A n Associated
Negro Press
Publication
■pnrtlanii Itumim*
Serving the
Pacific Northwest
Oregon’s ’T^egro Weekly
Walter White Captivates Portland
VOLUME 2
PO RTLAN D . OREGON. FE BRU ARY 8. 1946
National Honor
Roll Against
Discrimination
In Year 1945
A N N PETRV, author of "THE
STREET,” Houghton Mifflin Lit­
erary Fell' /»«hip Winner.
Ann Fetry
Fellowship
Winner
Ann Petry, who was born in
Old Saybrook, Connecticut, came
from a New England family that
has specialized in some branch of
chemistry for three generations.
Her grandfather was a chemist;
her father, an aunt and an uncle
are druggists.
She is a graduate of the college
of Pharmacy of the University of
Connecticut. While working as a
registered pharmacist in the drug­
stores owned by her fam ily in Old
Saybrook and old Lyme, she
wrote her first short stories.
If she had not married and gone
to N ew York City to live she
would undoubtedly have contin­
ued her career as a pharmacist.
Instead she sought and found jobs
in N ew York that would give her
an opportunity to write— jobs that
ranged from selling advertising
space and writing advertising
copy for a Harlem weekly to edit­
ing the women’s pages and cov­
ering general news stories for a
rival newspaper.
While interviewing celebrities,
covering political r a l l i e s and
three-alarm fires, and reporting
on murders and all other forms of
sudden death, she acquired an in­
timate and disturbing knowledge
of Harlem and its ancient, evil
housing; its tragic, broken fami­
lies; its high death rate.
She spent nine months working
on an experiment in education
that was being conducted in one
of the city’s elementary schools
and thus observed at firsthand
the toll that segregated areas like
Harlem exact in the twisting and
warping o f the lives of children.
In addition to working on news­
papers she has taught salesman­
ship, written children’s plays, act­
ed with an amateur theatrical
group. She is a former member
of the new famous American Ne-
(Continued on Page 3)
1. Judge Thurmond Clark of
the Superior Court of California
for his decision invalidating cer­
tain racial restrictive covenants
in Los Angeles.
2. Frank Sinatra for emerging
as a foe of bigotry and devoting
time to use his influence with
adolescents to ease racial tension
situations.
3. Hon. Charles LaFolletle of
Indiana for leading the fight in
the House of Representatives and
in the Republican party for a per­
manent FEPC.
4. Albert Deutsch of PM and
Carey McWilliams in various
publications for outstanding in­
terpretative journalism on inter­
group relations.
5. Branch Rickey of the Brook­
lyn Dodgers for signing Jackie
Robinson for major league base­
ball and thus breaking the color
line.
6. Judge Meir Steinbrink, vice
chairman of the Anti-Defamation
League Commission, for crystal­
lizing action against discrimina­
tory quotas in institutions of
higher education.
1. Miss Marilyn Kaemraerle of
William and Mary College in V ir­
ginia for advocating racial equal­
ity in the South.
DISHONOR R O LL FOR 1945
1. The armed forces of the
United States for their continued
segregation of Negro personnel.
2. The politicians and people of
(Continued on page 2)
Urban League
Secretary Kept
Very Busy
Mr. Edwin C. Berry, Secretary
of the Urban League of Portland,
is being requested to speak on
various aspects of “ Race Rela­
tions” throughou tthe Northwest.
Mr. Berry has been extremely
busy appearing before several
groups since he came to Portland
8 months ago.
When Mr. Berry was inter­
viewed by our reporter he said;
“Race relations in the Pacific
Northwest have not yet chrystal-
ized. They are still in a state of
flux. I am accepting many of
these speaking engagements be­
cause Negro Americans have not
been properly and fairly inter­
preted |to a large number of
white Oregonians. I believe that
what we do in the next 18 to 24
months w ill shape the pattern of
Race Relations for the next quar­
ter century.”
Mr. Berry has made nearly 200
speeches and public appearances
in the past 8 months. A typical
week is as follows.
Feb. 9, Tacoma, Wash., to speak
to the Inter-Racial Commission.
Feb. 10, Seattle, Wash., to de­
liver the principal address at the
Annual Meeting of the Seattle
Urban League.
February 12, S e a s i d e High
School Assembly Program. Also
Women’s CDuft of Seaside same
date.
Feb. 13, Portland’s Teachers
Association.
