Black and Powerful! I

I I II - - - - -' rr II I' I I' - I ' II'' -,Owýpv'I iuckeworEd Published bi-wkly by students at SUNY Stony Brook A SUNY STUDENT PUBUCATION-UNIVERSITY AT STONY BROOK WEEK OF Vol.xx No.5 November 9th, BLACK AND POWERFUL! I by C Sheldon Bassarath "Black love, not Black crime is what we want in '89," was one of the many positive sayings chanted by the marchers of Black Solidarity Day(Nov 6). The day's events were quite successful and the voices of Blacks were heard all over campus. Black armbands were worn throughout the day by many students. The activities included an African American vendor(Bric-n-Blac) who brought various African paraphenalia to the campus. Movies were shown from 10:30 to 4:30 in the Union Auditorium. They included films about the making of Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing," by St Clair Bourne and rare footage of the 'Godfather of Soul' James Brown. The atmosphere was one of excitement. The main part of the activities was the march,rally, and bonfire. It began at the UNITI Cultural Center with about 80 people. As the march progressed and spirits were high more and more people joined. The path of the march went through Tabler and Kelly quads and the Union to G quad where the Bonfire was. There were several speakers at the Bonfire who included Abdul Alkalimat, Charsee Mcintyre, and Jitu Weusi, all Civil RIghts activists. BLACKWORLD'S own C Sheldon Bassarath and Dwayne Andrews also gave inspirational speeches. The overall messages of the night were Unity, the future and how Black must prepare for it, and the importance of education. At the high point of the emotional night, there were about 250 people gathering around the warm fire. The rally concluded with everyone joining hands and singing the Black National Anthem, "Lift Every Voice and Sing." The Meaning of our Darkness by Tracy M. King patclryi aei fia Saturday, I decided to go particularly in races, in Africa. Africa... Because when the An Ebony Man: Well, if you over to one of my good friends' There were no white people British came in and conquered watched the movies, you'll see room and chill with. him. While therefore there was no separaion and brought their way of life a lot of white men with the tans sitting there we struck us a and Black people were Africans, to the people, and the rest of and Elizabeth Taylor playing conversation. Here is what was were content with being Africa did not want to accept Cleopatra. said: themselves and their own religion it, he had to make a separation. A Sister: Let's get back to the and whatever. Then the Europeans matter at hand. What is black? Black, what came over and made a distinction. Man: Well, I don't know A Sister: The word An Ebony Man: Well, I can agree An Ebony of it? Think about it this way, some if I know. But I can tell you with that to some extent. But me things that we take for granted it's the ... I think the biggest the experience. I think for why is to that An Ebony Man: I like the word now, like the globe, problem in separation would be there's two parts globe a Black EBONY much better. Africa on the bottom of the what is called the middle east question. What makes up and not on the top of the globe. and what is the meaning from Africa. Any accomplishments person A Sister: Why the word Ebony, made in Northern Africa are just of Black in the United States A Sister: That's very interesting today. Being Black is more than why not the word black? to the Middle I've never thought about it that totally attributed color, 'cause as more today just a skin way before. You opened my eyes East. Many youngsters get into the high An Ebony Man: It's a nickname. even and more blacks to something new. Also the who take history don't structure, they are that's all. consider Egypt in Africa, you economic separation of Africa and Asia, forced.., let me not even say have to look at a map. When I their A Sister: It's a nickname, it's in my eyes should not exist. They was growing up, it was like, forced, many of then leave people. Black person not any other reason why you are the same Egypt, "oh that's the Middle communities. See, a he will not don't like the word black? country". that is successful An Ebony Man: I think it's also East, it's a Muslim live in the same neighborhood is An Ebony Man: The word black? cultural... Any town, any place because his economic status A Sister: Well, when I was another You see we wouldn't have to have in the world, it's usual a more. So he will move to growing up, or what I learned probably the word black if the world was cultural difference that in school, I didn't think neighborhood which will that it. Which equal place, because then separates them, so that builds. Egypt was Middle East or Africa. have less Blacks in an is more there would be no negative stigma a White person who it's a I just thought that it was an he will associated with the word black. A Sister: Sometimes successful, if he moves done on all mighty place and the So plus black was a term given separation that is still be with White people. And Africa Egyptians were white faced to us, from my knowledge anyway, purpose. Just like South continued on page 4 from the rest of people. because there was no distinction, is separated AND THE WINNER IS C-~ · ~L-- · _ The healing process for New York City ~JI - has begun in a historical fashion. On November 7 New Yorkers elected their first Black Mayor ever. The man they chose was David M. Dinkins who served as the borough president of Manhattan for the past few years. By securing 51% of the vote Mayor-elect Dinkins has taken the first step down the path of what promises TONES Of to be an eventfull Mayoral term. Throughout the campaign Mr. Dinkins maintained his dignity and composure while being bombarded with attacks from his SediTiON republican challenger Rudolph Giuliani. His gentle, but tough manner, is one of the aspect Dw /ne of his character that voters saw was necessary for a Mayor of our polarized city to have. Some said that Giuliani had to resort to his tactics because he was trailing so far in the DWAYNE polls, but like Right to Life candidate Henry WA/ndrEw Hewes said in the Mayoral debate Saturday III , _ night, "When are the issues going to be discussed". The tone of the campaign on Mr. ANdREWS Giuliani's side became very ugly and I believe that his actions could have cost his key votes. In exit polls done by WNBC and ____ I ----- Newsday, Dinkins recieved 32 percent of the and use it to The minority community of New York should their benefit, even when there white votes, which was definitely an important is not be proud of Dinkins' victory, because his a David Dinkins or a Jesse Jackson on number to put him over the top. the ballot. Dinkins main strength, though, was in victory is our victory. It is painfully Now that Mr. the "minority" vote. According to the exit obvious that when we pool our resources Dinkins has won the office in City Hall he polls he received 97 percent of the Black vote andsupport a common cause we are a very will have many problems facing him when and 71 percent of the Hispanic vote. Blacks powerful segment of this country. With he is inaugurated on January 1st. Obvious problems and Hispanics registered in large numbers to Dinkins only winning 51 percent of the vote, like drugs and the homeless come to vote for a person that they felt would we must realize that every vote from the Black mind, but the solutions are not that understand them and their problems. Make no and Hispanic communities was important. obvious. His biggest problem may be the mistake, though, David Dinkins is a man for Hopefully, more of our people will understand gaping deficit that the Koch administration has all people, not just Black people. Some voters how potent weapon the electoral process is left him. Some critics have said that felt that as soon as he got his foot in the Dinkins' tentative budgets would leave the door he would try to make his whole staff city in financial difficulties, but how Black and even try to change the city to make I"Hopefully, more of financially stable are we right now? The it more advantageous to Blacks. They are the divisions among the different ethnic groups ignorant ones who are constantly trying to of the city is something that only God himself reinforce the same old fears about Blacks in our people will could thoroughly heal in a mayor's term, but America. I am sure Mayor-elect Dinkins will Dinkins is the best human for that job. choose the best people to comprise his staff, understand how Throughout his campaign he has reached out no matter what color he or she is. Was to a wide base of people: Blacks, Jews, anybody afraid that if Mr.

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