Portland observer., April 14, 1977, Page 3, Image 3

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Portland Observer
Thursday, April 14. 1977 Page 8
From behind the wall
State Public Defender’» office, who was
the guest speaker, motivated the inte­
grated class on the subject of dealing
with appeals'.
We would like to publicly thank Mr.
Hooper for his presentation and present
ing us with valuable information he
brought forth. When asking individual
student inmates what did they learn from
the first lecture, these were the replies...
N * Exeme F *r lgMraaee Of The Law*
by Larry Baker #55021
O.S.P. Sales
On April 8. 1977, the Unit Black la w
clans, sponsored by the Black Culture
Organization was held at Oregon State
Penitentary. The trun out was so great
that many of the Black inmates as well as
whiles, had to be turned away at the
door. The main reason for this unfortun­
ate incident was basically because there
were not enough books to be adminis­
tered to each individual who wanted to
attend the class, Introduction to Adminis­
tration of Justice published by John
Wiley Hi Sons, Inc.
The Black la w class was developed to
teach the members of the Black Culture
Organization here at O.S.P. the basic
Constitution and Civil Rights & Pro
cedures that govern and guarantees all
(>eop!e in America equal protection
throughout the land, within our courts
und even behind the walls of our prisons
und jails.
Since the United States Constitution
does not recognize the color of a man’s
skin as being a barrier of its Rights,
neither did the Black Law class in
admitting its students who attended the
first lecture.
Gary Hooper, attorney of the Oregon
Babe Wilson: "A much more clear picture
I now have on ’appeals’.”
Henry Madden: “How to prepare for an
appeal during trial."
Ray Charles Maple*: “Quite a lot."
Ricaldo Dali: "One hell of a lot.”
Freddie Abraham: “It explained so much
to me."
Grady Redord: Beautiful.’’
Craig l.ieb: "That I ’m going to be here a
while."
Along with Mr. Hooper’s lecture, the
assistant instructor of the Black Law
class, inmate Rod Addicks, who also
works as the senior clerk of the O.S.P.
law library, instructed the class on the
uses of the la w Library along with other
avenues that are open to assist men in
prison, such as the following:
Marion Polk I^egal Aid, Inc.; Oregon
Inmate Assistance Program; American
Civil Liberties Union; Northwestern
la g s I Clinic; Governor Ombudsman’s
Office.
This Reporter writes this story not to
tell the public of the beautiful legal class
that has been born Behind the Wall* of a
prison, but to inform the public that there
are some prisoners who are here that
have been convicted, but are not guilty of
that convicted crime. There is no excuse
for the ignorance of the la w , as the old
story goes.
There is a class now
established that hop<*s to improve and
bring forth knowledge for those who have
been trapped by such. Once again we
urge all attorneys, judges, and people
who work in the legal profession to
contact the Black Culture Organization,
Black la w Class, 2605 State Street,
Salem, Oregon 973iO, if they wish to
volunteer a Friday evening between
7:00 9:00 p.m. in the near future, so that
they may schedule to be a guest lecturer.
T H E LA D Y IN BLACKNESS
hj Rod Addicks #37945
Once again, as so many moments
throughout the last 350 years, the
Black Woman must - and will, be
come the answer to a prayer, before
the oppressed Black Man be able to
break another ¡ink in that chain of
slavery.
Henry Thomas
San Quentin, 1964
Her name is D eEtta Hamilton, a Black
woman, native of Kansas City, Missouri,
Graduate of Bakers University, Masters
degree in Education, Bachelor of Arts in
Biology.
DeEtta Hamilton has lived in the State
of Oregon, City of Portland, for a year
and a half, teaching preparation courses
at Portland Opportunity Industrial Cen
ter (P.O.I.C.), but on March 29, 1977, she
sat inside an enclosed classroom alone
with 22 Black convicts, behind the walls
of the Oregon State Penitentiary, for her
very first time....-Black men whose edu­
cational backgrounds ranged from 3rd
grade to high school; Black men who
were between the ages of 18-44, and with
sentences from five years to life; Black
men, whose crimes ranged from car theft
to murder.
D eEtta Hamilton was teaching a
course to Men of Blackness, about their
culture and history.
She taught the
course free of charge, because there were
no funds with which to pay for her
services. Yet, this professional Black
woman gave these men a priceless gift of
knowledge in her effort to cultivate their
hungry, starving minds. She committed
herself to do this as long as she could.
Only the day before, DeEtta Hamilton
had broken her foot in a fall. Yet", here
she sat. wearing a cast after driving 50
miles from her home to this prison,
paying her own expenses out of her own
pocket.
DeEtta Hamilton is a woman of high
character, articulate. As this Reporter
listened to this woman, he could not help
LDF explain* desegregation order
The NAACP Legal Defense and Edu
cation Fund, Inc., issued the following
statment commenting on the April 1
decision by U.S. District Judge John
Pratt in the case of Adams v. ('alifano,
which was originally filed as Adams v.
Richardson in 1970.
