Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Oct. 26, 1978, edition 1 / Page 4
Part of The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
^mmV —■ ■ uunocs nûODcmi\Q\ Hello! Once again I'm in the corner transmitt ing Kjppëniftjfr mat have and wiU take place around our growing community. However, as a result of last weekend's activities, I'm sitting on the old Biltnpre crate instead of standing. Plus I have captured two glasses of the plop, plop, fizz, fizz to help me make it through the balmy night. Τ» Κ . » m—»VUI Homecoming Festivi ties...The Utde Univer sity tin thej&ll. Johnson C. Smith sponsored a big homecoming festi val last weekend, host ing one of the largest gatherings Of friends, alumni and students in the school's illustrious history. Thf Radisson Plaza Hotel, on the square, was used as homecoming headquar bod Johnson iers. L/unngine span 01 ume rerween rnoay and Sunday, this luxury hotel resembled a giant beehive with people constantly going and com ing. Hospitality suiteo were maintained by differ ent alumni associations throughout the long weekend, fbese rooms were used as meeting points for renewing old acquaintances and feathering new ones. CIVIC CENTER FUN...Across the street from the Radisapn is the large Civic Center which housed the dances Riven last weekend. Friday night from 9 p.m. till l a.m., Smith's second Animal Homecoming Ball took place. Brief Encounter from North Wilkesboro furnish ed the musiç'for the guests. Brief Eacounter appeared again Saturday night to help the Alumni Association celebrate their annual Coronation Ball, which boasted the largest cro#d ever for a Coronation Ball. luuuuvu φΗΐυιιβ lue ku«8is were jut. ana Mrs. Lonnie Gilliam from Ashe ville, Albert Welch from Chicago; 111., Clay White from Washington, D.C., MaryATnoW from Chicago, 111., Phyllis Waddell from Atlanta, Ga., Mr. and Mrs. Otto Johnson, Mr. and In. Richard Maxwell, and Mr. and Mrs. {Udtard Reeves from Charlotte. Even thoftgh, the Radisson and the Civic Center haltered many of the homecoming events, there were many other functions that happened all over the city. These happenings were traditional in effect, because of the enormous amount of food consumed, refresh ments that titillated the palate and overall loose fun had by everyone involved. For example: AFTER GAME EXCITEMENT...319 Flint Street is the home of Luther and Mamie Thompson. It is also the place where a number of • people jubilantly gathered after Smith's first and timely victory last Saturday afternoon. Mr. and Mrs. Vinson Thompson, Mr. and Mrs. Moses Clarkson, Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Jordan, Mr. and Mrs. Bobby Graham, Ernest Fleming, Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Johnson, Willie James William Ernest Howard, and Thomesina John son all ffethered to eat, greet and help complete a beautiful day. 1117 Mt. lusco Dr. is the usually quiet domain of Sarah Fox*. However, the quiet was replaced with the fun-filled noise of her guests enjoying chitterlings, greens, pinto beans, corn bread, potato salad, candied yams, and all the trimm ings. Her guests included, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Grier, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Gillespie. Mr. and Mrs. Jsnois Young, Mr. and Mrs. Sammuel Marshall, Cheryl Grier, Laforest Williams and price Davis. Pig feet and fried chicken were in order for the guests that enjoyed the hospitality at the home of Thomas and Janet Spring·, 8329 Coach Hill Lane. Along with the good food, and good drinks, there was a good time hadby all. Included were : Mr. JUM Μη. Leon Simmons, Mr. and Mrs. Jame· Nucklee, Mr. and Mrs. Kenny Faulkner, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Faulkner, Mr. and Mrs. Erwin Springs, Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Springs, Lucille Springs, Debbie Springs, and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Craven. Dwignt a'ftd Cheryl Sullivan entertained friewk in ta|ir gorgeous home at 5962 McNair Road. - , Their gutata, which included George and Arlene Simmon·, Charles Mackey, Jesse and Cynthia G0pm, Sam Ogleeby, Am Sadler, Rebecba Moore, Trystal Moore, and Joe and Minnie Alliaoo, enjoyed a special made salad which accompanied the chitterlings, rice, greens, pinto beans, slaw and other mouth watering dishes, washed down with sparkling Across wwu ι» the Hampshire Hills area of the city, otter homecoming folks were gathered at the beaatifunpme of Archie and