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63 Years Of Changing Times
Sixty-three years ago the
social fabric of the nation add
ed a new ritual to its annual
agenda called the Miss America
pageant. In each of these years
young women with beauty and
talent danced, sang, and pa
raded on stages in evening
gowns and bathing suits before a
panel of judges and well-wishers
in a quest for the honored and
financially rewarding title of
“Miss America.”
Historically, too, the contest
ants were asked some generally
insignificant or social butterfly
questions to determine their in
tellectual powers. Also historic
ally, for over 35 years — until the
late 1950s - the pageant was
limited to “whites only” young
women. However, in the 1983
pageant to select Miss America
traditions were shattered as
Miss New York, a 20-year-old
black woman, Vanessa Will
iams, was crowned Miss Ameri
ca and Suzette Charles, the 20
year-old Miss New Jersey,
who is also black, made history
as the firsj runner-up.
Barriers Fall
While Americans, and black
Arhericans in particular, were
undoubtedly pleased to see an
other racial barrier fall, other
significant traditions were also
shattered. In initial comments to
the news media Miss Williams
has let it be known that she does
not fit the mole of the docile,
smiling beauty who will avoid
controversial issues as most pre
vious pageant winners have
done, undoubtedly upon the ad
vice of sponsors. For example,
Miss Wiliams told reporters that
she is a political independent
who is against legalization of
marijuana, supports the Equal
Rights Amendment (ERA) and
favors the right of abortion as a
right that each woman should
have.
- On the question of race, Miss
America said, “Just because I’m
black doesn’t meariTnr^Ding to
favor every black position. I’m
my own person with my own
opinions.’’ Furthermore, the
pageant queen expressed some
discomfort with the fact that too
many questions by the media
focused on her race. She said,
“At times I get annoyed be
cause it seems the people and
press aren’t focusing on my
accomplishments.”
The focus on race arises from
the fact that only 17 black women
have survived state pageants
allowing them to compete for the
Miss America title since the
“white-only” rule was aban
doned in the late 1950s. Even
then, it was not until 1970 that
Cheryl Brown, Miss Iowa, com
peted in the national pageant.
This year a total of four blacks
and one Hispanic represented
five of the 50 states in the Miss
American Pageant. In addition
to Miss Williams and Miss
Charles were Deneen Graham of
North Carolina, Dalia Garcia of
South Carolina, and Maryland.
Focus On Race
We share Miss Williams’ con
cerns about the excessive focus
on race as opposed to concen
trating on her accomplishments.
However, the hard fact is as a
price for her success race will be
a central concern to many
whites and blacks during her
one-year reign. Many whites will
view the first Miss America, who
happens to be black, as over due
compensation for many years of
denial to black Americans.
This, too, will ease their con
sciences a little by reaffirming
their belief that there truly is
opportunity in America for all,
regardless of race.
Black Americans’ joy at see
ing a panel of all-white judges
reassess the meaning of beauty,
even though Miss Williams re
jects the notion of a “beauty
queen” as a stereotype that she
opposes, will help keep a focus on
race. Furthermore, black Ame
ricans will undoubtedly hold
Miss Williams up as a symbol of
many of the good qualities of
black women in America, qua
lities too often overlooked by the
stereotypes reinforced by tele
vision, social welfare, and some
aspects of our history.
In addition, as a “new breed”
confident woman Miss Williams
will probably find herself as a
symbol of the caiises and issues
that many women’s rights or
ganizations support simply by
her own commitment to self
independence.
The Post salutes and congra
tulates Miss Williams for her
commitment to independence
but with a knowledge that her
success was not achieved alone.
If she has that sense of aware
ness with whatever else she
achieves, Miss America 1984 will
be a darling of all America long
after she passes on her crown in
1985.
May God Bless You, Miss
America 1984.
BE APART OF THE NEW AWARENESS
* IP BLACK POWER IS TO HAVE
ANY RELEVANCE FOR BLACK
HEN AND WOKEN IN THE STREET,
ITHUST.BE TRANSLATED INTO
^ DOLLARS AND CENTS.'
