World War 2 and Media

The Media was the major source of information for Americans during the war. Although the media played a big role during the war, government cencorship was heavy in the 1940's.

Many Americans found comfort in the media during the war and relied heavily on radio, movies, newpapers, books and music. Many citizens used such activities as an outlet to communicate with other Americans during the war.

The radio, movies, etc. provided the U.S media with an effective means for giving war information to the public. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, also used the media to spark up his Fireside radio chats.

Throughout the war, Americans were urged to help fund production of ammunition, weapons and vehicles through television. Even famous people appeared in the commercials, pleading for people to help out.

Hollywood had a big influence on Americans during the war. The movie industry used this to its advantage and made sure that movies that were coming out portrayed war in a positive light.

Eventually, there was a government policy that recommended the occasional war message to help home front unity. Movie makers also had to factor in the question, "Will this movie help win the war?" The newspaper also played a vital role in helping Americans follow in the latest war news.

Government officials made sure that reporters emphasized American values in the papers, such as family values and American patriotism. However, the news edited out combat, to avoid unpleasant descriptions of death or soldier insanity. Many soldiers during this time did not agree, however, because they felt it distorted the truth of how war really was.

The government ignored the soldier's opinions, and kept the portrayal of war postive because they felt that it would help win the war. Also, the government was so strict about the war that the first picture of a casualty was not published until 1943 and many other visual materials were never even prohibited.

This was published by Life magazine which captured the pictured of three American soldiers lying down on the ground dead. Over thirty government agencies were involved at censoring any type of war related news, and cut down a lot of what was published about Americans.

The government sent out messages that included statements about the nations war goals and suggestions on what people could do to contribute to the war. The government also sent out reports of the progress of war. Without the media during War World 2, the citizens may have not had the right attitude to support the war efforts and to help the United States to win the war.


Government officials made sure that reporters emphasized American values in the papers, such as family values and American patriotism. However, the news edited out combat, to avoid unpleasant descriptions of death or soldier insanity. Why Would Media portray the war in a positive light? could it deal with altering peoples perception?



In response to pearl harbor President Franklin D Roosevelt issued executive order 9066, which permitted the military to circumvent the constitutional safeguards of American citizens in the name of national defense.

The order set into motion the exclusion from certain areas, and the evacuation and mass incarceration of 120,000 persons of Japanese ancestry living on the West Coast, most of who were U.S. citizens or legal permanent resident aliens.

These Japanese Americans, half of whom were children, were incarcerated for up to 4 years, without due process of law or any factual basis, in bleak, remote camps surrounded by barbed wire and armed guards. They were forced to evacuate their homes and leave their jobs; in some cases family members were separated and put into different camps.

President Roosevelt himself called the 10 facilities "concentration camps." Some Japanese Americans died in the camps due to inadequate medical care and the emotional stresses they encountered. Several were killed by military guards posted for allegedly resisting orders.

At the time, Executive Order 9066 was justified as a "military necessity" to protect against domestic espionage and sabotage.


However, it was later documented that "our government had in its possession proof that not one Japanese American, citizen or not, had engaged in espionage, not one had committed any act of sabotage. Rather, the causes for this unprecedented action in American history, according to the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians, were motivated largely by racial prejudice, wartime hysteria, and a failure of political leadership.

What Could of been the real purpose of the U.S government imprisoning the Japanese being that they proof of their innocents?

World War 2

the 1940's was a very controversial decade

beginning of the war

Giancarlo Spells- can you tell me about a typical day

Joseph Frierson- A typical day for me is not really typical at all; it’s never marked in stone what is to be done as it relates to do this first and this next. Usually a day would consist of talking and communicating with different people around Greensboro, the day is branched off different issues that arise in the community.

GS- how did you get started doing this type of work

JF- I actually started at A&T as a political science major and wanted to pursue being an attorney or lawyer. It was when I had my internship in the field when I found out that this profession wasn’t for me. I had talked to my advisor Dr. Claud Barnes and he said that I loved people to much to be an attorney; from there he had brought me to a meeting at the beloved community center were they spoke about a book called “Stolen Lives” which basically was about state and federal governments wrongfully executing citizens, and I thought to myself who was responsible who took the blame. From then on I knew that community organizing was what I wanted to do.

