3A
NEWS/ The Charlotte Post
Thursday, February 13,1997
Celebrate
Black History
MELODYE MICERE STEWART
I'
In the
spirit of
Ma’at
•mmi
Carter G. Woodson (1875-
1950), father of African
American Heritage Month, cre
ated the observance to publicize
the contributions, achievements
and struggles of African
Americans to the world.
The observance began in 1926
as an extension of the work
Woodson initiated through his
Association for the Study of
Afro-American life and History,
founded in 1915. Woodson, a
Harvard graduate with a doc
torate in history, dedicated his
life to the study and promotion
of African Americans as self-
determined people who were
robbed of their autonomy and
needed a plan to regain their
Eberation.
In his seminal work, “The Mis-
Education ofthe Negro,” pub
lished in 1933, Woodson pro
claimed, “In the first place, we
must bear in mind that the
Negro has never been educated.
He has merely been informed
about other things which he has
not been permitted to do.”
According to Woodson, “Real
education means to inspire peo-
t)le to Eve more abundantly, to
}eam to begin with Efe as they
^nd it and make it better, but
the instruction so far given
tAfiican Americans] in colleges
and universities has worked to
the contrary,”
!■ Modern day examples of our
)nis-education include our indis-
(iriminate spending of money
and resources, the unraveEng of
i|ace unity for the sake of into
nation, the persistence of intra-
race prejudice, e.g., “colorism”
nd anti-Afncan attitudes.
(Many race-oriented scholars
have noted that “consciousness
precedes unity” arid.ls a neceS-; '
^aiy pre-requisite to group self-
determination. Consciousnesses
kn awareness that compels peo
ple to act in their own best
interests. The near complete
process of mass mis-education,
performed in educational insti
tutions around this coimtry, has
left the African American com
munity in a state of disarray
jvhich has reached epidemic and
Criminal proportions. Scholar
activists such as W.E.B. DuBois,
idaiy McLeod Bethune, Martin
Luther King and Malcolm X aU
wrote passionately and elo
quently about the need to
(inderstand our historical
sojourn in America.
; Historical understanding is
multi-layered and considers the
role that religion, economics,
politics, social organizations,
creative production and psychol
ogy play in our ultimate quest
for Eberation. Woodson under
stood this, writing, “No system
atic effort toward change has
been possible, for, taught the
same economics, history, philos
ophy, literature and religion
which have established the pre
sent code of morals, the [African
American’s] mind has been
brought under the control of his
oppressor.”
Reform deserve attention
Continued from page 1A
encourage you to be a part of
the process.”
Braun, who did not support
the bill, said it represents a
departure from the govern
ment’s conunitment to serve the
needs and interest of the people
and is a step towards “the tri
umph of pessimism. It repre
sents some of the worst motiva
tions that we as a people can
buy into.”
Braun said that the bill was
dictated by “myths and images”
that have nothing to do with the
realities of welfare. Instead it
was based on stereotypes of
black women having babies for
the sake of qualifying for assis
tance; black men not taking
care of their children and poor
people, “mainly black,” who take
advantage of the system and
hard working honest citizens.
“These images have shattered
a 61-year commitment to sup
porting the poor and children,”
said Braun.
According to Braun, of the cur
rent 22 million welfare recipi
ents, 9 nuEion are children and
60 percent are under the age of
6. She blasted RepubEcans who
said the biE they drafted would
make recipients “get out of the
wagon” and push the country
forward.
“How much pushing do you
expect a 5-year-old to do” asked
Braun.
engage in work as defined by
the state. Required work hours
under wiE rise from 20 hours a
week in 1997 to 25 hours a week
in 1999. Those with children
under the age6 will be able to
maintain a 20-hour work week,
and two-parent families are
required to work at least 35
hours. TANF exempts no one
from working except single par
ents caring for children under
12 months old.
Braun insisted that extra
attention must be focused on
those who do not qualify for
TANF.
o
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TANF requires recipients to
engage in community service
after two months of benefits.
After two years, recipients must
The Congressional Budget
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act wEl reduce federal spending
by $3 billion during 1997 and
$54.1 biEion by the year 2002.
Suit alleges harassment
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Continued from page 1A
a leadership institute for chief
executive officers, chairmen and
board members of the League’s
113 afSEates across the country.
On two or more occasions,
Butler charges that Porter
would “sit on his haunches,
squeeze his thighs together,
showing the shape of his penis,
whEe telling me he was picking
up some vibes from me.” Butler
cites another occasion when she
says Porter asked her to accom
pany him, “just you and me,” on
a work-related trip to Michigan.
