Howard University Digital Howard @ Howard University The iH lltop: 1990-2000 The iH lltop Digital Archive 10-31-1997 The iH lltop 10-31-1997 Hilltop Staff Follow this and additional works at: https://dh.howard.edu/hilltop_902000 Recommended Citation Staff, Hilltop, "The iH lltop 10-31-1997" (1997). The Hilltop: 1990-2000. 199. https://dh.howard.edu/hilltop_902000/199 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the The iH lltop Digital Archive at Digital Howard @ Howard University. It has been accepted for inclusion in The iH lltop: 1990-2000 by an authorized administrator of Digital Howard @ Howard University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Special Women's Issue News You Can Use Since 1924 i trME 81, No. 10 THE NATION'S LARGEST BLACK COLLEGIATE NEWSPAPER OCTOBER 31, 1997 THIS WEEK'S ISSUE \\rPUS \!EN'S ACTION l lTION F<)Rl\,1S CAMPUS To Photos by Aida Muluneh Many w omen who attended the march complained about Its street vendor commercialism. Women stretch to see the stage, while others dance to drums . .: r SEXISM .. A Million In Search Of Sisterhood rr By JANINE A. H A RPER 1,IIA ABU- Women Travel To FreeSryle Editor '\L'S LAWYER March By Plane, The call was made in July. \KS ABOU1' T H I::. An ocean of a million women responded, proving the power of the Train, Automobile African oral tradition. They flooded the streets of down­ By B RANDI N. ALORlOGE be together as a family and a sis­ terhood." town Philadelphia. Hilltop Staff Writer "I'm here to learn," said Amie Comedian and activist Dick Gre­ Davis, Drew's 17-ycar-old daugh- gory probably summed it up best. Aftcr weeks of bake sales, car ter. "\Ve talked about this all last "ff you arc looking for your Black washes and church fund-raisers, week, and I'm here to listen to the woman and don't know where she women from all over the country speakers and learn as much as l is, she's in Philadelphia," Gregory ,TION gathered in Philadelphia for the can." said. Million Woman March in search The Illinois chapter of the The women came headwrapped, PllS BINGE of sisterhood, empowerment and NAACP sponsored a bus trip for emblazoned with Greek letters. adorned with African garb. They KlNG ON THE atonement. Every woman had a women of all ages and back- different purpose for attending grounds. came from all over the country. AFTER RECENT and each had her own experi- "We brought women from all "I came here to be in unity with enccs to share. over Illinois." said Diane Hor- my sisters." said Queen Muham­ 'EDEATHS '"Today we all have something in ton, third vice president of the mad, a Detroit resident. "It's impor­ common," said Alfrieda White, a NAACP Illinois chapter. "We tant for all sisters to come here." D.C. resident. "For years. we have have 25 buses in all with, I0 Muhammad was accompanied by seen each other. but today we will buses from Chicago alone. I'm her daughter, Vcrnika, and her onc­ come together." ______________ fired up year-old granddaughter, Nazariah. They boarded a bus from Detroit at White is a 47- See Additional about going year-old college o ~t and 1 a. m. Saturday. student at the Million Woman March d O i n g Muhammad was one of the esti­ University of the COVerage: something mated 1.5 million who journeyed to District of positive." Philadelphia. To Vernika Muham­ :YSERRAT Columbia.After A4, A6, A7, A12, A13 Oneofthe mad, the Million Woman March, leaving school.___________ _ ____. m a i n which was almost two years after NS CONTlNUE because of family problems. she themes of the march was devel- the Million Man March in Wash­ rcturned and obtained a bache- opment of Black women who ington, D.C .. is long overdue. tor's degree this past May. She is wish to become professionals and "The women's march should have now working on a master's productive members of society. been first." Vernika Muhammad Million Woman March attendance estimates rang from 300,000 to 1.5 million. The march extended to the length of Benjamin Franklin degree in social work. Horton and the NAACP took spe- said. "I l is after all the women who raise and educate the children." Parkway. "I' m here because this march cial interest in this theme by One of the purposes of the march mud cloth fashions. Vernon, N.Y., carrying a sign recall­ represents empowerment," she bringing 15 high school students Fliers promising Million Women ing a similar Women's March in said. "We as Black women have and a group of women from was to challenge Black women to be less competitive. March sales littered 1he pavement South Africa that took place in learned to change our bad cir- prison ministries in Ulinois. Kari Salmoun of St. Louis said and were circulated among the 1956. cumslanccs into good ones; now "These women have paid their women. "I am representing women of we must share that with our other debt to society and they arc here that did not happen. "I bumped somebody by acci­ "The whole experience was look­ South Africa," Buthelczi said. "I E sisters." today because they want to do ing at T-shirts," said Bri Montana, am here to show that the problems Some w9men brought theirchil- positive things in the Blackcom- dent.