CHARLOTTE arid MECKLENBURG COUNTY
• CHARLOTTE. N. C. 25202
ssr THE CHARLOTTE POST 1^^'
CALL 392-1306 . -T**' A ^ F JL | BY KAH. MORE
^Jiariotte s r astest Growing Community Weekly" BLACK Cl NSl'MERS \
VOL. 3 NO. 50
^ — -— L> L? 1« ' L'
King Statue
Fund Drive
Failing?
By Hoyle H. Martin Sr.
Post Executive Editor
After nearly six months of
leading an effort to get funds
to erect a statue in memory
of the late Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr., the Rev. James E.
Barnette says that only $4,000
net has been raised to-date out
of a $50,000 needed.
Rev. Barnette, who took on
the statue project after the
City Council rejected his re
quest to re-name Beatties
Ford Road. “Martin Luther
King Jr. Blvd.,” said that
appeals for support through a
radio talkathon, Churches and
fraternal groups have been
“disappointing” thus far.
However, he praised and
thanked the Mayfield Memo
rial Baptist Church for $1,000,
New Hope Baptist Church for
$500, a pledge of $2,000 from
Friendship Baptist Church
and a pledge of undertermined
amounts from two social or
ganizations.
uc nuica iuiuici uim a
number of other black minis
ters have indicated that spe
cial offerings will be asked for
in their churches on Sunday to
aid the drive.
The articulate minister reit
erated, on behalf of the 5
member statue committee ap
pointed by Mayor Belk, his
appreciation to those indivi
duals and organizations that
have given support to the
project. However, he indicat
ed that if substantially greater
progress is not made by July
31 he may personally with
. draw from participation in the
project.
While reflecting some de
gree of discouragement, Bar
nette has obviously not given
up on the statue project. Bar
nette will lead a march on
Saturday (June 25) beginning
at 9:30 a.m. from the Amay
James Park to Dalton Village
to kick-off a day of gospel
singing and fund raising.
Earlier reports have indi
cated that some funds for the
project may be provided by
the city.
At a MLK fund raising rally
in February Barnette said,
"This is an ideal time to have
something to look up to, some
thing symbolic of \vhat Dr.
King represented. We can’t
trust history to write about
him as too much has been left
out in the past. Won’t you
tL.1. ___
0»afrf*VS V MMO »»VI MIJ VUUilU .
Post To Salute
. Gty’s Best
»
Dressed Men
The Charlotte Post will sa
lute Charlotte's 10 best dress
ed men in its next edition...
Make plans now to reserve
your copy for this very impor
tant feature in the Post, which
each week brings you news for
and about the people you
know.
This story will represent one
of the many new features The
Charlotte Post will be present
ing in the months ahead as it
seeks to better serve its read
ing public and the general
community.
^^^OTTRACT^E GLENDA HAMILTON
...Newcomer to Charlotte
Men da Hamilton
Is Beauty Of Week
By Jeri Harvey
Post Staff Writer
Glenda Hamilton was stun
ned when contacted and in
formed she was the POST
Beauty of the Week. Accord
ing to her, she had no idea she
had been suggested by a local
photographer and was being
considered.
A newcomer to Chariot »e
who moved here recently from
Greensboro, Glenda was born
in Norfolk, Va. and has lived
in Trenton, N.J. She is a 1976
graduate of A&T State Uni
versity and has a degree in
Business Administration. Em
ployed by Aetna Life and
Casualty Co. as a Commercial
Insurance Analyst, she hopes
to eventually become a Char
ter Property and Casualty
Underwriter, a process which
requires approximately five
years.
Since moving to Charlotte
Glenda has joined First Bap
tist Church and says she even
tually hopes to become in
volved in working with the
youth of the church. Right
now, however, she is busy
planning her wedding which
will beat First Baptist Church
August 26. The groom will be
Carmey Guin of Matthews, a
Personal Lines Underwriter
with All State, whom she met
while they both worked at
Belk's in Greensboro and at
tended A&T.
