2A
NEWS/ The Charlotte Post
Thursday, January 30, 1997 j.;
Study
black
history
Legacies of
our proud past
require a look
MELODYE MICERE STEWART
In the
spirit of
Ma’at
ujichagulia -
self-determina
tion — and the
struggle to
achieve it, is one
of the enduring,
conscious threads
of our existence.
K
Shooting spurred protest
It is the exhortations of self-
determination and our identifi
cation with this important
value of autonomy, which con
nects African Americans to the
words, examples and inspira
tion our historical leaders, from
Frederick Douglass, Martin
Delaney and David Walker to
W.E.B. DuBois, Ida B. Wells-
Barnett and Mary McLeod
Bethune right up to Fannie
Lou Hamer, Malcolm X and
Martin Luther King. These his
torical giants all lived self
determined lives, sacrificing
their time on earth to leave us
a legacy we must now utilize to
ensure the future of our race.
The historical legacies of the
numerous African American
men and women we will honor
during Black History Month
requires closer study. The criti
cal study of our historical
lessons begins with a commit
ment to reading. In particular,
there a half-dozen
documents/books all African
American adults and young
people need to know. As prima
ry sources, they fill in the
knowledge gap deliberately
omitted from American history
books. As self-determined
works, they all provide knowl
edge ol' where we have been,
where are and where we
need to go.
Briefly, these “must-read”
books/documents are W.E.B.
DuBois’ “The Souls of Black
Folks” (1903), Carter G.
Woodson’s ‘The Mis-Education
of the Negro” (1933), Mary
McLeod Bethune’s “Last Will
and Testament" (1955), “The
Autobiography of Malcolm X”
with Alex Haley (1965), Martin
Luther King’s “Where Do We
Go From Here: Chaos or
Community” (1968) and Lerone
Bennett's “Before the
Mayflower: A History of Black
America” (6th edition, 1988).
While it will be painful, we
should also read at least one
slave narrative, e.g, Frederick
Douglass, Harriet Jacobs, etc.,
to fully identify with our ances
tors of yesterday and to appre
ciate the miracle of our exis
tence today.
Once you begin reading these
race-insightful books, do not be
surprised if you feel angry.
Welcome the anger, knowing
what you feel is the energy of
agitation. Agitation is the life
blood of self-determination,
requiring historical knowledge,
vision, courage and persever
ance. Each of the cited docu
ments embodies the spirit of
self-determination, and, if we
read and internalize them, we
will receive that same ener
getic, self-determined spirit to
propel us to greatness.
The lessons we must learn
and share constitute the inside
work of consciousness. The
work of consciousness must be
done individually and collec
tively within organizations. To
ensure the future of our chil
dren, we must learn and teach
the knowledge of our history.
Continued from page 1A
December 1993 shooting death
of a black woman - Windy Gail
Thompson - by a Charlotte
police officer. The third coffin
represented Jake King, who was
shot and killed by a police officer
in 1989.
Afncan Americans have called
for an independent citizens
review of police shootings, an
independent prosecutor and
video cameras in police cars.
Black Monday was coordinat
ed by the Rev. Kojo Nantambu,
who also helped coordinate local
participation in the Million Man
March.
In his speech, Chavis said pro
testers had gathered “in the
spirit of unity and the spirit of
self-determination.”
“We do not intend to allow the
deaths of Jake King, Windy Gad
Thompson and James Willie
Cooper to be in vain,” Chavis
said. “We will not forget them.”
“There is apartheid in
Charlotte, North Carolina,” he
said, pointing to the skyscrapers
anchoring the corners of The
Square.
Noting that Charlotte is the
financial capital of the southeast
and could soon be the financial
capital of the nation, Chavis, for
mer executive director of the
NAACP, pointed out the lack of
black ownership of any of the
city’s prime real estate.
“Charlotte will not reach its
true potential until there is jus
tice for black people,” Chavis
said. “You can’t have a great city
when you allow a white police
officer to shoot down a black
man with his baby beside him in
the car.”
The Black Monday Coalition
which organized the protest will
stay together, Chavis said. A
citywide follow-up meeting is
planned for Feb. 17, he said.
The organization is neither
anti-white or anti-semitic,
Chavis said in response to com
plaints that the rally would
heighten racial tensions.
“We are pro-black,” he said.
“There is nothing wrong with ^
black person being pro-black.”
Fess Bradley, a Charlotte
writer and activist, said that
although there was opposition to
the protest from the “power
structure” and the traditional
black leadership, Monday’s
PHOTO/OALVIN FERGUSON
Protesters pray during Black Monday ceremonies.
demonstration has historic
implications.
“With aU the obstacles, to have
this many people out two
months after Brother Cooper
was killed is significant,”
Bradley said.
Ten-year-old Makeda
Nantambu, who stayed home
from Irwin Avenue Open School,
said the demonstration led by
her father was a good idea.
^ “It is a good chance for black
people to get together in rmify,”
Makeda said. To come together
and realize what’s going on.”
After attending Monday’s
council meeting, where Chavis
and others criticized council
Simpson disappoints
Continued from page 1A
get his children back and his
life somewhat together.”
King and other black leaders
had implored Simpson to
become a role model of sorts to
inner-city blacks, perhaps as a
volunteer, motivational speak
er or fund-raiser. After all,
they said, it would be the least
he could do in return for the
black community’s over
whelmingly support of
Simpson’s innocence.
“So O.J., what are you going
to do? Run out of Dodge or do
something around here?” King
had said during a press con
ference Oct. 3, 1995, the day
Simpson was acquitted of
murdering his ex-wife Nicole
Brown Simpson and her
friend Ronald Goldman.
