Say Brother; 714; Minority Cultural Institutions: Programmed to Fail?

Yeah. Good evening I'm Leah Fletcher and I married somebody tonight really a pleasure of the Boston Herald American told of a Boston School Department report listing the true reports on the

festival Bostonian and I will report on the leadership plan for South Africa. The Sparrow's guest is Ms. Elma Lewis director of the National Center of Afro-American artists and Tanya Hart of WNYC who reviewed the inauguration and the payment gallery. The old American said last week that President Carter may partially lift our 16 year old trade embargo with Cuba within the first four months of his administration. The president's advisors said the action would permit this country to sell food and medicine to the Castro regime for its part. Cuba is expected to release nine American political prisoners and to withdraw a substantial number of the 18000 troops it still has in Angola. If a full resumption of trade follows Cuba could become a market worth some seven hundred and fifty million dollars annually to American businessmen. Leah thank you wear a 900 page report prepared by the Boston school department at the request of school superintendent Marion Fay he

shows reading and math achievement scores for the city's children well below average especially for black students. Boston officials presented the report this week to federal officials hoping they will grant to the city eight point four million dollars in emergency school Aid Act money. And the president Thomas Atkins interpreted the report as an effort by the superintendent and the school department to seed money to improve the quality of education for all children in the city. He also said the report supports the position the NWC P has maintained for the past 15 years. He explained that black children were not always receiving the same education as white students because the Boston school system operated a dual system and the education it provided minority students was separate and unequal. Atkins contends that the proposals to seek federal funds indicate to the school system is now beginning to focus on the quality of education in the city and this he says is a good thing.

Just Dana thank you. The South Coast Community Health Center is the kid in Chinatown to provide comprehensive medical social and mental health services to the community. Now for a Cantonese speaking audience. Don't go home cuttings. Why don't you tell me what mall they suddenly saw. Gunslinging God. You know I get home I can see that the unlock the attendee who told the save. Son the mental health team.

Is composed of social workers. Psychologists. Psychiatrists and they also program. Welcome to this portion of so brother. I want to talk to you about the theme of the whole

program and that is cultural institutions other program to fail. But even more importantly do they exist. We have with us the nationally acclaimed Soma lowest welcome to so brother. Thank you. I wonder if you would address yourself to the very first question Are the existing at all. Well black people have not institutions to strengthen their lives generally. Not just not cultural institutions institutions and marginal. The one institution we have had is of the church and then to a small degree we have had black colleges but each of them has been too insolvent to maintain itself. Now we've got to talk about cultural institutions. We have just begun to think about those. And I think the National Center is the only one that is standing still of all of those that tried to exist in the 60s. Some people have an entity like a company a ballet

company or. Fear the company but institutions. Now what is the real definition. What is an institution and institution is some thing that is programmed to analyze support and direct a certain proportion of life over the span of the history of that life. That is to say the church let's say supports the black Christian from the time he becomes one to the end of the time in that particular land or the end of Christianity in that land. So that you would expect the early church to go on indefinitely as the black church or you would in Spain you would expect that Fisk would address itself over the centuries to educating blacks. Not just to make a living but to live that it will

dress itself to the spiritual moral mental intellectual. Every aspect of education in that persons life cultural institutions would have to do the same thing and cultural institutions as we know them are let's say the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. They are. Let's say the Boston Symphony Orchestra is institutionalized and you look at your institution what I would refer to as institution. As well as anybody on it. We're trying to be one. But in order for us to be there we have to have some stable base of operation. You're receiving I mean it's constantly in the newspapers and time after time you're saving funds from Ford for music and funds from Rockefeller for dads. What does that have to do with stabilizing. Nothing and nothing for one thing it was not that we received those funds as often as they were reported sometimes.

