1 Ctutoriate
Housing Authority’s Dilemma
“But should a city that desperately needs
more low-income housing spend almost $6
million lon housing).. .and end up with about
120 fewer units than it had before?” This
question was asked in a Charlotte Observer
editorial this week in discussing a Housing
Authority architect-proposed plan to
demolish 10'of 40 buildings in a Piedmont
Courts renovation plan. The Observer sug
gests that “maybe” the architects'ought to
rethink their plans and find another design
plan. We wholeheartedly agree. In fact, we
are suggesting categorically that the plan
be totally dropped.
We certainly understand the need for
increased auto driving areas, parking
spaces and open space to reduce residential
density levels as suggested by the architect.
We agree, too; that such changes may'offer
tenants a greater sense of pride in their
physical environment. However, at a time
when funds for additional public housing
has been cht off and there are'over 2,100
families'on the public housing waiting list,
we cannot afford these physical improve
ments at the cost" of losing 120 housing units.
We must add that the 2,100 families oo the
public housing waiting list understates the
problem because new applicants have hot
been accepted in over two years. Secondly,
City housing officials report that appro
ximately 13,000 families with annual
incomes of $12,000-$14,000 are having to
spend disproportionate percentages'of their
incomes' on housing. Thirdly, the whole idea
of demolishing, greatly needed low income
housing is inconsistent with the City’s
Commitment to preserving as much'of the
existing housing stock as possible thfough
restoration and rehabilitation.
Therefore, we strongly urge the Housing
Authority to reject the architect’s plan and
direct him to develop another plan allowing
for the retaining'erf alTof Piedmont Courts’
residential units.
To repeat, the citizens' of Charlotte cannot
afford the luxury of seeing $6 million spent
on housing at the Cost'of a loss'of 120
dwelling units. Such an act would be to
compound an already near-crisis situation
for the thousands'of families in deperate
neeef of public housing.
Focusing For The Future
Bathed in spiritual Joy . and a. bright
sunshine as clouds rolled back like curtains
on a theatrical stage precisely at hOon, the
Afro-American Cultural Center swung* open
its doors to the public last Saturday in its
- new home. Following 10 years'oToperation
in a 605 square fdot location in Spirit Square,
the 11,000 square • foot new home how
occupies the renovated old Little Rode AME
Zion Church.
Dr. Herman Thomas, chairman emeritus
^ of the Center’s boards directors, set the
tone for the festive'occasion when be said,
“Today marks the beginnings a new era in
the arts and cultures this city. What we
dedicate here today is a living-learning
cultural museum. It is indeed a colter for
everyone...the...Center is a gateway to the
culture of black people and a culture shared
by people'of all colors.”
The new 11,000 square foot facility,
located in the First Ward community, was
renovated with a half million dollars plus 3
grants from the City'of Charlotte and* over
$1 million in private donations from indi
viduals, corporations and foundations. The
facility has been designed to establish,
preserve and pfonSote Afro-American
history and culture, ~of which the building
itself has been granted historic site
designation.
The Center, directed by a 21-member,
biracial board of directors, is an affiliate'of
the Arts and Science Council. The Center
provides classes in dance, music, theater
and the visual arts and contains a 180-seat
theater and a 300-seat amphitheater.
The question might be asked, what does it
really all mean, the pomp and ceremony
and life-extension'of an 'old church in an
older black neighborhood? It means that a
community, a city, and indeed a nation, will
have • an enlarged storehouse for the
«C
preserving and knowledge-extending
studies of unique personalities,.situations,
. ideas, events, and institutionsoccurring in
streams' of the human experience.
, The Afro-American Culture Cento* means
and represents a way 'of keeping and
expanding the past into the present and for
offering some direction to the future.. It is
the place to find the roots'of a particular
people and part'of the souTof a nation.
The Post salutes the historic'opening'of
the Afro-American Cultural Center and
encourages the citizens of our rainbow
community to visit and enjoy the rich
values, traditions and insights this new
community-wide facility has to'offer.
Impact On Poverty
Reprinted from the Carolinian
If every group and'organization in our
local community sponsored a business en
terprise, certain important educational and
economic'objectives could be realized.
One'of the major shortcomings'of'our
local communities is the absence of an
awareness'of economic and business con
cepts and principles. This lack'of awareness
then leads to a failure to marshall the
resources to rise out of some of the
difficulties the community continuously
faces.
