THE BETTER WE KNOW US
• • •
from The North Carolina Masonic Journal
Spring and Summer, 1972
The Prince Hal! Grand Lodge of Free
and Accpeted Masons of North Carolina,
both by tradition and design, esteems it a
distinct pleasure to focus public attention
on personalities of extraordinary
performance, in the various fields of
endeavor; individuals who, through their
excellent works, have made enduring
contributions to human uplift. It is in this
context, that we present the subject of
this article: DR. JOHN RODMAN
LARKINS, Associate Director, N.C.
Probation Commission, Raleigh.
On the basis of his phenomenal
achievements, and the outstanding
contributions in the highly important area
of social welfare, Dr. Larkins,
unquestionably, ranks as one of this
state’s most valuable and effective
leaders. Nor has the magnificent impact
of his leadership been confined to North
Carolina. Indeed, his fame as a social
worker, as a professional consultant, as a
lecturer, as an author, and as an apostle
of interracial understanding and good
will, has extended far beyond our state
and national borders. This is eloquently
attested to by the fact that just recently -
adding to his numerous other honors,
received over the years - he was the
worthy recipient of a Certificate of Merit
for “Disinguished Services in Social
Welfare,” from the publishers of the
Dictionary of International Biography,
London, England.
A native of Wilmington, North
Carolina, Dr. Larkins received the A.B.
Degree from Shaw University, the
M.S.W. Degree from the Atlanta School
of Social Work. He has done additional
study at the University of Chicago, the
Columbia University School of Social
Work - where he completed the
requirements for the Doctorate Degree;
A&T University, Greensboro, conferred
the Doctor of Law Degree upon him in
1958. while N.C. Central University,
Durham, awarded him the Doctor of
Humane Letters, in 1697.
The scope of Dr. Larkin’s interest and
participation in the civic and cultural life
of this area is reflected in his membership
on numerous commissions and boards,
including the N.C. Advisory Board of
Juvenile Correction; N.C. Council on
Human Relations, (Vice-President);
Board of Directors, the Southern
Regional Council; N.C. Recreation
Commission’s Advisory Committee; the
Steering Committee for a Better North
Continued on Page 6
f mm
THE TRIBUNAL AID
A VIABLE, VALID REQUIREMENT
RESPONDING TO
BLACK NORTH CAROLINA
VOLUME III, NO. 36
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28,1976
$5.00 PER YEAR
20 CENTS
PRESS RUN 8,500
MEMBER: North Carolina Black Publishers Association — North Carolina Press Association, Inc.
04 loeeeooooooooooooooooa-aH to
BICENTENNIAL
BLACK HISTORY
“Lost-Strayed-Or Stolen ”
Extracted From
THE NEGRO ALMANAC
by Fay Ashe
cABOooaooooc»oe»poooooPOOo^>o
The 1976 Editions of THE TRIBUNAL AID
will be dedicated to Americans bicentennial
Celebration, with emphasis on contributions
our Race has made in the making of America,
from birth to the present.
In 1976 there should not be a need to lift
these contributions from isolated sources. Our
past should be interwoven into the fabric of
our civilization, because we are, except for the
Indian, America's oldest ethnic minority.
We have helped make America what it was,
and what it is, since the founding of Virginia.
We have been a factor In many major issues In
our history. There have been many misdeeds
Fay Ashe, Black
against us, yet we have been able to live
through them and fight back. This is living
proof of our history.
Our role in the making of America is neither
well known or correctly known. Many positive
contributions have escaped historians and
have not found their way into the pages of
History Editor
many history books.
We will strive to give readers, Black and
white, many little-known facts about our past
and it is hoped that a proper perspective of our
history will be of value to persons who may
believe that as Black People we have an
unworthy past; and hence, no strong claims to
ail rights of other Americans.
1865-1877 Reconstruction A Glimpse Of Freedom
Then Disappointment
Black history in tlie Western Hemisphere most
probably begins with the discovery of the New World
by Clurlstopher Columbus in 1942. Biaclis are known to
have participated meaningfully in a number of later
explorations made by Europeans in various parts of the
United States and Spanish America. Facts such as
these at once fashion a new dimension for Black history
within the mainstream of American history. Inasmuch
as one of the primary purposes of this feature is to
record some historical achievements of the Black, it
becomes most important to offer the reader
chronological accounts through which he can
conveniently familiarize himself with the broad sweep
of American Black history. The years covered here are
1492-1954.
1775
FORT TICONDEROGA
Black patriots join Ethan PHILADELPHIA
Allan and the Green Continental Con-
Mountain Boys in the gress bars Blacks from the
capture of Fort Ticonde- American Revolutionary
roga. army.
1775
BUNKER HILL VIRGINIA
Peter Salem, Salem Poor Lord Dunmore, British
and others are among the governor of Virginia, offers
first Blacks to fight freedom to all male slaves
heroically at Bunker Hill, who join the loyalist forces.
Historical Landmarks
Of Black America
Extracted From
THE NEGRO ALMANAC
by Fay Ashe
I— ———— _ -
No more substantial testimony to the role of the Black
in the growth and development of America can be
found than the numerous historical landmarks in
various regions of the country which are associated with
Black Americana. Many of these—like the Alamo and
Bunker Hill—are not conventionally known as sites
involving chapters of Negro history.
ARIZONA, Apache of white settlers anu
“Geronimo Monument” immigrants moving into the
Geronimo was one of the Southwest. Black cavalry-
last Apache chieftains to men finally escorted Geron-
resist the oncoming hordes imo and his renegades into
* * * exile ' at Fork Dickens,
BIBLIOGRAPHY Florida and, later, returned
Drotning, Phillip T. A with him to Fort Sill, where
Guide to Negro History in he died.