That's the same rant reported eight times. Do you need to clarify that for us. Well you see it is kind of spectacular to hear black entities getting large money. At any point at any point people keep repeating it as though it's a fact. But let me go on from there. Suppose you get money from Ford to teach music which is what we've gotten. It says most specifically you will pay the salary of music teachers zip period. You may not buy a piano a violin a sheet of music pay the telephone bill pay administrative salary now anything because Ford expects that you have an institution already in which to do that. And that usually traditionally things like that come into being by wealthy donors or large founding fathers want to get to that point. Well now that's a problem because wealthy donors and large foundations large foundations start with them give money to perpetuate the society as it exists. OK so that if I

would go in for a grant from the National Center of Afro-American artist or one of its components the Elma Lewis School of Fine Art. And W. do be I would you would go in for a grant and it would be natural to Ford to support WGBH war because that is already the institution of this society. This society is what they're trying to perpetuate us. So if I would be a change agent I'll try to change the society. Now I must take the marginal money off find new money now if I go look for new money among black. There are not large numbers of people who are in the millionaire class who can give away hundreds of thousands of dollars or one throw so that if you want large money among blacks you constantly hear people saying did you ask Mohammed Ali did you ask Sammy Davis because a very few in number. Well I would ask there for Dr. Drew. Not really. Why didn't you because we can't. There are marginal millionaires if you would

compare the million to the millions of let's say the Rockefeller family or they don't have that and one thought I always thought a very interesting thing he said if I had 22 million dollars to give away but only give each black one now isn't that it. And that truly doesn't have it. So I let him give me. You. Are letting our money on. That's what's going to happen but then you say also it's just as important for the average person to of this man. That is an institution needs 10 million dollars and that person has $10 the $10 that will put the 10 million years with us you know and the person who has a hundred or a thousand is valuable and that we must make sacrifices that have institutions. Black people have a history of. Unfortunately not having that march and they've had that history for some term Now how do you feel about people who have very little to begin with about giving.

They have to do that and you know I'm going to give that digress for a moment. You know you go toward Festac the festival in Nigeria. And when we first started to talk about it five years ago. The concept was that the American black leaving the richest black in the world was not going to help Angola and all of those various and sundry beleaguered countries get to the festival. They're all going to the festival they've all got their money and the American black still hasn't assembled his money and I think that's a disgrace. Two million of us had a dollar. When the when the the MWC P was in trouble a moment ago. And as it relates in trouble yes it had to go to the unions for a million and the harm Fortunately we have a million and a half. I think we must stop rehearsing that we don't have our priorities have to change and we have been cause to think of ourselves as an ordinate really poor.

Very few of us. Don't take a cab. Right. Or very few of us do not buy beer or something to drink a cigarette. So all the clothes we would have records and certainly we have money people in the other parts that have that and they give. Now let's talk about we're not going to want to end such as an immediate forbears like my mom and her mother. All of those people gay and shared So how did we know that we come to this new professional of fluids. Say we have not to give. We have to change our thinking and give to ourselves. When you talk about changing someone's thinking you're talking about changing the race of people. You're talking about changing someone's whole psyche about how they view themselves. That takes a little time doesn't it. And that's why you need a cultural institution to help you see that. Takes time. What was took years to accomplish will take years to eradicate. But we have to begin at some

point. I keep saying this every time I get a chance to speak in public. Do you think that there are 1 million blacks who could give a hundred dollars a year to causes nationally. I'm sure. That's a hundred million dollars. That's not instead of a grant from the government. That's not instead of a grant from Ford and Rockefeller. That's the money that brings the dignity and the excitement and allows us to do those things with and necessary if you want a lot of money put into research on hypertension and sickle cell and you are the person people most affected by then you are the people who left the funded. And we have got to stop saying oh I want somebody else to do what I need. But that's a good parallel. The chances of a child that I don't have at this point coming to your school are very slight because a child does not exist however I can relate more realistically

to the chances of myself. Having sickle cell or something that I could inherit. Now what about the people that look at giving in that life. Well they have to change the way they look at this thing. Do you mean to tell me that all of the people who are supporting. The concept of the National Gallery will get to go there. They won't get to go to the National Gallery and see the paintings but they know that for the dignity of America. The National Gallery must exist. They know there are many things that I will never use I'm never going to use the public schools. I've never had a child and at this age would be a phenomenal phenomenon if I had one. But the public schools do with that to my life. For the quality of people they turn out. Affects the way the studio is conducted. It affects everything so we can have that narrow tunnel vision so that the child won't come to my school. I used to tell parents now one