Feb. 13., Progressive Democrat­
ic Association.
Feb. 14., Assembly Program,
Mt. Angel College.
W E C E LE B R A T E O U R E M A N C IP A T IO N A N D
TR IBU T E TO N E G R O H IS T O R Y W E E K
PAY
By Chesley E. Corbett
This week and next the Portland Inquirer has dedi­
cated the papers that w ill be printed to “ Negro History
Week and in celebration of our emancipation.”
In as much as there are a number of ads some may
run one week and others next, yet all of our advertisers
have subscribed to this program and each and every ad
that appears in each of the issues that w ill be printed are
dedicated to Negro History week and in celebration of our
emancipation.
Yes, w e are celebrating our emancipation from slavery.
Just eighty-one years ago we were in bondage, and most
of the people begin to start from 1865 to trace the ancestry
of the black man. Many of our own group feel chagrin
and ashamed to be a Negro.
L et’s turn back the curtain, if you please, and see
why should we feel ashamed.
Thousands of years before the Anglo-Saxon civilization
began Black men had built the pyramids, and had given
to the world the first alphabets.
A black queen, the “ Queen of Sheba” , had talked and
consulted with Solomon, who sought her counsel and
advice at various times.
Brave and fearless black soldiers under Hannibal had
driven hordes of Romans and other nationalities from
their country and achieved many notable victories over
superior numbers.
A black man, Simon of Cyrene, helped a suffering Christ
to carry his cross on his way to Calvary.
A ll down throughout the ages, history records events
and worthwhile achievements of Negroes, as poets, writers,
sculptures, law makers, physicians, lawyers, etc, and in
almost ever’f phase of life blafck men’ and (fcomen Rave won
places among the leaders of the world.
In dedicating these two issues to Negro History Week,
particularly, we have taken excerpts here and there to
bring back to your memory events past, present and future
to recall to your mind in some instances events that may
not be just clear to you and other cases w e may be able
to give some insight to others who were not cognizant
of this history.
W e w ill ask our Mr. J. W. Brooks, who has charge of
this particular line to speak through the columns of his
copies, writings and sketches herein contained; some being
re-prints; others cuts, still others in various forms— but tell­
ing a story of progress.
Your editor was reading Mr. Walters W hite’s book, “A
R IS IN G W IN D ," which he published during W orld W ar No.
II., which is a contribution to Negro History W eek in itself.
Mr. White dedicates this book to his son, Walter, with
the following message. “FOR M Y SO N W A L T E R ”, with the
prayer that his generation, white and Negro, may be wiser
than was his father’s.
In the front page is a reprint of an article in the N ew
York Herald-Tribune dated Sept. 19, 1941, which he prints
and w e are reprinting it for your perusal.
Quote: “At the close, Mrs. Roosevelt quoted a phrase from
the late Thomas W olfe ending “A wind is rising and the
rivers flow.” “Yes,” she said “a wind is rising throughout
the world of free men everywhere and they w ill not be
kept in bondage. The rivers flow in democracies that now
exist through to those who are held temporarily in slavery
and on to the deluded human beings who are voluntary
slaves.
“They have thought that force and cruelty and people
who cast aside free choice and accept the will of one man or
a few men can endure and dominate. But the rivers flow so
swiftly they cannot be turned back, and the new beds which
they make for themselves are in the pattern of new ideas
which the people who believe in freedom in the world are
fashioning today “Democracy Shall Triumph,” unquote.
How applicable is this to Negro History W e e k and
Emancipation Week.
Democracy has, to a degree tri­
umphed, but still we must have a better, bigger, more lib­
eral and just democracy, free from prejudice, segregation
and proper protection along all lines.
In the last paragraph of his book at the close Mr. White
states as follows: “A wind is rising— a wind of determina­
tion by the have-nots of the world to share the benefits of
freedom and prosperity which the haves of the earth have
tried to keep exclusively for themselves. That wind blows
(Continued on page 2)
PRICE 10c
Number 29
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF THE
N.A.A.C.P. KEPT VERY BUSY
DURING BRIEF STAY HERE
By Essie Mae Johnson
When Julius Caesar invaded Gaul he sent back these
familiar words. “ V IN I— V ID I— V IC I” (W e Came— W e Saw
— We Conquered.)