We are reminded .'of the retired mil
lionaire attending a civil rights'organiza
tion’s meeting and inquiring when the gfoup
was going to discuss business. Because'of a
negative response, the well-endowed indivi
dual simply left his donation and departed.
. Not until the business of_ America be
comes the business'of ~our comm uni ties
business-will any major impact be made'on
the poverty and economic status affecting
our areas.
THE CHARLOTTE POST
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Miller Says:
Tomorrow’s Growth: International Standard Of Excellence
By Sherman N. Miller
Special To The Poet
When American industry
had a captive domestic
market they forgot the
importance of high quality
and competitive pricing to
maintaining long-term
control of a market. It was
easy to say, “Raise the
prices instead of wasting
large sums' of ritoney' on new
technology or risk losing
sales negotiating long-term
labor contracts that are
fiscally Sound.” I believe
that the SodoedoAomic con
strictions 'of America’s
segregation era lulled many
black American businesses
into a comparable scenario
in the black dommunity.
The rapid evolution'of the 1
U.S. domestic market into
a World market dealt
American industry a crip
pling blow by redefining the
rules *of the U.S. market
place. Many mainstream
businesses have begun
producing high quality
products, improving their
operations’ productivity, and
listening to customers to
learn their values and needs.
As the American dollar r :
depreciates relative to'other
international currencies,
these actions will lead to a
positive U.S. trade balance in
the next 10 yean.
Nevertheless, this new
international business stan
dard of excellence has
permanently, reshaped
America’s psyche.
I recently listened to two
elderly black chaps at
Freeman ft Harris
Restaurant, Shreveport, LA,
rave about the national
recognition 'of this black
owned restaurant. These
chaps’ enthusiasm left me
with a hankering to talk to a
mainstream black entrepre
neur.
I found this opportunity
whilst eating at McDonald’s
Cafeteria (pot to be tonfused
with The McDonald’s chain)
in. Charlotte, NC. I
discovered the fdod to be
excellent, prices to be
excellent, and the employees
to be extremely Courteous.
This cafeteria’s atmosphere
reminded me~ of the excellent
treatment I had received at
Oriental restaurants whilst
traveling through South
Asian Pacific Countries.
John McDonald’s personal
story fitted the classic
American Dream scenario.
He immediately made it
clear that he is in the
business'of selling taste (Old
American Traditional and
American Heritage PCod).
Since .1 have heard many
blacks Complain a&out the
haughty manners displayed
by lome Macks in the ser
vice industry, I asked
McDonald what he did to %
prevent bad attitudes from
frightening offhis business
John replied, 'Tonly have
one minute for that and that
is too long.”
He went on lo tell me that
he never gets uptight.
McDonald gave me the Im
pression. that he is a
• non publicity seeking achiev
er who is an eternal optimist.
I Sought. Ms advice for
other black business people
who are presently attempt
ing to develop esptrit de
Corps in their Workforce.
“Black businessmen need
to get closer to Christ to kAow
how to talk to their pftopte,”
said McDonald.
Although McDonald had
revealed himself to be a very
religious man who readily
calls upon God for solutions
to business problems, he
feels that there should be "ho
fences" restricting his
business progress in Main
stream America.
Pet Licenses
/ The 1907 city animal licenses win
go so sale beginning Monday, May
49. All cats and dogs four months of
agaar older In the city must haves '
current yearly animal license.
Owner* whoee pals have a current
City animal Ueanae or an unsxptred
rabies record will receive a latter
telling how they can participate In
the mail-in program. If you are a pet
owner and do not receive a latter,
you may pick up a mail-in envelope
at your local vetertodrUn’s office
beginning May a Mail-In envelopes
and renewals aril] be processed when
(he animals tegs go on Sals May 19.
The fees for City animal Meaaaas
this year art: 9B for spayed or
neutered cate or dogs and |M far
fertils cate or dsgs The fine for
failure to purchaae a Means* la Ml.
