Portland Observer
Thursday, July 22» 1976
Page 3
A m e r i c a , A f r i c a m i n g l e in L i b e r i a
by Charles Ebel
(Charles Ebel is sn editor of AFrica
News in Durham. North Carolina)
(HNS) MONROVIA. LIB ERIA, July 1» -
It's a hot afternoon on Broad Street.
The Roxy Theatre's matinee of “Shaft”
has just begun, an lee cream parlor across
the street is doing a good business, and
around the corner a boutique called
Rock'n'Roll sits empty.
But it's not Houston or Topeka or
Trenton. The setting is Monrovia, a West
African city decked out in red, white,
blue and other shades of Americana. It is
the capital of Liberia, which this summer
celebrates its 129lh anniversary - A fri
ca's oldest republic.
Unlike any other African country, Li
beria uses the American dollar as its
currency, and some of the older bills
passed here have the feel of tissue paper.
But they will buy any number of items a
homesick American would appreciate.
Go to the supermarket and you can find
everything from Cheerioa to Heinz beans
to Welch's grape jelly - products not
common in West Africa. For those hook
ed on television, there is an evening offer
ing of American favorites, ranging from
Mary Tyler Moore to Mission Impossible.
But perhaps the moat important items
of Americana here are a United State
foreign aid program unparalleled in A fri
ca and the operations of several large
American companies.
The U.S. has spent more money per
capita on aid projects for Liberia's two
million people than in any other African
country. The program has cost the U.S.
more than 1200 million over the last 20 housing projects and highways.
But just 40 miles from Monrovia, at
years.
Asked about the reason behind this Firestone Tire and Rubber Co.'s Harbel
preferential treatment tor Liberia. plantation, native workers live in one-
American diplomats will refer you to the room huts without electricity, plumbing
history books. Liberia was colonized by or cooking facilities. They earn 64 cents
freed slaves from the U.S. and the Carib to $1.64 a day. With 118,000 employees,
Firestone is the country's largest em
bean.
At first this settlement was directed by ployer.
Liberia's rich natural resources and
both the American Colonization Society
and the Maryland Colonization Society, "open door" investment policy, with no
organizations in some ways similar to the restrictions on the import or export of
foreign capital, have encouraged foreign
British East India trading company.
investment. In addition to Firestone,
The settlers declared their indepen
dence from the colonization societies in which begsn operations 50 years ago.
1847 and formed a government whose B.F. Goodrich, Republic Steel, Uniroyal,
constitution and legal structure were pat Vancouver Plywood and other companies
terned after the American system. The have large-scale projects here.
According to the Economic Desk at the
flag ihey chose featured red and white
stripes, a blue field and one white star. American Embassy in Monrovia, 96 per
cent of Liberia's population has a per
The U.S. maintains a special relation
capita income of less than $87 per year.
ship with Liberia, explained one Ameri
The Americo-Liberians. as the former
can diplomate, “because it's an orphan."
Neighboring countries remain tied to settlers are called, average $3,500 a year
either France or Britain, their former per person, one of the biggest per capita
colonial rulers, and they usually receive incomes in Africa.
They live almost exclusively in the
some technical assistance. Liberia looks
to the U.S.. and. for their part, America's capital, and control the country’s political
foreign policy-makers are delighted to and cultural life. English is the official
language, although most of the country's
have a close friend in Africa.
inhabitants speak a variety of tribal dia
GAP
But the U.S. tie has helped widen the lects.
The longstanding antagonism between
gap between descendanta of the colonists
- four per cent of the population - and Liberia's native people and the settler
group is still felt, with some Liberians in
native tribal peoples.
U.S. aid, directed mainly toward Mon the interior still referring to the Americo-
rovia. now a modern highrise city, has Liberian elite as “the slaves."
built the country's international airport. GEARS OF CHANGE
Resolution of both the income gap
The city's harbor facilities and the 400
bed John F. Kennedy hospital aa well as and the ethnic resentment it breeds are a
substantial portions of the city's sewer long way off. But Liberia's present gov
system snd a number of public schools, ernment has started to admit the pro-
blem: a neglected rural population that
has received less than its fair share of the
national development budget and foreign
assistance grants.
