P |g e 4 Portland Observer Thursday, July 6, 1978
Ex-pritoner
Behind the wall
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Juku. D. SeewA■a »38013,
Peetry Editer
Raker »35021.
To: Benjamin Hooks
Executive Director
National Association for the
Advancement o f Colored People
The symbol superimposes a map
o f the U .S . on a map o f A frica. The
symbol born eleven years ago in San
Quentin was the result o f the need
o f Black prisoners for an identity —
to express th e ir sense o f self.
Drawing a pencil sketch. Lax showed
To shake hands with a man that
usually shakes hands with Presidents.
Kings and royal dignitaries, was a
rare and honorable privilege for me,
personally.
W h a t should have been m ore
strongly publicized may have ac
tually escaped this n atio n ’s eyes.
• Benjamin L. Hooks' actions speak
much louder than his words." O r
was it too much o f a m ajor event for
the news media to place before the
nation’s eyes? Was your concern for
Black people in prisons too much of
a humanistic fete for the American
public to understand?
How you must have shocked the
nation and the Convention when you
stepped from the plane, with the
decision that your first official act,
was not to ascend upon the mass
awaiting your arrival somewhere in
Portland, Oregon, nor to go through
the
C o n v e n tio n 's
tra d itio n a l
ceremonies (such as accepting the
keys to the city). But to drive straight
to the gates o f the Oregon State
Penitentiary, only to knock upon its
doors, and to greet a small group o f
your people who have been labeled
•‘Societies outcasts” — the Black
prisoners.
I only hope this act you displayed
may be viewed by Black people in
prisons throughout the United States
— th a t th e N A A C P is in fu ll
Michael Johnson and Larry Baker contemplate Hooks' visit
reco g nition o f th e ir presence in
crowded cells and you are calling
upon your loyal chapters to respond
to the social pressures which may
have placed so many Black faces
behind stone walls.
Your presence clearly displayed to
me that now is the time that Black
leaders in this country must start ad
dressing themselves to this problem.
W e must no longer let this problem
remain someone elses problem.
1 pray you also focus your strength
and attention upon Black youth for
the sole purpose that we, who are
their "ro o ts” in prison have failed to
demonstrate as shining examples,
our “ roots” displayed when chains
and cages were the nature o f the day
. . . slavery.
A lot o f people inside the walls and
out have been responsible for the in
vitation extended to you. W e are
only th a n k fu l you answered our
"beckon call” and gave us the sup
port we need. You have also opened
the avenue for other Black leaders to
follow , by walking into Am erica’s
prisons and jails to let people know
some day this will be done.
But as you stated, it is we who
must be willing also to help our
selves. Nothing comes free and easy,
i f it has real meaning.
Once again I can raise my eyes out
o f the dust, raise my head up high,
straighten my back and walk like a
man with the spirit bestowed upon
Black people from birth.
Yes, Moses has come to the moun
tain and left his message and his
mark . . . and fulfilled a dream.
“ I only pray that someday my
child can be worthy enough to fill
your shoes, and if the day ever comes
when he can look out over the mass
o f Black faces in a prison, that his
eyes may never touch the eyes o f
your child.”
Hooks visits OSP inmotos
Deon Washington asked that the
N A A C P help establish a half-way
house in the A lbina community.
Darrell Hughes told the group that
never before had he seen a state
where it is as easy for a Black to be
railroaded to prison, where Blacks
are so disunified. " I hope and pray
you will use your time while you are
here to investigate what is happening
— the young men with long sen
tences — or changes that w ouldn't
stand up in court in another state.”
Hooks went to O .S .P . at the in
vitation o f the inmates legal process
class, coordinated by Larry Baker.
The inmates had the fu ll support o f
W ard en H o y t C u p p , D ire c to r o f
C o rrectio n s, R ob ert W atson and
the G o v e rn o r’ s o ffice. They also
received letters o f support fro m
thirty public officials and from the
Oregon N A A C P Branches.
Ms. Berna Plummer coordinated
the efforts outside the prison and
(Continued from Page 1 Colum n 3)
voived in cases o f prison conditions.
Among the problems seen are the
unequal numbers o f Blacks sen
tenced, conditions inside the peniten
tiary, and imbalance in supervision
personnel
J. Nathaniel Jones, N A A C P Legal
Counsel, said a m ajor problem is the
location of prisons in small towns or
rural areas so the staff reflects the
community. Although inmates may
be p re d o m in a n tly m in o rities the
staff will be mostly white.
In response to discussion o f hoped
for involvement o f local N A A C P
Branches with the inmates, D avid
Knighten said, "There are plenty o f
community leaders, they just aren’t
here.”
Reverend John Jackson, president
of the Portland Branch committed
himself to take a more active role in
involving the community w ith the
inmates.
