Black Unemployment Rate Jumps To 13.1 Percent
WASHINGTON n r TKo pnapfoH fha 10T7A ntL i_i e — : n . . *
unemployment rate for blacks
increased to 13.1 percent up
from 9.9 percent, between 1974
and 1976, according to a U.S.
Labor Department report.
The report, "Manpower
Groups Which Have Histori
cally High Incidences of Un
employment," was submitted
by Secretary of Labor Ray
Marshall to Congress as re
quired by law. When Congress
to the Fair Labor Standards
Act, it requested the depart
ment to conduct a continuing
study of such groups and to
issue a report every 2 years.
This is the second report
covering 1974 to 1976.
According to the report, the
highest increase in unemploy
ment was among 20 to 24 year
old veterans, rising from 10.9
precent to 17.4 percent.
V/WIVI iUWVI IVi VV VU^AI *
dentified as experiencing his
torically high unemployment
rates are: females, persons of
Hispanic origin, teenagers
and 20 to 24 year olds The
elderly were specifically cit
ed for inclusion by Congress.
The average unemployment
rate for teenagers increased
from 16.0 percent to 19.0 per
cent between 1974 and 1976.
For 20 to 24 year olds, the rate
iu 14.U per
cent; for women, 6 7 percent
to 8 6 percent, and 8.1 percent
to 11.5 percent for persons of
Hispanic origin.
The study also found that for
the first time in years, the
unemployment rate for the
elderly (65 years and over)
exceeded five percent, up
from 3.4 percent in 1974.
Other findings reported are
that between 1974 and 1976 the
civilian labor force grew by
3,762,000 workers, an increase
of 4.1 percent, and employ
ment increased from 9.7
weeks in 1974 to 15.8 weeks in
1976, or over 60 percent
Many persons who have
been unemployed for long pe
riods of time join the statisti
cal category of "discouraged
workers," people who are
technically not in the labor
force, but who want jobs They
are not looking for work only
because they think they can
not get jobs. The number of
discouraged workers rose
from 686,000 in 1974 to 910,000
in 1976, a 23 percent increase
In the report Marshall ex
pressed his concern for im
proving the employment situ
ation for both youth and vete
rans_! two groups experiencing
great difficulty competing in
today's labor market
He said that under the Car
ter Administration s economic
stimulus package, federally
funded public service employ
ment will be raised from
310.000 to 725.000 by Dec 31.
1977. Over an 18-month period.
Job Corps slots will be dou
..bled
Marshall said he opposed
tne concept ol a special youth
wage because it is discrimina
tory and would result in sub
stituting teenagers for adult
workers These views are re
flected in the proposed Youth
Employment and Training
Act of 1977,” which requires
that participants be paid at
least the federal minimum
wage - currently $2 30 per
.hour
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call 392-1.3% “Charlotte’s Fastest Growing Community Weekly’’ BLACK consumers
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STATUESQUE BETTY KEARNS
...Production secretary
Ms. Betty Kearns
Is Beauty Of Week
£>> Jen Harvey
Post Staff Writer
Statuesque Betty Kearns
yielded to the pressure of
friend and fellow Ebony
Group member, Martin Chis
lom, and made her acting
debut recently. “I enjoyed it,”
she said, "but I don't care to
try it again. It's not worth the
nervousness and tension I ex
perienced. I prefer to remain
behind the scenes as I’ve been
doing as production secretary
for the group.” All we can say
is, it’s a pity to waste that
much beauty and charm be
hind the scenes.
Betty appeared in the role of
the mother in “The Train Ride
Ends Here,” written and di
rected by Chislom and pro
duced by the Ebony Group this
past summer. She has been
with the group since its incep
tion and said she is very
nrnnH In ho corrotarv rtf fho
Executive Board. She told us,
"I see a lot of things happen
ing for the individuals and the
group as a whole. We’re be
coming recognized by more
and more people all the time.
They no longer say “Ebony
Who?" when our name is
mentioned ”
A native Charlottean who
attended West Charlotte High
School and Central Piedmont
Community College (CPfcC),
Betty is the daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Luther A. Kdarns
and is employed with Southern
Bell as a special clerk. .
During high school Betty
'MOlt-WA
The reason some parents ri<
longer LEAD their children ii
the RIGHT DIRECTION b
because the parents aren'
going that way THEMSEL
VES
• t
lourea wun me singing group,
“Up With People" for a year
and visited most of the 50
states, including Hawaii "It
was a grand experience," she
said with a touch of nostalgia
“We performed before so ma
ny famous people - President
Eisenhour, President and
Mrs. Kennedy - and many
more I wouldn’t trade the
memory for anything ” She
completed her high school
credits through correspon
dence while touring.
Since returning to the Queen
City Betty has been a partici
pant in several beauty pa
geants. She was Miss Conge
niality in the 1971 Miss Char
lotte Contest and first runner
up in a Miss CPCC pageant
and a finalist for Miss OIC.
Now * she has decided to
seriously pursue a modeling
career and has enrolled in a
iuwii pi uicssiuimi iiiuucniig
school. ‘‘I think this may
be what I’ve been looking
for,” she told us.
