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V Volume », Number 3 . ■ ’■ ■ ------
ii —■■ _ THE CHARLOTTE POST - Thursday June 30, 1983 ‘ ‘ —
. ” ~ --- _ Price: 40 Cents
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gorgeou^au!^ *****
-• —Ha* superior thoughts
Valia Dionne Blackwell
Is “Beauty Of The Week”
By Teresa Simmons
Post Managing Editor
Being ranked in the top
20 of her class was no ac
cident for Valia Dionne
Blackwell. The 12th grader
at West Charlotte High
School has superior
thoughts...not the kind of
concert but the type of
thoughts which have
? elevated her into organiza
tions like the National
Honor Society.
is to
ways have
yourself,” Ms. BlackweU
stated.
; Ms. Blackwell, who
r served as Junior Marshall
at West Charlotte, has set
her ambition on becom
ing either an engineer or
computer analyst. “I would
like to attend Duke Uni
versity or Howard Univer
sity.”
“My favorite subject now
is chemistry. This is a big
Patrols WiU
Be Out In
Force
. .Raleigh - The State High
way patrol will be out in
force during the July 4th
weekend to provide maxi
mum coverage of the
state’a highways on this
tnoet deadly of all holidays
in the year.
1 According to figures re
leased by the Patrol, 18
traffic deaths occurred
during the holiday last
year. There were 996 in
juries and 1,839 accidents.
• “This is a very danger
ous holiday period,” Colon
9l J.T. Jenkins, com
mander of the Patrol said.
‘‘W* urge everyone to be
very careful if they are
going to be on the road”
• Jenkins treated that the
motoring public also can
play a gnat part in mak
ing tide a safe holiday.
“It’s important to plan
the trip in advance,” he
said. "Allow sufficient
travel time to stay within
peeled epeed limits and at
the same time permit fine
quant stops to relieve
travel fatigue.”
In these days of uncer
'can'm? °n^th,ng *ou
challenge and I have to
place a lot of thought into
my work. I feel that
chemistry will help me to
reach my goal of becoming
either an engineer or
computer analyst."
Both fields seem to be
open for Black women
especially, Ms. Blackwell
deduced. “It’s the type of
work I think I would like to
do."
'An avid reader our Leo
beauty enjoys novels,
fiction, "I also
• H|
At West Charlotte she
sings on the chorus, is a
member of the Spanish
Club and has run cross
country on the track team.
“I am also interested in
becoming a member of a
service club at school en
titled the Ambassadors.
The club members interact
with people in school and
surrounding community
, and they help individuals.
I am an outgoing person
and I like to help people
wherever and whenever I
can,” she continued.
She is the daughter of
Evelyn Blackwell and John
Blackwell. She has one sis
ter, atari. Both of her
parents, Ms. Blackwell
stated, have been most
influential in her life. "I get
along well with my mother
and father. They help me
through tough situations
and they helf> me to do a lot
of things that I need to do.”
Randall Lindsay, one of
Ms. Blackwell’s best
friends, has also been a
positive inspiration in her
life. “We have always been
<4pse friends and 1 can
defend on him. He is al
ways there when I need
someone to talk to.”
j£J£“Went of the
’^ranp«KChur3ii Youth
Group, Ms. Blackwell feels
that spending time in
church is important. Her
pastor is Rev. Robert
McDowell.
Ms. Blackwell is a per
son with high aspirations
and the gift to achieve
them. She has been elected
to the Society of Distin
guished High School Stu
dents, received numerous
awards in mathematics
and science in junior high
school and recently re
ceived a Superior Minus
rating in the National
Piano Playing Audition.
She feels that any ob
jective can be accom
plished. As long as her
feelings remain the same
so will it be.
....Crisis Declared
Severe Shortage Of
Black Doctors Exists
25 Churches
Join Post’s
Contest
By Loretta Manago
Post Staff Writer
Over the airwaves at
WPEG announcers have
been encouraging churches
to “get in on the fun” of The
Charlotte Post’s third
annua] “Churchwoman of
the Year” contest; for the
past two weeks The
Charlotte Post has been
making personal contact
with churches and clueing
them ift on the rewards of
becoming involved in what
is expected to be the
"biggest and best” cam
paign yet.
Obviously, the message
has been getting across. To
date 25 churches have
agreed to “get in on the
fun” by participating in
this year's affair.
By becoming involved in
the WPEG-Charlotte Post
“Churchwoman of the
i ear contest tne entireti
es and their chosen candi
dates will be eligible for all
types of prizes and cash
rewards for themselves.
With the new changes in
the contest’s program,
everyone who participates
can be guaranteed of being
a winner.
The churches that have
committed themselves to
working in this year’s cam
paign are: Logan Chapel
CME Methodist, pastor,
Rev. Roderick Lewis; St.
