Portland Observer
Thursday, August 1. 1974
,i ,v**> fFY •
Page 2
The Legacy o f Challenge
Continued from pg. I, col. 9)
twelve months after they
become actually free, and
shall be reduced to slav
cry . . .
The Florida Constitution
provided the power to pass
laws excluding free people of
color from immigrating or
from being discharged from
any vessel in the ports of
Florida.
Linder the Kentucky Con
stitution, the General As
sembly was authorized to
"pass laws providing that
any person of color eman
cipated and who either re­
fused to leave the state or
who returned "shall be guilty
M uch fuss has been raised o ve r the g ra n t
of felony, and punished by
rece ive d by the Portland M e tro p o lita n S teering
confinement in the Peniten­
C om m ittee to p ro vid e e m e rg e n cy fo o d a nd n u tri­
tiary thereof."
The Indiana Constitution
tio n a l services.
forbade entry and voided
Some in d iv id u a ls have expressed concern that
contracts; Missouri forbade
they w e re not consulted first; others h ave d e m o n -
entry or residence.
Daniel
stra te d p ersonal anim o sity to w a rd PMSC d ire c to r
Webster reports that there
C le v e la n d G ilcre ase ; and still o thers in d ic a te d a
was constant friction with
South Carolina and the North
d is b e lie f th a t PMSC could h a n d le the assignm ent.
regarding
free Afro-Ameri
W e w o n d e r h ow m any o f these in d iv id u a ls —
cans who worked as stew
m ost o f w h o m are rep re sen ta tives o f p riv a te
ards and cooks on Northern
a ge ncies in v o lv e d in d is trib u tin g fo o d to the
ships but were jailed and
poor -
w o u ld object if PMSC d id n ot have a
held when Northern ships
were in South Carolina ports;
Black d irector a nd a substantial n u m b e r o f Blacks
such freemen left jail to ac­
on its staff.
W e hope it is not a re v iv a l o f the
company their respective
Southeast vs. A lb in a riv a lrie s and iea lou sie s
ships at the time of ship
PMSC has d em onstrated its a b ility to a d m in is te r
departure. These examples
program s a nd its concern fo r the in v o lv e m e n t o f
indicate the impact of slavery
the p oo r and o f m in o ritie s in program s d e sig n e d to
on free people of color.
During the same period,
assist them . There is every reason to b e lie v e that
white Americans had the
PMSC can be successful in this e ffo rt — unless a
right to move west with the
c a m p a ig n is lau nch ed to sabotage the p ro gram .
benefit of acquiring new
M uch m ore is at stake than the idiosyncrasies o f
assets and potential under
in d iv id u a ls w h o serve n e ith e r th e ir age ncies nor
the Homestead Act.
the p oo r. The program brings the o p p o rtu n ity to
b u ild a s ta te -w id e o rg a n iza tio n th a t can serve not
o nly as a v e h ic le o f c o m m u n ic a tio n a m o n g the
poor b ut a base fo r p o litic a l pow er.
WE SEE THE WORLD
THROUGH BLACK EYES
ALFRED I. HENDERSON
E d itor/P ub lish er
EDITORIAL FOCUS
In his footsteps
A c a s e o f r a c is m ?
The D em ocratic Party State C entral C om m ittee
w ill have the task o f choosing a d em ocratic
n o m in e e fo r the U.S. Senate to run a ga in st Bob
Packw ood in N ove m b e r.
In this a w e so m e task, the central co m m itte e
must put aside partisan a nd re g io n a l d iffe re n c e s
a nd choose the in d iv id u a l w h o most n ea rly
adheres to the M orse philosophy.
In se le ctin g W ayne Morse as th e ir ca nd id ate, the
D em ocratic voters o f O regon endorsed his record in
the U nite d States Senate and his view s on a w id e
ran ge o f issues.
The C entral C om m ittee must
fo llo w this m an da te o f th‘e p e o p le fo r to a p p o in t a
successor w hose vie w s d iffe r g re a tly w o u ld be an
inju stice to the Senator and a disservice to the
p eo ple.
