Quiz To Increase Our Awareness
As Black History Month ap
pr< ches, and the community is
m ’ncreasingly aware of the
num s roles in the history of
the Western world played by
blacks, we wish to add to this
ever-expanding reservoir of
knowledge.
The following quiz may prompt
or increase African-Americans’
awareness of history.
1. Name the black identified by
some scholars as arriving with
Columbus in the New World.
2. To what state and in what
year did the first group of blacks
arrive to erect a settlement in
America?
3. Name the black discoverer of
what is now Arizona and New
Mexico.
4. In what state was the first
law enacted protecting slaves who
flee owners because of ill treat
ment, and was also the first to
legalize slavery?
5. Name the slave poet who
wrote “Bars Fight” and was
generally considered the first
black poet in America.
6. Name the 22-year-old free
black who was the first person in
the North American colonies to
build a clock, though he had never
before seen one, and which clock
chimed accurately for more than
20 years.
7. Name the black abolitionist
born in Wilmington who in 1827
established a secondhand clothing
business in Boston, and two years
later wrote “Walker’s Appeal,” a
call for revolt in the South which
created such a furor among
slaveowners that at least one
Southern state legislature made
circulation of it a capital offense.
8. Which of America’s founding
fathers wrote, “I have never own
ed a Slave Leven] when it has cost
me thousands of 'f--liars for the
labor and susten^ je of free man,
which I might have saved by the
purchase of Negroes at times
when they were cheap”?
9. In what city was the Zion
Methodist Church organized in
1796?
10. In what city did Richard
Allen organize Mother Bethel
Church, a Negro Methodist
Episcopal Church, and also the ci
ty of the first black Episcopalian
congregation in the United
States?
11. Historically, blacks were
considered what fraction com
parative to non-blacks in
America?
12. In what city was the first
abolitionist society in the United
States organized.
the answers to the above ques
tions are Pedro Alonzo Nino,
South Carolina, Etevanico,
Massachusetts, Lucy Terry, Ben
jamin Banneker, David Walker,
John Adams, New York City,
Philadelphia, three-fifths,
Philadelphia.
Multi-Cultural, Yes; Minority, No!
There are already enough
obstacles in college and life for
students of color without having to
be subliminally conditioned to ac
cept substandard campus, na
tional and world citizenry. We are
talking about being labeled
“minorities.”
Four-fifths of the world’s
population is Asian, Asiatic*
African and African. In Western
terminology, that means yellow,
brown, red and black folks. Not
only are they in the majority with
regards to numbers, but also in
terms of land mass occupancy.
Contrary to what is shown on most
world maps such as the
Hangstrom Map of the World
(Alaska is not larger than China,
Greenland is not larger than In
dia, Russia is not larger than
Africa?), a more accurate picture
of the world has emerged using
the Peters New World View Map
published by Friendship Press.
The Peters Map has been
around since 1973 and presents a
balance to world geography.
Whereas the Hangstrom Map is
colonial and ethnocentric in
design, Peers more accurately
positions Africa and Asia as
center and near-center. In fact, in
terms of size, the USA could be
placed within Africa at least twice
and still have room to fit all of
Europe.
For example and closer to
home, New York city is
predominantly black and brown,
yet daily those same residents are
told that they are in the minority.
Eighty-five percent of the
students in the New York City
public school system are black
and brown, yet those young minds
are “educated” to believe that
they are in the minority in that ci
■'ty. Is it any wonder that New York
still doesn’t have a black or brown
mayor or even majority represen
tation on its Board of Estimates
(made up of the five borough
presidents)? All together now, “I
love New York!”
In California and Texas, can
anyone deny that the brown tide is
rising? The Latino community
will be even more tremendous by
the year 2000.
An ironic and unfortunate
dilemma that is faced regarding
“minority” is its usage among
those who are educated and
should know better. In terms of
numbers in this country, when
referring to people of color,
minority might seem accurate,
but challenges still need to be of
fered. There is too much excess
baggage and negative connota
tions that come with the word
(less than, inferior, losing side)
for people to continue to refer to
themselves in that way.
Whether one majors in
sociology, accounting, medicine
or any other field, it’s going to be
very important to challenge those
who attempt to describe you and
your cultures as minorities.
Propose the use of the word
“multi-cultural” or m-c for
several reasons: (1) it is more ac
curate and positive, implying a
forward appreciatoin and
understanding of more than one
culture (remember that America
is a pluralistic society); (2) unlike
the word “minority,” which was
actually assigned to us, m-c
comes from our own self
identification; and (3) phonetical
ly, it is as short and easy to pro
nounce.
