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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 1973)
P o rtU n d /O b a e rv e r Thursday F eb ru a ry 15. 1973 Don Lee visits PSU Donald L. l<ee. author and poet from Chicago, addressed brothers and sisters at Port land State University. Mon day. February 12. giving a dynamic lecture worthy of repeating to Blacks every where. Brother Lee gave a mes sage centered around how Black Africans in America can begin to control our destiny as a race of people. "One thing we must do is get out from under the value system we now live in," Lee said. “This system is corrupt. A Black value system has been established which has seven points. They are: unity, self determination, collective work and responsibility, co operative economics, pur pose, creativity, and faith." he said. "In order to achieve unity as a race of people, we must achieve unity within our s e l v e s as individuals." he said. He continued saying as soon as people are together individually, then mass move ment. starling with the fam ily. neighborhood, city and nation, can begin. Speaking on the point of collective work and response bilitv. Lee stressed the im portance of not loading all the work off on one individual. "It is necessary that everyone assume responsibility and work together. Working to gether makes us responsible as a nation of people." On collective economics Lee said Blacks should adopt the concept of an extended family. "We must pool all of our resources together so that w hen one member of the family eats, all members of the family eat." He continued. “If the 30 million Blacks in the N ew Type Thang U.S. contributed $3.00 each to a fund, we would have $90 million dollars to work with." Lee also said the purpose of Black people should be to work and live for Black people. "Some of you are so busy doing your own thing we can't get together to do our thing. The only thing you can do by yourself is die." When working for Black people brother Lee said ere ativity should be used to better the community and leave it a better place for our children to grow up in." he added. Faith, the last point of the value system, is the key to accomplishing the first six points. "In order to accomp lish anything we must have faith in ourselves, our moth ers. our fathers. We've got to have faith." Lee said. Throughout the context of his speech. Lee urged the audience not to think from a w hite frame of reference, but from a pro Black reference point. In thinking proBiack he said Africans in America should study the mistakes of the past so they won't be repeated in the present or future. He also urged the brothers and sisters to get into the fields of science and techno! ogy. "Nations are not built on psychology and sociology." he said, "but on science and technology." In his closing statements Ix e reminded the audience to "Be what you teach: live what you teach.” He also said the progressive movement of African people throughout the world is based on love. "With love we can work together and build together." he concluded. by LaVeta Gilmore There is a new movement here in Portland among Black students. A movement to wards what many whites had claimed was non-existent. That is. "Black Culture!" Looking at and feeling the realities of life through a Black perspective. This movement has taken on a name. The Northwest Black Arts Society Inc. It has taken on a concept, “Nom mo." creations in the univer sal Black experience through drama, poetry, dance and music. It has taken on a goal, to develop and i n s p i r e local talent h e r e in the Northwest and to develop an awareness in the community of its own cultural potential. Last but not least, this movement has taken on a powerful determination to create a "New Type Thang." in the wav of Black organiza t i o n s. That is: To be politically aware, to be or gamzed. to be community minded and most important, to be sincere! The first presentatKi.. by the Northwest Black Arts Society Inc. entitled. "Nom mo." w ill be presented during Black Cultural Month at Portland Stale University, on February 16 at 7:30 and February 17 at 2:00 p.m. Admission price will be $1.50, all proceeds going towards financing transportation and room and board for an en gagement in Oakland. Cali forma as part of a cultural program. The program at Portland Stale University will feature poetry, dance, drama, a 3 act play and music. It will be a night parked with talent, excitement and a new spark of vitality from the Black community! Saturday’s souled «Continued from page li news involving Black Minor ity people and news that would be of interest to the audience that is presently- estimated at 35.000 to 40.000 Condor and Harris, both in their mid 20's hope to make their show a success that will be appreciated by thousands in the area. Both producers emphasized the importance of a d v e r t is in g sp o n so r s to maintain the show at the present 7 hour level of broad casting and future increased hours. Harris said that he hopes that more Black busi nessmen and businesses, both within and outside of the Model Cities area, will spon sor and advertise on the show. The two young gentlemen also donate their talent by- regular scheduled radio shows on SOL, a community radio station operating in the Model Cities area. THE EC . SOUL EX PERIEN'CE and ROY J with SOUL CONTROL hopes to introduce many of the latest new records to the m efopol man area Presently they are working on establishing a pre introduction network that would enable them to be ahead of all other stations in the Northwest with new record introductions. Last Saturday's show iFeb. 10» generated so much response that the Portland and Van couver telephone request lines as well as the KGAR business lines were occupied for as much as 3 hours continously at one lime. Haas speaks iContinui-d Ironi pag« It American Arbitration Asso nation, has authored several legal articles and lectured in the Oregon State Bar Con tinuing Legal Education Pro gram He has served on various State Bar Commit tees. Mr. Haas was an Oregon State Representative a n d Stale Senator with service on the Judiciary Committee of the House, served as Democrat^ leader of the House of Representatives, and served on the Criminal Law and Procedure Com miltee of the Senate. He also served as a Criminal l-aw Revision Commissioner iron. 1969 1971. -an d co thored a new Criminal Code. Mr. Haas authored anc co Section D Page 3 sponsored many legislative bills in the criminal law field, including the present law which requires the Dis trie Attorney's O f f i c e to speedily bring to trial mdi vidua Is accused of crimes. He was one of the chief advocates of the Consumer and Environmental Protec tion laws enacted in the 1971 legislative session, and has sponsored and supported many bills concerned with juveniles. He is married and has one daughter. The meeting will be- held at the Woodlawn United Methodist Church. 1425 N.E. Dekum. The public is in vited. W hat happens to a dream deferred? Does it d ry up like a ra is in in the sun? O r fes te r lik e a sore — And then run? Does it stink lik e rotten meat? O r cru st and sugar o ver — lik e a syrupy sweet? M aybe it just sags lik e a heavy load. O r -oes it explode? Langston Hughes Portland Metropolitan Steering Committee
