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NEWS/^e CtarUttt $0t
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Steele breathes new life into SCLC
By Maynard Eaton
mEATlAmA VOICE
ATLANTA ^ Charles
Steele, an electric, engaging
funeral home owner and for
mer Alabama state senator,
has done in just over one year
as SCLCs radical new presi
dent what most critics of the
venerable Atlanta-based dvil
rights organriation deemed
improbable, if not impossible.
Not only has he been a
breath of fresh air regarding
activism, but Steele’s magnet
ism and fund-raising mastery
has brought the revered orga
nization back from the brink
of extinction and ridicule by
refocusing its mission and
meaning.
When he took office
November 12, 2004, the l^its
were off, the phone was dis
connected and the venerable
organization launched by Dr
King and his top aides 48
years ago couldn’t meet its
payroll. The group was reel
ing from controversy and
inner turmoil. Steele succeed
ed the Rev. Fred
Shuttlesworth, who wrote a
blistering resignation letter in
which he proclaimed, “We
have become bur own worst
enemy” Those were dark
days.
“The Atlanta Journal
Constitution had a headline
saying SCLC was on the
verge of collapse,” Steele rue
fully recalls. The subtitle was,
“Only God can resurrect the
dead” We didn’t die, but we
were on life support. Now we
are breathing on our own.”
“People were saying that we
had lost our way, we haven’t
lost our way We haven’t had
leadership that wanted to
take us in the direction that
Martin (Luther King Jr.) has
already carved for us,” says
Rev. C.T Vivian, a former
high-ranking SCLC official
and Dr. King confidant.
“Martin King left us with an
agenda; it just hasn’t been fol
lowed Martin was a prophet
and prophets set the agenda
for a proper future.”
“Charles brou^t a vision
and vigor that was sorely
lacking,” observes Alabama
attorney Jock Smith of the
Cochran Group. “SCLC is
now in trusted hands.
Now, as a result of Steele’s
f^vent fund raising and busi
nessman’s approach to the
SCLC presidency the group is
debt fiee, back in the black,
current with all its operating
expenses and has not missed
one payroll. During his brief
tenure, Steele has raised
some $1.5 milling And Steele
has already raised $700,000
of the $2 million pledged by
the likes of SimTrust,
Wachovia, Bank of America,
Coca-Cola, Gleorgia Power
and other m^or corporate
giants to finance an SCLC
international headquaiters
on Auburn Avenue. The
groirndbreaking is set for
Valentines Day, February 14,
with SCLCs founders.
‘Tt is a miracle,” he says of
SCLCs renaissance, “but I
was led here by God. I can
raise hell and I can raise
money
‘Tt says to the entire nation
that the most important oi^a-
nization that African
Americans have had during
the last half of the century is
back in opei'ation, and that
we can carve our way and
think throu^ the next centu
ry under the principles of
Martin King,” says Dr. \Tvian.
‘When we talk about SCLC,
we’re talking about a moral
and spiritual movement.”
This rebounding movement
Steele has spearheaded has
now gone international - par-
ticulaiiy in the Middle East
with offices in Israel and
Palestine. ‘We’re around the
world,” Stede says proudly
‘I’ll be going to Cuba in four or
five weeks to set up a conflict
resolution center. [In] Italy
and throughout Europe well
be going to establish conflict
resolution centers.”
The TViscaloosa native
admits there has been some
criticism of his international
forays and questioning
whether SCLC is foregoing
pressing domestic concerns.
“International concerns are
domestic concerns because
you are in a global society”
Steele coimters. “Our kids are
going global; the jobs are
abroad.”
When Steele assesses what
went wrong with SCLC and
what contributed to its precip
itous decline as a dvil rights
force in America, he says ‘We
forgot our mission.” The mis
sion, he says, “is to stay in tlie
streets; to advocate for the
least of these. We left the
streets and went to the suites.
That’s where we made our
mistake. You never leave your
base; you never abandon your
cornerstone.” Yet the charis
matic politio) is quick to quip,
‘Tt’s a new day and a new way
for SCLC.”
Stede says poverty violaice
and racism were the three
sodetal ills that topped Dr.
King’s agenda and those are
stUl the most pressing issues
impacting black folks today
“The Movement is still
ahve,” Steele passionately
contends. ‘3ut people are still
waiting for a Dr. King to come
back and he’s not going to
come back. But his spiiit, and
his teachings and his prind-
ples are here. But how can
you teach his prindples and
theories if you don’t have an
institution, if you don’t have
[a robust] SCTXT?”
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Former D.C. mayor dogged by eoke questions
By Valencia Mohammed
AFROm?^FAPERS
WASHINGTON - Howard
University Hospital was a
spectade for some patients on
Jan. 11, as a crowd of
reporters gathered for an
interview with former mayor-
Marion S. Bany
According to his physidan.
Dr. Robert H. Williams, lead
physidan at Howard, Barry
was hospitalized for hyper
tension. He entered the hospi
tal on Jan. 9 and was being
discharged that same day
While patients at the hospi
tal stood around waiting for a
quick ^impse of the mayor,
Councilman Marion Barry
(D-Ward 8} walked casually
out of the hospital with his
physidan to address ques
tions about his health
As Barry walked doser to
reporters the media frenzy
began. ;Are you in the hospi
tal for treatment of your
cocaine addiction? What is
your response to what was in
the paper today? Will you
have to go bade to jail?’ asked
several reporters.
