Mro Frances Schoen-*.'«w8pnper noo«
U n iv e r s ity o f Ure«on lib r a r y
( U r n e , Ci 'on J74O3
POR TLA ND
V o lu m e 3 , N o. 2 9 P o rtla n d , O re g o n
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
OBSERVER
Thursday A p ril 2 6 , 197 3 10< p e r copy
Gray founds Alabama bank
10 * * ,he
S o dium ™
cw go <*~rn , re
I f no* *he youngest
C*nt,r-
,M n” ho*
m-mh. r Qf t(w OBOA|JE
SSS.JX,
•’
f « •
g
c” »r-
Albina Art Center
struggles to survive
Approximately 3 month»
ago, with a lot of faith, much
enthusiasm and dire need,
the Albina Art Center opened
Ha doors on a full time basis.
Carl Debnam. director, and
several volunteers who main
tain the upkeep of the renter
are now working countless
without pay, to put he
bark on its feet.
Realinr he deep need for a
eoounui...y base for cultural
activities and seeing the en
thusiaam of the youth who
have recently come to the
eenter in crowds to use its
realities, a plea for funds and
volunteers has been issued
from its management.
The beep, bop, bumpity,
bum pity. bump sound of
Jam es Brown is heard
throughout the center as a
dance team p ractices its
steps. In the background a
tw inkling piano is heard,
while just in the other room
the soft bur. of a saw is heard
where a wood sculpture is
slow ly but su rely being
carved.
The former is a
description of an average day
at the Albina Art Center.
The need for the center is
apparent.
However, in spite of all the
cooperation and publicity
given to the center by the
media, there have been no
monies received from any
sources.
On April 7th Earl Debnam.
director, had a talk with
Mayor Neil Goldschmidt and
City Commissioner Mildred
Schwab. At that time they
expressed deep concern with
the financial crisis of the
Albina Art Center.
Mayor
Goldschmidt said he would
do whatever he could to see
that the Albina Art Center
got the money promised to it
by Model Cities. The money
promised by Model Cities
(Please turn to pg. 7, col. 3)
Tryon P. Gray, a former
resident of Portland, an
nounced the establishment of
a Black bank in Montgomery,
Alabama. The interim Board
of Directors of the United
Memorial Bank, chaired by
Gray, has received prelimi
nary approval for the esta
bliahment of the first mi
n ority-chartered n a tio n a l
bank in the history of this
city and the state.
The bank will serve two
major purposes: (1) It will
be a base- tor serving the
economic needs of the local
community, and (2) Will be
come a shrine to those per
sons such as Dr. Martin
Luther King. Jr., John E.
Kennedy, Robert Kennedy,
Lyndon B. Johnson. Dr. Ralph
J. Bunch, Whitney Young,
Medgar E v ers, M ich ael
Schwerner. Andrew Good
man, James Chaney, Jimmie
Lee Jackson, and Mrs. Viola
Gregg Liuzzo, who made
significant contributions to
minority improvement and
development during their life
times.
Gray said. “It is the con
sensus ot this board that if
we as Blacks are to become
an intricate part of this great
nation, then we must pursue
the avenues of economical
development. It is our firm
belief that social changes
without economical growth is
crippling to us a a Black
people. We would like to
make it crystal clear that
this project is not to be
constructed as a segregation
project meant only for Blacks.
This bank will be exartly as I
mentioned ~ it will be a
bank the same as any bank
in Montgomery.''
The organization of the
United Memorial National
Bank is being sponsored by
the proposed Board of Direc
tors, who believe that the
establishment of the bank
should be beneficial not only
to the Black community, but
to the entire community of
Montgomery. Although the
NYC candidate visits Portland
Tall, slender, with an in
tellectual air, Mr. Norman
Oliver, 22 years of age, gives
an appearance of naive
youthfulness, but also, one of
mature awareness. Norman
Oliver is the 1973 Socialist
Workers Party's candidate
for mayor of New York City.
His campaign for mayor was
announced February 15, 1973.
Oliver, a former member
of the Black Panther Party,
is an activist in the Black
Liberation movement.
Ori
ginally from Detroit, Norman that the D em ocratic and
joined the Young Socialist Republican parties are selling
Alliance Party in May of them out. They feel a need
1968.
Mr. Oliver believes for an alternative to the
that the Socialist party is in major parties. The Demo
“the interest of Black people." cratic and Republican parties,
he explained are controlled
A se lf acclaim ed Black
by the capitalist profit sys
natinalist, Oliver pointed out
tem , w hile the S ocialist
that Black and Puerto Rican
Party "puts human needs
people in New York City are
ahead of capitalist profits".
unsatisfied with existing con
The S o cia list W orkers
ditions and beginning to feel
Party has been in existence
since 1938; yet now in 1973,
35 years later, the party has
a minority membership of
only 8 to 10%.
Oliver
however, feels that the per
rentage will soon increase
due to "a new development
of radicals".
In 1972, Oliver challenged
the Stale's attorney of Cook
County, Edward Hanrahan in
Chicago. His short bu de
tailed history is one of pro
test. In high school, he was
the editor of a Detroit city
wide high school newspaper,
Six 1st Prizes of 20%
Black Student Voice. During
down, many 2nd
the May 1970 antiwar up
prizes of 5%
surge, he served as chair
down on a
man of the Detroit Student
new home.
Mobilization Committee to
Dutails at
End the War in Vietnam. In
our offices.
the fall of 1971, Oliver toured
Southern campuses speaking
on “Pan Africanism and the
struggle for Black Libera
tion.”
A strongly determined but
realistic man, Norman Oliver
states, "I may not be elected
as mayor of New York City,
but I'll show them (the
people! that the Democrat
* 71 O iliest * Phons 248.1734
Bldg . Portland. Orsgon 97204
and Republican Parties will
not serve their interests."
Enter today'
Over
*100,000
in
prizes-
you may
WIN
and move in!
Franklin
TYRONE GRAY
bank will be established in
the Black community, the
Board of Directors hopes
that a cross section of the
people of Montgomery will
not only patronize, but be
come owners of the bank.
One of the many chores
completed by the interim
Board of Directors during
the past year was the ac
quisition of the property for
the proposed bank. We will
be prepared to begin con
struction on the bank build
ing immediately following the
closing of our public stock
sale.
However, the begin
ning and closing dates of the
public stork stale is deter
mined by the Administrator
of National Ranks, through
the Comptroller of the Cur
rency's office in Washington.
D.C. We expect the stock
sale to begin within the next
30 days.
Establishment of the bank
within 60 days will be the
culmination of two years
work. Of his part in the
organization of the bank.
Gray said, “During the period
that I received my formal
education, it was impossible
for a Black man in the State
of Alabama to receive an
education in the field of
banking.
At that time no
Blacks in the state were
being considered for manage
rnent or any banking posi
lion. I was forced to leave
the state to receive banking
education and further, I was
unable to obtain a job in the
city of Montgomery after
graduation. In the ensuing 7
years, I worked in banking
and elevated myself to the
position of Cashier and Sec
retary of the Board ot Direc
tors of Freedom Bank of
Finance, Portland, Oregon. I
was constantly attempting to
find ways of coming back
home and sharing my skills
and knowledge with my com
munity.
The decision was
based on my determining
whether I should share this
knowledge with my com
munity or use it for my
personal gain. The result of
the decision was the con
ception of the idea for the
United Memorial National
Bank-
Anyone who would like
more detailed information on
the organization of this bank
may contact the Interim
Chairman of the Board. Ty
rone P. Gray, at this address:
United Memorial National
Bank in Organization
P.O. Box 9288
Montgomery, Alabama 36108
Vancouver NAACP
hosts youth leader
Mr. Duane Barnette. Re
gional Youth Field Director
of the NAACP, from San
Francisco, will visit the Van
couver. Washington Branch
on Thursday. May 3 to help
to organize a Youth Council.
The meeting will be held
Thursday evening, 7:30 p.m.
at the Unitarian Fellowship
House. 4505 East 18th Street
in Vancouver.
All young
people interested in the work
of the NAACP are encour
aged to attend the meeting.
Advisors are Mrs. Ida Jones,
chairman; Mrs. Larnzella
Butler, Mr. Harold Smith
and Mr. George Weinberger.
Mrs. Joseph Joshua and Mrs.
David Baugh are CoPresi
dents of the Branch.
R e fr e s h m e n ts w il be
served.
The Youth Field Director
finds himself traveling ex
tensively through the West
ern Region in carrying out
his duties. The states cov
ered in this area are: Alaska,
Hawaii, Washington, Oregon,
C a lifo r n ia , Idaho. Utah,
A statewide public rally
sponsored by the Coalition for
Child Care will be held April
28, 8:00 pm, at Portland State
University, to build support
for SB 74, "The Comprehen
sive Community Children's
Act.”
Rally sp eak ers include
Representative Bill McCoy,
Jetti Wilde, Chairman of the
Oregon Black Caucus; Russ
Dawson. Director of the Con
sumer P rotection Agency,
and representatives of par
ents and child care agencies.
The Coalition is also spon
soring an assembly and picket
line at the Capitol Building in
Salem. April 27, 11.00 a.m.
Transportation can be ar
ranged through the Metro
Area 4-C Council, 222 6406.
Nevada and Arizona.
In addition to these duties,
the fundamental goal that
the Youth Field Director
seeks to achieve is to see to
it that the West Coast Re
gion becomes a unified area
of as many youth groups that
can be organized as possible
with their purpose and func
tion being the development
and creation of an intelligent
and militant youth leadership
through devising and carry
ing out local programs which
will advance the economic,
educational, social and poli
tical status of Black people
and other minority groups.
C art for
Y o u r C ar
J « M ec H e n 'r ^ rn’
raPS
W aS h^
SPECIAL SECTION
THIS WEEK
ton S u te
P rts o n
^ a t e s about c o n d itio n s . (P h o to :
Washington pen: An inside look
by Joe McHenry
Prison: (1) a place where
persons are confined; (2) a
building, usually with cells,
where convicted criminals are
confined or accused persons
are held awaiting trial; jail.
This is Webster’s definition
of a prison.
But. for 260
Black inmates at Walla Walla
prison, it means long days of
solitude and despair, broken
families, mental brutality,
physical deprivation and
wasted days without tomor
rows or hope.
Supposedly the prisons
were built to confine those
individuals from society who
were considered dangerous
to the best interests of man.
While a person was detained
in prison, he was to re-learn
the correct procedures nec
essary to maintain a normal
and productive life within
the mainstream of society.
Thus the goal of the correc
tional system was to re
habilitate and prepare a man
for re-entry into community
life.
But at Walla Walla
Prison there seems to be too
few rehabilitative programs
for too many inmates and
those program s that are
available to the inmates seem
designed to be failures.
The prison system has for
the inmates a work release
program, an inside rehabilita
tive program and a college
study program.
When an
inmate was asked which pro
gram was most effective in
preparing him for his return
to society-at large, he said:
"None of the programs are
worth any value because the
work release was a big cross
to bear. They let you out to
go work in a program out
side or in town and then
gave you two or three hours
to see your family. Man, it's
a real cross. I mean, look.
You've been locked up all
week and then you get just a
few hours to yourself. Then,
they got more restrictions on
you outside than they do
here in the prison."
Many of the inmates would
rather serve there on the
inside than take the chance
of being "busted" on the
work or college release pro
grams where the restrictions
and temptations are much
more numerous. Also, the
rehabilitation skills that are
available to the inmates on
the inside, according to some
of the inmates, are designed
to send the prisoners on a
vicious cycle of return to the
institution.
There are three skill train
ing programs:
Typewriter
repair, auto repair and body
work, and industry (which is
in the iicense making plant
for the state). The inmates
say it's designed to make
them failures because the
equipment they work with
on the jobs don't even exist
on the outside. So. when they
get out and seek a job, they
are confronted with today's
technology, with which they
have no familiarity.
Then
they must resort to the one
field they know and clearly
understand - crim e and
street hustle until the in
evitable bust comes again
and they end up back in the
“joint".
Since the men in this
particular institution were so
far removed from any size
able Black community, they
had to turn to themselves
and organize collectively to
change the oppressive sys
tem that confined them to a
life of misery without hope.
In 1969 the Black Prisoners
Forum Unlimited was formed
because conditions at Walla
(Please turn to pg. 7, col. 3)
opinions differ
Tax cut promised
Homeowner property taxes
in Albina will be cut by
one third and renters will
receive a tax credit equal to
about one month’s rent under
the lax-relief program to be
voted May 1, according to
R e p r e s e n t a t iv e W illia m
McCoy, D-Portland.
"Opponents of the tax-
relief measure are trying to
frighten and confuse people
into voting against the mea
sure," McCoy said, "when
the simple truth is that 8 out
of 10 Oregonians will benefit
if the tax measure is ap
proved.”
McCoy pointed out that in
the Portland School District,
homeowners are currently
paying a property tax of
$28.92 per $1,000 of true
cash value on their homes,
Under the proposed plan, he
said, that rate would drop to
$19.26.
Businesses are also cur
rently paying $28.92, a rate
that would drop to $26.76
under the new program,
McCoy said,
“For the first time in
Oregon's history, renters will
be eligible for tax relief, too,
since they will be able to
subtract 9 per cent of their
annual rent directly from
their state income tax,” he
said.
“It is estimated that 95 per
cent of all senior citizens in
Oregon will benefit under
the plan,” McCoy said.
He said that under the
new program, O regonians
who earn less than $16,000 a
year are practically assured
of receiving a tax benefit,
“The benefits are easy to
understand," he said. "The
drastic reduction in property
taxes, and the renters' tax
credit, will more than offset
any possible increase in in
come taxes for middle-income
and lower-income Oregonians.
This plan benefits more
w age earners, more small
(Please turn to pg. 7, col. 3)
Threat, not an aid
Speaking before the Boise
Citizens Im provem ent As
sociation in Portland recently.
Senator Vern Cook. D Trout
dale, described the McCall
Tax Plan as a "Threat, not
an aid, to the poor people of
Portland."
Senator Cook said. “In
order to attempt to fund the
Governor's tax program, not
only for the 1973-75 two year
period, but also for the
1975-77 bienneum, the legis
lative leadership is driving
toward a 50 million dollar
surplus for the 1975 legis
lature. To do this, they are
taking Federal Revenue
sharing money, given to the
state with the objective of
funding programs for the
poor, and using it to create
this surplus for the Gover
nor's school finance package."
"This is hurting the poor
and the elderly. Specifically,
by using this money for the
tax package, there will be no
money to replace the $10
million loss in Federal funds
previously available through
the federal governm ent.
Programs hurt will be those
for the mentally retarded at
Edgefield Lodge, youth care,
and day care for those with
low incomes, foster care for
the parentless, and Univer
sity of Oregon Medical School
aid for emotionally disturbed
children. This same attempt
to create a surplus, raises
serious doubts as to whether
there will be adequate funds
to provide the $2.5 million
necessary for the state to
take over the Multnomah
County Hospital, so much
heeded to provided medical
care for the poor in the
Portland Metropolitan area."
"The Governor's tax plan
is not an aid, but a threat to
the poor. It must be de
feated if they are to get
more than a crumb while the
wealthy get tax relief they
do not need."