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The Voice of the Black Community
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JAMES B. DUKE LIBRARY
100 BEATTIES RD
CHARLOTTE NC 26216-5302
Franklin
History’s
no mystery
at national
convention
Legacy of historian
and author John Hope
Franklin recognized
By Herbert L. White
heft)-wh/fe@ffiechartoffeposrcom
African American history has a
bright future.
The Association for the Study of
African American Life and History is
meeting this week in
Charlotte to honor his
torian and author John
Hope Franklin of
Durham. The conven
tion, which started
Wednesday, runs
through Sunday at the
Hilton Charlotte-
University. The hotel
is sold out with more
than 1,000 participants from across
the U.S.
'This has been an extreme success,”
said Sylvia Cyrus-Albritton, ASALH’s
executive director. “We knew North
Carolina would be a great draw with
Dr. Franklin. It’s a time where we’re
experiencing a revitcilization, not just
with Dr. Franklin’s work, but his
impact on people’s lives.”
Franklin is considered one of the
country’s foremost historians. A pro
fessor emeritus at Duke University, he
is author of 18 books, including "From
Slavery to Freedom: a history of Negro
American," as well as "Mirror to
America," his autobiography. Franklin
also chaired a national panel on
racism in the U.S. commissioned by
former president Bill Clinton.
ASALH was founded in 1915 by
Carter G. Woodson, the father of black
history. Its mission is the promotion,
research and interpretation of black
life, culture and history.
"History is important, but particu
larly African American history is
important because it stands as a shin
ing example of what can happen with
determination and fortitude," Cyrus-
Albritton said. "African Americans,
and AfriCcins before we came to these
shores, have achieved so much."
Woodson's goal was to weave the
history of black Americans into the
nation’s tapestry, Cyrus-Albritton
said. During a time of rigid segrega
tion - especially in the South -
Woodson saw teaching black history
as a vehicle to bring ethnic groups
closer.
"His objective was racial harmony,"
Cyrus-Albritton said. "He felt if the
community at large knew of the con
tributions of African Americans, there
Please see HISTORIAN/8A
Two years afte\l£aving
Katrina’s wake, survivors
build new lives in Charlotte
PHOTO/CAROLYN BAUMANN
PHOTO/ERICA SINGLETON
Bianca (leff) and Carolyn Baumann of Charlotte are hvo of the thousands of Gulf Coast residents
who resettled In the Carolinas. Carolyn Baumann, who said she insured her New Orleans home
(above) for $268,000, was paid $21,000 after it was destroyed. Her Individual Retirement Account
was wiped out by the storm, too.
By Erica Singleton caU was an eye opener, and it
FOiR THE CHARLOTTE POST kicked her into gear.
Consuella had no plans to gabbed a bag of under-
leave New Orleans two years
ago when Hurricane Katrina hit.
The WPEG radio {FM 98) per
sonality, who was then an
employee of Clear Channel
radio, and her co-workers were
on "Hurricane duty.” But an
early morning call made her
change her plans.
"I got a call at 3a.m....Saturday
night, Sunday morning,”
Consuella said. "When Monica,
the lady who did news called...a
woman who never leaves...she
said, ‘Consuella you need to get
in your car and get the heck out
of here.”
For Consuella, one of many
residents who didn’t want the
hassle of leaving for no reason,
and who wasn’t feeling well, the
wear, my good jewelry...and
some pictures and 1 was out the
door,” she said. "1 evacuated a
few hours before it was too
late."
Consuella and her cousin hit
the road headed for Houston.
“We thought we were just going
411 grabbed a bag
of underwear, my
good jewelry and
some pictures
and I was out the
door.
WPEG radio personality
Consuella on leaving New
Orleans when Hurricane
Katrina hit.
to have a fun week in
Houston...and come back with
just a little flood damage.”
