U rs F 'S f.c ïS ? c h 3 2 n -‘ 'ow8FEp2r b r /v .r s L ty o f Oregon L ib ra ry 97103 V --- 17= Technology and Black Inventors Joe Holcomb: The Other Story HAPPY NEW YEAR From the Observer Staff Page 8 Page 7 25C «Q- SERVER portlhn usi", '».'i ••X' H‘.‘ December 30, 1987 "The Eyes and Ears of the Community" Volume XVIII, Number 7 Threat Received Editor's Note: by Nyewusi Askari It took courage for City Commissioner Dick Bogle to publicly denounce the rising tide of racism in O re gon / Recent incidents - threats, intimidation, and harassment in Roseburg; state ments with racial overtones by a member of the Oregon Legislature; the growing racial tensions in Portland Public Schools clearly points out the ugly face of racism which prevails throughout the State Bogle's statements focus not only on the problem, but on possible solutions, as well. His statement to The P ortland O bserver, that Oregonians must acknowledge that racism exists throughout the state before a plan for corrective action is undertaken, is sound. His call for a series of open discussions in communities and neighborhoods throughout Oregon is proper. H.s call for moderation and understanding is correct. ■ ff * i * Commissioner Bogle deserves plaudits for his leadership role and heroic efforts as an elected official in denouncing state wide racism. It would be extremely encouraging to see his efforts bolstered by other elected officials throughout Oregon. Bogle Calls For State-Wide Campaign to Combat Racism and Bigotry by Leon Harris Calling racism in Oregon a tick ing time bomb waiting to explode," City Commissioner Dick Bogle to day called on all 348 Oregon school boards and the members of the Ore gon Legislature to help focus public attention on the November 27th Roseburg incident "to ensure it will not happen next month, or a year from now in your own back yard. The Commissioner's statement was issued as a result of the racism leveled at Benson Tech football players and fans during the game played in Roseburg on Novem ber 27th. Portlanders attending the game claimed they were subiected to threats and harassment, spit upon and intimidated by Roseburg High School supporters. The Roseburg incident led Mr. Jerry Bushman, father of Benson Tech quarterback Joe Bushman, to call Roseburg "the most hostile place I have ever seen." Mr. Bush man, who is white, added, "I felt uneasy about getting out of there." Calling the action shameful, Bogle added that "the vast majority Commissioner Bogle stated that the school boards and State Legi slature can help by hosting public forums within their districts, dis cussing what happened in Rose burg, asking people to examine their own attitudes and those of theii neighbors. "Take a hard look at local activity, if any, by neo-Nazi or other organized hate groups. Like it or not, they are on the rise in the Pacific Northwest." The Commissioner also revealed that he had offered to speak at an assembly at Roseburg Senior High School. Bogle states that he firmly believes there is a lot to be gained from his appearance, especially in light of the decision by the Portland Public Schools to cancel all athletic competition with Roseburg Senior High School. of Oregonians will not tolerate racist violence or the threat thereof. We cannot hide from racism by pretend ing it doesn’t exist. The people who exposed the hatred in their hearts at the football game in Roseburg need to know that their behavior was shameful." The offer, extended to Mr. Steve Iverson, Principal, Roseburg Senior High School, is tentatively sche duled for Monday, January 18th, the official observance of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday, but has yet to be confirmed. 1987 Remembered by Nyewusi Askari For Portland's Black community, 1987 began with a bang. Back in early January, Gladys McCoy was sworn in as Chair of Multnomah County by Oregon's first African American female Circuit Court Jud ge, Mercedes F. Diez. The position was created by voters in a 1984 Charter change that eliminated the position of County Executive. Mc Coy is believed to be the first Black woman in the United States to hold such a position. The political jubilation of Ms. Mc Coy's victory was short-lived when it was announced that The Black Leadership Conference had charged Governor Neil Goldschmidt of ignor ing them and not honoring the pro mises he made to the organization during the campaign. At a meeting held at Vancouver Avenue Baptist Church, Ron Herndon, co-chair of The Black Leadership Conference, said the group was disappointed at the lack of respect