European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - November 20, 1973, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 20 the stars and stripes tuesday november 20, 1973 modern living Black feminist group not photo Eleanor Holmes Norton nothing can be More complicated than to be a Black woman in  not photo Margaret Sloan this group can t be dismissed by Black men As a play toy of White  by Enid Nemy not staff writer the women who recently formed the National Black feminist organization Are aware that in both the Black and White communities they May be up against a somewhat formidable Wall of Misander  have already been reminded that Black women have always had the Independence and liberation to which White women still aspire. They have been admonished about diverting their efforts in any direction other than the civil rights move ment. And they have been warned that the Issue of feminism could prove a divisive one Between Black men and women. They reject All these premises. We Aren t fighting for liberation we Are fighting for female equal Ity within the Black Community said mrs. Sylvia Witts Vitale a student at Queens College and one of the group s organizers. We d like Black men to know we Are their  at the same time we Are going to fight racism from outside the Black Community we Are going to fight sexism within it said Margaret Sloan an editor and writer at is. Magazine commenting on the num Ber of Black men who Date White women. If a Black woman dates a White Man it s called a sellout. It s that double Stan Dard that really hits you. Men talking Black and sleeping  Eleanor Holmes Norton new York City s commissioner on human rights and one of the women present at the organizational meeting acknowledged that the relatively late emergence of a Black feminist group was due in part to some con Cern that fighting sexism might turn energies away from the struggle against racism. Feminism came to the fore at a time when the civil rights movement was also most Active in this country she noted. There were tremendous pressures on Black women. It took us time to realize that we had nothing to fear from feminism but we could not have emerged amidst the confusion of five or six years  the organization now has several Hun dred members in new York state and a National mailing list of almost 500 women. Membership dues Range from $2 to $50, based on incomes with provision also made for non dues payers. We want a Broad based group but not so broadly based and diversified that it does t stand for anything said Jane Gal Vin Lewis one of the founders. The fear that feminism May be a Dis Jane Galvin Lewis it would be wonderful if support groups of men would Spring  not photo eruptive wedge in a Black Community is recognized As a valid one but despite annoyance Over certain double standards group spokeswoman consider the possibility of divisiveness Remote. To mrs. Robert Haygood coordinator of a High school program for the federation of the handicapped Black feminism can be a positive Force to bring Black men and women  As we know who we Are and feel Good about who we Are Well feel Good about our other half said mrs. Haygood who has not yet joined the group but is seriously considering doing so. I see liberation As liberating the rigid definition of what we should be in society both male and be  Inez Smith Reid an associate pro Fessor of political science at Barnard College and a woman who accepts feminism with certain reservations said that any hesitation she had about Black feminists was based on whether the women intended to work with Black men. Among the priorities in the group s pro posed platform Are Community control Black women should be considered on the same basis As Black men with proper Sala Ries and titles Black capitalism we Don t want to perpetuate economic depend ence of the Black mass of people in its pre sent form and dealing with the medical profession we feel Black women have been treated with contempt. We be been tools of irresponsible health there Are also provisions on the treat ment and training of women prisoners Black lesbians we Are going to embrace All Sisters regardless of life style and political views and suggestions for removal of any Legal or moral stigma in prostitution. By Erma Bombeck at wits end when a radio station caught fire recently a disc jockey ran into the burning building and emerged happily with the one thing he considered Worth risking his neck for. A recording of Frank Sinatra sing ing night and  when i asked myself what i would save if our Home was in flames the answer was Quick and unfaltering the baby Book of the children. I Don t get Mellow too often but when i do i am positively sickening about it. I Leaf through that baby Book and can almost see the Bald head and the wrinkled feet smell the milk breath and talc med Bot Tom feel the smooth skin and wet fists. That Book is daddy with hair a House the size of a phone Booth me in a size 10. It can never be replaced. If our House was on fire i asked my family what would you save who set it on fire asked the youngest. It does t matter who set the fire i said i m Only asking what would you  that s easy he said my easter Candy in the  that s stupid i said that can be re  yeah but not until next easter he  d save your hair dryer said my daughter. But what about All the Friendship pictures of your classmates you Gath ered i see them at school she yawned. I think i would save my Bowling Ball pondered my husband. You re kidding i gasped. That thing has been stored in the attic so Long it s Flat on the Bottom. You never bowl  i know but if a new House was being built and i did t have All this Yard work and inside repairs i might have time to bowl  my other son hesitated. I guess first i d grab Harry our do then my Box of snacks i keep under the bed and then my can of new Tennis balls. If i still had some time i d Check on you and  what would you save mom they  thought of the Book with the Pink faces that launched a thousand Christmas cards. The record of immunizations. The Loving arms thrown around Granddad s Knees. The cardboard Flowers stapled to a sucker and said my list of baby  figures they grimaced. I did t want to blow my image. Besides i keep the list of baby Sitters in the Back of the baby Book. C publishers Hall Syndicate