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THE CHARLOTTE POST
•Charlotte's Fastest Growing Community Weekly"
BLACK NEWSPAPERS
EFFECTIVELY REACH
BY FAR. MORE
BLACK CONSUMERS
VOL: 3 NO. 41
CHARLOTTE. NORTH CAROLINA-28208-Thursday, April 21. 1977
PRICE 20c
Training
Course Set
For Blacks
The third sales training
course sponsored by the Me
trolina Regional Minority Pur
chasing Council, the Local
Business Development Orga
nization and the Charlotte
Business Resource Center will
- begin on Monday, April 25 at
6:30 p.m. in Room 20β of the
EK Building on Central Pied
mont Community College'·
Ta m pus.
This year's course, entitled
"Because of Who You Are,"
will run for 13 consecutive
Mondays and will be taught by
executives from the IBM Cor
poration.
Open to minority busines·
owners and their employee·,
the sales training course will
encourage participation in a
learning process which will
include classroom instruction
and discussion, close circuit
TV viewing, role playing and
replay, and actual sales pre
sentations with corporate buy
ers. »"
A $*.00 introductory fee is
required of all persons enroll
ed in the course, but will be
refunded once the course is
completed. Books and related
clasà materials Will be provid
ed free of charge.
For more information about
the sales training course or to
enroll in the course, call the
Charlotte Business Resource
at 332-8578.
City Police
Launch Crime
Prevention Drive
The Charlotte City Police
Department is in the middle of
promoting a new "product" -
their Crime Prevention drive.
The Crime Prevention Pro
gram, which started last Au
gust in Charlotte, has already
been set up in Shannon Park,
Κ il bourne Acres, the Thomas
Pean Aves. area, and Plaza
Midwood.
The Crime Prevention Pro
gram, when set up in a resi
dential area, requires the re
sidents to start a Neighbor
they would report any suspi
cious happenings; to enforce
Operation Identification,
where they would mark their
valuables with their driver's
license number, using an elec
trical engraver; and to place
warning stickers on their
doors which state that all of
the valuables inside have been
electrically engraved. Crime
Prevention officers also re
commend that single cylinder
bolt locks be used to
prevent burglar)··
Baker S team Is the only
team in the City's Crime
Prevention Program to pro
mote the program by placing
billboards on the city buses
and passing out balloons, key
rings, stickers, and ink pens
which are donated by local
merchants.
Ken Caskey and Bob Moses,
who make up the Baker 5
team, patrol an area of about
54,000 people. They said that
they are willing to address any
group on security, and that
they are particularly Interest
ed in getting Villa Heights into
the program.
In order to get the Baker S
team to speak to your organi
zation or neighborhood, call
V anessa Ε. Brown
Is Beauty Of Week
ay aocjveiia wngnt
Post Staff Writer
A ninth grade McClintock
Junior High School student,
Vanessa Elaine Brown, is this
week's Beauty. "
Her favorite subject at Mc
Clintock is Algebra (because
she has been able to bring her
C average in Algebra up to a
B) and Vanessa said that she
is in the Girl's Performing
Chorus (where she sings 1st
soprano) and is the assistant
secretary for the Executive
Council.
Vanessa, looking ahead into
her future, plans to attend
UNCC or Johnson C. Smith
University after she gradua -
tes from high school. She isn't
sure exactly what her major
will be, but says that it will
have to deal with child care in
some form or fashion.
"I want to work with retard
ed children," she said, adding
that "A Circle of Children," a
TV special that aired recently,
helped her to decide what she
wants to do with her life. "I
think that I'll be able to help
children like that."
A member of Bethany Bap
tist Church, where Rev. J R
Henson is the minister, Vanes
sa is a junior usher, a member
of the Gospel Choir, and the
assistant secretary for the
Sunday School.
vancssa poinieu oui mai
Cicely Tyson 1* her favorite
actress, because "she's good.
She puts a lot of meaning into
her work," and that Richard
Pry or has won the opportunity
to fill her "best actor slot."
