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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 24, 1970)
Black influence gains in politics Among the encouraging p o liti cal developments In the South during 1970-a year In which such developments were not overabundant-was the fact that It's getting harder and harder to keep track of black candidates and officeholders In the South. J u s t a few short years ago, when black candidates were emerging In large numbers on the Southern political scene, the candidacy of one black man or woman, even for a minor office, m a d e front-page news across the state. N o w a d a y s , however, black candidates are a standard part of the region's p o litics. Blacks can and do run fo r local offices and get elected with little being said about It beyond the candi date's Immediate community. Consequently, It's getting more and more d ifficu lt to locate and Identify black candldates-a fact that has to mean the South's po litic a l health, thanks to black voters, Is Improving. On the basis of the best Info r mation available to the Voter Education Project, there were approximately 370 black candi dates running In the 11 states of the Old Confederacy. This In cludes Incumbents, part nomi nees without opposition, w rite - in candidates, blacks running against other blacks - In short, any black running for a public office In a contest decided by vote of the people. The total does not Include candidates for political party offices, such as the various Democratic and Re p u b lic a n city, county, d is tric t and state executive committees. Of these 370, the VEP staff has been able to Identify about 110 winners. Again, this Includes Incumbents those running with out opposition and blacks who 250 Black Troopers defeated blacks. In 1968 general elections, for the sake of com parison, there were 280 black candidates In the region, of whom more than 100 were elect ed. Southern blacks continued to capture some significant offices In 1970, although they failed to raise the level of office-holding to the congressional and state level. George Wallace's Alaba ma, Ironically the only state In the nation with a black sheriff, now w ill have four. Elected to Join Macon County’s Inclus D. Amerson were black sheriffs In G r e e n e , Bullock and I/jwndes counties. In Greene County, W illiam McKinley Branch was elected probate Judge, becoming the fir s t of his race In Ala. to win this locally Important post. When George Wallace was trying to win back the Alabama governorship from incumbent Albert Brewer last spring, a spot announcement heard on some radio stations In the state Implored the voter to consider the prospect of his wife being stopped on the highway late at night by a state trooper who turned out to be black. Wallace won the election, and the white voters presumably w ill not have to w orry about any black troopers. But then, they didn't have to w orry anyway. There are no black state police men in Alabama. In fact, there are at least 10 s ta te s that have no black troopers, and only five states have as many as 10. California., with 80 blacks and 174 other m inority officers, Eight black county school leads the lis t. C a lifornia's total board members were elected In force numbers 5,388. Illin o is , M ississippi. In Hancock County, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Ga., a black m ajority was elect Maryland are the only other ed to the school board, giving states having more than 10 blacks control of that county In black patrolmen. The numbers the same way that blacks pre in those states range between 13 viously had gained control of the and 23. Oklahoma has 102 o ffi county government machinery In cers (mogt of them Indians) who Greene County. Arkansas sup belong to a racial m inority plied two additional mayors of other than black. Texas (50) and a blraclal town. Two Macon Colorado (17) are the only other Count Ians won seats, giving states reporting double-figure Alabama Its firs t black legisla totals in that category. tors since Reconstruction. They Only four states - Arizona, w ill represent Gov. Wallace’s M o n ta n a , New Hampshire and home d is tric t In east central Ala. New Mexico - yielded no in fo r South Carolina elected three mation fo r the survey. black legislators, the firs t In The states reporting no black the state since 1901. troopers are not confined to the The highest level, In term s of South. The 10 known to have none p o w e r and authority, remains include Idaho, Iowa, Massa the state l e g i s l a t o r s , the chusetts, M ississippi, Nebras sheriffs, and the various local ka, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming, as