Butler says she always tried to
ignore Porter’s “unwelcome
advances,” but it soon became
apparent to her that “sexual
acquiescence” on her part was a
condition for her continued
employment at the League.
Butler charges that her refusal
to respond to sexual advances
by Porter, her immediate super
visor, resvJted in “unjust criti
cism, harassment, and the ulti
mate termination of her employ-
, tpqnt” ,ji[f j,|^,|the jorga^zation.
“When I adamantly said no and
would no longer allow him to
sexuaEy harass me beyond his
closed office doors I was fired on
June 22,1995,” Butler charges.
In addition to sexual harass
ment, Butler charges that the
Urban League is guilty of
breach of contract. She says she
decided to include Price and the
National Urban League in the
lawsuit because Porter is an
agent of the organization and
responsible for the aEeged sexu
al misconduct and sexual
harassment which she experi
enced. According to Butler,
Price did nothing about the situ
ation when she complained and
explained the circumstances of
her termination.
Porter and Price were unavaE-
able for comment, but Gasby
Greeley, a vice president for
communications at the League,
said that whEe she couldn’t dis
cuss the matter in detail I
“because it’s in litigation,” she
vigorously denied the allega
tions. Greeley explained that
the National Urban League,
which has always been commit
ted to fair and equal treatment
of everyone, conducts regular
ff'diMW^'progr&hs against the
practice of sexual harassment
for its employees.
Butler said that as a direct
Drug march Feb. 22
By Herbert L. White
THE CHARLOTTE POST
Another Charlotte minister is
taking up the call to rally
against drugs and violence.
The Rev. Larry Aden, pastor
of the Rod of Glod Ministries,
wiE gather supporters Feb. 22
at the comer of Beatties Ford
Road and Cummings Avenue.
Food, toEetries and clothing wEI
be given away during the event,
scheduled to coincide with
George Washington’s birthday
and Black History Month. In
addition, activists will canvass
the area to solicit support for
programs in the area.
The “Taking It To The Streets”
campaign, which starts at 12
p.m., will include city officials,
business owners and ordinary
folk to help clean up the
Cummings area, one of the city’s
toughest.
“We wiE be working with the
people on a
daily basis on
the fourth
Saturday of
every month,”
Allen said.
“We will be
using our Big
Brother and
Big Sister for
mat to follow
Allen
Minority Academic Scholarships
at Charlotte Latin School
Funded by CogentTlX
For entering ninth grade minority students
Testing: Saturday, March 1,1997 • 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
on the Charlotte Latin Campus, 9502 Providence Road
Please call our Admissions Office at 704/846-7206 to make an appointment.
If necessary, testing may be arranged for a date other than March 1.
Charlotte Latin School
An independent, college preparatory, co-educatioryal day school for grades Pre-K through 12
Cluiriotec Latin School does not duervnimte on the ba»i» of tex. race, color, relifion, or national origin in odminutervig in ethtcatiunal progrms and employment practices.
result of being sexually
harassed, discriminated against
and terminated by the League,
“I have lost wages by reason of
the League’s unlawful employ
ment practices, and have also
earned less money in other jobs
than I would have earned had I
been employed by the National
Urban League.” She also said
she was forced to declare bank-
mptcy which will remain a part
of her credit history for nearly
10 years.
Butler is representing herself
in court but is being advised by
retired attorney Flo Kermedy.
Mon.-Fri. 8ain-6pm
Sat. 7.30am-6pm
Appt. Available
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Allen’s march is the latest
attempt by a minister to raise
awareness of an anti-violence
message. Washington’s birthday
was selected as the event’s date
because it is in the midst of
Black History Month, a fact
Allen says everyone should
think about.
“it’s not about black and
white,” he said. “It’s about
drugs. We can win in the war
against drugs, crime, violence
and killing ”
Lave
You
Met
Price?
Dr. LaSheta Price
,e’d like to introduce you to Dr. LaSheta Price. She
has recently joined the donors of Lancaster Eye
Clinic, PA and is currently accepting appoint- /f ^
ments at the Classic Glasses Too location (formerly Family >;
Vision Center). .
e at Classic Glasses Too feel very fortunate to :
have Dr. Price join our team, and we know you’re
going to feelthe same way. You see. Dr. Price is a :
very special doctor. Not only is she a highly trained and very
knowledgeable optometrist, she is, without a doubt, one of
the sweetest people you could ever hope to meet.
Classic
Glasses Too
(formerly Family
Vision Center)
f you’re looking for an eye doctor who is not only very
competent but also; very ^hg, cheerful, and kind, you
. toe to meet Dr. Price, . - '
1252 Lancers Center
Lancaster, SC 29720
803-286'4010
.t)