Apr 29, 2003 By Steve Ferris 5 min read

Pastors from the East End Ministerial Alliance are calling for blacks to vote in the upcoming election so they can make positive changes in their communities and schools. “Our goal is to bring more awareness of what’s going on in our community and in our city,” the Rev. Leonard Kirby said to a group of 50 black residents who gathered Monday in the John Wesley A.M.E. Zion Church. “Apathy has heeled us. We can make a difference a the polls.”

The Rev. Al Thompson Jr. said most the people in attendance were voters and they should encourage others to exercise their right to vote.

He pointed out that only on candidate for any office – Fayette County commissioner candidate Vincent Zapatosky – was in attendance.

Thompson said the fact that only one candidate attended shows that most candidates and elected officials don’t consider the black vote important.

“If we don’t care about our community, we can’t expect others to,” Thompson said.

He said hundreds of blacks marched in downtown Uniontown to protest the decision not to file criminal charges in Christmas Eve shooting death of 12-year-old Michael Ellerbe, but people should vote instead of complaining.

“It’s time to vote if you don’t like what happened. You can’t complain if you don’t vote,” Thompson said.

Blacks would have a powerful voice in government throughout the county if they organize in elections.

“If we do, there will be so many (campaign) signs in your yard, you won’t be able to cut your grass,” Thompson said. “We’ve had people die for that right to vote, but nobody votes.”

Young people should be especially encouraged, but all blacks should read newspapers and attend candidate forums to learn the positions candidates and incumbents have on issues and vote for the person who will best serve their community and the county, he said.

“If you’re not voting, you’re allowing others to make decisions about your future and your children’s future,” the Rev. Leonard A. Tucker Sr. said.

Of the five candidates running for seats on the Uniontown Area School Board, “none are here because they think you are not concerned,” Tucker said.

He said voting for school board members is an important step parents should take toward getting involved in their children’s education. Visiting schools, talking with teachers, joining parent-teacher organizations are also necessary. He said most educators care about students and are encourage parental participation.

“Attend school board meetings and work sessions,” Tucker said. “Remind school board members that we are taxpayers.”

The Rev. Eric Johnson, who works in the State Correctional Facility – Greene, said he sees what happens to young black men who can’t find jobs. He said over 75 percent of the inmates are black while less than 1 percent of the employees are black.

“We must help create an economic structure in our community and voting is the key,” Johnson said. “If we come together we will be heard. All those who marched for Ellerbe should be here. It’s easy to make noise with your mouth.”

He said Uniontown residents support blacks when they are athletes in high school and are willing to travel across the state to see them play, but they aren’t willing to offer them jobs after graduation.

“East End people make the city look proud, but after the game, the city fails the kids,” Johnson said.

Clinton Anderson, president of the county chapter of the NAACP, said blacks are disenfranchising themselves by not voting.

He said all blacks should register to vote, learn about the candidates and then vote. “Pick a candidate who will help you.”

Anderson said once a person registers to vote, he or she is now registered for life. In the past, registrations expired if a registered voter did not vote in two consecutive elections.

To clear up another misconception about voting, Anderson said former convicts and parolees are allowed to vote.

He said registered voters are called for jury duty and black jurors in the county are rare because few black are registered to vote.

He also said he is the only black county employee to hold a supervisory position.

“We’re an African-American community. We need to wake up as a community. If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem,” Anderson said.

When the microphone was opened to the audience, Randy Murray, a past county NAACP president, said churches should take a more active role in encouraging blacks to vote.

He said he formed the I Am Somebody Political Action Committee years ago.

He said the organization was powerful and helped several candidates win elections.

There are enough black churches in the county to exert the same political clout, he said.

“Churches should be hustling to register voters. Power is what it’s all about,” Murray said, noting that the NAACP is not permitted to endorse political candidates.

Kirby then said people who register to vote now, will not be eligible to vote in the primary election in May, but they can vote in the November general election.