THE BETTER WE KNOW US ...
The Rev. Willie Flemon Mc
Intosh Jr., who has pursued a
dual career as teach«r and
preacher, was announced as
Morganton’s Man of the Year
for 1975.
McIntosh, a resident of Bur
ke county for 26 years, is the
first black selected for the
honor since it was begun as an
annual affair in 1948.
Assistant principal of Free
dom High School and minister
of the Green Street Presbyter
ian Church, McIntosh has
been active in a wide variety
of community enterprises.
His selection as Man of the
Year was announced at last
week’s luncheon meeting of
the Morganton Rotary Club
which sponsors the program.
Club president, Dr. Philip T.
Howerton, said a secret com
mittee as usual make the se
lection after considering a
number of prospective recip
ients.
The trophy emblematic of
the Man of the Year title will
be presented to McIntosh a a
community-wide dinner, and a
date for that event will be
announced later, the president
said.
As soon as plans are com
pleted for the Man of the Year
banquet, tickets will be made
available to the public. Dr.
Howerton said.
The judging panel, Hower
ton said, pointed out that the
new Man of the Year has
amassed an impressive rec
ord of accomplishments in
community and professional
affairs and, in addition, he is
credited with bringing stabil
ity and understanding in the
matter of racial relations dur
ing an important period of
adjustment.
McIntosh is assistant princi
pal of Freedom High School
and also an ordained minister,
serving as pastor of Greene
Street United Presbyterian
Church.
In the education field, he is
chairman of the Burke County
unit of PACE (Poirtical Ac
tion Committee on Educa
tion), a life member of the
National Education Associa-
ion, and a member of the
North Carolina Association of
Educators.
He is vice president of the
Burke County Ministers' Con
ference, reporter for the Mor
ganton Ministerial Associa
tion and radio chairman for
the Burke County Ministerial
Association,He serves on the
board of directors of the Burke
County Council on Alcoholism,
on the education committee of
the Burke County Chamber of
Commerce, is a member of
the Burke County Chapter of
the National Association for
the Advancement of Colored
People, Omega Psi Phi frat
ernity and a member of the
Queen of the West Lodge No.
70, Free and Accepted Mas
ons, and associate member of
the Fraternal Order of Police.
A Johnson C. Smith Univers
ity graduate, McIntosh is dir-
.. has impressive record
ector of the North Carolina
chapter of the university’s al
umni association and a mem
ber of its executive commit
tee. He also is a President of
the Big Brothers Club. While
at Johnson C. Smith, he was
voted the most outstanding
student in the graduating
class and was editor of the
yearbook, newspaper, home
coming bulletin and freshman
manual.
THE TRIBUNAL AID
A VIABLE, VALID REQUIREMENT
RESPONDING TO
BLACK NORTH CAROLINA
VOLUME m, NO. 43
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24,1976
$5.00 PER YEAR
24CENTS
PRESS RUN 8,500
MEMBER: -North Carolina Black Publishers Association “^North Carolina Press Association^ Inc.
•I
[BICENTENNIAL
BLACK HISTORY
“Lost-Strayed-Or Stolen ”
Extracted From
THE NEGRO ALMANAC
by Fay Ashe
The 1976 Editions of THE TRIBUNAL AID
will be dedicated to America’s bicentennial
Celebration, with emphasis on contributions
our Race has made in the making of America,
from birth to the presen':. ■
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 imown. 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 uid
white, many little-known facts about our put
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
all rights of other Americans.
THE BLACK FAMILY
Mttoiy in the Westotn 19£iirf«|»liere ate»t
probably begin* wHh the discovery of the New WoM
by Christopher Coimnbos in 1942. Blacks are known, to
have participated meaningfnlly in a. niunber of later
ezploratians made by Enropeans in various parts of the
United States and Spanish America. Facts snch a*
these at once fashion a new dimension for Black history
within the mainstream of American histoiy. Ihasmach
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 her«t an
1492-1954.
1798: WASHINGTON, DC
Secretary of the Navy
Stoddert forbids (he de
ployment of Black sailors
on men-of-war, thus dis
rupting a non-racial enlist
ment policy which has been
operative for many years.
Nevertheless, a few Blacks
slip past the ban, inchiding
William Brown, a “powder
monkey" on the "Constell
ation" and George Diggs, a
quartermaster of the
schooner "Experiment".
1799: MOUNT VERNON,
VIRGINIA
George Washington, first
president of the United
States, declares: "...it is
my will and desire that all
the slaves which 1 hold in
my own right, shall receive
their freedom.”
1800: RICHMOND,
VIRGINIA
Betrayal of Gabriel
Prosser’s plan to lead
thousands of slaves in an
attack on Richmond. Gab
riel and 15 of his followers
are later hanged.
1800: SOUTHAMPTON,
VIRGINIA
hallucinations and other
psychic disturbances which
contributed to his concep
tion of himself as a
Moses-like figure leading
his people from bondage.
Turner and seven others
launch a spectacular orgy of
bloodletting in the summer
of 1831, killing more than
50 whiles and spreading
terror throughout the
country. After hiding for
several weeks. Turner is
traced down, tried and
hanged in .lerusalcm.
