Black Pastor
Astronauts' Robyn
Legacy 7A Gool lOA
The Star Of 'Ain't
Got Long To Stayi
Here' IB
Big Stick Carries
Charlottean To
Softball Shrine 7B
Ctiarlotte Bostt
Volume 19, No. 25
THUKSDAY FEBRUARY 4,1993
50 Cents
lews And Notes From Charlotte
And The Rest Of The World.
Unsung Heroes
Deadline Near
It's not too late to enter Fo
cus On Leadership's 1993 Un
sung Heroes awards.
But time's running out.
Awards will be given in 10
categories on March 19 at
FDY In these categories:
•Youth (Individuals under
18 who go beyond their best
to create a desire In other
youth to excel);
•Religion (an example to all
that believe In one's conver
sation, charity and spiritual
matters In faith and purity):
•Politics (individual seek
ing to be involved in the
science of government and to
use it to bridge gaps between
government and the commu
nities It serves);
•Education (using educa
tion to become a part of the
development of minds, capa
bilities or character of oth
ers);
•Arts (person or organiza
tion that seeks support, pres
ervation and promotion of
black art forms);
•Personal achievement
(Person who dares to dream
by turning adversity Into ad
miration);
•Community service (un
selfish volunteer efforts to
meet black community
needs:
•Media (Individual or Indi
viduals who show blacks In a
positive light and present
proactive news):
•Human service (Individual
or organization who seeks to
promote the health, educa
tion and welfare of mankind
in black communities).
•Business/entrepreneur
(person or persons In busi
ness for at least three years
who promotes excellence and
provides a positive Impact
through community service.)
Deadline for nominations
Is Feb. 13. For more infor
mation, call Angela Jeter at
535-5941.
JCSU Gets A
Capital Grant
Johnson C. Smith Univer
sity has received a $250,000
gift to Its capital campaign
from a Charlotte law firm.
Robinson, Bradshaw &
Hinson P.A. gave the school
an unre
stricted gift
as part of
JCSU's cam
paign.
"We are ec
static about
this gift
from our
friends at
Robinson,
Bradshaw &
Hinson,
JCSU Presi
dent Robert Albright said.
'We are extremely grateful
that the firm's partners have
shown their support for
JCSU and have become part
of the larger community In
helping make Johnson C.
Smith one of the nation's
strongest small liberal arts
Institutions."
Russell Robinson, a senior
partner at the firm, said Ro
binson, Bradshaw & Hinson
was proud to contribute to
Smith's academic programs.
'We regard this campaign
as special," he said.
Albright
■ksm
Eonioseiflials M Black Ckarloile
Second of two parts.
By Winfred B. Cross
THE CHARLOTTE POST
i
i
Fhoto/CALVIN nCROUBON
Charlotte City Council member Hoyle BSartin on homosexuality: '1 have problems with peo
ple who define themselves by their sexual preference."
How should the black com
munity deal with homosexu
ality?
That depends on which seg
ment of the community you
ask. Some blacks say gays
should be Ignored while oth
ers say they should be ex
cluded from society. Some
even say they deserve laws
that protect their rights,
much like black people
fought for In the '60s.
A local therapist who did
not want her named used
said the community Is like
most others In dealing with
things It doesn't understand.
"Anyone who's perceived to
be different in behavior or
belief Is generally Isolated by
the community and Is viewed
as a threat even If there Is no
basis for the fear," she said.
"A typical reaction Is to try
to avoid the behavior Instead
of trying to understand or ac
cept the behavior. What we
should be striving for Is ac
ceptance of humanity and
within that framework there
Is a multitude of differences."
City Council member Hoyle
Martin doesn't want to ac
cept homosexuality. He
wishes they would all go
away.
"I have problems with peo
ple who define themselves by
See OPINIONS On Page 3A
Drugs Of Choice
PERCENTAGE OF DISTRICT 2 RESIDENTS'
SUBSTANCE USE WITHOUT DOCTOR'S.
PRESCRIPTON IN PAST YEAR
Alcohol
Dilaudkf
Heroin
Marijuana
Some Money For The Fight
Grant To Help Combat Drug Abuse In District 2
By Herbert L. White
THE CHARLOTTE POST
After a year of trying,
Mecklenburg County finally
has Its money to fight drug
and alcohol abuse.
The Robert Woods Johnson
Foundation approved a five-
year, $3 million grant to
Charlotte-Mecklenburg's
Fighting Back program. The
money will go to fighting
substance abuse In 27 com
munities In Mecklenburg
District 2 on the west side of
the county.