well judges. The big prizes - the congressional seats and state as Alabama. In addition, 10 wide offices - continue to elude states have only one black o ffi D ial's black politicians. cer each; Delaware, Florida, G e o r g ia , Minnesota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, V irginia, West V irginia and Wisconsin. Eight states in addition to It Is appropriate that this ployee lobbyists have worked C alifornia have state police press conference following my with success to reduce the ef forces numbering in excess of departure from state service fectiveness of the Wage collec 1,000. should be held under the aus tion program over the past sev Some black officers point out pices of the Urban League of eral years. So successful have t h a t state police forces have Portland. It was 16 years ago t h e i r actions been with state around this tim e of the year that budgeting o fficia ls, the wage been exclusively white for so long that it is d iffic u lt to con Urban League officials persuad collection program Is now fight vince blacks of the opportunity ed me to close my law office ing for its very existence. available. Other spokesmen say T h e uncertainty Involved In to accept an appointment as an assistant attorney general for these c ir c u m s t a n c e s alone th e ir pay scale is not high enough to be com petitive. In "tw o to th re e " years. I have would be sufficient to look some states, hiring is handled chosen this mean and opportuni around fo r employment else by the c iv il service, and that ty to report on my three year where, but this was not the term which somehow got ex cause fo r my departure. The method apparently lim its the police in th e ir efforts to attract conflicts which t ve arisen be tended to sixteen. Some o f you have expressed tween my boss, Lee Johnson, m inority-group members. D iscrim inatory h i r i n g prac concern over the fact that I have and my client, Norm Nilsen, tices have been charged against declined to make a public state with me sitting as a buffer and police in at least two states. In ment b e f o r e leaving office shock absorber would be s u ffi M ississippi, two black men filed amidst public speculation con cient to look elsewhere for em suit in federal court this fa ll, cerning the circumstances and ployment, but this alone was not saying they sought to apply for r e a s o n fo r my resignation. I the cause for my departure. The positions in the highway patrol general's incredible thought It Impudent to make a attorney but were refused the application public statement on this matter style of operating his office form s. while s till on the state pay r o ll would be sufficient cause for Massachusetts, th e state's processing cases for the la b o r leav’ ng my job, but this was not Commission Against D is c rim i my sole reason for leaving. Commission as my client and nation filed a legal complaint Perhaps it would be accurate the attorney and the attorney against the state police last general as my boss. A full and to say my reasons for leaving m o n th , charging them with a Is all of these and more. The t r u t h f u l statement would have complex of d i s c r i m i n a t o r y reduced my effectiveness on the best way to summon my reason practices. A ll 812 members of Job after giving my 3d days no for leaving is to say " I reached the Ma1-sachusetts police force tice. Any other statement would the conclusion that the sacrifice are white. Commissioner W il not only have sounded false, but my fam ily and I were paying for liam F. Powers, acknowledging could have placed me in a posi my remaining In office was not "an unfortunate re c o rd " of m i tion where I would not have been Justified by my Impact on office n o r it y hiring in the past, operation". a b le to speak truthfully even pledged a concerted effort to Statement by Belton Hamilton after leaving the state pay r o ll. change the picture. "We shall I)fi ?m ter 22, 1970 It is not my purpose to attack do e v e r y t h in g we possibly or discredit any public o fficia l can...to bring in qualified m i for the purpose of doing so. I nority personnel," he said. "We have no hostility toward any of need them, and we want them. the public o fficia ls with whom I I want this to 1« c le a r." A com worked for the last 16 years. 