Portland observer., June 22, 1988, Page 8, Image 8

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Page 8, Portland Observer, June 22, 1988
Congratulations! ! !
The Medium Of Black Survivial
f*
ost Black writers — and Black
leaders — whether knowingly or
not — have written about Black condi­
tion for an essentially caucasoid reader-
ship. The name of the game was "con­
vince caucasoid Amerika of the essen­
tial humanity, educability, employability,
worthiness or what have you, of Black
people.” If Blacks read the books or re­
ceived the message, it occurred mainly
because they were curious or were good
listeners. The caucasoid man’s reaction
was usually the key. Black educators,
leaders, teachers and ministers should
read The Black Curriculum: Developing
A Program In Afro-Amerikan Studies' by
Sidney F. Walton, Jr. I’m inclined to
believe, ‘The Black Curriculum' does not
meet the readitional westernized stan­
dards for a "book” ; neither is it a mere
by Dr. JamilCherovee
non-book. In reality it is a Black
experience on paper. It is the work
of a revolutionary Black intellectual on how-to-survive as an authentic
Black educator within a caucasoid-dominated institution. Brother
Walton’s efforts spell out how he chose to fight caucasoid RACISM as a
means to his own survival. Survival at a lesser cost was not worthwhile
to Walton.
Walton asked a different question: "What the hell was I doing for
my people? Nothing really in the schools, other than offering my
presence, accepting the absence of Blackness, and perpetrating
RACISM by not offering Alternatives to the RACIST system."
It was while in search for these alternatives that ‘The Black Cur­
riculum’ became a reality. Walton's forthright honesty, ability to ex­
amine his own behavior, the authenticity and reasoning that nudergirds
his anger, the consummate skill with which he clarifies the
issues — and forces his readers into self-confrontation — and his ability
to transform the extraneous caucasiod into the germane Black makes a
student journey through this text a memorable encounter. I’m inclined
to believe, a major contribution of this endeavor is the clarification of
terms such as Black racism, mother-f§ -*- @er, the credentialing system,
and in fact to develop a survival language for Black people. In a discus­
sion of semantics, Walton notes: “ The tuning in on words rather than
messages is a perpetration of the great Amerikan hang-up of tuning in
on the color of man rather than on the dignity and worth of the man."
His message to Black men is that “ humanism” must be reborn
within them. Their sense of dignity and worth must become idelible, in-
destructable characteristics, collectively self-reaffirming. Tune in on
Black humanism — the medium of Black survival. The new language,
then, is not words but meaning.
Readers will become immediately aware of why Black students
have campaigned for independently — controlled Black studies pro­
grams. the Nation Of Islam, under the leadership of the Most Honorable
Elijah Muhammad, The Exaulted Christ refused to integrate the Nation
Of Islam into RACIST educational programs which predestine them to
M
fail or to be conditioned against the best interests of their own people.
Black students cannot "succeed" within a RACIST program. Such a
course now leaves them but one destiny: to emulate caucasoid Uncle
Toms As Brother Walton put it: "RACISM is psychologically unhealthy
for Black youngsters whether it is labelled quality, integrated, or
segregated.’ We want our youngsters to lean, and it seems we have the
answer — All Black educational environments which do not dehumanize
Black children."
.
■The Black Curriculum is a collection of sem i-official
docum ents-m em oranda, letters, reports, reprints of articles an
studied — whose combined impact, when elaborated upon by Brother
Walton, leaves no doubt that most Black men employed within
caucasoid institutions are playing the game of self-survival. This is not a
put-down; it is a mere statement of fact. Walton is compelled by a desire
to foster the collective survival of Black people. It is this committment
that enriches his effort. I’m inclined to believe, conceptually, the book
redefines education for Black people into a day-to-day struggle; and into
a broad spectrum of social and political concerns with the c|assroorn
and the transfer of knowledge to students being a very small part of the
whole. The Black educator becomes an advocate for the Black agenda,
the caucasoid educator is also educated as to how to join the struggle
to redefine himself.
