Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 2, 1976)
35 ■ : Pag» 8 Portland Thursday 197« bevo been by wit t sad frssu a i af tbs ■tag m the other aède MAACP H a ro ld W illiam s $ (Continued from page 2 cot 31 Why de yea wfab ta b a | enfaad Branch NAACP? laymen and sing "We The thing now is that w ra te a !Ib a N AA CP - n o t “s b a lT - b ours. And have to bo the Tba first i ta f tba The N A A C P i that affect pent The main reason I am running is because he Portland N A A C P needs a new face. The aid soldiers have done a beautiful job and I say that with a lot af respect. New there needs to be young people oa the front and a change in the image of the N A A C P . bringing more young people and getting them involved. W e are in a progressive environment - our city is progressive; the state; the county. I f we don't look at the N A A C P from a brood, national scope, not just from a local framework, we will diffuse the effects of the N A A C P and we will not be able to be a strong political force. A t one time the Portland N A A C P was strong. People listened. I t had an effect in the court and in the legislature A t the present time it does not have that impact. I think if I were president of the N A A C P . I could change that around and bring a new positive Image. I have had the exposure. I've had the P.R. contacts, the media, etc. that would help the Portland N A A C P get on its fact. I have fnends that are young, old - who are willing to work and make the N A A C P a functional organization again in Oregon, the way it should be. * to to * »sue» r. ("People of . H with effect those who are also some of those people who are in good stead, sensifying them to the needs of all people. W here we have made a mistake in tbe N A A C P in the past is putting it in one category ant! assuming that we are only relating to Black people. When we say "People of Color" we are talking about every rare of people. W e are taking about the Chicanos. the Orientals. Blacks, every racial minority that you can think of - bring them in and showing that we as a caucus, a cohesive group, can bring about change that has a political force I f we do not get ourselves together as a caucus of people under the helm of the N A A C P we will never he considered a relevant group n il) with a voice in the community. W hen that community w together, under tbe helm of the N A A C P . then people w ill listen. They aril1 ‘"»ten if you have members. I t has just been shown in the last presidential election that it people are together, they have power. I f they are separated, no one listens. I think that is the status of the N A A C P a t this tim e - ft b separated and it b a social d u b to a small group of N A A C P. pauo is joba. affect our kids and our^ employed. You see sefa teaching our kids the te o u ri that are not Yst have no political voice because w e a re not active in our community. The answer b in bringing all of those fi that if w e don't w ill happen in our community. Our kids are b u i ^ poisoned from a m eatal standpoint burs use they are not getting a pr, we are paying the tax. W e , speaking o that. The N A A C P . as a group, can to W e can ab o talk about our political activities in our We can abo talk about the jo b s I f re should have a pereenl of those jobs - not necessarily from a ical standpoint, not necessarily from * liberal" standpoint, but a standpoint th a t b just to tbe people. I f you're going to milk us id our properties thee w benefit by having a p a rt of tba Portland is the central location - it is the high p a n t in Oregon, and if tbe Portland N A A C P is M l functional, to « . Oregon's N A A C P fa net functional. I think it b time th a t w e gut ft moving in the rig ht fa tba I am educated. I have a Education, a Master's. I have the University a f v -|g ra h ria . in Yugoslav». I have been in many positions of management. I'v e bad my own consul taat firm , C o n db tora. Inc.: a T .V . show dealing w ith the media oa K G W far four years; I directed the Portland Stale University Education Center for 2 years: I was Equal Opportunity Coordinator in the State Executive D epartm ent far t 'A years: and at present I have been Director of A ffirm a tiv e Action far tbe State of Oregon fa r the past year - the first Black ever appointed th at position Governor Straub. In 1973. I was tbe firs t Black to ba named Pertbad Jayese af the year - which fa ranking with Goldschmidt. McCall - soma of the elite af our state 1 thiah that b quite an hotter. I have been reepanaibb far tbe em ployment af ever 400 people in state government in tbe b a t 3 years. P u ttin g ft where ft counts, making sure people have joba. making sura they can take th e ir kids to tbe functions and have the proper environment for thoir children - I ’ve been a p art of th at and I figure th a t all of these experiences give me tbe skills necessary to lend the N A A C P . In the 1990a I was President of tbe N A A C P Youth Group aa well as Regional Youth President. I have been active off and on since the early 1900a. Being involved as a youth, a young adult, and to my present age. I know the people from the tim e I was cutting th eir yards until now in a position of responsibility with the