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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (June 6, 1974)
Study reveals voting right results The Voting Hights Act of Itniii played an important role in the dramatic inrreaae in «lack participation and the number of Black elected official» in the South, ac cording to a new report on the A rt and it» enforcement. The A rt was renewed for five year» in l»70 and will expire in August. 1975. un lea» again extended by Con grass. The study was published by three organizations con cerned with equal acre»» of Blacks to the electoral pro cess the Joint Center for Political Studies of Wash ington, the Voter Education Project of Atlanta, and the Lawyers Committer for Civil Bight» Under I jiw of Wash ington. fille d Federal Review of Voting (h a n g e s flow to l »r Section 5 ol the Voting Bights Act, the study was written for the three or ganizations by David II. Hunter, an attorney in pri vate practice who was for merly an as»istant general counsel of the U.S. Com mission on Civil Bights. ft is the culmination of the Election laiw Project of the law yer's Committee. Over the past several years this project has monitored and assisted in many legal cases and Justice Department com plaintn challenging discrimi natory changes. The project will come to an end late this year, “The Voting Bights Act of l!M>5 is one of the milestones on the path toward full civil rights for Blacks in the United States,'* said the heads of the three organiza lions which cooperated in publishing the book. They are Eddie N. Williams, presi dent of the Joint ('enter; John Lewis, executive dir ector of VEP; and J. Harold Elannery, director of the law y e rs ('ommittee. " U n d e r its provisions thousands of Blacks have registered and voted, some for the first time in their lives. This, in turn, has led to an increase in the number of Blacks who have run for and won public offices throughout the South, in eluding some in states where there had peen no Black Have Your Lunch Meetings GENEVA'S Hot Beef Sandwich Crisp Green Salad Hot Links Bar-B-Q Sauce Ham & Cheese * Paul & Geneva Knauls Owners 4228 N. Williams 282-6363 Demo Sale G rem lins M a ta d o rs Ambassadors Hornets SAVE HUNDREDSOF DOLLARS A LL GUARANTEED ALL WITH LOW MILEAGE WENTWORTH & IRWIN RtC. AMERICAN MOTORS CARS and JEEPS SALES & SERVICE. 1005 W. Burnside 226-7711 America loves what the Colonel cooks "It's finger lickin' good? Buy i t b y the Box Bucket or Barrel Perfect for Pertlee, Picnics, Lunch, or Dinner Take It Home, Eat It Here, or In Your C ar (tie M See Yellow Pages for Store Nearest You public officeholder» since Re construction,” they com merited. J. Stanley Pottinger, chief of the Justice Department's Civil Bights Division, said of the volume: • • •• "The handbook treats this complex subject in a clear and straightforward way and should become a valuable tool for both laymen and professionals who wish to invoke this important statu lory protection. Of particu lar interest is the catalog of the types of submission and theory of the Department's objections. This is the first such comprehensive analysis of Section 5 issues and should be very useful." In lt»>9, there were 299 Black elected officials in six southern states e n tire ly covered hy the Act Ala liam i, Georgia, louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Virginia. By 1974, the number of Black elected officials had risen to 805 in those states, an increase of 169 percent, according to figures provided by the Voter Education Project and the Joint Center for Political Studies. Besides the»«, six states, the Act covers .’19 of the 100 counties in North Carolina; scattered counties in A ri zona. California. Idaho and Wyoming, and three bor oughs of New York City Brooklyn. Bronx and Man hatlan. The 1965 A rt was designed to curb historical disrrimina tion against Blacks which blocked their easy access to the ballot. Areas covered by the Act were those which had previously imposed some form of restriction on who could vote, such as literary tests, and where fewer than half of the voting age popu lation had voted in the most recent, presidential election. Although the A rt provided several remedies for racial d iscrim in atio n in voting rights, the one which is still most frequently used is Sec tion 5, the requirement for Justice Department clear ance of all changes affecting voting in areas covered by the Act. "The most frequent um - of Section 5 in recent years has been to combat practices which were barely realized to be discriminatory when the Voting Bights A rt was passed," the study reports. The Jo int C e n te r for Political Studies, sponsored by Howard University and the Metropolitan Applied Research Center, is a pri vale, non profit and non partisan organization which provides research, educa tion. technical assistance and inform ation for m in o rity elected officials nationwide The law yers' Committ for Civil Bights Under l a is a national organization with many lorai affiliates. It arts as counsel or offers assistance to lawyers in volved in litigation designed to secure equal rights (or all citizens. The Voter Education Pro ject is a non partisan or gamzation operating in I I southern states. It makes voter registration and educa tion grants to local minority organizations and provides technical assistance to other local groups and to minority elected officials in the South. O regon w o rk updated A revision of the most comprehensive and exhaus live work compiled on Blacks in the Stale of Oregon is slated for release this summer. Ia-nwood G. Davis, an instructor of history at Portland State University, is the author. He has been working on the bibliography (or the p»s( four months and ! Was notified rurcntly by the Council on Planning Librar tans of Monticello, Illinois that the publication date is set for June. Entitled “Blacks in the State of Oregon: 1788 1974: A Bibliography“, it is pri marily designed as a refer ence for those who wish to learn more about Blacks in Oregon. This work was first published in 1971. The materials listed rover every period of the State's history from the earliest records of Blacks' arrival to present. The bibliography has at tempted to list every source pertaining to Oregon as well as to nearby states including newspapers, articles in per lodicals, official documents and unpublished works per taining to Blacks in Oregon. Davis stated that because of the many demands to re vise the bibliography he decided to up date it. "A fter three year»," he said, “the original bibliography is still the standard work on Blacks in Oregon." Most of the materials added to the forth coming work were published and made available to the general public since 1971. Davis has done extensive research on Blacks in Ore gon. He has written several articles on Blacks in Oregon and Blacks in the Pacific Northwest. Besides teach ing, tra v e lin g , speaking, w riting articles and book reviews, Davis is presently doing additional research on Blacks in the State and hopes to complete it in early 1975. The PSU African and Afro-American history in structor is also author of “I Have a Dream: The Life and Times of M artin Luther King, Jr." that was published in 1969 and reprinted in 1973. He also has written several other bibliographies: "The Black Woman: An A n n o tated B ib lio grap hy"; "The Woman in American Society"; "Pan Africanism"; “The Black Family in the Urban Areas in the United States"; and “Blacks in the A m erican W e s t". The author was recently notified that he will be included in the 1974-75 edition of "The World Who's Who of Au thors", published in Cam bridge. England. Student w ins honor Continued from page 1 col. 3) She was also chosen as an Oregon Scholar. Active in the community. she was the student member of the P o rtlan d Public School's Citizens' Advisory Committee for Area 111 and is Council Representative in the Girl Scout's Town Hall Cabinet, which is composed of Senior troops for the area. She writes "Senior Ripples" in the Girl Scout newsletter, Colum bia R iv e r C u rre n t. She received the Elks Ora torial Award and will com pete again this year. Miss Gates participates in Volun leer Service, her projects include w orking at the University of Oregon Medical School bacteriology labora lory, working with the Girl Scouts, and assisting at the Cerebral Palsy Center (or Handicapped Children. She also finds time to work as a sw itchboard o perato r for Pacific Northwest Bell during the summer and on week ends. A fter completing her four years at Bryn M awr, Miss Gates plans to fulfill a dream she has had since she was six years old. that of becoming a doctor. She hopes to attend medical school on the west coast, preferable at the Uni versity of Oregon Medical School. Portland/Observer ACLU demands meeting access The American Civil Liber tie« Union of Oregon is representing plaintiffs in a suit filed Mon , ie 3rd, asking the Cou ;•«. e that representatives of the news media must be |iermitted to attend any future meetings of the Portland Police D e partment's Firearms Investi gation Committed. The suit, in the Multnomah County Circuit Court, stems from the exclusion of an Oregon Journal re p o rte r from an April 30th meeting of the F IC to investigate • ie April 24th shooting of n innocent citizen . Era >k Brauner, hy a police offie« r. Thursday, Ju.ie 6, 1974 maintain that Oregon law requires that the meetings be open to the public gen- erally. Stevi. Remington, Exe cutive Director of A C LU of Oregon and one of the plain tiffs in the suit stated, "A free society cannot tolerate absolute secrecy in investi gations of the policy, by the police. We must either ensure some public scrutiny of the process or provide for William J. Harris, a ca-eer Citizen Review Boards to in v es tig ate allegations of federal employee, has been police misconduct." named director of *.h‘ Man Plaintiffs in the suit are (tower Administration's DI the New Oregon Publishers, fire of Investigations and 1 *»• » ♦ a corporation which publishes Com pliance in the C.S. % *• t Department of laibor the Oregon Times and Port The A C LU protested land residents and taxpayers A ssistant S e c re ta ry of Chief Baker May 1st that the Mason Drukman. Charles l„ibor lor Maiqmwer W illiam M iV K f. Of UMUD GftOCtftS Dp«-n Meetinga A rt of 1973 Davis, and Stevie Iteming II. Kolberg said Harris will requires that reporters be ton. The individual plaintiffs direct special inquiries, re |H-rmitted to attend exeeu are also asserting their in views, investigations and in live sessions of governmental ti rests as subscribers to the sjM'etions for him. In effect. bodies, subject to agree Harris will be Kolberg's chief Oregon Journal and, in the ments re g a rd in g nondis case ol Mason Drukman. as troubleshooter. closure of confidential matter. editor ol the Oregon Times. As director of the Office of Baker's response noted his Named as defendants are In v e s tig a tio n s and Com disagreement and the bases Neil Goldschmidt. Mayor of plianre, Harris will be re on which the holding of an Portland; Bruce Baker. Port sponsible for directing and executive session was justi land Police Chief; James coordinating all activities re fled. Brouilette, John Fraser and lating to review and pro The suit will lest the ap John F Boley, members of cessing of audit reports in plication of the Open Meet the Firearms Investigation the Manpower Admimstra ings Act in these circum Committee; and the City of tion. Harris will also provide stances. The ACLU docs not Portland. policy, procedural guidelines and technical assistance to regional office staffs to ensure compliance with the (Continued from p. 1 col. 6) M an p ow er Administration's Gregory and himself, the responsibilities for promoting Accordingly, in kind and fi academic community with equal employment oppor nancial assistance will be which Downes could share tunities. channeled directly to the this most relevant experience The office identifies oper Para Statal Committee of the had appeared to exhibit no or »row »« Sahel nations in N Y . and in ational problems, including little response or interest in potential illegal or improper Ougadougou. capital city of the sacrifices of time and Upper Volta, and will bo activities. personal resources made by U p ls a r tr lr An employee with 29 years earmarked for emergency their own doctoral candidate E YE E x a m in a t io n projects designated by tIn- of federal and state service when in fact the funds were For S IN G L E LE N S in the field of employment six nations consultative Con available at the University of B IF O C A L S — T R I-F O C A L S ferenee of Presidents of se cu rity and m anpower. Oregon to support such ond September 1973 Harris participated in de undertakings as those being All Optical C O N T A C T LENS velopmental efforts leading According to a spokesman diligently pursued by Mr. INSURANCE for the Panameriean Assort I low m-s. to the Comprehensive Em tlk » I AbM« Accepted ation. the topics of discussion ployment and Training Act SOFLINS Benjamin Downes has also We Will Assist You at the Embassy enrompassed of 1973 tCETA). CONTACT been invited to join the With the Forms problems of world food The Black official was re lens professional voluntary staff * supply, n u tritio n , w a te r cently cited by the Spanish organizing the forthcoming supply, and new sources of Heritage Day Committee for • P hsossu <sd WsAus M idw estern and South food. It was also pointed out developing job training pro PtlwMi Wsicoaad western State Leadership that the endeavor will bo A U D IV O X gram s for the Spanish Conference on M u ltic u ltu ra l/ Hsormg Aids characterized philosophically speaking com m unity of Multi Ethnie Studies sche • ( • - D a y F »ss T r i a l by a new holistic approarh to Washington. D.C., and by OR. LARKY duled to take place at the m anagem ent of assis the Office of Minority Busi Mankato State College. .Man Lance on the basis of human ness Enterprise lOM BE) of 2 2 7 -7 2 0 0 kato. Minnesota. June 28th, istically conceived methods the Commerce Department Oplomttrists O H * « Also m 29th, and 30th in 1974. Co w hirh d iffe r from the for "outstanding achievement sponsored by the Panameri- Ucolsd in SEMLEt OFDCAl OFFICES M U M . (C C tll important continuing efforts in developing opportunities S’»H’ JVtt • UMiM NOG can Association and Mankato » ■ u n ita ol the World Bank. I S for members of minority State College, this is the fifth * S.W. 3rd A MORRISON A .I.D ., the European De groups to participate in Encounter in the field of velopment Fund, the UN Aassdato Pactan a( Optamatry ■ RORTLAMO America's competitive enter M u lti E th nic Studies ad Food & Agricultural Organ DR. Larry SIMLCR - M . HULL - DR. N. KILLY prise system." m inistered by the Pan O p t o m t t r u t s I n O t h e r S E M L E R O /Zices In c lu d e ization, Africare and Kains, DA C WALLIS—DA H american Association. The and others. New York S ta te based One of the pace setting foundation is credited with endeavors will be* launched in pioneering in research from a spectacular announcement which emerged the concept by noted Black celebrity, of a Multi-Ethnic Approach political pundit, social com to Total Education, legiti mentator and author. Dirk mized in the Ethnic Heritage Gregory. To draw public Studies A rt. (Title IX of the attention on the plight of Elementary & Secondary famine and death in the Education Actl drafted and Sahel Region. Gregory will sp o n so red by S e n a to r run from Chicago to Washing Richard S. Schweiker of ton. D.C. on a diet of water Pennsylvania. The Pan- only. Pledges from indi am eriran Association has viduals. organizations and been playing a key role in industries will be solicited to disseminating information on aid Gregory's proposed Food the legislation throughout for Peace Program, a project the country, and in prov ¡ding which will support and benefit consultation and assistance in both the Southern Christian the preparation of Applica leadership Conference assis tions for Federal Assistance Lance programs for America's for Fiscal Year 1974 funding poor as well as the United under Title IX . Legislation Nations Sahel Committee. for a four year extension of Commenting on the support ESEA goes before the that this entire effort has House-Senate Conference attracted. Dr. Pritchard, a this month, and the forth n o te d A f r ic a n is t , c ite d coming Conference at Man Benjamin Downes as an kato State College is ex example. He added, however, pected to make an important that while Downes' commit con tribu tion to the d is ment had received the semination of information commendation of the African N oVS' 1 » f e t t e r even' entite vital to those institutions United Nations Committee, concerned with the four year the Southern C h ristian extension of Title IX through Leadership Conference. Dick 1978. SHOP IENOWS H arris nam ed FOR , B R A N D S you know -V A R IE T IE S yo u lik . - SIZES vou w a n t r Need , — Glasses A<5LW U of O director K B .,: from a ^ / s a v e on can £ tooney- Miss Gates is the daughter of M r. and Mrs Oslv J. Gates. Her father is director of the CityC ounty Council on Aging. Mrs. Gates, known professionally as J.M . Gates, is the origmaor of “Reversible Poetry', which has brought national aeelaim. Miss Gates chose Byrn M aw r after a visit to the campus and to Stanford Uni versity, which also offered a scholarship. According to legend, a green gem under the cross was turned into the first bloodstone by a drop of Jesus' blood. Page 3 W EB ELO Keith Nelson was among some 6.000 Cubs. Scouts and Explorers involved in the big 1974 Scout Capades May 17 18 at the Expo Center in Portland. Keith demo” strated project with Mrs. Geraldine Yeager (left», Webelos 1« ader for Pack »61. sponsored by the Clarendon School PTA. The show, one of the year's highlights for Scouts, was seen by more than 10,000 visitors. I
