fTTE P< >ST " 1
“The Voice Of The Black Community” fflUUrti * i jiuuuMa ctilM
YOUR BEST ADVERTISING MEDIA IN THE I.VCRATIVE BLACK MARKET CAU. 371,Aim, 1
gum»ia.Numbw«0 THE CHARLOTTE POST- Thunday, March 5,Pri^afcj
:'r " '
TTODffl (COD®orO®tlti® (P®oft
(FisoOdO®® S[p®$D®0
Q)cbOdqdQs Klcsrati QQDsafc
Dooley
>iE(tiB<S)[B)(lltr(s [o)@@[j®g)
§[p)®irG® mUGGc SGwt&B®®
See Page 3 B
Sheronda Watkins....
enjoys helping others.
aperonda Watkins Advises Peers
tty Russell Chug ,
Poet Staff Writer
"I want to become a doctor be
cause I like helping others,” says
lt-year-old Sharon da Renee
Watkins, a junior at Charlotte
Catholic High School.
At school, she is active in the
Red Cross, Right to life and Stu
dents Against Driving Drunk
(8.A.D.D.) organisations which
are geared towards helping peo
ple. "We travel around to other
echools and put up posters against
drinking and driving. Ws also
talk to the students about othsr is
sues,” asserts the enthusiastic
beauty this week who is the treas
urer of all three organisations.
Despite of her commitment to
her extracurricular activities,
she makes time for studying and
brings home A’s and B‘e on her
report cards. Her courses include
Computer Programming, Chem
istry, U.S. History, Religion,
American Literature and Alge
bra II which is currently her fa
vorite subject. She also works as
an office assistant and a sprinter
on the track team.
Born to Nelson and Mary Wat
kins of Charlotte, she has two sis
ters Sherry and Shiffon and one
brother Rick.
"Our family is very cloee and
we spend a lot of time together. At
home we watch a lot of television
together, and we also travel a lot,"
mentions Sheronda who likes
watching A.C.C. basketball. The
Watkins' are members of the
Saint Ann's Catholio Church
where she is active in a special
"Peer Ministry" group.
"We travel around to other
church's and share our faith with
youth groups. There are about 60
members and we also do fun com
munity projects and go on re
treats," she notes with enthu
siasm,
When not busy, Sheronda en
joys reading, dancing and lis
tening to music. "My favorite
group is the New Edition because
I've always liked their style of
music. .1 also like Luther Van
dross and Freddie Jackson."
According to Sheronda, one of
the current battles that ths her
generation battles is trying to
grow up too fast. Tvs noticed that
a lot people my age try to act older
than what they really are. I just
wish that they would slow down
and take life a step at a time. Ws
should enjoy our teenage years
because we will have plenty of
time to be adults if we live."
LDF Receives $1.3 Million
New York, NY - The Rocke
feller Foundation, In an effort to
strengthen the legal programs
and fiscal health of one of Its
long-time grantees, has awarded
the NAACP Legal Defense and
Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) a
major grant of «l.l million.
Thao* fends, available over a
five-year period, will support th*
Seminar t
Registration begins at T:I0
P-».J the program lasts until 4
£*• WU $88 for nonmem
Uw, ttO for members and $10 for
allied health student*.
Hi* Charlotte Medical Assist,
ants and the Mecklenburg Coun
ty Medical Society are sponsor,
ing a seminar on Saturday,
March II in the auditorium of
Charlotte Memorial Hospital.
sSEsarcsss:
fill for.
organisation's civil rights litiga
tion and the improvement of th*
organisation's flnandal plan
ning and management practic
es.
"In recent years, LDP has
drained its resources to th* limit
in order to defend post gains won
by black Americans against cur
rent attack by a federal govern
ment hostile to civil rights," said
LDP Director-Counsel Julius
Chambers. "Th* Rockefeller
grant is Immensely Important
because it recognises th* signifi
cance of long-term financial sta
bility for our civil rights efforts.
Especially by awarding us fends
for administrative improvement
- which tends not to be a 'sexy*
area for th* foundation commu
nity » the Rockefeller founda
tion has enabled ua to strengthen
our infrastructure, which in turn
will buttress our legal programs,
■oth components are eseential t*
our feture legal successes."
The grant, ef which $1,188 mil
lion was presented to the Legal
Defense Fund in January, has an
unusual three-part structure. A
total of $188,000 has been given
outright to support 19$$ litigation.
Another million has been ear
marked for immediate invest
ment into what will first serve as
a five-year declining fund
(specific amounts, decreasing by
10% each year, may ba withdrawn
to help finance litigation), after
1991, tha remainder of tha Invert
ed eum will conetltute a Program
Reaerve Fund.
Tha third portion of $175,000
will ba allocated over tha next
three yearo to carry out recom
mendatlona made by tha account
ing firm of Price Watarhouaa In
a Rockefeller-handed audit of tha
organ!aation performed laat
year. It ia to ba applied toward
long-term program planning,
adminiatratlve reform a, tha re
cruitment of a development direc
tor and technical aeeiatanoe from
Prica Watarhouaa.
Tha NAACP Legal Defeneo
and educational Fund, Inc., haa
baen called tha "major legal arm
of tha aivll right* movement." It
waa (bunded by tha National Aa
oodation (hr tha Advancement of
Colored People in 1140 but haa
bean a eeparate and died net or
fan!canon for over 26 yaara with
»ts own programs, Board of Dtreo
tore, staff and budget. LDF pro
Wdee foes representation for In
dividuals and olaaaeo in a wide
fuCtaC legal program that ohal
langes discrimination in educa
tion, employment, housing,
health eare, voting righto, and
administration of criminal jus
Use.
