San Antonio Register (San Antonio, Tex.), Vol. 68, No. 33, Ed. 1 Thursday, February 3, 2000 Page: 3 of 12

Page 3 -San Antonio Register Newspaper February 3,2000
i
8
NG
ilant
nthe
■.vie
rce'tif
tJLA*
flaCr
offer
jafefe
exits
bertr
bferaJ
sing
t Ah
ati«>
itcnr!'
lost*
o«*W'
®:iWl
1 W
! i isv
Wr
ig^t,
’ ftr*.
m,
a#;
ms’
iMJi-v
.34j
mf
• I
•o/® f
;/J
t KJ +
ilu
■wtf;
•At
!!«■? I
<rv.»
*<">( I 1
f*» 4 !■*
,. UNEARTHING AFRICAN 4
AMERICAN HISTORY: THE 1921
TULSA RACE RIOT
* f «.!
4 * Si**-
m^tyry month i
African American
’ month a month set aside for
q^ nation our whole nation to
iKfqgnjzc the achievements and
contributions of African
Africans. But it is also a time to
ensure that the stories of African
Americans are not lost — stories
wfeiph all too often were never
written in the history books and
which risk being lost forever.
Stfffc is the story of the 1921 race
rjot in Tulsa, OK.
.Greenwood was a thriving black
community in Tulsa in the early
days of the 20th century. Many
blacks had migrated to Oklahoma
frdftt the south, including many
ftGirt Greenwood, MS, and thus
ttttf black community in Tulsa
carried its name. It was also
sofnetimes cafled the Black Wall
Street because it was a community
fiilf of African American
businesses, including offices of
doctors and lawyers, newspapers,
restaurants, hotels and theaters.
Tft£fe were black-owned real
estate offices as well as groceries,
drug stores and dry goods stores. It
was a vibrant community with
aherches and schools and many
Somes. Indeed, Oklahoma had a
large number of all-Black towns
JIO to be exact more than all the
pther states combined.
2 But Tulsa was also the home of
Soor whites, including cowboys,
gamblers and prostitutes. It had
lome of the toughest Jim Crow
aws in the nation and blacks were
>ftpp beaten and sometimes
iched in the area. Race riots
by Bernice Powell Jackson
were fanning across the nation in
the earty years of the century and
on May 30, 1921 a rumor that a
black man had assaulted and tom
the clothes off a white woman
ignited a riot in Tulsa. The
incident, which was untrue, was
reported by the Tulsa newspaper,
along with a front-page editorial
calling for a lynching that night.
Thousands of white and black
Tulsans turned out that night, some
armed, some trying to stop the
inevitable.
The next morning white Tulsans
converged on Greenwood and
burned at least 35 blocks to the
ground. Businesses, homes, even
churches were burned, remember
visiting Tulsa several years ago
and being told the story of the one
black church which was not
burned because the rioters, when
looking at the beautiful building,
decided it must have been a white
church and spared it. Thousands of
African Americans were killed in
the riots — there are eyewitness
accounts of bodies being put in
mass graves, dumped in the river
or put in abandoned mines.
But the horror story for black
Tulsans did not end the night of
the riot. More than 700 families
moved away; others lived in a tent
city for months. Some were bold
enough to file insurance claims or
claims against the city all were
denied. One black lawyer, Buck
Franklin, father of noted historian
John Hope Franklin, took the city
to court and ultimately forced the
legal system to respond to the
black community. .Even so, re-
building took five to ten years.
The story of the Tulsa race riot
was almost lost as whites
intentionally hid the truth — even
that scandalous newspaper front
page calling for a lynching was
removed from all files and as
African Americans were fearful of
telling what had happened, afraid
that history might repeat itself.
Oklahoma State Senator Don
Ross, however, was determined
that the story of the Tulsa race riot
must not be lost. He and other
Tulsans worked to have the
governor appoint a Tulsa Race
Riot Commission to gather
information — to interview those
still living who lived in
Greenwood, to accurately account
for property and lives lost and to
make a recommendation on
reparations due to the people of
Greenwood. Last fall, the
committee on reparations
recommended that family
survivors receive a cash payment
and that two scholarship funds be
established. The commission is
also trying to locate the mass
graves which many believe were
used.