GS- What is your favorite part of your job

J F- I get an opportunity to engage in social contra that has really brought about a continued mindset of separation, oppression, segregation, and marginalization. Not everybody has a job were they can do that, and I’m free to do it, free to be able to speak freely about a wrong that I see.

GS- What surprised you the most when you started working in the field

JF- What surprised me the most when I started working in this field was the amount of work that is needed to be done on a regular basis not just a 9-5 but randomly throughout the week. Also the anti-market that goes against what we do at the beloved community center and the way they speak about individuals who do positive things and how they put a negative twist on different community issues that we deal with

GS- What Advise would you give someone who wants to get started in PR

JF - the advise I would give someone is to get started now, whether you are in high school or an undergrad however you can get into the field early to catch on to how it works and what is needed out of individuals.

GS- What are employers typically looking for in

Studying Abroad and the Vast Change of Perception

Every year over 190,000 students study abroad each year. Continuously many students if not all, come back home from these experiences with changed thoughts and perceptions about the countries they visited.

On June 16, 2009, over 700 students enrolled in the University of Virginia’s semester at sea program embarked a two month voyage abroad; porting at eight different countries around the Mediterranean before returning home in Virginia on August 23rd. After nearly every country students were already starting to view the world a little differently in addition to the country itself.

What entity in this civilization is powerful enough to provide such false ideas about different countries and types of people to the point were it would turn into a concrete perception.

Peggy Kreshel a media studies professor of the University of Georgia says “it’s due to nations branding”.

“Nations branding is similar to brands such as Nike and or McDonald’s both have an image and attached some type of slogan that everybody knows.”

For example, McDonald’s has the golden arks as the symbol and the “I’m loving it”. In additions Nike’s symbol being the check and the slogan being “just do it”. Countries in this aspect have the same thing, such as America having the nation brand of the flag with the slogan “Land of the Free”, but such things can be altered by global media. Such media are the news, movies, history books, and more importantly television.

Shanae Strachum, a sophomore fashion design major said “Bulgaria is a country that has a negative nation brand, they are known for human trafficking according to the media and the movie “Taken” only built more superstition.”

“But after spending a couple days in the country there seemed to be a different perception, it turned to just be a party city with a lot of entertainment it nothing like the stereotype.”


Brittney Simon, another student enrolled in the semester at sea program said “my perception was definitely based on television and sometimes even history books.”

“Before I got to Egypt, I thought of it being this beautiful desert sand with pyramids, but after viewing it for myself I seen how impoverished Egypt is and how it’s not well cleaned up.”

Today’s study abroad experiences are more than just education abroad; it brings students to a level of truth. Truth of the media and how it portrays different people, and countries, and how much it affects out perception.

By Giancarlo Spells
Special thanks to Shanae Strachan, Peggy Kreshel, and Brittany Simon
For more information go to Nation Branding.

Business Around The Holidays

Due to the state of the economy many local businesses are going out of business. Facing the stressful recession, local businesses are suffering from a decrease of sales while other bigger businesses such as Wal- Mart and Target use their marketing strategies to make it through the economic storm.

The holiday season leads businesses into the New Year, starting from September all the way through February businesses make their push to end off the year on a good note. This profitable business strategy builds the base for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and the most profitable day of the year Black Fridays which is right after Thanksgiving. Such sales would not be existent if not for the marketing and sales plans.

Businesses that lack the proper marketing planning skills or outreach, more than likely attract devastating blows, economically leading into bankruptcy and closing. Others on the other hand, profit generously and receive record breaking revenues.

“If you don’t have a business plan then you are planning for failure”, said Ryan Spells business owner of A&D Graphixs.

Spells has been in business for 10 years. A&D Graphixs is a black owned business that’s in the business of advertising.

“Known for catching the eyes and making people pay attention to an advertisement even if their not interested” said Spells.

The company does many different things such as making and designing websites, flyers, business cards, brochures, logos, CD / DVD covers, tee shirts, photo editing and stationary.

Spells said “that the recession affected his line of work, because of the affect the economy had on other businesses. When the recession came about one of the first things on the budget business started looking at and cutting down on was advertising. Advertising is one of the major expenses for businesses today.”

