Portland challenger., August 07, 1953, Image 1

Passing: Impossible
Race Pride: Harmful
/Í H
(P o r tU u d J
BY H. J. B EL T O N H A M ILTO N . JR.
S p ecial W rite r, T h e P o r t la n d C h a lle n g e r
T h e te rm “p a ss in g " h a s been th e su b je c t m a t te r of in n u m e ra b le m a g a z in e
a n d n e w s p a p e r f e a t u r e a r t i c l e s . I t h a s caxised a n g u i s h e d o u t c r i e s o f d e ­
n u n c i a t i o n a n d q u i e t a c c e p t a n c e , g o n e u n n o t i c e d . T h e C h a l l e n g e r , in k e e p i n g
in lin e w ith it s p o lic y to k e e p a b r e a s t w ith th e c o m p le x in g p r o b le m s f a c in g
m a n to d a y a n d k eep in g its n e w s c o lu m n s open a s a c h a lle n g e to th e re a d e r,
p r e s e n ts th is in v ig o ra tin g — a n d to so m e s e n s itiv e o r c o n tr o v e rs ia l— a r tic le
b y M r. H a m i l t o n . T h e a u t h o r h o l d s a n A B d e g r e e f r o m S t a n f o r d u n i v e r s i t y
an d a tte n d e d th e U n iv e rs ity of P o rtla n d . H e re c e n tly fin ish e d law school r t
N o r t h w e s t e r n S c h o o l o f L a w ’. H e i s p r e s e n t l y w a i t i n g t h e o u t c o m e o f h i s
e f f o r t s p u t f o r t h in th e O re g o n S t a t e b a r e x a m in a tio n .
Volume 2, N um ber 7
P ortland, Oregon, F riday, A ugust 7, 19S3
PRICE 10 CENTS
Three Denied PM J°ckeY Gets Pointers
Food Service
In recent years no o th e r facet of race relatio n s has received so
m uch undeserved atten tio n in A m erican periodicals as th a t of so-
called Negroes “passing” fo r Caucasians. So freq u en t have articles
appeared on this su b ject th a t th e alert read e r is presum ed to be
Rutherford's XXX
fam iliar w ith m inute details of this social phenom enon. F or th a t re a ­
Scene of Refusal
son no attem p t is m ade h ere to restate or sum m arize w h at has been
w ritte n on th e subject. This discourse p u rp o rts only to in terp réta te
T hree persons w ere refused
and evaluate certain attitu d es w ith respect to this phenom enon. The
scope of this discussion is lim ited to w h at is th o u g h t to be th e th ree service at a drive-in resta u ­
rant on the east side recently.
m ost im p o rtan t elem ents of th e su b ject in question.
D o N egroes R ea lly ' Pass" for C aucasians?
From any collection of w ritin g s on th e su b ject of “passing” th ree
things m ay be infered, nam ely, (1) T h at the te rm “N egro” refers to
a black race of people, (2) th a t th e term “C aucasian” refers to a w h ite
race of people and, (3) th a t w hile in th e presence of C aucasians some
N egroes give th e im pression th a t they, too, are Caucasians. This
does not m ake sense. U nless “w h ite people” a re color blind it is re-
diculous to assum e th at, u n d e r p ro p er lig h tin g conditions, they m is­
tak e black (or even brow n) m en for w h ite men. It follows th a t
“N egroes” do not pass for “w h ite.” A ctually, th e so-called passers are
persons w hose N egroid featu res are overshadow ed by Caucasiod
features. From a p oint of origin th ey are m ore E uropean th a n A fri­
can; from a point of racial ch aracteristics th ey are m ore C aucasian
th a n N egro; and. as a m a tte r of color they are n o t black, b u t “u’h ite ” !
Such persons do n o t “pass” for w h ite—they are “w h ite.” It is m ore
logical to consider them passing w hen they claim to be Negroes.
The te rm “N egro,” as com m only m isused in th e U nited States,
does not refer to a single race—b u t to versons of m any races. The
“N egro race,” as it is know n in th e U nited S tates, is a flexible fic­
tion by reference to w hich th e social statu s of m iscellaneous p e r­
sons m ay be proscribed. The fiction of a N egro race in this country
is not subject to a precise definition. As a g en eral rule, it m ay be
said th a t the term “N egro,” as understood in th e U nited S tates, in ­
cludes tw o d istin ct classes of persons, nam ely, (1) those w hose p h y si­
cal characteristics leads one to believe th a t some of such persons’
ancestors w ere A frican nativ es or (2) those w ho adm it some of th eir
ancestors w ere A frican natives.
