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I Jesse Jackson For President: Is He Electable?
f of Art
Entertainment/ Pay IB
Natl Black
Mayors May
Bypass City
By Hob White
Post Staff Writer
Charlotte U looking leu and
leu likehr to be the host of next
year's National Conference of
Black Mayors convention.
The council's board of direc
tors voted last week to move the
convention to a city with a black
mayor In office unless contract
commitments made It lmpoul
ble to abandon Charlotte u a
site.
The conference has a contract
with the Marriott City Center
Hotel to use their faculties April
ia-i7. r
Charlotte was selected over At
lanta. Philadelphia and Roa
noke. Va. to hut the 1968 con
vention, but those plans were
sidetracked Nov. 3 when Harvey
Oantt. the city's first black
mayor and a two-time incum
bent, lost to Republican Sue My
rick by 995 votes.
Since the election. Myrlck hu
expressed her willingness to
Imep the convention here and at
ths request of the Charlotte Con
vention, and Visitors Bureau,
tent a letter to the NCBM in
forming them of her support
"It’s an Important event to
Charlotte." Myrlck uld test
Alter uie election, Myrick aald
she was willing to do whatever .
waa necessary to keep the con
vention here, Including working
to have Gantt host the event
'I don't have any objection to
Harvey hosting them If that’s
what they want" she has said. 1
recognise that they have a rule
about meeting only where they
have a black mayor, but 1 want
them to know that they're wel
come here."
Hie convention bureau has es
timated that the conference
could bring In at least $500,000
to the city through the use of ho
tel space and other amenities af-. y
forded conventioneers. .
An alternate site has not been
picked, but it Is believed that De
troit, Washington, Philadelphia
and Baltimore are believed to be
In the running. My ;
The conference, which started
In 1074 as the Southern Asso
ciation of Black Mayors, expect
ed Shout 600 people for the con
vention, Including most of the
country's 600 black mayors
Its members lead cities with a
total population of 16 million.
Lt. Gov. Seeks Higher Post
RALEIGH. NC Lieutenant
Oovemor Bob Jordan will an
nounce hie candidacy for gov
ernor at noon Monday. Jap. 4, at
the Jordan Lumber Company In
Mount Gilead.
1 will be announcing my can
didacy before my family and
friends from Montgomery Coun
ty because the lessons I teamed
at home and in my buslneea are
the lessons 1 want to apply to
North Carolina's future in the
Office of Oovemor," Jordan said.
Jordan Is president of Jordan
Lumber Company, which has
grown from the smallest tnde
Cdent pine manufacturer in
itgomery County to the larg
Seuch operation in North Car
ta and one of the largest in ,
A Democrat, oorow auenaea
. North Carolina State Untverelty,
graduating with a degree In fo
roe try. After graduation and aer
vice in, the U.B. Army, he re
turned to Mount Ollead, Later
eervtng on the town board and
Board of Oovernori. Before be
mg elected lieutenant governor
in 1M4, Jordan waa «Vted to
Lt Gov. Bob Jordan
the State Senate tor four terms.
He was chairman of the Senate's
Base Budget Committee and the
'.Administrative Rules Commit
Following his announcement,
Jordan will begin a week-long
series of trips across the state
to meet with supporters and be
gin outlining Ms campaign plat
. form. Trips are scheduled for
Charlotte, Oreenaboro. Ashe
ville. Wilmington and QreenvtUe.
: TT'7 . '''''
Happy Kwanzaa
The Children's Art Program From the Afro-American Cultural Center recently presented a
Kwanzaa Celebration.
Story on page 3A.
Blacks Attempt To Block Voting Plan
GREENVILLE. N.C. (AP) —A
group of black Pitt County resi
dents has filed a federal lawsuit
In an attempt to block the use of
at-large, or countywide, voting
for members of the county board
of commissioners*
In a lawsuit filed Monday In r
U.S. District Court in New Bern,
blacks contend that the county's
current method of election and a
new voting plan that is under
consideration violate voting
rights by diluting black voting
strength. The lawsuit Seeks a
court order blocking the election
of commissioners In 1088 until
a plan acceptable to minorities
la developed.
Under the current method,
commissioner* are required to
live in one 6f six districts in the
county and run on an at-large
basis. A revised method now be
ing reviewed by the U.S. Depart
ment 6f Justice calls for crea
tion of a nine-member board
with stx members elected In dis
tricts and three members elected
at large. Two of the revised dis
tricts would have a majority of
black residents.
Blacks make up about 30 per
cent of the county's population
of about 00,100, but there are no
blacks on the board of comjhls
alonera.
] The lawsuit, prepared by Char
lotte attorney Leslie Winner,
asks the court require an Elec
tion method that gtves black
voters "an opportunity to elect
candidates of their choice ...
equal to the opportunity of
white dtlsens."
The Voting Rights Act of 1066
requires that election changes
that affect minorities be ap
proved by the Justice Depart
ment
State Officials Say Marijuana
Growth Down This Year
Raleigh - State and local law
enforcement officer* found more
plots of growing marijuana this
year but lees plants than during
1068, according to figures re
leased recently.
According to the State Bureau
of Investigation's final report,
covering February through Oc
tober, a total of 80,373 plants
were destroyed in 1,611 plot* lo
cated by* Bureau and local offi
cers during the nine months
period, with 204 persons arrest
ed, including 63 by local author
ttiee, , vy. ■ j .
This year's total haul had an
estimated street value of 6146.2
million, according to 8BI drug
agents, and some marijuana was
found growing In 04 of the
State's 100 counties.
