®[ie Cliarlotte ^os«t
Gerald O. Johnson, Publisher Robert L. Johnson, Co-Publisher
Jalyne Strong, Editor
J]ditorials
Thou^ts On Relationships
Are Blacks No Longer Needed?
By Hoyle H, Martin
Editorial Writer
A Charlotte Post page one story last week by
Herb White eloquently tells about alleged dis
criminatory lending practices of Charlotte’s
First Union National Bank. In the article,
Jane Burts, a community organizer with the
Charlotte Organizing Project (CHOP), alleges
that data complied by the Southern Finance
Project shows that In 1987 ninety-seven per
cent of FUNB's loan funds went to upper-
income whites, three percent to low-income
nrinorltles, and one percent each went to low-
income whites and upper-income minorities.
Ms. Burts said that local lending institutions
gladly accept deposits from minorities: how
ever, "It’s clear (that) the major banks are not
loaning money In minority neighborhoods."
If Ms. Burts’ charges are true, FUNB Is violat
ing the Intent of the Community Reinvest
ment Act (1977). The Act Is a federal law de
signed to prevent red-lining by lending
Institutions, that Is, the practice of refusing
to approve loans to applicants living or con
ducting business hi designated low-income
ne Ighb orhoods.
FUNB’s discriminatory lending practices
are but a microcosm of a national problem In
the white-male dominated banking and fi
nancing Industry. For example, there are no
minorities and no women among the 49 di
rectors of the five savings and loan associa
tions with headquarters In Charlotte. Fur
thermore, there are Just two blacks and four
women among the board members of the 256
directors of North Carolina’s 25 largest sav
ings Institutions, according to the Durham-
based Institute for Southern Studies. Is there
any wonder that minorities and poor whites
cannot get a fair share of the loans made by
financial Institutions?
An even more Important question Is when,
where, why and how have we, as the strongest
and most productive national economy in the
history of the world, developed such negative
attitudes and behavior toward those of us
who happen to be black?
"Whilte Americans have enjoyed a very high
■{Standard of living while black Americans
have been chained to a level of poverty com
parable to that found In an underdeveloped
nation. Knowles and Prewitt have written
(Institutional Racism In America) that
"ownership of capital and the right to Invest
it In a profit-making enterprise has always
been associated with the American concept of
freedom. Yet, the white business world has
consistently denied to black people the op
portunity to (develop and) control substantial
financial resources."
Destroying Black Enterprise
Ironically, black economic historian and
neo-conservatlve Thomas Sewell tells us that
following the Revolutionary War, General
George Washington took his victorious offi
cers to a farewell dinner In a New York tavern
owned by a black man. Black caterers In
Philadelphia and other cities In the 19th
century were among the leading caterers of
their time, serving a largely wealthy white
clientele. Blacks were also highly successful
In many other types of business In Philadel
phia by the year 1820.
However, fear of competition by many
whites led to laws and ordinances to deny
business licensing. Insurance policies, bank
loan opportunities and other needs necessary
to advance and not destroy black economic
progress. Furthermore, when laws did not
apply, many black owned businesses were
simply burned to the ground with no law en
forcement efforts to find those guilty of such
crimes.
Even more tragically, when Booker T.
Washington was seeking to de-emphaslze civ
il rights pressures to accommodate white peo
ple In favor of black economic development,
some white racist extremists were still not
.satisfied. One such southern racist and writ
er was Thomas Dixon Jr.. "Here... Is Thomas
Dixon Jr.," wrote Harvard University histori
an Albert B. Hart In 1912, "arguing with all
his might that (If) the Negro...Is not checked
he will become such an economic competitor
of the white man that he will have to be mas
sacred."
Origin Of Racism Is Economic
As we probe deeper Into the historic roots of
our nation In a quest for Insights Into such
white hostility toward blacks, we find not too
surprisingly that racism In America Is eco
nomic In origin. The noted historian Oscar
Handlln has written that chattel slavery
evolved from the Indentured servitude of 17th
century Virginia and Maryland. In more spe
cific terms, during the 40 year period of In
dentured servitude, these colonies experi
enced an Increasing labor shortage — Indian
servitude and slavery was a failure and white
servants, very limited In supply, would often
abandon their seven-years servant contract
agreements.
