I
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Events
Today, Feb. 23
Forsyth Tech Black History Month Celebration
Forsyth Tech is celebrating Black History Month
with a very special event. Guest speaker Rev. Alvin
Carlisle, president of the Local Chapter NAACP, will
give a motivational speech about bridging the genera
tional gap and encouraging students to get involved in
their community. Then, leaders with the Mazie
Woodruff Center, in conjunction the Forsyth Tech
Foundation, will launch the Mazie Woodruff
Scholarship Fund being created to help eliminate bar
riers and increase literacy for students. The event will
be held on Feb. 23 at 10 a.m. at Forsyth Tech, Mazie
Woodruff Center, 4905 Lansing Drive, Winston
Salem.
Feb.25
2017 Anna Julia Copper Center
Black History Month Showcase of Song will be
held on Feb. 25, from noon to 1:30 p.m., James A.
Gray Jr. Auditorium, 900 Old Salem Road. It will fea
ture African-American music from various genres.
Choirs and dance teams from area high schools,
churches, universities and the community organiza
tions will sing and dance. Other genres of music that
reveal the struggle and triumph of African-Americans
such as gospel and jazz will be performed by musical
ensembles, and spoken word. The program is spon
sored by the City of Winston-Salem’s Human
Relations Department and co-sponsored by the St.
Philips Heritage Center. It is free and open to the pub
lic. No reservations required. Part of Old Salem
Museums & Garden’s Black History Month event
series.
Feb.25
WFU Black History Month Program
The Wake Forest University Gospel Choir along
with the Black Student Alliance of Wake Forest will be
hosting a Black History Month event titled "The
Celebration of Black Arts" on Feb. 25 at 5 p.m. in the
Scales Fine Arts Center, Brendle Auditorium on the
Wake Forest campus. The program is free and open to
the public.
Feb. 26
Forsyth County Public Library
The Forsyth County Public Library will have
Hazel Mack, attorney and former member of the Black
Panther Party, as a special guest on Sunday, Feb. 26 at
3 p.m. Mack will speak at the Malloy Jordan East
Winston Heritage Center, 1110 E Seventh St, sharing
her story in celebration of Black History Month. She
will share her experiences as a member of the Black
Panther Party and the role it played in the Civil Rights
Movement, and the impact it had on the local and
national communities. For more information, call 336
703-2950.
Feb.27
Carl H. Russel Sr. Community Center
The Carl Russell Sr. Community Center, 3521
Carver School Road, presents Brother Imhotep’s
Black History Video Lecture Series and Discussions
2017 on Feb. 27 from 7 to 9 p.m. This is a very special
Black History presentation viewed in the eye of
Imhotep, or “Yusef Suggs,” a graduate of WSSU. For
more information, contact Ben Piggott at 336-727
2580 or Brother Imhotep at 336-671-2268.
February, Tuesdays through Saturdays
African American Heritage Tour
On this tour you will learn the stories of many of
the enslaved African Americans who lived in Salem
from the early years of its founding in 1766 and of the
African Moravian congregation that was organized in
Salem in 1822. You’ll also learn the hidden legacy of
African American influence in Southern Decorative
Arts. Offered Tuesdays through—Saturdays between
9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tours are typically one hour.
Recommended for adults, minimum age: middle
school students. Group size: 10 minimum; 25 maxi
mum. Price per person $17 per person (plus applicable
NC sales tax). Reservations and payment are due at
least 30 days in advance and is
non-refundable. Call 1-800-441-5305 to schedule
an African American Heritage Tour.
Now
High Point Museum
The High Point Museum in partnership with the
International Civil Rights Center and Museum and the
Guilford County Register of Deeds recently opened a
new exhibit. “Bills of Sale: Slave Deeds of Guilford
County,” will be open until April 15. In 2015, the
Register of Deeds made these slave deeds, dating from
1774 to 1826, available online. These deeds show
transactions concerning men, women, and children of
color. The records provide opportunities to reflect on
the inhumanity of the trade in people, but they also
open research avenues for those looking for family
connections. The museum is located at 1859 E.
Lexington Ave., High Poinf. Free admission. For more
details, contact 336-885-1859
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K
Photos by Timothy Ramsey
Retired Firemen
Robert L. Grier, left,
and Willie J. Carter
pose with a current
fireman after the
celebration.
W-S departments honor retirees
BY TIMOTHY. RAMSEY
THE CHRONICLE _
The Winston-Salem
Police and Fire depart
ments in conjunction with
the Recreation and Parks
Department held their
fourth annual Black
History Month Celebration
on Sunday, Feb 19 at
Galilee Missionary Baptist
Church.
The celebration hon
ored African-Americans
who made an impact in the
Fire and Police depart
ments before and soon
after those departments
were integrated. The win
ners of the coloring and
essay contests were also
recognized for their
achievements.
From the Winston
Salem Fire Department,
retired Fire Captain Willie
J. Carter and Retired Fire
Engineer Robert L. Grier
were honored for their
years of service. Both
were even given the rank
of honorary Fire Chief.
“When I first heard
about it I didn't think it was
going to be anything like
this,” Carter said. “It
makes me feel good
because when I was work
ing I had no idea of the
impact it would have.