show by Gold schmidt. "Goldschmidt made com mitments to us in March. He pro mised to consult with us in regards to making appointments and de cisions which would affect the Black community," Mr. Herndon explained. It was also revealed that the Leadership Conference had made several attempts to contact • Kathleen Saadat, Affirmative Goldschmidt without success. Action Officer, State of Oregon; Goldschmidt responded to the • Mr. Bill Hunter, Director of Em criticism by denying making any ployment Security, State of Ore campaign commitments. "I don't gon; think they have been treated any • Ron Herndon, Oregon State differently from anybody else. If it Apprenticeship Training Council; isn't good enough, I apologize. It s • Paul Cook, Public Utilities no attempt on our part to hide, Commission; Goldscmidt said. • Ray Ramsey, Port of Portland; However, the Governor s smooth • Roosevelt Robinson, Oregon approach fell apart when Mr. Hern State Parole Board. don responded that Goldschmidt Currently, Oregon has two Black was playing games, and had ex state Senators: Jim Hill, D-Salem, cluded critical issues facing Black and Bill McCoy, D-Portland; and Oregonians in his "Oregon Come one State Representative, Margaret back Plan." Carter, D-Portland. Representative Angered, Goldschmidt said, Carter is the first Black woman in "Someone ought to squash Ron Oregon to be elected to the posi Herndon.” tion. In response, Black Oregonians Although it's impossible to list all demanded that the Governor apolo the accomplishments and appoint gize, saying the statement was both ments of Black Oregonians during degrading and inflamatory. 1987, here are some highlights: After points and counterpoints • January 1987 — Five new from both sides, the Governor met NAACP officers are sworn in office with members of Portland s Black by African American Judge Belton community and later announced his Hamilton at Vancouver Avenue commitment to work closely with Baptist Church; Black Oregonians. • Allen Temple C.M.E. Church After a shaky start, Black Ore celebrates its 38th anniversary; gonians began to see some signs of • First A.M E. Zion Church cele progress. Some key appointments brates its 125th anniversary; were: • The Second Annual King Day • Freddye Webb Pettet, Execu Celebration is held Jan. 18, at the tive Director of Adult and Family Red Lion Inn (Jantzen Beach); Services, State of Oregon; On Tuesday, December 29, 1987, „ approximately 9:45 a.m., I re- at ceived a telephone call that caused me to immediately sit down and write this article. Unlike the abun- dance of calls I receive daily, this one stressed how "the lives of nig- gers who work for Black news- papers ain't worth a plug nickel." It also emphasized that my recent article "Letter to the Roseburg Community" places me at the top of was dead or alive, and knowing that the nearest hospital was almost 50 miles away, the KKK set up read blocks in an attempt to prevent any- one from taking him anywhere he could receive medical help. Fortu- nately, relatives solved that problem by putting Poppa Keys bleeding body beneath the back seat of a Model T Ford. Poppa Hey lived and our family still owns the land he refused to se Poppa lley's spirit set a standard the list. Obviously, the caller sought to in for our family: a spirit that lives on still fear in this writer. Fortunately, through me and other mem bers of my blood family. It’s the he failed to do so. Having grown up in the Deep same spirit that cause my mother to South at a time when violence, hate stand up to southern racists and de and segregation were the orders of clare her intentions if they "laid a hand on my chillens." It's the same the day, it is extremely difficult for me to welcome fear into my life. spirit that caused my family to It's unacceptable, inappropriate and march with the Deacons for De fense, from the town of Bogulusa, despicable. In the 1920' ., my great-grand Louisiana, a KKK stronghold, to the father, Poppa Hey, was shot in the town of Franklinton, Louisiana, in stomach because he refused to sell protest of the murder of a Black sol the family’s land. It happened one dier. And it’s the same spirit that evening while the family was eating causes me to do whatever I can, supper. A Model T Ford stopped at within my limitations, to help make the house and three white men this world a place where we all can stepped out. "Hey! Are you ready live without the threat of racial in to sell this land?" one of them justice always lurking at our front asked. Poppa Hey, sensing that door. Writing is a personal