Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Jan. 3, 1980, edition 1 / Page 1
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—M1RQ — - EDIA — BLACKNEWSPAPERS , . ATIVE ~ ^EFFECTIVELY REACH | BLACK MARKET BY FAR, MORE | CALL 376-0496_ "BLACK CONSUMERS—~ —. ____ 'H'Jiariotu*'* Fastest (Growing (community Weekh^ The Rev. Ben Chavis with his mother, Elizabeth Chavis of Oxford, and sisters June Davenport < IAr of-Charlotte and Helen Othow (R), currently of Chapel Hill, (photo by Eileen Hanson) With Ben Chavis An Exclusive Interview By Eileen Hanson Special To The Post .. After four years in prison and nearly a decade of legal battles. Rev. Ben . Chavis returned to Char lotte last week to celebrate the holidays with his fa mily. Chavis was convicted with 9 other young1'' civil rights workers in Wilming ton, NC, accused of fire bombing a white-owned grocery during a period of racial turmoil in 1971. The case of the Wilmington 10 became an international human rights issue. Chavis was paroled on Dec. 14. ..During his brief stay in Charlotte Rev. Chavis granted this exclusive in terview to The Charlotte Post, nils is the first of two parts. ..POST: After your long stay in prison, what mes sage do you have for the people of Charlotte? CHAVIS: I am thankful to God and to all the individuals and organiza tions who struggled so hard and so long to win my release. Coming back to Charlotte is coming back home. I went to school here (UNCC). I worked in the black community here. In 1968 we built the first black independence politi cal organization- in North Carolina, the Black Politi cal Organization, and ran an all-black slate for City Council. We saw a need at that time to be independent of the Democratic or Re publican parties, which ne ver kept their promises to us. We were demanding a ward system so we could be assured of black represent ation. We now have that with district representation on City Council POST: How would you describe the 1960’s in con trast with 1970’s? CHAVIS: In the ’60’s black people saw the neces sity to unify and to mobilize the masses of our people. The black leadership was connected to our people. In the ’70’s we witnessed a time of disunity, of non struggle. The black leader ship of the '70’s was not connected with the people, they are not held account able. P08T: The 1960’s were years of excitement and progress. What happened in the IPO’s? CHAVIS: There is no one single reason. Look at the historical context. Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew were in the White House. J. Edgar Hoover headed the FBI. Those working for social change were identi WCIUtftf* Those fortunate enough to escape drowning during the swimming season will now run the risk of skating on thin ice First Of A Two-Part Series fied as dangerous. The intelligence agencies had hit lists for harassment of leaders. There was organ ized repression from the highest levels. There was also fear after Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination in 1968. No civil rights leader came forward to fill King’s shoes. There was a leadership confusion. Also the Vietnam War was at a height. People’s concerns moved from civil rights to peace. We formed coalitions with whites for peace. When the war ended and the peace coalitions disbanded, the black com munity was left with no strong organizations. It was difficult to rebuild in an atmosphere of repres sion, fear and distrust. POST: What happened in 1971? CHAVIS: 1971 was a cri tical year. The Wilmington incident happened. The Klan and other white vigil antes decided to reinstitute their violence on the black community. People thought the Klan had changed its tactics after the 1960’s, but it hadn’t. In 1971 George Jackson was killed. The Republic of New Africa was shot up in Mississippi. Angela Davis was arrested. Police bru tality was rampant in the black communities. Jim Grant and I were charged in the Raleigh Two case, and in December, 1971, the Charlotte Three were ar rested. POST: Was there any thing positive that came out of the ’70’s decade? CHAVIS: In the 1970’s blacks were so caught up in reacting to arrests and trials and defending them selves, we didn’t have time to organize. We suffered set-backs. But the Lord moves in mysterious ways. What we did with the Charlotte Three and Wilmington Ten cases, and the Joan Little Case, was to turn those set backs into “come-backs”. These cases were initially used to put fear in people, to get them not to organize. But people used these cases to wake people up to the fact it could happen to them. Many people kept their hands to the plow. Rev. James Barnett, Carrie Graves, my sisters June (Davenport) and Helen (Othow), kept their hands to the plow even when the way was rocky and bumpy. We transferred our anger and dispair into something positive. Now as we face the 1980’s we’re in a better position than 20 years ago when we entered the ’60's. POST: What agenda do you see for the 1980's? CHAVIS: As we face the new decade we need to 1) unify, 2) establish account ability of black leaders to the community they repre sent, 3) strengthen the black church. 