For 64-year-old Carolyn
Baumann, Katrina came as a
complete surprise. In August
2005, Baumann left her home to
visit a family friend, expecting
to come back just as she had
from any vacation.
See HURRICANE/6A
WPEG PHOTO
Caucus
uiges
^^omesUc
acUou
Issues that affect African
Americans belie Iraq war
By Hazel Trice Edney
NATIONAL NEWSPAPER PUBUSHERS ASSOCIATION
WASHINGTON - Poverty in rural America,
job deficiencies for ex-offenders, educa
tional needs for black males, preventing the
stagnation of black politics, not enough
health care for black children and class
wars in black America.
These, among a string of black equality
and justice issues belied the still raging war
in Iraq during last week’s Congressional
Black Caucus Annual Legislative
Conference, members said.
"We are spending a hundred billion dol
lars a yecir in Iraq and that same money can
be used to build families in America,” said
U.S. Rep. G. K. Butterfield (D-N.C.), who co
chaired the ALC with Rep. Kendrick Meek
(D-Fla.). "There are so many issues facing
the African-American community, but
poverty transcends all of the different
issues. We’ve got to tackle poverty. We can
not have one out of five children in this
country living in poverty. We just can’t
accept that. That’s intolerable. And so
poverty is the number one issue facing
Black America.”
While the Bush administration has striven
to keep focus on the war. Butterfield says
tackling economic issues here at home
Please see CAUCUS/2A
Haiiy advice:
Editor disses
‘political’ locks
By Monica Harris
TBLAOCCOLLEGEWEW.COM
WASHINGTON - An editor from Glamour
magazine kicked off yet another racial
debate during what was intended to be a
carefree luncheon at Cleary Gottlieb Steen
& Hamilton law firm in New York City.
The unnamed junior editor made
remarks about the inappropriate nature of
natural African hair during a recent slide
show about the dos and don’ts of corporate
fashion, according to an article in the
August issue of The American Lawyer.
’’First slide up: an African-American
woman sporting an Afro. A real no-no,
announced the Glamour editor to the 40 or
so lawyers in the room. As for dreadlocks:
How truly dreadful! The style maven said it
was ‘shocking’ that some people still think
it ’appropriate’ to wear those hairstyles at
See EDITOR/3A
PHOTO/CALVIN FERGUSON
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg NAACP honored the achievements of civil rights activism at the
Freedom Fund awards. NAACP President Ken White (left) congratulated honorees Blanche
Penn, Martha Alexander, Sam Smith Jr, Barbara Moye Waymer and George Walker Jr., for
his father Bishop George Walker Sr.
Forum devoid of GOP front-mnners
By Elaine Welles
THE PHILADELPHIA TRIBUNE
Four empty podiums raised
perhaps more questions than
anything that came out of the
contentious debate between
the second-tier Republican
presidential candidates.
Massachusetts Gov. Mitt
Romney, former Sen. Fred
Thompson, former New York
Mayor Rudy Giuliani and
Arizona Sen. John McCain did
not attend last Thursday’s
forum for Republican presi
dential candidates, hosted by
PBS and commentator Tavis
Smiley at Morgan Stale
University.
Citing scheduling conflicts,
the four leading Republican
candidates were represented
at the forum by four empty
podiums, set between the
other six candidates who did
appear.
They were former Arkansas
Gov. Mike Huckabee, Kansas
Sen. Sam Brownback, Tom
Tancredo of Colorado, Texas
Rep. Ron Paul, Calif. Rep.
Duncan Hunter and the lone
black candidate, conservative
political activist Alan Keyes.
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Smiley, in opening com
ments, said it had been sug
gested that forums such as
this one, focused primarily on
issues of importance to the
African-American community,
would be "hostile” and ”unre-
ceptive.”
However, even some of
those who did appear on
Thursday evening at what was
called the All-American
Presidential Forums on PBS,
said those not present had
erred.
“I am embarrassed by those
See REPUBLICAN/3A
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