Page 4 Portland Observer Section II February 28. 1980
Teddy Roosevelt’ s reign as President, Reverend
Freeman, being a carpenter and a very aggressive man,
decided that he would enter the Blacks to be represented
in the parade. 1 don’ t think it was called the Rose
Festival in that day, but it was a celebration.
So Reverend Freeman decided that since the Black
soldiers from San Juan H ill was stationed at Vancouver
Barracks, he would build a float that represented San
Juan H ill. As a child I recall that in the Iront, just
before the driver o f the huge truck, were on each side a
little "josh house” where the soldiers had their lookout.
He placed Ruth, my sister, in one and me in the other.
The soldiers were stationed all around the edge ol the
float with their guns and during the parade would fire
the guns - o f blank cartridges - and since the powder
would blow back into our faces and burn, Ruth became
irritated and began to cry. We had to take her out, but
of course C lifford was such a show-oil she stuck it out
and stayed in the float until after the parade.
The parade was a prize, in money. This money was
turned over to the purchase of the church.
These were very historic days and memorable days
that we as Blacks should never forget.
Time went on and I went to school in what was
known as Couch School, on 12th. between Everett and
Portland. 1 started out in the Liberty Theater as a maid
in ihe restroom.
At that time we had a doorman, Henry I aBell, the
younger son ol Mrs. Clara Pickett, still living here in
Portland. Henry was liked so well that the owners ol the
powers that be in the Liberty Theater gave him the op
portunity to play the pipe organ. He became quite a
musican through that avenue and became well known,
going to California and becoming quite famous.
In 1918 when the soldiers returned after World War I,
we celebrated w ith a civic celebration at the Civic
A u d ito riu m . I was named as the soloist lo r the
celebration. And it was my first experience singing with
a pipe organ accompanyment. Time grew and my music
career grew with it -- teaching and directing was my
vocation in music.
In the early days, my mother became quite civic mind
The first hat checker and bell hop at the Portland
Hotel was Reverend Freeman’ s brother, Gus Freeman
He came to Portland in 1906, acquired the job at the
Portland Hotel and worked there for years. I he next
bell hop was Mr. Cannady. Cannady was a man whose
keen memory was especially noticed. He never had to
refer to any writing of any type when he checked in his
customers. His memory was so keen. This was during
the time o f Teddy Roosevelt and all the big dignitaries in
those days that he serviced. M r. Cannady was known as
a very efficient man in the Portland Hotel curriculum.
Mrs. Beatrice Cannady passed the bar in the State ol
Oregon around 1914. Mr. and Mrs. Cannady had one
son, George, who went to California to make his way in
life He became known as a prominent attorney in Los
Angeles after graduating from Willamette Unversity in
make a wav ol lite for hersell.
My music career started in Portland, Oregon around
the age ol seven, eight or nine years old. But 1 was
schooled olticia lly in music at 12 years old in Roslyn. I
began to plav lo r the church congregation on the organ
and served the AM E Church and the Baptist Church
Sundav schools. This town was quite a promising thing
became naturally being musical I followed up as years
passed, coming to Portland and taking over the church
.h oir as organist I hen the piano became more ol an in
strument ot conversation so I turned to piano playing,
and directed choirs up until recent years. I was at one
time occupied as pianist in the l iberty I heater here in
* Mrs. Dixon died in 1976
* First AM E Church is now known as Bethel AM E
Church
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After my family, mother and sister, Lenore, moved to
Seattle, my lather returned to his home state which was
Selma, Alabama. He became very ill and sent tor my
mother before his passing. After his passing, she return
ed to the State o f Washington to raise her family and
Bethel Church moved from the West side to the hast
side and located where the coliseum now stands, until
they sold that property and moved to the present
location at Northwest 8th and Jarrett.
It gives me great pleasure at the age ol 85 to recall all
o f these events and to bring forward the things that are
worthwhile knowing. Carry on where I left o ft.
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about 1938.
There were several barber shops in the community.
The oldest I remember was the Rutherlord brothers -
Ed and W ill. Then came the Bogle Barber, which was in
the Golden West Hotel. There were other enterprises
Reverend Freeman was a progressive man always
looking forward to the recognition o f Blacks. He staye
pastor o f AM E church until 1901, when he was sen. to
Roslyn, Washington, a mining town. Moving his tami y
there, he stayed for a year, until he was moved to Seattle
to replace the pastor. Reverend Scott. Pioneers were; 11
Harveys, Halls, Wileys, the Selbeys. and many others
who have made history in Seattle, Washington.
After we were in Seattle for the first year, my lather
started a little paper trying in the church affiliations and
using his office room back o f our kitchen in the par
sonage as the place where we set type. I learned to set
type by hand when I was 12 years old and never began to
know the difference between hand and machine setting
until later years when I had the opportunity in Pueblo,
Colorado, to use the linotype. The paper was called
"Searchlight.” A M r. Depugh was his associate. The
paper grew and became quite known among the
ed and a political asset to the community. She was first
given the honor of a police matron ol Portland and
going then into p olitical a ffa irs, she organized the
women’ s organizations and went back and fo rth to
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PO 2/28/80