The refusal cam e a fte r the
sta te ’s civil rights bill had
gone into effect, prohibiting
discrim ination in public e a t­
ing, lodging and am usem ent
places because of religion or
race.
The th ree persons, Mr. and
Mrs. F elder Pace and Idee
Stephens, w ere told they
couldn’t be served “on the inside”
of R u th erfo rd ’s X XX restau ra n t,
6120 N. E. Sandy boulevard.
Pace says th a t th e th ree w ere
n o t p erm itted to tak e a tab le on
th e inside, b u t w ere m et by
C harles R u th erford, m an ag er of
th e re stau ra n t, and told “we
can ’t serve you on the inside.”
The C h allen g er contacted R u th ­
erford an d he read ily adm itted
the incident b u t blam ed b ad
“seating a rran g em en ts” for th e
refusal. He said his estab lish m en t
does not refuse service to Negroes
b u t n eith er does it encourage it.
He doesn’t think, the it t tion w ill
ev er come up again.
Hal D uncan (left), chief d o c k e r at P o rtlan d M eadows, gives a few
pointers to M artin Simon, jockey. D uncan is selector for the O regon
Jo u rn al. Simon la te r rode Com et F rancis in th e featu red q u a rte r
horse event, and clipped a fifth of a second from the 330-yard record.
Martin Simon Makes Railbirds Take Note
In Top Jockey Performances at Meadows
BY W. CARRINGTON
A s s i s ta n t P u b licity D ire c to r
P o rtla n d M eadow s
M artin Simon, popular young
In the sense th a t it involves th e m ovem ent of a person o u t of one
jockey from L ake C harles, Louis­
P atro n s D on't C om plain
race to another, th e re is no such th in g as “passing.” In the sense th at
iana, w ho m akes a specialty of
it involves th e m ovem ent of a person from a restric ted social caste to
R u th erfo rd said th a t his patrons riding th e jet-propelled q u a rte r
an u n restricted one, “passin g ” is probably practiced w ith rem ark ab le
have n ev er com plained of N e­ horses a t P o rtla n d M eadows,
frequency.
groes eatin g in his place because scored his first w in n er aboard
they have n ev er had th e chance Com et F rancis in th e featu red
W hat Is th e C urrent A ttitu d e T ow ard "Passing"?
to. He feels th a t the sta te ’s civil q u a rte r horse event, at a distance
It is unsound to single out an a ttitu d e w ith respect to th is p h e­ rights law is w rong and doesn’t of 330 yards, and set a new rec­
nom enon and label it th e prev ailin g one. In d iv id u al attitu d es differ believe it w ill stay in effect for a ord for th e P o rtlan d oval in the
w idely. He w ho “passes” a p p are n tly feels him self justified in doing long period of tim e.
fast tim e of 17.4 seconds, clipping
so. He w ho does n o t “pass” adopts one of th ree views. He approves, he
R u t h e r f o r d refused to say a fifth of a second off th e m ark
is in d ifferen t or he disapproves.
w h eth er he allow s his w aitresses established by Miss C apri on
T here are those am ong us w ho sym pathize w ith any m ovem ent to refuse service to Negroes on Ju ly 25.
w hich tends to destroy th e notion of a su p erio r (or even a p ure) race. the “inside.” He also refused to
Simon, who has been riding
To them the fact and pub licity of “passing” rep resen ts a clever trick say w h eth er o r not his re sta u ra n t for less th an three years, has a l­
played on th e so-called superiors by th e ir so-called inferiors and, at had refused service to Negroes ready established him self as a
the sam e tim e, challenges th e ir claim of race p u rity . O thers sy m p a­ before J u ly 21 (w hen th e civil top-notch reinsm an in this field.
thize w ith this m ovem ent because it p erm its a m em ber of an u n d e r­ rights bill w en t into effect). H ow ­
Riding in the F u tu rity stakes
privileged caste to raise his stan d ard of living. S till others approve ever, R u th erfo rd did m ake it clear a t Pom ona, C alifornia, last year
of this m ovem ent for reasons personal to them selves. It is believed th a t his place of business did not he was conceded little chance of
th a t the b u lk of p resen t-d ay intellectu als m ain tain an attitu d e of in ­ discourage p atro n s of o th e r col­ w inning th e $5,000 classic, but
difference to th e subject. On th e w hole, ex cep t for disapproving ored races o th e r th a n the Negro.
readers, individual attitu d e s rem ain unexpressed.
