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4
THE BETTER WE KNOW US ...
This article tends to objectively and
respectively introduce one of Iredell
County’s and possibly North Carolina’s
most outstanding citizens. Brother John
E. Chambers, Sr.
Brother Chambers, a dedicated man of
God with the patience of Job, was born
junel, 1910 to the late Mr. and Mrs. J.P.
Chambers of Statesville. He is one ol
seven children, two girls and five boys,
with only one brother living, Edward M,
Chambers. They presently reside at IH
Garfield Street, Statesville, N.C.
Though bom of a large family with
many hardships, John was determined
and thus with the same fortitude he
presently exemplifies graduated from
Momingside High School with the honor
of Valedictorian of the Class of ’29.
Existing circumstances prevented him
from furthering his education, however,
they did not impede him from assuming
his religious, civic, or moral responsibili
ties to his community and many friends.
In December 1939, he married Loretty
Gather of Harmony, N.C. and becamc
father of three (3) children, John Jr.
presently residing in Statesville, Mrs.
Glorida Pendergrass and Miss Gwendo
lyn Chambers who resides in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
While working for the Playhouse
Theatre for eighteen years as custodiaii
and cashier, he was strickened with total
blindness. However, he continued
working another three years, rendering a
total of 21 years service.
Meantime, his extra-curricular act^' i.
ties were beginning to mount. He is a
life-long member of Mt. Pleasant A.M.E.
Zion Church where ht served as
Preachers Steward, five years; Chairman
of Board of Trustees, 13 years; and
Sunday School Superintendent, three
years and is presently serving as
Chaplain of Board of Trustees.
Brother Chainbers is a member of Ml.
Carmel Lodge No. 37 F.&A.M. Princf'
Hall, National Association Advancemeni
of Colored People, former member
Human Relations Committee (dissolved)
and the Improved Benevolent Protection
Order Elks of World, Skyland Banner
Lodge No. 316.
“Heavy” as he is sometimes called,
joined Lodge No. 316 in 1936 where he
diligently served as Secretary, Esteemed
Lecturing Knight, Board of Trustees, li;
addition, he is a member of the Past
Exalted Ruler Council of the 7th District
No. 132 and the Fez Club. He formerly
served as Chief Antler of Past Exalted
Ruler’s Council #30 of the 7th District,
1960-63.
Brother Chambers attended as
delegate his first national convention in
Atlanta, Georgia 1953; the Stal(
Association in High Point, N.C. 1960,
National Conventions in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania 1965; Cleveland, Ohio ’66:
and for the past five years he has
attended all State Association and
mid-year conferences, serving as
Assistant State Chaplain.
THE TRIBUNAL AID
A VIABLE. VALID REQUIREMENT
RESPONDING TO
BLACK NORTH CAROLINA
VOLUME m, NO. 46 WEDNESDAY, APKIL 21,1976
$5.00 PER YEAR
25. CENTS PRESS RUN 8,500
MEMBER: ^orth Carolina Black Publishers Association —■ North Carolina Press Association, Inc.
This Week’s Black History is provided by;
Burlington Industries, Inc.
Greensboro/New York
Equal Opportunity Employer: M/F
The 1976 Editions of THE TRffiUNAL AID
will be dedicated to Ai^erlca’s 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, Americans 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
all rights of other Americans.
A PROFILE OF W. E. B. DuBOIS
[BICENTENNIAL
[BLACK HISTORY
“Lost-Strayed-Or Stolen ”
BOB o D g o d B B ala'B H B
No note tuiMtaiitial testbnony to the role of the Biikck
iln the growth and devefopitaent of America' can be
ifoond .0UUI the nnmeroas historical landmark^ in
^varioiM regiou of the coontiy which are rayociated with
’Bfauk Americana. Many of these-iilie the Alamo and
,'Bmker HlD—are not conventionally known as sites
.|nvalvia,g chapters of Neitro history.
Red Bluff:
Oak Hill Cemetery
Burial place of Aaron
Coffey, only black man in
the Society of California
Pioneers. Coffey, descen
dant of an officer who
fought under Jackson at
New Orleans, came to
California a slave in 1849.
