"There was a common'
bond, says U. Governor- Lawrence
Douglas Wilder of V/ rginia,
speaking of his college experi
ence. "We all knew who e ere
and 'where we needed to go, and
what we needed to do to get there."
Wilder, the nation's highest-ran -
ing Black elected state official,
attributes that world-beating
attitude to the inspiring role
. models he found at Virginia Union
Uni ersity, of Am nc 's 81 "
colleges. "
In an atmosphere of high
intellectual quality, young Douglas
Wilder discovered what he calls,
"the high possibility of the
individual." And following in a
tradition that has produced
outstanding scholars, profes
sionals and public servants, he
went on to a brillant career as an
attorney. state senator and civic
activist. Is it any wonder that,
though they enroll only 20° of
Black college students, Black col
leges produce 40°_ of Black college
graduate�? .
When you're considering I.
colleges, doesn't it make sense to
consider the ones that educated
achievers like Lawrence Douglas
Wilder? Attending one could lead
to a great future. I
America' Blac College
Are You Smart Enough To Go?
I .
Co tin ed fro 1
officers e an undetermined
amount of money hom a Bla
male youth during an attempted
arrest. The youth fled on foot
during the arr ttempt.
Steele . d the officers gave
chase b re unable to catch
the young man. When the of
ficers returned, she . d, they
were obViously frustrated, using
profanity and abusive language
on other youths at th scene.
The office left, said, b
returned with a fleet of squad
cars and qu ioned residen in
a degrading and derogatory
manner. As she was noting
names and badge numbers of
one of the officers, J. Koester of
the Sixth Precinct, he
threatened her with physical
violence, she said.
Steele said she was sitting in
her car talking with her friends
while this w happening, and
the police surrounded her car.
They began to search her car
and asked for identification.
She said e struc in the
f ce with a flashlight when
refused to cknowledge their
questions unless addressed in a
more polite f . on.
Steele's mother, Amin· a
Abdul Jaleel, aid the blow
knocked her daughter to the
, ground and when e ttempted �
to go to her daughter, the police
,warned her, "not to get in-
ved,"
JaJeel said that her so ran to
, help his . ter but the officers
began beating him. During e
distraction neighbor helped
her carry Steele insi d um
month EMS.
The ambul ce driver . ar
rived and transported Steele
far the comer of the complex
where they stopped for 20 to 25
minutes, Steele said, claiming
that traffic was too he vy to
proceed.
Steele said she became
par noid thinking the EMS
drivers were in cahoots with the
officer and left the ambulance.
Friends drove her to New
Grace Hospital, Steele said,
wher h was examined, Her
nos was broken as well as a
bone under her left eye; a cut on
her face required six stiches;
and she had a contusion on the
bac of the he d.
Steele's mother, Jaleel said
after she called the 12th
precinct to report the incident,
she was cont cted at home to be
informed that the Sixth precinct
officer claimed the incident es
cal ted because -they were
trying to arrest Steele, but her
family too h . . de. .
"If this is so, why didn't the
officer arrest me prior to hit
ling me or immediately after?"
Steele a ked, She s id a of
August 8 she h h d no
response frm the Sixth precinct,
no warrant has been issued for
her arrest, and no charges have
been brought.
NAP Chairperson Kenyat-
Continu on P 24
... 1 , I. t.