WESTERN MICHIGAN
DA VIS SAID: "Now that we have a scheduled time, 8:30 p.m.
every Saturday night, to ir our ideas, events, and opinions on cable
access, it is important that we remain true to our narpe and reflect
the mood of the inner-city. Challenging our religious leaders to
remain true to the Lord's Word is one of those moods.'
BACC move
into new
quart r
BY DANNY COOKS
Corr •• pondent
. : '
The Black Arts & Cultural Cen­
ter (BACC) has a new home. In­
decision and doubt clouding the
Center' future due to the 10 s of its
founding director.Dr, Gail Sydnor,
and its lease at 241 North
Kalamazoo Mall are no tnore.
Acting Director' of �ACC
Buddy Hannah said a lease has been
signed for the Gipson building at
225 Parsons. A variety of small
businesses share the plant's ground
floor. BACC will have the entire
upstairs. "We'll have more than
11,000 square feet," Hannah' told
the Michigan Citizen recently from
his nearly-vacant office at 241 N.
Kalamazoo Mall. The sounds of
demolition going on next door
hinted at the fate of a place once
crammed with 0 many-dreams. "In
fact, we'J I' have 1,000 more fee t
than we have here." .
Hannah said BACC program­
ming will pretty much be put on
hold until renovation of BACC's
new building is complete. "We
plan to have an open house by the
middle of Feburary, to coincide
with Black History Month." How­
ever Hannah noted that a BACC
play: God's Trombone, will be held
at Lincoln School January 24th,
25th, and 26th.
"I WANT BACC'S supporters
to understand that the basic concept
of the Center's nii ion is still the
ame. Gail was a large part of
BACC. Her energy and talent will
be missed. " However, Hannah said
Sydnor is still involved with BACC
and others like Lois Jackson, Jame
Palmore, and Sam Ash are: also
BACC founders and they remain
committed to extending the
Center's reach into the com­
munity."
Hannah al 0 has been a large
presence in the life of BACC. Ap­
pointed Acting Director in late Oc­
tober by the BACC Board of
Director, Hannah has been in­
volved with BACC for six years.
He's a pas t president of the board of.
directors and is currently Culture
and Education Chairman of BACC.
Founder of Black Writers in
Production, Hannah is also a mem­
ber of Irving S. Gilmore Emerging
Artists Review Board. He hold the
title of BACC' Poet and Writer-in­
residence.
"I feel more than ever that now
our Board of Directors must get on
the ball because it is going to be
their responsibility to hire a new
BUDD Y HANNAH, Actin Director, Black Arts nd Cultural Center
(BACC). (photo by D. Cooks)
from fr nee
L
Enamelled cas I Iron c re
fashion. Qualtty LonQmI'
&able In your fftOl'tle departmenl nd �rYMt "om
NATIONAL BLACK UNITED FRONT
director, a director who will et the
. tone for the corni ng year." Hannah
aid special thank must be ex­
tended to dedicated volunteers
who spent countless hours inven­
torying and packing BACC proper­
ty. "Freedom Williams, Lynette
White, Pat Ball, Sam Ash, and
James Palmore are among those
deserving thanks," Hannah aid.
Commis ioner Alexander Lip­
sey, a BACC boardmember aid the
new location ha a lot more poten­
tial, along with more space. "One
drawback," Lipsey said, "is the
area's not known for being a per­
forming arts location." From the
City's perspective, BACC will now
be able to offer "a continued vibran­
cy, a resource that the community
can use in its own backyard," Lip­
sey said.
FIfTH ANNUAL
KWANZAA
CELEBRATION
JANUARYl
3·6 PM at th
SMITH-RYERSON
CENTER
550 WOOD ST.
MUSKEGON
CH RLESFARI
Keynote
STORYTELLER
• for children
ENTERTAINMENT
P rt 0 Ford'
tore. There will be 10 of toy for
the children, all wrapped and wait­
ing beneath the tree." Ford n­
ticipate the e gifts will com from
olicited donation . "I'll get tarred
thi coming umrner, taking dona­
tions," she aid. Sh ugge led that
she has the ability to ee the need
of people. "I don't turn anyone
away. If they come in without
money and need hoe or coats or
whatever, I'd do what I can."
At Th Libr ry
The library will cl e at 6
p.m. Mond y, December 23,
and rem in clo ed through
Wednesd y, December 25, in
ob rv nee of th Chris
bolid y. Regular hours ill
ume on Thu d y, Decem­
ber26.
Movie for children will be
hown on Saturdays t 1 p.m.
Showing on December 2l will
be: Waiting For Santa nd Th
Polar Expre .
pu Ford g ve her free of ch rge,
b cau her ocial ecurity
wouldn't otherwi e How her to
purcha e nice thing. "They don't
mak bu inc p ople like Glori
anymore," Steele aid.
Ford aid one of the rea ons
Blacks fail in bu ine i bees e
"we don't use our h ds. There'
more to life than jumping around
dancing or buying exp n ive cars."
Ford i now raising her eleven-
II
II
Word i
•
I
u
or
A
BY DANNY COOKS
i u be given to the Community
ReI tion Board, "which I em­
powered to promote better com­
munication a ro ethnic nd r cial
boundarie ."
Other. busine entertained by
the xecutive Board included
propo al by Lee Stuart, Jr., Political
Action Chairman, to invite to the
-January 18th Leadership Training
Seuion all of the elected le de
who parcip ted in the OC r 20th
"Meet the Candid te Night" pro­
gram. Carl Breeding, State
NAACP Pre ident, i cheduled to
run the training e ion.
KALAMAZOO - The D cember
4th Metropolitan Kalamazoo
Branch NAACP meeting of the Ex­
ecutive Board, held in Dougla
Community As ociation'
Boardroom at 7:00 p.m., de It with
a character from Hu k Finn. The
character Nigger Jim created uch
a stir at Portage Public School
until the local NAACP chapter wa
contacted by an irate parent from
the Kalamazoo suburb.
Kalamazoo NAACP Pre ident
Malcolm Earhart told the Execu­
tive Board that he would be meet­
ing with the Superintendent of
Portage Public School in an effort
to re olve the is ue. "We're not
a king that the book be removed
from the chools, but presented. in a
more ensitive manner," he aid.
Earhart recalled a an uncomfort­
able moment from hi high ch oJ
years, where he was the only Black
student in a class of approximately
thirty seniors. We were tudying
English, reading a book by Falkner
called Intruder in the Dusk, and al­
though the "N" word wa n't u ed
there were reference to gr en
cooking and the mell of poverty. It
was obviou that the family wa
Black, however, the teacher gave
no thought to my pre en e."
Thing that might not otherwi c
be raci t or in en itive become. ()
when no consideration L given to
you by teachers, Earhart aid. "The
teacher could have explained that
greens and other foods may b
regional foods rather than ethnic
dishes."
MICHAEL WILLIAM ,who
sits on the City's Minority Con­
cerns Committee and Community
Relations Board, ugge ted that the
A SCE TED CHRISTMAS'
By Dawn ell ick
-nd our nam • ddre
THE WREATH BOOK
By Rob Pulleyn
·UP AGAI ST THE
WALL • - N Film
by Dr. J nza KunjuFu
AFRICAN MARKET
V ndor w Icome
nd your tame, dd
FAMILY EDUCATION & INSPIRATION