By day, he worked at his
master’s claim; by night, as
a cobbler, accumulating
money toward his $1,000
emancipation fee. Betrayed
by his owner, he was forced
to return to Missouri,
where he was again sold.
Coffey pleaded with his
new master to allow him to
return to California and
earn the necessary money
to free himself and his
family, which he left behind
as collateral. That mission
accomplished, Coffey re
turned to Red Bluff, took up
farming and settled down
to a contended family life.
Sacramento:
St. Andrew’s African
Methodist Church
The first AME church in
California, organized in a
private residence in 1850.
Within four years, the
congregation organized a
school for black. Oriental
and Indian children in the
church basement.
Mokelnmme Hill:
Gold Discovery Marker
Site of a legendary strike
involving a black miner
allegedly the butt of a white
prank. According to the
story, a befuddled Negro
prospector asked his white
colleagues where to dig and
was told, with great
fanfare, that a barren
hillside in town was the
most likely place to strike it
rich. What took shape as an
elaborate joke turned out,
however to be a startling
prophecy, fulfilled inside of
two days by a happy black
prospector carrying a sack
of gold. The butt of the joke
had returned to thank his
“friends” for their general
and abundant service.
Oakland:
Oakland Art Musuem
The museum has several
pieces done by prominent
black artists, including
Sargent Johnson’s Forever
Free and lithographs by
Grafton T. Brown, believed
to be the first black artist
active in the state.
Informative
Reading
Grier, William H. & Cobbs,
Price M. - BLACK RAGE
New York, Bantam Books
C. 1968
Sherman, Richard Ed. -
THE NEGRO AND THE
CITY Englewood, Cliff,
N.J. Prentice Hall.
dlBLiOGRAPHY America New York: Pitt-
Drotning, Phillip T. A man Publishing Corpora-
Goide to Negro History in tion 1967
America New York: Dou- pjoski, Harry A. Phe
bleday and Company. 1968 Kaiser, Ernest The Negro
Katz, William Loren Aiamanac New York: Bel-
Eyewitness: The Negro in juether Company
Last week you read Dr.
Du Bois’ “CREDO”. Some
of you may ask, who was
this man? What was his
contribution in the making
of America? In answer to
some questions you might
have:
W.E.B. DU BOIS was
born three years after the
Civil War, on February 23,
1868 in Great Barrington,
Massachusetts. The DU
BOISES came originally
from France, settling in
America in 1674. The
BURGARDTS, his mother’s
family were descended
from a slave who won his
freedom after fighting in
the American Revolution.
Intermarrying with Dutch
and Indians, they had been
New England farmers for a
hundred years before Du
Bois was born. As a youth it
never occurred to Du Bois
that he was anything less
than the equal of his fellow
citizens. Most of his
playmates were well-to-do
white boys, but as he grew
older he realized how
people felt about his brown
skin. Du Bois attended Fisk
University, and this was the
first time he had seen the
beauty that he never
dreamed of - skins that
ranged from golden bronze
to ebony. After graduation
from Fisk, Du Bois won a
scholarship to Harvard.
Barred from clubs and
dances because of the color
of his skin, he spent long
hours in classes and the
libi-ary. In graduate school
he wrote “THE SUPPRES
SION OF THE AFRICAN
SLAVE TRADE”, which
was published in 1896. Du
Bois became the first Black
to receive a Doctor of
Philosophy degree from
Harvard.
The SLATER FUND
which had been set up for
the education of Blacks was
offering to send promising
Blacks to Europe. Du Bois
was givewn a fellowship for
a years’ study at the
University of Berlin, with
the promise of renewal for a
second year.
Du Bois gained a
reputation as prominent
Black scholar and civil
rights activist. In 1905 he
enlisted prominent Blacks
and founded the NIAGARA
MOVEMENT, through this
organiztion he became an
eloquent defender of full
rights for Blacks. In
addition to his demands for
full equality for Blacks, Du
Bois was known for his
opposition to BOOKER T.
WASHINGTON.
Although he described
WASHINGTON as “the
most distinguished South
erner since Jefferson Da
vis” he knew that Mr.
WASHINGTON’S ATLAN
TA COMPRISE was wrong.
