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□ Quote of the Day ‘Music is the vernacular of the human soul.’ - Geoffrey Latham [l Friday, February 25, 2000 Shattering the silence Clothesline Project offers healing for survivors of sexual abuse BY WlLLIESHA C. LAKIN Staff Writer Decorating a T-shirt can be more than just a great way to show artistic ability. Tuesday and Wednesday, sexual-abuse survivors and their loved ones painted T-shirts for the Clothes line Project, sponsored by USC’s Sexual Health Programs and Sexual Assault Services, to express what they’ve endured in the past. Program Director Kim Sheffield said this is an effort to “break the silence about what the expe rience was” for women who have been violated in some way. USC’s Clothesline Project began in 1995, but the national project has been going on since 1991. A group of Massachusetts women thought T-shirt painting was a “metaphor for women finally airing their dirty laundry.” The shirts will be on display March 29 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Greene Street. The shirt’s color represents a specific type of violence. Pink is the color used for sexual assault, blue represents childhood sexual assault or incest, yellow is for domestic violence, purple is assault due to ho mophobic perceptions, and white is in memory of women who have died because of sexual violence. Sheffield said the shirts are a “very powerful way for someone to heal.” She said there is a “stig ma about being open” about abuse to women, and it takes a “tremendous amount of strength and courage” to be truthful about what the women have endured. Sheffield said for many women, the Clothesline Project is the first time they’ve been open about their experiences. She said a “very powerful” event occurring with the shirt display is seeing and hearing keynote speaker Reanae McNeal, an African-American dramatic performer who also experienced abuse as a college student. McNeal will perform “Don’t Speak My Mother’s Name in Vain,” a play de picting the “interpersonal and institutional vio lence on African-American women.” This pre sentation will be at 7 p.m. March 28 in the Russell House Ballroom. Junior Sarah Jones is a Sexual Health Aware ness & Rape Education peer (SHARE). SHARE considers this event one of the four major activi ties they are involved in during the semester. The other activities include Rape Crisis Network rib bons, called “Hope Lights,” World AIDS Day and Condomgrams and Caregrams, which promote safe sex and abstinence. Jones got involved with SHARE and the Clothesline Project after beginning her USC ca reer as a biology pre-med major. She discovered she wanted to be a “health educator, not a health provider.” She said it’s “so important to get the word out,” and using anonymously painted T-shirts should be a way to create USC community aware ness. “It’s (the project’s issues) just something I’m really passionate about,” Jones said. She said there is a lot of effort put into the pro ject by abuse survivors, their loved ones and pro ject volunteers. Although the number of shirts on display won’t give an accurate figure of the number of women who are abused, Jones said see ing all of the shirts will be an important part of vi olence awareness. “We’re allowing survivors to have a chance to therapeutically put some of their feelings on a T-shirt in an artistic form.” BLACK HISTORY MONTH Black history icons shared similar goals by Mackenzie Craven Assistant etcetera Editor Black History Month has almost come to a close, but before the month slips away, here’s a look at some peo ple who have affected America for the better. Some of the names might be familiar, and others might not be. The people all come from different backgrounds, but they still have something in common. They are all blacks and have achieved their dreams. A step toward equality To many, Rosa Parks is the individ ual who stood up for her rights during the Jim Crow laws and who changed American history. She refused to give up herseat on a bus in Montgomery, Ala., on Dec. 1, 1955. Her liberal attitude bloomed dur ing her childhood at the Montgomery Industrial School for Girls. While there, her mother’s princi ples of self-development and advise ment “to take advantage of the oppor tunities no matter how few they were,” were illustrated on a daily basis. Although there were tew opportu nities, Parks remembered those princi ples and put them to use late in life. Parks and her husband, Raymond Parks, joined the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to im prove the life of blacks in the South. She was secretary of the NAACP and later adviser to the NAACP 'Youth Council. After her husband died, Rosa Parks organized the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for self development. As part of the program, teen-agers tour the country and learn about Amer ican history and the civil rights move ment. Parks had strong religious beliefs throughout her crusade. After the Supreme Court ruling in November 1956, Parks and her legacy affected blacks across the country. Her attitude empowered her to be come a strong leader. Parks didn't want to be known as a hero or a miracle work er. Role models from sports, politics, music came from different backgrounds to work toward the same dream “I would like to be known as a per son who is concerned about freedom and equality and justice and prosperity for all,” Parks said. A home ran for freedom Jackie Robinson, the first African American baseball player, broke base ball records and opened the door for many athletes to follow. Many people are aware of his suc cesses as a Brooklyn Dodgers player. However, it wasn’t an easy trip around the bases before he was treated with re spect. When he started, his talent wasn’t what brought him to the spot light. Branch Rickey signed a Robinson. Rickey was aware of the discrimination even the most promising black athlete would face. He prepared Robinson by showing him exactly what he would be facing on the field. Robinson kept his dream of being a baseball player at heart while facing de grading remarks and arrogant attitudes. Despite his own teammates’ peti tion to prohibit him from playing, Robin son worked to become an enormous success. He didn’t accept segregation from anyone for any reason. He insisted on being admitted to the hotels of his teammates. Ultimately, his persistence stopped the segregation of hotels. In 1956, Robinson left Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, N.Y., and joined the NAACP movement. His leadership affected such indi viduals as Martin Luther King Jr. and Jesse Jackson. He also founded the first black-owned bank in New York City. Robinson was the only UCLA Bru in to letter in four sports: football, bas ketball, baseball and track. Not to mention he was an All-Amer ican in football and basketball, and