BLACK Pol LAB AABAZiHt
Appalled And Shocked At Editorial
September 14,1983
Mr. Bill Johnson, Editor
The Charlotte Post
1531 Camden Road
Charlotte, N.C. 28203
Dear Editor:
I was appalled and
shocked to read vour edi
Supporting
Black Business
Dear Editor:
I am 100 percent for
Blacks patronizing their
own businesses. However, 1
have one question. How can
we patronize our business
es if half of us don’t know
who and where they are. I
have gone into several
stores on occasions and
asked if it was a Black
owned business and the
salesperson gave me a look
as if to say, \yhat dif
ference does that make. So
I stopped asking.
The point I am trying to
make is why not list the
Black-owned businesses in
The Charlotte Post so we
will know. I obtained a list
of the minority-owned busi
nesses in Charlotte from
the Chamber of Com
merce, but I am only in
terested in Black-owned
businesses. What better,
way to build our Black
community than to adver
tise our services for our
people.
Sincerely,
Florence D. Woods
tonal criticizing the presi
dential aspirations of Rev.
Jesse Jackson. If he loses
the first time he runs so
what? Since when is suc
cess a sure thing? How
many times did Nixon run
before he was elected Pre
sident? As you know, the
late Sen. Scoop Jackson
ran twice for the office of
President of the U.S. and
lost. Was he less a man for
running and losing?
The most important point
is that Rev. Jackson’s
presidential campaign will
be a learning experience
for him and for his sup
porters. It will be a chance
to strengthen the alliances
between minorities, white,
labor and women. Harvey
Gantt lost the first time he
ran for mayor, but it was a
learning experience for
him and his staff and he is
now a much smarter candi
date. Again, I say shame,
shame to the editorial staff
of this great newspaper for
your audacity and tunnel
vision in criticizing the
presidential aspirations of
Rev. Jesse Jackson.
Sincerely,
Richard Ellis, MBA
Judges Were A1 Men!
August 24, 1(83
Editor, The Poet
P. O. Box 30144
Charlotte. N.C. 28230
Dear Sir:
. .Today I picked up your
paper for the first time to
enjoy a relaxation and
reading. I was both
shocked and angry to, read
that you were having a
“Chbrchwoman of the
Year” contest and the
judges were ALL MEN!
It is beyond the com
prehension of the human
- imagination WHY IN THE
WORLD YOU WOULD
ASK MEN TO JUDGE
THIS CONTEST! YOU
WOULD NEVER ASK
WOMEN TO JUDGE A
CONTEST THAT ONLY
MEN WERE ALLOWED
TO ENTER.
There are so many PRO
FESSIONAL black women
in Charlotte who could
have done a super job
Charlotte Price of WBTV,
Vivian Nivens of Channel
18, and Dr. Bertha Max
well of UNCC. There is
certainly no lack of good,
intelligent WOMEN to
judge their own sex. This is
certainly a sexist affair!
Mary Rose Smith
SOMETHING ON
. YOUR MIND?
Do you have something
to say? Then do so for
everyone to read. The
Charlotte Post, the only
other voice in town, wel
comes all letters on various
subjects.
THE CHARLOTTE POST
. “THE PEOPLE’S NEWSPAPER”
Established 1918
Published Every Thursday
by The Charlotte Post Publishing Co., Inc.
Subscription Rate $17.68 Per Year
Second Class Postage No. 965500
Postmaster Send 3579s To:
1531 Camden Rd., Charlotte, N.C. 28203
Telephone: 704-376-0496
Circulation 11,023
106 Years of Continuous Service
Bill Johnson
Bernard Reeves
Fran Farrer
Dannette Gaither
Editor, Publisher
General Manager
Advertising Director
Office Manager
Second Class Postage No. 965500 Paid at
Charlotte, North Carolina
Under the Act of March 3,1878
Member, National Newspaper
Publishers* Association
North Carolina Black Publishers Association
Deadline for all news copy and photos Is
5 p.m. Monday. All photos and copy
submitted become the property of Tlie Post
and will not be returned.
9
National Advertising
Representative
Amalgamated Publishers, Inc.
