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~~~ oby: Frank D. Brown
George E. Curry
Black America is in a state
of emergency. African-
American educators, elected
officials, civil rights leaders,
religious and spiritual fig-
ures, Corporate executives,
community activists and oth-
ers are being warned of a
crisis from which our com-
munities may never be able
to recover. Some are saying
this is Black America's most
pressing issue of this new,
young millennium. And
they are fearful it may resulf
in the creation of a perma-
nent Black underclass. And
now that the country is a
month past the national
emergency created by the
Sept. 11 attacks on the
World Trade Center and the
Pentagon, these voices are
calling for the Black com-
munity to pay heel to this
other crisis. We must wake
up right now, they. say,
before it's too late.
Ponder these recent statis-
tics: About two out of every
three Black fourth grade
students can barely read.
They read below basic liter-
acy levels and barely com-

prehend the meaning of most
words. This is according to
the National Assessment of
Educational Progress, the
group responsible for issuing
what is known as the na-
tion's report card. And
Black literacy levels are the
lowest of all major ethnic
groups. in the _ nation.
Further, the rate of A frican-
American illiteracy has
barely changed over the past
decade. Think about it: A
decade from now. how will
our children be able to
function in this rapidly
changing 2Ist century
information-age society and
global economy?
This points to the need for
an immediate. organized.
Strategic. collective "_re-
sponse. Recognizing this.
the National Newspaper
Publishers Associatin
(NNPA) is attempting to
play a critical role, much as
this group of Black publish-
ers has throughout its 61-
year history. © NNPA is
presenting this groundbreak-
ing series, focusing on how
Black groups are already
responding to this crisis,
Beginning this week, our

four-part series brings to-
gether national voices. of
concern: We present infor-
mation on innovative early
literacy initiatives and ap-

proaches, and tell the stories.

of Black communities that

have organizaed and suc-
cessfully taken control of ;
their local school systems '

and established new educa-
tional priorities. We de-
scribe programs that cater to
the special needs of our
youth, and provide excerpts
from a new National Urban
League publication, " Read
and Rise: Preparing Our
Children for a Lifetime of
Success."
We also report on the so-
called education-reform leg-
islation expected to be voted
on by Congress later this
month, and explain what this
all means in this new era of
segregated schooling.
Indeed, recent studies show
that our nation's classrooms
are segregated in numbers
the country has not seen
since before the passage of
the landmark Brown vs.
Board of Education ruling in
1954. What are we going to
do about it? "

Library .

DeM CONTEMPLATE SWITC
ms i He PARTIES...

by: Vinette K. Price
Traditional loyal Black
Democrats are rethinking
their practice to contemplate
a switch on Nov. 06, by
voting for the alternative
party. Angered by the recent
runoff campaign described
as dirty and alleged to in-
criminate Democrat Mark
Green, some claim they will
"teach them" a lesson by
voting any other party but
Democratic. The public
discussions started immedi-
ately after the recent runoff
race, which pitted Bronx
borough president "_and
minority-favored candidate
Freddy Ferrer against former
Public Advocate Green.
Although it was a close
contest, Green raced ahead
in polls reported during the
final hours. Many attribute
the surge to the negative
campaign that demonized
Ferrer's prinicpal supporter,
the Rev. Al Sharpton, as the
future dictator and advisor to
@ Mayor Ferrer result.
Posters reportedly placed in
communities displayed a
picture of Sharpton along-
side the Puerto Rican candi-
date, saying a vote for
Sharpton, " Rumors had
abounded that Sharpton
Would decide the-next police
Commissioner as well as
Other key positions in city
gOvernment.

Compounded with
that, the New York Post
repeatedly lampooned

ton as the chubby
Mouthpiece who would
Speak for Ferrer if the Bronx
representative were elected.
promised a clean

When . ap-
proached about the abun-
dance of negative campaign

material, he denied any asso-
ciation, saying he knew
nothing of the posters or
television ads that ruled
Sharpton a liability.

The win for Green removed
the hope of a minority
mayor. To that end, some
minority activists are openly
advocating a switch. "We
ought to be like the other
guys in showing intelligence
by voting in a way that says
we are important,� Conrad
Muhammad, head of A
Movement for
C.H.A.N.G.E. said.

"The Democrats have taken
the Black vote for granted.
We need to exercise a politi-
cal option," said Dr. Lenora
Fulani, of the Independence
Party. The option, Fulani
advised, is for minority vot-
ers to cast a vote for
Republican Mike
Bloomberg. She said he
offered the best prospect for
a better New York.
Although Cong. Charles
Rangel has not endorsed
anyone else since he stepped
out for Ferrer, the New York
representative met with
Bloomberg and is expected
to endorse the Republican.
Meanwhile, Bloomberg has
been meeting with members
of the minority community,
Last Friday, he met in
Harlem with more than 20
members of the Black Press.
There he detailed his plans
for the city and how he is
different from the current
mayor,

"| would meet with all
leaders who have a constitu-
ency," Bloomberg explained
to the reporters. He said
while he would continue to
champion the course. of a
safe city the way Mayor
Rudy Giuliani has, he had a

4

number of added programs
he would initiate to keep the
reputation of New York as
the financial capital of the
world.

Bloomberg renounced racial
profiling. He stressed edu-
cation as a priority. He

promised more housing. He

vowed to keep. businesses in
New York. He promised to
improve transportation. And
he said he would work hard
to represent the 8 million
residents of New York City.
"An inclusive community" is
what he pledged.
Punctuating that he did not
intend to query each individ-
ual on how they voted before
providing services, he said
once elected he would have
to serve the entire commu-
nity. .

In addition to stopping into
Harlem, Bloomberg's post-
runoff television outreach
has been visibly aimed at the

minority community.
' Featuring numerous African
American faces,
Bloomberg's commericals

contrast those of Greene's
which seem to depict a less
diverse New York City,
Since the runoff elections

Ferrer has accompanied
Green on campaign visits to
some communities,

However, noticeably absent
in TV commericals and on
the trail is any image of New
York's first African
American mayor, David N,
Dinkins. Despite the fact,
the former mayor has decid-
edly avowed his support for
his "friend" Green during his
"Dialogue With Dinkins"
segments on the Black-
owned radio. station, WLIB
~-- it is only there that Green
seems to enlist the support
of the official.

= s

From The Archives of the M'Voice Newspaper The Greenville C.M. Eppes
Alumni pose for our camera. Name the persons pictured and win 5 CDs.
Photo By Jim Rouse. .

4

4

v

We Encourage You To Get Out And Vote Because The Fight Is On Shown at
the Greenville City Council Chamber are some of the candidates who are
running for the Greenville City Council seats, They are shown answering
questions for Mike Hoffman of WNCT. All the candidates encourage you to
get out and vote November 6th and remember to mark their names on your
ballots. Photo By Jim Rouse

a

a2

It's Time To Get Out The Vote

itical forum. Thirteen candidates are running
Sane ed up at WTOW studio for a
and Judy Jennette are shown
to vote for them on

W Joy 1340AM held a
for Wahington city council. Four people show
live forum. Ed Booth, Bill Booth, Mr. Briley dy
outside thestudio of JOY 1320. They all encourage \

Photo By Jim Rouse

election day. November 6th.

SCLC,,,,,GOD BLESS AMERICA 1!!! | on
God Bless America has always been the motto of black folks in America, Dr. oMatin Luther

King, Jr., son visited Pitt County's SCLC this past week. Shown above with Brother King
is the present local chapter Pres. Phil Higgs and his assistants. .

; bof

xs Photo by: M. Adams jy, }

BREENVILLE Ne

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