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At 68th Convention
NAACP To Hear Reports On
President Carter’s Administration
“Our New Day Begun”
Is Convention Theme
By Hoyle H Martin Sr.
Post Executive Editor
The theme of the 68th An
nual Convention of the Na
tional Association for the Ad
vancement of Colored People
will be "Our New Day Begun"
according to Kelly Aiexander.
North Carolina state president
Carter: “Hire
Qualified
Individuals"
President Carter has in
structed all senior staff mem
bers who make employment
decisions for the While House
staff or the Vice President s
Office to "take all steps neces
sary to recruit and hire quali
fied individuals from groups
which have historically suffe
red discrimination
The instructions were in
eluded in a memorandum out
lining equal employment op
portunity guidelines Tor the
offices of the President and
Vice President Mondale
The memorandum said that
it is the general policy "of the
President and Vice President
to insure that 11 < all personnel
decisions affecting their staffs
are made without discrimina
tion based on race, national
origin, sex. religion, age. or
physical handicap, and <2>
qualified individuals from all
backgrounds are employed in
the White House office and the
office of the Vice President."
The legal counsels of the
President arid Vice President
were designated as directors
of Kqual Kmployment Oppor
tunit> for the respective of
fices
Polic e Say:
j,
“Spirits Up,
Crime Down""
Five months ago officers of
the Charlotte Police Baker 5
Team and citizens of the Kil
borne Acres neighborhood
started a program to reduce
residential crime Since then
there have been no reported
burglaries and only one theft
from auto in which a suspect
was arrested
A ceremony will be held on
Saturday. June 18at 10 a m at
the intersection of Central
Avenue and Medallion Drive
to commemorate the success
of the crime prevention pro
gram
Mayor John M Belk, Con
gressman James G Martin,
members of the Charlotte Po
lice Department and residents
will install a "totally Involved
Community" sign at the Kil
borne Acres entrance The
purpose of the sign is to warn
potential criminals that the
neighborhood is participating
in a crime prevention pro
gram and that valuables have
been marked
Since January nearly all of
the homeowners in Kilborne
Acres have participated in the
program which emphasizes
home security and residential
larceny Mrs Barbara Toney
of Folkston Drive and Officers
K H Caskey and R V. Moss
serve as program coordina
tors
of the historic civil rights
organization.
The annual meeting, to be
held at the St Louis i Missou
ri* Gateway Convention Cen
ter June 27-July 1. will be
highlighted by a tarewell sa
lute to retiring Roy Wilkins,
who served as executive di
rector for 22 years, and the
development of new strategies
for the continued attainment
of equal rights for minorities
Other convention highlights
will include a report by the
organization's Washington bu
reau chief, Clarence Mitchell,
on the Carter administration
and congressional legislation
Finally, Benjamin L Hooks,
executive director - designate
and currently a member of the
Federal Communications
Commission, will be featured
at the Convention as the key
note speaker on Friday night
iJuly 1), as the closing event.
Alexander said other high
lights of the 5-day convention
will center around "delegates
in put to the Resolution Com
mittee's recommendations for
new strategies for the further
attainment of enual ripHtv fnr
minorities." He added that
"as the United States becomes
more and more an institution
alized society, the NAACP will
be expanding its concerns a
bout a number of issues "
Among these he mentioned
were ill Monitoring the utili
zation of federal dollars on an
equality basis. (2) pressing for
the Equal Employment Op
portunity Commission to have
more latitute to speed up its
back-log of cases, (3) encou
raging the moving of more
minorities into decision-mak
ing federal jobs, (4) constant
ly review "where we are with
regard to equality in quality
education, (5) basic civil
rights issues, particularly un
der Title 7, (6> black economic
development and, the new
activities of the KKK and the
White Power" racist group
now emerging These may be
among the many strategy is
sues emerging from the con
vention's Resolutions Com
mittee proposals. Alexander
added
Another aspect of this year's
convention will be an address
given by Mrs Margaret Bush
Wilson, the relatively new
chairperson of the NAACP's
National Board of Directors
North Carolina is a member
of the NAACP’s Region 5
which includes South Caro
lina. Georgia. Alabama, Flo
nda. and Mississippi The Tar
Heel State has the largest
membership of any state in
Region 5. according to presi- .
dent Alexander
MCCVTo
Rake Funds
For Juveniles
In efforts of raising money
so they may sponsor activities
for juveniles, the Mecklen
burg County Court of Volun
teers <MCCV> is sponsoring a
skating party at Kate's skat
ing rink Saturday, June It
from 9 a m to 1 p m.