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New Yert, New Yert l**M
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From Capitol Hiu »
Unaccountable Officials Must Be
I Remembered In The Voting Booths
Alfreds L. Madison
Special To The Post
..The Coalition of Con
science which drew just
about the largest crowd
that ever assembled in
1 Washington, for the pur
pose of impacting on go
vernment officials, is send
ing out information from
its headquarters on speci
fic legislation which the
people around the country
should pressure their mem
bers of Congress to work
for passage.
The August unemploy
ment rate remained at the
high figure of 9.5 neces
sitates congressional and
Administration action. The
Bureau of Labor Statistics
report is as follows: white
adult males, 7.7; white
women, 5.7; white youth,
19.S; white overall, 8.2;
black adult males, 18.4;
black women, 18.4; black
youth, 53; and Mack over
all unemployment 20 per
cent. The Bureau has only
the overall Hispanic figure
which is 12.9 percent.
While the Administration
is saying, we are in an
economic recovery, unem
ployment remains at an
all-time high. With more
than 12 million people
jobless, immediate con
gressional and Administra
tion action is required to
alleviate these Inhumane
conditions, in this the
. richest country in the
world.
X
Alfreds L. Mad I ion
These conditions prevail
because the Federal go
vernment has abdicated its
responsibility to stimulate
job creation, to protect the
victims of economic dislo
cation and transformation
and to sufficiently invest in
job training. As a first
corrective step, the Coali
tion is asking citizens to
urge their Congress
persons to push for passage
of the Hawkins Commun
ity Renewal Emiriovment
Act, H R. 1096. This bill will
provide one million jobs for
the long-term unemployed
persons in areas where un
employment is exception
ally high. This will be done
through grants to states
and local governments for
rehabilitation for mainten
ance of public facilities,
public health, safety, edu
cation, social services and
conservation and improve
ment of public lands.
The recent Soviet de
struction of the Korean
Flight 007 with the loss of
289 innocent people aboard,
is proof that the Coalition of
Conscience’s advocacy of
“a change in our nation’s
peace and foreign policy is
needed.” The Soviets’ ac
tion must be condemned.
Yet, this exemplifies an
extreme nervousness of
both super powers' power
' ful military build-up. Es
pecially, this is true when
the goal of each country is
to be militarily superior to
the other. Irrational ac
tions are bound to occur.
The Coalition gives two
reasons which necessitate
a change in our policy; the
militarisation of our
foreign policy will cost 13 3
trillion over the next three
years. This has caused cuts
in education, Job training,
health and nutrition pro
grams. The/ proliferation
and stockpiling of nuclear
weapons have created a
climate of perilous nuclear
annihilation. The nuclear
weapon destructive pdwer
today triples the 1963
power. The 1963 nuclear
power would have killed
48.5 million people while In
1963 It will kill 140
million.
The Coalition is request
ing constituents to impress
upon their members of
Congress to vote far the
following bills that will
effect our foreign and
peace policy: HR. 3023,
I
Dellums Defense Author
ization for Appropriations
Bill, which reduces stra
tegic nuclear weapons,
refuse to build the B1
bomber, reduce surface
Navy and reduce American
forces in the Third World.
This will save $56 billion.
H.R. 425, Weiss Defense
Economic Act, which con
verts some defense money
into social programs. S.J.
Res. 2 Nuclear Freeze
Resolution. H.R. 1382, Gray
Bill, blocking new invest
ments by U.S. firms in
South Africa. H.R. 1063,
Dixon Prohibition of U.S.
Support of International
Monetary Fund loans to
South Africa. S. Res. 666
Hatfield-Kennedy Resolu
tion calling for uncondi
tional negotiations toward
a peaceful solution of
growing conflict in El
Salvador.
Vote against H.R. 1510,
Simpson- Mazzoli Im
migration Reform and
Control Act in its present
form. It places penalties
for hiring Illegal aliens,
revises the present im
migration laws for allow
ing aliens to enter the U S.,
and gives Illegal aliens who
entered prior to 1862 per
manent alien resident
status.