4) develop more cooperative econ mics within the black com munity, and 5) establish an alternative political party. POST: What do you mean by an alternative party? CHAVIS: It’s time now for 30 million blacks in the U.S. to start solving our own problems. We are thirty million people who have been in this country for centuries, who slaved to build this country, who fought wars for this country. Still we don’t have first class citizenship. We don’t have opportunities to life a good life in peace and joy and warmth, and all that it represents. It’s time for us to stop being a race of beggars and start being a race of organ izers. We have to start solving our own problems, like black on black crime, like drugs. POST: Do you mean an all-black political party? CHAVIS: I think it will be see EXCLUSIVE on Page 9 In North Caroling $21 Million Available For Low Rent Housing Forum Set For King Celebration Officials of the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will participate in the open ing ceremony of the week long 51st Birthday Cele bration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. beginning January 10 in Atlanta, Ga. Secretary Moon Land rieu will deliver the key note address on Thursday at 9:40 a m. at the World Congress Center, 285 Mag nolia Street, N.W. He will be introduced by Coretta Scott King, Presi dent of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Social Change. In announcing HUD's participation in the cele bration, Secretary Land rieu said this event is a reminder of the on-going efforts begun more than a decade ago by Dr. King to solve the nation's urban problems. "HUD,” he added, "has been successful in solving many of those problems through its commitment to the principles of the Carter Administration’s Urban Policy. “Our continued commit ment to that policy through the use of Community De velopment, Urban De velopment Action Grant, Neighborhood Self-Help Development and Federal Fair Housing programs will bring even greater results in the next decade.” HUD participants will fo cus on the theme of this year’s event, “The Direct ion for the eighties: Creat ing the Beloved Com munity,” through the Se cretary’s keynote address, a plenary panel discussion and a series of workshops. Lawrence B. Simons, As sistant Secretary for Hous ing will moderate the panel discussion entitled, “Hous ing in the Community of the 80’s.” For concurrent policy workshops, to be held from 1:45 to5:00p.m., will incor porate opinions from the public, private, national and local sectors. community Development Hearing City Council To Hear Residents From 9 Target Areas January 10 By Susan Ella worth Post Staff Writer Residents in the nine community development target areas soon will have an opportunity to voice their opinions before City Council at a public hearing. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 10 at 7 p.m. in the City Council Chambers, second floor, City Hall, 600 East Trade Street. Spokespersons from these nine target areas - West Boulevard, Grier Heights, North Charlotte, Third Ward, West More head, First Ward Exten sion, Southside Park Brookhill and Five Points - may comment on the Par limentary Development and Housing Plans for 1981 83. Carrie Graves, a com munity advocate for the West Boulevard area will submit a written statement to City Council. In her letter, Mrs. Graves will stress a need for a survey in the West Boulevard area A housing survey is needed immedi ately, Graves said, “to en courage repair work on blighted housing." Traffic on West Boule vard needs one stabilized speed zone instead of se veral zones, Mrs. Graves continued. "Amay James Park needs completion; the park Carrie Graves ...Community advocate creek requires cleaning and bridge construction," she pointed out Mrs Graves also advo cates having a resource 1 center fo^ "battered wo men and extending operat ing hours for the Amay James Gym " She praised the park, gym, human resources center and Gethsemane Enrichment program a mong the accomplishments of the Human Development Department Yet, drawbacks exist. Mrs Graves emphasized that a project begins with a small amount of money, people’s hopes rise and then the resources run out Walter Phillips, the Com munity Development De partment Assistant Direct or echoed her sentiments "There’s a need to com See COUNCIL on Page 9 MISS JOSIE P. HUDLEY ...Bound for fame Josie Hudley Is Beauty Of Week By Teresa Hums Post Staff Writer With talent, determina tion and appeal, Ms Josie P. Hudley is bound for fame in any endeavor. And nothing can stop her now. As a sophomore at Ben nett College, Ms. Hudley's major is Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentrat ion in radio, television, broadcast, and drama. After her graduate work, our beauty would like to abolish black stereotypes in the entertainment in dustry, “As far as drama is concerned, I plan to start my own studio - teaching music, dance, etc. I would like to teach black kids that they can be more than just pimps or prostitutes on the screen. I'll try to get them out of the black stereotypes of the screen todav.” “Most shows show the father has left home and the mother is fat I'd like to give a taste of the real story," Ms. Hudley contin ued. Her philosophy of life (from the Bible) proves this determination will not be in vain, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” This motivation also helps Ms Hudlejy person ally, in that she has no professional idol, "I don’t like idolizing anyone. I don't want to be like any one. I want to have my own style and let people re member me for the things I've done.” However, she does have a favorite person, “My mother is my favorite per son because through her I see determination She gives me determination and strength because that’s what I see in her,” our beauty noted The parents of our beauty are Rev. and Mrs. Wison Mitchell of 2529 Pinestream Dr in Char lotte. Indeed, our beauty is filled with not only strength, but also the spunk to participate in worth while activities In addition to her studies at Bennett College Ms Hudley is also a peer advi sor, helping freshmen with schedules and academic problems; counsels in Pfeiffer Dorm; tutors for high school