The story of Greenwood — a
thriving African American
community which was attacked
and destroyed — is an important
story for all Americans to know
Like the story of Rosewood, FL
which was also destroyed in a riot
or the story of black Memphis
which was destroyed in a race riot
or the story of similar riots in
Chicago, New York New Orleans
and Atlanta, they are a part of the
terrible legacy of racism and hate
which our nation must face. For as
they say, unless we know our past,
we are condemned to repeat it in
the future. May there be no more
Greenwoods — ever again.
• Nyquil scholastic remedy sweepstakes celebrates H&CUs
NyQuil paid tribute to Historically Black Colleges and Universities
(HBCUs) with the NyQuil Scholastic Remedy Sweepstakes. NyQuil’s
Patrick Davis (far right) is pictured with two major college sports
legends— Coach Clarence “Big House” Gaines (left), one of the
most winningest basketball coaches in NCAA history, and Coach
Eddie Robinson (center), the most winningest football coach in
NCAA history. The NyQuil Scholastic Remedy Sweepstakes
awarded more than $25,000 in scholarship prize money.
i
Federal government-represents an integrative and
Journal of Medicine, the
researchers found that intensive,
culturally relevant behavioral
counseling in small groups
resulted in reduced rates of STD
reinfection in at-risk women.
Sexually transmitted diseases
such as gonoiprhea, syphilis,
chlamydia, herpes, trichomoniasis
and AIDS affect millions in the
United States. The lesser-known
trichomoniasis js a recurrent
vaginal disease affecting an
estimated 4 million to 10 million
women nationwide. It is the
number one non-viral STD
worldwide. “Our goals are to
understand the biology and disease
potential of pathogens for STDs
that are considered to be emerging
threats, and to develop strategies
to prevent and control these
infections,” Dr. Baseman said.
The four primary projects of the
center, and the principal
investigators on each, are:
• Examination of the
biology of infection by T.
vaginalis, the bacterium that
causes trichomoniasis (John F.
Alderete, Ph.D., professor of
microbiology);
• Determination of the
prevalence and virulence potential
of the bacterium M genitalium in
the study population at the Project
according to literature compiled
by the researchers. Ethnic
differences in AIDS rates are even
more dramatic for women—in
1996, national AIDS rates were 17
and 6 times higher for African-
American and Hispanic women,
respectively, than for White
women.
The new center’s unique strength
is its mingling of basic researchers,
clinical researchers and social
scientists to attack the issues of
STDs. “This is a wonderful
marriage of expertise from the
Health Science Center and the San
Antonio Metropolitan Health
District,” Dr. Baseman said.
The new grant places the Health
Science Center in select company.
The other STD cooperative
research centers are at the
University of Washington, Seattle;
the University of Indiana,
Indianapolis; Boston University;
the University of Alabama,
Birmingham; and the University of
North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Angelo State Univ.
Officials to Visit
Prospective San
Antonio Students
Angelo State University faculty
and administrators, including ASU
President E. James Hindman, will
host a San Antonio reception
Wednesday, Feb. 9, for students in
the San Antonio area interested in
learning more about the university
in San Angelo.
“Discover ASU’ is open to high
school students, transfer students
and prospective graduate students.
The program will begin at 7 p.m.
Feb. 9 at the Ramada Inn, 10811
Interstate 35N.
ASU representatives will be
available to answer student
questions and provide information
on undergraduate and graduate
admission requirements as well as
the academic programs open to
prospective students.
Additionally, participants can
learn about student organizations
and residence'life at ASU as well
financial aid and the Gaff
Academic Scholarship Program,
one of the largest scholarship
endowments of its type in Texas.
A member of the Texas State
University System, Angelo State
University is one of Texas’
premier regional universities. With
an enrollment of 6,200 students,
ASUQflfers its studentsmoderately
sized classes and a mentoring
environment conducive to a high
quality education.
3
For more information
Discover ASU or die uaivefSity^
contact the ASU Office of
Admissions at 1-800-946-8627.