Eminent historian John Hope Franklin has
written (FYom Slavery To Freedom), that the
answer to the colonies vexing labor problem
appeared to be a law permitting "...perpetual
servitude of Negroes..." Therefore, slavery
came Into existence for economic reasons
and racism came Into being to rationalize the
enslavement of blacks.
Students of economic history can thus easi
ly agree with Wlnthrop Jordan’s viewpoint
that prejudice would not itself have developed
Into the Institution of slavery without the
stimulus of powerful economic forces.
One conclusion that we can draw from this
brief historic review Is that all racist practi
tioners are not necessarily racist. It Is for
such practitioners simply one of many meth
ods of retaining an economic power advan
tage. As we noted In our March 16th editori
al, those who have power - economic,
political or social - will not voluntarily share
It. This Is a characteristic of the free-
enterprlse capitalistic system.
The passion to gain and retain power
through any means, ethical or unethical, to
the near total exclusion of others based on
such superficial things as race was stated In
disturbing terms In Sidney M. Wlllhelm’s
1971 book. Who Needs The Negrd? He wrote,
"The life situation of black Americans deteri
orates with the passing of each
year...technological efficiency makes possi
ble the full realization of the nation’s anti-
Negro beliefs. The arrival of automation
eliminates the need for black labor, and ra
cist values call for the Negro’s removal from
the American scene.,.As the races pull apart
Into lifestyles with greater polarity, the black
ghetto evolves Into the equivalent of the Indi
an reservation. What is the point, demands
white America, In tolerating an unwanted ra
cial minority when there Is no economic ne
cessity for acceptance. With machines now
replacing human labor, who needs the Ne
gro?
Does each bank loan denied, each Job appli
cant rejection and each social ostracism,
move us as a nation closer to Wlllhelm’s the
sis? If It does, we are all, black and white
alike, doomed to hasten Almighty God’s own
Armageddon.
lAE D06SMT
WAVE AWV!
Let me tell you a story.
There were three men stranded
on an Island after a shipwreck.
They had been marooned on this
Island for two years, when a
bottle washed ashore. The men
rushed down to the shore and
opened the bottle. Like magic, a
puff of smoke filled the air and a
genie appeared. The genie was so
happy to be freed from his glass
prison that he offered each man
one wish.
The first man said, ’’Genie, I
wish to be In Paris surrounded
by beautiful women, bottles of
champagne, and the very best
cuisine."
The genie replied, ’Your wish
Is my command.” In a flash the
first man disappeared.
The second man said, "Genie,
my wish is quite simple. I Just
want to be surrounded by dia
mond mines, and whenever I de
sire something, I can just buy It
with some of my diamonds."
The genie replied, ’Your wish
Is my command." In a flash the
second man disappeared.
The genie turned to the third
man and said, "What can I do for
you?"
The man responded with a dis
mal look on his face, "I don’t
know genie, I feel so lonesome. I
really wish my two buddies were
back here with me."
Hidden In this humorous story
Is a good message for all of us.
We have all been guilty of play
ing down hopes and dreams of
others when those hopes and
dreams are not Important to us.
More often than not we allow
selfish motives to interfere with
loved ones realizing their full
potential In those areas that In
terest them.
How often have you been sup
portive of your loved one's desire
to pursue an Interest they may
have?
If the Interest will cause your
loved one to associate with peo
ple of the opposite sex, then for
get it. Jealousy rears Its ugly
head, and you put all your ef
forts in discouraging their at
tempts at pursuing their Inter
ests.
What about those Interests
that could propel the upward
mobility of your loved one?
Fear steps in as you become af
raid that your loved one will
outgrow the relationship. Rath
er than deal directly with your
fear, you turn to discouraging
your loved one’s Interest.
Maybe you au'c the type that
when your loved one pursues an
interest, you find It necessary to
pursue an Interest yourself. You
do this to avoid having to offer
support. Moreover, you can
teach your loved one a lesson by
showing you can play this game,
too.
How about when your loved
one’s effort will cause you to
have to chip In and help with
some of the routine chores. It
really becomes difficult to en
courage your loved one to pursue
an Interest when It Is going to
Infringe on you. Isn’t It? W^en
you got it good, you don't want to
rock the Ixjat, do you? If you do
that, who will cook dinner? Who
will pick up the kids, if you start
doing that? Well, what 1 am sup
pose to do, while you go gala-
vanting cross the country?
