The Chronicle
Community Focus
C Winston-Salem Greensboro High Point
July 5 2001
The Choice for African-American News '
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"Live on Liberty" - not just another party
Community
Calendar
Big Clean Up
The Residents Council of
LaDeara Crest Estates will have
its first monthly community clean
sweep Saturday, from 9 to 11 a.m.
Residents will be asked to clean
their common areas and breeze
ways during the event. Volunteers
are welcome as well. The N.C.
Cooperative Extension will pro
vide gloves, bags, safety vests
and other cleaning material. Res
idents and volunteers are asked to
meet at the Naomi Jones
Resource Center, which is located
within the community.
Experience sports
The African American Society
of High Point will sponsor a
forum on the black experience in
sports on Monday. July 16. The
forum is titled, Sports: The black
experience, yesterday and today.
It will take place at the Washing
ton Terrace Community Center in
High Point beginning at 6:30 p.m.
It is scheduled to end around 8:30
p.m. For more information, call
Rufus Bostic at 336-882-1563.
Kids' Explosion
The Mount Sinai Full Gospel
Deliverance Center, located at
2721 Manchester St., will host its
annual Kids' Implosion for
youngsters 5 to 13 on July 20-21.
The event will feature the Rev.
Gertrude Toomer of Lumberton
and food, games, music work
shops and step show. For registra
tion or for more info, call 336
722-2624 or 336-761,-0411.
Fans available
Beat the summer heat with
Project Fan. courtesy of The
Duke Energy Foundation and the
Area Agency on Aging. Fans are
available at no cost at the Win
ston-Salem Urban League. 201
W. fifth Street (Trade Street
entrance). Monday-Friday 9 a.m.
until 4 p.m., beginning June 15.
Requirements: valid identifica
tion, 60+ years of age, resident of
Forsyth County and served by
Duke Energy, have an existing
home situation that presents a
threat to the person's health and
well-being, only one fan per
household. For information, call
(336) 725-5614 and speak with
Adell Marlin. director-senior cen
ter. ext. 1305, or Rev. Ben Mose
ley, outreach coordinator, ext.
1401.
Registration set for library's
summer programs
"Books for Seekers and
Dreamers" is the theme of the
High Point Public Library's
seven-week summer reading pro
gram, which will transport young
people to various places through
story times, special events and a
book club. Registration for the
book club began June 4, and kids
can sign up through the month of
July to participate. The book club
members will earn prizes based
on the number of books they read.
For more information about
summer programs at the High
Point Public Library, stop by the
Children's Room on the first
floor. 901 N. Main Street, or call
883-3666.
Officers of BBCA include (left to right) Treasurer Jerome Godson, Asst. treasurer Norvell
McDowell (seated), President Johnnie Blue Gardner, Vice President Reginald Lorell and
Hashim Saleh.
!
Lolan West and Keith Grant order hot dogs from Barbara Lynch and Tracy Washington
of G&S Cleaning Service.
Jerome Gadson, owner of The Golden Stag Lounge, and treasurer of BBCA, markets t
shirts and caps at "Live on Liberty."
O
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Bill Boyd of B&D's Chicago Style Ribs and Chicken makes a sell to shoppers Barbara
Lynch and David Moore.
Norvell "Pops" McDowell and his partner Eddie Simmons own Oddessey Hip Hop
Clothing store on Liberty Street.
Black Business/Cultural Association brings
the Liberty Street neighbors together
BY FELECIA P..MCMILLAN
COMMUNITY CORRESPONDENT
The officers of the Black Business/Cultural
Association of Winston-Salem (BBCA) have
plans for Liberty Street and the surrounding
community. Saturday. June 30 marked the first
day of the Black Farmer's Market and Vendors
Mart located on the property between The Gold
en Stag Lounge and Gilmore's Funeral Home.
Each Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon, they will
continue to have the Farmer's Market, and from
noon until 7 p.m. they will have live entertain
ment. soul food, and the products and services of
local vendors showcased in the area.
According to the group's president, Johnnie
Blue Gardner, the mission of "Live on Liberty"
is 'To uplift the blqck community economically,
politically, socially, and culturally." The motto of
the organization is "Community and Businesses
Working Together In Pride To Make Differ
ence." Gardner expressed his vision for the suc
cess of the effort.
"Live on Liberty is about the community. It
is not about any individual. We need all of your
support so we can make the community as viable
as any other community." said Gardner. "Live on
Liberty is not just a big party. It is not just a street
scene. Like Tom Joyner says, 'This is a party
with a purpose.'"
Based on Gardner's research, in 1999 the
African Americans in Forsyth County supported
a buying power of $1.3 billion annually. BBCA
hopes to funnel some of these dollars back into
the black community. They are looking for more
business owners, vendors and members to get
involved. They meet each Wednesday night at
7:00 at Gilmore Funeral Home.