O ne o f those fre q u e n tly m e n tio n e d is Congress-
w o m a n Edith G reen. Mrs. G reen not o n ly refused
to endorse Senator M orse in his last th re e ca m ­
paigns, but she opposed m any o f the program s
fo r th e poor and fo r m in o ritie s fo r w h ich the
Senator fo u g h t.
Mrs. Green is not dese rvin g o f
this p osition .
State Senator Jason Boe, w h o opposed M orse m
the p rim a ry, is a n o th e r contender.
Since Morse
d e fe a te d Boe by a c o n fo rta b le m argin , it w o u ld
not seem that Boe is the choice o f the p e o p le We
q uestion Boe's recent conversion to lib e ra lism and
w o n d e r w h y w e d id n 't see h im in A lb in a this
spring.
This leaves State Senator Betty Roberts, w ho ran
a good race fo r the dem ocratic n o m in a tio n fo r g o v ­
ernor. Senator Roberts has a goo d vo ting record
in the O reg on le g isla tu re and has dem onstrated a
concern a b o u t m an y o f the social pro ble m s fa cin g
the natio n. H ow e ver, a lth o u g h Senator Roberts is
one o f those fo rm e r Senators re p re sen ting A lb in a ,
w e have not n oted her presence a m o ng us nor
have w e seen a n y concrete m an ife sta tio n s o f her
advocacy fo r us.
O ur choice fo r the n o m in a tio n is R.P. (Joe)
Sm ith. Sm ith, th ou gh not as w e ll kn ow n to the
g e n e ra l p u b lic as the others, has o fte n note d his
d e e p reg ard fo r Senator M orse a nd his a d h eren ce
to the M orse p h ilo so p h y o f g ove rn m e n t.
He
d em onstrated his co urag e and his a b ility to stand
on p rin c ip le in his u n p o p u la r fig h t a ga in st the
deposit o f nerve gas in U m a tilla w h ile District
A ttorn ey o f that county.
There w ill never be a n o th e r W ayne M orse —
no one can f ill his boots.
But Joe Smith could
most n e a rly fo llo w in his footsteps.
ineiiil< er
Oregon
Newspaper
Publishers
Association
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address: P.0. Box 3137, Portland, Oregon 97208. Telephone:
283 2486.
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M tW H Ik o f
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UNITED GBOCfFS
A
From the above tax in­
equities, it is difficult to
understand how slave people
retained a reported 90% of
the income which they pro­
duced.
Consider the re­
sponsibility for fourteen addi
tional years of taxes re­
garding North Carolina and
nine more for Virginia.
D ouglass describ es the
complete confiscation of his
urban earnings as a slave
“hired out". This encroach
ment deepened his determi­
nation to be free.
In 1857, one scholar used
statistical data to make a
comparison between fifteen
slave states and sixteen free
states regarding earnings,
property value, bushels per
acre, exports, imports, lib
raries, literacy, cultural ser­
vices, etc. The conclusions
rearhed were quite different
from the report of the
Northwest Magazine article.
It will be interesting to read
the evaluations of Afro
American scholars regarding
the "cliometric revolution"
and the validity of said ap
proach. Is there a fallacy in
attempting to approach hu­
man condition on a quanlita
live and or computer basis?
It is a credit that oral
tradition, significant contn
butions, and the spirit of
survival and continuity sur
mounted the many hardships
of slavery.
(Next: Part II: A Stake in
A fro A m erican H eritage
Thi Portland Observer. Aug
ust I. 1974. First North
American rights only.
All
other rights reserved by
author!
...in timt of'nr ed
CALDWELLS
COLONIAL
MOM H AM Y I RhMAIOHIPM
N I I4ih at Sandy
and HurnvHlB
232-4111
WANTED
Day Care Mothers
To provide child care
in yo u r home
Ages Infancy thru 12 yr»
lls y Swing G raveyard
( on I a n
PAASC Board accepts
(Continued from pg. 1, col. 6)
studying laws and guidelines
and the operation of existing
federal programs; and assist
ing the expansion of existing
programs.
Gilcrease estimates that 85
to 90 percent of the $200,000
will go for direct aid. He
explained that once a dis­
tribution system is estab­
lished. additional money will
be available. The State of
Washington received $1.5
million, but has had a state­
wide system with five dis­
tribution centers.
The announcement of the
grant, which was made two
weeks ago, and misinforma
tion in one of the daily
newspapers, brought concern
on the part of many private
agencies that a major portion
of the grant would be spent
for “data gathering".
PMSC Executive Director
Cleveland Gilcrease, who had
been out of town on agency
business, met with repre
sentatives of Portland area
private agencies Monday.
Gilcrease assured those at
the meeting that as little as
possible would be spent for
information gathering and
for planning and asked their
assistance.
He explained
that the program calls for a
statewide distribution plan
and that information is not
readily available for all sec
tions of the state. He es­
timated that much less than
$50,000 will be spent for this
phase of the program, but
reminded them that the plan
submitted to DEO during
this phase would determine
(Continued from pg. 1, col. 6)
the C ongressional Black
Caucus.
Barbara Jordan represents
Houston, Texas in the House.
She was born in Houston in
f936 and graduated from
Phillis Wheatley High School
in 1952. She earned a BA in
political science and history,
graduating magna rum laude
from Texas Southern Uni­
versity in 1956. She earned
an LLB at Boston University
in 1959.
Mrs. Jordan was admitted
to the Massachusetts and
Texas Bars in 1959. She be­
came administrative assis
tant to the County Judge of
Harris County.
She was elected to the
Texas Senate in 1967 and
served until 1972, when she
was elected to Congress.
Mrs. Jordan is a member
of Good Hope Baptist
Church; the American, Texas
and Houston Bar Associa
tions; Texas Trial Lawyers
Association; the NAACP, the
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority;
whether the $200,000 grant
would be forthcoming.
Replying to questions of
why the agencies now i n ­
volved in distribution of food
to the poor were not con
suited prior to the applica
tion for the grant. Gilcrease
explained that he had been
called to Seattle, informed
that PMSC had been selected
to administer the program,
and was given less than 24
hours to submit a proposal
and budget.
Gilcrease expressed his
pleasure at the board's ac
ceptance of the project.
"Part of my job is to expand
programs and go after funds
and I will continue to do that
as long as I am director of
PMSC," he said, in response
to questions as to why the
community agencies were
not consulted before the
grant application was made.
“I understand protocoL and
will use it when there is
time, but I would have been
foolish not to have gone after
this grant. It was up to the
board whether they would
accept it."
PMSC was selected by the
Regional and National Offices
of the Office of Economic
Opportunity to administer
the grant, based on PMSC’s
demonstrated abilities and
administrative strength. An IContinued from pg. 1, col. 6)
OEO spokesman told a surate with the Civil Service
meeting of CAP agencies in classification and seniority
Salem that although this is will begin at the time of
the first CAP to receive a original employment with
statewide grant, the agency
Model Cities. Model Cities
had no hesitation in award
employees transferring to
ing the grant.
the city will take civil service
examinations and training or
assistance will be provided
when necessary. Employees
can appeal their classifica
tions if they are not satisfied.
both Congress and the U.S.
The City of Portland is
Supreme Court because of asked to accept a role of
the assertion by critics that advocacy for the Model
it is impossible to make an Cities Programs, to seek
equitable distribution of funding for those that are
damages resulting from not absorbed by the city.
wrongdoing to a broad class City, county and sta te
of consumers. Congress and agencies have been asked to
the Supreme Court are fund projects, but the city
awaiting the outcome of this will be asked to oversee this
case to determine whether procedure and to act in
such distribution is possible. behalf of the projects.
"This is the first case in
The Citizens* Planning
the United States in which a Board and the staff will work
court has made use of broad closely with project directors
scale direct mail and mass to attempt to meet special
media to inform and en needs that arise during the
courage consumers to exer transition year and to assist
rise their right to damages. to meet requirements for
In all other large consumer change in the funding source
class action cases, the courts and process.
have either denied damages
The plan passed by the
to the class, or most of the Citizens' Planning Board will
class, and thus the wrong be submitted to the City
doer was unjustly enriched Council, and if accepted, will
or the damages reverted to provide policies and proce
the general treasury of the dures for the final year of
state.
operation.
A M A Fam ily
D a y /N ig b t Program
1425 N.E Dekum
Black legislators
Second Class Postage Paid at Portland. Oregon
The Portland Observer's official position is expressed only
in its Publisher’s column (We See The World Through
Black Eyes). Any other material throughout the paper is the
opinion of the individual writer or submitter and does not
necessarily reflect the opinion of the Portland Observer.
The Douglass Narrative
cites the limited material
conditions of slaves in which
men and women on the
Lloyd farm received a
monthly allowance of food
consisting of eight pounds of
pickled pork or its equivalent
in fish, one bushel of Indian
meal, one pint of salt.
It
further states the yearly
clothing allowance for adults
as two shirts, one pair of
trousers for summer, a
woolen pair of trousers and a
wool jacket for winter, one
pair of stockings and one
pair of shoes of coarse de
scription, and children under
ten limited to two shirts a
year and nothing else.
Douglass reports one blanket
to men and women and none
to children.
The inequities of tax struc
ture are evident from the
following:
In Virginia, Blacks twelve
and over were assessed
taxes equal to that assessed
on land of $300. White males
twenty one and over were
assessed taxes equal to that
of land of $200. Free Blacks
were excluded from the state
in 1856.
In North Carolina, Blacks
over the age of twelve and
under the age of fifty were
subject to capitation tax.
W’hite males over the age of
twenty-one and under the
age of forty five were subject
to capitation tax.
Free
Blacks were subject to capi
tation tax.
the Links; and is a board
member of the National
LIrban League.
Conyers was one of the
prime m otivators of an
article citing the President
with the secret bombing of
Cambodia and denying the
act to Congress and the
American people. The article
was defeated.
The Black members of the
committee voted for the
three articles of impeach
ment that were passed:
Obstructing justice in the
Watergate affair; misusing
federal agents and agencies;
and refusing to comply with
the committee's subpoenas.
2H9M82I
TRAMMELL
F a i W D W M u x a w i c i ç « A , AM)
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SMC
LT FAMOUS A» A e iO H U R
« IL
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local
« X T , O f K A L J U . IN * M , a K K L F U ) O R
W IN C X S T IA F M F B C T A O U K FOR « A L A S IA /
MANMCD ÎO S U T R. TRAMMELL M
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O T R O F -H R F F S T T W O M U R S t-M IO M IV P TO S S
tra m so s
u s to U M X R t k n o ssn w a ld
FUM)/
PR INTIN G PROBLEMS?
C a ll us to d a y !
Model
Cities
Drug money
(Continued from pg. 1, col. 61
reive approximately $1.45 foi
each prescription filled. Any
person who purchased the
drugs between 1954 and 1966
is eligible for this refund.
Persons who lived in Oregon
during 1954 and 1966 but
who do not now are also
eligible.
Attorney General Johnson
urged that all eligible con
sumers file their claims, for
much more is at stake than
the money.
“Indeed the remedies being
faced by the court in this
case are of landmark signifi­
cance to the whole develop
ment of antitrust and con
sumer law. The success or
failure of this program will in
all likelihood determine the
ultimate fate of large con
sumer class actions in
America.
“Presently consumer class
actions are unddr scrutiny in
C o m m ercia l p r in tin g - L ith o g ra p h y
T y p e s e ttin g - W eb P ress
EX IE Publishing, Inc.
283-2487