The juveniles participating
in the activities are recom
mended through probation of
ficers and juvenile court coun
selors They range from the
ages of 7 to 25 years of age.
LOVELY LISA LASTER
...Studies engineering
Miss Lisa Laster Is
Beauty Of Week
By Jeri Harvey
Post Staff Writer
A few years from now wher
you slide behind the wheel ol
your new car, it may be
powered by an engine design
ed by a former POST Beaut>
of the Week. At least that’s
what this week’s beauty, Lisa
I^aster hopes and is working
toward.
Lisa, the daughter of Mr
and Mrs. James Laster, is a
student at Central Piedmont
Community College studying
Mechanical Engineering. If
all goes well, she'll graduate
in the winter quarter and work
a while before continuing her
studies. Eventually she hopes
to earn a Masters degree in
engineering and obtain her
license, in spite of the fact that
there are fewer than a half
dozen black licensed engi
neers in the state of North
Carolina. According to Lisa,
“I’ll never know if I can do it
unless I try." When we asked
how she decided to go into
mechanical engineering since
it is a field that women have
not traditionally chosen, she
said she was influenced by her
father who is a pipe designer
with a local chemical compa
ny.
Lisa, a Virgo, was born in
^.Charlotte 20 years ago and ha:
■%>ent all her life here, gradu
ating from Garinger High in
1974 and enrolling at CPCC
immediately afterward. At
baringer she was a letter girl
and her favorite subject was
math. She said, "I guess I
liked math best because it was
always so easy for me.”
At CPCC, her favorite in
structor is Mr. Cannon who
teaches mechancial engineer
ing and is described by Lisa
“as a really nice person whc
tries to help with any problem
whether it's engineering, En
glish or a personal one.^
Going to school full time an<!
working part time at a fas
food restaurant doesn't leavi
Lisa much free time but some
how she manages to serve on
the Usher Board of Parkwood
CME Church, where she is
also the librarian. For recre
ation she bowls a 160 average,
is learning to play golf and
likes to dance to the music of
Tavares, her favorite group.
She enjoys most soul and jazz
music and said that Marvin
Gaye is the male singer she
likes best. It turned out that
Diana Ross is not only her
favorite female vocalist but is
also someone she greatly ad
mires as a person. “I like the
way she reached for the top
and then worked hard to get
there,” is the way Lisa put it.
Occasionally, when the go
ing gets a little rough and I'm
tempted to goof off, my boy
friend, who also goes to CPCC,
helps me get back on the
track.” “He’s a very special
person, " is the way Lisa de
scribes the young man she’s
been dating for the past three
years. “There are no immedi
ate marriage plans however,"
she says.
Another thing that helps to
keep her motivated is her
concern for her three younger
brothers and two younger sis
ters. “When I look around at
the black youngsters on the
i street not trying to do any
thing with their lives, I realize
I’ve got to try very hard to
make good as an example for
my brothers and sisters and
also to put myself in a position
to be aoie to neip tnem, Lisa
says in a voice that is soft but
determined. She says she does
not expect it to be easy, but
adds that worthwhile achieve
ments rarely come easy.
To that we add "Amen."
Idle brook Drive To
Close For Culvert
i
| Construction
Idlebrook Drive will be clos
ed between Marlbrook Drive
and Idlewild Road from Mon
day. June 20 through Friday.
July 29. The purpose of the
closing is to permit the con
struction of a new concrete
culvert across Idlebrook
Drive.
