B*ge 2
Portland Observer
Thursday, April 1, 1976
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Dear Editor:
Dear Editor:
Dear Editor:
The Black Press;
The agenda of the future
Each y e a r a t th is tim e w e pause to pay trib u te to
th e tra d itio n o f R ussw urm a n d C ornish a nd a ll the
jo u rn a lis t sta lw a rts th a t fo llo w e d .
N o o n e can d e n y th e c ritic a l ro le th e Black Press o f
A m e ric a has h ad in th e sh a p in g o f so cial c h a n g e in
this co u n try . Long b e fo re th e tu rb u le n t Sixties w h e n
m a n y th in k th e re v o lu tio n started, th e Black p io n e e rs
o f jo u rn a lis m w e re b la z in g tra ils w ith little m o re th a n
a paste p o t, k n u b b y p e n c ils a n d just p la in ra w
co u ra g e . It w a s in th is tra d itio n th a t th e rea l soul o f
the Black Press w as b o rn . C o n c e iv e d in the w o m b o f
a d ve rsity, n u rtu re d in th e stress o f o v e rt b ig o try th a t
d o g g e d footsteps, it re a c h e d a k in d o f m a tu rity in th e
m a in stre e ts o f the a s p h a lt ju n g le s w e c a ll u rb a n
A m e ric a .
The B lack Press, in its re le n tle ss crusade fo r
fre e d o m , has n e ve r fa ile d to a n s w e r the c la rio n c a ll
o f th e n ee ds o f the n a tio n . S o m etim es v o lu n ta rily
a n d too o fte n in ch ains. Black m en a n d w o m e n h a v e
le ft th e ir in d e lib le m a rk u p o n the acres upo n acres o f
the co u n try. As the Black Press v ig o ro u s ly p ro te ste d
p o ll taxes a n d lyn ch in g s, flo g g in g s a n d b u rn in g s , its
re a d e rs h ip w a s d is tin g u is h in g its e lf-p a y in g th e su
p re m e sa crifice .
They w e re in th e b o a t w h e n W a sh in g to n crossed
the D e la w a re ; w as p re se n t a n d a ffix e d a s ig n a tu re
to the C o n s titu tio n a n d w e stood on the b lo o d y d ecks
a t Pearl H a rb o r pre 'in g o u r m e ttle a nd o u r w o rth .
T h ro u g h o u t th is tim e , F re e d o m ’s Jo u rn a l, th e N o rth
Star a n d those th a t fo llo w e d w e re a tte m p tin g to te ll
A m e ric a the e rro r o f its w ays. N o t o n ly that, b u t th e y
spoke lo u d a n d c le a rly o f the in e q u itie s o f a system
th a t ke p t a su b sta n tia l n u m b e r o f its p e o p le e n s la v e d
a nd h a lf-fre e . D espite its su stain ed a rtic u la tio n , th e
w h o le o f A m e ric a chose n o t to h ea r.
The Black Press has a lw a y s re c o g n iz e d the u rg e n t
n e e d fo r its re a d e rs h ip to p a rtic ip a te a n d share in the
vast resources o f this co u n try. This com es w ith the
fu ll k n o w le d g e th a t Black sw e a t, s u ffe rin g a n d
sa crifice a re in te rw o v e n in th e so il upon w h ic h
A m e ric a g ro w s its g ra in a n d raises th e steel to w e rs o f
its u rb a n centers.
It com es w ith th e fu ll k n o w le d g e th a t Black hands
a n d m in ds cre a te d m uch o f w K a f w e e n ]b y “ fo d a y .
W e c h a rte re d the streets o f the D istrict o f C o lu m b ia .
W e h e lp e d M cC o rm ick co nstruct th e re a p e r a n a w e
d isc o v e re d th e m e d ic in a l virtu e s o f b lo o d p la sm a .
W e p u t th e c h im e in th e s trik in g clo ck a n d shed o u r
b lo o d in e v e ry w a r w h ic h h istory records. Is it a n y
reason to d e b a te a ra tio n a le fo r Blacks to say, a n d
w ith o u t e q u iv o c a tio n , "T h is la n d is M Y la n d ? "
But g iv e n a ll this, w h a t lie s a h e a d ?