In a calm demeanor Barry
simply said, “My lawyer has
instructed me not to commit
on anything that was writtai
in the paper today I am here
along with my doctor to
address questions about my
hospital stay”
Barry was alluding to a
rec^t story that appeared in
a daily newspaper eaiiier this
month alleging in November
last year he tested positive for
cocaine and faces iqj to seven
years in jail time for violation
of his parole. According to the
artide, a magistrate in feder
al court ordered drug testing
as a preliminary mattCT when
Barry appeared for failing to
file taxes for several years.
Not filing taxes is a practice
quite common in the District
by its residents in protest of
“no taxation without repre
sentation.”
However, the issue for many
legal exp^ds is violation of the
privacy act. According to a
representative of the courts,
the executive branch of the
court is forbidden fium mak
ing public information about
the results of drug testing.
Barry’s attorney could not be
reached.
Although the local televi
sion anchors, espedally Tbm
Shawood, author of a book
about the life of Marion Barry,
kept pounding the former
mayor of D.C. for answers to
the all^ations, he shrugged
thou off politely
“Why can’t I just live a nor
mal life? I take good care of
myself Look at me. I eat
right. I exerdse. I do what I
am supposed to do to stay
healthy I am not Cfod,” said
Barry
‘Yeah, but what about the
dirty urine?’ another reporter
asked. Barry shook his head
in disbelief
According to a court s«Mces
representative there is no
court record of the “dirty
urine” matter in district court.
Nor was the federal court able
to support the-allegation. ‘We
can not confirm that there is
any court action taken or
pending in the case of Mr.
Marion Barry,” said Dick
Cardli, spokesman for the
administrative office of the
U.S. district courts.
Barry has undergone treat
ment for hi^ blood pressure
for over 20 years. Robinson
has been his physician of
record for the last 12 years
• according to Barry Upon his
dischai^ his blood pressure
was 123/62.
“He can go back to work
tomorrow, if he likes,” said Dr.
Willinma
‘T feel great, God blessed me
to have a good brain. I suffer
fix>m some of the same ail
ments that many African
Americans do. But every time
I try to take care of mysdf as
we ask other people to do, the
press tries to make a specta
cle out of it,” said Barry
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Presented By
Afro-American Cultural Center
Friday, February 17, 2006 • 8:00 p.m.
Belk Theater at North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center
Tickets: $25 - $55
Call the Blumenthal Box Office at 704.372.1000
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.^NORTH CAROtINA
0 Turnpike Authority
Join us for one of three
Citizens Informational Workshops
Gaston East-West Connector Study
The N C Tufrrpike Authority and the N C Department of Transportation propose to inrprove east-west travel
through Gaston County constructing a riew roadway between ESS west of Gastonia and E485/NC 160 in
Medcl«iburg County (TIP Project No U-3321I This workshop senes will present maps and information on the
atternatfves to be studied n detail m the next phase of planning and design
The N.C Turnpike Authority is authorized to study, develop and construct up to 9 toll roads m the state
The Gaston East-West Connector is one of the projects under consideration for development as a toll road
Vltast sidtt of
Gaston County:
Tuesday, January 31,2006
4:30-800 pm
Hunter Huss High School
1518 Edgefield Avenue
Gastonia, NC 28052
M»ckl«nburg County:
Wednesday, February 1, 2006
4 30-8:00 p.m.
Olympic High School
4301 Sandy Porter Road
Charlotte, NC 28273
East sid« of
Gaston County:
Thursday, February 2, 2006
4:30-8:00 pm
South Point High School
906 South Point Road
Belmont NC 28012
HOJ£ ParOcfjantsareeixocrrdgedto drop tn otany time between 4 30 and8 00 pm. for any o( the workshops
Afi three workshops will present the SAM£ information and displays The NCTA wiB provide auxiliary aids and services for
deabledpersons who wish to partxipa^ m the workshops for more mformaton or to receive special servxes, please
call l-SOO-475’6402 wwwj\(iot.ng/proiects/gan4ortonneto(
L J j *
Mecklenburg County
operates eight
Fitness Centers. A
variety of Cardio
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Training Equipment,
Exercise Machines
and Free Weights
are offered. Some
Fitness Centers have
aerobic classes,
yoga classes, well
ness programs and
personal training.
LDCRTIONS:
Mecklenburg County
Aquatic Center
800 East 2nd Street. /04-336-3483
Tuckaseegee Recreation Center
4820 Tuckaseegee Road.
704 399-4492
Ray's Splash Planet
215 North Sycamore Street
704-432-4729
West Charlotte Recreation Center
2400 Kendall Drive, 704 593-1560
Bette Rae Thomas
Recreation Center
2921 Tuckaseegee Road,
704 393-7333
Southview Recreation Center
1720 Vilma Street. 704 392-7452
Mallard Creek Recreation Center
2550 iohnston-Oetiler Road,
704 548-8234
First Ward Recreation Cetrter
610 East 7th Street 704 336-3575
Camtj
Ptok aid Vtwcreaakm
The centers charge fees for use, but their cost is generally
lower than commercial gyms. Fees vary, depending on
the equipment and facilities. Call the center nearest you
for details or check the parks department's website:
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