NAACP Complainants
Vow To Remain Active
By Jalyne Strong
Port Staff Writer
NAACP Constitutional rule
bending and outright transgres
sions, nepotism and financial
subterfuge are some of the com
plaints members of the Charlotte
Branch NAACP say have
plagued the organization under
the administration of Kelly Alex
ander Jr, president of the Branch
from 1982 to 1986.
Incidents concerning and the
results of the Branch's last elec
tion gave rise to a ground swell of
grievances from Branch mem
bers. But at the same time, per
sons who spoke out against what
they perceived as the wrongs in
herent in the local organization,
remain firm in their commit
ment to NAACP.
Though Alexander has said he
believes the members who spoke
out against his type of leadership
will "withdraw and disappear"
from the Pranch now that they've
sons involved say that will not be
the case.
They remain firm in their
commitment to the what the
NAACP has stood for since its in
ception in 1909. And they say they
will remain active in the Branch
as they work to amend its prob
lems so it can carry on the pur
poses and aims for which it was
designed.
Anna Hood, a member of the
Charlotte Branch for several
years, became an intrinsically
involved member in 1980. She in
itially was the Branch's Mem
bership Director and was respon
sible for increasing the member
ship fVom less than 400 to over
1,000. Hood is currently a mem
ber of the Branch's executive
committee.
Hood spoke out against the fi
nancial management of the
Charlotte Branch and other un
fair practices she saw in opera
tion but says she will not give up
participation in the organization.
"I will stay involved because of
the overall purpoee of the group,"
she relates. "I'm hoping some
day the Branch will be what's its
suppose to be. The NAACP has
done a lot for our people national
ly and I'm staying for that rea
son."
Paul Recard, a member of the
NAACP since the 1980's became a
member of the Charlotte Branch
fci 1982 when he moved to this
city. He was involved in the
Branch's first Life Membership
Luncheon at which time he sold a
fully paid Life Membership
(9600) and secured three other
subscribing Life Members. Re
cord has been a member of the
Branch's Membership Commit
tee and Legal Redress Commit
tee. He was also elected Third
Vice President in 1984 and
served for one term. Record says
he has not missed a Branch meet
ing since he has been a member
plus he attends every state
NAACP (Unction at his own ex
pense.
Recard wee one of the first per
sona to com* forward exposing
th* violations that occurred dur
ing th* Branch's 1M8 election.
He was also th* person responsi
ble for sending a formal com
plaint to th* NAACP National Of
ftc*. The problems, however,
have not shaken hie resolve to re
main with the organisation.
"There's no question I will stay
involved with the NAACP," he
The National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People
has served as a champion for the
causes of black people. The Char
lotte Branch's present internal
problems do not obscure the or
ganization's worthy objectives
according to Branch members
and that's why they'll remain
active.
Paul Recard
tolls. On the national level it is
the boat civil rights organization
that has ever existed for black
people."
Geneal Frazier was one of the
persona who pointed to nepotism
and other unjustifiable practices
at work within the Charlotte
Branch. But she,too, has every in
tention of remaining with the or
ganization. She became a mem
ber of the NAACP in 1968 when
she lived in Baltimore, Md. Join
ing the Charlotte Branch in 1982,
Frasier eventually became the
Membership Committee chair
person and with the help of Hood,
Frasier became the top member
ship solicitor in Mecklenburg
County. She was chosen the
NAACP "Mother of the Year” for
Mecklenburg In 1986. A fall paid
Lif» Member, Frasier Is now sub
scribing to a Golden Heritage
Membership ($l,b00).
The fhct that Alexander would
•ay these persons In particular
would probably leave the organi
sation because they've pointed out
the Branch's problems seeme in
congruent in light of their reputa
tions with the NAACP. But eever
al inconeistencies in Alexan
der’s statements have become ap
parent.
For one, assessments he has
given of a few of the Branch
member• who have voiced com
plaints about the Local Branch do
not seem plausible. About Record,
Alexander described, "His activ
ity is rig-saggy.’ He maintains
a presence with spotty results."
However, many members have
described Recard as an exam
Earl Shinholster
...Regional Direct afl
Anthony Herring
plary member saying he has been
a great help to the organization, n
staunch member," one who nev
er misses a meeting, and a per
son who is "very vocal and artic
ulate in meetings." Recard, him
self, says he would not dignify
Alexander's statement with a re
sponse. "My reputation stand* for
itself," he maintains.
Furthtr into hit aaseasmant of
th* complainant*, Alexander not
ed that Jnmea Lamont wai mere
ly an "attendee" of Branch meet
ing*, implying that Lamont was
not very active. Yet Alexander
displayed belief in Lamont's
abilities when he designated La
mont as Election Supervisor for
th* 1986 Election. Lamont did
subeequently speak out against
Alexander's misguidance dur
ing th* election.
Secondly, Alexander has
claimed it was not nepotism that
mad* a way for hie family mem
bers to hold almost all official po
sitions in the local Branch. He
said his family members and his
business employe* who occupy the
petition* are wall-aultad and
qualified for the poata they hold.
But It haa baan learned that the
Branch's administrative duties
have bean lax. Am of March, no
year-end membership report ha#
baan iaauad. The Branch's
monthly newsletter has not bean
composed since November 1996.
There have bean complaints that
members receive mailed nottfl.
cations of maatings lata or net at
all. For the last Branch meating
Bo* MEMBEM On Page MX