P age A3
Conference To Focus On
Reconstruction Of The
Black Community
Hundreds o f African Ameri-
:ans from across the nation will
»ather in Baltimore at the National
state o f the Race Conference
SORC) Nov. 17 - 20 for a series of
»rassroots meetings, planning ses­
sions and workshops to discuss the
plight of African Americans, the
destiny of the race and reconstruc­
tion o f the Black community.
Consistent with the spirit of
the National African American
Leadership Summit launched by
Dr. Benjamin Chavis, the SORC
promises to be one o f the most
significant conferences of our time.
"Taking Responsibility for the Re­
construction of the Black Commu­
nity” is the theme of the four-day
gathering, which will be held at
Sojourner Douglass College, the
Fifth R egim ent A rm ory, and
Radisson Hotel and other locations
throughout Baltimore.
M any o f the country’s most
p rom inent A frican A m erican
leaders will exam ine a variety
o f concerns including educa­
tio n , econom ic developm ent,
political em pow erm ent, the c ri­
sis o f Black youth, w om en’s is­
sues, foreign policy, religion,
the urban peace and ju s tic e
m ovem ent, com m unications and
the m edia, and technology.
“We have assembled a great
group of leaders - free of charge
- to assure that we move beyond just
talk, rhetoric and the paralysis of
analysis,” said Ron Daniels, chair­
person of the SORC coordinating
committee. “Parents, teachers, ac
tivists, lawyers, doctors, social
workers, entertainers, welfare moth­
ers, youth, preachers - any con
cemed African Americans - ought
to be there to listen, learn and fight
for a new future.”
Radio Networks Support
NAACP Initiatives
In an effort to raise awareness in the civil rights organization, NAACP,
the American Urban Radio Networks will being a series of initiatives aimed
as assisting the nation's oldest and largest civil rights group.
They include two public service campaigns, a nationwide address by
the organization's leadership and the airing of the NAACP's 7th Annual
Civil Rights Leader John Lewis Honored
Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) said,
"I know, firsthand, the political and
moral power of American bladks
and Jews working side by side to­
ward the same goals,” as he accepted
at the A nti-D efam ation League
(ADL) National Executive Commit­
tee Meeting. “We stood together
during times of difficulty. We must
continue to do so now,” he said. “We
can never turn a deaf ear or a blind
eye to hate. In real sense, we are one
nation: one community; one people;
ware are one house, the American
house; wc are one family, the Ameri­
can family,” he said.
“John Lewis is a mon who has
dedicated his life to the struggle for
human rights and decency,” said Bur­
ton M. Joseph, ADL honorary na­
tional chairman, who made the pre­
sentation. “During the Civil Rights
Movement in the 1960's, he marched
in the face of danger, he sustained
severe beatings during the Freedom
Rides, and he was in the forefront of
registering nearly 4 million minority
voters, transforming the American
political landscape,” Joseph said.
“As Americans,” Lewis told the
gathering, “we should be about the
business of building a truly interra­
cial democracy, rather than dividing
people along racial, ethnic and reli­
gious lines... I am committed,” he
said, “to the work of strengthening
Radiothon, designed to increase membership.
“As the nation’s only and largest African American owned radio
network company, we see it as our responsibility to help in a campaign that
puts the historical and current worthiness of the NAACP in perspective,
said Jerry Lopes, president o f the networks program operations and
affiliations.
The initial campaign will begin this month w ith 30 second announce­
ments ranging on topics from voting rights to economic empowerment.
The theme of the campaign is “Imagine An America Without the
NAACP.” In February, another campaign will feature testimonials from
everyday people on what the NAACP has done tor them.
The promotion will conclude with the radiothon on April 22. a three
hour information and entertainment special to be aired on more than 100
radio stations across the country .
American Urban Radio Networks is the only African American owned
radio network with over 250 affiliate stations.
Burton M. Joseph, ADL honorary national chairman (left), the benefactor of the Joseph Prize
Human Rights, and Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), the recipient.
the ties between the African Ameri­
can community and the American
Jewish community. We have many
challenges ahead of us.”
The ADL Joseph Prize was es­
tablished by Joseph and his sister.
Betty Greenberg, in honor of their
parents. The award recognizes indi­
viduals whose life’s work has been
focused on the improvement of hu­
man relations and the advancement
of human rights. Past recipients in­
clude former U.S. Congresswoman
and civil rights leader Barbara C.
Jordan; Germany’s President Rich­
ard Von W eizsacker; Andre D.
Sakharov; Anatoly Shcharansky, and
George P. Shultz.
Race Is Not A Factor In IQ Score Gaps
Disadvantaged children of all
races could make up the entire gap in
cognitive test scores if they received
greater intellectual stimulation at
home and inequality were elimi­
nated. That's the conclusion of a
study done by a sociologist at the
University of Illinois at Chicago.
According to "Dispelling the
Myth of Black Intellectual Inferior­
ity,” by Jonathan Crane, assistant
professor of sociology and of the
Institute of Government and Public
Affairs, when home environments
and family socioeconomic status are
equal, there are no genetic differ­
ences in intelligence among races.
Using data on mothers and children
from the National Longitudinal Sur­
vey of Youth, an annual study of 12,
686 people born between 1957 and
1964, Crane examined the effect of
race on children's math and reading
test scores. When ajl other factors
were equal, he found no differences
in the scores. In fact, one reading
test, black children had significantly
higher scores than white and other
nonblack children with the same
home family backgrounds.
Crane concludes that disadvan­
taged children need a level of socio­
economic playing field. They also
need intellectual stimulation at home
to bridge the test score gap.
Crane admits that if “the second
goal may be unattainable in the fore­
seeable future, the first clearly is
not." He says that through early
intervention, parent training and a
compensatory education system that
emphasizes parental involvement,
changes in some environmental fac­
tors are possible.
