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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (May 4, 1972)
Page 2 As I See I t ----------------- The O b s e rv a tio n MUST WORK TOGETHER FOR FULL ANO EQUAL EMPLOYMENT. Portland’s Black Middle Class: A Disappointment! Part Casson Council choice By Lenwood G. Davis P ortland/observer Thursday, May 4, 1972 The Northwest's Best Weekly A Block Owned Publication Published every Thursday by t vie Publishing Company, 2201 N. Killlngsworth, Portland, Oregon 97217 Subscription $5.25 per year in Tri-County area by m a il, ix it- skie the Tri-County area - $b.dO per year by m ail. Phone 283-2486. M ailing address - P. o . Box 3137, Portland, Oregon 97208. ALFRED LEE HENDERSON, P ublisher/E ditoi Verna L, Henderson ■ Helen Herxiriv Personnel and Production Manager ixpa Any erroneous reflection upon the character, standing oi rep utation of person, firm or corporation, which may appear in the Portland observer w ill be cheerfully corrected upon being brought to the attention of the E ditor. The s Desk ALFRED Where to now, School Board? It has been nearly twenty years since the Brown decision ¡Teetering "separate but equal” school to be unconstitutional Eight years ago the ’ ’ Blue Ribbon" S chw h Committee report indicated that “ School D is tric t No. I should use very means consistent with its educational objectives not only to prevent racial isolation but to co rre ct it.” The report fu rth e r suggested that tiie D is tric t s proposals fo r desegregation should not contain demands that choices be exercised m only one way. What has been accomplished? Upon the inauguration of the Model School Program, a one-way busing pattern transferring a few hundred children from the central city was begun. Eight years later no further significant change has been accomplished. This pattern demanded that choices be exercised in one manner only. h a s the Board used every means to prevent isolation o r to correct it? What is the record? SCHOOL 1963 J Black enrollment Boise Sabin Humboldt Irvington King Vernon Woodlawn 96 26 88 41 79 12 22 Projected 1971 ï Black enrollm ent We recognize that in 1970-71 the Board adopted its "Schools F o r the Seventies” plan to attempt desegregation at the middle and high school years. We are not sure why the Board retreated from this position even though the plan failed to adequately provide fo r the most important early years. We are not certain that money, the reason given foi failure to move ahead, should he the c rite rio n determining whether the Board performs what we believe to be its constitutional duty. E a rly in his tenure, Superintendent Blanchard indicated in a series oi meetings that one of his assignements, desires, and interests fo r improving the education opportunities fo r all of Portland’ s children was to move forthwith to decrease the racial isolation of black children. We have been waiting fo r action. W here to now. School Board? Another piece of paper The Observer’ s official position is expressed only in its Pub lis h e r’ s Column (The Observation Post) and tiie E ditor’ s Desk. Any other m aterial throughout the paper is the opinion oi the in dividual w rite r or sufxnitter and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Observer. B ill McCoy has earned hts party’ s nomination to the Oregon House of Representatives, Position # 5. B ill has worked long and hard in the Eiemoeratic Party ami was active m the Young [democrats while attending the University of Portland, is a precinct committeeman, ami served two terms as the Chairman of the Multnomah County Democratic Central C onm ittee, re signing to run fo r office. He was an alternate delegate to the |9p8 Iiem ocratic National Convention in Chicago. B ill McCoy has lived in the d is tric t fo r 21 years ami at his present address since 1957. He has raised his fam ly in the d is tric t, sent them to schools in the d is tric t, and know tie needs of the d is tric t. He has been employed by tie t iregon State Welfare Commission, the Multnomah County Juvenile Court, was with a special employment and training fo r handi capped youngsters operated by the Portland Public Schools, and currently directs the Foster-Grandparent Program fo r Providence Hospital. He has had experience with ami knows the problems and needs of the unemployed, the poor, the m inorities, the handicapped, the aging, ami the taxpayers as w ell, B ill has served the community w ell. He is a past board member tad legisi dive chairman of the NA ACT’, and ■ member EfOietn among the BlackMtd- of the t rban League. He has served on many boards and die Class in Portland is unpar- committees including the