An obviously out-going Ge
l ost Announces
Rate Increase
In the first price increase
since 1975, The Charlotte Post
is raising its rates. Effective
immediately single copies of
the Post will cost 25 cents,
however, annual pre paid rat
es will be only $10 for a saving
of $3. Two-year pre paid rates
of only $17 will allow an even
larger saving.
Bill Johnson, editor-publish
er of the Post said, "The new
rates are the result of an
increase in the costs of paper,
newsprint, labor and over
head. However, we are please
ed to note, as our readers have
observed, that the Post has
increased its number of pages,
improved the quality of its
editoral page, and added an
entertainment section. Thus,
while the rates have risen
some, a bigger and better
newspaper has been made
available to our readers."
Johnson said further. "The
Post will continue to provide
thoughts, opinions and news
about the black community
and pursue its long standing
commitment to support the
businesses and other interests
of the black community "
mini who "loves to travel, go
to discos, talk to people and
get inside their head to see
what makes them tick," Glen
da said she didn't feel marri
age would mean the loss of
freedom for her. “My fiancee
and f have a fantastic rela
tionship. We’re very much in
love and we respect and trust
each other He has his inte
rests, which includes playing
semi-pro baseball, and I have
mine. Rather than stifle one
another, I feel we will each
complement the other "
Soul and jazz is our beauty's
favorite music and she espe
cially enjoys listening to the
Commodores, George Benson,
Marvin Gaye, Natalie Cole,
and Stevie Wonder. She ad
mires Diana Ross whom she
describes as "heavy.” “She
does it all and does it well," is
the wav Glenda nuts if
Bri.efly stated, Glenda’s phi
losophy on life is, "Work with
whatever you have, develop
it well, and make the best of
it." She also has some serious
thoughts for young people. "I
lost my mother when I was 11
and my father when I was 19.
I’d like to urge youngsters to
love and cherish their parents
while they can because when
they are gone no one can ever
replace them."
Glenda is particularly proud
of her three younger brothers,
who. in spite of being orphan
ed while very young, "kept
their heads together, finished
high school and have gone on
to continue their education."
r ive Blacks Blected To State
Democratic Executive Committee
By Hoyle H. Martin Sr.
Post Executive Editor
The Mecklenburg County
Democratic Party Convention
elected five blacks on Satur
day to serve on their 25-mem
ber delegation to the State
Democratic Executive Com
mittee Three incumbents,
one-former and one new mem
ber were elected
The incumbents elected
were Mrs. Willie Smith. Mar
shall Smith (not related) and
F. M. Dawkins Mrs. Smith
was a delegate to (he National
Democratic Convention last
summer and was elected, a
long with Jim Babb of WBT
TV. by the county convention
to be a nominee for the state
wide "Democrat of the Year"
award. Marshal) Smith is a
veteran in local party politics
and served as campaign ma
nager of Bob Walton's suc
cessful bid for a seat on the
Mecklenburg County Commis
sion last year,
new state executive com
mittee members. Mg Edith
Shearin and James Walton,
have also had experiences
befitting their election to the
state-wide political body Ms.
Shearin, is a seven-year vete
ran as the county's first vice
chairperson and has previous
ly served on the state execu
tive committee James Walton
is the brother of Commission
er Bob Walton and served ss
campaign coordinator in
Bob's successful bid for public
office.
Another black. Samuel L.
Reid, chairperson of Precinct
No. 16. was elected to the
county party post of second
vice-chairman. He was nomi
nated for the post by Bob
Walton and former city coun
cilman Milton Short.