“Money provides access to bet­
ter housing, better neighborhoods,
better education and cultural advan­
tages,” says Crane. “Parents who are
better educated to be more comfort­
able reading to their children. Those
with less education may not read as
much to their children because they
are not as comfortable doing so.”
New Nation Born In Pacific
R ichard E. S incere J r .
A new nation has emerged from
colonial shadow of the United
es. On Oct. 1, the tiny Pacific
nd group called Palau became
youngest sibling in the family of
ons. This country, with just over
X)() people had been ruled as a
st Territory by the U.S. govern-
nt since the end of the World War
In his independence address,
:sident Kuniwo N akam ura ex-
issed his “pride and jo y ” over
c o u n try 's new statu s and
nked the U nited States and
U nited N ations for their fifty
irs of trusteeship. “Our rela-
nship with the U nited S ta te s,”
said, “has alw ays been, and
II continue to be, solidly based
m utual friendship, respect,
d tru st.”
With a land area of 191 square
les, Palau is slightly more than
o-and-a-half times the size of
ashington, D.C., yet it has over
0 miles of coastline and vast ocean
ritories that may include sub-
intial undersea mineral and en-
¡y resources. Its 200 islands range
im the mountainous Babelthuap
coral islands barely above sea
i/el. Its naturally beautiful envi-
nment makes it an obvious tourist
ven, but its remote location (more
an 300 miles southeast of the Phil -
pines, 4.(MX) miles southwest of
awaii) has hindered the develop-
ent of the tourism industry, which
m etheless attracts m ore than
),000 visitors each year Most
ilauans, in fact, work for the gov-
ninenl; the private sector is domi-
itcd by fishing and craft indus-
ies.
Palau's political system mixes
aditional politics and constitu-
onal dem o cracy . P resid en t
iakamura was elected in Nov 1992
ith just over 50 percent of the vote.
The bicameral legislature consists
of a Senate with 14 seats and a
House of Delegates with 16 seats. It
also has an independent judicial
branch, including a Supreme Court.
All citizens 18 years of age and
older are eligible to vote. Tradi­
tional chiefs still play a large role in
decisionmaking.
In d e p e n d e n c e cam e a fte r
v o te r s tu rn e d d o w n s e v e n
plebescites to approve a treaty of
“ fre e a s s o c ia ti o n ” w ith the
U nited S tates, each o f those re ­
quired a 75 percent m ajority for
approval. A lter the Palauan c o n ­
stitution was am ended to allow a
sim ple m ajority for approval,
voters last year voted 68 percent
to 32 percent to accept indepen­
dence. As a result, the new n a­
tion can expect over $517 m il­
lion in U.S. econom ic assistance
over the next 15 years, with an
initial outlay of $ 190 m illion. In
return, U.S. citizen s have the
rig h t to s e ttle in P alau (as
P alauans do in the United States)
and the Pentagon retains rights
to use P alau as a m ilitary or
naval base it global strategy d e ­
m ands it.
I n d e p e n d e n c e h as a ls o
brought with it rising interests
in its b u sin ess o p p o rtu n itie s.
Investors from A ustralia, Guam,
K orea, Japan, and the U nited
States are exploring the islands
for m anufacturing, tourism , fish ­
ing, food processing, and finan­
cial po ssib ilities. One Japanese
firm , the O cean D evelopm ent
C o m p an y , is b u ild in g a new
m ultim illion dollar resort on the
islands o f Koror and B abelthuap.
In his Oct. 1 address, President
N akam ura said: “We invite the
w orld to visit and do business
with Palau, accepting our laws
and respecting our traditions and
pledge to treat you fairly as wc
w elcom e you to our productive
and grow ing nation."
T here is plenty o f room for
the econom y to grow , too. The
private sector em ploys only about
1,000 native P alauans and about
2,500 resident aliens. The gov­
ernm ent em ploys m ore than 60
percent of the labor force. Yet
with an adult literacy rate of
nearly 95 percent, Palau holds
great prom ise for new industries
s e e k in g s k ille d o r tr a in a b le
w orkers. And with a per capita
incom e o f n early $ 5 ,0 0 0 (10
tim es g reater than the nearby
P hilippines), P alauans are n atu­
ral consum ers o f im ports from
the dynam ic econom ies o f the
Pacific Rim.
Recent business ventures in
Palau include a resort planned by the
Belau Sea Treasures Co., a gold
course being built by Megae Enter­
prises. and a condominium under
development by Palau Properties.
Its history has not been all sun­
shine and lollipops - it was the site
of two major battles during the Sec­
ond World War and its first presi­
dent was assassinated, for instance
- and, like all new nations, it is
likely to experience growth pangs.
As President N akam ura put it,
“Through rough waters and turbu­
lent weather, Palau has steadily
sailed toward sovereignty and self-
determination We have been steered
by the guiding rudder of our unique
cultural values and propelled by the
strong winds of progressive demo­
cratic principles. Working together,
our traditional culture and a demo­
cratic system of government have
successfully carried us to this point
in our nation’s journey."
The promise and opportunity ot
tiny Palau will make this island na­
tion worth watching in the coming
decades It is time to welcome Palau
to the family of nations.
Day.
D S,, result o f H IV infection, is an epidem ic in o u r com m unity, killing
nothers and fathers. O u r sisters and o u r brothers. H ow can we stop this disease
claim ing m ore lives? You can begin by calling your local R ed Cross chapter for
m ation about the African Am erican H IV /A 1D S Program. A program designed
frican Americans — that can teach us how to protect ourselves and o ur families.
THE DIFFERENCE CAN BEGIN WITH YOU.
PLEASE. CONTACT YOUR LOCAl RED CROSS CHAPTER
American
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