Among the dozen speakers scheduled to speak will be Dr. Gwendolyn
Goldsby Grant, whose advice column. "Between Us," in ESSENCE maga
zine is read by more than 7.5 million readers.
There will also be a market place, a potpourri of corporate and small
business vendors, offering lingerie, books, jewelry, bath and body accessories,
travel packages and perfumes
The seminar will travel to Philadelphia and then on to other major U.S.
cities According to Smith, the series will retrofit the way that African Amer
icans maneuver, maintain and manage their love lives in the new millennium.
For information, call (404) 241-Love or visit www.lovethang.com.
Minority women at greater risk for osteoporosis
Minority women are at a higher risk of developing osteoporosis than pre
viously believed, according to a recent national study by the National Osteo
porosis Risk Assessment program.
More than half of the women tested had low bone mass placing them at
greater risk for the condition and bone fractures. Of particular concern is the
40 percent of African American women tested whose results showed low
bone mass.
"It was previously believed that African American women weren't likely
to suffer from osteoporosis, so the fact that many believed they were lactose
intolerant, and tended to drink less milk, wasn't a concern for health profes
sionals." said Natalie Webb. M.S.. R.D., L.D., founder of the Nutrition Net
work in Rockville. Md. "But now research indicates that this group may be
avoiding dairy due to digestive discomfort, a real issue. Not consuming
enough calcium by avoiding milk or foods with dairy puts them at a greater
risk for developing osteoporosis.
"If you're lactose intolerant, you don't have to give up milk lactose-free
milk is a great alternative'to regular milk. Whether you drink it by the glass
or use it in recipes, it can be key to helping get the calcium and nutrients you
need every day."
INTERNATIONAL
IMF sells gold for debt relief
WASHINGTON (IPS) - The International Monetary Fund began
off-market sales of gold from its reserves earlier this month to finance
debt relief for some of the world's poorest countries.
The gold transactions and the debt question, however, remain con
tentious At issue is the financing of the IMF's share of the Heavily
Indebted Poor Country initiative, the first comprehensive effort to reduce
Third World debt owed to all creditors - bilateral, multilateral and com
mercial.
IMF officials say they expect to "sell" some of the agency's gold to
Brazil and Mexico in a series of transfers starting Dec. 15 and running
through spring 2000.
These countries have payments falling due to the IMF and have
agreed to "t>uy" gold from the lender's reserves at the prevailing market
price.
In turn, the IMF will take back'the same amount of gold, at the same
price, in lieu of cash settlement of the countries' debt repayments
Thus, explains an l\IV source, the countries will cover their debts to
the fund while allowing the agency to revalue the gold, which otherwise
would continue to sit on its books at values of 50 years ago, when first
deposited by member states A bid Aslant
INDEX
OPINION _ _ _ _ A6
SPORTS _ _ _ _ ~11
RELIGION _ __ ___ _ ?7
CLASSIFIEDS __ RIO
HEALTH _ _ _ __ C3
ENTERTAINMENT __ C5
CALENDAR
This Week In Black History...
Dec. 30, 1935 - Marion Anderson is hailea as "one of the great
singers of our time" after an appearance at New York's Town
Hall.
Jan. 1, 1804 - Haiti gaines independence from France.
Jan. 1, 1808 - The slave trade is outlawed in the United States.
Jan. 3, 1989 - The Arsenio Hall Show premieres. The show is
the first regularly scheduled late night talk show tq star an
African American.
Jan. 5, 1911 - Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity is founded on the
campus of Indiana University.
Jan. 5, 1943 - George Washington Carver dies of anemia. Carv
er. who spent his career at Tuskegee University, is credited with
making the peanut a staple in daily life. Among his many dis
coveries was peanut butter.
- From "I. Too. Sing America. "
%
4
Curtif Mayfield, long a pionoor in tool musk, diod Sunday at 57.
Mayfield forged
social conscience
of soul music
BY RUSS BYNUM
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ATLANTA - Curtis Mayfield
urged black Americans to "Keep
On Pushing" at the height of the
civil rights movement, with songs
that preached pride and persever
ance.
His life imitated his art when an
onstage accident in 1990 left him a
paraplegic, but failed to stop his
music. He continued to record new
songs by singing flat on his back.
The gentle voice that sounded
more like a pensive philosopher
than a raging revolutionary was
silenced on Sunday when Mayfield
died at age 57.