'They picked a great city to
start the program In," said
Charlotte Mayor Richard
Vlnrodt, one of the co-chalrs
of the Fighting Back task
force. 'We will succeed, I pre
dict. We’re In this together to
bring our community back to
the place we want It to be."
Getting the money wasn't
easy. In 1990, the county ap
plied for and received a $197,
386 plaiming and develop
ment grant to Initiate the
program In west Charlotte.
The next year, the founda
tion shocked program back
ers by denying the county ad
ditional funding, citing a
lack of community support.
After bringing on political
and business leaders to work
with neighborhood activists,
Mecklenburg applied for an
other grant last year, this
time winning approval. The
county will match the foun
dation's money with $1.5
million and In-klnd services
worth an additional $1.5
million over five years. Next
year, the foundation will re
view Mecklenburg's progress
with the project and could
award another $2 million If
See FIGHTING On Page 2A
School District Representation Backers Vow To Fight On
By Cassandra Wynn
THE CHARLOTTE POST
A proposal to have Char-
lotte-Mecklenburg School
Board members elected by
districts will get resurrected
In several weeks, according
to Its proponents. It’s only a
matter of time before district
representation replaces the
* J
Lassiter
current at- study district representation
large system, was defeated by the school
say board board "The board has not
members Ar- placed priority on the Issue,"
thur Griffin said Lassiter, who supported
and James district representation In his
Lassiter. campaign for election to the
In a 7-2 board.
vote, a pro- Lassiter was asked by
posal to ap- School Board Chairman
point a com- George Battle to receive com-
mittee to ment and bring back to the
Griffin
board a re- district representation,
port on the "I'm very disappointed In
Issue. the action of the majority of
However, the board," said Mecklenburg
even Lasslt- County Commissioner Bob
er's assign- Walton. "They shouldn't
ment to have taken the vote. It gives
make a re- the wrong signal. A 7-2 ma-
port did not jorlty gives a bad Impres-
soothe the slon."
Ire of those Griffin, who made the pro-
who favor See BACKERS On Page 3A
Justice Remembered At Alma Mater
NATIONAL NEWSPAPER
PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION
Members of the Howard
University School of Law fa
culty are planning a memo
rial service for late Supreme
Court Justice Thurgood Mar
shall, the most distinguished
alumnus In the 124 history
of the Institution, according
to Professor J. Clay Smith
Jr., former dean of the
school.
Other alumni from around
the nation are expected to
participate In the university
memorial being organized
this week. Smith announced
as hundreds of unidentified
citizens, officials, former
colleagues and members of
various bar associations
joined thousands of mourn
ers participating in final
rites for the Justice In the
Great Hall of the Supreme
Court and the Washington
National Cathedral last
weekend. He died Jan. 24 and
private burial services were
held at Arlington National
Cemetery.
President Bill Clinton and
vice-president A1 Gore led
the nation In paying tribute
to the outstanding jurist
who helped transform the
country as an NAACP attor
ney and laid the legal
groundwork for the civil
rights movement which
spread throughout the world.
Members of the Alpha Phi
Alpha fraternity conducted a
candlelight ceremony In
honor of their "Brother."
But, It was the children and
everyday working people he
helped the most who stood In
line outside the Supreme
Court In the January cold
weather for hours to pay
their last respect at his flag-
draped coffin. Retired Su
preme Court attendant Hans
ford Harrison appeared to
sum up the attitude of most
of the staff. "All I can say is
he was a nice guy. He was
great. When he was on the
bench It was all serious busi
ness, but when he was off, he
was one of us, chatting and
joking about our families..."
Professor Smith has writ
ten a personal tribute to Jus
tice Marshall on behalf of
the scored of Howard Law
School graduates and hun
dreds of black lawyers who
dedicated their careers to
achieving full equality for
African Americans Instead
of pursuing more financially
rewarding careers In corpo-
See MARSHALL On 2A
Science Bowl Champions
i
iwiiils®?
...w^
■
pimua^audi maoMii
Seong Klin Kim, Tino Wallace, Wilbur Evans and Praahanth
ChintananapalU of Albemarle Road Jnnlor High celebrate
their victory in the Science Bowi competition at Johnson C.
Smith University. Hoechst'Celanese. Charlotte-
Mecklenbuig Schools and JCSU sponsmred the competition.
4A-5A Editorials 10A Religion
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