The book has gain historic status within the Third World. It con­
fronts the Emily Post, WASP, Victorian, "law and order" and scholarship
standards of so-called Christian caucasoid Amerika; not intentionally
however. Readers must understand that it was not addressed to the
Black reader from that vantage point. It is a Black “ I.Q. test, ethnically-
oriented, humanistically political, educationally re le v a n t-fo r Black
p e o p le -a n d for caucasoid humanists. I’m inclined to believe, in the
last analysis, readers who experience the book will be richer because
they are able to do so. Those who remain as mere readers are still trying
to make it with so-called Christian caucasoid folk. Those who reject it
completely are already doing the bidding of caucasoid people. The fact
of the matter is that no one-readers or non-readers — will escape the im­
pact that the book is bound to have on education for Black liberation.
Paul was right when he said, “ We don’t wrestle against flesh and
blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of
darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
You can’t produce nothing good by force.
Third World Students realize the so-called Christian caucasoid
man’s gigantic duplicity and conspiracy to keep the world’s people of
Afrikan heritage separated — both physically and ideologically from
each other.
.
. .
Remember Sisters and Brothers, Dr. W.E.B. DuBois said in, Dusk
Of Dawn,” “ I had been brought up with the democratic idea that this
general welfare was the object of democratic action in the state, of
allowing the governed a voice in government. But through the crimson
illumination of war, I realized and, afterward by travel around the world,
saw even more clearly that so-called democracy today was allowing the
mass of people to have only limited voice in government, that
democratic control of what are at present the most important function
of men: work and earning a living and distributing goods and services,
that here we did not have democracy; we had aligarchy, and aligarchy
based on monopoly and income ...”
Mortgage Loan Funds Are Available
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$19.4 million of mortgage loan
funds will soon be available to
help about 400 below-median in­
come Oregonians throughout the
state purchase homes.
The Oregon Housing Agency
w ill be offering 30-year mortgage
loans at a fixed rate of 8.25%
from the sale of tax-exempt mort­
gage revenue bonds. Loans will
be available on a first-come, first-
served basis through partici­
pating lenders, according to
Kathryn Eustrom, manager of the
Housing Agency’s single-family
programs. These funds will be
available beginning June 22,1988,
through December 1988, or until
funds are gone.
“ We expect a good demand for
this money, since our rate is
about 2 points below the conven­
tional 30-year loan rate right
now,” Ms. Eustrom said. “ Our
loans should help families buy
homes who otherwise could not
afford the higher mortgage
payments.”
The loans are available for
owner-occupied homes only. Thp
applicant’s household income
must be $28,500 or less per year,
and the purchase price of the
3-5% and financing of the mort-
home must be $65,000 or less.
gage insurance premium and
Federal law requires that ap­
FHA-allowable closing costs. The
plicants be first-tim e home
loan origination fee and discount
buyers, or not have owned and oc­
points together may not exceed
cupied a principal residence with­
1.75% of the loan.
in the past three years. (This re­
These funds may not be used
quirement may be waived if the
to refinance an existing home
home being purchased is located
loan, nor may these funds be
in a "targeted area.” "Targeted
used in conjunction with the Ore­
areas’’ include all of Baker, Clat­
gon Housing Agency’s Mortgage
sop, Coos, Crook, Grant, Harney,
Credit Certificate Program.
Jefferson, Josephine, Klamath,
The following lenders are par­
Lake, Malheur, Union, Wallowa
ticipating in the Single-Family
and Wheeler counties; cities of
Mortgage Program:
Ashland. Milton-Freewater, Myrtle
The Benj Franklin Federal Sav­
Creek, Port Orford, Silverton,
ings & Loan; The Commercial
Turner and Vernonia; and portions
Bank; Community First Federal
of Albany, Corvallis, Eugene,
Savings; Continental Savings
Medford, Salem and Portland.)
