Black panthers to march at Duke Univeristy

DURHAM - The national chairman of the New Black Panther Party for Self-Defense says his group intends to march at Duke University on Monday to "deal directly" with lacrosse players about charges of rape of an escort service dancer at a team party.

Duke's campus police are coordinating with the Durham Police Department to prepare for the black-separatist group, which has a reputation for coming to its protests armed.

Malik Zulu Shabazz, a Washington lawyer who is the leader of the New Panthers, said he will be in Durham to rally with local black leaders and monitor progress of the criminal case against Collin Finnerty and Reade Seligmann, the two students charged with raping and kidnapping the dancer.

"We are conducting an independent investigation, and we intend to enter the campus and interview lacrosse players," Shabazz said Thursday. "We seek to ensure an adequate, strong and vigorous prosecution."

Duke is a private institution, and its campus is private property. Shabazz said he has not sought permission to enter but that his group has "received no word that we are not welcome."

John Burness, Duke's vice president for public affairs and community relations, said Thursday that the university will allow a controlled march on campus, as long as the New Black Panthers follow specific rules.

"As an institution we support free speech, and we will treat them like any other group," Burness said. "But we do not permit weapons. We will take necessary steps to keep the campus safe."

One of the key tenets of the New Black Panthers is owning firearms and knowing how to use them, according to the Anti-Defamation League, a national Jewish group that has monitored Shabazz and his followers for years.

"They are a racist and anti-Semitic group," said Myrna Shinbaum, a spokesperson for the New York-based league. "These guys come armed. They carry shotguns to demonstrations. The authorities down there should know this."

Asked whether his followers will be armed when they come to Duke, Shabazz chuckled and said, "I don't know if I can comment on that."

A flier distributed by the group this week displays photos of Finnerty and Seligmann and calls for those who have "had enough of disrespect and racism from Duke" to assemble at the front gates of the university's West Campus at 10 a.m.

"We as black men cannot sit idly by and allow white men to rape black women, regardless of what our sister (who by nature is a queen and a divine black woman) was doing," Shabazz is quoted as saying in a media release announcing the event.

In a telephone interview Thursday, Shabazz said he and several local black leaders will meet with Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong about the case Monday. Nifong did not return a message late Thursday seeking to confirm that a meeting is planned.

A "town hall" meeting is also planned at 6 p.m. Monday at St. Joseph's African Methodist Episcopal Church on Fayetteville Street. Shabazz is set to be the keynote speaker. The Rev. Philip R. Cousin Jr., the minister of the church and a Durham County commissioner, did not return calls about the event. Representatives of the NAACP and the Nation of Islam are also expected to attend.

The New Black Panthers is listed as a racist hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, an organization more often cited for its efforts to monitor the Ku Klux Klan, neo-Nazis and other white supremacists. The Panthers is also disavowed by the Dr. Huey P. Newton Foundation, named for the activist who helped found the original Black Panther Party in 1966.

According to the Anti-Defamation League, the New Panthers are a black separatist militia founded in 1990 by Khallid Muhammad, who was removed from a top leadership post at the Nation of Islam after Louis Farrakhan reportedly found his statements against Jews, Catholics and homosexuals too radical.

Shabazz became the group's leader in 2001, after Muhammad's death. He has drawn media headlines in recent years for claiming that Jews were evacuated from the World Trade Center before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and voicing support for Zacarias Moussaoui, the so-called "20th hijacker" who was found eligible for the death penalty this month for his role in the Sept. 11 plot.

Shabazz, who said the group's current membership numbers in the "low thousands," backed away from claims published in a Durham newspaper Thursday that the New Black Panthers are providing security for the dancer and her family after she received death threats.