of the reasons you have to help civilize other people is because your child is going to marry that person. Thank you. Here is your notes or so you had everybody is your responsibility to quote never says For Whom The Bell Tolls for the exact details. It is important it is important to the dignity of a community in that those people with whom we come in contact not learn. To be aggressive against. Society and against each other I want to go back to something it's not my school which I'm talking a certain number of people will come to that school. But the National Center will affect people internationally at this point. We're waiting to make an exchange with the international cultural institute in that car. So I would exchange teachers and students and we're going to affect the way we live internationally and even if that were not true. If you get 30000 people in a stadium to see

something you affect them per minute. That's right. If that if you get people to come look and look at them and exhibit. And to digest and understand some things and have understood before you affect them. So it's not just attendance at a school makes a difference. Blast which I notice that most people do know in fact how to call me up and say they cancel the insurance on me and I have no money do you know where I can get a job. Speak For Me. Well if I'm not there I can do it or I'm afraid I'm afraid the general populace is very near-sighted and I think I mean you know I think we accuse people of things over and over again. That is that is not necessarily true. How would you know what you take me a long time for her. From foundations and rich people to get $65000. I would have to x. I would have to reason I would have to wait for appointments come past

vacations God knows what hour. But I sat on television and in the newspaper to the general public we will not leave here on October the 15th and in three weeks 50 cents $1 $5 that we have 65. So who is nearsighted. All the richer people. You see I was nearsighted and I have to greet all ladies off with a stick in the supermarket that looked like a lady's white old lady trying to give me $2. They say this is all I have. But the work is worth it. My husband's been sick six months and I'm retired not a whit I'll still give you $2. You need to learn something from that thing. Right and the people who really are reluctant are the haves. Not the general populace. The general populace the one night I had drawn up in the car to my house and I was sitting out in front of the house talking for a last minute and a young men maybe 18 and 20 walked pass.

And then he realized I was sitting in the car he walked back and reached in the window with a dolla and I said I don't take money send it up to the school. Do you think we have very little time with me how do you think we can go about trying to educate. One another in terms of just giving in general and understanding what that means. So you have the very best opportunity. You young people who are in the media and I count on the young because I think people my age are already damaged. But you have the best. Opportunity if you say it often enough we'll hear it. I think cigarette commercials. I have never smoked a cigarette in my life. You saying cigarettes can hurt you taught me right why am I here in spite of my school run I'm going to go ahead. Right right and you can get into people's heads in spite of themselves. The blast which once anybody has given you a dollar they own a piece of you. They become very proprietary and the interested so I will try to get a dollar from everybody on

some level all the other so that they'll then feel invested. Once Muhammad Ali has come here and thought he'll always be interested in us because I'll be interested in what he put a whole day into That's what almost killed himself above all that I got to pay attention to the serai. I'm interested in you because you were my student. I invested myself in you. It's not that I don't care about everybody but you got a piece of me. So I want the best for you. I'm there so many people around like that as I look around at them all over the world. Invest. And then you'll encourage and support. Thank you. I think that's a perfect note. For which we share. And enjoy the rest of cerebral. Thank you Mr.. You might well wonder what he's doing on this program. It might come as a surprise to you that even though the vampire stories are obviously fiction

they are nevertheless centered around a very real person Dracula lived in the 15th century. He seems to have lost some of his status over the years. But he was not merely a count. He was a prince. Go to Transylvania and for luck. In what we now know today as Romania. The fact that he ruled the Transylvania is the most accurate bit of information that we are all acquainted with. But it is his family's earlier history that points to a connection between the black and yellow races. But what has Romania got to do with the price of tea in China. As you can see it is one of the countries that form the western border of that enormous tract of land which we call Mongolia and many of the people in this area who are descended from the Mongolian tribes known as Apache negs. And the coon lands. Some of the noble families

like Prince Dracula's have themselves descended from the tribal chieftains of these Mongolian bands. But it is in the very name of Dracula's family that we have a clue to an African connection. Dracula's Dynasty was a bastard Rob which is said to mean Pascha of the Arabs. This title whether it is true or not. Reminds us that many of these Western Mongolian. Because of the relations of the time. Belonged to the Great Nation of Islam. Although the greater majority were converted to Christianity by the 13th century. Because of Turkish influence. A Mohammedan community not only in Romania but in neighboring Hungary and Bulgaria as well. Well represented with the African in the Muslim population. These three eastern European countries have assimilated over the centuries as is evident in the fact that even to this day a commonly used word for