Highlighting the conven
tion was a mild contest for the
county party chairmanship
between Sydnor Thompson, a
52-year-old Harvard law
school graduate and Bill Wil
liams. a 29-year-old research
. Committee member
chemist and past president ot
the county s young Demo
crats Thompson won by re
ceiving more than 900 of the
-1.200 votes cast
Noting that "< » man can't
make that mu of a differ
ence. ' Thor ,on neverthe
less said he would work hard
to unite Democrats in order to
defeat 9th District congress
man Jim Martin and L S
Senator Jesse Helms
Keynote speaker for the
convention attended by 5on
delegates, including about 75
blacks, was Luther H Hodges
Jr., a possible candiate for
Senator Helm's seat in l‘ —
He praised Mecklenburg De
mocrals by saying "you are on
the verge of a new age of
political sophistication and
political power "
A final but equally signifi
cant highlight of the con von
lion was the passage of two
resolutions of particular con
cern to blacks
Requesting that the General
Assembly pass a bill to allow
tenants to withhold rent pay
ments to landlords who fail to
meet their obligations
Requesting that Gov Jim
Hunt offer the assistance of
his office to rectify a clear
case of injustice in the Wil
mington 10 case
Meany Says Government
Understates Jobless Rate
“10” Defense
Petitions
Gov. Hunt
Last week defense attorneys
for the Wilmington 10. along
with the United Church of
Christ Commission for Racial
Justice, filed petitions with
North Carolina Governor Ja
mes Hunt, requesting a par
don for the ten civil rights
activists convicted in 1971.
According to Chief Defense
Counsel James E. Ferguson,
"By filing the petitions for
pardon, essentially what we
are doing is adding a new
dimension to the case and
putting it squarely in an arena
where the Governor can take
into account all of the factors
involved in this case. Based
upon the manner of the con
victions, the recantations of
the wintnesses, the promises
and inducements made for
their testimony based upon
the clear implications this
case has for race relations in
the state, the implications that
it has internationally on the
question of human rights, we
fAnl nil >L_t_i_
taken together, should con
vince the Governor that it is
time, now, for him to act and
release these people from
their incarceration.”
Ferguson indicated that he
has not, yet, met with Gover
nor Hunt, but expects to do so
in the very near future.
The decision to seek an
Executive Pardon was man
dated, in part, by adverse
rulings ot Judge George M.
Fountain, following the two
week post-conviction hearing
held in Burgaw, North Caro
lina.
Both Black and White North
Carolinians have called on the
Governor to act responsibly in
this matter, along with Con
gressional representatives, ci
vil rights groups and religious
bodies.
Dr. Charles E. Cobb, Execu
tive Director of the United
Church of Christ Commission
for Racial Justice stated, "I
confess in regard to the peti
tions that have been filed for
'Pardon of Innocence' for the
Wilmington 10 that I have no
optimism whatsoever or ex
pectations.”
Mrs. Irene Lee, extreme left, congratulate*
her husband, William l,ee Jr. while daughters
i ■ amp
Brenda and Sanya happily approve
Northwest PTA Names William
Lee “Teacher Of The Year"
By Jacquie Levister
Post Staff Writer
"In appreciation for the love
and support you have given to
the students at Northwest Ju
nior High, this award is given
to William R. Lee Jr.," reads
the inscription on the plaque
given by the PTSA to its
Athletic Director and Coach.
It was awards day.
A day when ninth graders
didnot have to attend classes
William Lee dressed very ca
sually in preparation for
spending the day outside with
his students. His family was
coming to the affair to witness
"his" basketball players re
ceive their awards. He had
absolutely no idea that he was
one of the ones to he honored
Mrs. Obrien, former Presi
dent of the PTA, began with
descriptions of the next
person to be honored William
Lee started to leave the audi
torium to check the grounds of
the school for intruders "For
the past three years 1 have
observed him in both the
classroom and in his athletic
undertakings Though he is
one of the best in his field, his
students consider him as
much more than a coach To
some he is like a father figure.
to others he is an adult friend
to go to for counseling," con
tinued Mrs. Obrien, and then
she announced his mane. Wil
liam Kobert Lee Jr. the PTSA
"Teacher of the Year "!