Michael & All Angels,
pastor, Rev. Richard
Banks; Noah’s Ark Out
reach, pastor, Rev. Estelle
Thompson; Pentecostal
Temple, pastor, Rev. J. H.
Sherman; New St. John
Baptist Church, pastor,
Rev. R. H. Leak; Naza
rene Baptist Church, pas
See 25 on Page 5
WILLIjyBRATFORD SR.
—Ownn impressive list of honors
Willie Stratford’s Joy
h Working With Others
By Angela Chambers
Special To The Post
• In today’s world of “for
myself only” way of think
jng, it is always a delight to
come across another per
son who is glad to be a part
of others...someone who
works with others for the
progress of all.
Willie J. Stratford Sr. is
this type person. A big man
in reputation, he is an even
bigger man in heart. He
finds great joy and satis
faction in working with
others.
‘‘Growing up, I was
taught to share and give of
yourself,” Stratford ex
plains. “Whatever you
have, give to others.”
It is this desire to help
others that accounts for his
many involvements with
area organizations.
“It’s the idea of serving
and helping people,” Strat
How Charlotteans Will Spend July 4th
Celebrating, Relaxing, Cooking Out, Fireworks
By Lari Grier
Post Staff Writer
. .John Adams said, "I am
apt to beHeve that it will be
celebrated by succeeding
generations as the great
anniversary festival. It
ought to be commemorated
as the day of deliverance
by solemn acts of devotion
to God Almighty. It ought
to be solemnised with pomp
and parade, with shows,
games, sports, guns, bells,
bonfires, and lllumlna
ttons, from one end of this
continent to the other, from
this time forward for
evermore.”
Adame, ascend president
of the United States,
spoke about the birthday of
the United States of Arne
nc* wracn is ccMontM on
July 4th each year in
states and possessions of
the United StotaTlndepen
dsnee Day ts the amiver
sary of till day on which
the Declaration of bid*
pendence was adopted by
the Continental Cbngrees
on July 4, 1774.
It la recorded In the
World Book Encyclopedia
that Independence Day
waa ftret observed in Phi
ladelphia on July «, 1771.
The Declaration waa Mad,
beUa were rung, bands
eyed, and the people re
nd. In IMl, Congress
declared July «h a federal
legal holiday
In the i9Ma, many peo
• • .. -
Albert Franklin
.T* watch softball game
pie began to plead for a
"safe and sane Fourth,”
because fireworks, gun
Area, and cannons caused
hundreds of deaths and
thousands qf injuries each
year. As a result, many
cities and states passed
laws forbidding the sales of
Areworks, while some
cities permitted fireworks
but hired trained people to
explode them at a com
munity celebration in the
Many cities celebrate the
day with programs, games
and picnics. The Charlotte
Pest asked residents of the
Queen City what July 4th
means to them and how
they plan to celebrate the
holiday.
Children add excitement
to an holidays, and for
them July 4th begins with a
Mast. Hot dogs, hambur
gars, and french fries are
Alice Rath Diamond
.To attend cookout
usually at the time of their
menu, but on July 4th these
food items create an extra
craving and seem to taste
better than before.
July 4th means exactly
hot dogs, hamburgers and
french fries for Kenya
Chiles, 5 How will she
celebrate the holiday? ”1
plan to play with my
friends Michelle, Peppi,
Tanesha and Osittea. I
might ride my bike up and
down the street,” she said.
This day will also be one
of remembrance for Mike
Anthony Jr., 7, a second
grader at Shamrock Ele
mentary School. "It's the
time when children play
games, watch TV and oat
hamburgers and french
fries,” Mike added. "We
plan to go on a picnic or
Myrtle Beach . ”
"It’s a time for cele
brating and being with
Kenya Chile*
.Might ride bike
your family, informed
Wanda Harrison, 14, an
eighth grader at Sedgefield
Junior High School Wanda
will attend cook outs and
spend the day with her
family.
“Fun, celebration, cook
Outs, and fireworks are the
meanings of July 4th for
Shawn Gerald, 12, a sixth
grader at Bruns Avenue
Elementary School. Shawn
plans to go camping with
Boy Scout Troop No. M.
Celebrating, relaxation,
fireworks- you name it - it’s
always for the adults. If
July 4th means nothing
more than a day off the Job.
adults, get ready to keep up
your heels.
"July 4th is the Decla
ration of Independence
which symbolizes the free
dom of America, ” declared
Mrs. Dorothy Kitchen, an
assistant nurse. She would
Hke to have a devotional
and fellowship hour in her
home and give honor to her
family and friends, but she
will probably have to work
all day at the Providence
Nursing Home.
