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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (June 16, 1977)
From behind the wall by lu rr y U I0 6 F I M m "MEET RON MARTIN” From the StreeU of Kanaaa. Missouri, to the W a lk of O.8.P. (Oregon Stele Penitentiary). “One of the reasons the Black population haa draatieally increaa ed throughout the peat three years i& G,L- prison is contributed to the lack of funds Blacks have to pay for an adequate and efftcieut legal representation. and second, the lock of Black lawyers to defend Black people properly in courts.” Those were the words related to me by this young, intelligent individual, whose desk was stacked wfth papers, books and case histories belonging to convicted murderers, rapists, burglars, and thieves of all natures -case histories of men the People and courts have consituted unfit As I sat in this tiny crowded office on the Inmates Management Floor (IM F ) here at the Oregon State Penitentiary. I could not help but recognise the serious ness in thia man's eyes as be expressed the frustration, when I informed him that 18 new commitments had just momenta earlier entered through the gates of this prison from Multnomah County. Six of those individuals were Black. Only a few days earlier. 4 out of 10 new commit ments were Black. Some of these same prisoner would become his responsibility; his responsibility to take their life hist orv. converse with their wives, children, parents or any family, loved ones and friends who would still come forward to state they cared. It was his responsibility to help theae individuals behind bars to . plan their educational and work pro grams and any other types of programs and services this prison has to offer. It is also his responsibility to evaluate what- "w* r »he prisoner makes during their court committed sentence of con finement. A responsibility that can be sometimes classified. "Daaased if yen da, er deemed M yea d e a l" Ron Martin is a counselor and for the past three years he has been the only Black counselor that O.S.P. has had. A prison population of 1800. and over 900 of these inmates are individuals of M artin’s race and culture. Although Martin haa an interracial heavy case-load, his first dedi cation is to his clients, but he states his second concern is for the welfare of his people and their plight for freedom, equality and fair treatment in this state and nation. I asked Ron Martin point blank. “What makes you qualified to counsel a prison er?" His qualifications came high. Born in Detroit, Michigan, thrity-four years ago, raised in Kansas City. Missouri, and came to Portland, Oregon at a young age. Graduated from Jefferson High School in 1901, attended the University of Oregon on an athletic scholarship. Martin was a three-letter defensive corner back in 1961-06 in which his football teammates consisted of such professional greats as Mel Renfro and Lu Bain. Martin majored in sociology, but his career was cut short by the 1960 Army draft. And as a Field Medical in Vietnam, he was wounded in action and received the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. Returning home. Martin continued his education and was employed from 1908 1973 in Portland as a counselor (Job Core), Director of Employment (Urban League). Supervisor with Parks (City Bureau of Parks), and Minority Recruiter (Portland Police Department). When asked what was his reason for choosing to work in prisons he stated, "Because I have seen from experience how so many of the kids I grew up with on the streets get here.” He credits his predecessor Jame Mason (today. Oregon State Parole Officer) as being the most influential person to prompt him to go to work for the Oregon State Penitentiary. Martin believes that the reason that so many other qualified Blacks do not want to work in O.S.P. is because of discrimina tion produced in the Salem area. He has been subjected to harrassment on a few occasions himself. Martin strongly believes that until Blacks are upgraded into the Department of Corrections, where major decisions are made govern ing people in this state penal system, that the increased percentage of Black prison ers will continue to go up. He also believes in treatment, instead Citizen of the Illeeh RON MARTIN of punishment, as the ony deterant to crime. He is a strong believer in com m unity based tre a ta s e n t c en ters, tor many of the prisoners. One of the highlights of Mr. M artin’s conversation, is the belief he has that there are many other qualified Blacks in the State of Oregon today who could obtain employment in all phases of prison and youth institutions, so the old excuse of having to recruit Blacks from another state is no longer valid. Martin, who is a bachelor, has one brother still living in Portland, Richard Martin, who has been with Northwest Weather Renewal for 21 years. Ronnie Martin, a qualified professional counselor - a Black man. Brief supports affirm ative action admission (N E W YORK) - A friend-of-the-court brief supporting school admission policies that give special consideration to minor ity applicants waa fifed here today with the U.S. Supreme Court by a coalition of 20 religious, professional, labor and The brief was fifed in behalf of the University of California, which is appeal ing a California Supreme Court ruling that found the university's special admissions policy violated the U.S. Con stitution's guarantee of equal protection. The state Supreme Court ruled on a suit brought by Allan Bakke. a white applicant who claims be was denied admission to the unviersity's Davis Medi cs! School because of the university's special program to admit more minority that Bakke i admitted even if the The California 1 existed, and, if so, to admit The U.S. Supreme Court granted the university a stay until a decision is "»ode oa the appeal. The friend-of-the-eourt brief was fifed by the National Council of Churches; Coalition of Citizens with Dis- for Democratic Action; American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. AFL- CIO; American