Traffic will not be detoured
around the construction site
due to the lack of a suitable
detour route. Signs indicating
that the street is closed to
through traffic will be posted
on Idlebrook Drive at Marl
brook Drive and at Idlewild
Road Motorists are advised to
use Farm Pond Lane as an
alternate means of access to
Idlewild Farms during this
street closing
Black Leaders Urged
To Support “10” March
Golden Frinks, National Co
ordinator for the Southern
Christian Leadership Confer
ence, (SCLC) said that he is
discussing with Black leaders
in North Carolina the feasibili
ty of a march from Wilming
ton to Raleigh in support of the
Wilmington 10 mothers to get
their sons and daughters par
doned by Governor James
Hunt. Franks said that he has
also called upon the North
Carolina Human Relations
Commission to place on their
Carolina Action
\
Leads Fight
For Bus Service
By Deborah Gates
Post Staff Writer
Members of Carolina Action
led a march to Plaza Road
Elementary School Tuesday,
June 14, to press forward their
demand that a school bus be
provided that would transport
children attending Plaza Road
Elementary School next aca
demic school year.
Marching with members of
Carolina Action were 80 pa
rents and children whom pa
rents said, ‘‘wanted to be the
last day that their children
had to walk down The Plaza to
get to school. According to a
news release from Carolina
Action, the Plaza is one of the
busiest thoroughfares in Char
lotte.
According to the release,
fifty members of Plaza Hills
Villa Heights Community Im
provement Committee met
with school transportation di
rector Don Baucom and safety
director Joe Green May 24 to
ask for a school bus for Plaza
Road next year.
According to Baucom, Plaza
Road does not meet the State
requirement that says child
ren must live more than It?
miles from the school in order
to qualify for buses
agenda a recommendation to
be sent to Governor Hunt to
pardon the Wilmington 10.
The Wilmington 10, sentenc
ed to a total of 282 years in 1972
for arson and assault on emer
gency personnel, were denied
a new trial last month by
Judge George Fountain. Rev.
Ben Chavis, best known of the
Wilmington 10, said he was not
surprised by Fountain’s rul
ing, and expects no justice
from the North Carolina
Courts. Meanwhile, Wilming
ton 10 supporters have ap
parently been marshalling ef
forts to influence Governor
rlunt to pardon the group.
Rev. W.C. Banks of Thomas
ville, and president SCLC said
a meeting which would in
volve a cross section of the
state's leaders would discuss
the feasibility of a march.
Franks said that the march
would include several thou
sand individuals, leaving Wil
mington on June 29 and stop
ping in several cities through
out the eastern part of the
state, including Burgaw and
Smithfield. arriving in Ra
leigh on July 4 for a massive
marcn ana rally.
“I plan to talk to Black
leaders across the state, and
especially the mothers of the
Wilmington 10. What I really
have in mind is that Black
leaders stage a march from
Wilmington to Raleigh involv
ing the church groups, the
civic groups, and the educa
tional world in the state in that
effort. We believe that to
support the mothers will auto
matically force this state to
free the Wilmington 10. We
want a pardon of innocence for
the Wilmington 10 immediate
ly because we think that it is a
travesty of justice prevailing
in this state.”
Frinks has gotten the nod
from Raleigh City Councilman
William Bill1 Knight; Rev.
Leon White, Director of the
N.C.-Va. Commission for Ra
cial Justice; Leo Hadden,
chairperson of the Second
Congressional District Black
Caucus and several others.
ROBERT “BOB” DAVIS
...Contributes widely
Post Names Davis
“Man Of The Year”
By Hoyle H. Martin Sr.
Post Executive Editor
Robert L. Davis Jr., a 49
year old Charlotte native has
been selected as The Charlotte
Post's "Man of the Year" for
the 12 month period ending on
Sunday (Father's Day), June
19.
’ Bill Johnson. POST publish
er-editor, said, "The Man of
the Year' recognition goes to
that Charlottean who. in our
view, has made a substantial
contribution to the betterment
of our community through
voluntary involvement in civic
and social affairs.”
