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Miss Karen Jones
Is Beauty Of Week
By Melvetta Wright
Post Staff Writer
An indirect Charlotte native
who has spent quite a bit of
years away from "home" is
our Beauty for this week.
Miss Karen A. Jones, the 21
year-old daughter of Chief
Warrant Officer Jacob H.
Jones (Retired) and Mrs. Ma
ry L. Jones, is one of three
children, and the only girl.
As a result of her father's
rareac, Karen has Jived .in
Okinawa for 3'/i years and in
Turkey for 2'^ years. She has
visited Rome and the Holy
Lends twice and said of the
experience, "It was unforget
table. The hardships that the
people over there face are just
like those here, only people
overseas see Americans as
having everything."
Karen is an advanced sopho
more at A&T State University"
in Greensboro where she is a
Clothing Textiles and Related
Arts major. She was on the
Dean's List last semester and
became a member of the Air
Force ROTC in January. She
was recently selected Miss Air
Force ROTC and said, "I am
looking forward to the oppor
tunity to lend a hand and an
active imagination to the
AFROTC at A&T."
Karenwas born February 4,
1956 under the sign of Aquari
us. She describes herself as
"easy-going and people lov
ing." According to Mrs. Jones,
who has a lot of experience
with Aquarians because her
oldost son, Jacob Jr., is one,
Marians are not necessarily
made out of one particular
mold. About Karen she said.
"She does what she feels; it's
almost like she's hanging
loose, but she has it well in
hand. She has a mind of her
own."
Karen, a multi-talented
Beauty, writes poetry, plays
table-tennis and pool, paints in
water colors and acrylic oil,
sculpts and does sketchings.
In spite of her future ambi
tion to own a clothing store
where she will design the
pattern for the material and
the fashions she will sell.
Karen doesn't sew. But She
always says that she will
"conquer the battle of the
needle and the thread before
leaving A&T." She said that
her creations will be "tailor
made suits for the physique
and character of the persons"
she services.
"People are my greatest
interest," Karen said. "And I
do what I can to make life a
more pleasant state of exis
tence for them."
"Some people say that I'm
too soft-hearted or too nice,
Buf "T figure that the worlu
would be a total disaster if it
weren't for those who care."
Offering another bit of phi
losophy, Karen said, "I enjoy
challenging activities that
take some effort and ingenuity
for me to accomplish. People
are always a constant chal
lenge. Every one of them feels
that they have to play "people
games" in order to get over. I
guesS the unl> way to aurvivx
is to play along with them."
Keep an eye on Karen
Jones; one day you may be
fortunate enough to have a
"Karen's Original" and you
can say, "1 first heard about
her in the Post."
To Black Community
NAACP Head Kelly Alexander
Denies Reneging On Commitment
INew Hope
Workers
The National Caucus for The
Black Aged is holding its fifth
annual conference from May
26 through 28 at the Interna
tional Inn in Washington, D.C.
The conference which will
be co-sponsored by the Na
tional Center on Black Aged,
will be themed "Health Care
and the Black Aged : A Call for
Radical Change." The confer
ence, co-sponsored by the Na
tional Center On Black Aged,
will address the total health of
the Black elderly, including
the physical, mental, social,
economic, environmental, and
cultural aspects.
There will also be scientific
research symposia covering
health and clinical research
on the Black aging process.
Papers will be presented on
such topics as morbidity, mor
tality and mental health as
pects. Featured Conference
speakers will discuss spiritual
health, social and economic
health, and health programs,
both in the federal and private
sectors, which benefit the
aged.
Workshops will be held at
the conference to enlighten
interested persons in many
areas as long term care,' deli
very of health services, health
education for senior consum
ers, and manpower ana train
ing needs: more Black nurses,
doctors and health geriatrics.
The NCBA was organized in
Philadelphia seven years ago
for the purpose of improving
the overall quality of life for
the Black elderly.
Congressional Bills Of Vast
Importance To Black People
By Melvetta Wright
Post Staff Writer
The 95th Congress of the
United States is presently in
session and is about to decide
on four bills that are very
important to all people, espe
cially those in the Black com
munities. One is designed to
enable pregnant workers to
claim disability benefits, two
to improve and extend the
Food Stamp Program, and
one to raise the federal mini
mum wage
Last December the Su
preme Court, in the General
Electric Company ν Gilbert
case, overruled the Equal Em
ployment Commission and six
circuit courts of appeal deci
sions that it is discriminatory
to deny female workers preg
nancy benefits. A majority of
the Supreme Court ruled that
since male workers cannot get
pregnant, and ultimately
pregnancy benefits, it would
be discriminatory to give
them to female workers
The case of G.E v. Gilbert
gained attention when it was
revealed that the company, in
moat circumstances, pays 60
percent of Iom income up to 28
weeks for disabilities result
ing from sperl injuries. at
tempted suicides, veneral di
seases, fights, hair trans
planta, vasectomies and cir
cumcisions. While it is true
that men cannot become preg
nant, women cannot be treat
ed for vasectomies and cir
cumcisions; but men are paid
disabilitv benefits for such
"illnesses," while women are
forced to take leaves of ab
scence without pay to have a
baby.
