RA! F
tlGH
'JOhIB 3
NC
0£P7
ST.
27S n
RALEIGH, N.C.,
THURSDAY
VOL. 48, NO. 58
JUNE 22,1989 Q
K . 1
N.C.'s Semi-Weekly
DEDICATED TO THE SPIRIT OF JESUS CHRIST
SINGLE COPY AP
IN RALEIGH £OQ
ELSEWHERE 300
John Johnson's “Succeeding
Against Odds” Riveting Tale
Page 13
Spike Lee Talks About New
Film, “Do The Right Thing”
Page 20
NEWS BRIEFS
SCN0MR3HIP PROGRAM
Andreal E. Robinson, a rising
Maior at North Carolina ART
State University, has been
•elected for the Coast Guard’s
Minority Officer Recruiting Ef
fort program designed to attract
fop^unUty minority students to
the corps.
MEDICAL FACILITIES
North Carolinians are Invited
to comment on the draft IMO
Jtate Medical Facilities plan dur
ing a series of public hearings to
he conducted by the State Health
Coordinating Council. The hear
ing will be held In Raleigh July 21
at 1 p.m. at 7M Barbour Drive.
FOOD PROGRAM
The Raleigh Housing Authority
has entered Into an agreement
with the North Carolina Depart
ment of Public Instruction to
sponsor a summer food service
program for youth at three public
housing communities. The pro
gram provides lunches for youths
II years of age and younger
through Aug. 4 at BIHmore Hills
Community Center, Heritage
Park Community Room and
Washington Terrace Community
Center.
The 8ontheast Raleigh
Development Corp. Board will
meet on Thursday, June 12, at I
pan. at the Tarboro Read Center,
US N. Tarhoro Road. The board
meeting Is held each month at the
muter and the puhUe Is Invited
and encouraged to attend. For
mere information, call Ms. Bet
tye Hargrave, 83M7M, or Sterl
ing Goodwin. K24224.
OR. CHARLES V. HOLLAND
To NCCU Board
fin CAROLINIAN «UW ItlJH
Or. Charlee V. Holland, a local op
toasotrist, has boon elected as vice
chahman of the Wake School Board
and has been awarded an honorary
degree from Nbrth Carolina Central
Udveralty.
Holland, a 13-year member of the
NOCU board of trustees, peat chair
man Hr six years and a member of
the Wake County School Board, was
imM the (Vurnri of doctor of
vv Vt uwvvw* u*
(BaafiR. HOLLAND, P. J)
New Struggles Ahead For Minorities
Seeking Position And Middle Class
Power Problem For Many
BY PETER LEWIS
Special Ta Hm CAROLINIAN
An Analysis
In politics, business, in everything,
it seems, members of the new black
middle class have to work Just a little
harder and be just a little better than
their white peers. It’s a subtle form of
discrimination. And it’s everywhere.
In politics, Rep. William Gray, one
of the most powerful and widely
respected leaders of any race in the
House of Representatives, a veteran
congressman who chaired the power
ful House Budget Committee and
later was elected to the fourth rank
ing party position in the lower
chamber, faced the dilemma of get
ting too close to the throne.
In the wake of the resignations of
two of the three men ahead of him,
Gray looked to move into a key
legislative position, the third ranking
House post of party whip, vacated
with the resignation of California
Rep. Tony Coehlo because of in
vestigations into his business deal
ings.
Gray received the poet and is now
the third highest-ranking member in
the House, but not without fighting.
Gray was fighting against charges
that he, too, is the subject of an FBI
investigation into his own business
dealings. And his plight continues to
demonstrate the tremendous dif
ficulties facing any black in advanc
ing through the chairs into positions
of increasing power in government,
XSee NEW STRUGGLES, P. 2)
Gas Station Clerk Shot
14-Year-Old
Held In Slaying
Confesses
To Shooting
Attendant
Fourteen-year-old Ervin Thomas
“Tommy” Lewis of Clayton has con
fessed to killing James Claude
Walker, 90, of 214% Linden Avenue,
testified a Raleigh detective Monday
in Wake Juvenile Court.
Lewis waived his right to have an
attorney and a parent or guardian
with him during questioning, Det.
J.W. Howard told the court.
Lewis’ bearing was held to deter
mine whether he should remain in
secure custody pending further court
action. Judge Bason ordered that he
remain in custody and scheduled a
preliminary hearing for today. If
Bason finds probable cause, Lewis
will be found over to Wake Superior
court to be tried as an aduH. He wotdd
not face the death penalty if con
victed, because be is under 17.
Police have said that the video
camera at the Longview Phillips 66
gas station captured the shooting and
robbery on film.
In related events:
Sandra D. Sutton, 16, of Kinston,
claims she did not know that she was
pregnant before giving birth to a
baby last week. She was arrested and
charged with murder in connectdion
with the death of a newborn boy
drowned in a toilet last week.
Sutton is being held in the Lenoir
County Jail in lieu of $15,000 bond.
An autopsy indicated that the child
was alive when born, weighing seven
pounds, and died of drowning, said
Dr. Page Hudson, a pathologist at the
regional medical examiner's office in
Greenville. He had determined
drowning as the causa of death
because the baby had been found in
water and no other cause was un
covered.