We are all guilty of blowing
these scenarios to sneak Into
our lives.
Too often we allow the routine
ness of relationships to become
habit forming which ultimately
leads to poor relationships.
If you stifle the growth of the
Individuals In a relationship,
you consequently, stifle the re
lationship.
However, relationships blos
som and grow when each of the
Individuals In the relationship
Is allowed to blossom and grow.
Being supportive of each oth
ers' growth enhances what each
individual can bring to the rela
tionship. Moreover, the support
demonstrates true caring and
therefore enhances the love In
the relationship.
It Is Interesting that few people
realize that the support and car
ing offered In child rearing Is
the same type of support and
caring needed In nurturing a
partner In a relationship. Many
of us make tremendous sacrific
es In glvfng our kfds the needed
tools to become successful In
their life pursuits. Rarely, do we
go to the same extremes In guar
anteeing that our marital or pre
nuptial relationships get the
same attention.
These are my thoughts on rela
tionships and they are not based
on any formal training or edu
cation. It Is simply learning
from the school of hard knocks.
Quite frankly, for the price. It Is
the best educational bargain
around.
’Brother Jim’ Lived To Fight Racism
Journal
i.
By Benjamin Chavis
One of the things that we have
emphasized over the years here
at Civil Rights Journal Is the Im
portance of taking the time to
appropriately pay tribute to the
fallen heroes and heroines of
the on-going freedom struggle In
this nation and throughout the
world. James Norman Dunn.
Ph.De., Co-founder and Director
of the Peoples Institute for Sur
vival and Beyond, died at the age
of 53 of cancer at his home In
New Orleans on February 17,
1969.
Dr. Dunn spent his life In the
struggle for human Justice. As a
poet, teacher and singer. Jim
Dunn was always in the front
lines of civil rights marches,
community empowerment ef
forts and student sit-ins of the
1960's, and the 1980’s.
Jim Dunn was a native of Ur-
bana, Ohio. Brother Jim, as he
was affectionately called by
thousands of persons through
out the southern region of 5ie
United States, was committed to
building a multiracial society.
He was an activist as well as a
scholar who learned the impor
tant lessons of effective grass
roots community organizing.
After receiving his Master’s de
gree In Social Work from Colum
bia University in 1970 and his
Civil
Rights
doctoral degree from Union
Graduate School In 1978, Dr.
Dunn taught sociology and
Black Studies for 11 years at
Antioch College in Yellow
Springs, Ohio.
From 1981 until he died. Dr.
Dunn conducted Peoples Insti
tute workshops on "undoing ra
cism." MaNy academic institu
tions and community
organizations honored him for
his distinguished leadership.
Jim Dunn was also a gifted
musician and songwriter. We
know the important role that
music has played and will con
tinue to play in Inspiring a new
generation of committed acti
vists and leaders. Dunn pub
lished several articles, essays
and songs for the movement, in
cluding New Wine and New
Wineskins, a book of original
poetry, and "It’s Time to Sing
Some New Songs," a taped col
lection of his music.
For four long years. Brother
Jim battled courageously with
cancer. Yet, at every moment
Jim kept his focus on challeng
ing the Increasing dangers of ra
cism. At a recent meeting and
training session In Mississippi
sponsored by the Peoples Insti
tute for Survival and Beyond,
many of Jim’s friends gathered
to celebrate his life and living
legacy.
It Is our hope that not only
something of the memory of the
significance of the life of Jim
Dimn will be maintained for may
years to come, but also that the
model of courage and leadership
of his life wlU be lived through
out our communities. One con
crete way to remember Jim
Dunn Is to support the Jim
Dunn Educational Scholarship
Fund c/o Peoples Institute, 1444
N. Johnson St., New Orleans, LA
70116. Our struggle has been
blessed by Jim’s contribution,
may his spirit continue to live In
the effective way we stand up
against the forces of racism.
WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND?
Let us hear your comments, ideas and opinions. Write to:
Letters To The Post
P.O. Box 30144
Charlotte, N.C. 28230
Please include name, address and phone number. V/e edit letters for clarity and grammar.