Describing herself as an
"eligible bachlorette," Betty
is a stately 6 feet tall and has
measurements of 36-26-36 Be'
ing somewhat taller than the
average hasn't presented any
problems for her, she said,
adding, “I have two sisters
who are proportioned about
the same as I am and many of
my relatives are tall so I've
never felt unusual.”
Betty has been described by
a friend as "a very cool lady,
intelligent, serious and highly
intuitive. She has the potential
I for success in any area she
selects.” We’re proud to add
her to our list of POST beau
ties and wish her luck and
happiness.
White House Seeks
More Minorities
The White House nas an
nounced that it is seeking
more minority group mem
bers to be White House Pel
lows.
► The White House Fellowshij
i program was started twelvt
i years ago to give outstanding
t individuals a unique firstham
experience in a President’i
administration.
■
Fear Looms As Black Political
Leaders Face District Problems
Howard Lee’s Hiring
Record Reviewed
Raleigh, CCNS - Howard N. '•
Lee, the first black to head a
state department, said last
week that departmental re
organization, has concentra
tion on hiring blacks in policy
making leadership positions, a
desire to be fair, and elevation
of blacks within the depart- '
ment should be put into per
spective when analyzing hir
ing during the period that Lee
has been at the department’s
helm.
Prom January 1 to June 30,
1977, a total of 209 employees
were hired in the Department
of Natural Resources and
Community Development
(NRCD). Twenty of that num
ber, or ten percent were black.
But that number included both
temporary and permanent
employees.
Permanent employment
Public Hearings
Set On Food
/•
Stamp Program
WASHINGTON - The U.S.
Department of Agriculture
(USDA) will hold a nationwide
series of public hearings if
Congress and the President
approve pending food stamp
legislation, Assistant Secreta
ry Carol Tucker Foreman an
nounced today.
“We in USDA will have a
tremendous job to do in writ
ing the rules and regulations
that will put the new food
stamp program into effect,"
Assistant Secretary Foreman
said. "We want to make sure
these new rules assure effec
tive service to those in need
and sound administrative ope
ration."
A House-Senate conference
committee agreed on a com
promise food stamp reform
measure just before Congress
adjourned for its summer
work period. Both Houses will
vote on the conference report
after Congress returns Sept 7.
The legislation, part of the
omnibus farm bill, then goes
to President Carter for signa
ture.
Mrs. Foreman stated that
USDA's hearings are intended
to seek comment on the new
food stamp program from
people in both urban and rural
areas. Urban hearings are
scheduled for the following
seven major cities: Oct 4 in
Boston, Oct. 11 in Los Angeles
and Atlanta, Oct. 13 in Denver
and Chicago, and Oct. 18 in
Dallas and Baltimore The
hearings will be continued a
second day in each city if
public demand warrants Ms.
! Foreman explained that the
, Department will make a spe
I rial effort to seek eomment
| from people in rural areas by
, holding additional hearings in
smaller towns.
since January saw blacks get
a small increase of 14 percent.
Total permanent employment
during the six month period
was eighty (80) persons with
eleven (11) blacks hired. Whi
tes got 90 percent of the
temporary and permanent po
sitions.
While Secretary Lee says he
thinks Black employment,
"has been substantially high,"
the ratio of blacks to whites
employed during the period in
permanent and temporary po
sitions still remains lower
than the ratio of blacks to
whites in the population of
North Carolina.
Lee notes that his emphasis
has been on hiring blacks to
top leadership positions who
can hire other blacks under
them. Since April, Maria
Spaulding, a black woman,
has been hired as personnel
director of the department.
Lorena Warner, Lee's deputy
is black.
So far as salary range is
concerned, six of the eleven
blacks have a salary of more
than $10,000. Included in that
number are two salaried be
tween $16,000 and $25,000, Lee
and his deputy.
While expressing the need
“to move aggresively ahead to
bring blacks as well as other
minorities, such as Indians"
into state government, Lee
said, “I want to make sure
that I emphasize that I am
going to be exceedingly fair.
Recognizing that if I don't set
the example other depart
ments will not. But I certainly
want my department to reflect
the fact that all people in this
state will have a chance, and
that includes black, both fe
male and male.”
The statewide average of 22
percent -blacks hired during
the period of January - June 30
is far higher than the 14
percent in Lee’s department.
PRESIDENT MEETS WITH BLACK CAU
CUS - President Carter discussed the. pro
blem of unemployment in a meeting with
members of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Attending the meeting, from left to right,
beginning with the President, were Represen
tatives Shirley Chisholm, D-N.Y., Yvonne
Burke, D-Calif., Charles B. Rangel, D-N.Y.,
Charles C. Diggs, Jr., D-Mich.. Vice Presi
dent Walter Mondale; Representatives Wal
ter F. Fauntroy, D-D.C., Augustus F Haw
kins, D-Calif., John Conyers. Jr , D-Mich ,
Louis Stokes, D-Ohio, Harold Ford, D-Tenn..
William L. Clay, D-Mo.. Parren J Mitchell,
D-Md , Chairman. (W'hite House Photograph)
President Carter Meets With
Congressional Black Caucus
President Carter has met
with members of the Congres
sional Black Caucus and ex
pressed his concern about the
high rate of unemployment
among blacks, especially the
black youths of America.