Last year SBI spotters, in con
junction with county sheriff de
Srtmente seised an all tlma
|h of 186,443 plants and mad*
arrests in locating 1,060
plots in 60 counties.
There were no extremely large
concentrations of plants found
this year, an SB1 spokesman
,'M* ' • _ ‘ f
•aid. Wflkea County was the top
Baducer with 11,132 plant* in
plot*. Bladen ranked second
with 0,690 plant* in 12 plot*,
and other top producer* includ
ed Craven (6,267 plants, 48
plot*), Haywood (4.901 plants.
26 plot*). Burke (3,094 plant*.
69 plot*), and Harnett (3,601
plant*, 84 plot*).
Totals for 1967 included 4,164
SlneemlUa plant* on plots in 20
countie*.
During the reporting period
9BI agent* arrested 181 per
son* with th* other 69 arrests
credited to local authorities. /<
"We an pleased with the coop
eration or local and State ofn
cere in this effective effort to
curb marijuana growt|Uf?|*
North Carolina." SBI Deputy
Director Charles Dunn said.
Tor the fliet time, we were able
to virtually cover the State, and
we found more plots and made
more arrests than in any previ
ous year." he added. "Officers end
agents are to be commended for
their fine job in this program."
Mtgeed WiU Run
For County Seat
#
By Jalyne Strong
Fast Managing Editor
Stating that he la aware of the
concerns and needs of the citi
zens of District 2, businessman
Naslf Majeed officially declared
his candidacy for the Mecklen
burg County Board of County
Commissioners. District 2. at a
news conference on Wednesday.
Majeed, a Democrat, said the
citizens of District 2 are con
cerned about "economic develop
ment, employment and affirma
tive action, human services and
criminal Justice."
Alter consulting with many
community leaders and analyz
ing these concerns, I have come
to the realization that many of
these Issues and problem areas
come under the authority of the
Mecklenburg County Commis
sioners. Therefore, I believe I
can best address the concerns of
the people of District 2 by serv
ing on this board." Majeed stat
ed.
The owner of the Burger King
restaurant on Beatties Ford Rd.
and president of the West Trade
Beatties Ford Road Merchants
Association, Majeed has been
active In the predominantly
black, west Charlotte communi
ty several years.
He is a member of the Char
with many citizens of the viiit
side community, who, in turn,
encouraged him to run for polit
ical office in 1988.
"Many have encouraged me to
run," Majeed said. "I appreciate
the opportunity to represent you
and from henceforth the Majeed
campaign will be a We,' Our,1
Majeed
and 'Us' effort. So whenever you
hear me say we, you will know
that I am speaking for all of us."
The District 2 county commis
sioner seat Is Majeed's first bid
for public office. He says If elect
ed he will bring a "new thrust" to
the office.
"A new thrust that emphasizes:
a partnership between commu-;
nlty and county government be- •
cause I care about the quality of;,
life for the citizens of District 2,!'*;
JiisUce win focus on prevention
“hablUtatlon through em
nt and education,
new thrust will focus on
hiring minority department
heads and citizen input into
long term policy," declared Ma-1.
See Majeed on Page 2A
Minority Groups File Lawsuit
Against Four School Systems
LUMBERTON. N.C. (AP) —Four
of Robeson County's school sys
tems are the focus of a suit filed
by a citizens group claiming the
lat-large method of electing
board of education members dis
criminates against minority
voters.
Eric Prevatte, a spokesman for
a group of 18 Indians and blacks
affiliated with Citizens After Re
sponsible Education, said the
county school system is named
in the suit on ly because its
boundaries could be affected by
any changes brought about by
the suit
The group sued the boards of
education and superintendents
of the city school systems In
Lumberton, Red Springs. Fair
mont and St. Pauls, and the
Robeson County system. The
suit was filed Tuesday in U.S.
District Court in Fayetteville.
Prevatte said the county sys
tem already elects Its board
from districts, and has had fair
racial representation since it
went to the district plan. But the
four city school systems “have
long histories of official dis
crimination against ... qualified
black and Indian voters." the
suit said.
lne at-large election meuioa
has deprived large segments of
our population an effective and
realistic opportunity to partici
pate in ... our educational sys
tems.'* Prevatte said In a written
statement
The suit asks the court to de
clam the at-large election meth
od illegal and to stop ariy future
elections from being held under
the at-large method.
City school officials said they
had not aaan the lawsuit, so they
could not comment on it
The suit asks the court to de
clare the four cities' existing at
large method of electing school
board members Illegal because it
dilutee minority voting
strength. It elso asks the court to
•top sny future elections under
the et-1ante oltn.
The suit farther sake that sin
gle-member election districts be
drawn for all city school sys
tems. It saya the districts can be -
drawn under either one of two ~
different county-wide plans. >
It says the school districts
boundaries should either be re- *
drawn to follow historical or ge- •
ographical boundaries, or.'
should be pulled in so the city -
schools serve only the children
within their city limits.
CARE figures show that the
percentage of black and Indian
representatives on the four city
school boards falls far below the
schools' minority population. ;
According to the figures, 43 per; '•?
cent of the school children in '
the four city school systems are
black. 23 percent are Indian and '
34 percent are white.
But only 19 percent of city
school board members are
black. Just 5 percent are Indian, . i,
and nearly 76 percent are white, ~
the figures show.
That means three-fourths of.',
city school board members arelj
white, even though only one- *
third of the students are white. ; *»
"There's a great amount of ef
fort In this part of the state to •;
Increase (minorities') partlclpa-I
tlon In elections ana govern
ment," he said. “We hope to In
volve more people (with the law- <
suit). We hope more people be
come aware of the problems and J
what Is needed In education In ^7
Robeson County."
a