Senator Harrison Williams
(D ., N.J.) has introduced a bill
in the Senate (S. 993) and
Representative Augustus
Hawkins (D.. Calif. ) has intro
duced the same bill in the
House (H.R. 5055) designed to
overcome the Supreme
Court's ruling.
The bill would amend the
definition of sex discrimina
tion under Title VII of the 1964
Civil Rights Act to prohibit
discrimination on the basis of
pregnancy and childbirth.
It, in part says that "...The
terms 'because of sex' or 'on
the basis of sex' include, but
are not limited to. because of
or on the basis of pregnancy,
childbirth, or related medical
conditions, and women affect
ed by pregnancy...shall be
treated the same for all em
ployment-related purposes,
including receipt of benefits
under the fringe benefits pro
grams, as other persons not so
affected and nothing in sec
tion 703(h) of this title (Title
VII of the 1964 Civil Rights
Act> shall be interpreted to
permit otherwise."
Two bills are before Con
gress presently which would
extend the life of the Food
Stamp Program, due to expire
on September 30 of this year.
The Senate Agriculture
Committee is in the process
of winding up its food stamp
hearings Rill S.845, co-spon
sored by Senators Robert Dole
<R.. Kans.) and George Mc
Govern <D., S.Dak ), features
the EPR, which urges the
elimination of the purchase
requirement; provides a stan
dard deduction and allows
further deduction for child
care.
Black Caucus Supports
Controversial Legislation
(CCNS)-The North Carolina
"I II rii'mnrritif* ' if flfj°rchip
Caucus (NCBDLC) took posi
tions on several controversial
legislative proposals now be
ing considered by the North
Carolina General Assembly.
Support for a bill to allow
the Governor and Lieutenant
Governor to succeed them·
selves was voted by the group
following a lengthy discussion
Several of the caucus mem
bers opposed allowing the Lt.
Governor to succeed himself,
expressing some displeasure
with current Lt. Governor
Jimmy Green. Green defeated
Howard N. Lee in a run-off for
the post last September in a
race that was subtly racist.
Rep. H.M. Michaux, Jr., of
Durham said that he would
oppose the Lt. Governor's suc
cession on the floor of the
House.
In another action the Caucus
appointed a committee to in
vestigate support for landlord
tenant reform which is yet to
be introduced into the legisla
ture. A draft proposal was
circulated which caucus mem
bers said may be introduced
by Wake Representative Ro
bert Farmer Some of the
Caucus members said the bill
was not inclusive of the pro
tections tenants need in the
state and should be investiga
ted by the committee. For the
past three sessions Hep. Hen
ry Frye of Guilford has intro
duced measures to change the
archaic landlord-tenant law
passed by the 1868 legislature
to regulate sharecropping
Those proposals have been
drafted and defeated, primari
ly because most of the legisla
tors are landlords and have a
vested interest in not passing
such legislation
The caucus also approved
amendments to the testing
proposals now being consider
ed by House and Senate edu
cation committees One test
ing bill would make manda
tory the passing of standa
rized exams by high school
students prior to graduation
Luther Hodges To Keynote
Minority Business Banquet
By Hoyle H Martin Sr
Poet Executive Editor
The Charlotte Local Busi
ness Development Organiza
tion (LBDO), in cooperation
with Radio Station WGIV. will
hold its first annual minority
business awards banquet on
Thursday. April 2> at the
Holiday Inn-North. Luther H.
Hodges Jr., board chairman of
the North Carolina National
Bank, will deliver the keynote
address
Thomas Staton, executive
director of the Charlotte
LBDO, said "the event has
been designed to give recogni
tion and encouragement to a
number of ffltnortty bueiwe—
people that LBDO has given
assistance to over the past
year Specifcally." he conti
nued, "12 minority enterpre
neures who have received cer
tificates as minority business
men of the month will be
recognized and two from that
Luther Hodges, ir.
,,,NCNB Board chairmen
group will be named 'Minority*
Businessmen of the Year
Staton concluded "the ban
quet will offer corporations in
the area the opportunity to
become a little better acquain
ted with the growing number
of minority - largely black
business firms that they might
desire to carry on some activi
ties with "
Charlotte I.BIX) board
chairman Hoyle H Martin
said. "We are pleased to have
Luther H. Hodges as our key
note speaker because under
his leadership NCNB has de
monstrated a commitment lo
the support and encourage
ment of minority business
Furthermore, as chairman of
the Charlotte Chamber of
Commerce last year. Mr Hod
ges was active in that organi
nation's assistance to minority
business, particulary through
cooperation vfltfl ffi? CTiarliiltp
LBDO."
