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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (July 6, 1972)
Mrs Plance* icho<m U itver*. ty of ' r t 'o MCwap-Vcr ftoor lagene. I« » 9" '• »3 Jha-.ry / I jj P A J P«MIT f I POR k A /W t TLA ÌSD ft V o lu m . 2 N o. P o rtlan d , O r.g o n U « OHLY N E W 5M P » AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER , H t W H O lt W lo t WO, LD , HA, , W Black Caucus holds Coavention by Lenwood G. Davis ( ever n » , „ d , y j ul> 6,1972 |Q< R>f {Qpy Caucus asks end to lawlessness 1 lie Oregon W ack Caucus liekl (lie fir s t Oregon Wack Alter tie finished, lie received P o litica l Convention at the a standing ovation, fie had Portland State U niversity captured die mood of the au Educational Center at 2611 dience with his s tirrin g de N J i. Union Ave., on June 30 liverance. anil July 1st. Registration of I he program continued with delegates was held Prklay I lie Congressional Black die keynote speaker being in more are caused by officials afternoon from 5:00 p.m. to Caucus dsked fo r a meeting troduced by l ee p . Brown. who find it e'pedient to serve 8:00 p.m. Shortly thereafter, with all members of President Imamu Vernon sukumu, West business interests and In g le r the convention convened with Nixon's Cabinet to "discuss Coast Chairman of the Con the Black National Anthem government o fficia ls rather tfreir responsibility" fo r what gress of African People and than people with no power. being sung by Yvonne Brown. was described m four days West Coast Co-Convener fo r T e s tim o n y v a rie d w id e ly . Next, Kev. James I). Manning ol learings as "ram pant law die National Black P olitical I here were many charges of dellveied tlie Invocation, lessness within the gov Convention. He cited the role outright dereliction of duty Eddie Kohenson, P olitical ernm ent." of tlie c iv il rights oigamza- s im ila r to the documented one Convention Chairman tlien in Representative Ronald V. lions and how tle y must change that the Agriculture Depart troduced l ee P. Brown, P re their philosophies and become ment refused to spend at least silin g Chairman, who gave of the hearings, said each of more Black oriented. 7 lie $500 m illio n authorized by the welcoming address. Be the dozens of government speaker based hrs address on Congress to feed the hungry, declared: agencies mentioned w ill also four main topics: Public of even though m alnutrition is ‘ ‘ On le lia lf of the Oregon be dsked to explain formally fices; community organiza still widespread in some Black Caucus, I extend to you the accusations made against tion; coalition; anddisruption. areas. gieetlngs and a warm welcome trem md to take corrective He elaborated on each of the Others were more subtle, to Ore Oregon Black P olitical ■ tl ' “ w ithtti 90 Jays." above areas. like the accusations of D r. Convention. Imamu Vernon Su kumu I lie caucus Is "considering sukumu also compared the Sidney AAolfe of Washington*! We are coming together at initiating lawsuits in those plight of Blacks in Portland health research group. a time of great c ris is . Yet played a sign if team role in instances fo r which we deter with those in other areas of plans for a Black Caucus. Wolfe said the asbestos in « ir coming togetlier is In It Oregon’ s history. Yet we are mine there is no other re the country, lie also , e- Between December and now, dustry forced the Labor De self a sign of tremendous course.” Heliums said. s till noi reaping the leneflts ceived a standing ovation. tlie founders* dreams have partment to back away from prom ise. Irvleed, ( iregon his “ Nobody ever said demo- of our forefather's labor. Jolin Toran, chairman of come true. I ro tte r sees ttie a recommended warning label tory Is being made this week crocy is easy,” he told Wit Ihetefore the time has come Agenda ami Resolution Com Caucus as an organization that "Danger, contains end. This Convention re fo r Black people In Oregon to nesses on tie final day. " | t mittees, gave thedeleg ites in is continuing to grow and ex a s b e s to s f i b e r s . . . may- presents the surging of a new unite art) (ace the challenge is totally impossible when the structions on tlie different pand its activities. cause asbestosis and cancer." Black political awareness. It of die future in Oregon. Since overwreirnmg mass of A m eri committee meetings and what H ill Denton, Membership "In other words, industry reflects not only a national we have been pan of Oregon's can people di not have the was expected from each. The Chairman of the t regon Black had convinced the liepartment Black movement, but also an past, likewise we w ill be pan information to make sophisti different committees met well Caucus, spoke of the different of Labor that tliey don't want Independent Black s p irit for cated decisions." of its future. Be conclude.!, into the wee hours ol tlie morn ty|ics of memberships open to to let any mere workers know those of us in (iregon. in part, fry surmising: o r g a n !z e d by ilellum 's ings putting togetlxsrari agenda Blacks ami gave the ju s tifi they're being exposed to can I would hope that as we "So, Brothers and Sisters, st.Hf, the hearings loosed what and drawing up resolutions to cations for die different types c e r," Wolfe said. meet todevelop * Black ageida let us consider issues anil seemeil to le an unending to r- txr presented Saturday. of rnem lerships. Iheessence Representative P a rre n M tt- for Oregon, we keep in mind programs. Let us Join to nsnt of complaints that gov- chell (D.