T h ro u g h o u t th e d e v e lo p m e n t o f th e Black m an in
A m e ric a , th e s tru g g le has c e n te re d its e lf on m a n y
fro n ts : e d u c a tio n , p u b lic a c c o m o d a tio n , fa ir e m
p lo y m e n t, v o tin g , etc. But a c o n c e n tra te d search
fa ils to sh o w a p ro g ra m m e d e ffo rt to b rin g the
A m e ric a n Black m a n in to the e c o n o m ic m a in s tre a m
th a t m arks th e c o rn e rsto n e o f th e A m e ric a n system .
O u r b ro th e rs a n d sisters w a n d e r a im le s s ly a nd
fu tilit y in g re a t a re as o f p o v e rty , not by c h o ic e , b ut
by circu m stan ces. The F ederal G o v e rn m e n t a t b oth
th e e x e c u tiv e a n d le g is la tiv e leve ls, has g iv e n scant
a tte n tio n to tF« B lack p oo r. Such c o n d itio n s , cry o ut
fo r re m e d y .
This is th e k in d o f crusade to w h ic h w e m ust
address ourselve s.
There m ust be th e k in d o f
c o m m itm e n t o f (R o be rt S.) A b b o tt's c a ll to le a v e the
south a n d (R o be rt I.) V a n n 's re le n tle s s crusade
a g a in s t th e p o ll tax. These n e w g o a ls m a y n o t m o ve
the e m o tio n s as the m o re o v e rt, acts o f th e past, but
th e o b je c tiv e s a re c le a rly as im p o rta n t.
W ith th e e v e r s h rin k in g w o rld a ro u n d us, the
Black Press m ust insist th a t its g o v e rn m e n t g iv e the
p ro p e r resp ect to th e e m e rg in g c o u n trie s o f A fric a . It
is in c o n c e iv a b le th a t a S e creta ry o f State w o u ld
serve u n d e r o n e a n d a h a lf Presidents, g a in the
re p u ta tio n fo r e x te n s iv e tra v e ls a n d n e v e r set fo o t on
the c o n tin e n t o f A fric a .
The A m e ric a n Black m a n m ust rea ch o u t a n d
e s ta b lis h his r ig h tfu l bonds w ith his A fric a n b ro th e r,
n e ith e r e x p e c tin g h im to a d o p t o u r c u ltu re or o u r
fin d in g it necessary to re la te to h im , e x c e p t by a
sing len ess o f p u rp o s e a nd h is to ric a l p e rs p e c tiv e .
The p a ltry sum o f the a d v e rtis in g d o lla r th a t fin d s
its w a y in to the Black Press a n n u a lly is a tra v e s ty on
the e c o n o m ic in te llig e n c e o f the m a rk e tin g e xpe rts.
O n ly a m y o p tic v ie w o f the $69.9 b illio n e a rn e d by
Black p e o p le , c o u ld cause the syste m a tic b y-p assin g
o f this tre m e n d o u s b u y in g p o w e r. The Black Press,
th ro u g h w h a te v e r m eans, m ust a g g re s s iv e ly pursue
th a t d o lla r, as m uch to s ta b iliz e th e e c o n o m ic g ro w th
o f th is c o u n try as to p a rtic ip a te in a system to w h ic h
you b e lo n g .
Black A m e ric a n s can p rosper as o th e r A m e ric a n s ,
o n ly w h e n tru e p a rity is spread a m o n g th e to ta lity o f
the A m e ric a n p e o p le . This w ill n o t co m e as a g ift or
th ro u g h p a te rn a lis tic acts or p ro g ra m s.
It w ill be
a c h ie v e d w h e n a ll m en share a n d share a lik e in the
g oo dn ess o f th is c o u n try. That sto ry m ust be to ld ,
o v e r a n d o v e r a g a in .
This m ust be th e a g e n d a fo r to m o rro w .
This letter is in regard to the recent
announcement of the reassignment of
Dexter Henderson to the Albina Human
Resources Center as Assistant Manager.
M r. Henderson has recently been su
spended from the Corvallis Center after a
great deal of controversy and adverse
publicity concerning his ability to manage
the Corvallis Center.
I question the
wisdom of this decision since it implies a
double standard concerning qualifications
and standards for the Human Resource
Centers with the Albina Center coming
out second best.
Sincerely.
