North Carolina Newspapers

Asa Spaulding: “God’s Greatest Gifts To T lan Is Power Of Overcoming And Becoming” BY SUSAN ELLSWORTH Post Staff Writer “One of God's greatest gifts to man is the power of overcoming and becoming,’’ declared Asa Spaulding, ooe of 17 elderly blacks recently proclaimed by President Carter as an "unsung hero,’’ for his contributions to society. Spaulding, 75, is the form er president and director of North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company. "Being black. I attracted more attention than if I was white, " asserted Spaulding. "But I never let color be recognized as an impediment to me.” To be an example for others to follow especially the young, was one of Spaulding’s ambitions "Many doors were closed to me because I am black. Through persistence and the help of friends I was able to overcome obstacles," Spaulding acknowledged. Encouraged by his grand father who was a Sunday School Superintendent for 42 years, Spaulding studied the Bible. Lessons he learned served to guide ms aspirations and shape his philosophy, S paulding said. Dr. A.M.Moore, the first black physician in Durham N.c. and co-founder of the North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company urged a young Asa Spaulding to con tinue his education. After completing seventh grade, Spaulding left his family’s farm in a rural community in Columbus County and moved to Durham to attend high school. Educated at National Training School in Durham now N.C. College); Howard University; New York University School of Commerce, Accounts and Finance (B.S. Accounting 1930); University of Michigan (M.A. in Mathematics and Actuarial Science-1932); Spaulding also holds honorary degrees from several North Carolina Colleges. Spaulding's ambition was to become a CPA until one of his instructors, professor Saul Ackerman of N.Y.U. per suaded him to change his mind. “Spaulding” he recalled Ackerman saying, “I would like to make you one of the first Negro Actuaries in America!” (An Actuary cal culates annuity and insurance premiums, reserves and dividends.) Named Actuary in 1933, Spaulding subsequently held positions of Assistant Secre tary, and Comptroller-Vice President, and then became president of the company in 1959. He travelled extensively during his nine year presi dency and received manv re cognitions and awards for out standing service. Among his citations. Spaulding was a recent recipi ent of a Living Legacy Award given by the National Caucus on the Black Aged. Inc , and he received the 50th Anniver sary Brotherhood Citation A ward in 1978 given by the Durham area Chapter of the National Conference of Christians and Jews. Hoping his life will pro vide inspiration for others, Spaulding's current goal is to write his autobiography. He is collecting his writings and reviewing his life in pre paration for this endeavor. Spaulding is also engaged in a project to raise $100,000 00 for Howard University over a five year period "Education is important to train leaders for '"morrow." he emphasized. Spaulding is married to the former Miss Elna Bridgeforth of Athens, Ala and has four children A dedicated churchman, Spaulding is a member of Durham's White Rock BaDtist Asa Spaulding An "Unsung hero" • ADVERTISING MEDIA | ^PU P PIT XT) T AWP T1 A Q *P EkSSS ?^k37^et A A A At uIAJlIAIAhv/ A A At X UO A black consumers - ■ “Charlotte’s Fastest Growing Community Weekly" - Vol. 4 No,38~ THE CHARLOTTE POST, Thursday, MarcM ■ 1979 Price 30Cents Black Boycott To Hit Statewide “"For Forty Days And Forty Nights” Easter Could Prove Dismal For Merchants / Faster could very well prove to be a dismal ore for retail merchants in the area as well as the state, if two civil rights organizations and a ministerial organization make good their campaign for selec tive buying The Commission for Racial Justice of the United Church Christ (CRJ), The South ern Christian Leadership Con ference i SCLC i of North Caro- , lina and the Durham Mirny'"' terial Alliance (DMA)' are calling on all North Caro linians to exclusively patro nize black-owner stores. For forty days and forty nights-to coin a phrase-blacks in particular are to observe the campaign during the Dent ine season The decisio n for me eco lomic withdrawal is based on what Rev Leon White of the (. RJ calls “Hunt's failure to pardon Rev. Ben Chavis and on behalf of the Wilmington Ten “ "Other issues," said White, “will be the competen cy testing and the Charlotte Three, however, local issues of participating areas can also be raised and addressed ' White also announced a march that is to take place the third week of this month "The rally will start in Charlotte,” says White, “and round out in Raleigh. “On the 21st of March, we will be in Greensboro " In order to invoive ail olack communities of the campaign, White said," Letters have been sent throughout the entire state and there will be a contact of about ninety per cent of black ministers. As to how receptive the hlack