Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, October 6, 1995 TAG: 9510060073
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MARY BISHOP STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
James - a black conservative at loggerheads with the state NAACP over the overhauling of welfare - fired off a letter Thursday saying the rescinding of her invitation runs counter to the civil rights organization's defense of freedom of speech.
It's sheer politics, she said. "That's all it could be."
The Virginia State Conference, the NAACP's state office in Richmond, recommended Sept. 21 that Roanoke withdraw its invitation to James. Conference President Erenest Miller accused her in a letter of misrepresenting black welfare recipients and abusing "Lift Every Voice and Sing," the black national anthem, by using it as the title for her welfare proposals.
James responded to the charges by writing the Roanoke Branch president, the Rev. Charles Green, of the state NAACP's "vitriolic attack."
"To continually and slanderously attack someone personally because he or she does not agree with you or the stated position of an organization is an affront to these freedoms we supposedly hold dear," she said.
Six days after the state NAACP's letter, 6th District Democratic Chairman Onzlee Ware and four other Roanoke men wrote Green that they, too, were shocked that James would be the banquet speaker.
"On numerous occasions," they wrote, "Ms. James has publicly shown a lack of sensitivity for African-American interests, as well as families struggling in today's economic and political climate."
By giving her a platform in Roanoke, they said, "it gives the appearance that the Republican Party has quietly and smoothly used the local branch to legitimize the governor's agenda by way of Ms. James, who we suspect has her own agenda, which includes positioning herself as a potential conservative Republican candidate for a statewide office."
Ware was joined in the letter by Dr. Legree Hallman, accountant Wesley Pughsley, probation officer Earnest Wilson and city employee Sherman Holland. The five Democrats held a voter registration rally in Roanoke's Washington Park last month. Ware and Holland are NAACP members; Ware did not know whether the others are.
James said her office was told late last week that the banquet had been canceled. She immediately suspected it was for political reasons.
Green said Thursday the dinner was called off because, "I think [James is] looking too conservative for our group." He referred questions to first vice president Brenda Powell. She referred questions to NAACP board member Mac McCadden, who could not be reached Thursday afternoon.
Unusual politics was at work when James was invited here in the first place.
Green is one of Roanoke's most ardent Democratic Party activists. The banquet was organized by McCadden, a Republican on City Council. Three years ago, Green called McCadden council's "house boy" because he voted against electing council members by wards rather than at-large.
Some board members did not realize the hornet's nest they were getting into by inviting James to speak at the Hotel Roanoke banquet. Longtime member Robbie Board said she didn't know of the animosity between James and the NAACP. "I had never read too much about her, except she was an assistant to the governor."
The branch had hoped to raise money for NAACP programs at the "Freedom Fund" dinner. "The state [organization] had been pushing us to have money," Board said, "then they wrote in here and said we couldn't have her speak."
James sent a "small contribution" with her letter to Green.
The dinner has been rescheduled for February. No keynote speaker has been announced.
Last month, 18 members called for Green's removal as president, accusing him of neglecting discrimination complaints by two former Total Action Against Poverty employees because he is a TAP board member. Green and Powell maintain there was no conflict and the board concurred in the handling of the TAP complaints.
The call for Green's resignation was sent to the NAACP's national office. William Penn, director of branch and field services there, said this week that the petition should have been forwarded to his department but as yet, had not.
Staff writer Leslie Taylor contributed information to this story.
|By MARY BISHOP| |STAFF WRITER|
The Roanoke Branch of the NAACP postponed its annual banquet set for tonight after the organization's state office and some Roanoke members warned that the keynote speaker, State Secretary of Health and Human Resources Kay Coles James, has been insensitive on issues important to black people.
James - a black conservative at loggerheads with the state NAACP over the overhauling of welfare - fired off a letter Thursday saying the rescinding of her invitation runs counter to the civil rights organization's defense of freedom of speech.
It's sheer politics, she said. "That's all it could be."
The Virginia State Conference, the NAACP's state office in Richmond, recommended Sept. 21 that Roanoke withdraw its invitation to James. Conference President Erenest Miller accused her in a letter of misrepresenting black welfare recipients and abusing "Lift Every Voice and Sing," the black national anthem, by using it as the title for her welfare proposals.
James responded to the charges by writing the Roanoke Branch president, the Rev. Charles Green, of the state NAACP's "vitriolic attack."
"To continually and slanderously attack someone personally because he or she does not agree with you or the stated position of an organization is an affront to these freedoms we supposedly hold dear," she said.
Six days later after the state NAACP's letter, 6th District Democratic Chairman Onzlee Ware and four other Roanoke men wrote Green that they, too, were shocked that James would be the banquet speaker.
"On numerous occasions," they wrote, "Ms. James has publicly shown a lack of sensitivity for African-American interests, as well as families struggling in today's economic and political climate."
By giving her a platform in Roanoke, they said, "it gives the appearance that the Republican Party has quietly and smoothly used the local branch to legitimize the governor's agenda by way of Ms. James, who we suspect has her own agenda, which includes positioning herself as a potential conservative Republican candidate for a statewide office."
Ware was joined in the letter by Dr. Legree Hallman, accountant Wesley Pughsley , probation officer Earnest Wilson and city employee Sherman Holland. The five Democrats held a voter registration rally in Roanoke's Washington Park last month. Ware and Holland are NAACP members; Ware did not know whether the others are.
James said her office was told late last week that the banquet had been cancelled. She immediately suspected it was for political reasons.
Green said Thursday the dinner was called off because, "I think [James is] looking too conservative for our group." He referred questions to first vice president Brenda Powell. She referred questions to NAACP board member Mac McCadden, who could not be reached Thursday afternoon.
Unusual politics was at work when James was invited here in the first place.
Green is one of Roanoke's most ardent Democratic Party activists. The banquet was organized by McCadden, a Republican on City Council. Three years ago, Green called McCadden council's "house boy" because he voted against electing council members by wards rather than at-large.
Some board members did not realize the hornet's nest they were getting into by inviting James to speak at the Hotel Roanoke banquet. Longtime member Robbie Board said she didn't know of the animosity between James and the NAACP. "I had never read too much about her, except she was an assistant to the governor."
The branch had hoped to raise money for NAACP programs at the "Freedom Fund" dinner. "The state [organization] had been pushing us to have money," Board said, "then they wrote in here and said we couldn't have her speak."
James sent a "small contribution" with her letter to Green.
The dinner has been rescheduled for February. No keynote speaker has been announced.
Last month, 18 members called for Green's removal as president, accusing him of neglecting discrimination complaints by two former Total Action Against Poverty employees because he is a TAP board member. Green and Powell maintain there was no conflict and the board concurred in the handling of the TAP complaints.
The call for Green's resignation was sent to the NAACP's national office. William Penn, director of branch and field services there, said this week that the petition should have been forwarded to his department but as yet, had not.
Staff writer Leslie Taylor contributed information to this story.
by CNB