Mrs Frances Schoen-Keespapar Room
University of Oregon Library
Cr< :n 97403
Portland, Oregon
P O R T L fil®
A n Observer Special Report
The Struggle To Dream:
By Nyewusi Askari
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‘Business As Usual(?)
4b ¿X
by Professor McKinley Burt
one is Neal’s Pharmacy,
long-term caper calculated to
gone is Bill Benton’s Neigh­
substantially reduce the asking
borhood Grocery, gone is the
prices to promoters and longer-
Madrona Record Shop and The
term investors (including the City
Juke Box Distributorship, gone is
of Portland, California specula­
Bill Denton’s Haberdashery, gone
tors or perhaps Japanese syn­
is Avritts Garage and Service Sta­
dicates as is happening now in
tion, gone are the Fraternal Hall
Hawaii)? Perhaps the new Con­
and Acme Business Club, organi­
vention Center is just an off-
zations of railroad men who
Broadway play, with the real
operated many Retail and Enter­
m ulti-billion dollar production
tainment enterprises as well as
coming later in Albina!
Apartment Complexes. Just a few
While the land question is fun­
of many — All Black-owned!
damental to understanding the
Was centrally-planned Urban
e c o n o m ic s o f in n e r-n o rth -
Development the primary cause
east — past or future — it is impor­
for this demise of inner-northeast
tant to examine more closely the
core businesses — The Coliseum,
accompanying experience of the
the Freeways, the Emanuel Hos­
Black entrepreneur. The most
pital expansion? A newcomer to
structured phase of the ‘New
Portland would find it hard to
Black Enterprise’ in Portland
believe that Union Avenue was
came during the 1960’s and
once a bustling thoroughfare of
1970’s; this occurred within the
retail stores, groceries, restaur­
framework of federal programs
ants, clubs, banks, florists and
like the S.B.A. (Small Business
new and used car dealerships. Or
Administration), the O.E.O. (Of­
that brown-skinned ‘Chester’
fice of Econcmic Opportunity),
built a shop that kept twenty men
and Model Cities (Tthe Demon­
busy painting and detailing cars
stration Cities and Metropolitan
for ‘Auto Row’.
Development Act of 1966).
Would the new arrival believe
These ad hoc ‘poverty pro­
that in the alte 1940’s I set up the
grams’, created in the hysteria
Union Avenue Finance Company
following the Watts Riots, tried in
for two white accounting clients,
a mostly uncoordinated manner
then spent afternoons flying up
to deliver to Portland a fairshare
and down the street financing the
of President Johnson’s “ Great
smaller auto dealers’ inventories
Society." A key objective of this
of used cars. How would you ex­
mission was the implementation
plain that aesthetic disaster of a
of a Black economic base of in­
median strip that traverses the
dividual entrepreneurs and cor­
avenue — simply some planners
porations. I came upon this scene
stupidity, wiping out both parking
in 1969, from a background of
and access? — Or as part of a
Continued on Page3
.1
G
his reign. Now they are starting to
total number of mortgage loans
question the Governor's sincerity
n Saturday, January 4, 1896,
went
to
these
poor
areas.
Defined
about including the African-
Mr. H. R. Clayton, the Editor
as
areas
where
the
median
house­
American com m unity in his
and Proprietor for the Seattle-
hold
income
is
80
percent
or
less
Oregon Comeback Plan.
based, Black-owned newspaper
of the metro’s median, most of
Questions are being asked: (1)
"The Republican,’’ wrote the
the
poor
areas
are
w
ith
in
When
the Governor announced
following:
Portland's
city
lim
its.”
that
portions
of the lottery funds
“ Four m illion Negroes without
A
ccording
to
Mr.
Gauntt,
would
be
designated
for econom­
education, only thirty-two years
“
Among
the
major
lenders,
the
in­
ic
development,
did
he
plan to in­
ago, and now there are ten
stitution
with
the
worst
record
in
clude
the
African-American
com­
million, fifty per cent of whom can
making
mortgage
loans
in
poor
m
u
n
ity
in
th
a
t
d
e
sig
n
a
te d
read and write. Four m illion with
areas
is
First
Interstate
Bank
of
.development?