Mrs. Beatrice Gaines, Va
nessa's mother, is, for good
reason·, the person Vanessa
admire· most.
"She's a strong person and
Judge Sorrentinob
Convocation Speaker
A former gangleader who
dropped out of high school was
discharged from the Marines
and served time in a reforma
tory and Jail but worked hii
way up to become a U S
Magistrate Judge will be the
speaker for the 13th annua!
convocation for North am)
South Carolina high school
students
U S Magistrate Judge Jo
nph Sorrentino will speak
Thursday. April 28 at 10:»
a.m. in Ovens Auditorium
The convocation is sponaoret
by television station WBTV ii
oooperstion with Charlotte
Mecklenburg Schools
she understands teenagers,
Vanessa said about her mo
ther, who has three other
children, of which Vanessa is
the oldest.
Vanessa said that being the
oldest child is a difficult posi
tion to be in. "I have to take
care of them (Latonya · 5,
Anthony - 13, and Rita - 10).
They're at the age when they
don't want to listen, so it's
really hard."
Besides singing, Vanessa
enjoys rollerskating, cooking
(cakes and cookies being her
specialty), and sewing (which
she's been doing since the
seventh grade). She's been a
piano- student for seven or
eight months and said that she
plans to go on with it for as
long as she can.
A Gemini who was born May
26,1962, Vanessa very modest
ly described herself as being
"ambitious, free-hearted, and
responsible."
With great pleasure, the
Post introduces Miss Vanessa
Brown as a Beauty of the
Week and adds her to our files
of talented, truly beautifu
young ladies.
Lack Of Capital Restricts
I
I
Growth Of Black Business
N.C. Prison
Office Bans
Women's Book
By Melvetta Wright
Post Staff Writer
According to a recent press
release from North Carolina
Women's Book Project
(NCWBP), North Carolina
prison officials, under the di
rection of Ralph Edwards,
Director of Prisons, have ban
ned a book which was written
by 10 women at the North
Carolina Correctional Center
for Women.
The book,"Break De Chains
of Legalized US Slavery," is
said to contain articles, poe
try, graphics, and photo
graphs about the June 1975
protest at the center. The 10
authors of the book have ex
plained, via their book, what
happened during and after the
protest and the conditions that
women at the Center were
and are being forced to en
dure.
"Break De Chains of Legal
ized U$ Slavery" was publish
ed in November 1976 and
copies were sent to the authors
and four other women prison
ers. Because the four other
women were denied access to
their copies of the book, Ed
wards was approached to ex
plain why.
" According to the release,
Edwards gave three reasons
why the book was banned.
First Edwards allegedly said
that the articles "read toge
ther call for violence and
criminal activity from the
inmate readers." The second
reason he reportedly gave was
a policy which states that
' 'inmate publications intended
to exert pressure on correc
tional officials or create ten
sion between inmates or be
tween inmates and staff will
not be tolerated."' His report
ed last reason was a policy
which requires that publica
tions be reviewed before being
printed.
The authors of the book deny
that it is a threat to security
and maintains that it "merely
exposes the truthful conditions
that exist" at the center
To Some Charlotteans
Easter W asn't All Haoniness
By Debroah Gates
Post Staff Writer
Two Piedmont Courts
youth obviously rolled their
hair the night before, a task
we all hate to do unless
preparing for a special occa
sion. But the next morning,
which was faster Sunday,
they sat with Kool-aid in hand,
appearing not about to pre
pare for church in their new
Easter outfits, as many of our
youths did that morning. Per
haps, the Easter bunny did not
leave them new bonnets as
maybe they had expected.
Their smiles, which seemed
to be forced, one could ima
gine soon disappeared as the
photographer left, for they
may have been dismayed as
many of our Black youth who
were disappointed when the
Easter Bunny overlooked
their home.
According to spokesmen
from different department
stores in Mecklenburg County,
sales were up in regards to
Easter shopping this year.
Hurrah for the merchants, but
for many children purchasing
was down, because their pa
rents were not financially able
to buy them all the glamorous
necessities that go with the
Easter Season.
