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A LEGEND IN OUR TIME
[[image of thirteen people]]
The Claude B. Govan Tri-State Chapter, TUSKEGEE AIRMEN, INC. held their Installation Dinner Dance on Saturday, April 12, at Bruno's in Jackson Heights. The elected officers shown being sworn into office: President, Jean R. Esquerre; 1st Vice President, George L. Bing; 2nd Vice President, Harold O'Neal; Recording Sec., Charles E. Washington; Corresponding Sec., Ann Bing; Financial Sec., Harry W. Banks; Treasurer, John W. Freeman; Asst. Treas., Jason C. Arrington; Historian, Marion Lee Connell; Parliamentarian, Charles B. Smith, and Public Relations, George H. Warren. Also shown with his very attractive fiance, Estelle Howard, is Art McFarland, WABC T.V. who was the guest speaker. The officers were installed by Judge Richard Rutledge. Freeport's own Ed Monroe was also present (a well honored member of the Airmen), with his wife Betty. 

to Tuskeegee University, the home of an Army Air Corps training program. Because the Air Corps was growing so quickly and because it had fewer problems with traditions, blacks were accepted more easily. Thus, John Silvera joined the famed ranks of the Tuskegee Airmen, the black aviators whose record in World War II became a milestone and a proud part of the country's military history. 

John Silvera smiles when he talks about those days some forty years later. He speaks sadly of things modern soldiers and civilians alike might regard as unspeakable wrongs. He is matter-of-fact about the business of black soldiers forced to room together, never with white comrades; he willingly relates that he tolerated the most racist policies of another time because his ambitions, his patriotism and the results of his persistence, he was convinced, would pay off. 

John Silvera--Col. John Silvera--is indeed a resourceful man, and he is now applying his talents for the benefit of another generation of another generation of people whose problems may be similar to his own. He is the founder of the Minority Resources Development Center, the purpose of which is to alert the business community and governmental agencies that the talent is available within minority groups to fill contracts, do the jobs, man the trenches, as it were. 

Silvera specializes in finding minority contractors for governments-contracted jobs, but the scope of his interests is wider than a mere charitable function. He is a businessman and insists that those he deals with be businessmen. A soft-spoken, distinguished-looking SO[[N? B?]] who has done more than his share of charitable work, he does not seek special consideration from anyone, he says; he is merely in business to make certain other businesses aware of the legal requirements of minority hiring and contracting. 

Silvera moved to Brevard from his New Jersey home because, "of the military and retirement atmosphere in this area," and became determined to start a local chapter of the Urban League. When he found that unlikely because of costs as well as local interest, he simply reverted to his old persistent ways and started his own business. 

"I found that interest was sadly lacking in blacks as well as whites (in the Urban League). . .I became, in effect, a one-man Urban League."

Silvera, who advanced to the position of Executive Chamber Aide to New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller and the rank of full  colonel, was not without connections or repute. In the latter position, he became New York's Commissioner of Human Rights as well as the governor's military affairs advisor. He speaks fondly of old friends who have helped write the history of 20th century America, names like A. Philip Randolph, Roy Wilkins and Whitney Young. 

With so fine a resume, Silvera could not help but find success. "We were lucky enough to secure a government contract, to assist the Brevard Broadcast Association in recruiting minorities," he says. 

One of Silvera's favorite topics is that of entrepreneurs in general, and minority entrepreneurs in particular ("All entrepreneurs are a minority group," he laughs). 

"Our activities have been based upon the fact that House bill 1226, the Minority Business Assistance Act, opens the door for black entrepreneurs and contractors; we're trying to implement it."

Actually, very little of Silvera's conversation is devoted to racial matters; he would rather talk business in general and Brevard business in particular. He is deeply proud of his military background and accomplishments and will participate in the upcoming reunion to the Tuskegee Airmen, to take place in Orlando next month. He does not believe in anything that requires a lack of manner, decorum or patriotism. 

His pride in his background is the thread that runs through all he does. "Young blacks in the age of 'post-integration' have no idea of what those who lived through the 'desegregation era' had to go through," he says with a shrug. He insists that Brevard's minority community's well-being must be a matter of great concern to white businessmen, as well; business, he says, is the only zone in which the battle for quality [[equality?]] will be won.

"The economic development of blacks in Brevard should be a major concern because the very simple, it increases the index of whites. Consider that 14% of the automobiles in this country are owned by blacks. . .blacks spent 5-10% more on commodities than whites in similar circumstances, and the average supermarket has about a 15-18 percentage of black patronage.

"Yet blacks, who have a 1-2% unemployment in this country have no auto dealers or salesmen and own no service stations. I think that's foolish.[["]]

Silvera, who is a member of the Regional Coordinating Council for Vocational Education, syas [[says]] the problem he detests most is illiteracy in the minority communities. "High tech and vocational education does not reach down to the dropouts. . .because it's unattainable, or that is the attitude."

He also has some suggestions for the sorts of contribuations local business might make in order to further minorities'--and their own--cause:

"Banks should form a consortium to deal with rehabilitation of depressed communities, for profit, in partnership with responsible community leadership.

"In short, what they must understand is a simple message about the minority community: they are consumers and they can mean good business. In short, there's gold down in the valley."

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