Dr. Du Bois believed that
those Blacks who had
gained success had the
responsibility to lead the
struggle to liberate all
Blacks.
In 1910 the NIAGARA
MOVEMENTmerged with
another group and formed
the NATIONAL ASSOCIA
TION FOR THE AD
VANCEMENT OF COLOR
ED PEOPLE. A founder of
this new organization, Du
Bois became editor of its
official publication the
CRISIS and held that
position until 1934. Du Bois
had a stormy career in the
NAACP due to his
militancy, and that year he
was forced to resign.
From 1934 to 1944, Du
Bois taught at Atlanta
University. During this
period he produced a major
work, BLACK RECON
STRUCTION IN AMERICA
and an autobiography*
DUSK OF DAWN. As far
back as 1900 Du Bois had
delivered an address, TO
THE NATIONS OF THE
WORLD, which asked for
self-government for Africa.
mi
DR. WILLIAM EDWARD
BURGHARDT DuBOIS
1868 - 1963
Before and after World
War I, he organized the
PAN-AFRICAN CON
GRESS, “To focus the
attention of the civilized
world on the claims of
Negroes everywhere”.
These conferences marked
the beginning of what was
to become African Nation’
successful drive for inde
pendence from colonial
powers. Du Bois attended
the first meeting of the
UNITED NATIONS as a
consultant to the United
States delegation. Later he
called a new PAN-AFRI
CAN CONGRESS in En
gland in 1945, and he was
elder Stateman of the
Congress. He greeted
young African leaders, and
during the years that
followed he saw these men
become Prime Ministers of
their countries.
Because of his firm
belief in equality, Du Bois
spoke out and asked
questions on many issues at
a time in American history,
the so-called McCarthy era,
when fear of communism
was stifling discussions,
and a prudent men did not
ask questions. A week
before his eighty-third
birthday, the Justice De
partment ordered his arrest
as an agent of a foreign
power. Du Bois faced a five
year jail term if convicted.
At his trial in November
1951, no witness could
testify that he was a foreign
agent, and the Judge
dismissed the case for lack
of evidenc.e
Du Bois continued to ask
questions and became a
victim of what one Black
historian called “OPERA
TION FORGET”. Maga
zine and book publishers
shied away from his
writings. This did not stop
Du Bois, he wrote three
historical novels, edited a
book of selections from his
earlier writings.
In spite of OPERATION
FORGET Africa remem
bered him. He was
ninety-three when Premier
Nkrumah called him
“friend and father”. Be
fore leaving the United
States to live in Ghana, Du
Bois apolied for member
ship in The Communist
Party. He considered his
action as one more
stubborn fight for Ameri
can principles. He thought
that every American citizen
should be allowed to speak
no matter how sharply
others disagreed.
Du Bois was given
honors that had been
denied him in his own
country. He died in Ghana
on August 27th 1963 at the
age of ninety-six.
Six years earlier Du Bois
had written a final message
to the world:
“I have loved my work, I
have loved people and my
play but always I have been
uplifted by the thought that
what I have done well will
live long and justify my life;
that what I have done III or
never finished can now be
handed on to others...
“One thing alone I
charge you. As you live,
believe in life. Always
human beings will live and
progress to greater, broad
er and fuller life. The only
possible death is to lose
belief in this truth...”
Good-bye.
High Court
Supports
New Plan
WASHINGTON - The Sup
reme Court, in a 5-3 vote, has
ruled that redistricting plans
(hat decrease black voter
strength do not violate the
federal Voting Rights Act, even
when those plans result in a
black voter strength that is less
than their representation in the
population.
The ruling means that states
and localities covered by the
act will now have an easier
time bypassing the burden of
proving that their redistricting
plans are free of racial
discrimination.
The high court’s ruling now
places the burden of proof to
the challengers - black voters,
civil rights lawyers and others.
They will have to prove that the
proposed reapportionment
would discriminate against
blacks.
The burden of proof is a key
feature of the Voting Rights
Act, which was designed to
buttress the 15th Amendment’s
ban on racial discrimination in
voting.
The decision involved a
districting plan for New
Continued on Page 4
1776 Honoring America's Bicentennial 1976