Bank; CrossLand Mortgage Corp.;
The home being purchased
Far West Federal Mortgage Corp.,
may be located anywhere in
First Interstate Bank of Oregon;
Oregon and may be either an ex­
Inland Empire Bank; Key Pacific
isting home, new construction,
Mortgage; Northwest Funding,
manufactured housing perman­
Ltd.; The Oregon Bank; United
ently affixed to an acceptable
Savings
Bank; US Bancorp Mort­
foundation, a qualified condomin­
gage Company (US Bank); Ward
ium unit, or unit in a qualified
Cook, Inc.; and Willamette Sav­
Planned Unit Development (PUD).
ings and Loan Association.
All loans must be insured by
For more information, people
the Federal Housing Administra­
may call the Oregon Housing
tion (FHA). The Oregon Housing
Agency at 373-1616, or any of the
Agency accepts FHA's minimum
participating financial institu-
down payment requirements of
Light up the night with
silver.
*
National Gold and
Silver Is a primary
manufacturer of
gold and sterling
jewelry.Our prices
are consistently
I
20% to 60%
below nationally
advertised retail
prices.
&
ONE FREE PAIR
STERLING EARRINGS
Per Person
With Coupon
I J»-
fGOLD&SILVER)
T
uk
C .rx D & STERLING SILVER JEWHffV
J
620 S.W. Broadway
Portland, OR 97205
Phone
248-2156
Airman Patrick L. Johnstone
Billy T. Ballastressi
Airman Billy T. Ballastressi,
grandson of Margaret L. Thomp­
son of 4935 N.E. 11th, Portland,
OR, has graudated from Air Force
basic training at Lackland Air
Force Base, Texas.
Air Force Reserve Airman
Patrick L. Johnstone, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Thomas Johnstone of
3241 N.E. 21st, Portland, OR, has
graduated from Air Force basic
training at Lackland Air Force
Base, Texas.
Black Artists Guild Exhibit
The Black Artists Guild will
exhibit in the IFCC Gallery, Ju­
ly 1 through July 30, 1988. The
display will open with a recep­
tion on Friday, July 1st -
5:00-7:00 p.m.
The Black Artists Guild
(formerly Members Gallery) is a
group of Black artists working
and exhibiting in Portland.
These artists came together in
1983 for their first group show
as the opening exhibition at
the IFCC. The group returned
to exhibit a second time at the
IFCC in February, 1985. Mem­
bers of the Guild have exhibed
individually and collectively
around the metropolitan area.
They have also been active in
programs for youth and art
education.
— H A IR F O R S A L E —
100% H u m a n /S y n th e tic
S tra ig h t A nd W avey
Starting At $4.50
12403 EDGEWOOD STREET, S.W.
TACOMA, WASHINGTON 98498
PORTLAND OBSERVER
"The Eyes and Ears of the Community’
1-(206)-584-3247
288-0033
Buy a HUD home
in ci hurry
with Express Bid!
Our all new Express Bid program
makes the process of bidding for and
buying a Hl D home faster and easier
than ever Because now when you bid
full price or better* on any HIT) home,
that bid w ill be opened at our daily
2:30 p.m bid opening Bids for Friday s
New Listings will be opened daily start
ing on the follow ing Monday
Express Bids end the current 10-day
wait, speeding up decisions on every
full price or better bid submitted
(If more than one Express Bid arrives
for the same property at the same bitl
opening the highest net bid gets
accepted )
So if you re looking for a real horni
buying bargain, and you re in a real
hurry, then ask your real estate agent to
Express vour bid on a HI D home It’s
a great new addition to The Home
learn ’ advantage'
For a listing of HI D homes available
in vour area, check the real estate
classified section of the Friday or
Sunday Oregonian
•A minimum full prue bid is lisi prue less a
maximum 6% broker commission and a
maximum
closing cost paid b\ Hl D if
requested full price Express Bids musi yield a
nei in H l I) ot at least 91% of the list price
a, HUD
or
o c F a jr w M T
mocw c
AMO UM»AM O r * B . O * * O C
nr
IMHMbx Hl I) Huri Und off»» <’
Layaways Welcome
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