Helen Smith, to further wrap themselves in the warmth of an atmosphere created by close friends and a super occasion. The menu Consisted of turkey, ham, dressing, greens, gretff beans, rice and gravy, candied vara* and niuch much more. T. J. Retldy Charlotte Poet, Artist, Community Leader Returns To Jail 4 V.WH1C ιυ ciuigmen In the dark To a place that is full Of space What color is life? Let me be your renaissance I am an art I come to paint sound Listen Learn how to hear I speak to you Through my dark chamber •by Eileen Hanson Special To The Poet Written from his prison cell several years ago, these words reveal the soul of T. J. Reddy, a prominent Charlotte poet and artist. On October 17, Reddy re turned to prison to serve out his 20-year sentence for his alleged part in the burning of the Lazy Β stables in 1968. At the time of the trial in 1972, Judge Frank Snepp branded Reddy and his co-defendants, Dr. James Grant and Charles Parker, as "dangerous to soc iety" unable to be rehabilita ted because they were "over educated revolutionaries" bent to violence and destruct ion. The life and work of T. J. Reddy reveals a different per son. Poet, painter, sculptor, father, and brother, Reddy had never been convicted of any crime before the famous Lazy Β case. Born in Ί045 in Savannah, Georgia, the first of nine children, Reddy moved with his family to New York City as a teenager. In 1964, he entered Johnson C. Smith Uni versity in Charlotte where he, ~l · tm and excelled in track and swimming. Later he transfer red to UNCC where he met Jim Grant, a civil rights activist, involved in the Black Studies program there. Reddy spent his summers working with children in the City Center, encouraging them to write poetry, to act, and enjoy the arts. It was while working as Project Dir ector erf the 10th Street Youth Center, a project of Char I've not smelled the sweetness of honeysuckle... I've not felt fresh air Without high walls holding tt... Vv»> }l I've not seen fish swim in a silver lake I've not felt the rain bathe my face I've not seen a field of clover Nor walked along a treelined road I've seen desolation in the streets From this cage I've seen cars pass With grimacing faces in them I've seen asphalt and build ings With windows showing cur tains And more grimaces I've not seen the sun but once in a month - Nor felt its brightness on my brow And although it's been a while That I've not given thanks For my life I am thankful that I've not forgotten how. (from TWO SCENES-SUM MER THANKSGIVING POEM, by T. J. Reddv) Charlotte poet ana artist T. J. Reddy holds his daughter Niambi during a press conference lotte's Urban Ministry, that he met Charles Parker and a VISTA volunteer, Vicky Min er, whom he later married In 1967, Reddy along with Parker, Minar and other friends went to ride horses at the" Lazy" F "stables, a- public - stable on the outskirts of Charlotte. Adhering to the Jim Crow tradition, the stable, manager refused to allow the black students to ride. The -*«(t day Students for Action frohLjrfNCC returned to the stables, and in front of TV cameras and reporters, Park er was allowed to ride. Having successfully integrated the stables, the incident was consi de red over. A vear later in September 1968, one barn of the stables burned resulting in the death of 13 horses. An investigation at the time determined the Tire was accidental and made no mention of arson. Meanwhile Reddy was buil ding a reputation as an artist and poet. He was poetry con sultant and associate arts editor of the UNCC arts maga zine and won the University's first creative arts award. Red dy1» first- ptay "The. .Meet". . opened at UftCC in 1969 amid st enthusiastic acclaim from local critics. The play dealt with sensitive black-white re lations at a time when racial tensions ran high in North Carolina. While at UNCC, Reddy helped form the Black Stud ents Union and the Black Studies Department. In 1969, he launched a literary maga zine, AIM, for local poets. His work was highly respected and according to North Caro lina's literary critic, Harriet Doar, "Reddy's words curve up and explode like rockets, gone sometimes before you can catch the bright pattern." Keddy continued his con cern for youth as a draft counsellor in the black comm unity where U.S. Army rec ruitment for the Vietnam war had intensified. In 1972, in the wake of the Watergate-scandal On Abe .nat ional scene, a local secret Grand Jury indictment named Reddy along with Grant