This Week In
Btack History
laich 11 ti e A erica
religion ba hi torically
practiced discri inatlon
a ainst lac
Who are the Swan
Silvertones and 'the Dixie
Hummingbirds ?
JULy 30, 1959 - In '
I first tart of brilliant career,
ob GI of the St. Lo .
Cardinal pitched shutout
over the Cincinn ti Red.
1822 - J me V ric
became the first Bi hop of the
. n Methodi t Ep' 1
1. on Church. 1903 - DU
Jetre xophoni t, w
bom.
Where we� the {ust Block
�1wrchu in New York City?
JULy 31, 1874 - Patric
. ranc Healy inaugurated
president of Georgetown
University, Washington, D.C.
1921 - Whitney M. Youn
reformer, w born.
.
When did Black doctors
organize a medical
.a.uociation ?
AUGUST 1, 1895 -
BenJ min E. May,
Morehouse College president,
w born. 1940 - Bel\lam
E. May w named president
of Morehouse College.
Which Block American is
· but known lor his work with
tM United Nations?
.' AUGUST 2, 1931
Philippa Duke Schuyle ,
child prodigy who composed
over 200 musical selections,
was born. 1924, - James
Baldwin, writer, was born.
I'
Who compiled the first
:'delinitive work on Black
• 0 inventors?
r AUGUST 3, 1984 -
:'Cycllst Nelson Van won
-silver medal in 'I,OOO-meter
sprint. at Los Angeles
I Olympics, first U.S. medal
,'ever in this event. 1832 -
. Edward W. Blyden, lawyer,
.I diplomat and preacher, was
"born. 1903 - Claude
Hopkin orches tra
leader/pianist, w,as born. '
Who has been the only
Black coach 01 the New York
Knickerbockers?
,. ANSWERS TO BLACK
I HISTORY QUESTIONS
July 28th - The Church
of the Latter Day Saints
(IDS). The Mormons.
'1
29th - Gospel singers.
'% 30tb - downtown, lower
• Manhattan.
i·
31 t - In 1895, largely
; because they were barred from
� joining the AMA. The
_. National Medical Association
.' (NMA)created itsownjournal
in 1909.
Augu t 1st - Ralph
Bunche, of Detroit, MI.
2nd - Henry E. Baker, an
, Assi tant Patent Examiner,
l' and former West Point cadet,
3rd - Willis Reed, former
:: player for the same team.
..
STATE AND NATION
, BU � w nt on pi very grea t 0
tre upon negotiations olution South
Africa' probl ms." believe," h
irreversible nd that the n ral thrust 0
. towards genuin non-racial nd democratic future.
"However, in ord r to hie this and to secure a
democracy, e beli ve the route followed mien er
reconciliation. Peace, win-win victori and tability rather
th n conflict that com from a winner-tab -all p •
Concluding, Buthelezi aid,"Wi emphasize dual ap­
proach: . formulating the con titution and negoti ting
democratic change without delay."
no vote."
poin .
Buthelezi ent on to y that IFP pl on t
bein correctly co tituted. IFP, h dd d, w of t
opinion that empha i bould be fo d only on bow t
country m from th evil of p rth id tow rd new
democracy.
Bu lezi said that there w animp between th e
dvoc:atin n tion I convention-com-mulu-p rty con-
ference, nd tho advocating a constitutional mbly.
us.
Pretori Butbelezi . d, could no long r rule by forte. The '
d Y of minority rule are over. But, be 'd, BI c cannot
ri up gai t the tate and take over power, like it or not.
Soutb Afri� be pointed out, i mo t powerful tate. The
prim dangers of a constituent embly is that it might
precipitate conflict or war. Negotiations must be genuine.
Buthelezi oppo parth id remaining in force during
n gotiatio be believe that the government and the people
".
r oeia ion
conv. ne in Africa
The N tional Bar As ociation
recently completed a hi toric
NBA/ Africa Conference in Dakar,
Senegal and Abidj n, Cote D'­
Ivoire(Ivory Co t). Pursuant to the
first ever formal enactment of a two­
year international outreach program,
the focus of the conference, held
June 5-15, 1991, wa "Law and
Economic Common Grounds" in im­
plementation of them. "Unity in th
Transcentury 90's." Its purpose w
to increa e the relationship of
African nd frican-American
lawyers, judg ,law profe ors and
students and other professional .
The oonference Was ynoted by
the Mini ters of Justice of Senegal
and Cote D'Ivoire. Initiating the
program in Senegal was the Mayor
of Dakar, Mayor Mammadou Diop,
the Secretary General of the
Supreme Court and the President of
the Senegalese Bar Association
Young Lawyers Division.
The participants in the Abidjan
Opening Session included the Mini­
ster of Touri m, the Minister for the
Advancement of Women, the United
States Ambassador, Kenneth Brown,
and the President of the Ivorian Bar
Association, Gabriel Assamoa.
The conference seminars in­
cluded two substantive law sessions,
endued: "Equal Protection Under
the Law: African and African­
American Experiences" and Legal
Framework for Building Business
Relations" allowed the sharing of
specific information be tween the
panelists and the participants, in­
cluding publications and other infor­
mation on business opportunities.
One of the highlights of the con­
ference wa a special meeting con­
ducted with African law students and
faculty .
IN THE MOST moving ex­
perience of the ten-day journey, the
delegates visited the Island of Goree,
the principal location from which
African slave were placed on board
ve els boun� Ute Americas. A
visit to the I . n capitol city of
Ya ussuukro permitted them to be­
hold the magnificence of the Foun­
dation for Peace (Hall and Library of
Congre ), the Basilica, three recent­
ly constructed universities and ur-
• rounding villages.
The 43-men1ber NBA delegation
was hosted by Senegal and Ivorian
officials in numerous meetings,
elaborate receptions and luncheons.
and other special events to allow
them to experience the full essence
of the local flavor. The United States
Embassy Center for Cultural Affairs
in Cote D'Ivoire provided program­
ming, planning, and other meeting
assistance .
The International Affiliates Com­
mittee of the National Bar Associa­
tion, which coordinated the entire
program, is chaired by Ernestine
Sapp, Esq. of Tuskegee, Alabama,
(205) 727-4830, Vice President for
Affiliates, Regions and Subdivision
and Co-chaired by Janice Orr. Esq.
of Washington, D.C .• (202) 619-
0745. Chair of the International Law
Section. The President of the Na­
tional Bar Association is Algenita
Scott Davis, Esq. of Houston, Texas.
Partisan Debates over Thomas
Recall 100 Year Old Arguments
By lARRY A. STILL
NNPA News Service
WASHINOIDN, D.C-The'simmer­
ing controversy over the nomination
of Federal Appeals Court Judge
Clarence Thomas to he U.S.
Supreme Court appears to' be
developing into an all-out, partisan
battle between Black Democratic
and Republican party leaders as the
"Council of 100" challenged the
Congre ional Black CaucJJS cam­
palgn' to block the presidential ap­
pointment.
The Council of 100, a national
organization of Black Republicans
announced upport of Thomas for
the Associate Justice position in a
statement on behalf of its members
and constituents, said Milton Bins,
chairman. The organization "is
. composed mostly of busine sand
profe ional persons whos goal is to
impact on the involvement of Black
American in affair of the
Republican party," he explained.
Referring to the predominantly
Democratic CBC action in a ques­
tionable, almo t unanimous vote last
week, Bins declared "The Congres-
lonal Black Caucus does not peak
for all African-Americans ... (They)
m t make up their own minds about
Judge Thomas (and) that can only
take place when people have all
relevant facts" which the Senate con­
firmation hearings will provide .... "
The reportedly nearly unanimous
vote by the 27 'member body with
only one Republican member dis­
senting is being questioned because
, several' CSC members reportedly
were not pre ern, Bins empha ized.
"I know that though tful , fai r
American will see through this
political ploy and will reserve judge­
ment about Judge Thomas until they
get all the facts," he conclud .
AN EARLY THOMAS sup­
porter, the Council wrote President
Bush before the public an­
nouncemein requesting that the chief
executive consider the candidate for
the nomination to the nation'
highest court. The group discus ed
strategy to upport the nomination at
a luncheon with members of the
Republican National Committee,
Bins confirmed. "We are here to
hare that strategy and develop ac­
tion plans with American people, "he
said.
The current controversy over the
Thoma appointment, aid Bins, is
imilar to the debates of over 100
years ago over the "con ervative
view of presidential favorite,
Booker T. Washington, founder of
Tuskegee Institute and the National
Busine s League philo ophy of inde­
pendent community development vs
the distinctive, uncompromising ap­
proach of W.E.B. Du Boi : noted
educator who helped establi h the
NAACP's thrust for a completely in­
tegrated American ociety.
African Women want.
, .
end ·to global poverty
by CAROLYN WARFIELD
"When a
woman is
.
enlightened,
SO ·';s a
nation. "
- Maryam Ibrahim eabanglda
Photo oredlt: The New York Times/Jane Perlez
Professor Wangarl Muta Maatbai
Correspondent
"Global poverty will become a political priority
when people organize for change," aid Brian Cal­
lahan, sRokesman for the Detroit Chapter of the
Hunger Project. One hundred fifty six countries have
promised a end to hunger by the close of the century.
A major ocus will be on Africa. The world com­
munity has put initiatives and declarations into action
through the Cyprus Initiative, Bellagio Declaration,
the Arusha Statement, World Conference on Educa­
tion, UN Anti-Poverty Agencies, the Antalya State­
ment, and the World Summit for Children to end
world property. Its up to us to
provide constant input
through citizen and govern-
ment action to insure these
declarations are carried out.
"The Horn of Africa
Recovery and Food Sec uri ty
Act of 1991 (H.R. 1454) is the
mo t recent effort to address
starvation in Ethiopia, the
Sudan and Somalia," Cal­
lahan said. "1Wo million have
died from war and famine
since 1985 and 21 million are
pre ently on the brink of
death. The empowerment of
African women is cricial to
. ending hunger in Africa
where women grow the bulk
of the continent's food," he
concluded.
The Hunger Project's Africa Prize for Leadership,
in its 5th year, recognized Dr. Esther Afwl Ocloo in
1990 as the first woman laureate of exceptional merit
in forging Africa' economic tability. '
Telecast by global atellite from Lago ,Nigeria to
25 countries and 35 American cities July 18, Wayne
State Univesity nd Hartford Memorial Baptist
Church were Detroit' ho ts.
THIS Y R'S PRIZE went to her Excellency
Mrs. Maryam Ibrahim B. Babangida and Profe or
Wangari Muta Maathai.
Maryam Babangida has erved as the First Lady of
Nigeria ince 1985, when h r husband became Chief
Executive, and has transformed her honorary and
ceremonial role into a rallying point for the aspirations
I
JUL 2 • U U
Her Excellency Mrs. Maryam Ibrablm Babanglda
and contributions of the disenfranchised in Africa's
most populous country. Recently President Baban­
gida was elected Chairman of the Organization of
African Unity.
The Better Life Programme for Rural Women
(BLP) is Mrs. Babangida's brainchild, founded in
1987 to improve the lives of Nigerian women.
Through adult education, primary health, agriculture,
. crafts, trade and food processing, BLP has launched
487 new shops and markets, 997 cottage industries,
1,751 new farms and gardens, 7,635 cooperativ ,419
. women's centers and 163 social welfare programs.
District agricultural production has increased consid- .
erably. Collective action has proved BLP in mobiliz-
ing women toward
self-sufficiency. .
., When a woman is en­
lightened, so is a natio ,"'she
said. . _
Mrs. Babangida cam­
paigns vigorou Iy for
women's voice in the elec­
toral process and encourages
their input in all spheres of
national life. She is presently
building an international
women's center in Abuja. .
COMBINING com-
munity development with en­
vironmental education is
what Kenya's Green Belt
Movement is doing. Started
in 1977 by Dr. Wangari Muta
Maathai to refore t heavily eroded areas and increase
firewood supplies, Green Belt has proved itself inex­
pensive and reliable in spurring empowerment and
hope among Kenyans.
Fifty thousand women have planted and cared for
millions of trees, of which 80 percent have reached
maturity. Young people planted and cared for see­
dling around chool as windbreaks. By pointing out
hazards of deforestation, Green Belt has attracted
attention and articipation of people in many
developed countire .
Maathai, i the first woman Anatomy Professor at
the University of Nairobi, where-she earned a doc­
torate in Biologiat Sciences. Since 1989 she has
erved on the United Nations Environment Program
Senior Women' Advi ory Board. '
,