Judge P ratt’* decision, granting a
Legal Defense Fund motion made nearly
two years ago, orders the Department of
Health, Education and Welfare to revoke
statewide higher education desegrega
lion plans which H EW had approved in
1974, and requires the submission of new
plans by September.
In this long standing civil rights case
L D F charged H EW with failure to
enforce Title V I of the Civil Rights Act of
1964 and to eliminate discrimination ill
elementary and secondary schools, state
administered special schools and institu­
tions of higher education which receive
Federal funds. L D F ’s basic charges have
been sustained by the courts in numerous
decisions.
In 1973 the U.S. Court of Appeals for
the District of Columbia, ruling on the
higher education aspects of the case,
ordered HEW to secure plans to desegre
gate postsecondary educational systems
in 10 states. L D F went back to court in
August 1975 with the motion decided
today, charging that H EW had approved
inadequate plans. Judge Pratt's decision
today agreed with that contention. H EW
must develop new criteria for desegrega­
ting higher education systems by July
1st.
The affected states are Florida, Geor­
gia, Oklahoma. Arkansas, Virginia and
North Carolina. Among the remaining
four states, Mississippi and Louisiana are
being sued by the Department of Justice;
Maryland is involved in litigation in the
Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals; matters
involving Pennsylvania are being negoti­
ated in a separate settlement.
Jack Greenberg, LDF's Director-
Counsel, and Jean Fairfax, Director of
the Legal Defense Fund's Division of
Legal Information and Community Ser­
vice. stated that LDF's objective in the
Adams cases has been to expand the
numbers of Blacks as policy-makers,
administrators, faculty,
nonacademic
staff and students in the formerly all-
white institutions and to enhance the
traditionally Black colleges.
“To allege that L D F seeks the closing
of Black institutions is a total misunder­
standing of this suit." Miss Fairfax said'
Judge P ratt’s order today agrees with
LDF's position that the burden of deseg­
regation must not be placed on Blacks.
Miss Fairfax also called upon Black
citizens groups in the affected states to
make their concerns known to Secretary
Califano as H EW developes its new
guidelines this spring.
“LDF's staff and cooperating attorneys
will continue to monitor H E W ’s perform­
ance to assure that H E W makes good the
promises of the Civil Rights laws' and
does not return to the benign neglect
philosophy which brought on this lawsuit
in the first place," M r. Greenberg said.
New mortuary emphasize* low-cost service
Worth W. Caldwell. Jr., president of
Caldwell's Colonial Mortuary of Portland,
has announced that a new (200,000
mortuary and crematorium, designed to
provide simple, low-cost funerals, will be
built at S.W. 14th & Jefferson streets.
The 2,890 square foot facility, called
"The Arbor,” is expected to be completed
in July.
Caldwell said The Arbor will be able to
handle ’’simple, dignified services at a
moderate price.” The facility will offer
earth burial or crematory service for
about $250 to $600, Caldwell said. This
compares, he added, with substantially
higher costs charged by other funeral
home sfor traditional services.
Services at The Arbor will lie simple
and abbreviated, without processions or
other frills, Mike Marquette, who will
manage the facility, said.
Families may arrange for simple burial,
simple cremation, or medical school don
ation. They can also ckooM to have a
small funeral or memorial service at The
Arbor. Embalming and viewing of the
deceased will be optional as part of any
service.
Above is a model of “The Arbor”, a new mortuary to be opened by Caldwell’s
Colonial Mortuary.
As for The Arbor's construction, the
well rounded library on death, dying,
building’s front portion will be a covered bereavement and funerals. This part o f
outdoor area and a garden will be located the memorial room’s construction will
allow the r<M>m to be used as a reading
in the rear.
The memorial room’s east wall is room.
designed to open to reveal caskets. In
The building will have natural lighting
addition, within the wall there will be a throughout.
SWP seek* class unity
by Ulysses Marshall
The American working class is facing
an intense attack on its living standards.
Worsening social conditions are causing
widespread disillusionment
Nat Weinstein, a national spokes
person for the Socialist Workers Party
says, “One of the reasons workers are
suffering the setbacks in their living
standards is because they don't have a
political movement that unites the work
era aa a da*».....Labor needs a party of its
own based on the unions and independent
of the Democratic and Republican part­
ies."
"In a nutshell
the program of the
Socialist Workers Party is designed to
unite the workers as a class in a fight for
their class interests, and to point out that
the enemy is the class of employers. The
only possible basis of this unity must be
the interests of the most oppressed and
exploited sections of society; i.e„ Blacks,
women, Chicanos, the unemployed, the
very old and the very young. Such a
program would restore the great moral
position once held by the working class.
That would make it invincible... Division
is a trick of the capitalist.”
"Moreover, the low standard of living
imposed on Blacks is used by the rulers to
drive down the standard of living of >all
working people.
During an economic
crisis such as this one, racism is actively
used in an attempt to pit whites against
Blacks, instead of against the system
responsible for exploiting all of us.
Racism prevents the working class from
uniting and realizing that we share a
common enemy the capitalist system.”
but recognize in her voice, her manners
and stylo, those golden tone* of Soul as it
captured each Black prisoner’s full atten­
tion and complete respect.
