With the founding of the Free
dom’s Joumal tB 1827, the black
press had its historic h^ginning
in America. By 1980 there were
approximately 385 weekly and
daily black-owned newspapers
offering- a black perspective- to
“all the news that’s fit to print.”
These newspapers employ about
7,000 people and have a circu
lation of pearly 12 million. In
clutted in this capsule history of
throlack newspaper is the 106
year history of The Charlotte
When Bill Johnson purchased
The Post in 1974 he said, “The
Charlotte -black community
needs a voice that mirrors the
opinions of the community We
want The Pest to provide ser
vices which the daily papers do
not offer. ’’ If anyone ever
doubted the'significance of Mr.
Johnson’s comment, a review of
S recent study by the American
Sodeti^ of Newspaper Editors
(ASNE7 on .minority employ
ment will alert them to a new"
At the A$NE’s recent con
vention', a r
which __l
employment in the nation’s
white newsrooms had increased
fram a mere 5.6 percent to 5.6
percent, or dismal' 0.2 percent
over the past year. Tims,, of
50,000. jorunalists on America’s
1,100 daily newspapers, about
1,500 are black, 660 are His
panic, 430 are of African an
cestry and 100 are American
Indians. Therefore, while MaHrq
and other minorities are paying
a larger role in political, busi
ness and urban*, life, nearly all
tite nation’s newspaper copy is
written by white people. This
means teat little, if any, news
paper copy- is written from the
perspective of black people.
Minority journalists argue,
and we agree, that it is neces
sary to integrate the nation’s
newspapers simply to make
them bettor newspapers. Iron
ically, as early as 1977 ASNE had
resolved to make their staffs
representative of the 20 per
cent non-white population by the
year 2000. However, ASNE itself
admits that the odds of achiev
ing that goal ranges “some
where between slim and none.”
Whatever the reasons for the
very few b&ck journalists on the
staffs of white newspapers -
discrimination, apathy, supply
and demand • it points out the
Tlffi CHARLOTTE POST
—- ■ »■ -
“TOE PEOPLE’S NEWSPAPER”
Established 1018
Published Every Thursday
by The Charlotte Post Publishing Co., Inc.
Subscription Rate $17.88 Per Year
Second Class Postage No. MUM
Postmaster 8end 3570s to:
1531 Camden Rd., Charlotte, N.C. 28203
Telephone: 704-370-0408
Circulation: 11,023
108 Years of Continuous Service
BUI Johnson Editor. Publisher
Bernard Reeves General Manager
Fran Farrar Advertising Director
Pannette Gaither Office Manager
Second Class Postage No. M5500 Paid At
CharlotterNorth Carolina
—* . Under the Act of March 3,1S78
Member, National Newspaper
Pn Wishers’ Association
North Carolina Black Publishers Association
-—.. ..
Deadline for all news copy and photos to
5 p.m„ Monday. Ail photos and copy
submitted become the property oTThe Post
and will not be returned.
National Advertising Representative
Amalgamated Publishers, lac.
MSS S. MeMfaa Arc. 4S W. «stk 8t„ I4S3
Chlcaga, V. Sill New Yerk, New Yerk INM
CehwH S-OMS 212-4M-I2M
FromCayitol W
UJS. Peace Ptoposab Are Unfair?
Alfred* L. Mails—
Special 7» The Pest
Representatives Patricia
Shroeder andlfary Oakar,
recently visited Russia,
having been invited by the
Supreme Soviets, and
equivalent of our Congress.
They returned contfnced
that the Russian citizens
want peace, and that
further fair negotiation
should be undertaken
These women learned
that the Russians feel the
U.8. peace proposals are
unfair, since the weapon
reduction only call for lim
itation on the U.S. and
Russian deployment in
Europe with no limit being
placed on French and
English weapon
The Soviets consider this
■ onesided policy. This is
the reason they walked oat
of the Geneva conference.
The Soviets are very an
xious to resume the space
talks which the U A walked
out* of. The Russians'fed
that President Reagan will
be redacted and that he
will continue his prtaml
policy, with even tougher
stands taken during Us
next term.
The Soviets are very un
happy about President
Reagan’s failure to attend
the funerals of Prnsiini i
and Andropov.