DR. JOE B. WHITLEY
Dentist
T
2206 E. Commerce
224-4026
M<?dieaid • Under 21 Years Old
and insurance—Any Age Welcome
Visa • MasterCard • Payment Plans
LubjA
and
Michael Fox, Manager
5307 Walzem Rd.
Where friends and
family come together
KIDNEY TREATMENT
CENTER east
Adult & Geriatric Programs
for Dialysis Patients
1608 S. NEW BRAUNFELS
(Near the corner of Hwy. 90/IH-10 and South New Braunfels)
I** •»>
fl PH
b
i.l ,*.J
•u1
.FI
»«<)
A !c
\l V
ib if
i*i i*
A
\ii
Hj
r
4?
fl' r«
i<* I.l
<5M
.*»■ >r«
m >3
ti Li
j selects UTHSC at
• S.A. for an STD
: research center
i
A $5.5 million research center
operated by The University of
Tfxas Health Science Center at
S4n Antonio is boosting efforts to
understand and prevent sexually
transmitted diseases (STDs) in
S<luth Texas.
•The Health Science Center was
one of only six U.S. centers to be
selected by the National Institute
ofj Allergy and Infectious Diseases
(tflAID) as a Sexually
Transmitted Diseases Cooperative
Research Center. The $5.5 million
NiAID grant, officially awarded in
November, is supporting research
studies across several disciplines
oVer i four-year period.
fetudy areas include the long-
tepm effects of behavioral
interventions in at-risk minority
wpmen, psychosocial and
si(uatk>nal factors associated with
hijgh-risk behavior over time,
incidence of sexually transmitted
dfehses in minority populations,
effects of STDs on pregnant
________ long-term effects of
tual abuse on disease incidence
high-risk behavior, and the
ilecular biology and
(origination of
*) of STDs.
San Antonio center
innovative effort to investigate
important emerging causes of
sexually transmitted diseases,”
said Joel B. Baseman, Ph.D.,
project director, who is professor
and chairman of microbiology at
the Health Science Center. “It
combines research and clinical
care strategies with behavioral
interventions and epidemiological
analyses in an underserved
population of minority women
who attend a dedicated research
clinic overseen by the center.
Rochelle Sham, Ph.D., professor
of obstetrics and gynecology, is
the center co-director and co-
principal investigator, and leads a
project exploring long-term effects
of behavioral intervention in
minority women. “The targeted
patient population, composed of
Mexican- and African-American
women, is both understudied and
disproportionately affected by
STDs,” she said. “We oversee a
dedicated STD clihlt, called
Project SAFE, which permits
delivery of consistent quality
health care as well as research for
a predominantly young population
(54 percent under 20 yeafe of age
and 80 percent Under 25 years).”’
Project SAFE?,is a conttiwatton
of behavioral intervention studies
conducted by Dr. Sham and
colleagues in more than 800
minority women at risk fbr STD
infection. In a prior study
published in the New England
SAFE center (Joel B. Baseman,
Ph.D.);
• Long-term evaluation of
culturally relevant intervention
modules and clinical counseling
on behavioral modification and
STD incidence in minority women
(Rochelle Sham, Ph.D.); and
• Research of the clinical,
biological and behavioral aspects
of T. vaginalis infections, and
evaluation of the risk of adverse
outcomes in women with STDs
during pregnancy (Jeanna Piper,
M.D., associate professor of
obstetrics and gynecology).
In addition, a Statistics/Com-
puting Core supports the center.
The principal investigator is
Sondra Perdue, Dr.P.H.
The Project SAFE studies are
conducted with assistance from the
San Antonio Metropolitan Health
District and its director, Fernando
Guerra, M.D. Other center
investigators are Jane Dimmitt-
(hrampion, Ph.D.; Subramania
Dhandayuthapani, Ph.D.; and
Oxana Musatovova, Ph.D. Project
SAFE is a private downtown
setting in which, women can feel
comfortable seeking help, Dr.
Sham said.
$TD incidence is •ehstairtially
higher among African Americans
and Hispanics than among Whites.
AIDS rates, fbr example, have
been found to be 6 times higher in
African Americans than Whites
In your neighborhood!