Biege, Brown, Black
Discrimination Among
African-Americans
LifestyleW Pa^e 9A
Powerful Film Portrays South African Martyr
Entertainment/ Page IB
Church Athletics: Outlet For Black Youth
Sporta/ Page 9B
Cljariotte
"The Voice Of The DIock Community"
Volume 13, Number 38
THE CHARLOTTE POST - Thursday, February 18, 1988
Price: 50 Cents
Barnett May
PAG In Efforts
By Herb White
Post Staff Writer
Facing the possibility of being
In vtolallon of N.C. election law.
a Charlotte civil rights activist
vows that the organization he
leads will continue Its work to
defeat Incumbent Mecklenburg
County Commissioner Bob Wal
ton.
James Bar
nett. chairman
of People Unit
ed for Justice,
claimed In a
report pub
lished In the
Charlotte Ob
server that
about 10 per
sons opposed
to Walton had
gathered "a few
hundred dol- Barnett
lars" to work
against his bid for a sixth term.
Walton, the only black and
Democrat on the b^rd. Is being
challenged for the party's nomi
nation by Naslf Majeed and
James Baldwin.
A letter written by Dyrrle Os
borne. president of Estate Pro
tection Services, wrote a letter to
Mecklenburg Elections Super
visor Bill Culp last month to
alert the county to a px>sslble vi
olation by Barnett's group,
which numbers about 15.
Calls to Osborne's ofllcc were
not letumed as of press time.
Barnett claimed that his or
ganization Is not a PAC and
doesn't plan to become one.
Their puipose. he Insists. Is to
educate District 2 voters.
"We're not coming out against
Bob Walton." he said.
Bill Culp. Mecklenburg's elec
tion supervisor, sent a letter to
Barnett dated Feb. 3 asking for
more Information on the group's
activities outlined In th^e Ob
server's report. Culp asked for
names of Individuals Involved
and a listing of financial contri
butions or expenditures.
According to N.C. law. a PAC Is
defined as an organization
whose purpwse Is to supperi or
oppx>se piollUcal candidates and
raises or spends money to do so
Barnett has not responded to
Culp's request but Indications
arc that he may have formed a
PAC.
"I haven't heard from Mr. Bar
nett as of yet." he said. 'We would
have reason to believe that ac
cording to the article In the Ob
server. he Is forming a PAC."
If Barnett's group Is found to be
a PAC under N.C. law. the late
filing could bring a maximum
penalty of $100. Culp said. If
Barnett fails to respond with a
organizational campaign re
port. the board of elections
would turn the matter over to
the district attorney's ofHce.
"We'll have to make a decision
at the appropriate time" If Bar
nett falls to answer. Culp said.
"If they don't resp>ond. I don't
have any alternative but to go to
the District Attorney's ofUce."
From his standpoint. Barnett
said forming a PAC Is counter to
what his group wants.
"We don't want to do that." he
See Barnett On Page 2A
rn
The
PS—
Bruce Lightner, Jesse Jackson's North Carolina camp>aign coordi
nator, center, announces the op>ening of the Charlotte headquar
ters Simday. Phyllis Lynch, a Jackson fundraiser and former 9th
Congressional District coordinator, is third .from the left. Cathy
Photo By Calvin Ferguson
Chapman Hughes, a former Mecklenburg Democratic Party offi
cial and the new coordinator, is fourth from the left. The head
quarters is in Suite 145 in the Independence Plaza at 700 East
Stonewall Avenue.
Black Students Focus Of Program'
Blacks Don't Know
S. Africa Apartheid
By Jal3me Strong
Post Staff Writer
On Sunday, February 28. the
SCLC of Charlotte Is sponsoring
a flrst-of-lts
JOHANNESBURG. South Afri
ca (AP) — Pat Robertson says
black Americans "don't under
stand what thc/re dealing with"
In South Africa, and that he
won't bash that nation to gain
votes for his COP presidential
btd.
Govemment-run television
aired an Interview with Robert
son on Thursday night In which
the former television evangelist
complained that South Africa
has become a campaign issue In
the United States.
