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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 28, 1972)
Book review Black theater owner wants better opportunity special Report P o r t la n d /O b ie r v e r T h u r id a y . S e p te m b e r 28 , 1972 By Lenwood G. Devis BLACK RESISTANCE/WHITE A HISTORY OF CON STITUTIONAL RACISM IN 0 » southern slavery inaerest* reinforcement during thepre- In the Proeeer, Andry. Veeey C iv ll War years as the federal and T urner revolts. M ore arm y was consistently used to AMERICA. M ary Frances over, during these years, the suppress the Increasing actl B e rry . New York; Appleton- proelavery provision! of the vltlee of the abolitionists.The Century-Crafta, 1971, pp. 268. United States Constitution proelavery forces In the ra were reinforced by a body of BLACK RESISTANCE / tions I government gained mo WHITE LAW describes and tradition and practice; federal mentum In the 1840’ s and a n a ly z e s constitutionally responsibility for the tefense 1850‘ s with tie extension of sanctioned violence against ol slavery became more deep slavery In Texas and tl« Fugi Black jteople In the United ly entrenched In national po tive Slave Law of the Compro States and overt violent sup licy, i>erhaps even beyond tie mise of 1850. pression on the part of the possibility of reversal. The Incident at H arper's American government from Even though tie book Is p r i F e rry that was led by the abo 1619 with 0« introduction of m arily concerned with Black litio n is t John Brown in 1857, tl« system of slavery to pre resistance, it does have two culminated a tradition dating sent. The author contends that cliapters on tl« Seminole In from 1790 In which national h isto rica lly tl» government's dians and tl« F irs t and Second troops were used to defend policy toward Blacks was and Seminole Wars. The w rite r slavery and suppress those is based on essentially racism discusses tl« history of tie who would attack o r subvert and not on legal o r constitu United States In its relations tional grounds, with tie Indians in tie F irs t The coming of th e C lvllW a r I I » w rite r surmises that and Second Seminole Wars, revealed that the national gov even le fo re tl« American 11« government clearly illu s ernment had no intention of Revolution Internal control of trated that it would use m ili withdrawing Its protection of Wacks by m ilitia and adjunct tary power to support slavery slavery. However, it was se patrols was a well-established at any cost even to the viola cession on the part of the sou system by tl« colonists. F u r tion of tl« Indians' rights. thern states that precipitated thermore, tie maintenance of Hence, tl« Indian removal emancipation and an end to tie system of slavery through policy was thought necessary, federal support of slavery. the use of force was a prim ary T 1« enforcement of that policy Therefore, the South left fed problem of colonial defense. was a m ajor concern of the eral protection out of the fear Therefore, tl« constitutional fedeial army for twenty years, of losing slavery; the federal convention remedied tl« ques and by the end of the w a r,m i government did not, however, tion of suppressing insurrec lita ry costs alone were well abandon the institution of tions and revolts on the part over twenty m illio n dollars. slavery. of slaves by passing the Fugi As W illiam Jay said in 1839, Even after the southern tive Slave Clause and tie M ili it was a warwhlch had the p ri tia Act. states returned to the Union, mary objective of saving F lo r the m ilita ry was s till required D r. Berry points out that in ida fo r slavery. to keep order under the Recon tl« period from 1800-1833, tl« 11« national proslavery struction Amendment to the m ilita ry arm of the United policies demonstrated in the Constitution. This amendment States proved its re lia b ility to Seminole Wars found further along with several statutes were relegated Into oblivion with the HayesCompromiseof 1877. This agreement assured the South that federal troops would not be called upon fo r c ivil duty in the South, which was a reconciliation made by the white population at the ex pense of the Blacks. Although the m ilita ry had delivered the Black vote to the Republican party fo r a short time, it had done little to protect Blacks from violence by whites. The Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments left the Domestic Violence Clause oftheConsti- titution v irtu a lly untouched; there was no w ill to invoke the Constitution to aid the Blacks. Federal troops s till had to be requested by local authorities; and, needless to say, local au- th o rlte s were bent on sup pressing, not protecting, the Black people in the United States. Professor B erry contends that the debilitated state of law enforcement and the violence that dominated race relations in the United States between 1877 and 1900 could not estab lish precedence over the con current national issues - the Indians, the new in d u stria l GSS1E DAVIS ism, the labor movement, agrarian reform movements, the silve r and ta riff issues, the waves of immigrants, and the new role of the United States as an im p e ria list power - cap- (Please turn to p. 8 col. 4) LAW; by J Un Roger« Harvey L . Garnett, tlae en te rp risin g , young owner ol P ortland's only Black owned movie theater, the Alameda, 300 N J i. Alberta, In an ex clusive Interview with thia repo ite r fo r THE PORTLAND OBSERVOR, c h a r g e d the m ajor film dlatrlfcutora re leasing film s In Oregon have not give him ti» opportuntles and understanding of the specific problema of telng a Black theater owner, M r . Gamen said that In "n e a rly every Instance In which a firs t-ra te Wack film , with Wack directora aixl Wack actors Is reloaded In Portland, that die film dla- ti llxrtors refused to allow me to have firs t-ru n privileges, but Instead, gave tlie film to white-owned theaters In the down-town area o r even to d riv e - Ina.** Garnett said that the white film distributing companies justify th e ir policies by a r guing that "w e gave you second and thrld run rights, hut Wack jieople don’ t support you." HARRY GARNETT Also tt» main Interest of tí» a Wack theater owner from between die races.” d istrib u to rs Is to make a pro fa irly profiting In die work Garnett sakl that 1» would fit and they state that money like to open Black theaters is die "Name ol d.e gam e". and creations of Black actors, w rite rs and d irectors. in Eugene and Salem; and Also diey state that "w ho G arten added that when be that he would like to exj«nd ever can offer d » highest bid fir s t opened die Alameda, the Alameda to Include faci gets the firs t run film ," nearly five years ago, "m any litie s fo r Black dram atic and Wacks want to see firs t whites would attend regularly musical talent, "hopefully to run movies and w ill not wait when diey dkl not know that get some of our young Black fo r die film to come to the It was a Wack theater; but, people off the streets o fP o rt- Alameda, prefacing to go possible because of die new laixl and Into the creative downtown o r to the D rlve -ln awareness diat the theater a r ts ." to see 0 » firs t run movies. was Wack owned, many whites It is d ifficu lt for a Wack began to stay away," Gamen, a form er Ixisness man to make a p ro fit on the adm inistration m ajor at both w len I asked him about the leavings - - second and third Portland State and Oregon charge by white c ritic s In runs. Tech., said that he is pre THE OREGONIAN and die It is apparent to dils re- sently taking film -editing p orter diat at a time when O R E G O N JOURNAL, that courses In the hope of enter many of die new Wack Wins 35% of die movle-golng public ing die film -m aking field In were racist snd exploitive, are Wack Americans, the die te a r future. M r. Gamen responded diat movie d ls trtlu to rs In Portland Harvey Oarnen Im Il Wack actors and directors have acted unfairly to exclude pressed this reporter as a "w e re ever to achieve the young Black businessman financial freedom and pro snuggling against racist ele fessional experience to pro ments In Portland to grow duce really good movies for in his profession and to ex die Wack community, then tend an important service to In die infant stage, as they the Wack community. I think learn the rudiments of die it la In the interest of the trade, they would make many Wack community to support mistakes and some Iwd film s . him . White film s producers luive Ihe following Is a Hat of been making lad film s fo r Wack-oriented film s re decades. Why are lie c ritic s leased since 1970, that Harvey attacking Mack lllm -m akers Garnett has either shown or and actors. I try to show can obtain with your support d » best . . . what else can I Angel Levine, Angela Davis; do?" P o rtra it of a Revolutionary, This report is in complete Wack Jesus, Brother John, agteement with Harvey Gar- Bus Is Coming, Cool Breeze, le tt. F or, in the firs t tx Cotton Comes to Harlem, weeks In October, his theater P Inal Comedown, George, w ill show the Important new Georgia, Halls of Anger, film THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY Honky, Legend of Nigger OF MALCOLM X. a classic Charley, Liberation of L.B . depiction of one of the great Jones. Malcolm X, Man and Black leaders of our time. Boy, Melinda, Organization, Gamen said that 1« " In Plzce Called Today, Shaft, tends to say In lusiness as Shaft's Big Score, Skin Game, long as possible because 1» Slaughter, Soul Soldier, Soul leels diat It gives a real ser M O D E P N LIFELIKE to Soul, Sounder, Super Fly, vice to both tt» white ami Sweet Sweedeck’ s BadAssss Wack community In undei- hong, T ie Call Me M iste r slanding and commlnlcatlon Tibbs, Watermelon Man. II DR. JEFFREY A laneda Theater 3 0 0 0 N.E. Alberta St. 2 8 7 -2 8 8 7 SWEET * him ol MELVIN VAN PEEBLES Starring Rated x M e lv in V an Peebles Co-feature: Watermelon Man Starring G odfrey Cam bridge Estelle Parsons Open Monday thru Thursday -7:15 Friday-Saturday-7:00-Sunday-5:00 Coming October 4,1972 Xi His own story on the seamen as it realty happonod B ased upon h e etectnfyng te s t s e in g a u lo tx x y a p n y A WARNER BROS PRESENTATION n i j j o c «bon with BETTY SHA&AZZ FROM WARNER BROS A WARNER C O M M U N IC A TIO N S COMPANY BRADY D EN TAL PLA TES PARTIAL PLATES ANO EXTRACTIONS Immediate Restorations "Heavy o rg a n ", tie latest and greatest In " to t a l" m usi cal experience, Is billed fo r Portland’ s C ivic Auditorium on Sunday, Oct. 1, at 8:00 p jn . S tarring the lncreadlble o r ganist. V irg in Fox, and Reve lation Lights In an Incolli le rable and awe-inspiring evening, "Heavy organ” pro vides a new experience In combining tie magnificent music of J 3 . Bach with the hypnotics of psycledelie light. • Partial Plates • Dental Plates SLEEP EXTRACTIONS i ■ F M U U n S A M 'R EM RlDf nouas« kdeys S iM te S iO O rtfey S i3 0 *e liOO Heavy Organ” combines Bach and psychedelics Ptetes Inserted im m dtetely otter teeth ere eatrected I Creates living virtuoso of the organ, V Irg li Fox has In volved an e ntirely new au- dMnce with thia extraordinary sight and sound experience. His instrument Is the fantas tic Rodgers touring organ, a mighty 5 6 -rand electronic organ amplified by 144 speakers. Revelation Lights, an Integral part of "Heavy O rgan", la the product of Joshua White, creator of the original Joshua Light Show. Launched In 1970 at New Y o rk’ s Citadel of Rock, F ill more East, "Heavy o rg a n " lias made musical history ever since. Thundering ovations, sol-out house, return engage ments and diree le st-se llin g albums document this pheno menon. Because of his unique charisma and charm, V irg il Vox becomes the only clas sical a rtis t to succeed In such a revolutionary venture. Not only a part of the surging Interest among the young In classical music, 1» may well 1» its principal maker. Tickets fo r "Heavy Organ" are on sale now at Celebrity A ttractions, 1010 S.W. M o rri son in Portia id . DR. JEFFREY BRADY DENTIST s i M i IU B o lt D IN « , PIPI'S BOTTLE SHOP Let P EP, S B O T IL E SHOP be your teadquarters for champagne, wines, m ixers. . e t the lowest prices town Re» »hind O 'rqnn Phone: 2 2 8 -7 5 4 5 iiu u . if8l*8M e Lloyd Cantar Nest to the Liquor Storr I P f P I I One and Only Store Osan » 3 0 ant to » 00 p m Dsdy indeyr Noon to 4 00 p m. 2 1 1 -2 7 3 1 Page 5 SAMMY DAVIS "Be Somebody” draws stars Many top stars have do nated th e ir time and talents to tl« firs t annual OIC Day, October 11, « day to focus national attention on tl« need fo r job training. In 40 cities DIC Day w ill be observed by a closed-circuit telecast that w ill be held, with the help of the local Coca-Cola bottler, to reise a m illio n dollars for QIC’ s job training. The Portland showing w ill he held at the Coliseum on October tl at 7:00 p jn . T ic kets, ranging In price from >1.00 to> 10.00are available at theCollseum, Lloyd Center, M e ie r and Frank, and P o rt land OIC. Among tlie stars who w ill appear are Sammy Davis, Aretha Franklin, Nancy W il son, Dick Gregory, Duke E l lington, Sonny and Cher, The F ifth Dimension, the Dance Theater of Harlem, Inc., and many more. The theme "B e Somebody” lias been voiced since the foudlng of America by the leadeis of the poor and the black — Paul Coffey as early as 1816, Marcus Garvey in the 1920’a, M artin Luther King in the ’60s, Jesse Jack- son today. We’ve got the perfect place for your . tax records, birth certificates, savings bonds, mortgages, diplomas, jewelry, contracts, letters, bonds. A penny or so a day keeps your valuables safe in a First National safe deposit box / VCêd like to get to know vou.i F IR S T N A T IO N A L B A N K O F O REG O N FGO
