ROSA PARKS HONORED Alva Bell (left) of the SSCA presents roses to Ms. Parks. (Photos courtesy of Spelman Office of Mrs. Rosa Parks Communications) Known as the “Mother of the Civil Rights Movement,” Mrs. “My request is that you Parks encouraged the crowd to carry on with dedication carry on the movement. The fight for equal rights must and courage .. and be continue, she said. “My request motivated to get proper is that you carry on with dedica­ trianing and guidance to tion and courage." Mrs. Parks is accept the jobs and remembered for her own courage exemplified when she opportunities offered. refused to give up her seat o a And don’t give up and white man on a segregated bus in don’t say the movement Montgomery, Alabama in 1955. During the convocation, Mrs. is dead.” Parks took part in a panel discus­ sion with Mayor Young who called her the catalyst that This was the message passed brought a new kind of power to on to a crowd of students, faculty the world. and staff and visitors from Rosa Following the convocation, Parks who was honored at Mrs. Parks was honored by Spelman on February 18 in a having a lounge in the living learning center dedicated to her. Mrs. Parks signing autographs after the convocation. special convocation. By Carolyn Grant Editor-In-Chief Last month Spelman honored seeking to pursue successful The answers to these questions a very special woman who today careers is to fulfill it as best we are many and lie in each of us. Grant at a Glance is regarded as the “mother of the can. The courage and strength Our task again is to seek them Civil Rights Movement.” that Mrs. Parks uncovered in out in order that we may become That woman was Rosa Parks. herself thirty years ago is what we full active participants and not Thirty years ago, she sparked the should uncover in ourselves passive participants. Civil Rights Movement when she today. Both qualities can be Our contribution to the refused to give up her seat to a motivating factors in our lives as success of our race is very white man on a segregated bus in we seek proper training, important. Black woman Montgomery, Alabama. Tired guidance, jobs and oppor­ historically have been known as from a day's work, she mustered tunities. supporters. Today this support up the courage and strength to As we seek, we should do so system is needed more than ever refuse her seat. with dedication. A search for our steadily retrogressing One could only wonder where without dedication is bound to race. she found the courage and be an unsuccessful search. The strength of this support strength for which she is ad­ Just as we need to be system depends a great deal on mired. Today, she passes this dedicated in seeking strong how well we keep aware of courage and strength to others careers, we need to be dedicated ongoing issues and on how well like us. At the convocation held in the movement. Mrs. Parks we prepare ourselves mentally. in her honor, she remarked “my heeds us not to say that the Mrs. Parks is widely request is that you carry on with movement is dead. It is very acknowledged for bringing dedication and courage and be much alive only it exist in a about a change through a move­ motivated to get proper training different form from the form in ment. Today, we can continueto and guidance to accept the jobs which it existed 30 years ago. see that changes take place by and opportunities offered. And Often we should stop and ask gaining and using knowledge don’t give up and don’t say the ourselves where is the move­ and by using opportunities. movement is dead.” ment going, how does it exist This is a strong request. Our and how do we as young black task as young black women women fit in? Along the color line ... Who profits from apartheid? By Dr. Manning Marable Steelworkers of America recent­ South Africa is Unquestionably throughout the U.S., led by civil market - in fact, an IBM com­ membership of about 350,000, ly prepared a brief study on this the most immoral and repressive rights and religious leaders, has puter runs the stock exchange in African laborers, the vast majori­ issue. For several years, the U.S. state on the face of the earth. helped to highlight these Johannesburg. Goodyear and ty of the nonwhite labor force is steel industry has experienced a Despite the Reagan ad­ brutalities, and has made Presi­ Firestone sell tires to the regime, unorganized. Strikes are illegal, state of rapid callapse. Between ministration’s cozy and suppor­ dent Reagan’s support for this which are used for police forces. and nonwhite union activism is 1974 and 1982 domestic steel tive relations with apartheid, Nazi-like regime more difficult Several multinational oil com­ viciously repressed. The majority production declined by 50 per­ dubbed “constructive engage­ to