l�rSI\ESS "OU co C th freeze were extended 0 yea it ould prob bly be nother 0 ye before the Legi I ture ould c le the i ue of property relief." Efforts to extend the freeze nd d-o vo r nger alre dy re underw y. Sen. Mat J. Dunaski , R-Lakc Orion, i he ding n effort to p h a feeze-extension bill through the lame-duck Legi lature. But ction office i over." '""'� QI , ,..., wor1h. It human ability k> Art· an ill tration of tb: aeavity 0 manlciOO, or cultural group, by ue kill era manship involved in i develq>rnen Art is an imagery of creative wor of, and about, pcop that display foon, beauty aM unusual perccptio Art' a map of � progress of mankiOO atX1 i gt'OlJp; that in­ d\Xles � scuJpue, nnSc, literatlD'e, or wOOc in any otm' graphic or plastic medium. Art, am BIn art, truly val� am' still an t 10 i inkier. j BlACK E1lJ]C Collec1lb Inc. (BEq, a company based in the VI; �D.CsubUIbofHyat­ tsville, Maryland is tbe largest pr0m01erofBJackmcrmmbiliaml art in tb: nation. Tbe profit-making coJ11lElY In;� annual sbows am sales across the country aOO is laded by.Jeanette Quson. A business that seeks Black treasure, it sponsors � � Hall o Farre am operaes � Natioml Blade Metoombilia Collectors � sociation (NBMCA). Cumn, like so manystra:SSful people woo lmd a dream, started inthis b�afkr had traveled � Africa seveml ber job; � b: collectin& African art. SII: 1e� people koow tim Black memorabilia are items made by, \\ rinen by or about, ordep'cting the image of Black people. 'Trey are � that have cultural wealth arx1 are remarkable ard worthy of remembrance. Black art is African � dolls, clones, hisk>rical papers, slavery relaed items arx1 mass-produced �ld goods. Black memorabilia includes present day litemture, records, k>ys, jewelry arx1 otber it:1llB of art. For Blacks cut from the Getty mold of art for monetary collection's sake, the 8th AImual Black Memorabilia Collectiblrs Show arxl Sale \WS being �ld in Washington's Convention Cenle!' on October 17th. This � yearly event also included tI}e , Secord Annual Blade Collcck& Hall of Fame ceremony wbere six collectors from ecross the country were honored for treir koowledge and collection of Black mermrabilia. People attending these even� reveal that they firx1 that tlx:se are more cultural than otber black oriented marketplaces, because dealeTS at tbese events sell only items related to the images of Africans and members of the African diespora, CARSON SAYS that, "Many people are beginning k> wD:rstml � historical irnpo� of Black memorabilia will others are seeing it as a unique am profitable invest­ ment" . Culturally, Carson says that these collectlbles relp "to minor the past with a vision of the future." She predicts that tre val\!: of Black memorabilia will itrrease dramati­ cally �n the completion of the proposed Smitlmnian Institution's National African American Miseum. Carson reasors tbatas the museum's orgaoizers gatb:r hems for it, a soortage of valuable Black items will drive tip the price ofttnse left in public haJxts. As the proposed African American Museum I1l(MS toward a reality and gairs � congressioral legislation that will allow -i� or­ ganizers to purchase artifacts, cur­ rent collectors aOO Black families bould creek to see what items of value trey hold. For infonnation on Black Art and the identification, sale orbar1er­ ing of it, rontact: BEC at 1401 � bwy Court, Hyattsville, MD'1iJ7Erl, (301) 63().(Xf)8. Richard E. Barber, Sr., of Some­ rset, New Jersey, recently published a book that eems destined to be­ come a be tseller among the nation's community and economic development group , church and religious organizations, and the academic and business' com­ munitie . The title of the book" T� Economic Emancipation of African­ Americans (Let the Church say, "Amen"), gives a clue to the author's comprehensive and practlcle ap­ proach for economic emancipation of African-Americans by economic itself-reliance" through emancipa­ tion of community and women's or­ ganizations by leveraging financial resources; a national development fund; development of financial in­ stitutions; and a financial support system for historic Black colleges and universities. Barber explains that the purpose of the book is to invite a cross-sec­ tion to participate in this national economic emancip tion movement in implementing an "Economic Bmanclpation Plan for African­ Americans"; to chart a new direction away from "a welfare and economic dependency mentality" to "a self­ help and economic self-reliance" philosophy with the church com- , munity in the primary and key role; to assign specific tasks and respon- ibilities to participating churche , community and women' organiza­ tions with goal ,timetable and full accountability; to share an under- tanding of the Power of Knowledge and the reative use of Penny Power. The target audience for this book i African-Americans and sup­ porters who are "sick nd tired of being sick and tired" of the peren­ nial status quo and welfare depend­ ency too prevalent in the African-American community and are willing and ready to commit themselves to "a new progressive economic agenda based on a self­ help and economic self-reliance" Plan and Philosophy. For example, some of the tar­ geted audience are pastors and church leaders; representatives of community based organizations; representatives of Black Colleges and Universities; college and high school students; business owners and entrepreneurs; representatives of fraternities, sororities and frater­ nallodges;·aM-persons with a com­ mitted he an ah