Portland Observer, December 21, 1983 Section I Page 5
J II2 W 1
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O'Jays, others back South Africa boycott <*
by Lamia Duke
Grassroot News, N. W. —Should
entertainers boycott South Africa?
Yes, is the answer you w ill receive
from over one-third of the enter
tainment world. Also, from the
United Nations Special Committee
Against Apartheid.
The singing group. The O’ Jays,
are part of an international cam
paign to educate their fellow enter
tainers to the problem o f Black peo
ple living with a foot on their necks.
Sammy Strain, the newest mem
ber of the O'Jays, signed a resolution
in Portland calling for an end to
academic, cultural and sporting ex
changes with South Africa. The or
ganization mobilizing local support
for the boycott is Portlanders Or
ganized For Southern African Free
dom.
Strain said his group was classi
fied as an honored "w h ite .” "W hat
struck me was at the end o f the day
all the Blacks made a major motion
to get out of the city. It was a mass
exodus." In 1981 The O’ Jays per
formed in South Africa and said
they would never go back.
“ We have made a commitment to
ourselves and Black people to do all
we can to persuade all entertainers,
both Black and white, to stay away
from that place until humanity is re
stored.”
In South Africa, everyone is regis
tered by race. No Blacks are allowed
in the city after dark without a spe
cial permit and all Africans (Black)
over 16 are reqruied to be finger
printed and carry a passbook.
The population o f South Africa is
Sammy Strain, singer with tha O Jeys. call« for an academic, cul-
tural, and sports boycott of South Africa at Portland praaa confer-
(Photo: Richard J. Brown)
anca.
mainly Black, but whites control the
economic, political and social as
pects o f everyday life. The majority
live below the poverty line and the
infant mortality for urban Blacks is
69 per 1,000 and 282 per 1,000 for
rural Blacks. Blacks cannot vote,
or hold office, and their land has
been taken away by the government,
forcing them to live in camps where
hunger and disease are common
place.
These facts have created a cam
paign called Artists and Athletes
against Apartheid. Led by Harry
Belafonte and Arthur Ashe, this
group is obtaining pledges from
Paul Newman, Tony Randall, Bill
Cosby, and other colleagues to join
Special statem ent from Grassroot News. N W.'s news director.
Lanita Duke: " In our Dec. 1 issue I wrote. Sorry Night at Starry Night,
which dealt with the O'Jays concert. I wrote about how the audience had
been treated. Since publication. Starry Night has made overtures to the
Black community, apologizing for events that were beyond their control.
Their statement to the commtimty is worth rcadin£ar^2indcrstanding;2 _ _
A d v e rtis e m e n t -
Under regrettable circumstances, the O'Jays decided to go on stage
tree hours late, showing less than a professional attitude toward their
ins. Since the O'Jays were getting paid a very huge sum of money. Starry
light found it sad that their fans should suffer with the confusion that this
, sed for both fans and the club. The miscommunication between the
Jays management and Starry Night on details, we feel was not sufficient
ause to treat the crowd this way A court of law will decide who will be
eld responsible at a later date
It is Starry Night's desire to have entertainment of all varieties from
round the world. Having never experienced something like this before, and
ever planning to again, we wish to extend a free pass to our New Year s
ve Spectacular for anybody with an O'Jays ticket stub, and apologize for
ny inconvience caused that evening.
M err^C hnstm as^rom -Stan^N ^hi---—
—-
STARRY NIGHT PRESENT • Œ
NEW YEAR’S EVE
SPECTACULAR
December 31, 1983,
New Year’s Eve,
Featuring the hottest rock and funk sounds of
.........< ■, W
a boycott against South Africa’s in
humanity toward man.
This organization states that per
formances in South Africa by Am
erican artists gives credibility to the
government. The National Black
United Front, the Congress o f
South African Students, and other
organizations have called for a boy
cott of artists who perform in South
Africa.
In March o f 1983, the Portland
chapter o f the Black United Front
boycotted Tina Turner’s perform
ance at a local Portland nightclub
Marchers chanted, “ She sold her
soul for South African gold,” and
Ronnie Herndon said, "Black lead
ership in this country has made a re
quest asking artists not to go to
South Africa. Tina Turner and a
few others have accepted this blood
money from South A frica .”
Roberta Flack rejected an offer of
$2.5 million to perform in South A f
rica. Phyllis Hyman. Ben Vereem.
Gladys Knight and the Pips, the
Floaters, and Lena Horne have also
refused to go and perform.
The government o f Japan an
nounced in June 1974 that no visas
would be issued to South Africans
for the purpose of interchange in the
field o f sports, culture and educa
tion The Netherlands also suspend
ed its cultural agreement with South
Africa after the Soweto massacre in
1976 where 1.000 students were shot
by the police during a peaceful pro
test.
Not all entertainers have joined in
the boycott. Frank Sinatra per
formed in South Africa without
apologies. Also, Peter Braham, a
South African promoter, boasted
that he has signed Harold Melvin
and the Blue Notes, the Stylistics,
the Drifters, and the Temptations.