This idea of replacing “minori
ty” with multi-cultural or m-c has
picked up momentum around the
country. For example, at many
predominantly white colleges/in
stitutions, m-c students and pro
fessionals are successfully chang
ing their minority affairs offices
to multi-cultural affairs The key
is that they are raising the right
questions and collaborating to
find answers, This is higher
education.
Desperately Seeking A Gentler And Kinder Society
BY REP. GUS HAWKINS
Guest Editorial
As Ronald Reagan rode out into
the sunset last week he left behind
a budget that was of the same vin
tage of prior years. More money
for the military, and less for
children and families. In the last
eight years he has run up the big
gest budget deficits in history,
leaving behind a fiscal mess that
will undoubtedly pit one good pro
gram against another.
Because we are in the final days
of the Reagan administration, I
would normally ignore these fun
ding requests. But I am concerned
that the incoming administration
may go along with some of these
figures, including program cuts in
education and the painful reduc
tions in child nutrition.
The Reagan budget is so absurd
in terms of its deep cuts in “peo
ple” programs it sets up the possi
ble scenario of “bad cop, good
cop” routine. If Bush asks for a
few increases in some education,
housing and health programs he
will appear to be a welcomed im
provement to his predecessor. But
the problems in education and ur
ban America are too significant to
simply throw scraps at them.
For example, cost-effective
federal programs are now
reaching levels far below their
eligible populations:
• Head Start, a super
is^ khitokiai. i* km.
' • *•' l*■'?. '0* "W'i■'
___
' Pf^P* **PS
Miller Says
BY SHERMAN N. MILLKK
SI FKRC'ONDUC'TIVITY AND SOLAR ENERGY WILL
OBVIATE OPEC’
We are now at the dawn of the 1990s, so I will try my
hand at being a futurist'. I foresee an economic nightmare
for the Arab world by the year 2005. It will be a direct
fallout from terrorist bombings, such as Pan Am Flight
to:t
Now before 1 am labeled a kook, I ask you take a
moment to grapple with my rationale.
In 1988, I found myself rushing through a domestic
airport to catch an airplane. When I got to the person and
baggage checkout station I promptly handed my laptop
computer over to ho checked. Then I started through the
metal detector.
The alarm went off. I told the lady thill I had on safety
shoos. I expected her to merely run the handheld metal
detector over my shoos. But this lady made me take off
my shoos so they could Ik- run through the X-ray machine
I was perturbed because! looked a bit foolish with my
shoes off standing in the midst of a major airport. When
this officer saw .that I had told the truth, she said that her
stringent checking was for my own safety, especially with
all the terrorist problems in the world. I left thinking she
was just too lazy to pick up the handheld metal detector
and check my shoes.
On a late October 1988 trip to Geneva, Switzerland, my
dander was raised once again. En route to the airport, I
stood outside of my taxi to watch the driver load my bags. I
wanted to be sure nothing went wrong as I was anxious to
see my wife and children.
I had passed through London, England and Belfast, Nor
thern Ireland on segments of this trip. I had even spent a
couple of days in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. I had an
ticipated the body search I received at the Belfast airport.
However, I thought Geneva was the last place on earth to
encounter problems with terrorism.
Before leaving for the airport that morning I ate
breakfast. My bags were already packed before I went
down to eat. When I returned to my room I saw some dirty
socks i that I had failed to pack.
I opened one of my two bags and put them in. I did not
think any more about this incident until I got to the airport.
A young lady came up to me while I stood in line trying to
check my bags.
She started asking questions. “Were your bags ever out
of your sight? Did anyone give you anything? Were your
bags ever opened after you packed them?”
I truthfully answered her questions. The next thing I
knew they pulled the bag that I had opened. I readily
agreed to let them search it on the spot.
They shipped my bag to a special screening area where
I was required to open it in their presence. They claimed
they wanted me to check to see if everything was the way I
had packed it.
I felt like a suspected terrorist; a criminal, whose only
crime was telling the truth. But I did not hesitate to follow
their instructions.
I opened my bag. They then placed a seal on it. My
nerves calmed now that my ordeal was over.
1 headed for the plane. Each person on a TWA flight had
to pass through a screening door. When the fellow looked at
my ticket I found myself in a room getting the third degree. ;
I staved my anger because I wanted to get home. I pro
mptly answered the interrogator’s questions. Once I was
anointed for passage on board TWA Flight 0831 from
(Sec MILLER. P 9)
ERNIE’S
WORLD
BY ERNIE JOHNSTON. JR..
BY ERNIE JOHNSTON, JR.
SUPER BOWL PARTY TURNS INTO
SCHOLARSHIP DOLLARS
Every year a group of us guys get together to watch the
Super Bowl and it is now billed as our own annual party.
For the most part, those in attendance are Aggies,
alumni of A&T State University with a few others who went
to a historically black college.
