Chronicle
c,l_
36 071405 *FIR1I* * * '5-DIGIT 27101
ADMINISTRATION
FORSYTH CNTY PUB LIB
660 W 5TH ST
75 WINSTON SALDI NC _7j.01-2/55 <ATING 30 YEARS OF COMMUNITY JOURNALISM Vol. XXX No. 43
THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 2
[Boxer
| focuses
on young
people
- See Page Bl
Farmer
turns into
children's
author
- See Page A3
Kirkman
tries his
luck in
the Fifth
- See Page A10
Magazine:
Queen
City good
for blacks
-See Page AH
Officials
advocate
knowing
HIV status
Free testing will be done
Saturday for National
HIV Testing Day
BY COURTNEY GAILLAM)
1111 CHRON1C1 1
African- Americans are 27 times more likely
to die from AIDS than whites in Forsyth Coun
ty. Blacks often delay testing and are also less
likely to get medical care once diagnosed with
the disease.
i nere s sucn a stig
ma around having HIV
because it is sexually
transmitted or through
needle sharing. People
look down on those
things. * Everybody
knows they're going to
die. but all of a sudden
you find out you have
HIV and think, i know
_ wnai 1 m going to uie
Brown ..
trom , saiu Monica
Brown, HIV/STD pro
gram coordinator at the Forsyth County Depart
ment of Public Health. She is encouraging peo
ple at-risk to put aside their fears and get tested
for HIV this Friday at Rupert Bell Recreation
Center, where National HIV Testing Day will be
recognized in'Forsyth County. There free, confi
dential HIV counseling and testing will be
offered. June 27 of every year is recognized as
National HIV Testing Day.
"When you look at (Forsyth County) com
pared to other urban counties - Durham. Guil
ford, Mecklenburg and Wake counties - we
rank second for rate of infection for HIV," said
Brown. "We try to be flexible with folks who
don't want to come through the STD clinic."
Oftentimes, says Brown, people will come
in for testing but never return for the results. The
only way to obtain your HIV test results is to
come in person to the health department. Results
will not be given over the phone or sent in the
mail.
"If the results do come back positive. We'll
try to get them help if they want help. It's all
about what you as the individual wants," Brown
said.
HIV, human immuno deficiency virus,
attacks and weakens the immune system, pre
set- HIV mi A7
INDEPENDENCE
HIGH
SCHOOL
File Photo
Independence High School on Clemmonsville Rood
will reopen in August after a brief shutdown.
An Alternative
Alternative
System will try / Independence idea again but with new spin
BY T. KEVIN WALKER
I ill CHRONIC! E
The city-county school
system is promising a new and
improved Independence High
School come August.
Independence had served
as an alternative school where
students were sent for having
discipline problems at their
primary high schools. But
Independence's lack of suc
cess in educating students and
budgetary cuts were cited a
year ago when the school was
shut down.
Three day school programs
were set up at different sites
"We are really concerned
aboul the name Indepen
dence. It has had a lot of
bad connotations before. "
- Donald Martin
around the city to replace
Independence.. The day
schools were designed to edu
cate students with the severest
discipline problems. The
school system also started
Alternative Learning Centers
(ALCs) at each high school to
accommodate students witfi
minor infractions such as
excessivecabsences.
Schools Superintendent
Don Martin said the ALCs
will stay in place for the
upcoming school year, but the
day schools will be eliminat
ed.
"That simply did not
work." he said about the day
Sec Independence on A6
Crowning Moment
Pt>ou> by Kevin Walker
Ninety-five-year-old Louise Davis is all smiles as she receives her crown during the June Jubilee at Sunrise
Towers on Friday. Davis , who has lived in the Towers for the past three decades, was named queen of the
Jubilee. Davis and many of her neighbors spent Friday evening dancing , chit-chatting and enjoying food. To
read more about the event turn to The Chronicle's Community section on CI.
Church hosts Juneteenth celebration
Photo by Kevin Walker
Members of
the Emmanuel
Baptist Church
choir perform
vintage gospel
songs during
the Juneteenth
celebration
held- Saturday
at Mount
Pleasant.
BY T. KEVIN WALKKR
THh CHRONK'Lt
About 100 people came to
Mount Pleasant Missionary
Baptist Church Saturday to cel
ebrate Juneteenth. the more
than a century old African
American holiday that cele
brates the day the last slave was
unshackled.
For years the church's
Black History Committee has
sponsored programs to mark
the holiday. Saturday's pro
gram was a fusion of spiritual
songs, dances and historical
reflection. It's central message
was that freedom was not free
and should not be taken for
granted.
Officially. Juneteenth is cel
ebrated each June 19. History
reports that on that day in 1 865
word of the Emancipation
Proclamation finally reached
slaves in Texas. Because of the
state's geographical location.
Texas slaves were the last to
learn that they were free. The
news came two years after
President Lincoln had signed
the document.
Juneteenth's popularity has
always been great in Texas and
Oklahoma, where the day is
marked ? with celebrations
attended by thousands. In most
parts of the country, though, the
holiday comes and goes as qui
etly as a mouse.
The Rev. Vernon Crump,
the pastor dt Mount Pleasant,
said that is a shame. Crump
said African-Americans should
put Juneteenth on the same
level as the Fourth of July
because independence did not
come for black Americans until
more than 80 years after the
nation's first Fourth of July eel
See Junetdetith <>n A10
Harry
begins
new life
at age 50
Behind the scenes
mover steps to front
with new business
BY FELECIA P MCMILLAN. PH D
THE CHRONK I I
This Saturday mark* Cheryl
Harry's 5<)th birthday, and it also
marks the official open house for
her new venture - Elegant
Eventz, an events planning serv
ice that is open to the public.
Things arc coming together.
I'm just thankful and grateful to
God. It's
all com
i n g
together."
said
Harry.
"On June
2(x I will
turn 50.
My life's
work is
coming ?
together
in such a
divine way."
since August 01 zuuu, Cneryl
Denise Harry has served as the
director of kingdom ministries
and development for Union Bap
tist Church, where she continues
to work. Under this title, she
directs, coordinates and conducts
activities, programs and min
istries; provides overall church
administration; and works closely
with her pastor (the Rev. Dr. Sir
Walter Mack Jr.). media auxiliary
presidents, leaders and organiza
tions in program design, imple
mentation and printed materials
development.
Pastor Mack is not surprised
that public demand for Harry's
services has grown.
"Cheryl has the profound
ability to take the concerns and
desires of the people and make
their program expectations a real
ity." Mack said. "With her excite
ment and energy, Cheryl brings a
sense of optimism that ignites
with her passion. She has pro
found insight on the community
and the needs of the community,
which take her expertise to a level
of excellency."
See Harry on A7
In Grateful Memory of Our
Founders,
Florrie S. Russell and
Carl H. Russell, Sr.
" Growing and Still Dedicated to Serve You Better"
^Russell fflumral ;Home
Wishes to Thank Everyone For Their Support
H22 Carl Kussell Ave.
(at Martin I ^uther King Or.)
Winston-Salem. NC 27101
(3 36) 722-3459
l ax (336) 631-8268
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