" The blacks In this country
have made this whole matter
Into an extension of the United
States civil right movement and
I think they don't understand
what they're dealing with really
In this South African thing," Ro
bertson said.
"And so It becomes an Ameri
can political Issue to say. If you
want suppxjrt among American
blacks for American p>olltical
office you have to bash South
Africa." he continued. "1 think
that's bad."
Robertson urged the South Af
rican government to exercise
moderation In dealing with un
rest, so as not to play Into the
hands of Its enemies.
"I think If the government
would only realize the press re
ception, they play into this. The
communists want to Incite riots
and then the oppressive,
trunchcon-wleldlng p>ollce Just
give their enemies the fodder
they need to hurt them. If they
would really begin to use some
See Apartheid's On Page 2A
kind event on
education.
Titled. " The
Making of
History
Through Chil
dren." the
event will
bring together
a coalition of
Interdenomi
national
churches to
address the Is
sue of educating black children
In Charlotte.
Dr. Peter Relic. Superinten
dent of the Charlotte-
Mecklcnburg School System
will be the keynote speaker for
the 6 - 8 p.m. program to be held
at Gethsemane AME Zion
Church, 531 Campus SL
Participants In the program
will be school children In grades
K-12. Youth choirs from area
Seth
churches will also be featured.
There will be oratorial rendi
tions and art exhibits produced
by black school children.
"We will present a living Illus
tration to Relic and , In effect, to
the School Board members that
we must continue to strive to
motivate our youth to excel,"
said Dr. Rudolph Seth, presi
dent of the Charlotte SCLC.
'The program will also allow
parents and children the oppor
tunity through an Informal set
ting to express themselves to the
Superintendent of schools. They
will be able to let him know
their fears and hopes In regard
to education.
"At the same time. Relic wlU be
able to talk to the youth and
parents; set forth his aspira
tions and the direction he wants
to move the Charlotte-
Mecklenburg School system. To
talk about the goals he's set as it
relates to our experience," said
Seth.
"We think the church Is a good
setting for this typ>e of Interac
tion. It Is an environment where
black people. In particular, are
very comfortable in.
"This Is probably the first
time, ReUc and the black church
has had the opportunity to share
In this type of event," said Seth.
"We ask for community sup
port and attendance. It wUl be a
cross-denominational gather
ing. Free and op>en to the public,
all segments of the Charlotte
community are invited to be ac
tive participants," Seth adds.
Several of Charlotte's black
churches will be represented at
the 'The Making of History
Through Children" program.
Additionally, black elected offi
cials, and policial candidates
will be In attendance.
Such black community citi
zens as Arthur Griffin, who's
currently running for School
Board; Bob Davis, principal of
Spaugh Middle School; Pearl
Robinson, president of Earle
Village Community; Rev. Tom-
sH
Relic
mie Davis and Rev. George
Battle, pastor of Gethsemane
AME Zion are expected to at
tend.
South's 1st Black Woman Mayor Speaks
Reassignment Has
Flaws, But Works
Special To The Post
By Eileen Hanson
"Building the New South from
the Grass Roots Up" Is the chal
lenge that the South's first black
woman mayor will bring to
Charlotte at this year's Interna
tional Women's Day celebration.
Geraldine Sawyer, former
mayor of McMullen. Alabama,
will be the keynote sp>eaker at
the Woman of the Year Awards
Luncheon on March 5th. p>art of
a two-day conference to be held
at UNC- Charlotte's Cone Cen
ter. Children of the Sun Choir
will also appear at the luncheon,
which will celebrate the contri
butions of women working to Im
prove life In our community.
Sponsored by the UNCC Wom
en's Studies Program and Inter
national Women's Day Commit
tee. the conference Is opien to the
public and will be Interpreted for
the hearing Impaired. All activi
ties will be held In Cone Center,
which Is wheelchair accessible.
Luncheon reservations must be
made by Friday Noon, February
26 by calling 547-4312 (daytime
hours).
Mayor Sawyer, a voting rights
activist In the Alabama Black
Belt for many years, wUl discuss
the role of women in the strug
gles for political power of the
Sawyer
lormerly disenfranchised people
of the South. Her remarks will
also focus on the Importance of
"Super Tueday" (March 8th),
when the whole world will be
looking at the South.