(2)
If
so,
why
hasn’t
not over two dozen churches, and
Oregon. In 1985, 1986 and 1987,
it happened? (3) If the Governor is
now they have fully one hundred
for
example,
First
Interstate
made
sincere about his Children's
th o u s a n d s e p a ra te c h u rc h
a total of just two home mortgage
Agenda, when will he take time to
edifices. Four m illion Negroes
loans in four very poor ¿ensus
talk to the children of Columbia
without any money or means only
tracts centered on Northeast
Villa and Northeast Portland?
thirty-two years ago, and now the
Union Avenue and Northeast
When will he make them realize
last census shows that they have
Prescott Street.” Other findings
that they, too, are part of his
money and possessions amount­
in the article were:
Children’s Agenda?
ing to $500,000,000. Four million
■ Benj. Franklin made mortgage
These are but a few of the
of Negroes without a home and
loans in all but five of the
questions Black Oregonians are
now they own more than that
m etro area's 264 census
asking. They are convinced that
many millions of acres of land.
tracts.
Of
its
157
million
in
the City of Portland and the State
Four million Negroes all collected
1986 mortgage loans, 7.2 per­
of Oregon cannot fully realize any
in the South, miserable slaves,
cent went to poor areas. It’s
dream of complete economic re­
and now they are to be found in
loans to poor areas totalled
vitalization until the needs, the
not only every state of the Union,
$11.3 million.
real needs, of all of its citizens are
but in every community, whether
■ Crossland Federal Savings
sincerely addressed.
it be cold or hot, and wherever
Bank made 12.6 percent of its
In the African-American com­
they are, owning property or ac­
total
$56.6
million
in
mortgage
munity, the issues of poverty,
quiring it just the same as the
loans in poor areas.
d is c rim in a tio n , black under­
whites and just the same as
■
Far
West
Federal
Savings
class, homelessness, drug and
though they had been freemen all
Bank made 5.5 percent of its
alcohol abuse, economic exclu­
of their days...”
total mortgage loans to poor
sion, negative media portrayals
Mr. Clayton’s editorial speaks
areas.
and violence with insistent and
highly of the economic gains
■ The Portland Teacher's Credit
undeniable urgency.
made by African-Americans after
Union made 14.2 percent of its
It’s about the struggle to
only 32 years of freedom from
$4.8 million in 1986 mortgages
dream, the struggle to overcome.
chattel slavery. He would be hap­
and home improvement loans
In part II of this series, African-
py to know that, in 1987, the total
to poor areas.
American businessmen/women
wealth of African-Americans was
■
The
C
ity
o
f
P
o
rtla
n
d
speak out.
estimated at well over $280 billion
Employees Credit Union made
dollars. However, in Portland’s
13.4 percent of its $1.9 million
African-American community, the
in
mortgage and improvement
apparent lack of econom ic
loans
to poor areas.
growth and development is a
■
Oregon
Bank in 1985-86 com­
topic that’s beginning to draw fire
bined,
made
less than $600
from many quarters.
thousand
in
total mortgage
Many Black Oregonians are
loans
in
the
metro
area.
convinced that the lack of eco­
■
U.S.
Bancorp,
w
ith $13.5
nomic growth and development
billion
in
assets
would
not
in the Inner North and Northeast
reveal
its
records
to
the
communities stems from (1) dis­
by Bill Scheider
Business Journal.
criminatory practices by lending
Evelyn Crews, a volunteer fundraiser for North­
In the African-American com­
institutions; (2) exclusion from
east Portland’s Alfred E. Yaun Child Care Center,
munity,
there
is
a
saying,
“
if
you
econom ic/political decision mak­
believes that music is a community affair. She
think it is hard tryin’ to secure a
ing that directly impacts the
believes, too, the North/Northeast community has
mortgage
loan,
you
should
try
to
economic growth of the Black
a wealth of talent that has nowhere to go. It’s not
secure
a
line
of
credit
to
keep
community, (3) the inability or the
surprising, then, that teaching music and channel­
your business going. You will
unwillingness of state and federal
ing talent would be central elements in a sup­
really
be
out
in
the
cold
and
out
of
agencies to enforce laws that
plemental program she helped develop at Yaun
business
in
a
week!”
were designed to end discrimina­
Center.
Many
Black
Oregonians
are
not
tion in the workplace; and (4) the
Although called a child care center, Yaun, in ac­
convinced that the City of Port­
media’s continuous portrayal of
tuality, is the last surviving live-in group home
land
is
doing
all
it
can
to
make
the black community as a “ com­
facility for juvenile males in the Northeast com­
economic improvements in their
munity under seige."
munity. The 15 boys housed at Yaun range in age
communities.