Davis has been chairman of
the Black Political Caucus
(BPC) since 1973 and is vice
president of Precinct 25 Fur
thermore. in February of this
year, he was named by County
Commission Chairperson Eli
zabeth G. Hair and Charlotte
Mayor John M. Belk to be a
vice chairman 01 tne tnar
lotte-Mecklenburg Communi
ty Relations Commission
iCRCi. In addition. Davis has
contributed widely to human
relations in education through
example-setting as an effici
ent school administrator and
as one with the courage to
speak-out on issues. For ex
ample, Davis has told the
state Human Relations Com
mission. the Greensboro Com
munity Relation Committee
as well as local groups that the
Charlottc-Mecklenburg School
System's “competency based
testing and related programs
as presently designed are cul
turally biased against minori
ty and poor youth."
Since assuming the chair
manship of the Black Political
Caucus four years ago. the
Caucus has expanded its ef
forts in attempting to educate
the black community about
See Davis on page 10
Uver l regiment Uj Wilmington 10
North Carolina Black Leaders Rage
Speaking on behalf of the
legal department of the
NAACP in New York, Natha
niel R. Jones pledged the "full
resources" of the unit for the
defense of the Wilmington 10
recently. Similarly, Black lea
ders in North Carolina govern
ment, business and educa
tional circles including Floyd
B. McKissick of Soul City and
Asa Spaulding, retired head of
N.C. Mutual Insurance Com
pany have spoken out in re
cent days questioning the fair
ness of the handling of 10 civil
rights workers currently in
carcerated for a total of 282
years. Generally, it appears
that even the most conserva
tive segments of the Black
population are beginning to
take up arms over the miscar-.
riage of justice being perpe
trated by the court system in
North Carolina.
All this increased support
for Rev. Ben Chavis and his 9
co-defendants, who were con
victed in 1972 on alleged arson
charges, has been brought
about because of the most
recent denial of their motion
for a new triaj by a N.C
Superior Court Judge I^ast
month the "10's" defense
counsel, James Ferguson pre
sented substantial evidence in
a post-conviction hearing pro
ving in the eyes of most that
the 1972 conviction was ob
tained thru bribery, coercion
and other illegal tactics used
by the original prosecutor.
Jay Stroud Testimonies at the
two week hearing included
those of former prosecution
wintesses Eric Junious. Je
rome Mitchell and Allan Hall
who all recounted committing
perjury at the 1972 trial in
exchange for promises of mo
ney. light sentences in unrelat
ed criminal matters, jobs and
a mini-bike (actually received
by Eric Junious*
Mr. Jones of the NAACP
characterized the judge's rul
ing as "hardcore discrimina
lion." saying that "Anytime a
court in the face of the kind of
evidence presented refuses to
grant a new trial, he is com
pounding the original injus
tice." Drawing a standing
ovation from 500 persons at
tending a statewide NAACP
meeting in Raleigh. N.C., he
further went on to criticize the
Carter administration for its
attention to international hu
man rights while ignoring the
human rights violations in
North Carolina, South Caro
lina. Georgia, etc.
Seen as a negative blow to
the civil rights movement in
this country, several black
leaders in North Carolina
have begun commenting on
the case as well Howard N.
Lee . secretary of natural and
economic resources has begun
discussing avenues that might
be taken saying. "I am deeply
concerned The hearing left
me with many doubts about
the guilt of these people."
Floyd McKissick. head of Soul
City further commented. •'!
for one am thoroughly con
vinced that the people re
ceived a raw deal ’ It is
suspected that the opinions of
these black leaders will pro
bably place additional pres
sures on N C. Governor.
James Hunt to issue executive
pardons of innocence which
would end this 5 year ordeal
Meanwhile as the previously
conservative factions have
begun to come out. traditional
supporters headed up by three
major organizations, the Na
tional Wilmington 10 Defense
Committee, the United Church
of Christ and (he National
Kelly Alexander Sr
Stale NAACP president
Alliance Against Racist and
Political Repression have
stepped up their efforts to seek
intervention into the case by
the US. Justice Department
--Civil Rights Division, headed
by Drew Days, former
NAACP lawyer and to seek a
stated position from President
Carter On June 1st demon
strations were conducted in
front of federal buildings, in
cluding the Justice Dept., in
several cities throughout the
nation calling for intervention
WCTiMMK
t
Your temper ia one of the
few things that IMPROVES
the longer you keep it.