church would be. White said, Ministers are becoming more involved in political economic issues because of the failure of black politicians to get a commitment from Hunt ” White acknowledged that contact in the Greensboro area had just recently been established, but "it nonethe less is going well." White named Nelson John son, a community activist, as the Guilford County liason. "Nelson will be in charge of contacting that area’s minist ers and interested community groups," said White. SYLVIA MCLEAN .Independence High graduate Sylvia McLean Is Beauty OfWeek Our beauty far this week is Sylvia McLean, a 1978 graduate of Independence High School. Sylvia works part-time as a receptionist and part-time with her grandmother. Queen'; t Estelle Thompson . Religious Program Director at WRPL Radio Station. Helping her with the programming, Sylvia com mented, “I find it exciting and rewarding.” Even so, Sylvia intends to pursue a career in computer programming, “something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time. I took data processing in tfce twelfth grade and I liked working with machines,” she said. Sylvia said that she planned to attend Central Piedmont Community College, but will later transfer to the University of N.C. at qy1**_ “I miss school, ’ Sylvia noted. “Whenever I cart I go hack to visit.’* She realizes too, that college will be different from school and said she will miss the closeness of classroom in struction. Sylvia’s hobbies are bowl ing , roller skating, playing tennis and basketball, and going to musical and fashion She describes herself as a person who is “nice, friendly, and talkative. I like to meet people and to see something exciting” she said. “I don’t Hke the same thing all the time. I’m not a mean person unless I'm rubbed the wrong way," she added. Sylvia credits her mother as being the most influential person in her life. . “She’s my mother and my best friend, all combined,” Sylvia explained. “She can see farther than I can in different ways and after thinking about it, I find she’s right usually. My grandmother is the same way-ehe’s very active, when you get with her, you’ve got to go. the rest of my family has been helpful too.” Something that excited and saddened Sylvia simultaneously was when she won a beauty contest given by Gamma PM Delta Sorority. Sylvia believes in setting e goal in life and then sue ceeding in attaining It. She is the daughter of Carl and Elizabeth McLean and haa one brother and one' sister. Sylvia is the oldest 11 KJ — . ** - — i New Food Stamp Rules Explained New Food Stamp rules are explained In a brief folder recently published by the Fed eral government and avail able locally through the Coun ty Public Service and Infor mation Department and the Food Stamp Office. The folder explains in gen eral terms who can get Food Stamps and how to apply for them. Under the new rules, eligible persons receive Food Oiampb at IIU OBI, wiicicod III the past most persons had to pay for their Food Stamps. If you think you might be eligible for these benefits, or if you would simply like to learn more about Food Stamps, call or write either the County Public Service and Informa tion Department, 720 East Fourth St., Charlotte, N.C. 28202, telephone 374-2475, or the Food Stamp Office, 951 S. Independence Blvd. Tele phone 374-2677 to apply for Food Stamps, you must file an application and be interview ed by a staff member of the local Food Stamp Office. The Food Program helps low-income households buy the food they need. It is a federal program administered locally by the Mecklenburg County Department of Social Services. New regulations went into effect this year, with these main features: See Food on page 2 Rev. J.B. Humphrey Rev. Robert Young Rev L.D Parker Rev. A B Sutton Three Local Baptist Associations Plan “Area Evangelistic Crusade” Special to the Post _For the first time in near ly one hundred years the three local Baptist Associations based in Charlotte, North Carolina have combined their efforts in sponsoring a mam moth-"Charlotte Area Evan gelistic Crusade” to be held at Park Center starting Sunday, April 1 at 4 pm. The Crusade will continue Monday night through Friday night, April 6 at 7 pm nightly. ....The Mount Peace Baptist Association is headed by Mod , era tor-Rev. R.M. Young; the Lane Creek Baptist Associa tion, headed by Moderator Rev. L.D. Parker; and The Mecklenburg General Baptist Association headed by Mod erator Rev. J.B. Humphrey. “The leadership of these Associations felt that in addi tion to what the local individ ual churches are doing in the field of Evangelism that as many churches that would should come together in one body at a Central place to witness and sav together to Charlotte that we are concern ed about the souls of men and the hope for a better people, a better city, and better communities rests In the sav ing blood of Jesus Christ who. died to save us all. It was fell, that not only would the oppor tunity for the salvation