justify. panies, including Exxon, Caltex of Black workers live in poverty. cent. In 1983, the seven largest ment," the reality of its tyranny is But larger questions remain. and Mobil, have sold oil to South Even according to the biased steel producers reported losses too monumental to obscure. Who benefits materially from the Africa in direct violation of the statistics of the apartheid government, African of $2.7 billion that year alone. Since 1967 over six and one half existence and perpetuation of a 1979 OPEC embargo. In all, households below the official Major industrial towns depen­ million citizens have been state whose legal justification is about 20 percent of all foreign poverty level include 62 percent dent upon steel productivity to arrested and tried for pass law white supremacy? Does the direct investment in South Africa in Johannesburg, 65 percent in generate jobs have had violations; hundreds of opposi­ investment of U.S. corporations comes from US firms. As of 1983, staggeringly high rates of tion leaders have been crippled, in the regime help or hurt for example, Mobil Oil had $426 Durban, and 70 percent in Port joblessness. Simultaneously, the tortured and even murdered by American taxpayers and million invested inside the coun­ Elizabeth. Racial segregation u.S. steel industry has ciphoned apartheid police; over one hun­ workers? Any analysis of the try, with 3,577 workers; General lowers nonwhite labor costs. domestic profits and reinvested dred laws restrict and censor the political economy of South Motors, $243 million and 5,038 Using May 1983 figures, the them in Third World nations press; and since June 1961 fifteen Africa illustrates that the U.S. is workers; Newmont, $127 million average monthly wages in all manufacturing firms was $1,290 where authoritarian regimes hundred people have been decisive in the running of the and 13,535 workers; Union Car­ for white, $460 for Indians, $365 guarantee a low wage, non- “banned" by the government’s racist government. American bide, $54.5 million and 2,465 for Coloureds, and $320 for unionized labor force. Imports Minister of Law and Order. The corporations control 70 percent workers. Control Data had $17.8 Africans. According to the Sur­ from foreign nations producing continuing nonviolent protests of the South AFrica computer million in sales in 1983 inside South Africa, a paultry figure vey of Current Business, U.S. steel now exceed one fifth of the compared to IBM’s sales of $262 companies averaged 18.7 per­ domestic market. And since million and workforce of 1,800. cent annual rates of return on 1975, U.S. imports of apartheid’s American banks, led by Chase capital investment between 1979 steel have increased 5,000 per­ Spehiuw , to 1982. Apartheid laws and the cent. Manhattan, Chemical, Bankers Trust, First Boston and Manufac­ rigid regimentation of nonwhite South African steel is largely SnPOTLIGH^ turers Hanover, had outstandin labor reap their rewards. produced by a state-owned firm, THE VOICE OF BLACK WOMANHOOD gloans totaling nearly $4 billion How does this investment the Iron and Steel Corporation Editor-in-Chief Advisor Political Editor as of 1984. affect Americans? Researchers (ISCOR). All of the major U.S. Carolyn Grant Kimberly McElroy Sydney Perkins The reasons for U.S. corporate for the Washington Office on companies which have ex­ Africa and the Civil Rights perienced difficulties producing Fine Arts Editor Photo Editor Layout Editor interest in South Africa are easy (Continued, pg. 4) Jennifer Jackson Jennifer Satterfield Natalie Heard to explain. Despite the union Department of the United Sports Editor Associate Editor Circulation Manager Marie Roberts Lynette Glover Triphenya Zachery Dear Readers, Literary Editor Carol Lawrence News Editors The Spotlight encourages you to voice your Jasmine Williams Health Editor Debbie Marable Angela Hubbard opinions, make suggestions or comments and to air Art Editor Feature Editor Debra Johnson Wanda Yancey your grievances. All letters m ust be typed and signed. The Spelman Spotlight is a bi-monthly publication produced by and for the students of Spelman College. The Spotlight office is located in Sincerely yours, the Manley College Center, lower concourse, of Spelman College. Mail should be addressed to Box 1239, Spelman College, Atlanta, Spelman Spotlight Georgia 30314. Telephone numberis 525-1743. March 1985 The Spelman Spotlight Page 3 DAVIS ADDRESSES STUDENTS DURING RELIGIOUS EMPHASIS WEEK by Debbie Marable the 26-mile-long New York said. dormitories ana sunny day you away from God," he said. In observance of Religious Marathon," Davis said. “Sooner or later everybody friends he said. In closing Davis said that the Emphasis Week 1985, a noted Many have come to Spelman has got to enter.