“I expect criticism, I think
it's been valid in the past. I
accept criticism from you,”
the President told Caucus
members. He said he would
place top priority in reversing
what he called the "horrible”
jobless rate among minorities
carter said: "There s got to
be a re-emphasis on address
ing government sponsored
employment opportunities a
mong those who need the
opportunity most.”
The President said the pro
blem is caused by “a lack of a
comprehensive urban policy.
There is no thrust in the urban
program ." President Carter
said he had been studying
August figures which placed
joblessness among black you
ths at more than 40 percent,
and he termed the situation
horrible
Carter agreed that he would
meet more often with the
Caucus members, and said the
next season probably would be
in two weeks.
^The President agreed that
many of the public service
jobs apparently have not been
getting into "ghetto" areas.
He has instructed his advisers
to take another look at the
Humphrey Hawkins Bill
Rep Parren Mitchell, D
Md, the Caucus chairman,
said Carter now "realizes that
we were right," but expressed
disappointment that the Pre
sident did not make a whole
hearted endorsement of the
HumphreyHawkins Bill
President Carter has ex
pressed concern because the
bill does not have anti-infla
tion provisions.
“For the first time we've got
a statement on priorities,"
Mitchell said of the meeting
jim niacK i rpcnn
Campaign Office
The Committee to elect Jim
' Black for mayor announces
the opening of the new head
• _ quarters at 2506 Beatties Ford
i Road, on the second floor of
t the Dalebrook Professional
Center. The office will be open
from 8 a m to 11 p m. daily
r during the primary election
1 Campaign manager, Ms
; Emma Goodwin states “The
r headquarters will be used lar
* gely to the co-ordination ef
forts of the volunteer workers
Rev. Abernathy Will Lead
University Park’s Revival
Rev Ralph David Aberna
thy, pastor of West Hunter St.
Baptist Church, Atlanta, will
be the guest speaker for Uni
versity Park Baptist Church's
Annual Fall Revival. The re
vival will begin with a concert
by the University Park Young
Adult Choir on Sunday, Sep
tember 18, at 8 p m and Rev.
Abernathy will preach Mon
day thru Friday evening at •
o'clock, with prayer services
beginning at 7:30,
Rev Abernathy Is the inter
nationally known preacher
and civil rights activist who
worked along beside the late
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Rev. Ralph Abernathy
.. Internationally known
and succeeded him as leader
of the Southern Christian Lea
dership Conference alter hit
assassination
The Sunday evening concer
will be aired live over radii
station WGIV, which also car
ries the regular evening wor
ship service from University
Park each Sunday at 8 p m
Music for the revival ser
vices will be by visiting are
choirs and the Universit;
Park Choir.
Rev James Palmer, pasto
of University Park extends
cordial invitation to the publi
b> attend the revival and hea
what he describes as "a dyna
mic speaker and man of God
Candidates
Face Mass
Confusion
by Hoyle H. Martin Sr
Post Executive Editor
Black political leaders have
rioted that one of the strong
arguments presented to black
voters for support of district
representation has been that
they could nearly guarantee
themselves at least two dis
trict council seats and strong
ly influence a third. This point
oi view, some now believe,
may very well turn out to t>e a
mvth because black voter po
w<t faces a triple tr.reat
The threat, according to
veteran political leaders,
stems from the fact that while
blacks make-up 70. 65 and 50
percent respectively of th<
populations in districts one.
two and three, they comprise
only 41. 62 and 44 percent of
these districts' registered vot
ers The threat arises also
from some apparent confusion
among many black voters
about wnat district they reside
voting for both at-large and
district candidates.
District 1 is Charlotte's old
est geographic area and the
poorest part of the city The
district has a median income
of $11.000 annually and a black
population of 28.700 or 70
percent of the total. However,
the median income figure is at
$11,000 because of the appa
rent relatively higher incomes
of the 30 percent of the whites
living in the district
Significantly too. is the fact
that while blacks represent 70
percent of the population, they
make up only 41 percent or
4.812 of the district's register
ed voters On the other hand,
whites have a population of
12.300 ( 30 percent), but have
-5,902 registered voters or 59
percent of the total. There
fore. from the standpoint of
registered voters, whites hold
the political pow er in a district
that is overwhelmingly popu
lated with black people This
fact reportedly led one of the
three white candidtes, C.L
Brasfield to comment, "Per
sonally, 1 think a white will
win".
District 2 has a black popu
lation of 26.650 or 65 percent of
the total with 7,847 registered
voters or 62 percent of the
total Significantly, the nearly
equal percent of black regist
—eeed voters to their proportion
of the total district population
is related to the greater de
gree of political awareness
and involvement, by blacks in
the city's political process
Residents of the district in
clude County Commissioner
Robert Walton, former com
mission candidate L.C. Cole
man, president of the Black
Political Caucus Robert Da
vis, publisher of The Charlotte
Post Bill Johnson and past
president of the Northwood
Kstates Community Assoc ia
Continued on Page 12