NEWS
NORTH CAROLINA VOTER EDUCATION PROJECT
336V2 E. PETTIGREW ST. DURHAM, N. C. 27701
OCTOBER, 1968
VOL 1
NO. 1
Black Vote Stronger Than Ever
BLOC COULD DECIDE NEXT
GOVERNOR
Black people of North Carolina have the power this
year to decide who will be the next governor of the
state.
Opinion polls show that the two candidates for
governor — Republican Jim Gardner and Democrat
Bob Scott — are now running fairly even. This means
that either one could win the election if he gets the
organized support of black voters.
Up to this point, both candidates have ignored black
voters, and have campaigned for the state’s 1,579,000
white votes. According to the polls, these white voters
are fairly evenly split over their choice between
Scott and Gardner.
There are now more than 303,000 black citizens
registered to vote in North Carolina — more than ever
before in history. Even more black voters will register
between now and Election Day, November 5.
If Black people decide to vote in an organized bloc,
as in most past elections, then the candidate who gets
that support will be elected the next governor of
North Carolina.
That choice is very difficult this year, however,
since neither candidate has said anything yet to bene¬
fit or interest the Black people, or the poor whites of
the state.
The Black bloc has traditionally voted Democratic
in recent times, but the Democratic candidate this
year (Scott) has abandoned his Party’s principles to
appeal to conservative and racist white voters.
At the same time, the Republican Party of North
Carolina has nominated one of their most conser¬
vative candidates of recent history (Gardner), who
even rejected one offer of black support.
That offer came from a group of Black leaders in
Eastern North Carolina, headed by Golden Frinks,
field secretary for the Southern Christian Leadership
Conference. They endorsed Gardner in protest against
Scott and the Democratic Party.
Another group of Black leaders from across the
state may meet soon to study the candidates. They
may decide to join Frinks in recommending that
Black voters support Gardner, in protest against Scott.
On the other hand, they may support the Demo¬
cratic candidate, or, because of the negative stands of
both candidates, they may suggest that each Black
voter must make an individual choice.
CRAWFORD AND FRY RUNNING
FOR HOUSE
If white Democrats in Guilford and Forsyth County
remain loyal to their Party’s ticket this fall, they are
expected to help elect the first two black members
to serve in North Carolina’s Legislature in modern
times.
On the other hand, if many white Democrats in
those counties put racism before party loyalty in the
election, both black candidates could lose to Republi¬
can opponents.
The two black candidates are Rev. William R.
Crawford of Winston-Salem, a minister who has al¬
ready won historic political victories in that city;
and Henry Fry of Greensboro, an attorney and vete¬
ran civic leader.
Rev. Crawford won Forsyth County’s Democratic
nomination to the State House of Representatives in a
very close race earlier this year. Following several
charges and challenges from Rev. Crawford’s white
opponent, investigations were conducted by both the
County and State Board of Elections. Both boards
then declared Rev. Crawford the winner by the mar¬
gin of seven votes.
Attorney Fry won an easier race in Guilford Coun¬
ty, also against white opposition, to become one of
(Continued on p. 2)