After the two hour class, this Reporter
could not wait to ask this attractive Black
woman the all important question: WHY?
He received only a smile from this
woman's lips, a smile which resembled
one of pure dedication that could only be
given in full sincerity from a friend to a
friend. Yet no answer came forth and in
full truthfulness none was needed. All
this Reporter had to do was to recognize
that he was no different than 22 other
men of Blackness who sat there in that
classroom, for like they, he also is a
convict and his skin is Black. T H A N K
YOU, I^ady of Blackness.
Effective immediately, no male or
female above the age of 12 will be
permitted past the Turnkey at OSP
wearing slacks or pants made of any
blue-denim or blue denim-like material
similar to those worn by inmates. The
test, however, will not be based on the
type of fabric, but, rather, whether the
slacks or pants resemble blue-jeans. This
is a long standing internal-management
policy and is aimed at proper identifica­
tion for security purposes. This policy
applies equally to staff, inmate visitors,
tour groups, volunteers, and official
visitors.
M AN OF T H E W E EK
•
President of UH U RU : Ray Charles Maple
#37156.
Age:
22; 6’1"; 180 pounds
(single) Born: Kansas City, Missouri;
Portland, Oregon: 3 years. Parole Date:
1977
Reporter: Ray, what charge was you sent
to O.S.P. for?
Ray: I was sentence out of Multnomah
County, back in 1972 for burglary and
given a 14 years sentence.
Reporter:
crime?
Reporter: What have you accomplished
in prison?
Ray: I ’ve got my G.E.D. and worked
with my Black Brothers so that we can
bring unity among ourselves while being
suppressed. I am learning a great thing
about Leadership as the Coordinator of
U H U RU .
Reporter:
What plans I to you
whenever you are released?
It all adds
up!.
99999$
9 9 9 9 9
99999
have
Ray:
To work among young Black
children as hopefully a counselor, if the
community will accept my past, in hope
that their children will not have to travel
the same road as I.
Reporter: Ray, the Black community in
Portland needs you, because what you’ve
given yourself we the Black prisoners
here at the Oregon State Penitentary.
We have seen your good work among us,
let's only hope that some of our Black
leaders here in the state of Oregon
contact you here in the early state and
help you deliver your dream, because you
have great leadership potential, too.
48JM0NTH
AUTO
LOANS
Why did you commit the
Designed to make a new car more affordable.
Ray: I didn’t have any job, money, the
cupboard was bare, and the rent was due.
Youth discuss
job problems
The Governor’s Conference on Youth
Employment is scheduled to be held on
April 18 at the State Fairgrounds in
Salem. The theme of the conference is
“Youth: the Neglected Resource” and will
focus on the problem of unemployment
among Oregon youth.
Sponsored by
business, labor, industry and public and
private agencies, the conference is being
coordinated by the Oregon Council on
Crime and Delinquency and the Oregon
Coalition for Alternative Human Ser­
vices.
“The goal of the conference,” said Tom
Brian, OCCD Executive Director, “is to
develop more creative and relevant em­
ployment opportunities for Oregon
youth." “It is particularly timely now,”
he added, “because of the millions of
Federal dollars that will be forthcoming
to Oregon for youth employment, and the
need for wise expenditure of these
funds.”
There will be no registration fee and a
free box lunch will be provided for all
participants.
The conference will focus on identify­
ing barriers to youth employment and
making recommendations on public policy
that will make meaningful youth employ­
ment and training possible.
For further information, contact the
Oregon Council on Crime and Delin­
quency. 228 5397 in Portland, or the
Oregon Coalition of Alternative Human
Services, 378 5805 in Salem.
Example: 48- Month Auto Loan
Amount
Financed
48 Monthly
Payments
ANNUAL
PERCENTAGE
RATE
Total of
Payments
$4,650 47 at $119 20 10 55% $5,77059
lat 118 19
Eurnple based on first payment due 30 ¿ays
after loan date
With today's sticker prices,
it makes sense that you
want m ore out of a new
car. It also m akes sense
that you want more out of
a car loan.
That's why you'll be glad
to know about our 48
m onth FirstLoan for
autos, if now's the time to
replace your present car
with a brand new one
D epending on the pur­
chase price, it gives you
more time to pay for the
new car, van, camper,
wagon or light truck you
need.
It also can save you money
w hen you borrow With
a simple-interest FirstLoan
for autos, you're only
charged interest on the
am ount you actually owe
only for as long as you
owe it.
In addition to 48-month
auto financing, First
National offers a com plete
line of shorter-term
FirstLoan auto plans
So, when you've got your
eye on a new car, we can
lend a hand with money
to buy it.
There’s a 1st time tor everything.
F IR S T N A T IO N A L B A N K
WRENCHING
BUT
TRUE
STORY
Repair leaky water faucets. Sixty drops a minute
is equal to 49 extra kilowatts and 192 gallons of water
monthly . . . down the drainl
Hie People at Pacific Power
OF OREGON