Negro is a word Arab in preowned is a coat of arms for the Basque family which the eagle is wearing. And as you can see the passion is Arab. Hope that. Beautiful for an. Ambassador doesn't it to the United Nations Andrew Young said last week that the United States should organize a program to train black leadership to run South Africa once majority rule is established. Young also called for U.S. subsidies to set up an independent anti-apartheid newspaper in South Africa. Young made these comments on America's Black Forum a syndicated news interview program. He went on to criticize American blacks because quote they don't write their congressman or they don't raise hell when something goes on in Africa the black community will not get consideration of their own needs or the problems that

affect them around the world until they become more aggressive politically. Besides backing the training program Young said he will fight to give other third world nations an equal chance to share the world's resources. The investor designit commented quote until the rich nations of the world begin to get together and develop a strategy to relate to the poor nations in the world we're going to have problems. Young also confirmed reports that he recently met with officials of the South West Africa's people's organisation SWAPO a liberation group in the African territory. Young says that he believes there will be progress in the near future toward negotiated settlement in South West Africa. And now for our Spanish speaking audience what I knew was absolutely see that my order meant that what I would throw in like I'm one of these banana especially about this but at that I thought problem I said was you know this book us not on solo border Latino and felt that you were a professor not much of a sissy and that it was so better than being what it discusses they are saying about them even though they're probably

must mean that it is better I would hope a Hispanic office of planning evaluation you know Solomon Carter fuller mental health center as grama bottom ho to you about it except your novice class and you would I mean in the program a lot us so what they sponsor in Boston up here the problem Osment Dallas program as a fight about but I think I'm probably most you know being on the court a little bit will gather that up be able guess you not is spread out again he said it would likely be guys but on my own for most young Yemi I hope they left to see if they lost the race. Cinco sees the race. Springfield Democrat Rayman a Jordan Junior has become the first black to sit on Massachusetts powerful Ways and Means Committee. The second term legislator was one of the few surprises among the work assignments for the 240 state representatives by House Speaker Thomas W. Magee of Lynn. Jordan is one of 25

representatives on the committee which is traditionally comprised of House veterans. Although no blacks were named to either committee chairmanships or vice chairman ships representative Doris Bunty of Boston was given a fairly choice assignment as a member of the House Rules Committee. She was the only nonwhite and one of only three women on that 25 seat panel which is expected to handle the house redistricting Justyna festival Bostonian retrospective. A conglomeration of exhibits at Boston City Hall marks the close of festival Bostonian this month. Festival Bostonian a program originating with the mayor's office of culture of fear since April 1975 celebrated the artistic heritage of Boston's 17 major ethnic groups. The focus on Chinese Bostonians choked place last February. The various exhibits include paintings sculpture photography ethnic food crafts and crafts

information about nationally or internationally famous Bostonians children's artwork and traditional toys from various cultures. The festival Bostonian Britto specked exhibits on video to the public at Boston City Hall from January 10th through January 28 Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.. Perhaps you were lucky enough to catch the absolutely outstanding performance by the Alvin Ailey dancers during the inaugural entertainment spectacular. Quite frankly the medium of television was unable to capture all of the electricity that flowed on stage but the audience who gave the troop a two minute standing ovation got the message. If you stayed up long enough to see the finale you witnessed one of the great moments in musical history. Aretha Franklin saying God bless America. Acapella I hope someone recorded it for posterity. The show

was laced with regalia fit for a king. However I couldn't help wondering as I watched the show where the blacks Hispanics and Asians were. We were certainly represented on stage as entertainers but it appears that none of us were invited to just sit and be entertained. Perhaps President Carter will orient the white minority toward accepting blacks and other third world groups in capacities other than those of providing services. It is time that we too are served on your heart. You've been watching say Brother I hope you've enjoyed the show. Thank you for joining us.