Portland observer., April 20, 1978, Page 2, Image 2

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Portland
Thursday. Apnl 20. 197»
I II—
I
Local NAACP may never be the same
We see the world
through Black eyes
b> Herb L. (.aw lherne
h i Herb L. Cawtborae sod
DeAaa Hamilton
Support your Superintendent
We must support Dr. Blanchard in his tronsfer of
Harold Anderson, principal of Benson Technical
School Benson is a fine school and Anderson has
done o good iob over the years No one would deny
that
But Benson has not kept poce with the many social
and legal changes that are taking place currently.
In a time of declining enrollment, with other high
schools bemg closed and programs being eliminated
because of the smaller number of students. Benson
has been maintained as the district's second largest
high school.
If Benson is truly o unique school, with high
academic standards and stiff entry qualifications --
why is it the district's second largest school?
Benson olso has been neorly untouched by racial
Oesegregonon as its recruiting practices have select­
ed so many white students from Jeff and Adams as
to negatively effect the rocial balance of those
schools.
Benson's Black enrollment stands at 8 3 percent,
slightly up from last years 6.3 percent. The female
enrollment remains extremely smoll. In the past
Anderson has not considered many Block students
qualified, although qualifications seem to be a myth
¿Mtkw '?Wtl
when we find over 200 white Benson students faking
federally funded remedial classes His more recent
efforts have not been great enough
There are mclications that Anderson refused or at
least neglected to carry out school district policy and
directives If this is true, the Superintendent hod no
alternative but to move him.
Although moving
principals around should not be used as punishment
or a threat, sometimes it is necessary.
Now that public anger and frustration over the
move has come to the surface — along with the
threat to defeat the upcoming school levy — we think
the Superintendent should answer the people's
questions and discuss the reasons for Anderson's
move. It is right that this was not done earlier as on
effort to protect the man's reputation, but in the face
of organized opposition the truth should be known.
The School Board should publicly support the
Superintendent. We con assume that at least some
of the School Board members were consulted or
odvised m this matter and know the reasons for the
difficult and unpopular decision
These are our
elected representatives — the ones we selected to
lead the district.
They should take it upon
themselves to support the Superintendent
No more delay
from Attorto Inquirer
Hopefully, by the time this is printed, the city
powers will have put aside all petty grievances and
differences of opinion — at least for the moment —
so that Atlanta can get bock to the business of
moving forward. In that connection, one of the first
things these powers need to do is settle the public
safety commissioner issue. Alreody too much time
has been spent in arguing about whether A.
Reginald Eaves should have been suspended or
should not have been suspended
Then when it
appeared the issue hod finally been settled, contro­
versy again reared its ugly head.
Lee P Brown, apparently an excellent choice to
succeed Eaves as public safety commissioner, ap­
peared to have been acceptable even to some
pro-Eaves factions. AH that remained following his
selection by Mayor Maynard Jackson was the
formality of confirmation by the City Council. But
when Eaves, the suspended commissioner, decided
to appeal his suspension to the City Council, that
meant — or could mean — a delay in Brown's
appointment, which is to become effective Moy 1st.
It has been sad about Brown that he "knows how
to communicate" and that he is skilled in "bringing
diverse foctions together." Unfortunately for Brown
and for Atlanta, certain diverse foctions must be
brought together before he can even get into office.
Some members of the City Council have openly
supported Eaves in his claim that he was unjustly
suspended; other members of the Council hod called
for Eaves' resignation even before the Mayor
suspended him. Now these members of a divided
body must rule on Eaves' appeal and, depending on
the outcome of that ruling, decide what to do about
commissioner elect Brown.
We are not naive enough to believe that the ouster
of Reginald Eaves has resulted in any increase in
either crime or police brutality. No one man is that
powerful Besides, that's like saying if Caves decided
to leave town, the same negative results woula
appear. We do believe however, that the foct that
the city is without a public safety commissioner just
might cause some people to take liberties they
wouldn't otherwise take.
