Ken e Cloth, symbol �f IX
pride and h-e· it ge·
Some Detroit Board of
Edu" embers are don-
. of African dignity
nmg Afri
which also d fo can-
Ameri cultural pride ..
Board President Lawrence
c. P trick, Jr., Vice-President
Edna Bell, well as Membe
Joseph Blanding, Fran
Hayden and Rev. Alexander C.
Wright Jr re strips of West .
Afri� "k�e cloth" duriug the
December 12th Board Meeting.
whcih re given to them ear­
lier this month during an
Afric a-American history
theme dinner h ed by Mem­
ber Joseph Blanding-who has
been caring his own Kente
cloth for the past several
months.
"The Kente cloth is from
Ghana" explained Catherine
Bl ck�ell, Detroit Public
School Africanl African­
American Studies SpecUilist.
"Originally it .. Yen. in
trips for the royal families, With
traditional patterns which have
significant meanings.
ow, it is highly regarded
and worn by people in all walks
of life," Mrs. Black ell said.
"The men wear robes of Kente
at governmental and social
functions. The women ear
dresses of various styles, woven
of Kente cloth, at similar oc­
casions."
A strong dvocate of African
and African-American culture,
, Blanding provided videotaped
and other information about
Africa during the historic d�n­
ner, including a comprehensive
presentation by D. Mzee
Nabawi, a historian and expert
on Egyptian and other aspects
of Afri can culture, who serves
researcher for ASCAC
(Association for the Study of
Classical African Civilizaiton),
ell as vice-chairperson of
the Community T Force for
Educatio
"I've been concerned for
some time about the overall
image this Board projects, �d
the image that we shou mam­
tain in carrying out our respon­
sibilities to the young peopl of
this city," Blan� expl�ed.
"As a primarily African­
American school district, we
have strong cultural berit ge
that should build on, using
the shoulders of those before us
to project oursel even fur-
ther into future." .
All Board embers wer� m­
vited to attend the dinn r,
Blanding . d, ong with �er
guest. Afric n-Amen.can
Board participants rec�lved
strips of kente cloth as gift at
dinn r's end.
Blanding also pre ented
General Superintendent. Dr.
Jo W. Porter with a stnp of
ente cloth t the December 12
Board Meeting. "I'm very
p eased to wear this, " Br. Porter
I£QU¥4· ... g believes that,- in
ente cloth, Board
General Su­
'dalIOIlSttate to
co._ilty��. whole that
wc ... .a;�;I.ti:oa.t"'· supportive of
a.oe&J('ola solid African­
e and African-
Americ istory. We're
erested in total immersion,
hoI_� and heroes."
. He CODtinucd, 'We arc deal-
. with replacing the missing
mg . ith
pages of hi tory WI .an
African-American perspective.
Because, once we � all UDde�­
stand the contributions of t�
culture then other cultures will
deYelo� a respect for it, and ra­
cial inhibitions will cease."
BlandiDg dded,·U niYer&:ity
or Michigan and other st dies
racism a heavy
cost. So eliminating!t �l
benefit our entire society In
many ways." .
Tahira Ahmad, Chairperson
of the Community T Force
for Education, aid her or­
ganization appreciates the ges­
ture. "We feel it is significant
that Board Members are wear­
ing the Kente cloth, stating that
they recognize the �eat.ness of
Africa, ancient Africa in par­
ticular." .
Board Member Ben W.
Washburn agrees. "All of the
anthro·pological evidence
gathered sho that early man
came out of Africa," he said,
referring to the discovery in
Tanzania and Kenya, East
Africa, of the earlie t keletal
remain of man.
During the December 12
Board Meeting, Ahmad
pre cnted Kwaanza cards �o
Members Washburn and �avld
Olmstead, who, as repre­
sentatives of Euro.pean culture,
did not receive Kente cloths.
• Afric ns populated the
World, so all races share our
African heritage, and should
share our cultural unity nd
pride" Ahmad pointed.out.
'Vie (all) are the living legacy
of our culture: fruit of an an­
cient berit ge," she said. "Our
faith is made manifest from
generatio .
·M Y e ch of o,!" live� be a
legacy of pride, WIth u�� of
spirit our hope,. an� the spmt of
freedom our faith,
"May our young people now
pin self-esteem and take 0 tbe
leadership th t they most
definitely need," Mrs. Ahmad
.d.
Member Hayden, who heads
the Cominunity Relations Com­
mittee . d, "It' important that
the B�d send a message to
staff and to our young people,
that � have a rich heritage, and
that we are the descendants of
. aDd queens.
"We arc sending the messue
that yo people should func..
·A READ TO REMEMBER
..-=::::::::\ ---=- �
. 35C
1GhJOgan· Clt-Izen
•• I ,I
Send me The'
I
ichigan Citizen
tion in a manner that befits this
heritage, in terms of their self­
respect, and how they treat
others, as well."
Kimberly Snell, p esident of
the City-Wide Student Council,
added, "I think it's beauti­
fuL .. truIy a wonderful thing to
see OW' Board Members wear
the Kente cloth a symbol of
cultural pride.
·1 hope this idea will calch on
with all Detroit public school
students willing to join the
celebration of our African­
American heritage."
.-
N
e __ � �� .. _
Census bureau to offer
300,000 temporary jobs
. of the temporary staff in the
The 1990 census will create Census Bureau's local district
more than 300,000 temporary offices. Crew leader pay rates
jobs across the nation next year, will range from $6 to $9 per
and the Commerce' hour.
Department's C�nsus Be��au A total of 484 local census
has begun a major recruiung district offices are being estab-
. campaign to attract Blacks and lished throughout the nation,
other minority applicants, the most offering from 600 to 950
agency announced. field jobs, and between 175 and
Census jobs are open to 450 clerical jobs.
qualified applicants 18 years of Applicants hould have a
age and over, and. efforts wilI.be satisfactory work record, and
made to hire applicants who live men age 18 to 25 need proof of
in the areas where they would Selective Service registration.
be working. Recruiting efforts will �nsure
A wide variety of other types that census employment IS con-
of temporary census jobs will be sistent with equal opportunity
available in the spring and early principles. Handic:appe� in-
summer. In addition to some dividuals who qualify will be
200,000 field enumerator (cen- considered.
sus taker) job, more that Persons interested in a cen-
100,000 people will be hir�d as sus job can cont et their State
clerical and field supervisors, employment office or local
data entry clerks, and Census Bureau office. State
recruiters. employment offices can give
Most jobs will last. from tJu:ee guidance t applicants at age 16
to eight weeks and in most ID- who may be hired to work for
stances, people will wo�k up to the census if they meet condi-
40 hours week. Pay will range tions of empJoyment set by state
from $5 to S8 per hour for and local laws, are high school
enumerators and $4.50 to $7 for graduates (or seniors), or have
clerical staff, which together equivalent education or w rk
will represent almost 90 percent experience.
·Hope dim for
chool fund
r J BIll ME
1 PAYMENT
ENCLOSED:
( ) $15· one yeat
( J $9 - six months
( ) $25 - two yea,.
M�; L_ � _
MAll TODAY TO:
PO BOX 03560 -
HIGHANO PK, 148203
ST_ZIP _
CITY _
. f