There seems to be a
slight resurgence of the
Russian women’s concern
that began in 1*42 They
organized to combat lariat
expansion, initiated by
I_
Hitler. Aid around the
world was sought by them,
but only Mrs Roosevelt
responded. They cele
brated her 10Mh birthday
Shroeder and Oakar found
that the Russian women
now have a women’s coun
cil headed by the Russian
woman astronaut. This
marks the small twinning
of the Russian Women’s
assertiveness. These
American representatives
noted that American
women are denied equal
ity. txd the deference is
that Americans are free to
out, whUe>tRussiaasaPare
ri—ifrd that freedom.
Russian women are in
terested in a peace move
ment. Their idea of notion
al security la in direct
contrast to methods advoc
ated by our Administra
tion While we feel thft an
enonaouB military build-up
« necessary, the Russian
women stress education
and job training as national
security measures.
When questioned about
communist expansion, the
Russians fired back about
U.S. Central American in
volvement. They noted that
they have no interest in
communist expansion in
that region, but that they
are only giving aid. On
human rights when asked,
how can Americans talk
about human rights, with
the U.S. treatment of the
Indians, Blacks and other
minorities?
Representatives Oakar
and Shroeder reported that
there is competition be
tween the United States
and the Soviets, but the
Soviets' question is can it
be through nuclear wea
pons? They are concerned
about spending money on
education and a race in
research for cancer, heart
ailment and other dtoeaae
cures. The soviets are con
cerned about their eco
nomic conditions. They are
■pending money for devei
oping gaa and otlin Siberia,
while limiting defense
spending. The Soviets are
spending a greater per
centage of their GNP for
agriculture than the United
States. '
The Russians made ft
known about their great
concern over President
Reagan’s visit to China
They foel this is an attempt
by this Administration to
drive the Russians and
Chinese further apart.
Especially, at this time
ski HMhw seems
to be developing between
the two countries. The
Soviets are particularly,
bothered about Mr.
Reagan’s nuclear Chinese
proposal.
Oakar and Shroeder re
pealed that the Russians
believe the U.S. MkMBe
East policy is unfair. They
are concerned about the
Israeli tilt, with little or no
concern for fairness to the
Palestinians.
The Russian population
is changing. The European
Russians are beginning to
become outnumbered by
the Moslems.
The Russians do not
suffer from physical needs
as some Americans exper
ience, because everyone it
provided food, shelter and
clothing. However, these
are not elaborate, but very
crude.
said that while the Ri»
sians do not experience
physical starvation, they
suffer from intellectual
starvation. They know very
little about the political 1
affairs of their country. 1
Their newt is highly cen
sored and the average dt
isena are prevented from
speaking out and pro- '
testing, as Americaas have
the privilege to do.
Sbrooder and Oakar
state that crime la not as
great in Russia as It is B>
this country. Women have
no fear of watting the
streets alone any Ume I
during the night. T <
n©ed for the Mack newspapers.
For example, whether you agree
or disagrefr with Jesse Jack^
son’s tad for a Presidential
nomination, and-or his nlatform
on key issues, had most of the
newspaper copy about him been
written by black reporters the
American people would have a
somewhat different viewpoint of
Mr. Jackson. This is moat evi
dent in the way the white press
persistently denies that Jackson
has any white support by what
and the angle it takes pictures of
People surrounding Jackson and
by promoting me perception that
he is running a racist political
campaign.
Jackson’s Appeal
Admittedly, Jackson frequently
appeals, as in his mo&t recent
visit to Charlotte, for voter sup
port of all local black candi
dates, would cause mamFTzr
DeUerye lt/s rtctkUy^sotfVitear^
In fact, such voter appeal is
failtonSS^this ariSrinpart
because there are still far too
many white Voters who will not
vote for any black candidate no
matter how much experience be
or she may have nor how com
petent. This was evident in
Charlotte’s most recent race for
the mayor’s office. Particularly
considering his opponent, Har
vey Gantt, by training, demon-'
strated skills, experience and a
keen insight to die issues con
fronting the City of Charlotte,
should have probably received 85
to 90 percent of all the votes cast:
Among white voters he got only
40 percent. Obviously too since
this was considered excellent
white support by national com
parisons, ft stffl reflects the
silent racial attitudes of many
white voters toward, black can
didates. , •
SSL- ' ' 3 • : i ‘ i : r i *
Similarly, too many dements*
of white-oriented newspapers
sought to deny Vanessa Williams
a dear and competitive right to
be the first Miss America who
happens to be blade. Such news
papers want to insist that she
won only because it was time for
a black to win. A writer from a
black perspective would not, in
most cases, have that kind of
racially-oriented viewpoint.
Yes, the black-owned, black
oriented newspapers are and
continue to be a vital part of the
printed news business of Ame
rica.
‘ JZJIW BLACKS mho care about the black
mmJRE, TO IMPOSE ORDER WHERE NONE EXISTS TODAY
' ~ -a—
^ Wf HAVE to do it because we cannot ash OUR OLD PEOPLE
to spend the rest of their uves passing through a
gauntlet ofmuocers. ™ -
Ok'tx; Ci’fita. . . •
v.r njuiziKtr
&cCet&r:
~~ r ’ 't--- -
t—<
-
’May 16,—7 - —
Jtft- Bill Johnson _
The Charlotte Port
Publishing Company
P.O. Box 30144
Charlotte, N.C. 28230
Dear Mr. Johnson:
I have been aitardent
supporter of your:, paper
since my TOTival fee in
Charlotte and by and large,
I have been impressed with
the way you deeseminate
vital information to the
community On Thursday,
May 3, 1984, however, you
erred in your article on eye
care practitioners.
You have done the op
tometrists of this com
munity a grave injustice.
The information that you
reported obviously' came
from an ophthalmid«^ft<»nl
society who used require
ments for an
.dating at least 60,
fegp DacMU of
health
who specialise in the exam
ination/ diagnosis and
treatment of conditions or
impairments of the visiual
system.
Specifically educated,
clinically trained and state
licensed to examine the eye
and related structures to
detect the presence or
.absence of vision pro
blems, eye diseases and
other abnormalities, op
tometrists are the major
providers of vision care •»
America. They provide
treatment by prescribing
opthalmic or contact lenses
or other optical aids, treat
ment of eye diseases, and
when indicated to preserve
or restore maximum ef
ficiency of vision. -•
By gathering informa
tion and thoroughly eval
uating the internal and ex
ternal structure of the
eyes, optometrists detect
and diagnose signs of .sys
temic diseases such as
- diabetes, hypertension and
arteriosclerosis and eye
diseases such as ghimmo
and cataracts. ^
Doctors of Optometry
are the only providers of
vision cue, who through
their Classroom and
clinicfp education, are
thoroughly trained in all
aspects of vision science
and optics. Among other
things, a four year degree
program in optometry in
cludes comprehensive
training in ocular
anatomy; neuroanatomy
and neurophysiology of the ••
visual systems "oculy l
myology; color, forms
space movement and
visual performance and
visual screening.
Since doctors of optome
try are members of the
primary general health
care team, their profes
sional education also in
cludes such subjects as bio
chemistry; cytology;
human anatomy; endocrin
ology; microbiology; gen
eral pathology; sensory
and perceptual psychol
ogy; biostatistics; statis
tics and epidemiology.
_• Today, over 78 percent of
all students admitted to
optometry schools have
four or more yean of un
wTiTlWiA ailueathncs
prior to entering optometry *
^gdxtoL TW» compare* fav
orable with the other in
dependent health* profes
sions.
Hie role of the optom
etrist as a provider of
primary care has in
creased steadily in impor
tance in recent years. An
explanation ot primary,
secondary and~teitiary—
levels of health care is
offered in a 1976 report
written by the U S. Public
Health Service. Defining
“primary care” as “diag
nosis and care of the am
bulant patient’’ and "that
care rendered at the pat
ient’s first point of contact
with a wide variety of ser
vices”, optometry is listed
along with genend . phy
sicians, such as general
practitioners. Although
opthalmologists do provide
, primary care services, the
Mcondary level enables,
them to fttection at thate.
