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