Public Health Associa tion; Children's Defense Fund; In te r national Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, A g ric u ltu ra l Im plem en t Workers of America (U A W ); Japanese- American Citixens League; Mexican- American Political Association; National Council of Negro Women; National Edu cation Association; National Health Law Program; National Lawyers Guild; National Legal Aid and Defender Associ ation; National Organization for Women; National Urban League, Inc.; United Farm Workers of America; United Mine Workers of America; United States National Student Association; and Young Women's Christian Association. The amicus brief says that because the traditional academic criteria for admit ting students to professional schools has "an exclusionary effect on minorities” professional schools concluded that “the concept o f equal protection required the development of modes of access that would dissipate in some parts the effects of past discrimination.” “T o this end, many professional schools opted to select qualified minorities by reference to non-academic as well as academic criteria that would more broadly reflect the ability of minority applieanU to learn and practice the profession,” the brief says. " It would be erroneous, however, to conclude that this meant the admission of minorities who are 'less qualified* than whites who are rejected." "To do so would assume that qualifica tions can be measured only by reference to traditional numerical criteria. But these criteria, at best, have only limited utility in predicting academic perform ance and none in predicting professional performance.” The brief notes that 90 percent of minorities admitted to medical school despite their lower academic scores have graduated, a higher success rate than that ot white students. Pointing out that 22 percent of Cali fornia's population is Black and Chicano, the public-interest organisations contend that "essential fairness” requires minor ities be included in a publicly supported medical school. Studies have shown a "direct link between minority physicians and im proved delivery of health-care services in minority communities,” the brief asserts, adding that "minority professionals tend, to a very substantial extent, to practice in minority communities and....they do so to a far greater extent than do white doctors.” All of the students admitted to Davis Medical School under its special admissions program expressed interest in serving disadvantaged communities, the brief says. I t also argues that "the admission of minorities diversifies the student body and permits faculty and students »like to derive the benefits of an integrated education.” Among the benefits of increasing the number of minority doctors would be to provide "a source of leadership to minor ity communities” and to show minority youth "the feasibility of educational and professional advancement,” the brief says. I t stresses that there is no practical way to appreciably increase minority enrollment in medical schools without a special admissions program because the pool of applicants who meet and surpass traditional entrance requirements is so large. The special admissions procedure has "still afforded whites the large prepond erance of the admissions places and, indeed, more places than their proportion of the population in the areas served by the school,” the brief says. Noting that the Supreme Court haa ... approved “ race-conscious measures deSigned tO overcome thd legacy of discrimination against minorities,” the aafees brief declares that "our national efforts to eradicate racial discrimination recognize the desirability of voluntary corrective efforts.” The friend-of-court brief was prepared by Richard B. Sobol of the Washington, D.C. firm Sobol & Trister. Carter appoints Black woman US Treasurer Carter hat , _____ ____ Axis T . Morton of Annandale, Va^ to serve as Treasurer of the United States. Ms. Morton, a Black, has been serving as staff assistant to the U.S. House District Committee, and has been involved for several years in Equal Employment Opportunity activities. Ms. Morton was born February 1,1986 in Dale, Texas, and received a B.S. from Huston TtUotson College in 1966. From 1968 to 1961 Morton was an administrative assistant at the Texas State A FL-C IO is A »»»is. She served as an administrative assistant and commun ity relations specialist for the President's Committee on Equal Employment Oppor tunity and the President's Committee on Equal Opportunity in Housing from 1961 to 1966. From 1906 to 1968 Morton was a complaint investigator and conciliator for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. She was director of social service for the Wichita, Kansas Model Cities Program from 1968 to 1971. Morton was special assistant to the chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 1971 until 1977, when she went to work for the House District Committee. She was deputy convention manager for the 1976 D em ocratic National Con vention. In 1975 and 1976 she served on the D N C s Compliance Review Commis sion, and in 1974 she was vice chairperson of the Arrangement Committee and deputy conference manager for the 1974 Democratic Conference oi Party Organi Ceuter schedules health day People sometimes wait until they have the symptoms of a disease before they seek medical assistance, not wanting to add the weight of exhorbitant medical fees to a financial onus. Facilities to assist the poor may be available but the public m ar not be aware. “That's why we are having Health Day at the Education Center,” said Lucious Hicks, Director of the Portland State University Education Center and sponsor of the medical assistance program to be held Friday, June 24, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Center, located at 4816 N .E. 7th Avenue. The Multnomah County Health Depart ment, the University of Oregon Commun ity Dental School and the Health/Help Clinic will offer a variety of tests, health checks and information free of charge on various aspects of community