W illiam Rose
If Dexter Henderson, former Manager
of the Corvallis Human Resouces Center,
had been Black and goofed in Albina, he
would not be reassigned to Corvallis.
What happened to Leon Harris. Black
former Manager of Albina. In the most
liveable city in the country, he had to
seek employment in another state. Why
could he not have been reassigned in the
state system.
W ith the vacancy. M r. Dick Davis
could send for him and assign him to that
Center.
The Corvallis community has spoken
loud and clear and the state responded to
their wishes. Now we wonder will the
wishes of Albina be met or will their
voices be a tinkling cymbal or sounding
Dear Editor:
brass.
Garbage is garbage no m atter from
where it comes. We do not want garbage
from Washington D.C., Salem or Corval
lis.
We are the taxpayers and this is our
community.
SB 951 should be recon
sidered now, 1 think.
Maybe further
study should be given before we give Mr.
Davis more power.
Dr. George Wallace Maize. Pastor
First A M E Zion Church
Stanley Cage
Dear Editor:
I am appalled that Dexter Henderson is
being reassigned to the Albina Human
Resources Center.
I am even more
appalled that Mrs. Hazel Hays, Manager
of the Albina Human Resources Center
would accept this.
W hat makes Mr.
Davis and Mrs. Hays think the Albina
community will accept Corvallis' cast off.
Dear Editor:
P o rtla n d O b s e rv e r
Published every Thursday by Exie Publishing Company, 2201
North Killingsworth, Portland, Oregon 97217. Mailing address:
P.O. Box 3137, Portland. Oregon 97208. Telephone: 283 2486.
Subscriptions: $7.50 per year in the Tri-County area, $8.00 per
year outside Portland.
Second Class Postage Paid at Portland, Oregon
ALFRED L. HENDERSON
Editor/Publisher
The Portland Observer’s official position is expressed only in
its Publisher’s column I W e See The World Through Black Eyes).
Any other material throughout the paper is the opinion of the
individual w riter or submitter and does not necessarily reflect
the opinion of the Portland Observer.
n
I
Honorable Mention
Herrick Editorial Award
N N A 1973
2nd Place
Best Editorial
3rd Place
Community Leadership
O N PA 1975
Dexter Henderson returning to Albina.
Somebody must be kidding, The Albina
Human Resources Center is not a reha
bilitation renter for unsuccessful mana
gers from Corvallis or anywhere else.
W illie Jenkins
Spencer Barrett
Name
Address
C ity
Bobbie Nunn, Vice Chairman
AHRC Advisory Hoard
Dear Editor:
Dear Editor:
I could not believe it when I heard that
Dexter Henderson, the recently dismi»*-
ed Manager of the Corvalli« Center, was
being reassigned to the Albina Human
Resources Center.
M r. Henderson's
failure to perform in Corvallis adequately
insures that he cannot possibly serve in
any positive manner in Albina.
Again we find Albina being used as a
Goodwill box.
(M rs.) Alberta Polk
Vc, th e un derp inn ed, wlnh to p r o te a t the .appointm ent o f > i t e r Hendem o n ea
A a n ia ta n t Henagar o f the A lb in a S e rv ice C e n te r. Vc f e e l h l» p e r t r w o r d an
Manager o f the M u ltt-C e r v ie e C en ter In C o r r e ll la nnd pre vio u a e ip e r ie n r e e
A a a le te n t Heneger h e re , ra k e t h ia appointm ent t
- t , M e to aont p e rffcn n e l.
“J #
ÁJ.
Dear Editor:
Dexter Henderson coming back to
Albina. Not so. We will not have him.
W e want the State of Oregon and the
world to know that Albina is not a
garbage dump.
¿ /A
5x
-,—3 /
Mae Richie
This community is tired of decisions
being imposed upon them by the bureau
cracy. Clay Myers, Secretary of State,
chopped up the community and left it
politically powerless.
Now we find the decision has been
made to send a Corvallis reject to the
Albina Human Resources Center. This is
unacceptable to this community. W e will
not accept a reject from anywhere.
