- Mayor Ford, Kiwanis light up Capaha Park's diamond (4/16/24)1
- The rise and fall of Capaha Park's wooden grandstand (4/9/24)
- Death of Judge Pat Dyer, prosecutor of the famous peonage case here in 1906 (4/2/24)2
- A third steamer Cape Girardeau was christened 100 years ago (3/26/24)
- Cape Girardeau christens its namesake (3/19/24)
- The humanist philosophy of Lester Mondale (3/12/24)1
- Cape Osteopathic Hospital opens its doors (3/5/24)
Central High picks its first 'Afro Queen'
In a nod to Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Cape Girardeau Central High School 's Afro Club initiated its first "Afro Ball" on Jan. 17, 1972.
An article in the Southeast Missourian the day of the ball explained that, in an effort to recognize African-American girls at the school, the club decided to crown a queen at its yearly party. Any senior girl -- white or Black -- who was a member of the club was eligible to compete for the crown.
Alice Sides was crowned queen that night. Her escort was Wilfred Colon.
Here's the Missourian's coverage of the event.
Published Jan. 17, 1972, in the Southeast Missourian:
Carrying out the theme of "To Be Young, Gifted and Black," one of he above young ladies will be crowned tonight as Central's first Afro queen. Standing, at left, is Tiny Rayford and Betty Johnson. Seated from left are Ceretha Jackson, Alice Sides, Connie Bedell and Diane Johnson. Not shown are Paula Irby and Carol Jenkins. Doors open tonight at 8 and dancing will be to the tunes of the "Salt and Pepper." (Southeast Missourian archive)
TONIGHT IN CENTRAL GYM
AFRO BALL HELPS BLACK GIRLS GAIN RECOGNITION AND STIMULATES CONTACT WITH WHITES
Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Central High School Afro Club is sponsoring its first Afro Ball tonight featuring the coronation of the first CHS Afro queen.
The purpose behind the Afro queen was described by club president Alice Sides, who explained that the "Black girls at Central felt there was no other way for them to gain recognition at Central." As a result of this felling, club members decided to sponsor a queen coronation at their yearly party and transform the party into an all-school dance which all Centralites could attend.
All that is necessary to be a queen candidate is to be a senior girl in the Afro Club. Miss Sides noted that this made it possible for a white girl to compete for the title. miss Sides said that there were no whites in the club at the deadline for queen filing but felt that some would join late in order to vote for the queen.
Queen candidates are Connie Bedell, Paula Irby, Carol Jenkins, Betty Johnson, Ceretha Jackson, Alice Sides and Tiny Rayford.
The club began three years ago under the sponsorship of former English teacher Jerry Hensley. Last year the sponsorship moved to principal Eugene Sifford and this year to Thelma Copeland.
After conceiving the idea for a queen, the club gained the approval of Mr. Sifford. A spokesman for the group noted that student interest in the ball, especially among whites, reached a momentum where it was requested to let the entire school vote to choose the queen. However, administration officials decided to allow the power to choose the queen remain exclusively within the club.
To satisfy the large student interest, the club members voted to lower their dues to a penny to stimulate club membership and thus allow more Centralites to vote. It was noted by club members that membership blossomed at the Wednesday meeting during which the final vote for queen was taken.
Miss Sides commented that "all the students seem to have liked the idea very well and we haven't encountered any hostility." Miss Sides also feels that Black involvement at Central has been stimulated by the dance and claims it has helped Blacks make valuable contacts with whites...
Tonight's ball begins at 8 in the Central gymnasium. It will center on the theme "To Be Young, Gifted and Black," a song title from Nina Simone's Black Gold Album. Music will be provided by the Salt and Pepper, and admission is $1.50 per couple and $1 per person.
Theresa Johnson, club vice president, urges all Centralites to attend and says this evening is a "fitting climax to a week during which Black students have shown their creativity by making the dance a success."
Published Jan. 21, 1972, in the Southeast Missourian:
A CHS FIRST
Smiling radiantly as she is crowed Central's first Afro Queen is Alice Sides. Placing the crown on her head is Wilfred Colon and at right is the crown bearer, Brian Sides, son of Mrs. Phyllis Sides, 919 N. Frederick St. Recognized as first special mad was Connie Bedel, and tying for second special maid were Tiny Rayford and Betty Johnson. (Southeast Missourian archive)
Below are a number of pictures taken by a Missourian photographer, but which were not published in the newspaper.
Respond to this blog
Posting a comment requires a subscription.