“The recession caused me one of the slowest summers I have ever experienced, but September is the months where a lot of businesses make their push for the end of the year. Not only to market for sales but to also promote Christmas and New Years parties. For such events companies will put an order in for fliers and invitation.”

“Being that A&D Graphixs is an advertising company, my business can help other businesses that are going out of business, but first they have to find a niche within their market.”

Niche marketing is the subset of the markets on which a specific product is focusing on; therefore the market niche defines the specific product features aimed at satisfying specific market needs, as well as the price range, production quality and the demographics that is intended to impact.

Jorge Gaytan, a business professor at North Carolina Agricultural and State University said “Niche marketing plays a very important role, because businesses are able to maximize marketing opportunities by linking their niche with the business environment.”

“First we must build a marketing plan, finding out who are customers are and where they are located. Second build a website to take the business from a local level to national level, selling products online is the next biggest money producer as far as sales”, said Spells.

“The market plan is essential to the success of an organization, because it forces members of that organization to engage in various preparation activities essential and critical to the beginning life stages of an organization” said Gaytan.

When comparing the success of Black owned businesses to big international companies such as Wal-Mart and Target; Spells says that those companies not only strive in marketing but also in convenience.

“What nationally run black owned business out there could you compare to Wal-Mart, those companies sell a variety of products ranging from electronics and household items to clothes and groceries. Black owned businesses usually only have one niche not a wide variety all in one business.”

So what if numerous black owned businesses with different niches linked up and became as powerful as a Wal-Mart and a Target. Could the missing link within the idea of success just be collaboration and cooperation? What is the next big step for black owned businesses to reach the next level?

By Giancarlo Spells

Special Thanks to Kelvon Barkley, Ryan Spells, and Jorge Gaytan

College- Is it an Instituion of Higher Learning

In the mist of the 1960’s Civil Rights Movement, Wartmouth T.Gibbs, President of North Carolina A&T said “We don’t teach are students what to think, but how to think.” Today our society has changed such concrete environment to the complete opposite; not only are students taught what to think, but also how to think about whatever issue maybe. Is College really an institution of higher learning or is it just an institution of regular training.

Could it be that our college educational system is suffering from a term called “group think”, a term used to describe a group unwilling to look over the overall consensus of the herd. In times it is out of the lack of drive or ambition to ask original questions to arrive at genuine answers. But more importantly and dangerously it is also an accordance that ponds from the fear of looking foolish in front of peers.

Today’s College Institutions relies heavily upon the country’s economic systems, especially concerning jobs. Many students are forced to face difficult decisions, of whether they should pursue their passion, or work within a major that pays a good amount of money so that the American Dream can be pursued.

Derek Lineberger, a freshman, English major said “if I had to make a decision I would pursue my passion; I rather work with my gift and make 10 to 20 thousand per year versus being stressed out and unsatisfied in a field that doesn’t inspire me, and make 40 to 50 thousand.”

Moreover, there is a state of pressure among this generation from past generations to achieve a level of higher learning so that one can get a good job and be deemed as successful.

“Our Educational system is made to train people to be a corporate slave; even if you do get a high paying job, your still making crumbs compared to the higher ups. The system doesn’t push and inspire self sustainability, instead it implements sustaining and upholding a system already in place”, said Chris Loney a freshman biological engineering major.

“What if all the top engineers at NC A&T received degrees, and grouped up to start their own firm instead of working for another company. Just imagine the influence we would have being that we can build up our own communities; and on top of that give jobs and internships to other engineering students."

Commemoration March for the 30th Anniversary of the Greensboro Massacre

On Nov. 3rd, 1979, the Communist Workers Party (CWP) held an anti-Klan rally in Greensboro, North Carolina.

During the rally the Ku Klux Klan drove through, and some CWP members started to beat on the cars with their sticks. The KKK responded by shooting at the CWP, Resulting in the shooting deaths of five CWP members t. The event became known as the "Greensboro Massacre."

November 4, 2009 marks the 30th anniversary of the Greensboro Massacre; Aggie Alum Wesley Morris, along with Terrance Muhammed and other community organizers from the beloved community center unite to unite the community for this special commemoration. See slide show

March Sound slide

Special Thanks to Britney Drakeford, Wesley Morris, Terrance Muhammed, Beloved Community Center Organizers, and all of those who participated in the march.