The C h allen g er has received
num
erous com plaints on th e R u th ­
The reaction of th e disapproving o bserver is traceab le to d ivergent
reasons. If th e o bserver is a C aucasian, he m ay disapprove of “pass­ erfo rd re sta u ra n t w ith in the p ast
ing” sim ply because it gives him an unw elcom ed sense of an cestral u n ­ tw o years. N egroes m aking these
certain ty . If he be a person of A frican n ativ e ancestry, his reaction is com plaints say th a t they have
freq u en tly one of jealousy. It is som etim es a feeling th a t this lack been refused service on the “o u t­
Dr. W alter Reynolds, son of Mr.
of group consciousness th re a te n s his econom ic in te re st and h u rts his side” and th a t the reasons given and Mrs. Phil Reynolds, 1326 N.
w ere alw ays “we don’t serve N e­
sense of “race p rid e.”
Benton avenue, w ill soon open a
groes.”
C ertain politicians, professional and businessm en, feel in ad eq u ate­
m edical office in th e P rofessional
ly p rep ared to com pete in an open m a rk e t w ith o th e r m en in th eir
building on N. W illiam s avenue
field. T he only m a rk e t for th e ir in ferio r goods and services is am ong
and McMillen street.
the “race p rid ests.” To p ro tect th e ir vested in terests they foster “race j
Dr. Reynolds w ill occupy th e
p rid e.” Some disapprovers have no in terest to p ro tect except th eir !
space now rented to Chick and
false sense of race pride. Since the te rm “N egro,” as understood in •
P a t’s, a card room. P ro p rieto rs of
the U nited States, refers to a social caste of m any races, th ere can ,
Chick ad P a t’s plan to suspend
be no tru e race p rid e am ong Negroes. If N egroes are to be proud of
business for the rem ain d er of the
Uncle S am ’s d ra ft arm s reached sum m er and open up this fall at
th e ir races, they can be p ro u d only th c t they are h u m an beings. In
o th e r w’ords, they are so m ixed th a t race p ride to them w ould m ean deep and cam e up w ith Lonnie a new location on N. Russell
pride for all the races of m ankind. F u rth er, this is not p ride b u t a d e ­ H arris in a recen t d ra ft board call. street.
fense for a crippled ego. C ertain A m ericans som etim es say they arc 1
R eared in P ortland, a graduate
H arris, th e sm ooth-fielding in ­
proud to be Negroes. This statem en t is sim ply asinine. It is recognized
of Jefferson high school and th e
the w orld ov er th a t it is a handicap in th e U nited S tates to be a | field er-catch er for th e Produce U niversity of O regon M edical
Negro. He who claim s he likes to be handicapped or punished is M erchants, is slated to rep o rt to school, Dr. Reynolds w ill fill in
eith er a liar, a m asochist or an o rd in ary fool. As confusing as it F o rt Lew is A ugust 20.
for Dr. D eN orval U nthank, 1631
seems, these are some of th e a ttitu d es ag ain st “passing.”
The 26-year-old H arris is m a r­ N. W illiams avenue, w hile Dr.
ried and the fa th e r of a girl. He U nthank goes to the hospital for
W hat Is th e Proper A ttitu d e w ith R espect to P assing?
m inor surgery som etim e this
w as called to F o rt Lew is once b e ­ m onth.
If th ere is a p roper a ttitu d e tow ard this phenom enon, it m ust be
fore b u t w as la ter rejected b e ­
Upon the re tu rn of Dr. U nthank
one of enligh ten ed indifference. H ere are a few suggestions to au g ­
cause
of
a
recu
rrin
g
leg
injury.
to
his office, R eynolds will open
m ent this general a ttitu d e:
Scheduled to go w ith H arris his m edical offices in the P rofes­
(C ontinued on page 2)
are P at Nelson and Chili Baines. sional building.
Medical Doctor
To Open Office
Draft Calls Four
From Community
caused a surprise w hen he piloted
his m ount, B ardella, hom e to the
w ire, settin g a new record for the
trac k course.
Few N egro Jockeys
A lthough the absence of N egro
jockeys is conspicuous a t th e m a­
jo r track s th roughout th e country,
W illiam P. K yne, general m a n ­
ager of P o rtla n d M eadows, and
the C alifornia Jockey club a t San
M ateo, invited the young Negro
to v isit P o rtlan d M eadew s and
d em o n strate his ability. A lready
Sim on has won a large following
due to his skill in h an d lin g his
charges.
Baker Confined
To Hospital Bed
H erm an C. B aker, 1278 NE
W heeler avenue, is still confined
to P rovidence hospital w here he
w as tak en recen tly w ith an in ­
te rn a l hem m orhage. B ak er’s con­
dition is rep o rted poor.
He has had several blood tra n s ­
fusions b u t his condition rem ains
w eak .according to relatives.
Sec. 34.66 P.L.&R.
U. S. PO STA G E
PAID
P erm it No. 816
PORTLAND. OREGON
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