•
Black deputle
speak out .
against rael m
Detroit - A group of ap
proximately SO African
American members of
Wayne County Deputy
Sheriff Local 502 (SEIU
AFL-ClO) recently dispelled
the allegations of racism that
have been associated with the
sheriff's election and en
couraged candidates to get
back to the issues.
The campaign bas been
marred in recent days with
SberitIRobert Ficano's com
parison of challenger Kevin
Kelley to David Duke.
According to James West,
PAC chairman, Local 502,
11 of the 21 member Way�
County Sheriff Executive
Board are African American.
"After carefully studying
our candidate's background,
we all agreed that Kevin Kel
ley could provide the leader
Ship that the Wayne County
Sheriff's Department has
been lacking for a long
time," West stated. "We find
it repulsive that Picano's ads
could imply that we went out
and found a racist person to
represent us and the Black
community," West con
cluded.
Flcano' tiring of
deputle throw
union upport
to Kelley
Detroit - Wayne County
Sheriff Robert Ficano said his
firing of Sheriff deputies con
victed of crimes - including
a union official - has
prompted police union op
position to hi re-election.
Since 1991, six deputies
have been charged with
crimes, Ficano said, and they
were fired or resigned.
Unions representing 1,159
heriff's deputies, lieutenants
and ergeants have backed
County Commissioner Kevin
Kelley.
V 0 TIl. Of-
Oen. Colin L. Powell, Chair
man of the Joint Chief of
Staff, recently addre ed
everal thousand people at
the dedication ceremoni of
the Buffalo Soldier Monu
ment here.
The monument, 12-foot
bronze tatue of a Blac
cavalryman pulling the reins
of hi hOISe, commemorate
the all-Black regimen in tbe
Army, from the end of the
Civil War to the integration
of the armed forces in 1952.
Cmdr. Carlton G. Pilpot, a
Navy historian, led the effort
to raise $850,000 to pay for
the statue.
"They (Buffalo Sotdlers)
changed the face of the
military forever," he aid.
"Despite the worst supplies,
the worst of everything, they
excelled in everything they
did.
"One out of every five sol
diers in the West was Black,"
aid Commander Philot.
"Above all else the Buffalo
Soldier were patrio1S."
The dedication ceremony
coincided with the 126th-an
niversary celebration that
brought together many sur
viving Buffalo Soldiers.
Hollis Ellis, 8S years old,
of Los Aftgel ;ained--tfte ---
10th Caval e ':'
II, tl 'd in 194,. 'tn verJ
proUd," Ell Sltct."� l_
something that bas been over
due for years. Black kid,
white kid, they didn't know
we existed, he said
The statue was made by a
Black Sculptor, Eddie Dixion
of Lubbock, Tex., who spent
two and a half years on it.
NAACP Convention roundup
Bye
A. Hlgglng, r.
ItoNNPA
A HVILL, TN -The
NAACP' 83rd Annual Convention
in "Mu ic City, USA", wa en
livened by the rou ing farewell
peech of Executive Director Ben
jamin L. Hooks, the appe ranee of
Democr tic presidential piran
Ark. Gov. Bill Clinton, hi newly
elected running mate, Sen. AI Gore
(0- TN), and Independent Presiden
tial candidate H. Ro Perot.
It w disheartened by Perot's
"you" and "your people" remark
that ome observers say directly
contributed to the unraveling of hi
candidacy campaign four day later
(NAACP President Rupert
Richardson said, "We put a dent in
his campaign"); the failure of Presi
dent George Bush to respond to an
NAACP invitation to address the
as embly, and moviemaker Spike
Lee's second failure to show at the
last minute.
Saying goodbye in hi keynote
speech, Dr. Hooks stirred an over
flow, standing-room-only audience
to more than a score of standing,
hooting, footstomping, whistling,
. handclapping, shouting, cheering,
ovations, as, fighting back tears, he
declared: "I have fought the good
fight! I have kept the faithl"
His address signalled the end of
Dr. Hooks' tumultuous career that
b� it in' . ·tmttg; MO""A
1, . ;H."
or ��l����n:�.!� Cilltll ... e} .. e .!1�� ,.
director. .
Dr. Hooks does not actually
leave office until April, 1993.
FISK UNIVERSITY has estab
lished a Benjamin Lawson Hooks
Chair On Social Justice to en
courage progress in areas of social
justice and civil rights as well as to
pass the principles of leadership in
public policy to future generations.
Ray Danner, CEO of the Danner
Company and founder and retired
chairman of Shoney's, donated the
first $100,000 toward the $1 million
chair. Dr: Hooks will be the chair's
first occupant.
The Federal Bureau of Inves
tigation cited the departing official
as did Anheuser-Busch, the giant
brewing company. A star-studded
tribute was presented in honor of
the 67-year-old Hooks and his wife,
of 41 years, Frances. It was headed
by singer Dionne Warwick, and in
cluded the legend Rosa Parks, who
said, "the struggle continues, and as
it continues, we will always remem
ber the dedication of (Dr.) Hooks";
entertainers Ossie Davis, his wife,
Ruby Dee; Malcolm Jamal-Warner
of the Cosby Show fame, and'
Dawnn Lewis of the popular It's a
Different World TV series and
Tony Brown of Tony Brown's Jour
nal were on hand. BeSe Winan, AI
Jarreau, Isaac Hayes and gospel
singer Whitney Phipps, actor Fred
Morsel, who portrayed Fred
DouglasS in a sldt, were also there
and performing. The tribute was
taped for later broadcast by Fox
Broadcasting Co.
Board Chairman William Gib
son has named Ernie Green, of the
Little Rock (High School) Nine
fame, to head a 21-member search
committee for Dr. Hooks' succes
sor. An October deadline has been
set. An qbserver, who asked not be
identifiell, told this writer that "al
ready more than 50 people have ap
plied."
In his speech, Dr. Hooks took off
the kid glove and took out after his
critics. In his hour-long farewell, he
said: "Attacks on me aero these
years have been frequent and often
vicious. But, in retrospect, this has
been the lot of all who have erved
in this position.
"Let me assure you that my
record is clear and clean and I have
never betrayed your trust. I return
this eal of authority that you gave.
me unsullied and unstained.
Despite what is said abo�t � 'old
fogyism' of the Association, or
HE ASSAILED critics for
saying the' NAACP has no
program , pointing to the large
number of i legi lative victories,
including the passage of the 1992
Civil Rights bill. He also noted the
women' economic empowerment
programs as embodied, for ex
ample, in WIN (Women in The
NAACP) headed by Mrs. Hooks;
the successful prisons, religious and
youth programs. The Afro
American Cultural and Technologi
cal Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO)
is a program, for example, in which
1,500 youths from all over the
country this year vied for prizes at
the convention. ACT-SO began 15
years ago, when founder Vernon
Jarrett, a Chicago journalist, per
suaded Dr. Hooks to lend NAACP
backing.
NAACP Economics
pr gram, alone,
rated S4J Billlon in Jobs, CW .... iil·
tracts and ervices for minority
people, Hooks proudly points out.
He cited NAACP leadership in
supporting South African
demonstrations that resulted in
U.S. imposed sanctions, and its
strong support of Haitian boat
people. This will lead to a mass
march on the White House Sept. 9,
Hooks revealed.
Ross Perot was the first
presidential aspirant to appear at
the convention. He at first appeared
confused and hesitant facing such a
large body of Black people. His
speech was laced with patronizing
references to Blacks of his day; but
he laid out a vigorous program call
ing for strengthening small busi
ness, particularly minority
businesses, reversing joblessness,
fighting crime, etc. Then he blew it
by saying: "I need not tell you, how
crippling financial conditions for
many inner city areas can be tan
tamount to a long, hot summer. No
other group of Americans are more
familiar with such consequences
than you-your people .. : The "you
people" remark was immediately
assailed by some in the audience.
He later apologized, saying he did
not mean to insult anyone and that
"I wrote the speech myself ..• " But
the damage was done. Some ob
servers believe his campaign
started to unravel right there. Dr.
Hooks said he didn't think the sUght
was intentional.
about its irrelev nee, the NAACP
remains the undi puted leader and
major force in the civil rights aren .
Even our critics cknowledge that.
I am proud of what we have
managed to do over he 15 years,
and remember, thi w done under
12 ye rs of the Reagan-BUSh d
mini tration when fund to the
citie "were I hed more than half,
and job fled to more union restric
tive and cheaper wage are ,often
out of the United State ,leaving the
central citie de titute and drug-rid
den.
New York, Jack on urged Blacks to
eep pushing for change. Marian
Wright Edelman, pre ident of the
Wa hington, DC-based Children'
Defense Fund, told the cheering as-
embly that "the 1990's is a truggle
for America s conscience and fu
ture and our children are at the cen
ter of it".
Jack Kemp, HOUSing and Urban
Development S cretary, who is al 0
a Black audience crowd plea er,
declared "it is time for America to
be brought together'. Crie of "Jack
Kemp for president!" punctured his
speech.
Dr. Louis Sullivan, Secretary of
Health and Human Services, told
the convention that no amount of
health care reform will significantly
cut costs and make people healthier
without an emphasis on disease
prevention.
The prestigious Spingam Medal,
the NAACP's highest award, went
this year to the inimitable Barbara
Jordan. Ms. Jordan confined to a
wheelchair because of a disease of
the nervous system, was unable to
resolve the conflict of attending the
'Democratic National Convention in
New York and appearing here. It
will be presented to her at a later
date.
Moviemaker Spike Lee's failure
to appear-his second; in 1988 he
failed to appear at the last minute in
Detroit-disappointed many con-
---
i joining Rand 11 Robinson, pr i
dent of TransAfrica who pp red
ith them t convention n w
conference, in taging th pr.v,
White Ho e mas demonstration
against U.S. policy on Haiti.
for Dr. Hoo and hi "La t
Hurrah" which he cknowledged in
coming home (to Tenne ee) h re
for him it 11 beg n, hi final
though were of the AACP.