According to a spokesman
at Social Services, many peo
ple, including some who live in
the Piedmont Courts area, are
involved in the AKDC grant
program, which does provide
families for basic necessities
such as food, clothing and
shelter, but does not provide
for supplementary items or
extra money for Easter shop
ping. The spokesman said that
this grant is alloted for fami
lies who have no income at all,
and felt sure that extra shop
ping money is possibly hard to
come by for these families
Also, the spokesman added,
a lot of their clients ask
for assistance during the holi
days. using Christmas as an
example, and is sure that the
same situation applied for
Easter.
Easter, the most celebrated
holiday in the Christian world
which commemorates the mi
raculous Resurrection of Je
sus Christ should not be
thrown out of context in such
as unnecessary extra-cur
ricular activities and items
as new clothes and gifts. But
we all know how important it
is for the youth to share at
least one Easter or Christmas
with Christ with new clothes
and gifts for the season After
all, it was these children's
elders who adopted this tradi
tion so far back that it would
be hard to alter.
The latest report from the
Employment Security Com
mission concerning employ
ment figures for the Tar Heel
State was good news, showing
that statewide employment
had increased for February to
2.301,700. an increase of 10,500
over January's level This
employment may have risen,
permitting many people living
in areas (possibly the Pied
mont Courts) to acquire em
ployment This would enable
them to be relieved from
assistance programs such as
AKDC grants, and possibly
λγ u\. grants, ana possiDiy
mean more income which
may provide for such things as
Easier shopping However, if
a family's income increased
during thai time, il would
hardly have been time enough
to save for Easter shopping
1977Distinguished Alumnae
Johnson C. Smith University
Honors Mrs. Kathleen Ross Crosby
Kathleen Ross Crosby, edu
cator and community leader
has been named the 1977 Dis
tinguished Alumnae at John
son C. Smith University. Sh<
will be honored at a Convoca
tion on Thursday, April 28 a
10 a m. in the Univérsitj
Church. .
The Distinguished Alumn
Convocation is ait annual pre
gram which has as its purpos
the recognition of graduate
who have excelled in thei
chosen field of endeavor. Eacl
spring an outstanding gradii
ate is invited to return to th
campus to serve as guei
speaker at a convocation fa
students, faculty, staff, adm
nistrators and the communit)
Former honorees have bee
Dr. George Flennigan, a pra<
ticing physician in St Louii
I Missouri, Dr. Μ·Μ Park*
McLean, president of Barbei
ί Scotia College. Dr. Charles Ε
I Morris. Secretary of lllinoi
- State L Diversity. and Dr. Hei
ry \ Mill President of tt
American Chemical Society
Mrs. Crosby graduated with
a Bachelor of Arte degree
from Johnson C. Smith Uni
versity in the Class of 1946 and
earned a Masters degree in
1970 from Bank Street College,
New York City. She has stu
died at New York University
and North Carolina Central
University.
She began her career in 1946
as a classroom aAd education
al television teacher in the
Charlotte-Mecklenburg School
System. In 1965 she was ap
pointed Program Coordinator
for Head Start. She has also
served as Institutional Direc
tor for the Head Start Training
Institute. Training Coordina
tor for Head Start (Regional >.
In-Service Specialist for Early
Childhood Education and prin
cipal of Blllingsville Elemen
tary School In 1976 she was
appointed to her present posi
tion as an Area Assistant
Superintendent for the Char
e lotte Mecklenburg School!
M ri. Crosby has served as
consultant for the University
of South Carolina School of
Desegration. Queens College,
University of North Carolina
at Charlotte. Greensboro City
Schools. Tri-Kacial Center o(f
the University of Minnesota,
Racine Wisconsin Public
Schools, and the U.S. Office of
Education Task Force for Su
pervisors and Administrators
for Educational Renewal.
She has been the recipient of
numerous honors including
Woman of the Year for Β nai
Birth in 1974. the NAACP Hall
of Fame for outstanding com
munity service in 1973. nomi
nee for the Gold Rose Award
in 1971 and 1972. the Opportu
nity Industralization Center
outstanding community ser
vice award in 1972 and WBT
Woman of the Year in 1976
She has been featured in
Learning Magazine, the Wash
ington Poet and on a CBS
News Special.