Attention is called by the
Coalition to the erosion of
civil and economic rights,
by the aura of conserva
tism, and retrenchment.
e- WITH SABRINA JOHNSO
0mm pt
HMr
Beauty Pageants
On Saturday, September 17, NBC fea
tured the “Miss America” Pageant and
what made this Dageant so special is that a
black won the crown - her name is Vanessa
Williams of Milwood Westchester County,
N.Y. Sunday, September 18, the Philadel
phia NBC affiliate KWY-TV featured a
pageant not so popular and not so prime
time - the “Miss Black America” pageant
1983-84: won by Sonya Robinson of Milwau
kee, Wisconsin.
Lake any other pageant the ladies got to
their crowns through hard work and perse
verance. Miss Robinson and Miss Williams
are beautiful, talented, intelligent and can
smile a lot!
“Miss America,” Vanessa Williams, won
the first place $25,000 scholarship, $2,500#
prize for the talent competition, $1,500 prize
for the swimsuit competition and numerous
other prizes and appearance fees.
“Miss Black America,” Sonya Robinson,
won a 1984 Ford Mustang, $1,000 Gentle
Treatment cash prize, at least $3,000 in
guest appearances, $2,000 in cash prizes and
a trophy.
Both ladies were judged on beauty, talent,
intelligence and poise. The point system
was used by the judges of both pageants -
which were tallied to name the winner. Miss
Williams and Miss Robinson won talent and
swimsuit competitions and were judged
highly on their abilities to answer differ
ent types of questions.
Putting all similarities and differences
aside, it is most disturbing that the “Miss
Black America” pageant is grossly under
stated. Black Americans spend billions of
dollars each year on clothing, entertain
ment and cars but do not support, in large
amounts, functions such as the “Miss Black
America” pageant.
With the enormous amount of money
spent by blacks less than two percent is
spent supporting black-owned businesses
and black-oriented functions. Unfortunately
too much emphasis is put on the garments
worn and the transportation to the function
rather than on making the function suc
cessful. For example if dollars in the black
community turned over at least three times
in that community before leaving, more
money would be available for black con
cerns such as charity or organization and
the “Miss Black America” pageant.
One person or a hand full of leaders fl
cannot change the world for blacks, they
are merely the trail blazers. It is the people
who cut and permanently make the way
that bring about change. Cohesiveness of
the people can cut those trails. Blacks
presenting themselves as “together” people
can pose a threat to all people whites,
Jews, Puerto Ricans - everyone.
The “Miss Black America” pageant
should offer large scholarships, numerous
guest appearances, meetings with major
leaders - black and white - and a new car.
Large companies should advertise during
the pageant because black technology knd
dollars have helped to build the comply.
However, now upon approaching tl&se
companies they will say they support bltk
culture because they supported the “lt£>s
America” pageant and she is black. BufAo
chips! Push on, people, despite excusesTA
Blacks have got to get back into tA
running in the civil and equal rights figlA
or gained territory will be lost. The yearsH
protest will be lost in complacency. Cre^R
ture comforfe are fine and wonderful b^B
what is the use of having them if men a^A
treated differently outside of the home. ^A
Now is the time to donate money or tim^A
solicit support and raise money for blac^A
concerns such as the “Miss Black America ^A
pageant. By starting now her prizes can b^H
as glamorous and rich as the “MisA
America” pageant. “Miss Black America’A
can be used as a symbol to represent the I
composit of young, black ladles aspiring for 1
professionalism, security, hanoiness. eaual- l
ty and love.
With support and demand support, the
“Miss Black America” pageant will have a
prime time spot with prime time sponsors.
The pageant will be featured on the front
pages of the New York Times, Philadel
phia Inquirier, Washington Post, Los An
gles Times and the like.
Congratulations to Miss Vanessa Will
iams and Miss Sonya Robinson. May they
be role models for young girls - black and
Write - to strive for personal perfection and 1
community involvement. Positive images1
are needed today because in
women are becoming too masculine.
young ladies are r———
proving that beauty
and intelligence do
work hand in hand in
forming a career
oriented lady.
\