YMCA Board of D irectors and the alleled. And these ego mani- Pastoral Concerns Committee of the Portland Council of acs need to be exposed be- Churches. cause they are doing more BUI _McCoy has the knowledge, the experience, the sensitivity harm than good and are idan- and the Concern to represent D is tric t #15 in the Oregon Legis- ^ r to our cause, lature. Idle Portland Observer recommends his nomination. At this juncture I must make a few observations about the Black Middle Class m inisters in the "C ity of Roses.” I would like to preface this point by stating that I AM NOT debating State Representative, Keith Burns, Democrat, has Senator religion o r religious beliefs Jack Bain as his chief opponent in his race fo r State Senator because that is an individual fo r D is tric t Six. The Democrats w ill probably lose this seat preference. However, I am if Bain wins because he is extrem ely vulnerable. The Repub w ritin g about Black m in iste rs' licans w ill not hesitate to point out Bain's age, 74, that he is involvement in the comm unity. ineffective in the Senate. He has missed every meeting of Even though the A Ibina M in i sterial Alliance did put up the the in te rim Committee to which he was appointed. money fo r the Black Panther However, the real reason to vote fo r Representative Bums P a rty’ s dental c lin ic and even is because oi his qualifications. His background of public though a few of the m inisters service as a volunteer and while in office is outstanding. have been doing admirable D is tric t Six and all of Portland and Multnomah County w ill work in the community, I s till nave outstanding representation in Salem if Representative Burns is elected. A t 45 he has a wealth oi experience, unending energy, g c d judgment and unlim ited courage. The Portland S T E P H E N Observer recommends Representative Keith Bums to the voters of D is tric t Six as th e ir State Senator. Burns for Senate 6 96.7 64 J 84.0 63.1 91.4 52.9 48.4 Governor McCall has announced the acceptance by the State of Oregon of an "a ffirm a tiv e action plan.” T his p an, required by the federal government if the state is to receive certain fed eral money, requires that the state make a positive e ffo rt to hire m in o rity group persons. M inorities are to be hired at all levels, in all state departments and agencies. Oregon has recently been found deficient in this regard in its System of Higher Education,withthefederalgovem m entfinding discrim ination against m inorities and women in the state uni ve rsitie s. The state agencies could not bear the scrutiny of a fe leral investigation. It is a well known fact that few state agencies hire a significant number of m inorities at either the local o r state level, and that m in o rity group adm inistrators are almost non existent. Women fare little better except in cle rica l positions and the traditional women's jobs of social work and teaching. Among the agencies most discrim inatory in their hiring and promotional practices are those dealing most directly with the public and controllingcitizens’ everyday lives. Welfare, Child ren s Services, the Court System, Che Justice Ijepa rtment, Em ployment, Corrections, Education, Health and Mental Health_ these are the departments that have lite ra l control over the lives and livelihood of individuals. Yet these agencies seldom em ploy blacks o r other m in o ritie s. Blacks who are unemployed, need retraining, are in fam ily crises, are incarcerated, are il ’ or children who are in trouble or need foster homes or adopl live homes, seldom find a black among there who w ill make the decisions. Neither are there blacks among the policy makers who make the rules and create the philosophy fo r the agency. We hope this "a ffirm a tiv e action plan” w ill ca rry more sub stance than some of those that preceded it. We have had laws and promises before, but no action. Will this plan be m erely a piece of paper in the file and another committee to study and recommend? O r wi)| |t beused the Governor’ s Olfice to see that the state s agencies and departments adhere to Oregon and federal law? I he City of Portland and Multnomah County have also adopted affirm ative action plans in recent weeks, but there is no reason fo r optimism until we begin to see some results. 