and Under Rev. Jemison's leadership the
Convention will make a significant in­
vestment in publicity, literature and
educational material to all Baptist chur­
ches. Local churches will be inundated
flyers and posters regarding voter
r . ration and AOIP. Five hundred
billboards in major cities will display
Jemison's picture and the Convention's
political slogan: "One People, One
Voice, One Vote." Quoting I
Ch . ,"If my peop will hear my
voice ... then they win hear from
heaven," Dr. Jemison says, "If e do
our part, e will hear from heaven."
•
The Jemison thrust calls fo greater
social consciousness on the part of aU
. program involves en-
couraging II' er participation of Bap-
. in political process in terms of
eswW'alb'on, education and voting.
Last-but surely not -the ev.
Dr. - Jemison ys the number 0
predicament facing our communities is
illiteracy. Rather, it is a mindset
agalDSl ISIawaess by so many that today
aIIIllOSt SO percent of our BIac popula­
tion has been neither taught nor
moti eel to an to learn to produce
for themsel . To stand up to be
counted in this regard, Dr. Jemison not
only h joined the Board of the u1t
on Illiteracy Prosram, (AOIP), but also
has taken an active role vice
chairperson heading a national commit­
tee.
Dr. Jemison's pOlitical program is
aimed registering three million new
Baptist voters by 1984. This is no
to transform tile Convention into a
political organization but to gain
po er. With these new
ot the Convention will become a
more po erful force in. the political
arena. Baptist pastors will become
precinct . and d leaders. J
·thin OIP, e presidents will
ass\1IIle the responsibility of coordinators
of oter registration committees in each
church.
Dr. Jemison sincerely believes that to
be good" people m be
good citizlens. To be aood citizens· all
. . m vote and
hie to read and think for themselves.
Dr. Jemison's administration will ad­
dress the hole business of literacy and
k institutions of higher learning. His
program is directed toward enathen­
ina Blac Baptist colleges fmancially. He
believes that the Bapti church m
ain assume �ponsibility of educating
YO\Dl8 men and omen colleges
and pre-ooIIege Ieamin centers that are
adequately supported. There are enough
churches, pastors and laymen, Jemison
says, to adequately support Baptist
bools, c:oUeges and universities. He .
settin a n precedent by as ing the
Convention to plq l00,(XX) to five
BaDtist' schools.
Dr. Jemison has dcomed the active
participation of younger men in the
higher echelons of policy making. Of the
12 ected officers t 0 are under 35. Dr.
Roscoe D. Cooper, Jr. is the capable
editor of the National Baptist Voice, the
official organ of the Convention. Dr.
Franklyn ..Richardson is the dynamic
General Secretary. Both of these men are
in positions of influence and 'U be in­
strumental in the President in
his move in championing ne directions.
OIP-
Dr. Jemison has begun to align the
Convention ith other organizations and
activities that are trying to liberate op­
pressed people and improve the quality
of life for Blac s. Among these
organiations are the AACP, the Ur­
ban League and PUSH various
ecumenical church organizations such as
the ational Council of Churches and
the orld Council of aturcb .
The Convention has not only kept on
its mission of service in the home and
foreign missions but also is increasinalY
demonstrating the willingness and ability
to move into other areas of Otristian
endeavor. The national ult On D­
literacy Program (AOIP) offers the Con­
vention a marvelous and unheard of op­
portunity to serve in new and innovative
ways. As vice chairperson of AOIP's
Blac Cburch Support and Involvement
utJ 0 ITO
Pmidenl Jmrison, Dr. Cia EWlfIS. Dr. R. L. Hardenum and olhers mroute to Governor's
Mansion for receptio« in honor oj the Convention.
Committee, Dr. Jemison has committed
the moral force and po er of the Cop­
vention to this tremendous community­
buildin effort.
the Bla community is more importan
today than ever before. Through th
medium of th ational Baptist Conven­
tion U.S.A., Inc. the B ac community
is assured of a dedicated commitm to
it inter t and concerns. BI
Americans can 100 ith prid to Dr.
T.J. Jemison as their n 0
lead . He is profiled in this month's
o ITOR emorables on page 13.
It is indeed amazing th repr
tatives of 6.8 million people can come
together voluntarily each year to serv
the needs of Blac Baptists. OIP af­
fords this organization the chance to
channel its po er potential into purpo
over and beyond the original intent of
the founders.
Don 'I miss th photographs from th
ational Baptist Convention U.S.A.'s
lO3rd Annual Session on pa� 26 of this
issue.
The traditional ro e of the church in
R«OI'd crowd oj � than 1.000 attmd Mid-W;,,� Boord
� Tllllr •. ,lAf Us" TIle ToW'S tU $I lit n.. , An � To .!