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L a rry Baker from inside. Charles
Keaton, Director o f Rehabilitation,
directed the a c tiv ity fo r the in
stitution.
C h a rle s K e a to n , D ire c to r o f
R e h a b ilita tio n , to ld the O bserver
th at he was pleased th at H ooks
visited the penitentiary and hopes
that the visit w ill focus the local
com m unity’ s eyes on the needs o f the
Black prisoners.
“ W e need to get people out o f
prison and help them stay out. We
need Black people to help us. W e can
train men for jobs but we can’t place
all o f them. We need jobs — good
jobs, not mopping out restaurants
for minimum wage.
" W e need local Black people that
will take a real interest — make a
commitment o f some time and ef
fort. They need to come into the
prison and get to know the men — to
be there to help after they are out.
" M a n y men come back because
when they get out they go back to
their old friends and get in trouble
again. There is no place else to go.
They need to know people who can
help them find a new social group, a
new way to live.
“ 1 am looking forward to a new,
favorable relationship with the Port
lan d N A A C P . I am re a lly glad
Hooks came and I believe his visit
can have some positive results ”
H oo ks said o f his visit to the
penitentiary, “ I always have mixed
feelings when 1 go into a prison.
There is so much talent going to
waste behind locked doors, and you
have to consider how it would be to
be locked up for years.
" O n the other hand, there is much
to be done, both inside the prison
and in the community. W e can work
w ith the men to try to m ake
rehabilitation work. Rehabilitation is
a state o f mind — we have to reach
the emotions and the m ind .”
Hooks said he feels assured that
the local Branch will begin to work in
the prison, to help prisoners with
their adjustment back to the com
munity.
N O F I N A N C l C O M P A N F O » B A N K TO O f A l W IT H
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the symbol around and when it was
accepted he made them in his cell at
night out o f metal from the prison
shops, a blowtorch made out o f a
Zippo lighter, and soft solder from
the electrical shop. A n assistant
psychiatrist provided a jeweler’s saw
and blades. This continued until his
release in 1969.
Convinced that the symbol would
sell, and denied bank loans. Lax and
his wife mortgaged their home and
put their resources into production.
H e hopes that one day millions o f
Black Americans will wear the sym
bol with pride.
Uhuru
sponsors
'Togothor*
The O .S .P . Uhuru Club will hold
a “ Togetherness” at the Open Door
House o f Prayer, 348 N . Fremont on
July 15th at 6:00 p.m . The evening is
an e ffo rt to involve fa m ilies, so
children are invited.
Recognizing the fact that forced
separation brings additional stresses
on the fam ily, the Uhuru Club in
vites the c o m m u n ity to atten d
“ Together” . For inform ation call
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MUNTU
Lou Gossett, who played " F id
d le r'* in R oo ts, and Sam L a x ,
jeweler and former inmate at San
Quentin, introduced M U N T U , a new
symbol for Black Americans. M U N
T U , the Swahili word for "soul” or
"essence o f hum anity,” was created
in San Quentin eleven years ago.
"Who would have us, as we are?
Or staking ‘neath the load we bear.
Our eyes fix ed forward on a star.
Or gazing em pty at despair. ”
Alain Locke
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284 7997
Facts of Importance
VOLUME II
JULY 1978
SERIES I
Most questions asked regarding our June statement in the ' Observer''
were: How do we treat persons afflicted with alcoholism?
W e treat alcoholism by the uses of a four phase modality, Phase A
through D, along with the Triple R concept (Rights. Respect, and
Responsibility).
PHASE A:
When persons come to the EXODUS program as clients they start out
in Phase A. After the intake procedure, various crises, emergency and
supportive help is provided; further diagnosis is recognized, while a cer
tain amount of confidence developes between the client and the
EXODUS program. During this phase the client is prepared to enter
Phase B.
PHASE B:
Here the client makes a commitment to adjust his habits one at a time
to a more constructive and productive selection through process coun
seling and other supportive prescriptions. The Triple R (Rights, Respect
and Responsibility) concept is used as a measuring model by which the
client can objectively balance his Rights to his Responsibilities through
Respect. At present we have no Phase B clients.
PHASE C:
After a client has successfully gone through Phase B he enters Phase
C, which is a direct supportive service to help the client when he runs in
to difficulties regarding job, family or friends.
PHASE D:
Is a forever follow-up service to let the client know that, even though
he/she has completed the EXODUS program, if help is over needed we
are here, and no "blame factor" is at stake. This is done through periodic
mailings and group activity invitations.
The EXODUS program has been in existence for almost four months.
It has gained approximately 110 clients, and has expanded to include a
day care facility and a residential center.
Yea, we are effectively treating alcoholism by the hour, by the day, by
the month. Our clients appreciate your support, contributions and
donations.
J “®
Or call:
' l.„ W w
( All
227 2902
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