he set long jump records in track. The NBA and NFL had their doors closed to blacks, so Robinson played his weakest sport ... baseball. Diversifying Washington One of the most successful senators was Barbara Jordan. The Texas native became the first black senator in 1966. She later became a member of die House of Representatives. Respect is a nec essary word in describing the life of Bar bara Jordan. When she was elected to the Texas Senate in 1956, she became an icon in history. However, the goals achieved before and after her election are equally^is hon orable. After graduation from Texas State University in 1956, Jordan was the recipient of honorary doctorate de grees from 25 colleges and universities. She extended her education by at tending law school at Boston Univer sity. She completed law school by 1959 and then went on to serve as adminis trative assistant to the county judge of Harris County. She was the first black woman to hold the position. Then she was in the Texas Senate until 1972. That year, she was elected president pro tem pore of the Senate. She was also selected to serve as governor for a day, the first black woman governor in the history of the United States. Jordan also played an important role during the Watergate hearings, because her ethics, moral conscience and re spect for the U.S. Constitution were so admirable. Since her death in 1996, there have been many tributes to Jordan for being a strong-willed individual. “She realized she might be par ticularly charged to hold up the ethical litmus test for politicians in America, and she was not afraid to do so,” said Sheila Jackson Lee, who now occupies the congressional seat Jordan held. “She never cringed at the thought of high morals in gov ernment.” Jordan strongly believed in di versity. “American’s mission was and still is to take diversity and mold it into a cohesive and coherent whole that would espouse virtues and val ues essential to the maintenance of civil order. There is nothing easy about that mission. But it is not mission im possible,” Lee said. Advances in entertainment When the name Sammy Davis Jr. floats around, most don’t talk about his tax problems; they remember him for his talent. Davis was one of the most suc cessful entertainers of his time. He could sing, dance and act. He ran a one-man show while performing in a Broadway show (“Golden Boy”), a television show (“The Sammy Davis Jr. Show”) and a movie (“A Man Called Adam”). He called himself a variety artist, and he had a hard time finding mate rial worthy of his talent. Before his days onstage, Davis was in the army. He went through basic training eight times and was unable to get the “callback.” He withdrew be cause of that and because he was tired of facing the racial comments and attacks because of his color. During his early days, Davis worked closely with Frank Sinatra. However, Sinatra encouraged the young amateur to take on his own iden tity in the profession. He wanted him to feel his own way around the crowd. In 1952, Davis finally broke through to the audience during his most crucial performance of his life time. He was doing an act at a Holly wood club called Ciro’s. Davis real ized how to bring the talent within him to his face. Davis began recording music in 1954. That same year, he lost his left eye in an automobile accident. Although he lost his eye, the incident brought him more attention and, in the long run, more fame. His marriage to Swedish actress May Britt in 1960 resulted in death threats and demonstrations because it was an interracial marriage. Although Britt was dedicated to her family, Davis still had his heart set on performing, and they ultimately divorced. Perhaps one of the most signifi cant moments of his life occurred when President Nixon and Davis publicly hugged. The moment of glory for the en tertainer occurred in 1972 at the Re publican National Convention. Nixon had made some remarks about Davis, and during the speech, Davis hugged the president. Davis gave Nixon the hug because he was honored to be on the presi dent’s mind. “So touched, so overwhelmed by the realization that my problems were on the president’s mind, that he was taking an occasion to try to overcome them for me, I walked up front behind him and put my arms around him, hugged him, and stepped back,” Davis said. Share your writing skills with etCetera! E-mail us at gckfeatures @yahoo. com. 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All dances will be taught, and partners aren’t nec essary. For more information, call Co lumbia Traditional Music and Dance at 796-8935. Police training course offered to Columbians A free 10-week course is being offered to Columbia residents. Participants re ceive a graduation certificate and are el igible to participate in a 10-hour elective ride-along program, which offers obser vation of police work under actual work ing conditions with an officer. The class will begin March 7 and end May 9. Call the Columbia Police Training Depart ment at 733-8399. Ambassadors accept new members University Ambassadors is accepting new mgmbers. Pick up applications at the Vis tor’s Center until March 1. Applications are due at the center by 5 p.m. March 1. For more information, call 777-0169 or e-mail saralijones@sc.edu. Nutrition, exercise information available Nutrition and exercise consultations, body fat percentage estimations, blood pressure readings and more are offered in the Open Door Drop-in Center front 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday in the Stu dent Health Center basement. For more information, call 777-8248. RAD class to have weekend session There will be a Rape Aggression Defense class for females March 18-19. March 18, the class will meet from 9:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 19, it will meet from 1-5 p.m. The class is sponsored by the USC Police Department, Marriott and the Housing Department. Tuition is $12.50. Call Henry Garbade at 777-0855 to register. Scholarships available for psychology Undergraduate psychology awards are available. Pick up applications in Barn well 208. Completed applications are due by 5 p.m. Monday in Psychology Un dergraduate Student Services. For more information, call 777-7674. Briefs for Campus Notes can be submit ted to Russeli House Room 333. We can’t promise to print everything, but we can promise to try. ■ CORRECTIONS The Gamecock strives to report the facts correctly and responsibly. If you come across any inaccuracies in our reportage, please let us know. A Columbia Landmark for Fine Food, Spirits and Entertainment Since 1971 4 1 fri. - sat. 2/25 - 2/26 Thunderbolt Karaoke wed. 3/1 Two Pennies 20^ Wings every Monday night Lunch Specials 1 meat & 3 vegetables $4.95 w/ tea or soda \ Dinner Specials 1 meat & 3 vegetables $4.95 w/ tea or soda thurs. 3/2 Larry Clark HAPPY HOUR DAILY • 4:00-7:00