WWW.TRIANGLE TRIBUNE.COM The Triangle McCrory, Historical Commission endorse black memorialBy Bonitta Best RIBUNE [email protected] TTHE TRIANGLE’S CHOICE FOR THE BLACK VOICE RALEIGH - Governor Pat McCrory and the North Carolina Historical Com- mission last week unanimously voted to proceed with a memorial to com- memorate the contributions of African-Americans at the State Capitol. VOLUME 17 NO. 33 WEEK OF NOVEMBER 8, 2015 $1.00 “We must begin to tell the story of the great contributions African-Amer- icans have made to North Carolina,” McCrory said. “This memorial will not only commemorate an important part of our history, it will inspire fu- Let the hype begin. ture generations to make history of their own that will contribute to the fabric of our great state.” N.C. Central men’s The Historical Commission joins the African American Heritage Com- mission to represent the diversity of the state’s history. Those backing basketball prepares the proposal say they are not trying to replace the N.C. Freedom Monu- to defend MEAC ment Project – which seeks to plant an art project two blocks from the State Capitol – but to complement it. regular-season The planning committee will consist of three members of Historical Commission and three members of the African American Heritage Com- streak. mission. Historical Commission Chair Millie Barbee will lead the effort. The first meeting is set for January. Please seeMEMORIAL/2A Bill Bell to Spaulding serve final was more than a termBy Latisha Catchatoorian [email protected] traiblazer DURHAM – Bill Bell will serve his eighth consecutive and final term as the Bull Civic and business City’s mayor after Tuesday’s election. As mayor for the past 14 years, he’s been leader dead at 81 vocal and actionable about fighting By Latisha poverty in the city and said he wants to Catchatoorian stick around to “generate a little more [email protected] traction.” DURHAM – After a lengthy “I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to serve illness, Asa T. Spaulding Jr. as mayor of the city of Durham. I think was laid to rest Monday sur- we’ve made a lot of progress during the rounded by friends and fam- time I’ve been mayor…there’s some other ily. things that I want to continue,” Bell said, S p a u l d i n g reemphasizing his dedication to revital- passed peace- izing distressed neighborhoods and ad- fully at his dressing affordable housing issues. “I Durham home realize you’re not always going to cover Oct. 25 at 81 everything and if you sit around until years old. something else needs to be accom- LATISHA CATCHATOORIAN Though physi- plished, you’ll never leave, but those Betty Curry (red), a grandmother of seven, speaks at the press conference. cally gone, his items I mentioned are important to me spirit will live on and I hope they’re important to the com- in the commu- munity.” nity as a business- Spaulding Bell won against opponent James Lyons man, politician, with 86.8 percent of the vote. In a city educator and friend. that’s repeatedly reelected Bell, the re- “I am saddened…He was, sults were less than surprising. Lyons, like his father, a trailblazer in who works for Time Warner Cable, is a Parents protest at Durham. His legacy is firm, lifetime resident of Durham and had and he will be missed,” said hoped to be a “breath of fresh air” for the Omar Beasley, a member of city, bringing a new voice and new ideas. the Durham Committee on “Our city is long overdue for a mayor the Affairs of Black People. that is relatable and in-tuned to the voices Chapel Hill schools Spaulding Jr. is the son of of our city's youth and millennial voters,” Racial inequity visible in educational gaps the late Asa T. Spaulding, the Lyons said during the campaign trail. same level as white students, be college and/or career former president of N.C. Mu- Roughly 11 percent of Durham’s regis- By Latisha ready. Catchatoorian but to us it looks more like an tual Life Insurance Company. tered voters turned out to the polls to cast opportunity gap,” said Those supporting the Cam- The Spaulding family has a [email protected] their votes for mayor and to elect candi- Wanda Hunter, co-chair of paign for Racial Equity in Our rich history in Durham and, dates to the three open city council seats. CHAPEL HILL – Some of the the Organizing Against Schools argue that the dis- like his father, Spaulding Jr. Incumbent Steve Schewel (28.1 percent), Racism Alliance. trict’s response to these in- made a great impact in a com- grassroots organizer Jillian Johnson (23.4 crowd that gathered in front of the Administrative Offices Hunter said she can’t imag- equities is to create munity that was one