All The Pretty Little Horses
Hushaby, Don't you cry.
Go to sleepy, little baby.
When you wake, you shall
Have cake, and all the
Pretty little horses.
Blacks and Bays, dapples
And grays, coach and six-a
Little horses.
Way down yonder in the meadow.
There's a poor little lambie;
The bees and butterflies
Pickin' out his eyes.
Poor little thing cries
"Mammy",
Hushaby, don't you cry.
Go to sleepy, little baby.
This is an authentic slave
lullaby; it reveals the bitter
feelings of black mothers
who had to watch their
white charges while ne
glecting their own children.
The family was the basis With eilher group, those
of social organization in persons forming the family
early Africa. The eldest comprised all living des-
niale was usually the head cendents of the same
of the family, but there was ancestor,
the widespread practice of The African wife was not
tracing relationships considered a member of her
through the mother instead husband's family. After
of the father. In areas marriage she continued to
where this was practiced be a part of her own familv.
the children belonged
solely to the family of the
mother. In tribes which
did not follow this practice,
ihe Chief was the father.
Part
and her family continued to
manifest a real interest in
her welfare, therefore the
husband was expected to
pay an indemnity, a
compensation for taking a
way a member of the family
and a guarantee for good
irealment. The indemnity
was not a purchase price,
as might be expected, the
woman did not legally
belong to her husband, but
to her own family.
Polygamy was permitted,
but not practiced universal
ly. In marriage, the chief of
the family would defray the
expense involved in the
first marriage of a male
member of the family, but
for the second wife the
husband had to meet the
One
expense. Religion played
an important part in
determining the number of
wives a man could have.
Native religion did not limit
Ihe number of wives,
Moslems forbade more
lhan four wives, and
Christians insisted on one
wife. The clan or enlarged
family was composed of
families which claimed a
common ancestor. It is
difficult to establish upon a
factual basis any connec
tion between the develop
ment of the Black family in
the United States and the
African family system.
Slavery gave ideals far
superior to those of Africa;
but slavery was not
designed to teach morals.
Slave trade and slave
breeding were essentially
economic and not humani
tarian activities. In the sale
of slaves, there was the
persistent practice of divid
ing families. Husbands
were separated from their
wives, and mothers were
separated from their child
ren. There was however, at
r- ,
times some respect mani
fested for the slave family,
but it was not always good
business to keep families
together. As a justification
for the separation of
families, it was argued that
Ihe family tics among
slaves were either extreme
ly loose or non-existent and
that slaves were therefore
indifferent to separation.
The slave family exper
ienced great difficulty in
maintaining itself on a
stable basis in a system
where little opportunity for
expression was possible.
Slave owners seldom re
cognized the slave family as
an institution worthy of
respect, and many forces
worked to destroy the slave
family. Courtship and
normal relationships pre
liminary to marriage sel
dom existed. There was no
effort to establish the slave
family on a stable basis
unless the owner manifest
ed some real interest in the
religious and moral deve
lopment of his slaves.
Slave owners discourag
ed slaves from marrying
persons on other planta
tions, because these unions
could involve one or the
other of the slaves being
away from his own
plantation at various limes.
This they felt would reduce
the efficiency of the slave
worker. Slaves were en
couraged to marry on the
plantation; but, if this was
not possible, masters
sought either to purchase
the spouse of his slave or to
sell to the owner of the
spouse.
The permanency of a
slave marriage depended
on Ihe extent to which the
couple had an opportunity
to work and live together,
so that through common
experience they could be
drawn closer together.
There were some stable
slave families, especially
where there were children
to strengthen the bond, and
where they were not
divided through sale. The
economic interests of the
iHistorical Landmark^t
1 Of Black America
Extracted From
THE NEGRO ALMANAC
by Fay Ashe
Birth of Nat Turner, a
brilliant and moody slave,
allegedly subject to visions,
tilHLlOURAPUY
Drotning, Phillip T. A
Guide to Negro History hi
America New York: Dou
bleday and Company, 1968 Kjiser, Ernest Ihe Negro
Katz, William Loren Alamanac New York: Bel
Eyewitness: The Negro fai luether Company
No more substantial testimony to the role of the Black
in the growth and development of America can be
found than the numerous historical buidmarU In
various regions of the countiy which are associated with
Black Americana. Many of these—lllie the Alamo and
Bunker Hill-are not conventionally known as sites
Involving chapters of Negro history.
CALIFORNIA, BEVERLY stars have been designed
HILLS “Beverly-Wilshire ^.v W'lliariis, the Spingarn
Hotel”
Black architect Paul R.
Williams designed this
plush hotel, one of the most
elegant in the area. Many
stunning private residen
cies of famous Hollywood
medalist for 1953.
CALIFORNIA, DOWNIE-
VILLE
“The Pioneer Museum”
Site of an 1849 gold strike
involving a Scotch immi
grant, William Downie. and
10 Blacks. One of the Black
adventurers was Waller
Jackson, an Easterner who
journeyed “round the
Horn" in 1849, and found
his fortune with the rest of
the prospecting party.
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America New York: Pitt
man Publishing Corpora
tion 1967
Ploski, Harry A. Phe
1776 Honoring America's Bicentennial 1976
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