• Salmoun said. "She rolled her eyes and kissed her teeth. I a Howard University senior major­ and oppression of Black women dren to learn a lesson that will not munity now,• Horton said. ing in film. "The environment was are the same all over the world." be taught in school, said Alice A group of 48 women from thought we were supposed to drop .\RSES FOR the attitude for the day.• not created because the vendors The voice of Sister Souljah, a rap­ Drew, 48. She brought her two New Orleans traveled lo the The march raised several con­ were there. At least at the men's per and social activist, boomed over daughters from Chesapeake, Va. march by bus. According to one march they were not permitted on the speakers despite technical prob­ 'Tm trying to teach them how of the group's coordinators, the cerns for those who attended. "This is definitely more commer­ the Mall." lems. Souljah's "keep-it-real" com­ to be better Black women," she women held bake sales for a week The appeal of the march was glob­ mentary was directed toward com­ said. ·•J know we sometimes to raise enough money. cial," said L.C. Broaddus, a film­ maker and entrepreneur about the al. mercialized promiscuity of women make mistakes. I feel great that South African born Sibongile in the hip-hop industry. we are here together. We need to Please See TRAVEL, A4 march route flanked with vendors selling everything from fried fish to Buthelezi made the trip from M!. Please see MARCH, A4 Used Cars Put A Brake On New Car Economy In Caribbean By KAREN TIIOl\1AS The rivalry over new and used cars took off Thousands of used cars have been shipped to Buyers who take the chance sometimes end two years ago when small dealers started buy­ the Caribbean. where they sell at higher up with a "pattern of a car," Burnett said. World Editor ing cars in bulk from companies in Japan. prices, largely because of heavy taxes on new Reconditioned cars dealers say that poor Business has since increased. vehicles. folks benefit from for the deal. For many in the Caribbean. it is driving Dealers in several countries, fearing they New car sales fell from 15 percent of "People who could not afford to buy a car COtv1ING made easy. New on the streets are used and will be driven out of business. have asked Guyana's market in 1995 to a projected low before, can now do so," said Haimwant reconditioned Japanese cars swamping the their governments to intervene. Some gov­ of three percent by 1998. Ramdehol, manager ofRose Ramdehol Auto islands in record numbers, shifting the eco­ ernments got involved. So many cars have hit the road in Guyana, Sales, a used car business in Georgetown, nomic scale and causing contention between The Lester Bird Administration in Antigua a country of 733,000 people, that the coun­ Guyana. "Only the people who have duty-free new and used dealers. heeded new dealers call and halted all ship­ try's police chief ha& asked for a temporary concessions, including diplomats, can afford "It is hurting new car businesses," said ments of used cars. ban on used car imports. to buy new cars. The small man in the street Moses Burnett, sales manager of BeHarry Owen Arthur, the pri me minister of Barba­ In Barbados, used car imports account for cannot afford it." Company, a new car dealership in Guyana. dos, removed a 20 percent luxury tax on car 35 percent of the market, and that share is Ramdehol said that a car is no longer a lux­ "At the end of September. all 12 new dealer­ imports and cul other duties to make new growing. ury item but a necessity. ships in Guyana combined, have sold 198 vehicles more affordable. Nearly every shipment sells out. To stay even thought import taxes can double the new cars. The used car people on the other A factor contributing to this growing pop­ afloat, new car companies now offer second­ price of new cars, they are no longer a luxu­ hand sold 30-50 cars per month.