"We cannot continue to spend 95 cents of
every dollar in the white community or some
body else's community. We will not survive,"
said Gardner. 'This is our maiden voyage, but
we plan to continue these efforts every Saturday
on Liberty Street. We know that the City plans to
create an airport park in this area, but we have
plans also for this area."
Historically. Liberty Street was one of the
streets in Winston-Salem that had a small con
centration of black businesses. Vice President
Reginald Lovell, the owner of Lo veil's Signs on
Liberty Street since 1967, is pleased to see some
energy put into improving the Liberty Street and
making it more visible.
"I have been on Liberty Street for 34 years. I
have made it through some tough times. Quite
naturally, I want to see the community improve,"
said LovelJ. "We have a lot to be proud of."
Jerry Gilmore of Gilmore's Funeral Home is
also a member of BBCA. Although the funeral
home has been in existence for 53 years, it has
been on Liberty Street since 1962. Gilmore has
high hopes for the success of this venture.
"Live on Liberty offers us a sense of com
munity. It is business people working together to (
enhance the community. It is important for the
viability of the Liberty Street community that we
do things to enhance our business," said ,
Gilmore. Historically, Liberty Street has been a
mainstay for black businesses and for the historic j
black community. It is good for us to have a ;
who-ness and where-ness." ;
Gilmore supports the vision of the organiza- ;
tion by providing meeting space and the land for
the market. ;
"This is an excellent start. However, ;
progress in its infancy is always a target for crit
icism. It is time for people to think about what |
we need to do." said Gilmore. "It's not all about i
the vendors and the shoppers. It is about a new
attitude, a new mindset. It is just good to believe
in us."
Treasurer Jerome Gadson. owner of The
Golden Slag Lounge, applauds the BBCA for
having the foresight to bring "Live on Liberty"
to the community.
"Our people won't have to go out of the
community to get their fresh vegetables. It helps
people become more successful with their busi
ness of growing crops," said Gadson. "It is also
a benefit to families because the farmer's market
promotes nutrition." /)
Farmer Vem Sv.it/er. 55, of Farmer Vem's
Produce set up shop with his brothers William
Switzer. 57, and Joe Pettaway, 67. They sold
watermelon, com. tomatoes, cantaloupe, squash. i
onions, beans and other vegetables. The sign on
their track reads. "Thank You For Help Saving
Fhc Small Black Farmer." Together they culti
vate 30 acres in Germanton. The motto of their
business is "I Walk By Faith." The Rev. Vem
Switzer is grateful to God for the opportunity to
participate in the Black Farmer's Market.
"I hope I can be more help to the market. I
want to give black people a chance to by black
owned and black grown farm produce." said
Switzer. "I want to open up their awareness that
there is only one black certified produce farmer
in this area and that's me. I have been certified by
(he state of North Carolina Farm Extension
Agency.1'
Switzer observes that African American
fanning is a dying art.
"Black farming is just about over. The
youngest black farmer is probably 40 years old,
and that's pitiful. When you have to look t the
white man for everything you eat. that's pitiful,"
said Switzer. "I can remember when at least 18
out of every 20 families in Winston-Salem had a
garden. Now only 2 out of that 20 have a gar
den."
Switzer is grateful to New Jerusalem Baptist
Church and his own church Red Band Baptist
Church for supporting him over the years. When
they nave their annual picnics and church gath
erings, they contact Farmer Vem's Produce for
watermelons and vegetables. He delivers them to
private homes and organizations. Helping with
the Fanner's Market will give him more visibil
ity to the community.
"Some African Americans may not know
about my fresh produce, but I want them to
know." said Switzer.
Hashim Saleh of the Otesha Creative Arts
Ensemble wants to entourage economic
empowerment for African American farmers.
"We want to bring the black farmers up here
each Saturday morning. All of our money is
going to the Coliseum and to the Sandy Ridge
Road market. We need to bring economics back
to the black community. If our Latino brothers
and sisters can do on the South Side, we can do
it on the East Side." said Saleh. "There is a mar
ketplace everywhere you go in the world?to the
Caribbean. South Africa, wherever. We hope the
community will come out and support this mar
ket."
Assistant Treasurer Norvell "Pops" McDow
ell. and his partner Eddie Simmons own Odd
yssey. a retail store for men's and women's hip
hop fashions. The store has been on Liberty
Street for a year. It was formerly called the City
Slickers. Simmons can remember when Liberty
Sheet was a central thoroughfare for African
Americans. He recalls such historical hangouts
is the Imperial Barber Shop. The Dungeon Club,
md Momma Chris Soul Food.
"This used to be a bright business area. Black
businesses survived right here in this area, but
x-cause of recent incidents, many have given the
.treet a had name. We should be proud of Liber- ? *
See Live on Liberty" on C2
All photos by Felecia P. McMillan
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