Mrs Croaby has not only
Uinilll^UiailCU Ιϋ'ΙΜΊΙ III III
educational world, but she ha
made notable contributions t
her community
She u married to Josep
Croaby and the> have I*
children. Joseph Jr. ^l ar
Kathy. 1».
( jty Introduces
New Bus
Transfer Slip
A new bus transfer slip will
be introduced by the Charlotte
Transit System (CTSion Mon
day. April 18 The new trans
fer is larger than those cur
rently in use and will be easier
to read by the visually handi
capped In addition, transfers
will provide helpful informa
tion including the routes ta
which transfers may be made,
suggested transfer points and
I color coding to denote direc
tion
A more liberal transfer poli
cy was adopted by City Coun
cil in May, 1976 The updated
_ transfer slip· will assist CTS
passengers in understanding
how the policy can assisi
them
h This is another improve
ο ment that CTS hopes wil
rl make using the buses easiei
for ChartoflMfiS
Minority
Business
Fare Worse
By O. Imam Uhuru Aka
(V.W.P.)
In every major city in the
United States, there seems to
exist one very noticeable and
recurring physical theme, a
deteriorating core at the cen
ter, surrounded by affluent
and well planned suburbs on
the outskirts.
This pattern has been a
recurring one in nearly every
city in the nation, and the
individuals who appear to fare
the worse, as a result, are the
small minority businessmen.
These people have to try to
serve the community and at
the same time seek the capital
funding that will allow them to
expand their establishments
with the purpose of being in a
better position in which to
offer the community a wider
selection of goods at a more
affordable price.
In every neighborhood there
exists one particular kind of
enterprise which hardly any
community seems able to do
without. We're speaking of the
corner grocery store and the
mom and pop businesses.
There aren't very many in the
Queen City owned and operat
ed by black businessmen, but
we did find one, located just
off the 2700 block of North
Tryon Street. The proprietor
spoke freely with the Post
concerning the problems she
has encountered in seeking to
maintain a positive financial
operation, which would at
tract the credit she needs in
order to expand her business.
For reasons stated and un
stated, she asked that her
name be withheld. "I've had
all kinds of problems, espe
cially with banks," she ex
plained "They (the banks)
more than $3,000 when you are
a black person I had a loan
with Northwestern Bank, and
paid it off a year in advance,
but I was delinquent on one
occasion, and the collector
threatened to redball me He
must have, because I have
had a hard time getting a loan
from any other bank." She
continued, "A black person
has to put up everything she
owns just to get a loan, then
you're charged interest at the
rate of 14 percent "
We contacted Bob Garrett of
Northwestern Banks Credit
Department, and were told,
"It is not a policy of ours to
redball any customer Our
credit reporting is done on the
basis of how the account was
paid "
Wachovia Bank & Trust Co.,
one of the largest in the city,
was very helpful when contac
ted on the question of credit
for minority businesses
Terry Ainsworth of Wacho
via's Retail Credit Depart
ment, discussed at length the
extent to which his company
would go to aid this sector of
the community The Post of
fered a lilt of questions to Mr
Ainsworth concerning the a
variability of credit for mino
rities, refinancing, types of
loans available, and programs
offered to aid minorities in
maintaining a successful es
tablishment We questioned
him also, as to the depth of
interest on the part of Wacho
via in funding black business
men.
"We are heavily regulated
• by the Federal Reserve
Board, which regulates all
member banks We are also
See Lack on Page ^
Bt» Ή Άw' ' · '•'ν~·'Λΐι*- · ·-·
1URTLC-1MX
**Sjf
AGOSSIPER: One who can.
give you all the detail· without
1 any of the facta.
MBS VANESSA ELAINE BROWN
...Wants to work with children
EASTER WAS JUST ANOTHER DAY
.—To these two unidentified youths
Mr» Kathleen Κ Crosby
Outstanding educator