of the souls of men, women, and youth who are not under the Influence of the individual church be achieved, but It would show forth a spirit of Christian unity in the Redemptive plan of God in the Charlotte area." stated a spokesman from the Associa tion. _There are more than SO churches comprising these 3 associations and claiming more that 35,000 members The associations have divided the churches on geo graphical bases into four main zones. Zone 1 includes all of the associational churches out as far as Gethsemane, Shiloh and Galilee Baptist Churches. Zone 2 includes all the mem ber churches in the area as far out as Trinity Park and Ml. Olive Baptist Churches in Hunterville, N.C. Zone 23 includes all the member churches as far out as Silver Muiint and Oak Grove Baptist Churches in Pineville and Mt. Moriah Baptist Church in Matthews. N.C. Zone 4 reach es as far north as Rose Hill Baptist Church and First Baptist .Kannapolis. N.C. including Macedonia and First Baptist Churches, Con cord, N.C. , Oak Grove at Harrisburg and St John Bap list Church, Newell, N C. Each of the zones has a leadership staff who will be working with the churches within their zones The leaders for Zone 1 are Kev. Tommy Davis and Rev. W.H. Caldwell - Zone 2 Rev Lemar Foster and Rev J Robinson Zone 3 Rev J W Wallace. Jr and i Rev Sampson I-ong. Jr The. organizational struc ture and committee chairper sons are as follow The Gen eral Committee- Kev R.M. Voting, ( nan man Rev. I,.D. Parker. Co-Chairman: Kev A.G. Coley, Recording Secretary; and all pastors of supporting churches along with recommended laymen are members. The Executive Committee is co-chaired by Kev. Preston Pendergrass; and Kev. Sampson l.ong Jr., The Finance Committee is headed by Rev C.W. Kenny. Jr .Chairman; tKev C E. Dewberry. Rev H E Johnson. Walter Tucker of Mechanics and Farmer's Bank; and Felton Pendergrass Music Committee is head ed by Rev. iVt- Kerry and Rev W H. Caldwell. The ush ers are Rev C V Owens and Rev. F A. Griffin. Transporta tion Committee is headed by Re.. e•• uthbertson and Rev. I-.J. Wallace. The Counseling Committee is led by i ■ ». . on Pendergrass -and Rev. l-emar Faster. The Youth Night Committee is chaired bv Rev A B Sutton ..A . Rorle. The Publicity Committee Is com posed of Rev William l-ee. Jr Oialrman; Rev. J.E. Palmer Ca-Ckair naan ;and Kev. Clemmoa Morris, Jr. with all Pastors of member churches ser iag as members. fhe speaker for the open ing aervlce will he Rev. O.B. ( nok. Chairman of the Gener al Bar'ist Stale ( .invention of Sec baptist nn page R New Black Magazine To Reflect Changes In “Today’s New South” A new black magazine focusing on “today’s new South” will reflect changes In the South, according to Milton Jordan, its co- publisher “View South” originated from an Idea by Jordan, a former news writer from the ‘ Char lotte Observer" and coijub liaher C.J. Williams . Their idea evolved from a bUck version of "People" , magazine Into a publication ' that deals with people and issues of the South, Jordan Mid. 1 ’’Ebony" magazine, ac-^ ' cording to Jordan is "View South’s” competitor, but only 1 by a small margin. d Although "55 percent 6f the country's bUck population is living In the South”, he em phasized, ‘‘thirty percent of “Ebony's suoscripiion co mes from the South." Jordan says he expects SO percent of "View South’s ” subscriptions to be southern based. Unlike "Ebony" and black newspapers, “View South” will provide and overview of the entire South and longer time (published on alternate jnontha) to take an in-depth look at las'ues,” Jordan pointed oM.__ Fifteen cities in the South have been targeted for major circulation efforts, Jordan said. Media appearances and articles will be used to familiarize the public with what "View South" has to offer The MarctvApril issue of 'View South" can be pur chased at the News Center on W Tryon Street, or the Mini Pantrv on LaSalle Street. Iordan plans to have 20 outlets in the city by late March "We plan to increase cir culation by 1.000 a month, Jordan said "View South” appeared on the market in Dec. *78. Jordan said he expects the current subscription o( tt.OGO io expand to 300,000 by 1M0. Eighty percent of the magazine sales are derived from subscript ions, IS percent (rom news stand sales, according U> J0^a1 though he dropped out of school in lOUi grade, Milton Jordan. 36. has been a news writer for 10 years. ms oecaur jipuiiwiwm experience has included writing for black weeklies such as "The Carolina Times" in Durham, "The Carolina Peacemaker" in Greensboro, and "The Carolinian" in Raleigh, as well as the Fayettevtlle-based weekly h« operated in the early 70s called "What's Happening Now " After five years of reporting for the "Charlotte Observer writing about government and urban affairs, Jordan left his jab in February, 1979 tfl become editor and cn publisher of "View .South Single copies of "View South" coat $150 Subacrip lions in 15 Southern states cost $10 00 for 8 issues