state. I am not on an ego trip because I ’ve had notoriety a f my own; 1 have a job: I'm secure w ithin myself as a I don't have to put anybody down or play ego trips. I can do tbe job sad achieve and be happy th at other people I don't have to get into a negative attitude of insuring th a t I become the "only" and be the only bgbt t h a t » seen a t the helm of the N A A C P as have done in the M a t. your jab? P > you I don't think there fa a What I do in my private life b my private life. If any job deprive» a recognised and counted as a man. then that person is not deserving of th at job and th at job b not deserving of that To be president of the N A A C P b a commitment of a Black nun I think the problem that Blacks have faced in Port Land b that we are too quick to fall on the laurels of the security of a job when in fact there b no security in any position. Tbe only security th at a person has is within o m s self. So there b no conflict p ro o r con. I think, if anything, my job ae A ffirm ative Action D irector for the State would enhance the role of president of the N A A C P . I t would provide the opportunity to bring tbe true issues to the people we should deal with. I t would bo a positive farce in uniting the N A A C P w ith the total masses of the State of Oregon from a pooitive viewpoint. I would think the Governor would look at ft from a positive attitu d e because ft b a national organisation that has proved itself through h bto ry. You cannot assume that anyone hat security - if you look at the m erit system, all a person has to do b to abolish the position. There is no security. I f you are not doing your job you should be dismiss ed. I f you speak out and are counted as an individual, w ith pride and dignity, I don't think anyone w ill penalise you far t h a t I think the penalty in the past that has been inflicted on minorities, and on Blacks in particular, b because we haven't stood up and boon counted and therefore w e have been punished for being weaklings and not for being men. There b no conflict in me becoming President of the N A A C P . Eugene Jackson - the poor v « establishment the rich and the Some of these political wolves that we have out here are making the poor people and tbe senior dtisens th eir m— t i So I think I a m do a good job. I think it b about time that tbe N A A C P got some better leadership. I t has always been in tbe post that you had to be a preacher to be president of tbe N A A C P . It appeared that way to the people and that turned a lot of people off. We need somebody with s little bit more desire to carry out the wishes of the people who are members of the N A A C P . This should be not solely to take that position to protect yourself in your job or the flattery of ft or w hatever some of these people feel this will do. I think some af these candidates are running for this office just to protect themselves on the job because they are What should he tbe rale ef tbe N AA CP fa Portland and fa Orvqoo? The N A A C P should participate in practically everything that is going on this state - find out the w h a u and the wftys in employment. Unemployment in thi^ community » terrib ly high - ft’s over 40 per cent w ith the young people and about 25 per cent with the adults. don't have any tenure or can't get any - they stay on probation far years and never advance. T h e m hind of things are some of the issues th at w e would take a look a t - talk to the board about. I t would be their derision to make about all of a b ility . I am aw are of the numerous opportun ities available to tbe people through our government and w ant to aee ft w ork far I solicit your support for election to the of tbe NAA CP. This job As an authority on Equal ] Employment would be one - tbe a t y ’s behavior in their employment practices; mistreatment of youth and community people by the police department. I think N A A C P «lectio n and carry them out to tbe bant a f my fu rth er human rights. incompetent on their own jobs. I can think of two of them that have good joba. can do a lot for the community and the people in tbe State of Oregon, .the minority people and non-minorities also I. I also feel they should take a look at that maa because w e're not looking so much a t Black versus w hite anymore: we're ta lk ing about the "haves' and tbe “have nots" As an active m ember of M ino rity Sntorprise fa r several years and through my contact w ith tbe N A A C P I have stayed aw are of tts needs and its O pportunity, A ffirm a tiv e A e ti Civil Righto Law s, alao as past tive Action Conaultaat fa r state and local government. I have bee: if we can get t base tw o things salved. I think that w ill keep a person p retty well busy. There should be more Black teach ers in tbe high schools. I understand tbe ones we have now are just people who _J M r job? D e ys« fa n e s There are no conflicts of interest in my job whatsoever. Basically w hat I am doing now ■ utilizing all the laws - federal laws and so forth - to get employment far m inority people. So ft wouldn't endanger my job o m fat. I don't know of anything th at would hamper ma. I d e n t have to aasw er to a bam other than tbe board I have and I'm sure th at they go along w ith tbe goals of tbe N A A