freedom I something strange was about to have given myself and I refuse to happen, stepped onto the porch allow some obscure, dissatisfied and in his boldest voice said, "No. person(s) take it away with a treat- I've told you time and time again ening telephone call. that this land belongs to my family, Life goes on. and it's gonna stay in the family.' Footnote: When I went south to A split second later, one of the attend the funeral of my mother in men produced a shotgun and aimed 1985, only one of the three men re it at Poppa lley's stomach. And sponsible for shooting Poppa Hey with my mother, her sisters and re was still alive. One had died of latives looking on, a sudden blast stomach cancer, another had died from the pointed shotgun tore from being kicked in the stomach by through Poppa lley's stomach. Within minutes, word about the a plow mule, and the other was shooting had spread a hundred slowly dying from cancer. I talked to him. He thought I was Hey. miles. Not knowing if Poppa Hey New Law Goes Into Effect Friday by Nyewusi Askari Beginning January 1, 1988, Ore gon's new Parental Leave Law goes into effect. Introduced by the Governor's Commission on Child Care and enacted by the 1987 Legi slature, the new law applies to em ployers with 25 or more employees. The law does not include seasonal or temporary employees hired for a period of time defined to be less than six months. Entitled "Parental Leave: Right to Leave and Reinstatement" (ORS 659.360 659 370), the law grants a parent working for a covered em ployer, and who makes a timely request, up to 12 weeks unpaid parental leave. Where both parents work for covered employers, paren tal leave is not required to be given to both parents for the same time. However, if both covered employers agree, parents may take concurrent leaves. The 12 week period shall be 12 consecutive weeks, commencing with the birth or the taking of odop tive custody. Each parent is entitled to one portion of the 12 weeks where both work for covered em ployers. The law, which will affect approx imately 5,000 businesses or 9% of the state's employers, is expected to benefit state workers, as well as an estimated 550,000 employees in the state’s private work force. The Bureau of Labor and Indust ries has the responsibility of enforc ing the new law through its Civil Rights Division. Some key definitions of the new law are: • "Parent" means an employee with parental rights and duties as | defined by law who is reponsible for the care a nurturance of a child, and includes the adoptive mother or See "New Law", Page 10 Block-By-Block Program Starts Weatherizing • Dr. Dapo Sobomehin, Human Relations Specialist, warns that ra cial intolerance is on the increase; • Oregonians throughout the state observe the second annual holiday honoring the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. More than seven- hundred people attend the celebra tion at Whitaker Middle School; • Kimberly Riggins, a 16-year-old African-American freshman at Grant High School, is selected as a finalist to compete in the 1987 "Miss Oregon National Teenagers Pa geant"; • Darrel Dortch, an African-Ame rican senior at Portland State Uni versity, is selected as an outstand ing scholar of the year by the North west Association of Special Pro grams; • The ninth annual Minority Law Day is held at Willamette University; • The Black Colleges Conference is held at the Red Lion. Portland graduates of Grambling State Uni versity — Roxaynna Robinson, Danita Calhoun, Lesste Houston and Amanda McCall - were on hand to provide assistance; • Greg Gudger is appointed Exe cutive Director, Metropolitan Hu man Relations Commission; See ”1987 Remembered", Page 10 Photo by Richard J. Brown Friday. December 18th at 9:15 a m. Commissioner Mike Lind berg held a press conference that kicked off the Block-By Block Weatherization Project in the King Neighborhood and the insulating of the attic of Mrs. Christine Wilson (LI, of N.E. Grand. The project is based on a pilot project operated by the Portland Energy Office last year that weatherized 68 houses in two neighborhoods. This year the program will be full scale A combination of revenues from the City, all three utilities and the Oregon Department of Energy will total over $400,000, making it possible to serve four neighborhoods and 600 houses In addition to King, the other neighborhoods this year are Ken ton Brooklyn, and Brentwood Darlington. For more 'nforme tion. contact Elise Anfield. Commissioner Lindberg s O ff.e e , 248 4145 or Sandra Parker. Portland Energy Office. 287 9914