There are pressing needs in the dense
ly forested interior. For the past four
years, Liberia's agricultural output has
been declining, partly because small far
mers' sons are leaving the village tor
laborers' jobs with industrial firms.
Much of the problem is under-utiliza
tion of available land.
With 80 per cent of the population
dependent on farming for a livelihood,
only four per cent of the land is under
cultivation. Even rice, the country's
staple food and a crop that could easily be
grown more widely in the hot rainy cli
mate, must be imported in large quanti
ties.
But according to the government, the
gears of change are in motion. Liberian
President William Tolbert now ranks
“rural development" as the top priority
for national development. Plans call for
new roads to open up remote areas, the
introduction of new farming methods and
crops and marketing schemes to get more
food into population centers and the
money economy.
And the U.S. Agency for International
Development says it is changing its em
phasis to agricultural projects, specifical
ly soil surveys and the construction of
rural access routes.
"It’s about time we looked at the inter
ior," one U.S. diplomat explained. “We’ve
done enough for people here in Monro-
Copyright PNS 1976
DEBORAH REYNOLDS
R O D R IC K H U N T E R
Phil Reynolds scholars chosen
The two winners of the 1975-76 Phil
Reynolds Scholarship are being announc
ed this week. More winners will be nam
ed in August. The first winner is Miss
Deborah Reynolds, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. R. Reynolds of Portland. She is a
graduate of St. Mary of the Valley Acad
emy, located in Beaverton. Oregon. Her
interest is Pre-Med; her grade point 3.86.
Deborah was active in the Forensics
Club, played Volleyball and Basketball
and received National Honors and First
Honors for he - fine academic work. She is
attending the University of Portland and
is continuing to be an excellent student.
She is the recipient of $500.00
The second winner is Mr. Rodrick Hun
ter, son of Mr. and Mrs. Willie Hunter of
Portland. Rodrick is a graduate of Jeffer
son High School. His interest is in the
area of Performing Arts: Drama, Dance
and Vocal Music. His grade point is 3.2.
He has studied Drama for three years,
Dance for two years, and Vocal music for
two years. He is also a letterman in
football and track. He has received many
honors in his chosen field and is a member
of the Internation Thespian Society. Rod
rick is now attending The American Aca
demy of Dramatic A rt in New York City.
He is the recipient of $500.00.
Miss Reynolds is not related to the Phil
Reynolds family.
B o s to n h o s ts U r b a n L e a g u e C o n fe r e n c e
The 66th Annual Conference of the
National Urban League will open in Boa
ton. Mass.. Sunday, August 1st, and ex
tend through Wednesday. August 4th,
when it will conclude with the annual
conference dinner at which the distin
guished historian. Dr. John Hope Frank
lin. will be the guest speaker.
During the fourday conference, a
number of special programa will be pre
sented including a commemorative ser
vice honoring Black contributions to the
building of America, and a political panel
that will feature major spokespersons
from the Democratic and Republican
partiea.
The theme of the Conference - “To
ward a New Bill of Right," - waa formu
tated to call the nation's attention to the
need to address the pressing social pro
blems of the 1st decades of the 20th
Century that were not envisioned when
the original Bill of Rights was adopted in
1791.
The Urban League of Oklahoma City
Delegation to the 66th Annual Confer
ence of the National Urban League will
be headed by Rev. James DeFriend. pre
sident. The Conference will be held in
Boston, Mass. August lst-4th and has a
theme “Towards a New Bill of Rights."
Other Oklahomans attending will be Mrs.
Mayme P. Jackson, Alternate Delegate
who is with the Oklahoma Employment
Security Commision; T. Joseph Semrod.
National Urban League Board of Trus
tees and President Liberty National
Bank; representing the Urban League
Guild will be Mrs. Estelle Carruthers.