C P . On Sunday, December 12th, the Notionol Association for the Advancement of Colored People will hold the election of it» new officer» and board member» for 1977-79. The election will be held between 5:00 p.m. and 6.00 p.m. ot Hughe» Memorial United Method!»» Church, 111 N.E. Foiling Street. Elli» H. Casson, President BIG VALUES1 John H . Jackson Why de yes wfab to be Portland Branch N A A C P? Actually, as far as the concerned. I was asked to run and that was how I happened to be running. I had told .President) Casson th at I would serve as his vice president. T hat was before he decided not to run again. Then when he resigned. <CA) W hite and (James) Lee came to me and asked if I would run for the presidency. I said it wasn't my intention in tbe beginning but if they thought it would be acceptable to tbe nominating committee, I would run. I am running because I have been in the N A A C P for quite a while, s in « I became an adult and 1 had been an officer in the N A A C P . I had been an officer back in Pennsylvania before I came out here to the W est Coast. I am running because I think I can be of service W h a t should be tbe role of tbe N A A C P fa Portland and fa Oregon' The role of the N A A C P locally always ought to be to deal with the issues that come before us locally. I think we have some of the same issues that exist in other places. I'm talking about jobs and discrimination in employment and vari ous other things that come before us -- juvenile problems, youth growing up. Blackness and all of the other things that effect us. We don’t have what I consider the essential thing - like back east and especially in Pittsburg, if we didn’t fate something we had enough votes along with somebody else to put those people out of office, or to w ithdraw our support from the various organizations that re fused to hire us and not buy from them. Economically we injured them and that is how we got some things done. W e don't have that kind of support here, so what do you do? I guess the N A A C P in this area has to be kind of like • Knat He just annoys people about things. By annoying them he tries to get them to go in the way he wants them to go and to do the things the way he wants I think if it wasn't far people in this area - I m talking about white people - who were .avorabie, we would h a v a difficult time So it is up to us to deal with the issues and try to ge: people along with us to go in a way that we can be functional in a local problem W hat i ssues de yes believe tbe Pert Une u.,.«o^uMrut .» X real g- -d:« * u e . . . I Betty White, Secretory S M IT H 'S fa m o u s, to p -q u a lity think ours » about four per cent to rig h t per cent aa far as Black people are concerned in this area of the country. I think we haven't troubled in a sense to get a good image in Albina. W e have trouble because people think we got too much money as Model Cities and now some other areas are saying they should get the money and we not get it because we got it from Model Cities. I think a good image is important. Tm not sure I understand fully the problem at the Portland Metropolitan Steering Committee - and whether ft fa a discrimination thing or a racial thing or an economic thing - I think we ought to be dealing with it because any issue like th at has a tendency to cast a shadow across bow Black people operate in this district. Any time anything interferes with how we operate it should be dealt with. There are other things like the coo- tractors and their getting jobs and tbe kind of thing Harold > W illiams) is doing down there and the sort of thing Mrs. Plummer is doing and the sort of thing we are doing at City H all with respect to Civil Rights in employment- I think we have to deal with t h a t Basically, in »sues, if we are going to be an issue oriented organization - and I think we are an issue oriented organiza tion - we have to sort of play it by ear and when tbe issues come up then we deal with them. Basically too. our responsibil ity as an organization » to the people who have no voice. A lot of people like tbe poor, etc don't have a voice in C ity Hal! and don't have a voice in the state. I t » up to us. W e might not be able to change it but by becoming involved we can make more people aware of tbe fact that here w an issue which people who are like minded, by being informed, can become more concerned about. for the So as far as working w ith this kind of thing is concerned. I think I have done ft most of my life. I paraded all over tbe country w ith M a rtin L a th e r ITmg and I started in I9 6 0 when w e w ent to W ash ington far the firs t tim e when w e w ere fighting for the educational thing. I did ft in N o rth Carolina when I worked there. I was o m of the first people to r * * 4“ ? * ^ in demonstrations a t D u ke U niversity to get eonstderstioo from th a t sort of pompous organization. I was around in North Carolina in various areas far the State Convention, w orking on how to get Black people into political positioM. When 1 look back at w hat I did with the school board in Rochester. Pennsylvania, with the C ity Hall in Pittsburg, and the state of Washington and here in Oregon. I think I know a little M t about w hat goes on down a t C ity Hall. I was