An estimated 'too business,
civic and minority business
people will attend the banquet
Ticket· and other inform»
lion about the banquet may be
obtained by calling 334 7691
Institutionalized Racism
Continues To Exist
Dy 0 ™°wph:rùA a
"The Black community suf
fers on several fronts concern
ing positive development, phy
sical upkeep, and economic
stability. The lack of a concen
trated unified commitment by
the Black Community, along
with the reality of institutiona
lized racism that continues to
exist in the forms of resegre
gation. and claims of reverse
segregation are the problems
that we face as a people,"
according to Kelly Alexander
Sr.. President of the North
Carolina State Conference of
Affairs of the NAACF.^and
proprieter of Alexander Fune
ral Home lnc
In a follow -up interview con
cerning the conditions of York
Memorial Park, his seeming
disregard of those conditions,
and the allegations that he and
other funeral home directors
exerted pressure on the own
ers to keep prices down, Alex
ander vociferously staled his
position on that issue and
several others affecting the
Black Community
"We don't sell graves, we
sell funeral services, and we
usher the deceased to the
cemetery the families dictate,
be it York Koad. Pineville.
Sharon, or Beatties Ford Me
morial Park The people in the
community have a responsibi
lity to effect changes in pro
blem areas If yoi^Ufant better
'""'i'·"» banc la tell thf
owner what you want done,"
he stated.
wnen ιοια mcmoers οι me
community were charging he
directs little business to black
businessmen, Alexander ans
wered, "I serve the public, it's
my responsibility as a busi
nessman to get the business
and to keep the business I am
not responsible for another
man not getting his share of
the business, it's his responsi
bility U) price his produce
within the income levels of the
community he serves " Re
sponding to statements, he
and other funeral home direc
tors exert pressure, "I don't
resort to the use of personal
pressure tactics, it is a falli
cious statement for anyone to
suggest that I or any member
of my establishemnt has
threatened any cemetary with
a loss of patronage, and Γ deny
it The public will patronize
those who offer the best price,
and we deliver our services as
no control over their selection
of businesses to patronize, and
again, price is the major
factor
He continued. It is impor
tant to note the historical
conotations involved, funde
mentally the society we live in
is a racist society Historically
the basic form of black white
relationships has been that of
seperate but equal In our
business it has been the same,
the pattern of selection of
cemeteries and related ser
vices, from the beginning was
done on a segregated basis
The City of Charlotte even
refused to accept blacks for
burial When the seperate but
equal doctrine was outlawed
by the Supreme Court, no one
could bè refused service at
public facilities Since private
businesses also offered ffîPîr
services to the public at large,
it «as unconstitutional for
them to refuse to serve black
people Pinewood Cemetary
on Ninth Street is an example
Marks and whites were sepe
rated by a fence, my brother.
Kelly Alexander
NAACP state president
Fred Alexander, had it torn
down." (Interstate 77 now
exists where the fence once
stood.)
POSITION CRUMBLING
When told results of a Host
community poll indicated his
position in the community
appeared to be crumbling.
Alexander look time to state
his case for the record "I
have never had to identify
myself as a man committed to
the struggle for the rights of
all humanity I grew up in the
slums and have no apologies
lo make concerning my past
and continuing contribution to
the community. My life has
been sacrificed for the rights
of black people Check the
record for yourself. It's easy
for those lacking in commit
ment to rrilirijp now that the
tough fight is over. Those who
criticize are not combat sol
diers in the struggle for hu
man dignity, ask them if they
know how it feels to have your
head on the chopping block
The lives of myself and my
family were threatened, a
nitroglycerin bomb exploded
under my home during the
late "60's. Also threatened
were the lives of my brother
See Alexander on Page 5
City Employees
To Observe Easter
Holiday Monday
All City government offices
will be clo.sed Monday, April
It. in observance of taster
Monday Regular business
hours will be resumed Tues
day, April 12 at H a m ·
There will be no meeting of
the Charlotte City Council on
Kaster Monday The next re
gular meeting will be held on
Monday, April IB. at 7 30 ρ m
in the Board Room of the
Kducation Center The meet
ing will be televised live by
WTVI. Channel 42
Due to the holiday, the
City's Sanitation Division will
operate on a four day residen
tial collection schedule
Homes regularly serviced on
Monday Thursday will re
ceive collections on Tuesday
Thursday and Tuesday-Fri
day collection will be changed
to Wednesday-Friday
There will be NO curbside
trash collection next week
Items should not be placed
on the curb until Tuesday,
April 19 for collection on Wed
nesday. April 2U For citizens
whû msh- lc dispose of Jheir
own trash, the York Road
Landfill will be open from 8
am to 4 ρ m Monday through
Saturday Bulk containers for
household trash are located
outside the landfill gate* for
convenient 24 hour deposit.
1
MISS KAREN A. JONES
...A&T State sophomore
TUKTLE-W*
It Uk«e a mighty conecien
tiout man to tell the DIF
FKftENCE between being
nftEl) and LAZY.
I ■ I ■ II I
I
i
KUUMBA-NIA FESTIVAL SUCCESSFUL
η giuup οι uie more wan ι,ουυ people who
contributed to the success of the second
annual African cultural festival, entitled
Kuumba II, held at the Greenville Commu
nity Center last week. T.J Reddy, one of the
organizers, summarized the afternoon as:
"This was a coming together of a lot of
creative Black minds to deal with the
problems thai concern Black people."