and Parker in the burning of the Lazy Β stables four years earlier. Their arrests came as a shock, not only to the three men and their families, but tc the whole community. The trial of the Charlotte 3, a! the case came to be called, sparked demonstrations in Charlotte and a national anc international outcry. When convicted and sent enced to a total of 55 years ir prison, many human rigfcfc groups took up the case, indu ding Amnesty International the Commission on Racia Justice of tue united enure η of Christ, and the North Caro lina Political Prisoners Com mittee. It was later revealed by the Charlotte Observer that the convictions and overly harsh sentences were based on the perjured testimony of two state witnesses, who received 94,000 each from the U.S. Justice Department under the Nixon Administration. For the last six years, the Charlotte 3 have been fighting the court system for a new trial. On October 2, the United States Supreme Court refused to hear their case, thus exhau sting all legal means to over turn their conviction. On the day of his return to prison to serve the remaining 17'î years of his 20-year sent ence, Reddy held his one-year old daughter, Niambi in his arms before news reporters and supporters. His determi nation masked his bitterness. "I will continue to work in prison, and I will survive as before," said Reddy. In and out of prison on bond and appeals for the last six years, Reddy has continued his work as artist and comm unity leader, always encoura ging young blacks to express themselves and develop their talents. He also earned his B'.A. and an M.A. in education while in prison. "AS'B "member of the- Afwv American Culture Center, he helped develop a strong arts program at the Center and coordinated the Afro-Festi r. val's performing arts pro gram last August. Family Man According to Afro-American ι Center Director James Jeeter, who has worked with him for 10 years, "Reddy is serious, a family man, dedicated to the arts ..not the kind that would go around burning bams." Reddy the poet has received national attention with the publication of his book "Less than a Score, but a Point" (Random House 1974). A sec ui.'i vuiuiiic w pvcuM ww published this year. Taking theme· from African legends and American Jazz, Reddy's poetry expresses the feelings and experience» of growing up black in America. They are outstandingly pre cise, tender, bitter, but filled with hope, love, and a sense of a bright future. Reddy has also achieved national fame as a painter. He has exhibited works in seven shows, including 4 one-man shows. A new series of paint ings, VENTURES", scene· from Africa, will open in Winston-Salem on November 3. When poet-artist-activist, T. J. Reddy, returned to prison this month, the Performing Arts Guild Ensemble, held a demonstration outside Inde pendence Plaza. P.A.G.E., which Reddy helped found, performs peotry throughout Charlotte. The group intendr to carry on the work Reddy started, in spite of his impri sonment. ' T. J. Reddy's work has notf ceased, and will not cease aa' he has now returned to prison. Reddy is a man of vision,' perseverance, discipline, and dedication to his mission as a: promoter and creator of hu-; man expression. Perhaps this is most typified in the words of his Doem to Judae Snepp also' written in prison: ι Judge saidTrh something of a romantic And, yes, I confess I s am 1 love life, I love love b I am romantic minded Know- <j ing that in the midst Of all the :« hatred and death My love of a life is all I have left ο -T. J. Reddy . b ^1. Has your name been in the — Charlotte Post lately? Keep us 'ίί informed of what you are h doing so that we can let your friends know by running it in Charlotte fastest growing Λ» weekly. ·'! F ποιο Dy tueen nans on before returning to prison last week. Lawyer James Ferguson (left) looks on. HOW TO SUB8CR1BE TO THE CHARLOTTE FOOT JUST COMPLETE THE COUPON BELOW AND NAIL TO! CHARLOTTE POST FX). BOX 9? Charlotte Ν.Γ. 28230 CALL 376-0496 On· yr lij.oo 13 wecki 15 SO b months β lb Two year· Κι ου □ Payment «tcloMd Π Mil M· Later Vftrsf ■ ■ ■·■ Λο»·· tm aty sut· Zip Salem Lights. America's largest selling low tar menthol cigarette. More and more smokers prefer the mellow flavor, cooling menthol and total satisfaction. S oSLo/Tfi 10 mg. "tir. 0.8 mg. nieotin· ιν. per cigarttt«. FTC Report
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Oct. 26, 1978, edition 1
4
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75