We also believe that, whatever Brown will be able
to do, should he ever get into office, will depend o
great deal on the cooperation of everyone concern­
ed If he doesn't take office, then the same thing will
apply to w h o m ever the Mayor picks to take this
place, or Eaves' place. The foct remains that our city
needs a public safety commissioner who, along with
the cooperation of the citizenry, con help make
Atlanta safe for everyone.
What we don't need is another delay.
The words used to inspire the thrust of
the Niagara Movement in 190». a move
ment which later contributed to the rise
of the National Association for the Ad
vancement of Colored People, could be
wisely used to justify the need for the
N A A C P ’s existence today:
“W e will not be satisfied to take one jot
or title less than our full manhood rights.
W e claim for ourselves every single right
that belongs to a freeborn American,
political, civil and social; and until we get
these rights we will never cease to
protest and assail the ears of America."
In July. 1978, the ears of America will
have to turn toward Portland. Oregon,
the cite of the N A A C P national conven
lion. Recognised worldwide as an im
pressive forum on civil rights and race
relations, the N A A C P gathering here in
Portland might dynamically alter the
political and social fabric of Blacks living
in the state of Oregon. Certainly its
about time something brought this unas
suming Black community together “to
protest and assail the ears" of the citizens
of this slate until "we claim for ourselves
every single right that belongs to a
freeborn American." The coming conven­
tion may be the thrust that pushes our
local community unstopably toward im
proved existence for all Blacks in this
state.
Reverend John Jackson, president of
the local N A A C P chapter, hopes that the
convention will have a positive affect on
the willingness of Blacks in Portland to
take part in the affairs of the NA A C P. He
thinks the coming together of so many
“knowledgable” people will infuse our
"lathargic" community with the spirit of
W é . A /éU To Vote
TOGETHER. . .
hou) 0<Ar
S t r e f t j K ÖA
¿lectvûfh
T o ld You Blood
Was BadU»
Too Horrig "Runs
Today/H
by Harold C W illiam s
The candidates for election visited the
Black community Sunday. April 18, 1978.
and gave their presentation on what they
would do it they were elected, and what
they would continue to do if they were
re-elected.
There is no doubt about it, the Black
vote is important in this coming election,
as shown by the number of candidates
catering to the Black community.
It is of great importance to the Black
community that it not miss the opportu
nity to have a say in the destiny of the
YOU DESERVE
Portland Observer
Published every Thursday by Exie Publishing Company. 2201
North Killingsworth. Portland. Oregon 97217 Mailing address
P .0 . Box 3137. Portland. Oregon 97208 Telephone: 283 2486
Subscriptions: 17.50 per year in the Tn-County area. $8.00 pei
year outside Portland.
6 arsed Class Postage Paid at Pertfaad. Oregon
The Pert la ad Observer's official position is expressed only in
its Publisher's column IW e See The W orld Through Black
Eyes). Any other material throughout the paper is thagipinion
of the individual w riter or submitter and does not necessarily
reflect the opinion of the Pertiaad Observer.
ALFRED L HENDERSON
Editer/Publish 11
M E f^ B R
‘/•MSP-______
•=^■1 O re g o n
N ew spaper
’
Publishers
S IV 5 Ï2 1 Association
N
affairs of the State.
The year 1978 should be the rebirth of
the Black community, flexing its muscles
at the ballot box and not flexing longue
muscle at the corner tavern spilling out
rhetoric.
The Black community has a lot at
stake. The Black head of the house has
the highest unemployment rate in the
state.
Unemployment for the Black
youth is forty percent and upward. Pro
perty taxes are going up. there are
changes in the education area that will
affect Black children. It is important that
the Black community let their presence
be known. This time, the Black commu
nity should decide what the ground rules
*re going to be. with a united front shown
by the leadership of the Albina Mini
sterial Alliance, the N A A C P and the
Urban League.
If the Black community stays united, it
can be the deciding force on who is
elected and who is not.