health for children and adults during "Health Day". The County Health Agency will give sickle cell anemia screening tests, blood pressure cheeks, vision testing and vari ous innoculations for disease prevention- D PT, Polio, measles, and whooping cough shots for children; diptheria and tetanus shots for adults. Parents are encouraged io bring The Multnomah County Health Depart ment will also provide several education programs including self-testing for breast cancer for women, a video taped cancer education program, information on how to reduce childhood accidents in the home and literature will also be available on venereal disease, cancer, sickle cell anemia, parenting, family planning, blood pressure and the services offered by the County Health Department. Visual cavity checks, a videotaped presentation on proper brushing, flossing and nutrition, as well as information on the sugar content of foods, will be provided by the University of Oregon Community Dental School. Those who attend the videotaped presentation will receive sample tubes of toothpaste and a toothbrush. The H ealth/II«!p Clinic will set up a booth with information on nutrition. In the event that maladies are uncover ed. follow-up programs can be arranged with the proper agency. Free parking and babysitting will also be provided. "Not oniy. is it a medical services program," said Hicks. "But it is an educational program as well. This is intended to impress on the community that iiMuicsi security is a must." sation in Kansas City. Highland Park College from 1967 to 1970. The President named Claud Anderson of T allahassee, Fla., to eerve as Federal Co-Chairman of the Coastal Plains Regional Commission. Anderson has been advisor and education coordinator for Florida Governor Reubin Askew since 1971 and was named Black Educator of the Year by the Black Women's Political Caucus in 1975. Anderson was born September 1,1986, in McCormick, S.C. He received a B.S. (1961), M.S. (1966), and r'n.D. (1970) from Wayne State University. From 1961 to 1970 Anderson was a teacher in the Detroit Public School System. He also worked part-time as a counselor at Wayne County Community College from 1967 to 1969 and as an instructor at Use all you need but save all you can . . . The People at Pacific Power () SMITH See This Today! fa m o u s , to p -q i a l i y W h ir lp o o l BIG VALUE RANGE .♦ In 1967 he served aa a reeearch investigator in Detroit under the Safe Street and Crime Act. and in 1968 he was an administrative assistant with the Detroit Police Department. In 1969 he was assistant principal at Moore School for Socially Maladjusted Boys in Detroit. In 1970-71 Anderson was a professor of educational sociology at Florida A R M University and Florida State University. Recessed Spillguard* top President Carter also announced the appointments of two other Blacks: James R. Burgess, Jr., of Champain, Illinois, to be U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Illinois; and Ms. Gofer T . Butcher, of Washington, D.C. to be assistant admin istrator of the Agency for International Development for Africa. Gates retains VP role When the National Board of the National Council on the Aging, Inc. met in Baltimore June 9th and 10th, a part of the schedule included a visit to Baltimore's Waxter Center which is regarded as the outstanding center serving older people in America today. The June 10th highlight waa a meeting at the National Institute on Aging. NCOA Board member D r. Robert Butler is Director of the National Institute on Aging and also author of the Pulitzer Prize book Why Survive. During the N IA facility orientation members were acquainted with some of the aging focused research projects currently in process there. Afro-Americans on the NCOA National Board include Miss Katherine Dunham (Director, Performing A rts Center. East St. Louis, DI.), Osly J. Gates (National Vice President of NCOA and Executive Director of the City-County Commission Robert "Pickle” Lewis is a 1977 graduate of Grant High School, the son ot M r. and Mrs. Bobby Lewis. An outstanding athlete, Lewis in senior year waa a member of the All State Football Team, the A ll City Football Team, and earned Honorable Mention on the All American High School Team. He was selected for the second team of the All City Basketball Team for 1976-1977. He is a member of the Hall of Fame of Grant High School. Lewis accepted a four-year athletic scholarship to the University of Washington, turning down similar offers from the Universtiy of Oregon. Pittsburg, and Ohio. This summer, Lewis is employed at Gand Tree Sells and is assisting with the Maurice LuCas Basketball Clinics. A t the age of 19, Lewis looks forward to a bright college career. on Aging, Portland, Oregon), Hobart Jackson (Executive Director, Stephen Smith Geriatric Center, Philadelphia, Pa.), Dr. Maruice Jackson (Associate Professor, Department of Sociolow, University of California at Riverside), D r. Inabel B. Lindsay (Former Dean, School of Social Work. Howard University, Washington, D.C.) and D r. W alter Robin son, Jr. (Assistant Professor, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois). Jackson is a Past National Vice Presi dent of the NCOA. A t the June Board meeting Gates was reelected to a second term as National Vice President. Gates serves on the Executive Committee and is chairman of the Committee on the Urban Elderly. He is cited along with several other board members in the Foreword and Index of the boo» When Your Parents Grew O ld by Jane Otten and Florence D. Shelley (1976, Funk A Wagnalla). Plug-in surface units RDE-3020 M an y easy-cooking and easy-cleaning features at a budget price. Push-to-turn "infinite" heat controls lets you set the exact temperature you need. Bake/Broil & surface unit indicator lights. Remov able oven door. Large storage drawer below for utensils. Large capacity oven *248 OH-SU m I S a rk ia « ... IA S V T H M S wM> w e g iv e y o u m o r e . . . SMITH h o m e fu r n is h in g s 30Ui and S.E. 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