*‘I don’t give much
thought to July 4th other
than it being a holiday,”
replied Mr Albert Frank
lin, leader of Gospel Choir
No. 1 at St. Paul Baptist
Church. He plans to watch
the ladies' and men’s soft
ball teams at St. Paul play
a game at the Hornet’s
Nest Park, work around his
house and yard, and
Anally make July 4th a
quiet day.
teieoraung witn menas
is the meaning this holiday
has for Alice Diamond,
owner of Fancy Alice Bou
tique, 600 North Graham
Street How will she cele
brate? “I’m going to
friends' houses for cook
outs," she related
For Rev. . Don DeCrate,
pastor of the Christ Gospel
Church, this holiday means
independence and knowing
the Lord as Jesus Christ.
"There will be no relax
ation for me, because I’ll
be tn Louisville, KY for a
convention at the Christ
Gospel Church,” he men
tioned.
Whatever your plans for
this occasion, The Char
lotte Post extends a Joy
ous but “safe and sane
Fourth" to all.
ford said.
And perhaps it is this
type of philosophy that
gives him the popularity in
Charlotte.
Stratford shuns any spot
light or glory. “I’ve never
done anything,” Stratford
says. "I’m simply an in
strument through which
things are done.”
He also sees himself as a
doer and an organizer.
“I've always been inter
ested in organization,” he
offered. "A lot of people
don’t know who I am. I’m
not the person out front. I
do quiet things like writing
the ads.”
But try as he might,
Stratford cannot deny that
his name is familiar to
many Charlotteans. This
popularity in addition to his
sincere concern for man
kind may prove to be an
asset to his campaign for
city council.
Me announced ms candi
dacy in a speech given May
16. His speech, which re
flected his attitude of
working for and with
others, touched on several
issues.
He commented that is
sues facing Charlotte in the
80b are not new issues
Continued growth of Char
lotte was mentioned He
also discussed other issues
including unemployment,
continued alliance between
businesses, government
and labor. He spoke of the
need to continue a good
transportation system, the
need U> alleviate and com
bat crime in Charlotte, the
financing of government
service* and the cultural
interacts of our com*
m unity.
Above aD he stressed
working together to make
Charlotte e better piece for
generations to come.
Several times Stratford
has been asked what can he
bring to city council. In
answering this question, he
•aye, “I tell them t bring
myself in that t’ve bean
able to work with people.,
hoping that we can bridge
gaps between people and
See WILUB an rag* f
Problems
Expected
To Worsen
First In Series
By Karen Parker
Post Staff Writer
..The Association of
Minority Health Profes
sions Schools (AMHPS) re
leased a recent study
claiming a "severe short
age exists in the nation’s
supply of minority doctors,
dentists, pharmacists, and
veterinarians.”
The problem is expected
to worsen in the future
unless remedial action is
taken. The AMHPS is com
posed of eight minority
health schools in the United
States. They are: Meharry,
Charles R. Drew Post
Graduate, and Morehouse
Medical Schools; Meharry
Dental School; Xavier,
Texas Southern and Flori
da AttM Schools of Phar
macy; and Tuskeegee In
stitute School of Veterin
ary Medicine. AMHPS
works to improve educa
tional opportunities in the
health professions for
minorities and disadvan
taged persons.
The study, “Blacks and
the Health Professions in
the 1980's: A National
Crisis and a Time for Ac
tion" was funded by the
Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation of New Bruns
wick, N.J. Ms. Ruth
Hanft, a Washington, D.C.
health professions consult
ant was selected to direct
the study.
The report released this
month recognized an in
crease in various health
fields; however, the num
ber of minorities in those
fields is low. “Predictions
of impending surpluses of
physicians and other health
professionals simply do not
apply to Blacks," the re
port stated. It also pointed
out in 1980 Blacks com
prised 11.7 percent of the
U.S. population. Neverthe
less, only 2.6 percent of
them were among all doc
tors; 2.9 percent among
dentists; 2.3 percent
among pharmacists, and
1.6 percent among veter
inarians.
Louis W. Sullivan, M.D.,
President and Dean at The
Morehouse School of Me
dicine, stated in the pre
face of the report, "Com
pared with whites, Blacks
are aware of the fact that
their lives are shorter,
their pregnant mothers and
their infants die more fre
quently, and they have a
greater burden of illnesses
and disabilities. The state
ment that the United States
has the best system of me
dical care in the world has
a hollow ring," noted the
dean
Dr. Sullivan emphasised
the number of Blacks in
health fields needs to in
crease Immediately to as
sure the opportunity for
true freedom of choice of
health professionals by tha
consumer of health aar
vices.
How can more rainor
itioa be encouraged to enter
a health profession and de
crease the alarming statis
tics reported by the
AMHPS? The Pest will re
view the subject and report
to its redden the findings
next week in Part II of thb