C. Vickie Kilimanjaro: Eyewitness to History
By Theresa W. Bennett-Wilkes

“I’m still making my contribution, working hard every day trying to get people’s stories out, making sure that we print news that is factual.”
C. Vickie Kilimanjaro

C. Vickie Kilimanjaro is an eyewitness to history. For nearly forty years she and her husband, Dr. John Marshall Kilimanjaro, have published a weekly newspaper, The Carolina Peacemaker, that chronicles the life and times of the Piedmont Triad’s Black community. She worked part time at the paper for thirty years while rearing her family, holding down a full-time job, and serving her Temple and community.

“I’ve been secretary-treasurer of the corporation since it was founded in 1967. I wrote a weekly column entitled, ‘It’s a Woman’s World’ for a year and a half. I’ve been the business manager most of the time. I sold advertising, and now I’m director of advertising. I’ve always kept the records and prepared the audit for the post office. I handle public relations for the paper. I do a little bit of all of it now.”

Mrs. Kilimanjaro is a vibrant figure. She epitomizes the contemporary ideal of the ageless and graceful woman. She is reserved, reticent, and expresses herself in concise statements. She is a native of Enfield, North Carolina. She earned a B.S. in Health Education and Recreation from North Carolina Central University, Durham, in 1956 and went on to earn a Master of Science degree from North Carolina A and T State University.

When asked how she has balanced family life, a career, and the newspaper, she didn’t hesitate. “It hasn’t been easy. I don’t know how I’ve done it, really. When I was in the school system I would call to see how things were going at the newspaper every day. On teacher workdays I’d come by on my lunch hour. Every afternoon after I got off from work I’d come by the newspaper office and do whatever was necessary and I didn’t neglect any family duties.”

C. Vickie Kilimanjaro, an avid rose gardener with prized roses.

Mrs. Kilimanjaro’s involvement with The Peacemaker has enabled her to observe history in the making. She has also experienced the societal changes that affect how the news is reported and its impact on the future of the fourth estate. “We are a minority paper. We feature news by and about African American organizations and families. We cater to African Americans even though we have a broader readership. As for the future of all newspapers—they will be around but there will be fewer of them. They have to conform to a multicultural approach and change just like the population.”

North Carolina has played a pivotal role in the history of the evolution of the United States from its earliest days as a British colony to the Civil Rights Movement of the late Twentieth Century. As a resident of Greensboro for nearly half a century, Mrs. Kilimanjaro has seen a great deal of change. Although she doesn’t think of herself as an eyewitness, she concedes the obvious: “I guess I could be since I’ve been around for a long time. I was with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. when he first came to Greensboro. My husband and I attended the March on Washington. I attended the Paris Peace Talks during the Vietnam War as part of the U.S. Delegation in 1970.”

Locally The Peacemaker has advocated for the inclusion of African Americans in all areas of community life. “When The Peacemaker came about we didn’t have Blacks on the Greensboro City Council, on the county commission, or school board. The Peacemaker played a role in those changes,” she explained.

When asked to identify her most valuable contribution to the community, she pointed to her later years in the school system. “They were the years I spent as a media specialist working with children from special populations. Those children need lots of attention and they are very, very appreciative of any improvements they attain.”

In addition to the newspaper, Mrs. Kilimanjaro remains active in Temple Emanuel and the community. She has served on numerous boards, including the Greensboro Civic Ballet, the United Way of Greater Greensboro, Greensboro Merchants Association and the Greensboro Rose Society. She was the librarian at Temple Emanuel for twenty-two years. “Currently I’m working on a project to help build the temple’s archives.”

Her advice to women seeking to expand their horizons, “First, you’ve got to have an interest and desire. Choose a career that’s going to make you happy and be aware that it takes time to build a business. My husband and my children are still my greatest supporters. The 39 years that we’ve been in business haven’t been easy. There have been times when I wished we hadn’t started The Peacemaker. When I see some of the community’s accomplishments, I see how our efforts have been rewarded.”