America New York: Dou
bleday and Company. 1968
Katz, William Loren
Eyewitness: The Negro in
America New York: Pitt
man Publishing Corpora
tion 1967
Black Southern Lawmakers
Balloteering Blacks
President Lincoln repre- when established, aided could not and would not
sented the end of slavery Negroes and impovished accept this new situation,
and a great hope for future Whites by offering a variety Despite many accomplish-
progress. When the war of services. These services ments, the Freemen Bur-
ended, slavery had been were, health programs, eau’s one failure was the
abolished by the Thirteenth hospitals and schools from promotion of mutual confi-
Amendment to the Consti- elementary grades through dence between Negroes fostering social equality by
tution. The Negroes faith college. Nearly a quarter a and Whites. The majority eating with Negroes and
in America had been million former slaves re- of Whites opposed to the addressing them as Miss or
strengthened, but there ceived varying amounts of Bureau, because the very Mr, Much more than he
were trying times ahead, education through these presence was a reminder of feared the Negro, the
Before Congress estab- efforts. The Bureau also a lost war. Southerner feared losing
lished the Freedman s acted as legal guardian to The White Southerners his grip on the world and a
Bureau in March 1865, former slaves. were opposed to the lost of identity,
former slaves had built When the Freedmen school-founding activities. The only role the White
schools, churches, meeting reached for land, educa- for they believed that South had for the former were passed in the fall and
halls and had gone to work tion, homes and jobs, he Negroes could not absorb slave was unfolded in the winter of 1865-66, The
on their master's aban- found his reach beyond his book learning and that BLACK CODES, The CODES were: 1. Making
doned lands. The Bureau, grasp. Many in the South Northern teachers were CODES were the work of
the State Legislatures
which had come into
existence under the Recon
struction Policies of Lincoln
and Johnson. The CODES
were to control the Negro.
The BLACK CODES were
designed to take the place
of the SLAVE CODES and
SOUL CITY, N. C
Serving The Community
Assisting the neighboring communities in
establishing a sound economic base has always been a
major priority of The Soul City Company. In keeping
with its Project Agreement, the Company moved to
ARIZONA, Bonita
“Old Fort Grant”
Site of a fort at which
Black soldiers were housed
during the Indian Wars,
Two soldiers of the fort,
Isaiah Mays and Benjamin
Ploski, Harry A. Phe Brown, received Congres-
Kaiser, Ernest The Negro sional Medals of Honor
Alamanac New York: Bel-
luether Companv
while on duty at this
station.
insure the availability of the services necessary for
quality living in the community. Four corporate entities
other than The Soul City Company were established;
The Soul City Foundation, Inc.. HealthCo, Inc., Warren
Regional Planning Corporation, and The Soul City
Sanitary District,
The Soul City Foundation, Inc., was established in
February of 1969, as a non profit tax-exempt
organization. Its broad charter allows the Foundation to
"spin-off" separate or satellite organizations to deal
with Health. Education. Social Services, Cultural Arts,
job Training, Religious life, and Special Projects,
Because Soul City is "free-standing", the Foundation
has the opportunity to plan for the future in all areas of
social behavior; thereby anticipating and preventing
problems before they materialize. In its planning
process the Foundation works closely with local, state,a
and federal agencies.
In education, during the summer of 1973, the
Foundation established a Learning Lab which was
devised to stimulate the educational process through
intellectual and cultural enrichment programs. Over
one hundred Warren County Junior High School
students benefited from the experience. The Warren
County educational system has also been the target of
a Parent Involvement program administered by the
Foundation. Parents in a local elementary school have
been organized as volunteers to assist in classroom
activities.
Connecting job training and economic development,
the Foundation received funds to build Soultech I, an
industrial incubator facility containing over 73,000
square feet of office and manufacturing space. Soultech
I will soon be owned by a community based
organization now being formed by the Foundation. In
addition, a Manpower Talent Bank was composed in
conjunction with a survey of Warren and Vance
counties’ employment bases. The Foundation has
Continued on Page 2
Contracts, persons of color
shall be known as SER
VANTS and those with
whom they contract shall be
known as MASTERS. 2.
Negro farm workers could
not leave the premises
without permission. 3.
Negroes must be in the
services of some White or
former owner who was to
be held responsible for his
conduct. 4. Negroes were
fined if they had no lawful
employment. 5. Negro job
opportunity was restricted
forbidding them to engage
in any vocation other than
farming or domestic ser
vice. 6. In most instances
Negroes were forbidden to
join the Militia or possess
firearms.
7. Special license to
preach might be required.
8. In some, states and
communities former slaves
might be fined or impris
oned for committing any
insulting act or making
insulting gestures. 9. ‘‘JIM
CROW” regulations were
also a part of thes BLACK
CODES. Mississippi for
bade Negroes to ride in first
class passenger cars, in
Florida a Negro could be
given THIRTY NINE
LASHES for entering an;
RELIGIOUS SERVICE or
other ASSEMBLIES of
White persons. 10. In some
instances Negroes could
not testify against Whites.
II. Negroes were denied
the ballot.
The BLACK CODES
differed from the SLAVES
CODES on some points.
The BLACK CODES grant
ed Negroes the right to own
property, to make contracts
to sue and be sued, to
testify in court cases
involving other Negroes,
and to have legal marri
ages. But they left the.
Negro in one sense even
more at the mercy of
Whites than the SLAVE
CODES, which had given
the Negro at least the
powerful voice of his
owner, bent on protecting a
valuable piece of property.
The Southern Legislature
made on fatal miscalculatin
in exacting the BLACK
COLDES, they could not
anticipate the opposition
that would be aroused in
the North. To the Southern
er the Codes seemed
natural and necessary, but
to the North they seemed to
establish a modified form of
Continued On Page 5
1776 Honoring America's Bicentennial 1976