students; sings in the Gospel and Concert Choir of Bennett College , is a member of the dance group of Bennett College, reports for the Bennett Banner; and is treasurer of Bennett College (theatri cal) Players Her professional accom plishments expand through many theatrical domains Ten plays are to her credit, including past leading roles as Lutibelle in "Pearlie”, given by Central Piedmont Summer Theatre and Sally Bowles in West Charlotte’s production of "Cabaret” These past experiences, plus the almost impeccable personality have produced this spiritual beauty And even though fame is pre dicted in her life, the fol lowing seems to be more important to Ms Hudley. “We need to unify as a people - both Black and White with God as head.” $9,034,000 Allocated For Metropolitan Areas Betsy H. Stafford, North Carolina Area Manager of the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Devel opment, Monday announc ed the allocation of funds available in North Carolina for the Department’s Sec tion 8 Housing Assistance Payments Program and the Low Rent Public Hous ing Programs. The Section 8 Program, authorized by Congress in 1974, provides for pay ments to property owners on behalf of lower-income families. The payments cover the difference be tween the market rent of the unit and what the fa mily can afford to pay, which may not exceed 25. percent of their gross in come. Assistance can be provided to families living in newly-constructed, sub stantially rehabilitated, or existing housing units. The Low Rent Public Housing Program^ react ivated by Congress in 1977. provides the funds to amortize the principle and interest payments on units developed by Local Hous ing Authorities through the sale of bonds or notes. Low income families can oc cupy these units by paying no more than 25 percent of their gross income for rent, which is used to defray management and mainten ance costs of the Project. ' During the next several months local Public Hous ing Agencies, Public Hous ing Authorities, private owners, and other interest ed agencies will be invited to submit proposals for participation in the pro gram. tne total allocation of funds received for North Carolina is $20,876,000. in cluding $9,034,000 for met ropolitan areas and $11,842,000 for non-metro politan areas. Although a number of factors must be considered in converting this dollar allocation into the number of families that could benefit, Mrs Stafford indicated that the funds could result in the provi sion of housing assistance payments to approxi mately 5,100 families in North Carolina The allocations of funds available by respective program type, together with estimates of the num ber of families that could be assisted, are presented below. Mrs Stafford cau tioned that the allocations in no way represent a commitment by HUD to approve specific proposals involving these amounts of contract authority. The se lection of proposals will be the result of a competitive process by which only pro posals of superior quality will be chosen The basis for the allocat ions to individual geogra phic areas consists of "fair share" factors, mandated by Congress in the Housing and Community Develop meent Act of 1974. Among the factors considered were population, poverty, housing condition, over crowding, housing short ages, and other indicators of housing deficiencies In addition, this formula fair share has been adjusted to account for the fact that certain areas in the State have received more than their share of resources during the past four years. As the result of this adjust ment. several areas in North Carolina will not receive an allocation of housing funds this year. Minimum Wage Increases The minimum wage, which is now $2.90 an hour, will rise to $3.10 on January 1. 1980. Partial exemptions re main essentially un changed. Workers in the following categories may still be employed at special' subminimum wages-gen erally 85 percent of the minimum-if the employer obtains the necessary authorization from the Wage-Hour Division: ap prentices. learners, handi capped workers, messen gers, full-time students tan employer may hire as many as six), etc. Part time students must be paid $3 10 per hour. IF YOU ha\e any em ployees earning less than $3.10 an hour, ask your personnel people to advise you whether the new minimum will upset exist ing pay differentials in lower-level jobs. You may have to make some upward adjustments on several steps of the pay ladder in order to maintain the de sired pay structure. Food Stamp Program Mav Run Out Of Cash WASHINGTON. DC - The food stamp program will run out of money be fore the end of this fiscal year, if Congress docs not take quick action, accord ing to Department of Agri culture officials The program needs two billion additional dollars in order to keep up with the inflation in food prices and the growing participation in the program Congress appropriated $6 2 billion for this fiscal year, which will end next Oct. 1. The Department of Agriculture estimates it will need $8 3 billion to provide benefits at present levels for the full year. In order to avert cut backs In the program, which serves 19 million persons. Congress would have to remove the present ceiling on appropriations and provide more funds If the Congress does not act to increase funding by the middle of February, Agriculture officials say they will tell the states to cut back benefits by April 1. It is not likely, however, that the program will sim ply be terminated for the last four months of the fiscal year. x
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Jan. 3, 1980, edition 1
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