1 here are a few of us that have teen designated as being part of Portland’ s Black Mid dle Class that do not have most oi the so-called middle class values and the middle class outlook. A lew p refer not to have the m aterial things that are attached to being inkldle class. We select not to have fine homes, fine automobiles, fine clothing, etc. (obviously not because we cannot afford them.) I am not condemning Portland’ s Black M kklleClass for having those things. W hy shouldn't they? What I am say ing is that we must not forget that all of us came up through the ranks anti have made some achievements and we must NEVER forget where we came from . We must also help oth er Blacks that are trying to "m ake it.” 1 he m aterial sta tus symbols should not blind us to re a lity. Those status symbols should he constant reminders that we have not really made it until A ll Blacks have had an opportunity to “ make it.” We all realize that the masses of B la cksw ill not be part of the "M id d le Class.” However, we should not be denied the opportunity to become part of it if we so desire. Until we convince the Black Middle Class in Portland that it is not necessary fo r them to continue to try and project their own seli-unage and self- interest, we must condemn their behavior. Wewhoare in terested in nation - building have no time fo r Blacks that are on ego trip s . In all of my traveling 1 can unequivocally state that I have never seen as many Blacks on ego trip s as I have lie re (taking into consid eration the Black population), The Portland Observer recommends theelection of EH isCas- son to the C ity Commission, Position #1. Casson has extensive experience in the field of human rela tions and in adm inistration. His abllitv anil background could add credibility to the attempt to humanize city government ami bring it closer to the people. Asa member of a m inority group, Casson has adiffeentexperience ami perspective than the other members of the C ity Commission ami would he more effective then the incumbent in representing the needs and desires ' I those pei sons who have not previously ha 1 representation in the halls of government. Casson’ s experience would be valuable in the c ity ’ s planning ami implementation of its new ’ ’ affirm ative action program .” Casson has worked with the C iv il R ightsD ivisionof the Bureau . ' ’ '■ Cl Of tteM l M CttiM 1‘ I Oft am, assistant to superintendent in Race Relations fo r the Portland Public Schools, and is currently an Equal Employment Oppor tunity o ffice r planning affirm a tive action programs foi thel .S. Hlghw iv I'epartm ent. He is president of the Portland Branch of NAACP. * i« a p ield Director fortheNAACP S lforaia Region, am! has been active in the NAACP and the Urban League. This type of experience in a field that is new to Portland is rare and should be sought. Bill McCoy Observer’s choice LEE HENDERSON II Letters to the Editor The price of freedom Dear F rlends. My beautiful brothers and sisters fo r peace, love and freedom. I speak to you from another part of the world, a part that most of you have never known. My statements here are not to inform you of the w orld, but of our place in it. F o r the last two months I ’ ve been studying in Yugoslavia. The people of Yugoslavia are strivin g fo r a destiny to be re cognized in the world as inde pendent p e o p le with free minds to reflect and govern themselves and be as in d iffe r ent as they choose. One truth is obvious in Yugoslavia and that is the love these peo ple have fo r tfie irc o u n try .lt is not an intellectual domi nance that w ill cause Yugosla via to survive, but the sweat and back-breaking tasks that the peop e of Yugoslavia have chosen to endure. Like them, in our quest fo r freedom, we must become mote educated to world a ffa irs in order that we can tru ly understand the fate of our destiny in ourown local community. As proud people, we can no longer let our minds be captuied in the walls of a c ity . F o r if we choose to do so we have blinded ourselves to a w ider understand I ng of the world and the struggle ol hu manity. It is not enough, that we struggle fo r a nice carand comfortable home, we now must move to a higher level to cultivate our minds so that we can compete as a people on the international level. We have encaved ourselves by fighting fo r crumbs. Instead we should le reaching fo r the loaf, leav ing the crumbs fo r fools, who can’ t see above the table top. I he people of Yugoslavia are proud and they a re w illjn g to pay the price to r freedom beyond the call of rhetoric. I pray that we are w illin g to do the same. It is time my brothers and sisters to break away from the wall of the city and walk into the room of the world. "P eace to you and love” Harold C. W illiam s Hotel, Slget Room 1341. Zagreb, Siget I Y ugoslavia Excellent E ditor: I he newspaper of A p ril 20 was an excellent issue. M r. Davis isdolng an excel lent job. I fie’ Disappointment’ a rtic le is very appropriate. Sincerely, Evelyn C ollins D ire cto r, Christian Community Center