NETWATCH . . . NETNOIR

On June 19, 1865, Texas slaves learned that the emancipation Proclamation had set them free -- fully two years before. Now, on the 130th anniversary of the delayed day of freedom that many African-Americans celebrate as Juneteenth, a new service, "NetNoir," is making its bid to bring black culture to the mostly-white, mostly upscale online world, via America Online and the Internet. "We're creating something to encourage people to buy the hardware, to buy a computer and a modem," says co-founder Malcolm CasSelle. "Before, they didn't feel there was any reason to be on line." The service will include live conferences and written pieces by figures such as journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault and Olympic champion Carl Lewis, as well as information on African, Caribbean and Latin American cultures.