July 8 1972

## Introduction

The year of 1972 was a very active one when it comes to politics. On November 7, 1972 Richard Nixon beat U.S. Senator George McGovern in the 47th quadrennial presidential election. On February 18th of that year the California Supreme Court voids the death penalty. Later on that year the United States continued the bombing of Hanoi and Haiphong after being prompted by the North Vietnamese offensive. Nixon also signed the SALT I treaty with Leonid Brezhnev in Moscow. 1972 was also a big year for space exploration. In January of that year president Nixon ordered the development of a space shuttle program, and later on Mariner 9 sent photos from Mars to Earth. Later on in the year a meteor skipped off the Earth's atmosphere due to an Apollo asteroid streaking over the Western US into Canada. On July 23, 1972 The United States launches Landsat 1, the first Earth-resources satellite. And on December 19th Apollo 17 returned to Earth. Sadly 1972 was not always a happy year. There were many tragedies. On March 26th a Penn Central train hit a bus which resulted in the death of 5 students. Later on the accidental tripping of a signal at 27th Street station on the Metra Electric system in Chicago causes an IC Electric express train to telescope another, killing 45 and injuring over 300. On December 8, 1972 United Airlines Boeing 737 crashed short of the runway, resulting in the death of 43 passengers, and two bystanders in the airport. Luckily 1972 was not only filled with sad events. There were many positive occasions, like when the Oakland Athletics defeated the Cincinnati Reds which led to their sixth World Series title in baseball. On October 25, 1972 the first female FBI agents were hired. Earlier that year 13 Black Panther protesters were arrested for disturbing peace and using marijuana at the fourth anniversary of the Broadway musical *Hair*.

## Housing Authority Crisis

   The first article within this publication is "Rats Won't Wait for the Housing Authority" and it tells the story of six families, with a total of 28 children, being forced to live in a single, four-room apartment that is unfit for human life. The families, Doris Knight, Mrs. A. L. Hicks, Willie Mae Hicks, Mary Mollett, Madeleine Kay, and Vera Hicks, were forced to live together after the Welfare Department refused to send their much needed welfare checks. For some of the families it ad been up to four months since they last received a check. At night one of the mothers would stay up to protect the children, who were sleeping on the floor, from huge rats. Because of the lack of cleanliness the families suffered from numerous diseases that ranged from tuberculosis to malnutrition to sickle cell. None of which would've been found if the families hadn't visited the People's Free Health Center (a Black Panther Party Survival Program). This resulted in members of the Inner City Welfare Rights Organization going down to mayor Kevin White's office to confront him. White, outraged by the treatment they were receiving, arranged transportation and better housing for the six families. Eventually, with the help of the Inner City Welfare Rights, the Black Panther Party, Roxbury Multi-Service, and other community organizations, these families were provided with free food, clothing, and money to purchase other necessities.

## Men and Women are Forced From Their Homes

   The second article within this publication talks about the major differences between white and black families suffering through the same conditions. Out of the 648 units in Fidelis Way Housing Projects only 70 of them contained black families. Sixty-six percent of all families living there were on some sort of public relief. One would think this would create a sense of equality between the families in the building, but instead it did the opposite. The black families who lived there were constantly subjected to almost constant harassment and intimidation. Within the article were some of the racist activities that occurred against the black population in the Fidelis Way Housing Projects. Here are a few:

### **Spring 1971 -**

"Lamont Robinson, are 17, while trying to get his younger brother away from a fight, stabbed in the back by an unknown, unidentified, and unapprehend white youth. Neither Lamont, who underwent 3 serious operations at St. Elizabeth Hospital, nor his brother had anything to do with the fight."

### **Summer 1971 -**

"Thirteen-year old Cheryl Clark, while on her way home from a friend's house, was almost raped by a group of whites."

### **May 16, 1972 -**

"Reggie Clark, father of the above-mentioned Cheryl Clark, was confronted, on his way to the store, by a group of white youths, who pulled out a pipe and razor, threatening him. Brother Clark went back home and got a gun to defend himself. The pigs arrested him on his way back to the store. Taken to court, Brother Clark was sentenced to 6 months in jail. The case is currently on appeal."

### **June 5, 1972 -**

"Steven Hemingway, age 12, was shot in the head by whites shooting a pump pellet gun around 8:30 p.m. Steven had to be taken to St. Elizabeth's Hospital, where the bullet was removed."

Those were just a few instances listed in the article.

## Murderer Deemed "not guilty"

   On April 4, 1970 Bobby Joe Conner and his brother Larry Taylor were arrested by the Galena Park police on suspicion of auto theft. The police officers that arrested them said that they pulled them over because their license plate light was out, and they ran a stop sign. The two brothers were forced to strip naked during their interrogation. The officers then continuously beat and kicked the two brothers. After Bobby, the younger brother, fell the officer told him if he did not get up he would regret it. After Bobby continued to lay on the ground the police intensified their punishment. Once they realized the amount of damage they were inflicting, it was too late. Bobby Joe Conner died on route to the hospital. This created outrage throughout every black community. The policemen that beat Bobby were fired for their actions after several protests at the Galena Police Station, but they were rehired with pay a few weeks later. The two policemen were tried for murder, but were given the verdict of not guilty.