Touted as the most important election for the next fifty years, the 2004 presidential race has the potential to have a long term impact on the future of the country in general and the African American community in peticular. Whether you vote or not someone is going to be elected to the highest office in the land. But, if you go to the polls, your vote will help determine who that person will be.

Now is the time to review the record of the contestants, ask questions and discuss issues with family, friends and office seekers – elections are being carried out on national, state and local levels.

Political observers are predicting the next president may appoint as many as three justices to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Justices are in their late 70’s or 80’s. And there has not been a new Justice added to the high court in ten years.

With 5-4 vote the Supreme Court narrowly upheld the University of Michigan Affirmative Action Admission Program. Justice Sandra Day O’Conner was the tie breaking vote. She is also expected to retire from the bench, which may swing the court further to a more conservative point of view.

President George W. Bush, who in the 2000 presidential race, claimed he was a healer nor a divider, opposed the University of Michigan in its case before the Supreme Court, he inaccurately claimed Michigan's admissions policies "amount to a quota system that unfairly rewards or penalizes prospective students based solely on their race."

The compassionate conservative chose the racially charged word "quota" because of the negative reaction the word stirs up within his base supporters. Keep in mind judicial appointments go beyond the high court. The next occupant of the White House will appoint a large number of federal judges.

Also, the winner of the Nov. 2nd election can restore full funding to Head Start’s budget. Currently the pre-school program covers only 60 percent of eligible children. Also, children are being left behind. In his combined budgets, Bush fell $33.2 billion short of his promise to fully fund No Child Left Behind, including a $22.4 billion shortfall for Title I schools that serve students who live in poverty.

In the Black community poverty is a family affair. Poverty rises; health care coverage drops. Average African American household income declined by $913 in 2002, and the number of Blacks who were poor increased by 748,000. The number of African Americans without health insurance increased by 596,000 in 2002, the second consecutive year of increases.

Black unemployment has soared. The African American unemployment rate is up 28 percent since January 2001, reversing Clinton-era prosperity, when it declined by 48 percent.

Whether you favor more of same or advocate change - vote.
Voice your choice. Vote and encourage others to vote.
An enlightened and engaged democracy can not be high-jacked.

MSU Black Alumni to host 25th Homecoming Celebration
By Dianne M. Hicks

EAST LANSING, MI --Michigan State University Black Alumni is having their 25th Homecoming Celebration at the Holiday Inn South Convention Center, 6820 South Cedar St., October 15-17, 2004.

Democratic presidential candidate the Rev. Al Sharpton is the slated keynote speaker at the MSUBA Scholarship Dinner Dance at the Holiday Inn at 6 p.m. Cost: $50.00 per person.

Throughout the years Black homecoming activities were carried out through the efforts of Horace Walker, James Weathers, Dr. Robert Green, Chuck Smith with other Black alumni from Detroit.

In 1980, Veda Dove Washington, Terry (Curly) Young, Betty Ezell Nixon and Lural Baltimore rolled up their sleves and planned a homecoming weekend program for their fellow Black alumni and friends near the MSU campus . Gregory Eaton, Ernie Boone and Stan Washington also assisted in the planning. Each of the early organizers brought out their black books and pooled the names and addresses that they had for fellow alumnus.
Back in the day – before e-mail - a letter was developed and was sent to their friends asking them to send their friends and so on.

Gregory Eaton provided the group with seed money to put a deposit on the facility and for other planning costs. Approximately 600 Black alumni and friends participated in the 1980 Homecoming at the MSU University Club. During that Homecoming an organizational survey was distributed and the survey responses were reviewed by the 1980 Homecoming committee.

In December 1980 the committee met with the MSU Alumni Association to discuss possible affiliation. The committee worked from December 1980 through April, 1981 to develop a constitution and by-laws for MSU Black alumni. The incorporation papers were filed in September 1981.

The MSU Alumni Association approved the Black Alumni request for affiliate group status on October 16, 1981 and the 1980 Homecoming Committee donated $1,500 to MSU Black Alumni as organizational seed money with $1000 earmarked for scholarships. In Oct. of 1981, the first Board of Directors was elected in which included the following alumni: Terry Young, Dr. Ronald Goldsberry, Robert Brown, Terry White, Betty Nixon, Ernie Costa, Jackie Woods, Jack Pitts, Errold (Duke) Collymore, Jean Nash, Veda Dove Washington, and Lural Baltimore.

Chapters began to spring up across the country in cities such as: Detroit, Washington D.C., New York, and Chicago to promote scholarships and academic excellence for students attending MSU. And, what a difference 25 years has made says longtime organizer, Lural Baltimore. The MSU Endowment Scholarship funds have grown to over $450,000 and we are striving to reach the one million dollar mark with the 25th Homecoming.
"Thanks to all our fellow Black alumni and friends for making these first 25 years a big difference in the lives of many students attending Michigan State University," Baltimore said.

MSUBA 25TH HOMECOMING CELEBRATION - October 15-17, 2004

Friday, October 15, 2004
MSUBA Homecoming Party
Holiday Inn South Convention Center, 6820 South Cedar St, Lansing, MI
48911
Time: 9:00 PM - 2:00 AM
Cost: $10.00 per person

Other Friday activities not sponsored by MSUBA:
3rd Annual Fraternity Basketball Tournament
IM Sports West
Semifinals 5:30 PM
Championship 7:30 PM
Cost: $5.00 per person

Homecoming Parade: East Lansing, 6:00 PM

Saturday, October 16, 2004
MSUBA Annual Membership Business Meeting
Holiday Inn South Convention Center
Time: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Tailgate Picnic
On campus: Tent located between the Stadium and the International
Center
Time: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Admission: Free--(Memberships will be accepted)

Football Game
MSU vs. Minnesota
Time: TBA
Cost: $45.00 per ticket--(Only 50 tickets are available)

MSUBA SCHOLARSHIP DINNER/DANCE
Holiday Inn South Convention Center
Keynote speaker: The Rev. Al Sharpton
Time: 6:00 PM - 2:00 AM
Cost: $50.00 per person

Sunday, October 17, 2004
MSUBA Brunch and Book Signing
Holiday Inn South Convention Center
Time: 10:00 AM
Cost $20.00