Specifically
speak­
The b e lie f th a t som e of
from 14 to 20 and are referred from the state’s
ing,
(1)
the
city’s
seeming
unwill­
Oregon's leading lending institu­
Children's Services Division and the juvenile
ingness
to
back
the
Black
com­
tions are involved in discrim­
justice system.
munity’s
claim
that
media
cover­
inatory practices, in regards to
Since its inception by Rev. Sam Johnson dur­
age
is
overplaying
the
problem
of
the African-American community,
ing the Model Cities era, Yaun’s focus has been on
crime
in
the
African-American
was lent support by an article that
meeting the needs of this group, Black juvenile
c o m m u n ity , (2) th e c ity 's
appeared in the Business Journal,
slo
w
n
e
ss
in
m
a
rke
tin
g
the
males.
Aug. 8, 1988. Written by Tom
“ Johnson knew,” Crews said, “ that from the
African-American
community
as
Gauntt, the article points out that
day he is born, caring parents, kin, and friend sup­
part
of
its
livability
program,
(3)
federal figures on the distribution
port group not withstanding, the Black male is
the city’s seeming reluctance to
of mortgage loans show a pattern
targeted or labeled ‘at risk’ in this society.”
highlight, in its marketing plan,
of discrimination in Portland's
Yaun Center’s treatment program consists of
discrimination, the Black under­
poor areas. “ As a whole, banks,
group
and individual counseling, academic skill
class, homelessness, drug and
thrifts, and credit unions are not
development
and group recreation, Crews said.
mty and, (4) the city’s seeming in­
meeting the mortgage needs of
"One
thing
the Board [of Directors] is trying to
ability to decide how it is going to
low-income areas,” Mr. Gauntt
do,”
she
said,
“
is to add positive supplemental ac­
c h a ra c te riz e
th e
A fric a n -
writes. “ For Portland’s poor
tivities
[to
the
treatment
program].”
American community from day to
areas, especially inner North and
One
of
those
activities,
The Yaun Percussion
day.
Northeast Portland, there is plen­
Ensemble,
was
started
at
Yaun last February.
If these points are considered
ty to protest. A look at mortgage
Crews
was
instrumental
in
its
creation. Drawing on
low marks for the current city ad­
lending in the Portland metropoli­
a
background
in
organizing
marching bands,
ministration, the marks given for
tan area shows that while poor
Crews
helped
coordinate
an
effort
by Yaun staff,
the current state administration
areas contain 14.5 percent of the
directors,
and
volunteers
to
establish
the ensem­
of Governor Neil Goldschmidt is
267,279 owner-occupied units in
ble
as
a
"positive,
fun
activity
which
also builds
even lower. Black Oregonians
the entire metro area, in 1986,
skill, focus and coordination.”
have been slow to forget the Gov­
those areas received 5.3 percent
There are “ about 11” young men playing with
ernor’s
“
squash
Ron
Herndon
of the $458.8 m illion in mort­
the
Yuan Percussion Ensemble and music is only
remark during the early days of
gages. About 7.4 percent of the
part of what they learn.
"M ost of them have not been part of a positive
O B S E R V E R ’S I N D E X
group activity," said Crews. "Many have low self­
esteem and lack confidence — they’re used to
FEATURES.................................................................. Page 1
failure and don't want to fail again.
EDITORIAL STORIES................................................ Pa«e 2
But Crews and the ensemble's instructors,
COMMUNITY FORUM...............................................Pa8e 3
master percussionists and teachers Caton Lyles
RELIGION.................................................................Page<
and Greg Fisher, let the members know that they
can come and go in the group. In effect, they allow
ENTERTAINMENT.....................................................Page 5
the players to succeed at their own pace.
FASHION SAVVY...................................................... Pag®s *
“ Sometimes, they’ll drop out when they get to
CLASSIFIEDS...................................................... Page 7 ' 9
something hard,” Crews said. “ Then another group
O
Angelique W itherspoon, a
¡senior at Jefferson high school,
¡is one of the KBPS 1450 AM
| ‘Summer Sound’ news reporters.
| KBPS is licensed to the Portland |
¡Public Schools.
The ‘Summer Sound’ staff is |
¡busy producing ‘High School
¡Spotlight’, a series of special I
¡programs which w ill air the first ]
¡two weeks of the school year.
¡‘High School Spotlight’ can be
¡heard from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Jon Sept. 6, from 10 a.m. to 1:301
Jp.m. Sept. 7 • 9, and from 11 to
¡11:30 a.m. Sept. 12-16.
The 1988 broadcast season
¡was Angie’s third year with
¡‘Summer Sound’.
Prelude
Part I of IV
.*
Septem ber8,1988
“ The Eyes and Ears of the Community’
Volume XVIII, