t
1
Pa«*“ 2
Portland Observer
Thursday. July 3. 1975
WE SEE THE WORLD
The NAACP at 65
by Bavard Rustin
THROUGH BLACK EYES
History w ill tell
O ur fau lt, too
The M od el C ities Program has e n d e d a fte r fiv e
years o f o p e ra tio n as a "d e m o n s tra tio n p ro te c t."
There a re c o n flic tin g o p in io n s a b o u t the success
o f the p ro gram , w h e th e r th e results are w o rth the
n e a rly $15 m illio n spent.
The im m e d ia te v a lu e is e a s ily d isce rn a b le --
the
re h a b ilita tio n
of
hom es,
parks,
street
im p rove m e nts, the la n d use plans. Also easy to
d e fin e a re the m em bers o f p e o p le e m p lo y e d , the
tra in in g the c h ild care a n d tu v e n ile program s,
the o p p o rtu n ity fo r the e ld e rly to be e m p lo y e d
h e lp in g other e ld e rly p e o p le , the tra in in g and
e m p lo y m e n t o f te ach er a ids
scholarships for
c o lle g e students th e e sta b lish m e n t o f c h ild care
centers, h e a lth program s. A ll o f these w e re o f
im m e d ia te help to m o d e l n e ig h b o rh o o d residents
a nd m a n y w ill c o n tin u e
The greatest im p a ct o f M o d e l C ities w as in the
a ttitu d e s o f p e o p le -- both in the a ttitu d e o f
M o d e l C ities residents to w a rd them selves and
the g o v e rn m e n t, a nd in th e a ttitu d e o f the
citizens o f P ortland to w a rd its M o d e l Cities
n e igh bo rho od s.
Through the w o rk in g c o m m itte e a n d
the
C itizens P la nn ing Board — a n d o fte n th ro u g h the
disputes and c o n flicts
— leaders w e re d e
ve lo p e d
A g ro u p o f p e o p le w h o had little
p o litic a l k n o w le d g e or e xp e rie n c e le a rn e d that
tney co uld ta ckle city h a ll a n d w m . The lessons
le a rn e a w ill n eve r be lost.
Leadership was d e v e lo p e d th ro ug h e m p lo y
m ent in the a ge ncy a nd its d e le g a te agencies.
Black p e o p le w h o had been d e n ie d o p p o rtu n ity
m c n p lo y m e n f b ecom e v a lu a b le e m p lo y e e s
Some beco m e a d m in istra to rs and directors o f
program s a nd
le a rn to p la n , b u d g e t and
a d m in iste r program s.
M o d e l C ities served as a p o litic a l la u n ch in g
pad fo r C harles Jordan and has lau nch ed others
in to positions o f in flu e n c e
— Freddyn Pettit,
Brenda G ree n, Jo il S o u th w e ll, Faye Lydary, and
ian y m ore
It w ill be m any years b e fo re M od el C ities can
be p ro p e rly e v a lu a te d -- here history w ill show
it was m ore successful than it was d e sig n e d to
be
oocoeooooooo<>3<>c<yo-=<>c<
As w e read the d a ily papers w e see on m any
advertisem ents, both m the e m p lo y m e n t section
a n d in the d is p la y a d v e rtisin g , the w ords "a n
e q u a l o p p o rtu n ity e m p lo y e r "
Some o f these com panies, w h ich a re m a k in g
m illio n s o f d o lla rs in fe d e ra l business, d o not
have any m in o rity e m p lo ye e s a lth o u g h g o ve rn
m ent re g u la tio n s re q u ire that they h ire m in o ritie s
in a p p ro x im a te n um be r to th e ir p e rce n ta g e in the
p o p u la tio n
H ow do la rg e co rp oratio ns g et by
w ith a ll-w h ite e m p lo y m e n t forces?
A n othe r s tip u la tio n is that co m p an ies h o ld in g
g o v e rn m e n t contracts assist m in o rity business
th ro ug h p urcha sing th e ir goods and services
Seldom do w e see this e ffo rt m ade
A b o u t the
o n ly use m ade o f m in o rity businesses is in the
area o f co nstruction subcontracting, a n d th a t is
u sua lly o f m in im a l a m o u n t and don e o n ly under
pressure
N e a rly e ve ry industry in P ortland has a
co m p lia n c e o b lig a tio n to the Black c o m m u n ity --
the banks, the reta ile rs, the m an ufa ctu re rs, the
tran sp o rta tio n a nd u tility co m p an ies -- yet few
are d o in g a n y th in g a nd m ost o f those w h o have
taken some m in o r steps are not d o in g e no ug h.
A recent survey shows that o n ly fiv e p ercen t of
the businesses on U nion A v e n u e a re m in o rity
o w n e d , and since the survey w as ta ke n som e of
these businesses have fa ile d In n e a rly e ve ry city
w h e re there is any Black p o p u la tio n you fin d
th riv in g Black o w n e d businesses -- b ut not in
Portland. T hroughout the co u n try Black business
ow n ersh ip s is increasing -- but not in P ortland
The b la m e is th re e -fo ld : the co m p an ies w ho
fla u n t fe d e ra l la w , the fe d e ra l a ge ncies th a t do
not e n fo rc e the la w ; a nd the Black co m m u n ity
that sits back and lets it happen.
In co m ing w ee ks the O bserver w ill re v e a l those
co m p an ies in the C ity o f P ortland w h o d o not hire
Blacks a nd w h o do not suddo H m in o rity business
as req u ire d .
W e must m a ke a concerted e ffo rt to m a ke the
fe d e ra l g o v e rn m e n t e n fo rce the la w a n d w e
m ust, th ro u g h a se le ctive b u y in g c a m p a ig n , shop
w h e re our m o n e y w ill assist our o w n c o m m u n ity
I
fro m The A tla n ta In q u ire r
The Black W o rke r — w h a t is he? He's re a lly
n ot the Black W o rker a n y
m ore b ut the
U n e m p lo ye d Black " W o r k e r" a n d , w h ile w e have
a lw a y s suspected th a t Labor D ep artm en t statistics
d o n 't re a lly g iv e us a true p ictu re o f th e Black
u n e m p lo ye d , w e w e re m o re th an a little stunned
at a recent re p o rt o f the N a tio n a l U rban League
sh o w in g n e a rly th re e m illio n Black p e o p le are
o ut o f w ork.
That's a record. Even the Labor D ep artm en t's
count fo r Blacks is a reco rd 1.5 m illio n . You can
d ra w yo u r o w n conclusions fro m that b ut it still
goes back to "la s t h ire d , first fir e d " or, in these
days o f n icety, the firs t " la id o f f " or "re le a s e d "
a nd last to be re -ca lle d .
The U rban League last w e e k released a rep ort
by its Research D ep artm en t, c itin g the NUL
H idd en U n e m p lo y m e n t ¡Jndex and ra is in g the
u n o ffic ia l u n e m p lo y m e n t rate fo r Blacks from
21.1 in the last q u a rte r o f ,974 to 25.8 percent.
Blacks, the re p o rt said, a ccou nte d fo r a lm o st a ll
o f the increase in u n e m p lo y m e n t in the n ation
d u rin g the la tte r h a lf o f the first q u a rte r o f 1975.
O f the 49,000 n e w o ffic ia lly u n e m p lo y e d w orkers
b e tw e e n F ebruary a nd M arch, 47,000 w e re Black.
The U rban League re p o rt covers e ig h t pages
a na includes six tables c o m p a rin g Black and
w h ite w orkers The re p o rt states that tw o -p a re n t
Black fa m ilie s w e re e sp e cia lly a ffe c te d d u rin g
the first q u a rte r o f 1975. M a rrie d Black m en w ith
w ives present, w h o tra d itio n a lly have one o f the
lovzest |obless rates, e xp e rie n c e d a d o u b lin g in
both th e ir n u m b e r out o f w o rk (fro m 172,000 to
338 000) and th e ir u n e m p lo y m e n t rate fro m (5.0
to 9 8).
Then, let Congress re a lly FEEL that it has g ot to
" p u t this n atio n back to w o r k " and th e re sh ou ld
be i o d illy -d a lly in g , vacations, or w h a te v e r, u n til
it does.
better use if they inspected
the construction industry»'
job sites, whose contracts
run into billions of dollars in
Federal funds.
No com pliance
Dear Editor:
We at United Minority
Workers wish to congratu
late the Portland Observer
for their coverage on af
firmative Action programs.
First of all there are about
twohundred companies in
the tri county area that
have a so called affirmative
action plans. Well, that is
all it is. a plan.
Which
ninety five percent of them
have not been implemented.
But before we go to private
industry we must talk
about the state, county and
city affirmative action pro
gram. Is our state, county
and city living up to their
affirmative artion program?
The answer is No. Even
though we have qualified
people in these positions,
these people do not have
the power to carry them
out. The state, county and
city leaders will not let
them bring a plan that
would do a job for all low
income people. They will
let them do a little to keep
the community quiet. So
what can we do to solve
this problem?
We at United Minority
Workers say let all of us
get together and support
the people that were hired
to enforce affirmative artion
programs. Let us in the
community raise our voices
and say we want to help
write an affirmative action
program. What good are
federal laws if they are not
being used? What good are
affirmative artion officers if
he or she has no power to
do anything but sit by and
not do anymore than they
are asked to do. All they
are doing is window dress
ing to keep getting federal
money.
Third World or
ganizations need to pull
together as a team if not
for anything else, regard
less of our feelings towards
each other. The man has
used this policy for over
two hundred years, "Divide
and Conquer". Well let's all
pull together in an effort to
solve at least one major
problem.
Subscriptions: $5.25 per year in the Tri County area. $6.00 per
year outside Portland.
Second Class Postage Paid at Portland. Oregon
1st Place
Community Service
O NPA 1973
1st Place
Best Ad Results
O NPA 1973
II
member
I
|
NÊWA per
Association • Foundad 1885
job for three or four days,
lay him off or fire him, and
still use him (or a statistic
on their m onthly man
power reports and still be
in compliance, on paper
How ran the Federal
Government justify having
Federal inspectors out in
the strawberry fields to
check on underage pickers
and fine growers Sl.UOO.UM
when the Government
doesn’t have the manpower
or funds to check the
construction sites?
The
Federal agencies that are
authorized to monitor the
c o n s tr u c tio n s it e s are
understaffed.
The strawberry season is
of such short duration and
construction goes on for
months, yet are monitored
once a month.
Could
having these Federal offi
rials inspecting strawberry
fields be just another way
of the Government to use
up taxpayers money?
for racial change; most
dropped out of the civil
rights movement altogether
or into any number or
marginal ‘causes, ranging
from Republican business
conservatism to forms of
nationalism entirely inap
propriate to the American
situation.
Roy W ilkins has re
mamed as probably the
m ost im p o r ta n t Black
leader because, unlike his
critics, he believed that
prejudice was not an in
evitable part of American
society could indeed be
transformed
The causes
that he and I he N A V T
refused to embrace
separatism. Black studies
programs that excluded
whites, violent action
are to d a y no lo n g er
seriously debated
W hat we h ave ex
perirnred, in fact, is a
return to the ideals on
which the NAACP was
founded And that is that
liasic institutions must be
reformed so as to serve
human needs, am, not
profits, and that Black
people must 1 m - full partin
pants in all aspects of
society if they are to
achieve the benefits of and
exert maximum influence
on that society.
Its adherence to these
principles has given the
NAACP a renewed sigmfi
rance, while their abondon
ment led to the demise of
others.
The NAACP ran
count over 44O.O(X, mem
m ers in 1,700 a c tiv e
chapters, a substantial in
crease over even a decade
ago. The NAACP has also
adjusted
Its strategy:
where once it sought
change primarily through
the courts, today it is
increasing its legislative
activities in recognition of
the fart that economic
change must 1 m - achieved
politically.
There is an important
lesson to be learned from
the Jtistory of the NAACP.
and it is our political
leadership which would
profit most from the ex
perienre. Social change is
advanced by those who
have a personal slake and
philosophical
commitment
to its achievement Those
who in frustration would .is
soon bring society down,
and those who resist the
democratization of society
are doomed to failure.
The NAACP's arcom
plishments are an enduring
past of our history; its
critics and those who ig
nored its call for a more
decent human order will
soon be forgotten
Four million veterans
whose Gl home loans have
been paid m full and their
homes disposed of are
potentially eligible for new
loans uniler the Veterans
Housing Act of 1974 iDe
• ember 31st I
Extra Gl Bill entitlement
is available to veterans and
active duty military per
sonnel to complete high
school or take certain
courses required for higher
education and this "free
entitlement” is not rharge
able to the individual's
normal entitlem ent
THRILL
TIM E...
GREYHOUND
RACING
7 :3 0
TONIGHT
MULTNOMAH
KENNEL
CLUB
.it Fairview P.uk i-asl out
BanheM Freeway I MON
NE 223id .ind Halsey Stn-r-t
Post time- 7 30 pm
M onday thru Saturday
For dinner reservations and
inform ation call 665-219,
Sorry children under ,2
no, admitted
SHOP
lENOW'S
FOR
-B R A N D S you knot,
-V A R IE T IE S you likt
The Friendliest
Store* In Town|
Lillian L. Peterson
Field Representative
Sinco 1908
- SIZES
vou w a n t
'• » lisi M T. .
H.G l i i
a
( «»• •
»Id * M
• J,«W ANI Ci..«»
*• I lS
s » M » > « k « ' '4
4 a « t I C r . e » o f lo
l* (
•
wn
• a'o-e* H
M ,U
.U » s P
»I«
i«««
««
• j) 4 « Wes« *.
•82«^
.'S ' t • O.
’* •'
O-..s s o •• - • < .be O-«.«S • ' • A
V
• MIMSI« or UNHID CROCKS
United Minority Workers
SUBSCRIBE NOW
Rotes:
$5.25 Tri-C ounty a re a and
$6.00 O th er A reas o f US
N am e
5th Place
Best Editorial
N N P A 1973
The Portland Observer’s official position is expressed only in
its Publisher’s column iWe See The World Through Black
Honorable Mention
Eyes,. Any other material throughout the paper is the opinion
ALFRED L. HENDERSON of the individual writer or submitter and does not necessarily Herrick Editorial Award
N N A 1973
reflect the opinion of the Portland Observer.
Mf ÜBER
Many of these contractors
are not in compliance with
the requirements set forth
in the Affirmative Artion
policy and Executive Order
11246, which must be in
eluded before the bid is
awarded.
Contractors have stated
that they are unable to find
minority persons to hire
through the unions.
The
unions state that they
cannot get minority persons
for employment. Yet, with
the threat of the with hold
ing of Federal funds from
the contractor, they seem
to find it very easy to get a
prospective minority into
the unions so they may be
in compliance.
Arrange
ments ran. and have been,
made for an employee to
have the employer pay
membership dues and reim
burse them in the first pay
period, thereby belonging
to the union.
The experience we have
had with various contrac
tors is that they may hire a
minority and keep him on a
Nathan Proby. Director
United Minority Workers
Publisi ed every Thursday by Exie Publishing Company, 2201
North Killingsworth, Portland, Oregon 97217.
Mailing
address: P.0. Box 3137. Portland. Oregon 97208. Telephone:
283 2486.
j Oregon
Newspaper
¡Publishers
¡Association
The stagnation of leader
ship has not. fortunately,
infected all of society. The
National Association for the
Advancement of Colored
People its 65th National
Convention in Washington.
B.C.
Cor most of this
century the NAACP has
been a leading force for
moral, social and political
change.
Other organizations, of
course, have contributed to
social and racial progress.
Hut far too many are
notable today more for
their mistakes and weak
nesses than for the very
real results they achieved.
Indeed, with the single
exception of the labor
movement, no other organi
zation ran be said to have
achieved the level of endur
mg and far reaching change
as has the NAACP
I point this out because I
believe there is something
in the traditions and philo
sophy of the NAACP from
which all society ran learn,
particularly when that so
c ie ty s u ff e r s from a
thorough going crisis of
purpose.
Inspect contractors, not children
The inspectors of the
U.S. Department of Labor
could put their time to
Three m illio n
w ill
The most fundamental
point is that the NAACP
was founded by individuals
who had a particular vision
of the kind of society they
wanted to create.
They
were inspired by the con
virtion that a racially equal
society could be forged
through the use of every
available democratic pro
cess: the courts, the p o liti
cal system, and the const!
tutional guarantee of free
dom of speech and as
seinblv.
These principles, more
over, were the benchmark
for NAACP activism over
successive generations. The
military of its leadership
did not diminish when they
were denounced as anti
American by racists and
demagogues. Nor was the
courage of its local activists
affected by threats and
murders.
By the same token, the
NAACP's commitment to
integration and non violence
enabled it to survive what
was perhaps its most diffi
cult period
the turbulent
sixties. Thia was a time
when Boy Wilkins was
dubbed “Uncle Tom Num
ber One” by archmilitants
and separatists and when
the NAACP, because of its
refusal to abandon its inle
grationist ideals, was dis
missed as irrelevant to the
changing tide of Black
struggle
Today, one seldom hears
of the advocates of what
was erroneously charac
terized as a movement for
"Black power."
Few are
actively engaged in the
serious business of working
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
To the Editor:
" | A nother Point of V ie w
It is ironic that, just as
America's bicentennial cele
bration draws near, this
nation finds itself engulfed
by a sear of indecision and
self doubt.
Never before
have Americans been less
sure of their goals. Con
fronted with a rapidly
escalating economic crisis
with over nine million
unemployed
our politt
cal and intellectual leader
ship appears immobilized by
a lack of purpose and loss of
Address
City
z ip
State
A rm ed Services