Delegate, and Mrs. Joyce Jackson
Combs. KOCO-TV, Leroy Kirk, EEO
Office. Tinker A ir Force Base; and Jess
T. Abram. Oklahoma City Housing
Authority will participate in the Confer
ence. Staff members will include Leonard
Benton, executive director; Janice W,
NAACP leader visits Portland
by Judy Lewis
The National Treasurer Emeritus of
the NAACP. a man that has been a
member since 1924, and a member of the
National Board for 25 years, Alfred Baker
Lewis will be in town on July 22nd, 7:30
p.m. at Bethel A.M .E. Church. 5828 N.E.
8th Ave., to speak at a branch meeting.
Alfred Lewis is from Greenwich, Conn.
There he is the chairman of the legists
live committee of the Greenwich Branch.
When he lived in Massachusetts, he was
secretary of the greater Boston Branch of
the NAACP.
During the time Mr. Lewis has been in
office, he has gone before committees of
the state legislatures in Connecticut and
Massachusetts on behalf of labor. Social
Security and Civil Rights laws.
Mr. Lewis has also put out a few pam
phlets that will help the people. A few of
them are “True Freedom for Negro and
white workers," “Progress at Very De
liberate Speed." and “Why We Have Re
cessions and Depressions."
Mr. Lewis is a graduate of the Univer
sity of Pennsylvania, the college and law
school. Also, he taught a course in
economics briefly at the University of
Pennsylvania.
Mr. Lewis is an active member of many
groups. He is a member of Americans for
Democratic Action, a member of the
American Federation of Teachers, affili
ated with the AFL-CIO; and a supporter
of the American Civil Liberations Union.
Mr. Lewis was an Insurance Company
Executive and since retiring has spoken
on behalf of Civil Rights to churches,
college classes and some unions as well as
NAACP Branches.
DR. JEFFREY BRADY Sop:
Do Not Pot Off Noedod Dootal Coro”
Enjoy Dental Health New and
Improve Your Appearance
Come In At
Your Convenience
Open Saturday Morning
•
No Appointment Needed
Complete Cooperation
On All Dental
-Insurance Plans
•
Complete Dental Services
Scott, deputy director; Casey Childs II,
director of Economic Development and
Employment; Mary Hammond, Director
Educational Center and Etta Cogburn,
bookkeeper.
Thus, the first plenary session on Mon
day. August 2nd, at 9 a.m. will be devoted
to “The Right to Family Life." The
speaker will be Dr. Andrew Billingsley.
President of Morgan State University
and one of the country's leading experts
on the Black family.
Other plenary sessions and speakers
will include: “The Right to Health," Dr.
James G. Haughton. Executive Director.
Health and Hospitals Governing Commis
sion of Cook County, Monday, August
2nd. 2:30 p.m.; “The Right to Economic
Security." Dr. Andrew F. Brimmer,
former member of the Board of Gover
nors Federal Reserve System and a visit
ing professor at Harvard University.
Tuesday, August 3rd, 9 a.m.
CETA projects
improve streets
City Commissioner Connie McCready
today announced three new Public Works
projects utilizing CETA I I employees
paid principally with Federal funds. The
beginning of the projects has been made
possible by Wednesday passage of an
emergency ordinance introduced by
Mayor Goldschmidt authorizing $80,460
from the City's General Contingency
Fund to be spent for materials and equip
ment
Approximately $42,000 has been allo
cated to a street repair project for patch
ing holes and eliminating bumps in a way
that involves substantial base prepara
tion, so surface repairs last longer.
About $37,000 is earmarked for a
street name sign project that will replace
the reflective faces on over 13,000 signs
throughout the City.
A final $1.000 will be spent to fund
minor salvage operations at Stanton
Yard, the City's maintenance depot,
where there is now an accumulation of
waste materials that need to be sorted
and sold for recycling.
This ordinance authorizing expendi
tures for project materials and equip
ment follows an ordinance passed last
week permitting the City to supplement
Federal funding for the salaries of the
CETA employees involved.
Got the summer blues? - Don't know
what to do? Become a Meals on Wheels
driver. All it takes is a car, an hour's
time, and the desire to bring a nutritious
lunch and a friendly smile to your home
bound
elderly
neighbors.
