"THROW OUT THE BUMS," ANSWERS FOUNDER OF BLACK REVOLUTIONARY WAR PATRIOTS MEMORIAL TO NEW YORK TIMES STORY ABOUT COMATOSE GROUP

Maurice Barboza calls on Wayne Smith and the entire Board to resign at the February 29 meeting for committing the "dainty" equivalent of fraud

Alexandria, Virginia (February 28, 2000) -- Maurice A. Barboza, founder of the Black Revolutionary War Patriots Foundation, said today:

"I call on Wayne Smith, president and CEO, to resign from The Patriots Foundation and for the board of directors to purge any member who does not have the capacity and commitment to raise at least $250,000 on an individual basis. If the board cannot recruit sufficiently motivated replacements, the project should close its doors with dignity."

Barboza is responding to a story appearing in The New York Times (Backers Struggle to Invigorate Black Patriots Memorial Plan, by Reed Abelson, Monday, February 28, 2000, page 15) that describes a comatose project to build a memorial to the struggle for freedom during the American Revolution and to the 5,000 black soldiers who helped win Independence.

Along with his aunt Lena Santos Ferguson, Barboza founded the group in 1984 to promote the role of blacks in the Revolution after his aunt's successful four-year battle against bigotry to become a member of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. Both were among the first blacks to join the Sons of the American Revolution and NSDAR.

"While not enough to cover a fourth of the cost, over $2 million was accumulated (mostly from donors Barboza had brought to the cause) over the past eight years since my departure from the project," Barboza said. "Based upon Smith's own admissions, nothing is happening. I'd like to know why. And where the money has gone."

Abelson paraphrases Smith as saying, the Foundation "planned no major events to coincide this year with Black History Month in February and there are no major fund-raising events expected in the next few months."

"If I did not know the history of this group, I would be flabbergasted," Barboza said. "You cannot hold yourself out to the public as trying to build a
memorial and not take advantage of the few advantages you have, such as Black History Month."

"To this group, the memorial means a nice salary, a national platform and a place to gather," Barboza says. "That's where unsuspecting donors' money is being diverted. It is the dainty equivalent of fraud."

Abelson reports that the Foundation's response to her inquiry is to call a board meeting for tomorrow, Tuesday, February 29, 2000.

"That's the time," Barboza says, "for Smith to resign and for any board member who cannot, or will not, commit to raising at least $250,000 to resign. A board should be judged by performance, not talk," Barboza concluded. "This is the only benchmark of ability and sincerity."

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