"It's people at the grass roots
who are making real changes,
and women are playing a signifi
cant role because we cany the
load. " said Sawyer. We are
fighting for basic things—water,
sewers. jobs--we don't have
these In the Black Belt. We are
fighting for political power."
The annual "Woman of the
Year" award will be presented to
a woman who has been actively
working to Improve life In our
community, but who has not
been previously recognized.
The two-day conference begins
Friday evening. March 4. with a
play, "Lillian", performed by Nan
cy Nixon, based on the life and
writings of Lillian Heilman, a
writer and fighter for civil liber
ties In the 1950's. The play be
gins at 7; 30 pm and Is free to the
public.
Saturday's conference begins
at 9:00 am at Cone Center and
continues through 5:00 pm, with
a variety of workshops, films,
panels and exhibits. The confer
ence Is approved for recertifica
tion credits by the Charlotte-
Mecklenburg Schools and will
be of special Interest to teach
ers.
Dr. Margaret Smith and Kath
ryn Frye will share the opening
session on "The Politics of His
tory; Recovering Women from
the Past".
Conference participants can
choose from among over a dozen
workshops on Issues of Elector
al Politics. Language and Gen
der, Sexual Assault and Victim
ization of Woman. Teachers
Unions and Organizations, Sup
er Tuesday and the South, Peace
and Feminism, and the Political
History of Women In Charlotte.
Several films will be shown.
Including "Finding a Common
History: Women In Charlotte,"
"Global Assembly Line" and
"Mandela" (about South Africa
leader Nelson Mandela).
Throughout the conference,
participants may browse eimong
Information tables by communi
ty and women's groups, and view
a special art exhibit, "Light Pas
sages", by Jennifer Adams.
A closing reception will honor
the day's speakers and a Woman
of the Year. Among those nomi
nated for the award are: Lyndall
Hare, Mary Wannamaker, Daisy
Alexander, Shirley Rodgers, Ruth
Dickens Bowen, Sarah Hender
son, Mary Oma Carter. Dorothy
Cousar. Bernadette Parker, Mil
dred Taylor, Joyce Waddell. Rita
ArundeU. Sally Thomas and Ann
Newman.
Registration for the confer
ence Is $10 (Includes the lun
cheon) and scholarships are
available. Child care Is availa
ble and must be requested by
Feb. 26. For reservations and In
formation, call 547-4312 day
time.
By Herb White
Post Staff Writer
The plan Is hardly perfect, but
the proposed pupU assignment
plan for Mecklenburg schools Is
fair, a school administrator
says.
Dr. Bruce Irons, Assistant Su-
perintendant for Planning emd
Research, said the proposed re-
asslgnments would move ap
proximately 2000 students to
new schools In the 1988-89
school year and about 2,300 In
1989-90.
The changes. If approved by
the school board March 8, would
affect 29 schools.
The board will hold a public
hearing on the plan next Tues
day.
The four proposed changes
would give Charlotte-
Mecklenburg schools better ra
cial balance In the 106 existing
schools as well as for two new
units under construction In the
mostly white, fast-growing
southeast.
About 1,300 students would be
moved to the high school under
construction on N.C. 51 In the
southern part of the county.
Irons said In a Tuesday Inter
view.
The school, scheduled for
completion in August, will have
about 400 black students, or
nearly 34 percent of the total
enrollment.
The plan Isn't perfect. Irons
said, but short of Integrating
every neighborhood, the propo
sals are the best way to racially
balance the schools.
"I think they chances are pret
ty good" that the school board
will vote for the plan, he said.
Irons said the changes had
See Reassignment On Page 2A
Inside This Week
Editorials
...6A
Religion: a non-issue
In District 2 Race
7A
Lifestyles
...9A
Church News.
..10A
Dr. J.B. Humphrey
hwicred for service 11A
Entertainment.
...IB
The Charlotte Post & FDYs
successful gathering....
....6B
Sports
WPCQ welcomes
new Sports Director
IIB
Classifieds...
16B