"I'm not worried about th
NAACP and its future," aid
Hoo , who w Memphi, TN'
first Black judge, i pre ently th
pastor of two churches----one in
Memphi , the other in Detroit, and
who became the first Black mem
ber of the Federal Communications
Commis ion (1972-77) befor
sumingthe executive directorship
of the NAACP.
DR. HOO refu ed to
criticize Lee. But Fred R heed,
director of the organizations
Economic Development-Fair Share
program, expre sed di appoint
ment. He said continued calls to
Lee' office yielded no re ponse
even though Lee' repre entative
had reque ted his appearance at the
convention. He was to have been a
part of the star-studded tribute to
Dr. Hoo .
The Nashville Tenne ean
newspaper bluntly editorialized;
"Did Lee do the right thing (parody
ing Lee' successful movie of the
arne name)? or" ... has Lee gone
Hollywood, forgetting his fans and
upporters? Has he gotten too big to
honor hi commitments? Come on
Spike. Do the right thing."
Earlier, exiled Haitian President
Jean Bertrand-Aristide was
presented the coveted W.E.B. Du
Bois award. He vowed to continue
his fight, with NAACP help to
return to the post he won last year
in Haiti's first democratic election
in history. Dr. Hooks and NAACP
Chairman Gibson said the NAACP
"FOR IT is needed now as
much as it ever was. Listen to the
critics talk about its 'relevancy',
and then watch ome of these arne
folks, abused by police, dis
criminated on their jobs or in search
of decent housing, and see who they
come running to. The NAACP i
still the largest" most resp cted,
most feared, mo t cussed and dis
cussed, and most revered civil
rights organization in the world!"
This hi toric convention treated
Bill Clinton and his running mate,
AI Gore, much more charitably and
with far more enthusiasm. They
came high stepping onstage to the
rocking rhythms of "When the
Saints Go Marching In".
Both emphasized that the torch
is being passed to a "new genera
tion" that will bring an enlightened
and progressive era to the political
process. They stressed their youth
and intent of "bringing us all
together". 'They received a number
of prolonged standing ovations. If
elections were held right then and
audience enthusiasm nationally
representative, they would have
won in a walk.
JESSE JACKSON, a crowd
favorite, rocked the embly, with
a call for an economic summit of
Black leaders. Dr. Hoo earlier
had gently quipped that while Sen.
Gore rival New Yor Gov. Mario
Cuomo a Democratic Party
orator, be still fall. abon of J
Fresh from his appearance at the
Democratic National Convention in
State reasurers office
undertakes audit of' HPCC
Spencer Joined the U-M In 1989,
coming from the U.S. Air Force
Academy, where he wa. a ..
.oclate director of adml .. loM.
In 1987-82 Spencer wa. chief of
the Academy's minority recruit
Ing program. Spencer says h
·Is happy to have th oppor
tunity to work In thl. capacity,
even though It'. Interim. To
• rv the University In any way
I. an opportunity for me.
Spencer hold. a B.S. In politi
cal selenee from Tenne ••. ee
State Unlv ralty nd a M.A. In
.oclology from Pepperdlne
Unlveralty.
Wayne A. Budd, a 1887
graduate of WSU Law School,
h .. b n appointed aNOdate
U.S. attorney general, the third
hlghe.t po.t In the Ju.tlce
Department Prior to hi. moat
recent appointment, Budd w_
U.S. attorney In Boaton forthr
y ara and before that, • found
Ing partner In a Boaton law firm.
A native of Sprlngfl Id, Ma�.,
Budd I. a cum laude graduate
of Boston College. He earned
hi. law degree .from WSU by
att ndlng evening cia •••
while working day. for Ford
Motor Comp ny.
HPCC:
By RON SEIGEL
Co,,...pondent
- Did not complete its won
audit "ina timely manner," as state
law demanded. (Highland Park
board members say there were dif
ficulties, including a dispute with
tbe firm it hired to do the audit.)
mGHLAND PARK -The State
Treasurers' office i undertaking
an audit of Highland Park Com
munity College (HPCC).
Chief Deputy State Treasurer
Mike Khouri aid this was re
quested by the Michigan Depart
ment of Education, which aid
- Violated the law by running
a deficit.
w. Lincoln Hawkln., retired
from AT&T Bell Lat., San Mar
coe, C IH., w_ one of MV n
reclplenta of the 1892 National
Medal of Technology pr ented
by President George Bush In a
ROM Garden Cer mony June
23. H8Wkln. received th award
'for Invention nd contribution
!to the commercialization of
Iiong-lived plaatlc coating for
communication. cable and
leader.hlp In encouraging
mlnorltle. to puraue sclence
and nglnearlng cat rae
While there was some pecula
tion by the public that state funds
would be cut, Khouri said it was
"too early to tell."
He aid uch a cutoff of tate
aid w "one of many options" that
could take place. It would happen,
he said, ifHPCCdid not cooperate
with the audit or if the books were
not in order in a serious way.