The accuser's mother told The News & Observer on Thursday that Panthers came by the family's house Wednesday and offered their protection, but the family decline

Knifong, Neufaung, Neufong, Nifong (name variations)

Generation Two

19 APR., 1809. His Will reads as follows: In the name of God Amen. I Felix Clodfelter of Rowan County and State of North Carolina having arrived to a honourable age but yet in good health of body, and sound in memory, think it my duty to make and Ordain this my last Will and Testament in the following manner. First I recommend my precious Soul into the hands of Almighty God who gave it; and my body to be buried in a Decent and Christain manner. Take will that all my lawfull debts be paid out of my personal estate. I Will to my beloved wife Sarah full possession of the House I now live in during her lifetime, likewise one quarter of an acre of Land to be Sown in due Season with Flase? Lud? yearly her lifetime. One half of the garden to her use her lifetime, two milk cows to be kept for her use to be will?id and kept in service and if they should fail and be unfit for her service - two others to be put in their place to be kept during her lifetime. I Will to her the old negro woman Aggey? to serve her her life time. Also her spinning wheel, her chest, her bed and basons and furniture, and all the linnen she now has in possession. Also two basons?, two plates, four spoons, three knives and forks, and the large shelf in the kitchen, two small iron potts and the frying pan, also the corner cupboard containing all within it, also the clock her lifetime, and after her decease to be sold, also a Prayer Book and Hymn Book and watering can, also a small bed and b?ostio? with the furniture belonging, also the firetongs and shovel, and little walnut table. The following articles to be found her yearly; Ten baskets of wheat to be made into flour, to her hand for her use, ten baskets of corn ground and brought into the house, one hundred and fifty pounds of good pork, fifty weight of beef in due season, also one bushel of salt and ten? dollars in cash to be paid unto her yearly, also sufficient supply of ?ael to be Hallid? for her use, all the above mention duties to be performed unto her by my son Jacob. And as respecting my land, my Will is that my son Jacob, have my homesteaded plantation, also the moo? part of a lot that I purchased of Thomas Long, to extend? to the dividing line already run dividing the same from his brother John's line and his brother Peter after my decease to him and his heirs forever. I also give unto my son Peter the land and Plantation on which he now lives, including the south part of my homested plantation, and the south part of that I purchased of Thomas Long, Jacob's part and also from his brother John's part to him and his heirs forever. I also give unto my son John the land and plantation where he now lives, situate on the north side of my homested plantation including part of the same and part of that which I bought of Thomas Long by lines already run dividing the same from his brother Jacob's, to him and his heirs forever. And as respecting my moovable? property (the slaves excepted) and also the perisable property (excepting that already given) to be sold at public value at the discretion of my Executors hereafter named, and the same to be divided equally between both male and female heirs, also the children of my daughter Susanna Nifong deceased, to have a child's part intended for their mother to be equally divided among them. My Negro woman Aggy I will that she continue in my family her lifetime and have liberty to live with any of my children to whom she may choose, and that they provide for her and keep her as may be required her lifetime. Take Will that my negro man Solomon and his wife Patt? with her increase, and my negro lad Johnson be sold at public value at the discretion of my Executors, among my heirs in manner above mentioned to be equally divided. Lastly I do appoint and ordain my two sons George and Peter Executors of this my last Will and Testament, utterly revoking and making null and void every other Will, Gift or Begwath? heretofore made by me, ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament. Acknowledging and confirming this by setting my hand and seal the ninteenth day of April in the year of our Lord - One Thousand, Eight Hundred and Nine. Felix Clodfelter F his mark In Presence of Ja Clinard Britain J. Heymore