-M d.) said the thou Registration continued on of Denton's remarks was that the economic, cultural and gether in nation building. Let vernment agencies sabotage Saturday morning letween d die Oregon Black Caucus sands of examples in oral and spiritual depression of Black us seige the tune, fo r tune the rights of the poor and 8:00 - 11:30 a.m. with a con Is lo become a viable organi written testimony "have been people. We must address our- is o u rs ." m in o ritie s , with no recourse tinental b r e a k f a s t being zation it must have broad sup overwhelmingly conclusive in sleves to that degradation. We available for those who get served. Kay Jemigan, Convention port from all facets of the th e ir indictment o f federal of must move toward tire l»irt. Co-Cha irwoman, Introduced I lie General session started Black community. Therefore, ficia ls fu r failing to carry development of a society that die ExecutiveComrnittee: I n ; I le complaints touched v ir - shortly a fte r 9;30 a.m. John different meinbei ships must out their congressionally represents our interest as P. Brown, Cbaliman of tie aally every agency of the once again make announce be made available to include mandated responsibilities." Black people. To do this, federal government and its Oregon Black Caucus; octe ments and gave instructions all members of the Black "W e heard during these we must organize an) unify local operating arms, from W. I rotter, Vlou C hm m an; to the delegates. 7'hedifferent community. four days how Jeparcnent to advance the society we John Toran, | reasurer; Julia justice to food stamps and committees continued to meet I >enton verged I rom his pre- w ant." after department simplv re education. Robertson, secretary. untn l.': ■■■i, * ( I■ c UVei - [w rs , text, and like a bouthern fuses to obey the law,” he Brown gave the historical Ocle W, Trotter gave a And through it Here seemed tlon terminated fo r lunch. At Baptist M u. is le r, became ve iy said, and the costs - - “ those background of Blacks earliest brief history of the origin of to be a feeling that although IH 5, ire afternoon sessions emphatic and emotional, ami which can he estim ated"— a rriva l in the State of Oregon. tire Oregon Black Caucus. A some problems stem from leg.in a lter tlie Black National drove his point home by con he found "sta g g e rin g ." Be stated that tlie firs t Black group of Black people met at malicious employees, even Anthem was led by Reverend cluding that 1« w ill do any man came to Oregon In 1788. M t. Angel In I lecember of last E llis Casson. Between 1:45 thing In his power to help Be declared that Blacks have year and tegan to formulate his young Black b ro ile rs . (Please turn to p.8 col.-U « e . ael^a/e to ike Democratic Convention Wools Boys Choir tours Hawaii Leonardo W uuds, II year hours a week and study musi old son of M r. and M rs. W il- two to four hours each week liam Wools, will tour Hawaii They are required to xeep with the Portland i regon Buys school grade point average t C hoir. 3.5. The chi n r also prov ide The choir, made up of 20 social activities fo r the boy boys ages 8 to 12, is d e .li- and their fam ilies. cafed * the devalopment f The choir was honored ear music appreciation, . Dividual tie r this year by jn uivitatio expression and se lf-d isci- to become one of only 14 boy pline. The boys perform as choirs in the 1 nited Mates t accomplished musicians and send a delegate to the In have attained acclaim as one ternational Boys C hoir Con of the finest boys singing gress in the Netherlands. groups in the nation. The c h o ir w ill appear ot I he group v.as organized in the Islands of Hawaii, Mau l9,19 by its d ire cto r, j , ;eph and oahu, from July 27 tc I.. Correa. August 9. Ihe boys practice four -xo ease tu rn to tc p.8 col.3) (Please turn ■rook* attends integration conference by Gladys McCoy Happiness is participating In tie 1972 Presidential Elec tion! It was a very th rillin g anil rewaring experience to have been elect«! a delegate to tlie National Democratic Conven tion. To have served on the Platform Committee with our text I , s. Senator, Wayne Morse, was a bonus. My experience on the P lat form Committee gave me new hope that tlie democratic pro cess could work. As I watched people Hom tremendously d i verse political persuasions work together, having leen (Milled together under tlie new rules of the National Demo cratic Committee, new ex- pectatlons were raise-! and re a lize !. There was a sense of commitment of the goal ol defeating tlie Nixon admin istration. Compromises were w ork«! and m inority reports returned when feelings ran high on certain issues. There was respect and enthusiasm when the 20 years olds, able to "th in k on th e irle e t" pushed hard fo r Issues of Importance to th e ir peers. The 60 years olds, fo rm e r congressmen, farm ers, retired teachers, and homemakers were ably represented. A solidarity plank adopted by the blacks ami Chicanos was accepted by tlie en tire committee fo r the record. These were tlie In- Cklents that renew«! my hope President of the Irvington (-') C i t i e s , C om m unities, ar*l faith In a process that Community Association and Counties and Environ can sometimes be te rrib le an Executive Board m em ter ment slow and painful' of National Neighbors, attend (<) Education What of the Issues? I be ed that organizations nation ( s) C rim e, l aw ami Justice lieve (he Issues were real al meeting in Baltim ore. (6) Farming and Rural T ile and ol vital concern to all of Residents of interracial (7) Foreign Policy us. There were presented as neighborhoods from 36 cities (8) The People and tlie Gov a re a rlt ot some twelve hear met recently in Baltim ore to ernment ings field tn every region of plan practical help fo r em the country. They represent«! battled changing neighbor ttie iniMit of Citizens who te s ti- Ihe work, however. Is not hoods faced with problems of fi« l before Hearings o ffic e rs over. The convention must exploitation, apathy, and the from the Platform Committee threat of decay. vote on tle se planks as well and other community leaders as the m inority reports which I lie National Neighbors who helped. Furm ersenators often were rejected items In conference responded en Wayne Morse anil Maureen the regular planks. Tlie min thusiast ica II) to a proposal Neuberger serv«! as Hearing o rity reports w ill Include such by the staff d ire cto r of the Officers at the San Francisco Items as fusing fo r school United states Commission on hearing June 12, on Corporate desegregation, abortions, the C ivil Rights that m ultiracial Responsibility and Consumer $6,500 guaranteed annual in living be subsldiz«! by cash Interests. It Is a good plat come fo r a fam ily of four payments to fam ilies making form . It can 1« charactlzed ami tenant control of federally housing moves that would in as a "P eople's P la tfo rm ", owned and subsidized housing. crease integration. streaking to the rights ami In accepting the m inor«) re Delegates to the conference securities ol every group. ports there was general con also adopted a self-help pro believe iliere may he two sensus In the group that while gram of a nationwide network c ritic is m s that could le we may not have agre«l with of task forces to develop in level«l at tlie platform , one the report. In fairness ami formation ami resources that might be the lack of a sepa with keeping with the s p irit can help local neighborhoods rate plank devoted entirely ot ttie reform ruleseachposi- maintain viable m ultiracial to financing — on tlie federal, tlon should enjoy open dis communities. state and local levels, as well cussion (part of the slow, John Buggs, d ire c to r of the as spending fo r the political painful process). A t the con federal government’ s c iv il process itself. Aside from vention the overriding factor rights agency, told the grop the fact that many of us have w ill be " w ill it help the Demo assembled at Morgan State not felt the political process cra tic Party candidate and College June 9, “ We're not served our lest interest, some w ill it help to defeat N ixon." winning. We’ re losing the of us have been deterred from Two events of value to me fight against s p r e a d in g participating by the cost of personally during the com ghettos,” and suggest«! that involvement beyond tie pre mittee meetings was tlie op a “ massive does of corrective cinct level. |f the process portunity to co-chair hear action" Is need«; to reverse Is to work democratically we ing! on tlie quality of life for the trend toward an increas must correct this deficiency the Washington, D.C. area and ingly polarlz«! anti segregat«! in o ld e r to insure broad re to serve as one of ten dele society. He propos«1 that the presentation. The other c r i gates at the hearing before federal government adopt a ticism might le that there was tlie National Association of plan to pay a white fam ily not any overt e ffo rt main Counties. $l,000 In cash fo r moving to taining balance letween In Because the substantive a neighborhood with a 15 to come ami expenditures at the changes that affect our lives 20 percent black population Federal level. However, tie come through the political and a black fam ily $ 1,000 fo r m ajor candidates think they Process, | would encourage moving to a neighborhood only can win with this platform. greater participation in poli 8 to 10 percent black. His That Is Important. tics. The reform rales adopt plan would pay Increasing sub The platform planks dealt ed by the National Democratic sidies as the degree of pio with: Committee promise that broad neering increased, until a (1) Jobs, Prices and Taxes representation and Involve- white taniily moving into an (2) Rights, Power and Social ntent can lie meaningful ami all-black neighborhood would Justice productive. lie paid $5,000 and a black 1 In stan t Earnings from Day o f Deposit per annum com pounded d a ily and p a id quarterly imaai ••*•<••• ©loaiaagga, Roban H H a n n P i . , . <9 O t h e .i - Phon. ??« M om . O il,c . r i.n x h n Blrtii P o ill.n d O r.g o n S72O4 neighborhood would also get $5,000. Buggs said tie program vvoul cost about $1.75 billion to pay half a m illio n fam ilies taking advantage of the offer, an amount he described as less than one twentieth the cost of keeping the war active in A letnam. I he task forces on pro blems faced by m ultiracial communities was propos«! by a national committee charged the cry fo r help from local groups. "J u s t as all of our neigh borhoods have made com munity self-help into a potent force, so our communities w ill now help each o th e r," said Ruth steele, vice-president of National Neighbors and ch a ir man of the committee. "W hat worked in Portland, (iregon, w ill probably work in Carol C ity, F lorida, because the one neighborhoods like ours is they face the same probl w this country no ma where the) are. "O u r job now is to out what has worked and i can help. AAe w ill make tl information available to the grass-roots orgamzatu trying to do something 3b unethical re il estate practu and the need fo r quality in (Please turn to P.3 co l. 31