With classics such as "People
Get Ready," "We're a Winner" and
"Freddie's Dead" in the 1960s and
'70s, Mayfield put civil rights at the
forefront of soul music when black
radio was dominated by love songs
and dance tunes.
"You don't have to break any
thing over anybody's head, no mat
ter what you're trying to say. It does
n't have to be preached," Mayfield
told The Associated Press in a 19%
interview. "What's important for me
is that it's said in a manner where it
gives food for thought."
Music critic Nelson George
dubbed Mayfield "black music's
most unflagging civil rights champi
on." Rolling Stone magazine
declared in 1997 that "black music
as we hear it today simply wouldn't
exist without him."
Mayfield's socially conscious
lyrics paved the way for rappers
more interested in gritty urban
landscapes than heavenly romance.
The funk grooves on his album
"Superfly" proved irresistible to
hip-hop samplers.
Longtime manager and business
partner Marv Heiman said May
field "wanted people to think about
themselves and the world around
them, making this a better place for
everyone to live."
Mayfield was paralyzed when he
was struck by a lighting rig that top
pled while he was on stage perform
ing in Brooklyn. The accident
caused his health to deteriorate in
recent years, and doctors amputat
ed his right leg last year because of
diabetes brought on by the injury.
.Born June 3, 1942, in Chicago,
Mayfield started singing gospel as a*
boy and taught himself to play gui
tar by tuning it to the black keys of
the piano.
In 1956, he joined church choir
member Jerry Butler, brothers
Arthur and Richard Brooks, and
Sam Gooden in a group called The
Roosters. They changed their name
to The Impressions two years later,
and had a No. 11 hit with "For
Your Precious Love."
The group went on to record a
string of hits, including "Gypsy
Woman," "It's All Right" and "I'm
So Proud."
It was 1964's "Keep On Push
ing" that marked a turning point for
Mayfield. and broadened the para
meters of black music. Widely
regarded as the first rhythm and
blues song to rally blacks behind the
civil rights movement. "Keep On
Pushing" became a Top 10 R&B
and pop hit.
Mayfield continued putting
black pride and social issues at the
forefront in Impressions hits such as
"We're a Winner." "This is My
Country" and "Choice of Colors,"
which asked: "How long have you
hated your white teacher?/ Who
told you to love your black preach
er?"
"Being a young black man,
observing and sensing the need for
race equality and women's rights,'.'
he said, "1 wrote about what was
important to me."
Other black songwriters soon
followed Mayfield's lead. Sam
Cooke recorded "A Change Is
Gonna Come" shortly before he
was shot to death in December
1964. James Brown had a hit four
years later with the strident "Say It
Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud."
And Marvin Gaye joined Mayfield
on the cutting edge of thinking
man's soul in 1971 with "What's
Going On."
After his accident, Mayfield
found he could still sing by lying
down, letting gravity put pressure
on his chest and lungs. With vocals
sometimes recorded lines at a time,
Mayfield released his final album,
"New World Order," in 19%.
Mayfield was a two-time
inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame - as a member of The
Impressions, and as a solo artist.
Though his songs often invoked
bleak surroundings, they never lost
sight of hope.
"Like a true nonviolent civil
rights activist, Mayfield looked for
the best in antagonists as well as
friends, gently prodding for change
and rarely pointing an accusatory
finger in anger," critic George wrote
in his 1988 book, "The Death of
Rhythm & Blues." "There was dig
nity in his approach, a feeling that
his ideals were for the elevation of I
his listeners."
Grace United is
Y2K ready
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
With the new millennium
only a few days away, many
may be concerned about the
changes that the new year will
bring. Many may worry about
their bank accounts, comput
ers. utilities, airplane flights
and other things that are con
trolled by computers. The con
cern over this date change has
been phenomenal. However,
Grace United Community
Church has been Y2K ready for>
some time. For the new year, as,'
in years past, Grace United is*
ready to Yield To the King. We*
are ready. ?
To bring in the year right,
Grace United will join Spencer
Memorial Christian Churchs
St. John Baptist Church and St.'
Matthew Baptist Church for &,
combined Watch Night service!
See Grace United on AS'
' V
Have you realized the power
of your money? Are others depending on
you to build the future? Are you confident that you've got
the nght tools? We are here. To show you how to make
t ?
? ? I
the most of your money today and to help you plan for
tomorrow. Because the future is closer than you think.
^ ? (
WACHOVIA j
1 800 WACHOVIA ^|SjL-J'M - ?
WWW WACHOVIA COM bLUritXi.
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