A thril^d expression crept
across the face of the winner
who later related to his family
that at that moment he expe
rienced a most peculiar, but
good feeling The audience
got up and extended a stand
ing ovation to their much
appreciated William Lee The
man students affectionately
refer to as "Sweet Daddy
Lee” strolled down front to
receive his award while his
proud .'.-.d happy tarrul* in >k
ed on
A gi aduateol Shaw I finer
sit> . l.* ( lia completed sevc
ral graduaM ourses at t \C
Chapel Hill In 'addition to
being uMile'ii' director and
coachat No tliwesr he reaches
courses lit physical j'ducdliori
anil health 1 hough he does
not coach all major sports at
the si hi>ol there us never a
game involving tils students
thaf tie i a - nut attend
Uesi ribed by his wife I rein
as a quite, mild mannered
man Lee is art avid uutduois
man Deep si a lishing rnoun
tain trou’ tshing and latinly
cookouts ari tus personal pro
feri •ncf.s
*Mr and Mrs Dee and tin ir
two daughter -Sonya and
Brenda are members f.: Khe
nezer Baptist ('hurcli
I he sun ut William ItoMert
la'e sr ol Fellowship Drive.
Lee Jr a member of NKA
Mecklen burg
Job Rate
Increases
By Hoyle H Martins:
1 ost Executive Editor
The federal government's
figures released through the
Bureau of Labor Statistics
on the national unemployment
rate has been challenged by
AFL-CIO President George
Meany The labor leader was
quoted in his own orgamza
tion s publication, the AKL
CIO News, earlier this month
as saying that government
figures "have badly and con
sistently understated the na
tion's jobless problem "
Meany s comment was ap
parent!} motivated in part by
BLs reports that the nation's
unemployment rate had de
cimed from 7 ti percent in
April to 6.9 percent in May
The latior newspaper quoted
Meany further as saying.
1 true tt*Sl 111 Iinpnmlm
niful includes those loo dis
couraged to seek work and
halt of the number forced to '
work part time because full
lime jobs are not available.
The aging labor leader sup
ported his statement by noting
hat the "Government unem
ploy mer.l rate < is i 6.9 percent.
True unemployment rate - 9.6
percent Government total of
unemployment isi ti s mil
lion True total, number of
unemployment 9 5 million
The employment Security
Commission reports that un
•mployment in Mecklenburg
County for April was 4 u (7.
H401 and May . 3 9 <7.710 >
Meany s statement is not at
all surprising to knowledge
hie sources since the BLS and
the l- S Department of Labor
define people as • unemploy
»'d" only if they are "ready,
willing, able and seeking ein
ployment at a given period of
lime If. for example a
survey is being conducted and
.in individual says he is "look
mg for work bul has worked
one hour during the survey
week he is counted as employ
ed If ttie individual says he
did nol look for work during
the survey week then he is not
considered to be or have been
in the labor force, thus nol
counted as employed Kqually
aware of how BLS defines who
is unemployed has led the
National (.Than League to
establish an Index on the
Sec Meany on Page 6
Luther Hodges Resigns
The hoard of directors of
North Carolina .National Hjnk
Tuesday accepted the resigna
tion ol Luther II Hodges Jr as
chairman and hoard member,
effective June to He also
resigned as director of NCNB
Corp
Hodges told the hoards he
intends to become a candidate
for the United States Senate.
The bank board elected Tho
mas I Storrs as chairman.
Storrs will continue as chair
man of the bank s parent
company. NCNHCorp . and as
chief, executive officer of
NCNHCorp and the bank
Storrs and the other direct
ors paid tribute to Hodges for
his 15 years of distinguished
service to the bank and hi#
vital contributions to its deve
lopment into the leading fi
nancial institution in the
Southeast
"He will leave with our
respect and our gratitude for
Luther H Hodge* Jr.
Seeks Senate Seat
an outstanding banking ca
reer We deeply regret losing
him as a colleague, but we
respect his strong commit
ment to the pursuit ol a new
career in public service,”
Storrs said
HKtlMttK
I
A NARROW MIND and a
WIDE MOUTH often go toge
ther