Portlanders
Organized
For
Southern African Freedom stated in
a press release that, "W e want it to
be known that we will protest
against any groups or individuals
who come to Portland, who have
performed in South Africa. And we
will support or encourage the efforts
o f those who have refused." For
more information regarding the ef
forts of POSAF contact Avel May-
field. 230-9429
♦
5 s
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♦
Classes
Exhibits
Productions
O
5 140 N lntvrst.it«- Asi-nuv
♦
>
Space
Rental
(503) 243 7930
*
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PHI SIN1S
e®and Faces
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I m M o m s m l « n a k a up
Cocktail Hour »»pm
k»w«w lim e • 00 |> m unpl » ’% ®
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parku"
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Dec 30. 1983
Melody Lane
*
Bull Room
/ /
615 SE Alder
/
\ i
r
-
Happenings
On New Year’s Eve you can party
til the sun comes up at Starry Night
Nightclub, 8 N.W. 6th. There will
be music, full bar and champagne
available. Shock w ill sizzle you and
Cool’ r will make this the funk-est
New Year's you will ever have.
Tickets are $10.00 in advance and
$13.00 at the door.
Kwanzaa
festival set
Monday. December 26: Umoje/
U nity. Children's program, Black
Educational Center students, 7:30
p.m.
Tuesday, December 27: Kujicha
gulia/Self Determination Naming
ceremony, 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, December 28: Uji
m a/C ollective W ork and Re
sponsibility Beautiful Black Art
Co. art exhibit. Films: Haile Selassie
I, Bob Marley. 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, December 29: Ujamaa
/Cooperative Economics. Sup
porting our own Black businesses,
speakers, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, December 30: Nia/Pur
pose Egypt: Our Story, slide pre
sentation, Kamau Sadiki, 7:30 p.m
Saturday, December 31: Kuum
ba/Creativity. Karamu The Feast
— Bring a dish and share in the festi
vities, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, January I: Imani/Faith.
Family Day: Reflect on the
Kwanzaa festivities with your fami
ly-
All festivities will be held at
the Black Educational Canter Io
cated at 1640 N.E Alberta St
I h ip p y I lo lid .iv S e a so n
r
$ 1 5 °°
Per Parson
A-»
\
T icket locations
<->
Stevens b Son Jewelers
I toy 4 Cantar
Advance Ticket Sales Only
SOUL
PRESENTS
O F TH E CITY
A New Year's Eve A ffair
- featuring -
LIGHTS OUT and V ISIONS
Fantasy Affair Band
Party a success
with
and
C 00l
The Crazy ft's
M u s ic u n til 5 A . M .
Full Bar & Champagne Available!
A*
•A
<>
Dance the night away!!
y
STARRY NIGHT
% 8 N.W. 6th Ave. /•*
X
227-0071
/
%
Ticket outlets House of Sounds, G I Joe's, Meier ft Frank Bass ticket
centers, Everybody's Records, Music Millenium
Everybody s Ref olds MuS-c M -lie n ru rr ^ ^
TICKETS SUBJECT TO SERV'CE charge
'
Nearly 1,000 youths and parents
gathered at Jefferson High School
on Saturday, Dec. 17th, to attend
the 20th Annual Children’s Holiday
Christmas Party. Toys and other
prizes from local merchants were
presented to the youngsters as well
as Christmas stockings which were
donated by Oregonian readers.
Miss Tan Portland 1983, Tracy
Clay, Gene Diamond and Farmer
John, led Christmas carols and
helped the youngsters patiently
await the arrival o f Santa Claus
(played by Jimmy Bang Bang Walk
er). Wally Scales brought along the
newest Trail Blazer film that was a
big hit with the audience. Music was
also provided by the Jefferson Jazz
Band.
The annual event is sponsored by
the Jimmy Bang Bang Walker
Youth Foundation.
_____
F e s lu rln a K B O O soul D J • S h eheed H im u d A ls« D erby Psblo I. Sylvis snd others
very
SPECIAL
guests
THARA M EM O R Y
Ticket locations:
House of Sound
Stsvsn* b Son
Meier b Frenk
Music Millenium
Everybody'* Records
5600 N .E. U nion
287 5330
Creetive
Soul
Ensemble
lester
I
M c F arland
ARICE C OLEM AN
A Benefit
for
Community
Enterteinment
Education
Network
And
Other Slsrs 11
The GRAND BALLROOM of the MASONIC TEMPLE
Downtown Portland
December 31, Sat. 8:00 PM, 1119 S.W. Park
Age: 21 yrs. and older
D O N 'T MISS THIS ONE!!
Hock Shop
Buy, Sell or Trade
Anything of value
I
¡Lights O u t
Full Bar - Food - Happy Hour All Night Long
^ ■ ^ ^ o t e ^ ^ is t r a t io r v t a b l^ f o ^ e s ^ U a c k « x V ^ a n T p a ig r ^ ^ ^ ^
I
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