of the percent) and Attorney Charlie Reece (18.1 ine the public outcry if this disconnected programming first places in America where percent) took the spots in that order. of Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools last Wednesday re- statistic was the same for that addresses “perceived de- blacks could prosper. ficiencies,” and fails to ad- Mutual President and CEO Please see BILL/2A leased black balloons into the white students. She said this air, while others held onto opportunity gap creates a dress the systemic and James H. Speed Jr. said the theirs tightly. more hospitable learning en- institutional barriers to edu- company benefitted tremen- The balloons that drifted vironment, higher expecta- cating black students that dously from Spaulding Jr.’s into the sky represented the tions, and more educational exist within (and outside of) support and advice, and he 85 percent of black male and extracurricular opportu- CHCCS. made every effort to demon- eighth-grade students who nities for white students than The coalition held listening strate “the commitment to the Supreme did not pass the end-of-grade black students. sessions for over 100 stu- legacy that his father was in- reading test. The handful of Data gathered on CHCCS dents and parents this sum- strumental in leading.” people still holding their bal- students revealed that in the mer to gain more insight into “Dr. Spaulding was the epit- loons represented the 15 per- 2013-14 school year, African- the perpetual problem. ome of what African-Ameri- Court Kyesha Clark, a junior at cent who did pass. American students were sent can civic and corporate “For decades, our schools to the principal’s office three Carrboro High School, said leadership should resemble,” have had what is referred to times more frequently than she knew growing up black he said. considers as an achievement gap, white students and were sus- meant that she had to work Spaulding Jr. was an aca- which points to students and pended eight times more twice as hard as any of her demic who attended More- makes it sound like black and often. Only 20 percent to 35 white classmates. house College and then N.C. brown students just have not percent of minority students Central University, earning race in jury were considered on track to Please see PARENTS/2A undergraduate and graduate been able to achieve at the degrees in business adminis- tration. He furthered his stud- selectionBy Stephanie Carson ies at Atlanta and New York N.C. NEWS SERVICE Universities. His successful career in RALEIGH – This week the U.S. Supreme broadcasting, both for televi- Court is considering arguments in a case sion and radio, prepared him that could impact jury selection practices for multiple political runs. Ac- in North Carolina. cording to his obituary pub- Specifically, Foster v. Chatman involves “What we were able to do with ElevenBy Latisha Catchatoorian yearsneed to of get back second on their feet,” chances lished in the News and instances where Georgia prosecutors uti- this Access to Recovery pro- [email protected] Gaddy said. “It feels like a quick Observer, Spaulding was the lized a coding system when selecting ju- gram, for example, with (the RALEIGH – What do you do 11 years.” first black candidate in the rors, with special notations when they partnering of) Durham Tech and when you’ve been in prison for Gaddy said people hear you south to receive over 500,000 were African-American. Gretchen Engel Dennis, we are very close to ink- five years, and you’re coming differently when they know you votes in a statewide contest with the Durham-based Center for Death ing a deal so we will have indi- home to no job and no support share their same story. This is for N.C. Secretary of State as a Penalty Litigation said this process of se- viduals who are enrolled in this system, with a permanent one way his “15 Principles of Republican in 1976. He ran lection is problematic. program be able to go to record that feels like a ball and Personal Growth and Leader- for Durham mayor in 1971. "In order for our justice system to have Durham Tech and, depending chain? Contact Dennis Gaddy, of ship” have been able to make an In a 1979 interview with credibility and integrity, it has to be on how much time they want to course. impact on so many lives in the Walter Weare, Spaulding Jr. viewed as functioning equally and treat- invest, they can (get a career),” Gaddy, the executive director community. said that all the things he had ing all citizens equally," she said. "If you said Martin Woodard, ATR proj- of the nonprofit Community Many exciting things hap- done in life were satisfying.