The same can be said of Mr. W alter White, Executive
‘secretary of the N.A.A.C.P. wher he came to Portland
Wednesday. He came . . . He saw . . . He conquered.
From early Wednesday morning until after the meeting
Wednesday night Mr. White was on the go. First he held
a press conference at the hotel where he answered ques­
tions and discussed pertinent problems that confronted
the nation as a whole.
A t noon he was the guest of
the officers and members of the
local N.A.A.C.P., at a luncheon
at the Y. M. C. A. building where
approximately seventy-five per­
sons, of various creed and color,
were present. Mr. White made a
most impressive plea to those
who were present.
He spoke over the radio at 2:30
p. m. and had one of his early
speeches which had been record­
ed, reproduced and given to the
public.
He showed the coalition of re­
actionary Southern Democrats
and reactionary Republicans in
the Senate, to block and defeat
W A L T E R W H ITE
the full employment and housing
legislation.
and were assigned to back-of-the-
The following appeared in lines jobs as quartermaetproe, en-
Thursday’s Oregon Journal about ' gineers and truckers. But the
Mr. White. (Quote):
Negro has demonstrated that he
SOUTH’S FEPC STAND
can fight as bravely and as skill­
HELD "G R A V E T H R E A T "
fully as any soldier.”
“The coalition of reactionary
He cited the combat record of
Southern Democrats and reac­ the 332d fighter group, active in
tionary Republicans to block full the Italian campaign, as an ex ­
employment and housing legisla­ ample.
tion poises a grave threat to the
Discriminatory
practices
future of this country,” declares against races in the armed serv­
Walter White, executive secre­ ices arc fortunately growing fe w ­
tary of the National Association er, White said, and if such prac­
for Advancement of Colored Peo­ tices were done away with al­
ple, arrived here Wednesday on together, many Negroes would be
speaking tour.
eager to reenlist in the peacetime
Speaking specifically of the army and navy. Many are doing
Fair Employment Practices act, so now, he added. (Unquote.)
which he termed a “mild meas­
Mr. White made a decisive hit
ure,” W hite said the coalition wit hall who heard him and his
must be broken “if we want to listeners were thrilled each time
avoid dark and grim days.”
he spoke and he was cheered to
Major concern o f the N.A.A. the echo on each occasion.
C.P. today, White said, is to as­
The local N.A.A.C.P. here, to­
sist in finding jobs for everyone. gether with the V a n c o u v e r
The problem in Portland differs Branch have done and are doing
little from that throughout the a great job. The follow ing is a
entire nation— Negroes must be brief outline of the work it ex-
given work to do.
]>ects to do during 1948 as out­
SHOT DOW N IN P L A N E
lined by the local president, Dr.
A graduate of Atlanta Univer­ R. N. Joyner.
sity, W hite has traveled more
Brief Outline of 1948 Program
than 420,000 miles in this coun­
try and in Europe in behalf of
1. Union of all forces working
organizations,
N.A.A.C.P. One of his most re­ for N e g r o e s ;
cent assignments took him to the churches, clubs.
2. Renewed and i n t e n s i v e
Pacific fighting zones as war cor­
respondent f o r . the N ew York membership drive.
3. Renewed battle for Civil
Post. A close friend of the late
Ernie Pyle, he was shot down in Rights law.
4. Organizing for promotion of
an airplane over Manila and was
the object of snipers’ bullets on political interests.
5. Economic opportunities:
several occasions.
(a) Better jobs for Negroes.
He declares that charges that
(b ) Policy toward stores
Negro troops in the Pacific failed
which refuse to hire N e­
in combat were “utterly without
groes.
foundation.”
White said that when he ar­
(c ) Encourage and promote
educational courses, etc.,
rived in the Pacific theater of
and advertise civil service
war, he hard rumors that a Negro
divison had deteriorated in hys-
examinations.
tereia during a landing on Bou­
(d) Work for qualified Negro
gainville. Subsequent investiga­
police, firemen, etc.
(e) Definite stand on hous­
tions, led by the N.A.A.P.C. of­
ing situation.
ficial, proved the rumors to be
6. State-wide
committee
on
entirely untrue, he asserted.
“The truth is,” White said, Negro-White relations to be ap­
“that Negro troops were given pointed by the governor, plus city
very little opportunity in combat. committee appointed by the ma­
About 80 per cent of them were yor.
not permitted to serve in combat
DR. R. N. JO YNER JR., Pres.