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
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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)