Contact
LOAVES & FISHES at 288 8351 for more
information.
Union or Company Dental Insurance
Coverage Accepted On Your
Needed Dentistry
N avy
announces
EEO e f f o r t s
In an effort to ensure complete equal
opportunity for all its uniformed person
nel, the Navy will accelerate existing
programs and launch a broad range of
other initiatives as part of a new and
comprehensive Affirmative Action Plan.
The announcement of this new phase in
the Navy’s continuing effort to make
equal opportunity a reality at all levels of
Navy life was made recently by Vice
Admiral James D. Watkins, Chief of
naval Personnel, at the 67th annual
NAACP
Convention
in
Memphis,
Tennesee.
“Of the many initiatives pursued by the
Navy in recent years in affording equal
opportunity to all of its members, this
new and comprehensive program for af
firmative action is the most substantive
yet in terms of long range impact," Vice
Admiral Watkins told NAACP members.
The Affirmative Action Plan resulted
from an in-depth review and study of
equal opportunity problems, policies,
practices and programs. The study and
review were conducted by a special Task
Force convened last November by Chief
of Naval Operations. Admiral James L.
Holloway, III, USN. The announcement
of the Task Force report was made by..
VAD M Watkins on behalf of the Chief of
Naval Operations.
As VAD M Watkins stated, “The pro
gram is a sincere committment to action -
not a one-time program, but a dynamic
and sustained effort. Its success will de
pend on the enthusiastic, diligent and
conscientious support of all our Navy men
and women.”
The new Affirmative Action Plan de
fines and identifies actions which acknow
ledge the effects of the past and which
address specific and aggressive programs
to mold the present and future Navy into
a model of equal opportunity for all. The
Task Force reported that though many
minorities, in and out of the service,
recognize the important strides made by
the Navy to date, an image of the Navy as
a white, male discriminatory organization
persists among some members of the
country's minority population. The A f
firmative Action Plan is designed to insti
tutionalize equal opportunity in the
Navy. The plan will be implemented im
mediately at all major fleet and shore
commands.
CORRECTION
Mr. Deiz is a Native Oregonian with
more than fifty years and NOT Mrs. Carl
Deiz (as cited on the last page of the July
15th, 1976 Portland Observer.)
ROZELL’S
Park Free - Any Park ‘n Shop Lot
HOURS: Weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sat., 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
tk*
in
SEMLER BUILDING
Phone: 228-7545
i
Kerry Montgomery has
been driving for Tri Met
six and one-half years
now. H e’s worked his
way up the seniority
list to where he often
g ets his c h o ice of
routes. He especially
enjoys * 4 0 —Capitol
Hill/nalsey and *55
— Raleigh Hills/Linn-
ton and is currently driving the latter.
Kerry m akes a special effort to m ake sure
his passengers' com m ents on their bus ser
vice are heard by the proper Tri Met com
mittees. That kind of concern has earned
Kerry the award of July Driver of-the Month.
Better service for more people. \QjUp
Citizen of the Week
I
Venerable J. Booker is President and Chairman of the Board
of the American State Bank, which he founded in 1969.
Booker was raised In Great Bend, Kansas, where he was an
outstanding athlete. After coming to Portland he attended the
Portland Conservatory of Music, studying the fender bass. He
attended classes at Portland State University.
Booker went into real estate in 1959 and opened his own
office in 1963, which he ran until he opened the bank,
originally called the Freedom Bank of Finance.
He was appointed to the State Housing Council by Governor
McColl and is a member of the loan committee of PMSC's
Credit Union.
He and his wife, Winifred, have three children: Venerable
G., Cheryl ond Michael.
DR. JEFFREY BRADY, DENTIST
S.W. 3rd & Morrison St. Portland. Oregon
Take Elevator to 2nd Floor 3rd St. Entrance
Meet Tri-Mefs
Driver-of-tlie-Month.
fa&fo
The People at Pacific Power.
Open
10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Sun-Thurs
10:00 a.m. to 12 midnight, Fri & Sat
Use all you need
but save all you can
N.E. UNIO N A T AINSW ORTH