In this election year, remember the
“Johnny Come Lately s" with a “NO"
voU. and give "Reliable Sam" a “YES"
vote. This election is very simple
do
you choose to eat or starve? Ix> you
choose for your children to be educated or
do you choose for them to be ignorant?
The choice is yours, but P LEA SE vote!
Brotherhood not deadl
vast United States.
Unlike some other unions of the time,
the Brotherhood was more than an
economic movement. I t was also a civil
rights movement. Although the porters
recognized the importance of unifying
workers of all races, they never pulled
their punches in criticizing the bother
some racial practices of some A F L
muons.
A t every A F L convention, except the
Vancouver meeting of 1929. Brotherhood
delegates introduced and organized sup
port for resolutions demanding the elimi
nation of “color bars" and other diacrimi
ns tory practices used by certain Federa
txxi affiliates. On occasion, the charges
and counter-charges became somewhat
bitter
But. like the porters, the A F L
soon came to the realization that a
racially divided work force benefited
neither white nor Black workers. Racial
division, the Federation and Brotherhood
understood, only strengthened the posi
Several weeks ago, many Black news
papers throughout the country mourn
fully - and mistakenly - reported the
"death" of the venerable Brotherhood of
Sleeping Car Porters.
While it is
certainly true that the 53 year old union
of Black porters signed a merger part
»nth the much larger Brotherhood of
Railway and Airline Clerks, the old
Brotherhood is far from dead.
A t the time of the merger decision last
February. A. Philip Randolph, who is
celebrating his 89th birthday this month,
explained the significance of the agree
ment. T h e merger," Randolph pointed
out, "does not signal the end of the
Brotherhood. Instead, it will provide the
union with renewed strength and addi
txmai resources to better represent its
members.”
In deciding to affiliate with a larger and
much more powerful railroad union, the
sleeping car porters did not dissolve their
historic union. Instead, they once again
displayed a keen understanding of the
principles that have guided their im
mensely successful organization since
1925
For in Unking arms with other
union members, the porters have real
firmed their fundamental belief that the
iContinued from Page 1 Column 61
struggle of Black workers cannot and
worker and a persistent person "I am
must not be separated from the struggle
not afraid to apeak out and to fight for my
of all workers.
ideas. I believe my influence has been
When Randolph and his friends pro­
greater than most on the City Council and
posed this “coalition” strategy in the
the CRAG Board because I do not give
1920 s. they were regarded as radicals,
up. W hether they vote my way or not.
Utopians, and even foots. Given the social
they know what I think and that has
and racial attitudes of the time, such a
influenced some members to change their
reaction is quite understandable.
position You don't have to just go along
The old craft-dominated American Fed­
eration of Labor, the only significant
labor group in those days, had few Black
workers in its ranks, and it showed little
in Tri—County
enthusiasm
for vigorous
recruiting
among “the darker races." And within
the Black community, both North and
Other
South, there was little or no understand
ing of the tremendous potential of mass
1
organization as an indispensable weapon
in the Black struggle for social, political
Nam« —
and economic liberation.
Despite these seemingly insurmount
Address
able obstacles. Randolph and his union
brothers moved ahead, ignoring the
counsel of the ever present pessimists
and defeatists. During the early days of
'
C ity ___
the Brotherhood, the small band of
activists pursued their objectives at
great personal risk. Not only did they
face almost certain dismissal from their
Pullman jobs, they also feared for their
1
personal safety. It was no easy task to
organize their brothers spread across the
lion of employers against all workers.
The recent merger agreement, I think,
symbolizes the strengthened bonds be
tween the labor movement and the Black
community. To be sure, certain problems
persist, but during the last twenty-five
years, the labor movement has exper­
ienced a dramatic social transformation.
Today, "color bars" have become
eunous anachronisms, and Jim Crow
locals and "auxiliaries" have completely
disappeared. Trade unions are. as 1 have
argued before, the most fully integrated
institutions in America. And. even more
important, they have shown themselves
to be the most dependable allies of Black
people in the quest tor social and econo
mic equality. The fact that a Black union
like the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car For
ters has sufficient self confidence and
courage to merge with the predominantly
white Railway and Airline Clerks is. I be­
lieve. the most convincing testament that
real change - and not just superficial
change - has been realized in the labor
movement.
