Portland Observer Section I I Thursday, June 29, 1978 Page 5
Thom«* R. Vickers leads 1967 picket of U .S . Post Office following complaint of
racial discrimination in hiring and promotion of Blacks.
Years of Achievement
Can the N A A C P still be used to promote equality for Black people? Tom Vickers,
who served as President o f the Portland Branch from January, 1967 to January, 1971,
believes it can. “ The N A A C P has a long record o f success, especially in the courts. Its
record gives it a reputation that no other civil rights organization has, and the power
structure still stops to listen when the N A A C P speaks. It can be very difficult, but if
you are willing to spend long hours o f hard work — sometimes almost alone — then
you can achieve some success, even in a city like Portland.“
Among the Portland Branch’s most satisfying accomplishments during the Vickers*
administration was the opening o f the Portland Post Office to Blacks. In 1967 many
Blacks had worked in the Post Office for as long as twenty years at entry level, with no
promotions. There were no Black supervisors or Blacks in favored jobs such as window
clerks or special delivery.
A fte r a complaint was filed by N A A C P it was determined by E E O C that the Port
land Post O ffice did use illegal practices in employment and that Blacks were excluded
from the more desirable positions.
Another first was the obtaining o f five construction contracts in the Albina Human
Resource Center for minority contractors and the subsequent organization o f what
became the Albina Contractor’s Association.
The Branch was active in the legislative area, sponsoring bills in the Oregon
legislature that would have strengthened civil rights law by attaching penalties, endors
ing the 18-year-old vote; testifying in legislative hearings on child care, welfare, aging
and education.
The board was particularly active in the field o f education — consistently calling for
the equitable desegregation o f the public schools. The Branch opposed portions o f
Superintendent Robert Blanchard’s “ Schools for the Seventies” plan that left the
elementary grades segregated and opposed a 25 percent maximum “ quota” on Black
enrollment in middle schools and high schools.
The Branch supported Sabin parents who did not want to lose their first grade to
Eliot; supported Washington, Lincoln and Marshall students who wanted a Black
Study Club; supported and assisted Black students who left Oregon State University in
protest o f discriminatory policies; helped Adams students study the issues and vote to
reject a flag donated by the D A R .
The N A A C P joined with the “ Black C oalition” which called a successful boycott o f
Roosevelt High School and filed suit against the school district charging discrimination
in discipline. U .S. District Judge Soloman ordered changes in disciplinary policies and
procedures.
The Branch provided legal counsel for students involved in discipline cases, persons
alleging discrimination, neighborhood disputes, persons accuse^ o f crime and many
other legal matters.
A n active youth branch held high school and college forums, explored employment
opportunities and assisted the United Farmworkers Organizing Committee.
The Branch president organized a college branch at M t. Angel College and branches
at Salem and Corvallis.
“ Through consistent hard work and being available to those who need the services o f
the N A A C P , we kept the N A A C P before the public. The community knew the
N A A C P was alive! ”
WELCOME
NAACP
W© invite you to
tour the world-famous Columbia River Gorge,
see Bonneville Dam fish ladders and hatchery,
go boating, swimming, hiking, fishing, golfing. . . .
ENJOY
m U L T O O m A H C O U r iT V O R E G O n
Board of Commissioners
Don Clark, Chairman
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER