.0
C ROL
. DETROIT - "Tharik you Detroit
for your kin . I am grateful and
happy by the concern you how me.
ith God' help I will continue
devotion and love for Liberia'
children - they are my lifeblood,"
Mrs. Thbman remar d.
On July 27, Belle Isle' Detroit
Boat Club celebrated Antionette
Padmore Tubman, former Firs t
Lady, for dedication to the poor,
handicapped and orphaned of
Liberia. The honoree' family in­
cluded Ascene and Obie Tubman,
Gabriel and Willimena Tucker, Eric
and Antoinette Barnes and Edward
Padmore.
"Liberi provided 27 years
toward the bUmaDity of all people,"
Senator Jackie Vaughn said on be­
balf of the State Legislature. "The
Tubman re a family of great
respect the world over."
A Re olution of Honor w s
presented by Wayne County's Ex­
'ecutive Office. aty Council Presi­
dent Maryann Mahaffy and retired
President Erma Henderson bestowed
DETROIT
onor
ro
the Seal of Detroit and a Distin.
gui hed Service Aw rd. "The
children of Detroit recognize the
children of Liberia," Erma ender­
son told Mrs. Thbman.
ER OF Ceremonie and
pr enters selected were Gerald
Smith, Rev. Nicholas Hood ill, Dr.
Arthur Carter, Virginia Echol
Davi ,Catherine Blackwell, Habiba
Owens and S. Arthur White.
White, Mrs. Tubman's godson,
head the Detroit Chapter of the
African-American Development As-
ociation of Liberia (AADAL) and
spoke of the educational and
economic development projects in­
side liberia the organization will un­
dertake. "There is need for more
willing African-Americans to con­
tribute their time, 1alents and abilities
into the future of the children," he
commented. "Through reconstruc­
tion, the children will overcome the
lack of community to step forward to
serve."
Antoinette Padmore Tubman
began working with Liberia's
children soon after marrying the late
President William V.S. Tubman in
Famed sculptor
displays work at MAAH
';:'CARLAHUSTON
Sta/[ Writer
Richard Hunt is an African­
American sculptor whose work
compasses the universal themes
concerns of human life.
Richard Hunt, bom and reared
. Chicago, started doing sculpture
and art at an early age. Hunt's fas­
cination for art lead him to enroll in
a scholarship class and a junior
school that offered classes on
aturday's and in the ummer.
Spending a vast amount of time at
the Art Institute and the School of
the Art Institute, inspired his
development and attitudes toward
art.
In additio to takiDa classes at·
the School of the Art HistOry, Hunt
also made use of the Field Museum
o Natural History. Learning.about
biological ciences provided an
easy cess to works from different
periods and cultures. After receiv­
ing a degree in Art Education,
Hunt gradually realized he wanted
, to become a sculptor.
When speaking of artist who had
great' influence, the whole
pectrum comes into play. For in­
tance, David Smith, Michelangelo,
P blo Picasso, d Iulio Gonzalez
o is pro bly tbe rn .
influence on the tyle Hunt
de "loped.
THE STYLE of SCulpting
which brougJit much attention to
Hunt was direct welding metal con­
uction. Not only did the Old
Masters motiVate his artistry, b t
Iso having a se e of Black aware­
ness had a great impact. The
Chicago resident utilized the tradi­
tional metalworking skills that
African craftsmen brought with
them on the ..
Hunt' tract pieces, oft
called "organic presences" leave
interpretation to individual minds.
"J acob's Ladder" and "I've Been To
The Mountain" are two of his uni-
ard Buat,
que sculptures praised by many.
"Jacob's Ladder" is a welded
bronze specifically sited for the
Carter Woodson Library in
Chicago. The piece consists of
three main elements which occupy
the space of a 27-foot high atrium.
When producing "Jacobs Ladder,"
Hunt wanted "to work with the idea
of more than one element in a space
so that the work created not only in­
teracted with the sp ce but with the
sculptural elements within he
as well." •
� Been To The Mountain"
came bout a response to com­
memorate Martin Luther Kina Jr.
and his assasination in Memphis.
The culpture w authorized for a
m 11 in Memphis by a group of
people who wanted to place orne
1 ting memorial to him. The piece
is built up of planar forms detailing
altar , pulpits and pyramids, to give
it both a natural and ceremonial
pre ence.
At the Mu eum of Afric n
·can . ory, . 0 . sculp ..
t are ted ou· on
grounds and one i located within
jhe building. .
The MAAH will exhibit Hunt's
k up UDtil September 30, 1991.
1948.
During her 23 years First Lady,
h founded the Tubman Child Wel­
fare Foundation and Liberian
Rehabilitation Center and has been a
generous supporter of these institu­
tions. She has ponsored medical
care and treatment abroad for the
handicapped, orphaaed and needy.
Over the years and President
Tubman adopted 40 young people.
Mrs. Tubman, born in Barbado ,
was no traager to public life. Her
grandfather, Arthur Barclay and
cousin Edwin Barclay were Liberian
Heads of State, so sbe spent consid­
erable time in the Executive Man­
sion as a youngster.
Antoinette Padmore Tubman
digenous African and American et­
tlers.
Twenty years following World
WHEN WILI.JAM V.S. Tub- War Il. Liberia was on top economi­
man, a Georgian and kin to Harriett cally among its West African neigh­
Tubman, became Chief ecutive in bor. Per capita income ro e
1944, Antoinette was dutiful in na- substantiaJly by the 1960's as
tion-building beside her busband. American c�mpani�s jo�, Fires-
President Thbman w organized, - tone Rubber 1D making �Jor mvest-
determined and visionary in cbang-' �Dts the�. Iron ore �ng was an
ing liberia's problems. He w a l��t industry �t the time and .the
progressive leader' and improved LJ�er�an American Swedi h
everything he touched including the Mlnenal. Company �ec�me the
country's education, health care and l�t pnvate enterprise 10 Black
civic solidarity among the in- Africa.
for a reproduction pro . d. 1"\
. "I elieve health, IDd I
ill e ble my
opportuniti present r>
themselv I will be ready to do bat .
I can to in the creative flow.·
'e;
, ':.1
reasons would leave the group, but
for the pre ent, aside from singing,
he is the host of The Morning Echoes
Spiritual Heur. It appears on radio
station WMKM, 1440 a.m., each
Friday from 1 p.m. until 2 p.m., 4:30
p.m. until 5:30p.m. on Saturdays and
from 6 a.m, until 7 a.m. Sunday
mornings.
The program, he aid, is basically
gospel music but occasionally he
does have gue 15.
"So far, the program is improving
Willie" 11m" Ayer
and the staff like the program very
well," he said. "At first I was very
nervous because I had one it
(hosted a radio prog ) be It,
Ayers i a mode t man a factual,
no-brag kind of person. And while he
realiz that hi tyle i emulated, he
talc that in tride.
"It make me feel very good to
know that I have created an image
from God and that others are taking
a liking to it," he aid. "In order for
orneone to want to do orne thing
like you, you must have Jived a pretty
good life."
THE • YLE' the imagc.. the
sorn thing he h created i a way of
presenting go p I with rhythm and
howmanship that m intains the dig­
nity g pel hould be accorded, one
of Ayers' fans maintained.
Ayers i a member of Mt. Zion
Baptist Church; pa tored by the
Reverend S.L. Jones, nd along
piritual lin h aid, "I have been
in the church all my life. I have been
in the chusch since I w a baby. My
mother brought me up in th church."
Ayers parents and two of hi
i tersaredeceased,he aid. "It'sjust
me and my baby 'i ter, Bobby Jean
Polk who Jive in Mcmphi , Ten-
ne ee." .
Ayers '-or rather Slim' tory­
i music, not word . To read about
him i not to hear him and unle you
hear him, appreciation i unlikely.
So! to appreciatc this gospel
troubadour who aid, "I would like to
be remembered a a incere inger
and a a person who b lieved and had
faith in what he was doing and ing­
ing God's praise ." listening to him
and eeing him is believing.
Ayers. who was once asked to
record rock and roll on RCA
Records, and th Morning Echoes
will appear at Enon Tabernacle Mis-
ionary Bapti t Church, 6 55
Vinewood, Sunday, August 11 and
Gospel cavalcade rotts into New Bethel
HE HAS TOURED with orne
of the legends of go pel such as the
original, Five Bli y of
Alabama, the Soul Surrers when the
late Sam Cooke winging with the
group • the Swan Silverton and
many others.
He h recorded with Nashville
Record, Jewel Records, and this
ye r or the first of '92, Atlantic
Records will feature him on an
album.
In addition to being a "lead
singer," Ayers, who writes, said he
h written two ong that received
extensive play. They are House Of
Mercy and The Lord Will Provide.
Occa ionally, aid, he receive
ro)'alty from tb two.
For 20 years, Ayer aid, he
traveled and performed the lead
singer ith the Echoes, replecing in­
dividual members who for different
1 I
'j •
on Sunday, August 25 they will ap­
pear In the "Back By Popular'
Demand" concert at New Bethel
Baptist Church, 8035 C.L. Franklin t"'
Boulevard. �J
TH CONCERT WILL allO .. !J
feature Willie Neal Johnson and tbe&;�
New Keynotes of Tyler, Texu, •
Spencer Taylor and the Hi- Wa'/"
OC' of Chicago, Illinois, New .� ...
Bethel's pastor, the Reverend Robert_:.-:
Smith inglng "Bow Down," .r,
Reverend Wilmore Allen and tbe
Victory Five, Mattie and the Angell'\..'
of Joy, Myron and the Oalatlan (!
S'ngers and Evelyn and the OoIpel 1
Warriors. �,
Tickc are on e at Hollywood, .
Fashions, 8035 C.L. Franklin'.·
Boulevard, God's World, 13533 W.';J
Seven Mile Road and Dexter Auto
. Wash, 12005 Dexter Avenue.
For addftionallnformation p....._p:�
call (313) 894-8774.
By NATHANIEL SCOTT
StqqWriter
DBTROIT--On Sunday, August
25, a cavalcade of gospel performers
will be featured at New Bethel Bap­
. tist Church, 8035 C.L. Franklin
Boulevard.
The gospel performers will be lo­
cals and out-of-towners. Some, in
the world of gospel, are almo t
household names ... But none, I
suspect, will be any more entertain­
ing than Willie "Slim" Ayers who i
. most recognizable when referred to
as: Slim and the Morning Echoes.
Ayers-or Slim, was born in
laMar Mississippi 58 years ago. He
formed the first Morning Echoe
group in \946 and when h came to
Detroit in 1952, a gentleman who has
followed gospel Cormany-years aid;
"He brought a first cl group with
him; it w n't rag·tag."
To watch Ayers-SUm perform
is to be treated to gospel at its soul­
stirring best.
His style is unique; perhaps im­
itated by many, and his rhythm,
pitch; the way he performs as well as
the way he sings gospel, is a wonder
to behold.