have yet to see any m ajor im - pact that the Black m inisters have made on the community. Throughout the annals of H istory m inisters have t«en at the forefront of SURVIVAL. M inisters such as P r in c e H all, Richard Allen, Nat TUr- i» r . J.A . Gregg, M artin Luth e r King, J r., Adam Clayton Powell, R a lp h Abernathy, Jesse Jackson,aixl E lijah Mu- hammeil are classical ex amples of historical Black leadei ship. There Isa reason for this. Black in misters were not economically dependent upon whites. R a thertheirw el- fare was assured by the tithes oi th e ir congregation. In 1972 we see that the Black m ini sters are s till economically independent of whites. Yet in the |97O's we see the emergence of a social revo u- tion in which most Black m ini sters in Portland are s till ad hering to an involvement that does not recognize the changes which are. occurring. More specifically, our Black m in i sters a re more concerned with saving souls fo r the hereafter than with dealing with the su r vival of the present. Just as all Black professionals must have two agendas, so must our Black m inisters, one that can ileal with the religious needs of our people. But the other must 1«? devoted to present day survival. Most Black m inisters take solace in fu lfillin g their theo logical duties on Sunday and during the other days of the week fail to perform their m o r a l obligations to, like Moses, lead their people out of bondage. Most a re not preach ing the new social gospel .Most are only interested in project ing th e ir own self-image and a few are extremely m aterial istic. I am well aware that a few are getting involved. But they are the exceptions. Tom y knowledge NO Black m in iste r has attended any of the Oregon Black Caucus meetings, ex cept Reverend Henderson. I am not unmindful that th e Black Caucus meetings have teen on Sundays and that Is the most important day of the week fo r them, with their obliga tions and a ll. Perhaps, the Lenwood G .D avit Black Caucus needs to change tie meeting day. However, any day that He meeting is field it w ill come in co n flict with oth e rs’ jobs. TheCaucus, appar ently believes that Sutxlay is the day that MOST B lacksw ill te a v a ila lile to a tte ixl.lt should he pointed out that minister s can s till support the Caucus even if they can not attend tiie meetings. As tai as I knowNO Black m inister, except Rev erend Henderson, has offered the Caucus tie use of his church lo r meetings. f * * » * * * • * * * * * * • ••••» < e McCoy DEMOCRAT For Stale Representative District 15 Responsible Knowledgeable D ead lin e P ictures - Monday 5:00 pm Stories t here ate many othei things that the m inisters could do: lliey could announce the meet ings in their churches anden- couiage tile’ ll m enders to at tend tiie meetings; tliey could take up a collection lo r the Caucus; tliey could offer the use oi fiie ir church fo r meet ings; they could give moral support; they could provide the necessary leadership to the community; they could give a donation to the Caucus; they could attend SOME meetings; and lastly they MUSI become socially Involved and socially iware of what Is happening to tiie masses of Black people In Portland. I lie Black m inlstet s in Portland can no longer le ’’ Sunday" m i n i s t e r s . They must le m inisters SEVEN DAYS a week. Unless the min isters become concerned with the social evils of tiie com munity, tiie ir congregation', and tithes w ill continue to d i minish. I he re se rvo ir of sec ond chances lot tlx? Black m i nisters in Portland is nearly empty. NOW is I HI TIME EoR IHI M I o AC I f P a r t III ol "P o rtla n d ’ s Black Middle Class; A Disap pointment” w ill apieai next week. - Tuesday noon Advertising - Tuesday 5:00 pn Concerned Elect McCoy Committee 7433 N . Lombard .St. Dennis McCormack, KAFOURY FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRAT,!) STRICT 13 M o del Cities Area Resident COMPARE THE RECORD AND Y O U ’LL VOTE KAFOURY Stephen Kafoury is the one candidate who has the committment and ahilirv to represent your Interests. His record of involvement proves it * »eace Corps service in Iran Teacher Jefferson Hiah ru Education Albina Youth Opportunity School Irvington Community Ass« nation Riverfront for People Committee. Sensible Transportation Options, for Peop™; fioard of Buckman Community Association City Club’s Model Schools Com-’ Metropolitan Study Commission, County Chairman -- No Sales -c gue Exec. Board Oregon Demoforum, Dlstrict Leader l ast Countv De crat.c Party, Executive Board East Centril Democratic Club V ' > -/* StAff SfANt'Xf POMt, AND ' OA / I ü A7ÜÜ rSCASuWIR I reas. P ortisi»!, i iregon 97201 (286-9144)