in Model Cities and I think I know a fat about this kind of reaction. How ever, previoudly. mine has been an effort to w ork in w hat I call a compromising, cooperative position in try in g to get things done. I told Lee when he had me sign tbe document (agreeing to serve as president if elected). " I w ant you to know that Tm not going to put this in front of the church." I w ant to make it clear that if a t any tim e there is a conflict between what ■ in the church - I am talking about the job and not issues - if the church wants my time and the church thinks I'm giving too much time Til have to do what the church says. this role fa tbe I think when ft comes down to my functional kinds of things, basically as a chuch person, I think th a t morality has to be considered. I don't think that I could I was part of the poverty program. T itle IV ; I'v e been a member of the Tri-County Community Council; Tve been a State W elfare Commissioner; Tve been a member of tbe Executive Board of United W ay; Tve been president of the Council of Churches, which is Ecumenical Ministries now; I'v e been head of depart ments in our own Convention - American Baptist in various areas, particularly ro a ri. I had a state job in Washington for the Convention. I was a stati spokesman for integration problem« an I w ent s | over the stole of Oregon in the context of being Home Mtes^-nary Represents..ve indiscriminately not give my moral opin ion to get things done and I think that sometimes this might be somewhat of a conflict, but I ’m not going to stop being a church person and Tm not going to stop being a minister of my Baptist Church. I f ft looks tike it was something that might interfere with that, then the vice presi dent will just have to take that part over. I haven't been bothered after taking strong stands on issues. This church was a life membership in the N A A C P before I came here. M y predecessor. Reverend Clow, had been president of the N A A C P and worked w ith ft very closely W e've had presidents out of the church like H a rry W ard. James Lee has been a regional mam C. A . W hite, chairman. W hen the N A A C P had a crisis, they had told us th a t if we gut contributions by tbe firs t Sunday it i be so late because they needed tbe mooey before tbe firs t Sunday in Septem ber. So w hat I told tbe people was that I was going to take the position th at w e could sent the thousand dollars out of our treasury and they could bring tbe money hack to m e the next Sunday in gifts, and they brought over a thousand dollars back to me w ithin tw o weeks. I s rk n f them to give no a half day's w ork or something like that. W hat I am saying is that if the people can do th a t w ith respect far the N A A C P . th ey certainly must have some regard far them . Accepting my word, th e ir confidence made them bring up the money w e had already spent. I really think th a t’s a good w ay of saying they support tbe N A A C P . ehurchwiae. because I didn't give any more than anybody else. W hether I win o r lose. I'm still going to support the N A A C P . Loot year I was chairman of the Housing Block G rant (committee) set up from tbe N A A C P . although we elected Belton (Ham ilton) to be our Chairman. I supported them and attended moot of our meetings when we met w ith representatives from C ity Hall. I supported them when we met all the Commissioners about how they w ere going to vote on block grants. W e carried that rig ht on out until we got to tbe end of the year, which is now. and w e’ve had Belton’s report a couple of weeks ago. So that finuhes that. I was vice president when (Grady) Brown was here and I worked with Brown aa vice president and at that time w e w ere doing more political things, or it seemed as though we w ere doing m ore political things. Almost every tim e some thing came up Brown and I w ere down to Salem meeting this committee and that committee trying to make it possible for us to hold the laws that w ere determining discrimination, and we worked very hard to get some teeth in our laws down there. Whirlpool feotures you'd expsel Io find only in higher priced models. Two wothing and two «pin ipaadt. Throe cydsa: NO RM AL. GENTLE end SOAK. Cool-down curs for Permanent Pro» fabric*. 3 Wash rims water temp soloctions. 2 load-size water-saving selections. Easy-to-cisan titer. Heavy duty 1 /2 hp. motor, super SURGILATOR agitator. lac-P ak Laundry Information Center. LDA-4000 •260 Permanent Press Dryer Cool-dawn cars far Permanent Prets. Extra large Snt screen. Largs 5 9 cu. ft. drying drum. Push-to- start button; automatic door shut off. Bok Pak Laundry Information Center puts up for sosy rtf- •168=t LDE-3000 U Í Y TUBS W e had a discrimination law, but we euuldn't punish anybody if they didn’t do ft. We worked very hard to get a law that if the.' didn't go along there would be some kind of penalty. Even if I don't win. I'm going to go on working. I have an interest in people's righto, interest and equity and justice. Tm also interested in people - w here they live, where they work., how th ey’re treated in courts. Tm interested, that has nothing to do directly. but only m directiy. to the N A A C P . It's a concern of mine and ft has been a concern of mine. c m i/ic iz N fa