Ware Is Elected N.A.A.C.P. Head
After Mary D. Killoran retired as president of the Eastern Long Island Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People last month, the group tapped a longtime member, Lucius Ware of Southampton, to succeed her.
Mr. Ware, a teacher and vocal advocate for African Americans on the East End, served as second vice president and chairman of the branch's education committee for the past two years. He is the first new president the branch has had in 10 years.
Like his predecessor, he is interested in increasing the group's presence in Suffolk County courts. Among the goals he has helped develop for the coming year is the formation of a trained group of court monitors.
Focus On Courts
"We believe the courts are one place we should look to for justice," he said Monday. A regular presence of N.A.A.C.P. members in the courts will show that "there are people who are interested and are available" for jury duty. The organization wants court officials to know that they're watching what happens and "also to give notice to the lack of African Americans on juries," he said.
The group will continue to focus on the lack of minority representation in education, an area of particular interest to Mr. Ware. He has been teaching for 40 years, and now teaches special education for the Westhampton Beach School District.
"We have been striving for this [more representation] for a long time. Overall, we're not getting very far," he said, pointing to the low percentage of minorities on staff at East End schools. He believes it is long past time for change on this front. "We have fewer and fewer minority staff people than we did a few years ago and we will not take the tired, worn-out excuses anymore."
Promoting Teaching
East End schools have not done enough to encourage young minority students to become teachers, he said. "I firmly believe that if the effort were made, if we really got down to business and began . . . letting these students know they are potential teachers, we wouldn't have an excuse. The problem would begin to solve itself."
One of the ways the N.A.A.C.P. hopes to help move this process along is by reaching out to young African Americans on the East End. The establishment of a youth branch has been a goal of the local group and part of the organization's national program.
Reflecting this greater focus on youths, at its January meeting several lawyers will be on hand to discuss young African Americans' needs in the courts.
Future programs planned include a presention by Kathy Tucker of Sag Harbor on the history of the Eastville community in February, a celebration of the Emancipation Proclamation in March, a discussion of education in April, and a look at health issues specific to African Americans in May.