King seemed to get his
answer in the ensuing weeks
as he watched ’TV coverage of
Simpson “showing his great
passion for the love of golf and
minimum concerns for most
other humanistic things.”
Another black activist, who
also challenged Simpson to
help the black community,
was also disappointed.
“He hasn’t done anything
that one can measure because
he appears to have ingratiated
himself further with the black
community for his own bene
fit,” said Dr. James Mays, who
runs three inner-city medical
clinics.
Indeed, Simpson’s most
memorable contribution in the
past year was a fund-raiser at
his Brentwood mansion for a
group trying to curb gang vio
lence and domestic abuse.
Simpson held two other
fund-raisers in the black com
munity as well - both to raise
money for himself. One was at
a church in Washington, D.C.,
charging $10 per person, and
King
the other, for $40 a person, at
a casino at the Hollywood
Park racetrack.
“My hopes have been deflat
ed,” Mays said. “He has not
given as
much as I
feel he was
capable of
giving.”
But
Dennis
Schatzman,
a volunteer
for King’s
civil rights
group and a
syndicated
columnist
who has covered the trial,
says Simpson deserves a
break.
“He’s broke, has no job, so
what’s he going to do?,”
Schatzman said. “Nobody
who’s broke and doesn’t have
a job can do anything for any
one. And we in the black com
munity realize that. It’s those
in the white community that
don’t.”
An Associated Press poll
conducted this month found
blacks are far more likely
than whites to believe
Simpson is innocent, though
the gap has narrowed some
what since the criminal trial
verdict.
Now, Simpson is on the
verge of another verdict — this
time in a civil trial brought by
the families of the victims.
The jury is expected to begin
deliberations Monday or
Tuesday to determine whether
Simpson is legally responsible
— although not criminally
guilty - in the deaths.
With cameras barred from
the courtroom and his free
dom no longer at issue, most
Americans say they are not
following the civil trial closely.
o
KINGSPARK
APARTMewTS
Clean, safe, quiet community
conveniently located on bus line.
Affordable 2 bedroom sardcn
and townhouses Refriserator,
ranse, AC and water included in
rent. Helpful resident manaser
and maintenance staff.
Call
333-2966
M-F 9'.30-6:00
VALENTINE'S
DAY
Friday
February 14th
We've Got Everything
You Need !
Balloons • Gift Bags
Decorations • Plates
Napkins • Cake Tins
Scented Gifts
PAPERTOWN
4420 Monroe Rd. • 342-5815
jOThoKiSK Comparters.
▼
486 DESKTOP SYSTEMS
Starting $334.00*
NOTEBOOKS
Starting at $300.00*
PENTIUM DESKTOPS SYS.
Starting at $849.00*
•does not incl. monitor
FULL SERVICE DEPT.
FUU UNE OF ACCESSORIES
NEW & USED
3633 E. Independence Blvd
(Behind Pizza Hut)
(704)567-6555
Getyour FREE copy of
THE BLACK GUIDE
@ tirije
Shell’s Delivery &
Moving Service
Serving 50 mile radius of Charlotte
Phone (704)587-9976 Pager (704)515-0127
Beeper Haus, Inc.
Air Time .As Low A.s
$7.95 per month
Scinu‘ rcstrk tiling
fc&C Covers^
(803)329-2236
875 Albright Rd. • Rock Hill, S.C.
1704)566-9500
3637 E. Indp. Blvd. • Charlotte, N.C.
■ N.C. &
S.C.
Coverage
All Major
Credit
Cards
Accepted
member Don Reid for saying he
feared black teenagers, the
Black Monday group gathered
at Walls Memorial AME Zion
Church for a celebration meet
ing.
Walls Memorial pastor the
Rev. Sheldon Shipman had been
a supporter of Citizens For
Justice and Black Monday, a
contrast to the opposition of the
Rev. James Samuel, pastor of
LittIfe Rock AME Zion Church.
That split was mirrored
throughout the African
American community, but Black
Monday supporters declared the
eflbrt a success.
“Miracles Hair Salon”
(Hair Care Salon)
3045 Freedom Dr. Salon Central
Specializing in All type hair styles
Just come thru the front doors,
come to the back and ask for,
“Mr. H" or "Bess"
For Appt. call
392-6447
Mon. thru Sat. 10am - 6pm
Attention all New Customers
Limited Time Only
50% Off all hair care
Weaves & Braids do not apply
Mon.-Fri. 8am-6pm
Sat. 7.30am-6pm
Appt. Available
NEWLOOKS^^
Barbershop
Resident Barbers
Juan Tart
Ron Young
Sean Johnson
Curtis Martin
1 .(■
Robert Locke
Owner/ Barber
(704)563-8184
1401-C Eastway Dr.
3 ROOMS
OF CARPET
COMPLETELY INSTALLED
Completely Installed
Cut Pile, Saxony
Completely Installed
Cut Pile, Plush
^679
40 sq.
yds.
Completely Installed
Cut Pile, Plush
$879
on
40 sq.
yds.
Includes: Carpet, 6 lb. Padding. Expert Installation
EVERY
ORIENTAL
AREA RUG
IN OUR STORE
(Over 500 To Choose From)
NOW H H A f OFF
Reg. Price
ARPET/.1
Abbey Carpet
535-7111
4517 E hdeiiendGnoe BM.
(AtfeamrafShamAn^i)
IVlFHi;W&F»C^Sat10«