To buy a license tar IS, pet owners
must provide proof that the animal
has been spayed er neutered onlsas
the renewal latter. (Proof la atthar a
rise, receipt for surgery, or proof of
a prepaid appointment for surgery
at the Humana Society of Charlotte
Spay- Neuter Clinic or from a local
veterinarian ) Animal owners over
SI years of ags whose pat has bean
spayed or neutered, or has a health
exemption may obtain a free
For more information about City
animal licenses, call the Charlotte
Mecklenburg Animal Shelter at
394-9146.
i I
..LONG RANGE PLANNING SHOULD FIND
BLACK BUStNEHES. PROFESSIONALS AND
POUTICANB TO THE FOREFRONT OF
PLANNING IN THE SLACK COMMUNITY. IT IS
ONLY ST ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CLOUT
THAT ETHNIC GROUPS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
ADVANCE.
The Controversy Of The Underclass i
By Sabrina Johnson
Special To The Post
Many blacks are working
'out better lives for them
selves. Over the past 20
years, the percentage.'of
blacks in the middle daps
has doubled. Young black
men with college educations
can anticipate earning just
as much as their counter- -
parts. Of America's 10
largest cities, six have Mack
mayors. And “The Cosby
Show” is the most popular ?
show' on tdevision.
Hence, in the shoes'of pro- .*
gress, a second nation has
emerged within Black
America and white America
also. A culture 'of “have
nots” drifting quickly apart >’
from the basic values'of the „
“haves.” Rooted primarily
in the country’s urban areas;
called the Blade Underclass.
. Amid the uncertainty and
controversy of the under
class, approximatdy 'one
third 'of all blacks live in £
poverty; like poor whites,
some hold jobs'or use wel
fare temporarily prior to T
shifting back to the main
stream. The cure'of this .' *
black underclass finds itself
caged in a continuous cycle
of joblessness, broken
homes, welfare, drugs, and .
violence. How many people
are involved? Two million to
Sabrina
3.5 million - roughly
one-thircTof all poor blacks.
Some statistics directly
incorporated in this core of
people as they pertain to
youngsters: one in every 24
young black men is
murdered Tone in four births
is to a teenager;'one in two
lives in poverty; and*one in
two grows up without a
father.
Appfoximatelyone in two
teens is' our of work.
The numbers are not
germane to blacks; the 23
million poor whites find
themselves experiencing the
same problems.
Tfce pfoblems of the black
underclass are causing every
sector 'of this country to
wonder why, in less than 20
years, the increase has been *
• . > a' ‘ • / ,V. > 'V
J
tremendous. And while moot: >
immigrant groups in the <
United States - including :
some blacks - have moved up >
the economic ladder propor-;'
tionately blacks have hot
made the . impact. they f
should; especially since the:
de^th'of Martin Luther King
Black leadership is frac- •:
turedon the debate as to why •:
blacks are hot succeeding in ■;
higher numbers. The'old •:
guard places the blame'on
lingering racism an d<
cramped economic 'oppor- •;
tunities. They believe the -
way'out is thfough affirms- [,
tive action, job training and •
expanded federal programs. *
,L A new breed'of bootstrap
conservatives believe race is -
hot the critical factor, but •
that the declining family '
values and ghetto culture are -
the central problems. They'
believe blacks need self-help '
among themselves.
Adding more to the :
emotion"of the debate is the :
fact that throughout Ame- •
rica, popular political lead
ers starting from President
Reagan to mayors are'out
wardly questioning the
billions 'of federal funds
spent on public assistance,
education, income, security :
and housing for the disad- ;
vantaged (black, white, His
panic, Oriental, everyone).
Reagan believes that fede
ral assistance has created a
dependency on welfare.
Ironically it ia believed that
the system is ho longer the
blame but the responsibility
must fair on the ahoulders'of
the poor.
Charles Murray, a senior
research fellow at the Man
hattan Institute for Policy
Research, points out that it Is
a mistake to discws the
problems'of the underclass
amfor family breakdown in
terms of black families,
black values, black leader
ship and Solutions. And that
it is misleading to seek :
explanations in terms of a
national plunge into im
morality. Finally, poverty is
More a result than a cause'of
the phenomenon. /Truly a
Contrast to What Senator
Daniel Patrick Moynihan
(D-NY Working in the John
son administration tWo
decades ago) disclosed In Ms
controversial report'on the
fair of Mack family Hfe.
Recently the Code of si
lence bibringing up the issue *
of Mack family life war
broken. Increasingly, civil ;
rights leaders are address
ing the issue of unwed
Mothers and fatherless fa
milies. Jesse Jaddon recent
ly said, “There is a general
cultural crisis where the
basic Moral standards of ■
iociety are dtopping....”