Now it’s just a feeling I
can’t describe.”
Grier added, “I'd just
like to praise God that it
happened and I feel good
about it. To see the young
black guys coming along
and becoming chiefs
makes me feel great. To
see how blacks have come
along in the department, all
I can say is praise the
Lord.”
Retired Evidence
Specialist Rose Jones was
honored from the Winston
Salem Police Department.
She said she really enjoyed
her work and loved many
of the individuals she
worked with. She was
known for her bluntness
and always spoke her
mind.
The young contest win
ners were acknowledged
after the Police and Fire
departments. The coloring
contest winners were;
London Toney (K-lst
grade), Eliana Brown (2nd
-3rd grade), Tia
Cunningham (4th-5th
grade) Aniyah Akers (6th
8th grade). The essay win
ners were; Zayah Kyle and
Athaliah Amolda
(Elementary), Antwon
Rucker and Jasmyne Pitt
(Middle school), Zion
Jones and Ariyana March
(High School).
Yolanda Martin,
Jasmyne Pitt's mother, said
she was very proud that her
daughter won especially
with the number of partici
pants that entered. There
were over 200 total entries
for the coloring and essay
■ _y. .uni
Rose Jones of the Winston-Salem police department
accepts her award during the celebration.
contests.
“I felt happy and sur
prised because I really did
n't think that I was going to
win,” Pitt said. “I just
wrote down what I felt so it
was just a surprise that I
won.”
Gary Lash, district
recreation supervisor, said
it was great for the young
people in attendance to see
the living history of those
honored from the Police
and Fire Departments.
“It's a wonderful thing
to have those children see a
piece of history live and in
person,” Lash said. “They
write about history and
they color the pictures but
when they get to hear his
tory about the great things
people have done for the
city it really enlightens
them and brings them up.”
Pastor Nathan Scovens
sent a warm video wel
come for those in atten
dance. The Rev. Chad
Armstrong gave the clos
ing remarks and thought
the program went very
well.
“Mr. Grier, Mr. Carter
and Ms. Jones represent
the foundation of Winston
Salem and they represent
the foundation of this com
munity,” Armstrong said.
“The young people who
were honored today repre
sent the future so it’s an
incredible day when you
can meld and mix together
not only the foundation but
also the future and honor
them in a way that pushes
the entire community for
ward.”
“At Galilee that's what
we are honored to do and
that's what today was about
for us.”
What’s wrong with the education system?
BY TEV1N STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
More than 60 years
after the landmark decision
in Brown v. Education,
which argued that segre
gated schools violated the
Equal Protection Clause of
the Fourteenth
Amendment, blacks are
still fighting for equality
when it comes to the
American education sys
tem. How do we change
that narrative?
That was the question
raised during a panel dis
cussion hosted by the
Carver School Road
Branch Library last week.
The program,
“Education Then and Now:
Crisis in Black Education”
brought together a diverse
group of community mem
bers to openly discuss the
issues that directly impact
the schools that serve our
communities. Retired
librarian and graduate of
Winston-Salem Teachers
College (now Winston
Salem State) James Jerrell
said one way we can break
the curse is by getting more
involved in our children’s
education. Jerrell men
tioned when he was grow
ing up it was required that
teachers visit their stu
dents’ home at least once a
school year.
“I know things have
changed since I was in
school but I think some
how we have to improve
the communication
between teachers and par
ents,” said Jerrell. “We
have to go back to the old
way of doing things by
building relationships.”
When asked if she
thought student motivation
should come from home or
from teachers, rising junior
at Paisley Magnet School,
Kennedy Goode, said
although she believes hav
ing a parent who isn’t
interested in their chil
dren’s education makes it
harder on the teacher,
schools should also have
more motivational pro
grams for students as well.
“If students have more
motivational programs in
school they will know
teachers are there to help
them succeed and they will
know who to go to when
they need help,” continued
Goode. “I think having
teachers who show they
care will motivate students
to tiy harder.”
The next big question
was presented to Diamond
Cotton, who serves as the
principal at Rural Hall
r
Elementary School. Panel
moderator, Dr. Antwain
Tate Goode asked Cotton
how she gets parents to
participate.
“I try to make sure in
our building that if we
don’t see a parent at school
we go to the parent. I know
it can be difficult for a
teacher to do it alone so
that is really not an
option,” she continued.
“We really try to work
together. It is important
that the parent and the stu
dents understand that we
are there to support them.”
Others who participat
ed in the panel discussion
were Emma Allen, Annie
Brown, Cayen Yong, Sallie
Ledbetter, Dwayne Ijames
and Rev. Jasmyn Graham.
Following short a Q&A
session, where students
from Carver High School
and Carter G. Woodson
asked the panelist their
own personal question on
how to navigate the educa
tional system, event coor
dinator Melanie Watkins
said while public schools
still lack resources, endure
overcrowding, and policies
that don’t work, it is impor
tant that we continue to
have these conversations.
“When I was putting
this event together, I did
not expect all of this, but
this is exactly what we
need if we want to push our
community forward,”
Watkins said.
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