One of the unique things about this gathering is that all
of the guys were at A&T during the same time period so it
makes for a lot of reminiscing.
The idea of the party is to rotate sites each year and
each person in attendance is charged with bringing a dish
of food, so there is plenty of food and drinks at the party.
Ed Pitt, one of the early organizers of the party, came
up with a unique idea this year. Just prior to this year's
party, he was on the phone to me suggesting that the party
would be a good forum to ask the Aggies to make a finan
cial pledge to the annual giving campaign. .
In previous years, those attending numbered about a
dozen or so. Last year there were about 16 people at the
Super Bowl party. This year was a record number with one
person saying that maybe in the future we will have to book
a hotel ballroom.
Out of the 24 people, at least 18 or so were Aggies, so dur
ing the halftime of the game, Pitt along with Fred Davis,
who is a member of the national alumni annual giving com
mittee, explained the importance of the alumni giving back
to the institution where they had received an education.
Each person was asked to make a financial pledge and
when all the pledges had been tallied, it amounted to a little
over $3,000.
The consciousness of African-Americans is being raised
nowadays with the likes of Bill Cosby and others who are
making financial contributions to the historically black col
leges.
African-American graduates are now seeing the impor
tance of giving something back to their alma maters. Ed
Pitt made an important point during his appeal for
pledges- that those from other institutions at the party
should contribute to their own schools.
More and more dollars are needed today than ever
before to send those deserving students to school. What
happend with the Aggie Super Bowl party could be
duplicated by others who have such gatherings.
And then again, it does not have to be a Super Bowl par
ty to generate funds to a school's financial giving cam
paign.
There are those who get together from time to time dur
ing social gatherings and those would be splendid forums to
make financial pledges to institutions of higher learning.
These days with increased tuition and the need for
African-Americans to receive an education, the concern
should be toward making a financial commitment to
assure that there can be a successful and productive
than getting
together, swapping jokes and having a good time. We don't
have the millions and millions of dollars that Cosby and
“■— --*“ our African-Amerieaivcollegcs but we
can to meet our obligation.
Great expectations
from a new man
By Chick Stone
Abraham Lincoln’s inaugural wish
that the Union be touched ‘by the bet
ter angels of our nature* has been re
united with fellow Republican George
Bush’s yearning for *a kinder, gentler
nation.
The parallels are irresistible.
i.inmin inherited a nation divided
by geography. Bush inherits a nation
further segregated by his immediate
A strong-willed Lincoln forged uni
ty out of a mean-spirited divisiveness.
A resolute Bush has pledged an enlist
ment of his energies against the rem
nants of that national schism.
■Bigotry and indifference to disad
vantage ... will find no safe home on
our shores, In our pubic life, in our
neighborhoods, or n our homes,*
Bush declared four days before his in
auguration. *It will, I promise, be my
mission as president of the United
States.*
That George Bush would group ■in
difference to disadvantage* with big
otry is especially encouraging be
cause this nation’s moral bearings
have been momentarily sidetracked.
As MIT educator John S. Wilson ob
served, *The Reagan years made peo
ple feel more comfortable expressing
intolerance.*
The Bush years are expected to be
the opposite. So much of Bush’s phi
losophy, defined In his warm-hearted
Inaugural address, portends a new na
tional climate.
Ironically, Americans have been
snugly burrowed In the old climate.
How else w explain a M percent ap
proval rating tor a departing presi
dent with an eight-year record of na
ked hostility to racial equality,
contempt for human suffering and se
nile oblivion to honesty.
Ronald Reagan was never a class
act Unlike Lincoln, he never rose
above his humble beginnings. He wal
lowed In their excesses.
Instead of gracefully turning over
the nation’s stewardship to a faithful
subaltern, the Lilliputian-minded ac
tor stalked out of the White House ...
defending resigned-in-disgrace Attor
ney General Edwin Mesae from a Jus
tice Deportment censure ... blaming
black leaders tor the contumely of the
nation’s black citizens... scolding the
homeless to reed the want ads ...
shrugging off responsibility for the
CHUCK
STONE
deaths of 341 Marines in Beirut... ana
defending an unconscionable plot to
exchange hostages for arms.
With his 68 percent approval rating
after a record like that, the Groat
Communicator will be remembered
by posterity as the Groat
Prestidigitator.
George Bush arrived at history’s
doorsteps not a moment too soon.
In many ways he should excel For
starters, he’s capable of staying
awake through cabinet meetings and
being a president de facto in charge.
Even when he pauses and seams to
grope for an answer, he does some
thing Reagan never did. He thinks
He also has surmounted contradic
tions with grace. After denouncing
Dukakis for his “Harvard yard bou
tique* obsession, the Yhle alumnus
appointed four Harvard man to Ms
cabinet. Promising an administration
of new faces, he instead borrowed lib
erally from both Reagan administra
tions. Opening his presidential cam
paign in Texas with a plea for racial
tolerance, he later allowed aide Lao
Atwater to orchestrate an insidiously
racist campaign. Bush’s Mggoat prob
lem will be finding a way to restrain
Atwater from routinely referring to
blacks as “niggers* in conversations.
The president sets a tone that chal
lenges our conscience and fathwi
great expectations. Reagan failed
grievously on both counts.
Finally, George Bush returns two
elements that the presidency had last
— an affinity for the values of the
founding fathers and a wife (“the sil
ver fox*) strenuously committed to
equality.
In I960,1 interviewed Reagan in
clusively in his home the weekend be
fore the GOP convention. He m
pressed enthusiasm for minority aslf
help, and I left with mat
expectations. In 1989, I*d settle far a
.500 batting average — and i
Lincoln.
®MwrannMpni
Other VIEWPOINTS
A MUSLIM PERSPECTIVE: HOW TO SOLVE THE CRIME PROBLEM
BY SULTAN MUHAMMAD ABDUL MU’IZZ
Crime and corruption plague man today more than at any other time in
human history. We build more prisons, give stiffer prison sentences, and hire
more policemen; yet, the crime rate continues to rise. Over the last four
years the nation’s jail population has risen nearly 40 percent. In many
American cities the only municipal construction projects are the building of
new jails.
What is the solution to this problem? Why is it that we can send men to the
moon, manufacture body organs and make ages-old diseases obsolete but
when it comes to preventing our youths from becoming thieves, robbers, ex
tortionists, and murderers, we can only express anger, frustration, fear and
powerlessneas, thus becoming fair game for self-serving politicians who pro
mise to legislate stricter laws and tougher penalties.
The death penalty issue is what I call a good example of political flim
flam. Politicians promise a fearful and angry public that if they are elected
they will make the streets safe by executing murderers, rapists, and heavy
drug pushers. The fact is that death penalty laws have never aided in the
reduction of crime in the past and are obviously having no effect on today's
crime problem in America.
Man must realise that he cannot solve this problem on his own. This pro
blem will only be solved when man turns to nis creator for gnirtunr* Allah
(God), the creator of man, guides man by sending prophets to teach him what
he does not or cannot know by his own means. Prophets are sent to teach the
secrets of life, the true nature of man, about good and evil, right and wroiW
and how to purify the soul from evil and correct the thinking and actions of
men. The last and greatest example of this is found in the life and works of
Prophet Muhammad.
Prophet Muhammad was born in 570 of the Christian era in what
historians refer to as the Dark Ages. This period of human history was
characterised by ignorance, superstition, immorality, and widespread terror
and injustice., The influence of true religion was all but dead in the world.
Both Christianity and Judaism had become weak and corrupt institutions, im
potent in the face of man's moral, spiritual and intellectual stupor.
During the Dark Ages, the people sunk deepest in vice and immorality
were the pre-Islamic Arabs. The Arab prided in his ignorance and boasted of
his barefaced immorality. He was addicted to drunkenness, buried female of
fspring alive, married stepmothers and treated women like chattel. The
physically strong took advantage of the weak and robbery, violence and
murder were a way of life.
When Prophet Muhammad reached the age of 40, Allah (God) revealed
the Holy Quran to him to serve as the means to guide humanity to the straight
path, by quickening1 is soul, awakening Ms conscience and enlightening the
human mind.
It is found in the Quran that the Arabs were worshipping idols. ston—,
treat and heaps of sand. Within less than a quarter of a century, the worship of
one true God ruled the entire country, sweeping away all superstition and giv
ing in its place the moot rational religion that the world could The
Arab who prided himself in his ignorance had, as if by a magician’s hand,
become the lover of knowledge. Drunkenness disappeared so entirely that the
very vessels used for drinking wine could no longer be found. Cruelty, vi«-e.
and senseless violence had given way to brotherhood, kindness, charity, sex
ual morality and chastity.
The moral transformation brought about by Prophet Muhammad, guided
by Allah's last revealed scripture, the Holy Quran, is unparalleled in human
history. The Islamic attitude toward immorality, and the mission of Muslims
is described in the Holy Quran in the following words:
Let there be a community among
You, advocating wliat is good.
Demanding what is right, and
Eradicating what is wrong.
Tnese are indeed the successful.
v _ -Holy Quran 3:104
You are the best community ever
Raised, you enforce what is
l what is wrong; and
BhtlieJslamiv- beliefthat in order to address human,
first understand the human being s mature It is the Christij
IPlli