<■ - f r - t ' - * ”
<
-rXX /•
Sincerely,
Preston Richie
Dear Editor:
I am a white female and I work in the
Albina community. I was dismayed when
Clay Myers, Secretary of State, chopped
up the community in four sections,
leaving this community politically po
werless. I was even more dismayed when
I read that Dexter Henderson, former
Manager of the Corvallis Human Re
sources Center, is being reassigned to the
Albina Human Resources Center. This is
after his failure in Corvallis.
I am looking forward to the day when
all people can be treated with dignity.
ì
“
c
Alice Talbot
N e W A l PER
Baker acquitted
Aatocialion - Founded 1885
SUBSCRIBE NOW
$7.50
It was shocking to read the recent
news regarding the decision to assign M r.
Dexter Henderson as Assistant Manager
of the Albina Human Resources Center.
Inasmuch as Mr. Henderson was demoted
and suspended as manager of the Corval
lis Human Resources Center. I oppose the
exploitation of the Albina community, the
AHRC director, staff and clients it
serves.
Reverend John Jackson. President
Albina Ministerial Alliance
(Continued fro1“ p. 1 col. 6,
Tri-C ounty a re a
Dear Editor:
t tiili/
5th Place
Best Editorial
N N P A 1973
MEMBER
MEMBER
Oregon
Newspaper
Publishers
Association
1st Place
Best Ad Results
O N P A 1973
Doris Simpson
The previous Corvallis Human Re
sources Center Manager is returning to
the Albina Human Resources Center as
Assistant Manager after failure in Cor
vallis as Manager.
Tell me, M r. Editor, in the absence of
the Albina Human Resources Center
Manager would he not again be Manager.
If so, it sounds like the same old game is
being run on Albina.
Dear Editor:
1st Place
Community Service
O N P A 1973
I fail to see the logic of sending an
employee who has failed in his job as
Director of the Corvallis Human Re
sources Center bark to another Center as
Assistant Director.
In this rase, the Albina Human Re
sources Center is the loser. W hy should
the people of Albina be blessed with
second rate help. Or is it the “Siberia" of
the Human Resources Departm ent and
considered ’’punishm ent to fit the
crime?"
o th er a rea s
$8.00
M a :l to:
P ortland O b se rve r
P.O. Box 3137
P ortland, O re g o n 97208
parently investigated Baker's report of
bribery in about November, contacted
Nelson and friends, and were told about
the alleged robbery.
Nelson, his wife and his friends related
a confused and conflicting story in court.
Baker, who was represented by Attorney
Richard Helzer, took the stand to give his
account of the events that took place. His
testimony was corroberated by several
witnesses, including John Minus, a prac
ticum stu d e n t, who said he heard
Baker report the expected bribe and that
he kept records of the events until
December, when he destroyed his re
cords since no investigation seemed to be
occuring.
Also testifying for Baker were Judge
Richard Jones, who was Baker's last
sentencing judge, and Judge Pat Dooley,
both of whom related Baker's good
reputation among the judges.
Judge
Jones has often said that he considers
Baker to be "rehabilitated”.
Upon hearing the jury's verdict of not
gudty, Baker expressed the opinion that
the state will attem pt to find another
charge against him. “The county or state
will try to bring another charge against
me to discredit my Civil Rights suits
against them. They will try anything to
get rid of me.
"The jury took me as an individual, not
as merely a Black ex felon, but I have to
thank Judges Jones and Dooley for that.
This trial does not prove justice can be
had by a Black ex felon because I had
people to testify as to my character and
honesty that most Blacks off the street
would not have. I t took two white judges
to convince the jury.
“I will have no chance to get a job in
Multnomah County or the State of Ore
gon. There is still no opportunity for a
Black man to work in corrections or
criminology when he has a background
like mine.
I have spoken out on the injustices
and I intend to keep on speaking out. I
intend to insist on my civil rights.
"There are a lot of unanswered ques
tions in this rase. Why wasn't it investi
gated at the time? Why, if there was a
question of my honesty, did I receive a
favorable evaluation and a grade of A for
my work with the county? No, they just
cannot let a Black ex felon be rehabili
tated."
Baker intends to continue his suit
against the county and the state. He
applied for several correction positions
through C E T A V I funding and was
denied employment because he is on
parole.
Baker explains that the stated purpose
of the corrections division is rehabilita
tion and that if he is a product of that
rehabilitation effort, the division is rtega
ting its own effort by refusing him a job
merely because he is on parole.
J