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Volume41,Number21 WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. THURSDAY, January 29, 2015
Heath to be laid to rest Saturday
City mourning death
of popular
pastor and singer
BY TODD LUO
THE CHRONICLE
Apostle John Henry Heath, well-known
for his abilities as both a pastor and a
singer, passed away Friday.
Heath was founder and pastor of
Greater Higher Ground Worldwide
Ministries Inc. With his passing, his wife
and co-pastor, Janice Heath, will now lead
the church. John Henry Heath rose to bish
op and became an apostle as presiding
prelate of Greater Higher Ground in July.
Heath's sister Doris Jones said that he'd
preached earlier last week before becoming
seriously ill, so his passing came as a
shock. But the church persevered, holding
revival service that night, which she said
would've been exactly what Heath
would've wanted.
"It's sad but joyous at the same time,
because we know where he is," she said.
"He's transitioned to that glorious church."
Heath was born and raised in Winston
Salem. He was the youngest of seven chil
dren and started singing at an early age.
Jones recalled that at only 12 years old, his
rendition of "Take My Hand, Precious
Lord" got a standing ovation at a service
honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s mem
ory. Heath's baritone voice, which she said
"came straight from God" only got better
with age..
"He would just open his mouth and
sing, and you'd just get lost in it," she said.
She said he had a special wisdom
beyond his age and his brother and sisters
came to know God through him. In 1982,
he became an ordained minister under the
leadership of Bishop F.D. Patterson at
Ambassador Cathedral.
He also had a long career as a gospel
singer, which began as one of the lead
singers with David Allen and the
Ambassadors for Christ Church Choir. He
would go on to sing all over the country,
perform with numerous gospel singers and
groups and record several CDs.
He was a member of the North Carolina
Black Repertory Company, using his j
See Heath on A2 1
File Photo
3 is hop John Heath performs with the choir from Greater Higher Ground Worldwide
Ministries Inc. at The Chronicle's Gospel Fest in 2011.
New NAACP regime halted as national office steps in
BY CHANEL DAVIS
THE CHRONICLE
The Winston-Salem branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored
People will void its last election, which took place on Jan. 10, as the national office looks into a
complaint filed by the organizations' executive board.
The complaint states that campaign material was passed out inside of I
the 50-foot buffer zone and that there were no printed ballots. L
Current President S. Wayne Patterson has told The Chronicle that he I
has been given orders to advise members to follow Article IX, Section 2 F
and paragraph C, which states 'Spending resolution of the dispute, the
officers whose terms were to have expired with the new election, will L
continue to function," as the national office investigates the process of the K
state-monitored election in early January.
An announcement was made at the general body meeting Tuesday,
Jan. 27.
"Nothing has changed as far as officers," Patterson said. "We did find
out, for a fact, that the national office deemed the election null and void
on the premises of there not being ballots."
Patterson said that the believes it was not reasonable for them to vote on a blank piece ot
paper.
"The main issue is that you can't have an election with a piece of paper like this is 1941. You
got to have a ballot with names on it," he said.
Numerous calls to the Rev. Gill Ford, NAACP national director of unit administration, went
Sec NAACP on A3
ft n?- ? .?? ? .1 III II ?
Rle Photo
S. Wayne Patterson still has a chance at the
presidency.
Howard
King expected death, Dick Gregory tells W-S audience
BY CHANEL DAVIS
THE CHRONICLE
Winston-Salem State University's K. R. Williams Auditorium
was filled with hundreds of people who were waiting to hear
what the 82-year-old Richard Claxton "Dick" Gregory had to say
about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Gregory told more than 1,400 that King knew he was going
to die.
The social activist and comedian was the keynote speaker at.
See Gregory on A2 L
Rodit Lamb Jr.
File Photo
Earline Parmon is a
longtime public servant.
Parmon
ready to
start new
position
Vote to replace
her in the Senate
is tonight
BY CHANEL DAVIS
THE CHRONICLE
State Sen. -Earline
Parmon, District 32,
announced her resignation
last week, effective
Wednesday, Jan. 28. She
will now be the director of
outreach for 12th District
U.S. Rep. Alma Adams.
She'll work under the dis
trict director and beside
the director of casework.
"This job will allow
me to continue to do the >
thing that has always been
a part of my life and that's
helping people by empow
ering and providing serv
ices for them," she said.
"This will allow me to do
what I've done in the
political community all
my life."
When Parmon first
talked to The Chronicle on
Jan. 14, she did not want
her new position to be
released. j
Adams Chief of Staff *
Rhonda Foxx said that
Parmon made an inde
pendent decision to resign
and that after learning of
it, the office offered her
the position.
"With her addition, our
team will be well
equipped to address the
needs of the 12th District,"
she said. "The knowledge
Earline has gained
through her extensive
work in the community is
a welcomed addition that
will bring added value to
team Adams."
Parmon said that after
her husband's passing last
year, she felt this would be
a good opportunity for her
to do something different.
"1 think this is an
opportunity for me to
serve the comlriunity in a
different and wider capac
ity," she said.
Sec Parmon on A2
WSSU Photo by
Garrett Claims
Dick
Gregory
speaks to
a large
crowd at
WSSV last
week.
ASSURED
STORAGE
of Winston-Salem, LLC
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