The manner of death had not been
(See SLAYING, P.l)
COLLEGE GRADUATES-Shaw lMvtrsfty’s Ctntorfar
mr»M ■ ■ ■ | m4 »«-- *-M-» ■- ~ma*..»L ■««»■- ..^»"-'J
ceremony n me uorrecuunai snsniuie tot women, ana
these wemen were three of the seven grsdustss who
received Asseetete of Arts end lecheler ef Arts degrees.
(Pheto by Tedh SsMr-CeHowey)
Democrats Appoint Strong Party
Organizer As Executive Director
The North Carolina Democratic
Party has appointed Everett B. Ward
to be the new executive director,
state party chairman Lawrence
Davis announced recently. Ward has
been acting executive director since
early April. He has been employed by
the party as director of political
operations since 1963.
“Everett Ward has worked his way
up through the ranks of our profes
sional staff over a period of seven
years,” Chairman Davis said. “As a
Strong party organiser, Everett has
worked with party leaders and
elected Democratic officials froih the
precinct to the national level.
“Everett has demonstrated a high
degree of personal integrity and an
anility to work effectively with
Democrats statewide,” Davis added.
“Most importantly, Everett has done
an excellent job as acting executive
director for the past two months.”
Chairman Davis also announced
three new appointments to the
party’s State Executive Council. Bet
ty McCain will serve as Sustaining
Fund chair, Barton Baldwin will
serve as treasurer, and Jim Miller
will serve as an at-large member of
the council. The three appointees will
Minimum Wag* Bill Veto Serious
Blow To Ranke Of Working Poor
The preeident’i veto of legislation
to raise the minimum wage will have
■ sharp effect on black and Hispanic
workers, who are among those who
have haw moat harshly affected by
the severe drop in fee purchasing
power of fee minimum wage in recent
years, according to an analysis
issued recently by the Center on
Budget and PoUcy Priorities.
The study, based primarily on Cen
sus and Labor Department data,
found feat while unemployment rates
minimum wage than are non
minorities.
The analysis reported that despite
the prolonged economic recovery, the
number of people of all races and
ethnic groups who work but remain
poor is 28 percent higher than in 1978,
while the number who work full-time
throughout the year but remain poor
has jumped 43 percent. Some 18
million Americans—including eight
million children—live in a household
in which someone works, but the
The minimum wage has declined in buying
power every year since 1978. Average wages
paid to minority workers have fallen
significantly since the late 1970s (with par
ticularly large declines in wages paid to
young minority workers) and the average
wage paid to private non-management
workers of all races and ethnic groups is now
lower.
are lower
for Um||
'— '**'•**“*" ~ '•
povirly ratoa are o^veod tour In*
come levels have declined. A pin*
cipal reaeon for theee aetbnoka la a
buuiuuhwi drop In the wage* paid to
minority worker*, tl>e center aaya.
Tjbeee large trace drop! occurred at
M time *>»»* the pirchasing
the same
power of the minimum wage waaalip
pinc to ita ioweet level eince mi, the
study noted. Data dted in the etu<ty
ehow that minority workere are far
more Hhety to he paid at or near the
household’s income remains below
the poverty line, the center reported.
At the seme time, the study found,
the minimum wane has in
buying power every yew since 1978,
average wages paid to minority
workers have fallen significantly
since the late l«70s (with particularly
large declines in wages paid to young
minority workers), and the average
wage paid to private, non-managerial
workers of all races and ethnic
groups Is no* lower than in any Other
year since 1988, after adjusting for in
flation.
While a number of economic
developments lie behind the trends,
the erosion of the minimum wage has
been an important factor, the
analysis concluded. The minimum
wage has not been raised in more
(See MINIMUM WAGE, P. 2)
serve two-year terms as member of
the council.
McCain, a resident pf Wilson, is
former chairman of the North
Carolina Democratic Party and
former member of the Democratic
National Committee.
“Betty McCain has the leadership
qualities and good humor that are so
necessary for anyone who serves as
Sustaining Fund chairman, as she
has generously undertaken to do,”
Davis said.
Baldwin, a resident of Mount Olive,
is a certified public accountant.
“Barton Baldwin is well qualified
to serve as party treasurer,” Davis
said. “His professional experience as
a certified public accountant, his
leadership in the accounting profes
sion and his past service ass
treasurer for successful Democratic
candidates qualify him well to serve
as party treasurer and as a member
of the Executive Council.
“Jim Miller has the distinction of
being a leader of our party in Iredell
County, his former home, and in
McDowell County, where he now
(See DEMOCRATS, P. S)
P«tterson
of e<mi pi?1*" to ttu? Mother
3gsa*^t
‘£.‘*5%-Vyi;**-.
||s§s#£
tot-aaide cas?? 0™ in the^f?’ an<i
^en,e CW? vlnori‘y
re»‘ettabJe7^1 k>» taW Va - 0>e
86,11 a disanf*!* hckwaS Sever*?
*rs»ia5-'
fo?8*’ ***
r&BiaSft&SB?
Am °'d *-*!«• J
°"<5vCb*W |
, ■*». cti2eJ7 Cotncii
future iatfcfr 1° you question
c°untry reZy^Sta^toyour
Power W?^ a majoT/n^0^
sws3&rs,ssS&
SSggfsaiS
£a@5£3S
5^2?=*
SSSsSjjttBft
-^•wsssfiS?
iSeeciryon, C°ncen»