Bentley seeks post
SATURDAY IN THE R4RK...
PULL TOGETHER FOR WHAT
committees and more than 300 people
working together to bring the convention
to Portland is an indication of the
potential for concerted activity in the
community.
Thomas Kennedy, Jr., a board member
who presently serves a» Co Chairperson
of the convention committee, hopes that
the media coverage of the convention will
influence the local coverage of Black
affairs in a positive manner.
This w ill happen, in our opinion, only if
the Black community begins to persis
tently and systematically demand better
consideration from local media institu­
tions not for the sake of gaining a small
bit at publicity for a single concern or
some flashy individual, but for generating
an appreciation for the importance of
Black t bought and activity in every realm
of city living.
Kennedy told us that after the conven
lion. “I hope it will be better in Portland.
I hope the convention will have a lasting
effect; an awakening for people to other
things going on in other parts of the
country."
Perhaps the pressures and cooperative
demands of convention organization, plus
the spotlight from the national observers,
will forge a new visibility for the local
N A A C P . R eierend Jackson expresses
unmistakably that the “lesson of a unified
community" must be learned in the
process of preparing for the national
convention;
“As this convention approaches, I
would urge everyone to join our public
meetings and to find out what’s happen
ing," said Reverend Jackson.
“I f Blacks do not take advantage of tkis
opportunity for learning, then they ought
not be crying and moaning about their
future in this slate or in America."
Through the eyes o f Mr. W . . .
by Bayard Rastia
V/l C an H it HoeerS, Score
B a s k e ts a M T b s .,B u t
Wfc
Get A B lack
the struggle that needs to be waged here
About the t>9th annual convention
which is likely to bring more than 7,000
v-sitors to Portland. Reverend Jackson
said, “This convention will expose both
Black people and while people to a
number of Black representatives who are
knowledgable about social, political, eco
nomic. and educational problems. It will
help us understand problems in this area
and the world."
The pastor of Mount Olivet Baptist
Church, Reverend Jackson envisions the
uplifting of a complacent local commu
nity; T believe this will encourage us
locally to get involved in the improve
ment of every phase of our living. It will
pump into our rather lathargic commu
nity a real sense of the importance of
becoming actively involved now."
Noting that the local N A A C P expects a
large turnout, l.unous Hicks, the second
vie* president of the local chapter and
director of P SU ’s Education Center in the
Black community, is eager to see viable
results after the convention. A t present,
he says, N A A C P members are looking
into methods, such as employment and
business relations, which might serve to
insure lhat the Black community benefits
quite directly from the hundreds of
thousands of dollars expected to be spent
during July 3-7. 1978.
Moreoever, once the convention is
completed. Hicks envisions an expanded
operation here in Portland. "Maybe a
legal staff and an attractive office ran be
maintained after the convention." Per
haps the spirit and purposeful orgamza
lion that goes into managing a successful
convention will be directed toward more
aggressive efforts to bring forth better
services to local constituents. Tim e will
tell.
A t any rate, the sixteen active
e I i p
H
per
A—oci&on - founOud f888
! 11
1st Plane
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- C cervie*
----- 1 - -
* ovum
umili
O NPA 1973
1st Place
Best Ad Résolu
O NPA 1973
5th Place
Best Editorial
N N P A 1973
Herrick Editorial Award
N N A 1973
2nd Place
Best Editorial
3rd Place
Csaaasaaity Lradarriup
O NPA 197$
; $7.50
with the majority - you can make an
impact by being a forceful voice.“
The county has many important func
lions, not only in roads and other physical
services, but in Criminal Justice, health
and welfare services. I f elected. Mrs.
Bentley promises to be a strong advocate
for the people
learning their concerns,
studying th«ir issues, and speaking oat
with a strong voice.
Area
$8.00
I1
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i
Observer
Box 3137
97208,