• level of skill and training
The optometrist is often
the first point of contact for
patients in the health care
system. About nine out of
ten of the patients who need
vision care require ser
vices which are within the
scope of optometry. Less
than 10 percent of the pop
ulation with vision care
require surgery that mqat
be provided by opthalmio
logists as is indicated by
the National Center for
Health Statistics Survey of
Opthalmologists.
Thank you for your
attention.
Paula R. Newsome, O.D.
(With sabrina Johnson:
Sabrina
New mm CHder,
Richer* Better Educated
financia*~
That is;4f»e tohMMi that the UniSi
States Census Bureau has found. M#e
women are having children after the age of
30 and these women hold more profession
al jobs than their counterparts in the 20’s.
Increased fertility for women in their 30’s
parallels with the current stability iq child
bearing for younger women giyjng Way to
the attitude of waiting to have children. The
Bureau found that women are choosing to
finishJhPirgrfiiraH™^nhtnina frjireer. build
it and incorporate marriage and children as
part of total fulfillment - before it is “too
late.”
Women between the ages of 30 to 34
averaged 13.8 percent first births per 1,000
in 1881. Mp I-Qpgrrpnt frptw 1980. First births
for women 35 to 39 rose to 5.2 percent per
Iipffltairrrtow of^.«percent. The studies
show tfiafa substaiitiaiamountTrftimetioes
pass from completing education to child
The study showed that womep36to-44,40
percent ofthose who had childr$tvi«j*aB3
were employed, while women 18 .to 29
showed only 33 percettt Withchlltli en were
employed outside the home.
The 30’s are the prime time for women to
bear children because they are still in a
relatively safe period - with the chance of
medical problems being low. The proba
bility of medical problems increase as the
woman reaches 35 and above. Women in the
30 to 35 age group were the only portion of
the population studied to show a substantial
increase in overall births between 1980fto
1983.
Births to these women increased 15
percent from 60 per 1,000 to 69.1 per 1,000.
Births for women between the ages of 25 to
29 revealed a much smaller increase which
was not statistically significant at this point
in time. The birth rates for other age groups
proved to be consistent during 1980 to 1983.
Income levels seem to play an impor
tant parfln this picture. Of those mothers
studied under the age of 30, 45 perc48| I
reside in families with income levels of legs
than $15,000, compared withr27 percent of
those over 30 years of age. A mere 10
percent of those younger mothers reside to
families with income levels of more th*o
$35,000, compared to one-fourth of older
mothers. The Census Bureau also found that
34 percent of working mothers over 30 hold
managerial or professional jobs, double the
percentage of those under the age of 30.
Generally speaking fertility of American
women ages 18 to 44 is fairly stable - 711
births per 1,000 in 1980, and 73.2 births per
1,000 in 1983. The 1983 study found 1,000
women anticipated 2,079 births during their
lifetimes, which is not substantially dif
ferent from 2,059 births anticipated in 1980.
However, the contrast shows' a down swing
from 2,160 births per 1,000 in 1976. The trend
beISg~«HprbximaRily 2.1 children per
woman, compared with 2.6 in 1971 and 3.1 in
1967.
The overall study proves that American
women are seeking options in their lives. No
longer does the stereotypical scene stand
highschool-marriage-children. Today’s
mommy is choosing to. become a mommy
later or not at all. Personal and career goals
are the order of the day. Given marriage
and child birth maybe considered pom^na 1
goals, they are not priority goals.
Women are excercising the desire to
achieve; achieve educationally, financially
and personally. Women have realized that
accepting the second best is not the key to
happiness, they realize that first place takes
time, commitment and only cost 10 percent s
more than second class.
A message to the husbands and mates of
these women, is it not more interesting to
have a companion that has a life and mind
of her own than to have a companion that
talks of diaper rash and hack aches9 You
choose your course. Why can not your
mate? A thought to ponder.
HeaMi Coe far—rauent
people. The state must
S^MTt these services
‘We must also work with
our rural counties to help
them establish the clinics
they need to provide proper
cere. Metals Ini
the financial stability and
the quality of oar hoepitaJa
that wo have both quality
and acceorfMo health care.
“Aa Governor, I can
pledge to yea that the
quality of Ufa of every
North Carottntop wfll be of
Knaai Admiototraftoo.