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27 JAN., 1837. His Will reads as follows: February Term 1837, page 288 Jacob Clodfelter's Will. In the name of God, Amen. I Jacob Clodfelter of Davidson County, State of North Carolina being of sound mind and memory do make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form as following - First I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Margaret all my house hold and kitchen furniture of whatever name or nature as also the loom and what belongs thereto also my negro slaves Spence and his wife Bet? and her youngest child Caroline, also my stage Wagon and harness belonging thereto, one horse, two cows, ten head hogs and six head of sheep her choice, one Phough and gears, one needing hoe, one axe, one maltoe?, also all the corn, wheat, oats, pork or bacon, hay, fodder, flax and all that may be on hand for her years support. I also give my wife half of my wheat now growing and also two copper mash kettles and two cow halter chains and also fifteen pounds of coffee and thirty pounds sugar all of which above mentioned property to my said wife during her natural lifetime or widowhood and after her death or marriage then to be exposed to public sale by my executors and the money arising from the sale to be disposed as hereafter described and should the slaves which I have bequeathed my wife prove disobedient or unruly she shall be at full liberty to sell them and retain enough of the sale money to purchase one that will suit her. I give and bequeath to my wife full possession of my dwelling house and the plantation or so much thereof as she may want during her natural lifetime or widowhood. I give and bequeath unto my son Jacob the said tract of land whereon I now have my residence containing seventy seven acres more or less with the mills hereditaments and appurtenances to the same belonging (with the fan in the mill) and half the wheat now growing to him and his heirs and assigns forever. I give and bequeath to my daughter Molly Leonard, wife of David Leonard, one tract of land which I purchased from George Sowers containing one hundred acres more or less for $100 to have during her natural lifetime and after her death to be sold on a reasonable credit and the money to be equally divided among her heirs. I give and bequeath to my son Joseph the plantation whereon he now lives containing two hundred acres more or less with all and singular the profits, privileges, hereditaments and appurtenances thereunto belonging to him his heirs and assigns forever. I give and bequeath to my son Henry the plantation whereon he now lives containing two hundred and ninety five acres more or less with all the appurtenances thereunto belonging to him his heirs and assigns forever (with the exception of one acre of the meadow for the use of my wife and the use of the pasture as formerly - I give and bequeath to my son David the tract of land which I purchased of Saml. Farington containing two hundred acres more or less with all and singular the appurtenances thereunto belonging to him his heirs and assigns. I give and bequeath to my son Joseph my negro man named Joseph to be his right and property forever at the price of six hundred dollars. I give and bequeath to my son Henry to Wit? Mary and her youngest child Adam for the sum of six hundred dollars to be his right and title forever. I give and bequeath to my son David one negro girl named Rose for the sum of five hundred and fifty dollars to be his right and title forever. I give and bequeath to my son Jacob one negro boy named January at the sum of six hundred dollars to be his right and title forever. I give and bequeath to my daughter Mary, wife of David Yokely, one negro girl named Emily at the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars to be her right and title forever. I give and bequeath to my daughter Catharine, wife of Adam Weir, one negro girl named Sarah at the sum of three hundred and seventy five dollars to be her right and title forever. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth, wife of Barnet Weir, one negro girl named Rhoda at the sum of one hundred and sixty dollars to be her right and title forever. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Barbara, wife of Adam Sink, one negro girl named Camaline at the sum of one hundred and twenty five dollars to be her right and title forever. I give and bequeath to my daughter Franey, wife of Philip Knoy, one negro boy named Joseph at the sum of one hundred and ten dollars to be her right and title forever. I give and bequeath to my daughter Sally, wife of Peter Leonard, one negro girl Betty daughter of Spence and his wife at the sum of ninety dollars to be her right and title forever. It is my will and desire that all the above mentioned heirs be equal in the amount of the above willed slaves therefore those which have received the valuableest to pay to the rest untill all be equal in amount. And lastly it is my will request and desire that all my property not willed to be exposed to public sale on a reasonable credit and the money arising from the same as also the money that may be on hand and debts due or oweing to me be disposed of in the following manner by my executors to my wife fifty dollars and to each of my daughters two hundred dollars and the remainder to be equally divided among my sons and daughters. And I do hereby niminate and appoint my sons Joseph and Henry Clodfelter Joint Executors to this my last will and testament revoking all others and former wills by me made. In witness whereof I the said Jacob Clodfelter have hereunto set my hand and seal this the 27th day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty seven (1837). Jacob Clodfelter his mark, seal Signed and acknowledged in the presence of Jno. Haines Michael Clodfelter [Son of his brother John?] FEB. TERM OF COURT, 1837. His Will was probated.

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