1 Registration fo r winter term prehensive recruiting program do Intend to lie candid vlth you classes at PCC's Cascade is now under way. on all matters touching upon my Center in Northeast Portland Accelerated efforts to in reason for resigning my Job as w ill open at 8:30 a.in. Wednes crease the numbers of state po assistant attorney general of the day, January 6. licemen from m inority groups State of Oregon. If what I have Courses are offered in An may bring some change in the to report results in embarrass t h r o p o l o g y , A rt, Biology, picture, but effective recruiting ment to anyone, I apologize Business Education, Econom techniques are at a premium. ahead of tim e as I prepare to ics, Geography, History, the The Illin o is spokesman, wrote: te ll It as I think It Is. Humanities, Journalism , Per " I f you have any suggestions as During my 16 years In office sonal Health, L i t e r a t u r e , to how to more effectively at I served under four (4) different M a t h e m a t ic s , Philosophy, tract qualified black men into governors and two different at P h y s ic a l Science, P olitical police work we would like very torneys general. During the en Science, Psychology, Radiolo much to hear th e m ." tir e period of tim e my clients gic Technology, Reading and — o— were the Wage and Hour Com W riting, Sociology and Speech. Under good tim ber manage mission, the Apprenticeship and Many are available in t>oth ment, three to five times the Training Council and the Bureau day and evening schedules. n o r m a l number of tim ber of la b o r. Much of my time was For inform ation, call crops can be grown, says spent on Wage collection and 244-6111. Georgia-Pacific Corp. C ivil Rights laws enforced oy the Bureau of L a lo r. During my stay the Bureau of Labor has conducted a fa irly vigorous pro 2643 N.E. 7th gram in these fields. Both Tom McCall and Lee 282-2858 Johnson have expressed interest in having C ivil Rights program Tune Ups & Brake Jobs Auto Repair transferred to th e ir office. Em H am ilton’s S tatem en t Cascade Center W inter Term PORTLAND/OBSERVER Dec. 24, 1970 Santa’s Learning About Accessories Santa may not be up-to-date on the latest feminine fashion news, but one thing he knows for sure is that the women on his lis t are very fashion aware in deed. When he steps up to the ac- c e s s o r y counters of local stores, he may be Just a bit be wildered. Plenty of helpful in formation w ill be awaiting him there. S till, a little homework can. corne in handy. Here's a run down of this season's fashion highlights, covering her favorite accessories. Belts, in a variety of leather t e x t u r e s , are generally wider and bolder. Hardware trim en livens sporty belts, while eve ning styles may be bejewelled o r printed. A "something different' fash ion gift could be a supple suede sash, fringed, beaded or other wise trim m ed. Scalloped edges, cutouts, pip ing, flaring and fringes are de ta ils being featured on the latest leather glove styles. Handbags in leather and suede range from pouches, and clutches to satchels and c a rry - alls, with swingy shoulder bags leading the way. F e s t iv e scarves in many sizes and lengths focus on posey and patterned prints, sometimes with gay little border fringes. Knitted and crocheted shawls may wrap up Christm as with an array of colors and styles, some border trim m ed or fringed. Hip accessories fo r young modems include headbands, dog collars and wide bracelets with new overtones. Fashion jew elry incorporates p e w t e r , copper, handcarved wood and silvertone fo r creating bibs, chokers, pendants, rings, earrings and bracelets with new overtones. Fo r ski there are head warmers and fu rry helmet hats; fo r glamour, fu r hats and fun fu r hats and fo r day and anytime there are knitted hats that come with long matching scarves. M R S . L IL L IE ) S IM M O N Basic Black facts BASIC BLACK IS IN. And the basic fact is, Portland Observer women readers spent 35 per cent more on clothing than white women with the same income. They buy half again as many evening dresses. And th e ir fashion ideas don't come from Vogue, Mademoi selle or Seventeen. 85 % don't read them. Their buying motivations come f r o m Portland Observer. The Most Widely Read newspaper. Portland Observer Where m illions of black and white consumers do th e ir shop ping. j B & J Shoe Shine Parlor I & Candy Store , 1 323 NE Fremont • 282-3729 ( I J I I All Kinds of Shoes Cleaned and Dyed 1 Happy Holiday Season i S ales S e r v ic e T u n in g r e p a ir s BRO. MARTIN’S PIANOS 3 0 4 , N .E . U N IO N PORTLAND. ORC. »7212 B us. 2 8 2 -5 3 2 6 RES. 2 8 4 1 6 2 5 LOV-LEE-LADEE BEAUTY SALON 284-0293 Expert Haircutting, Styling, Hair Tinting Permanent W aving & Manicure 106 N. Killingsworth Prop Alzena Fields & Cassie Jenkins Operators: Pauline Kelly, Tonda McErrm, Ger, W ord WHERE THERE IS BEAUTY THERE IS CHARM' M r. Davis M art 1771 N. E. Dekum 289-4916 K e lly ’s MOBIL SERVICE Y ou and Yours Happy New Year Dave and Leard W ls / r ’. s 8 MS««« «««Ml | I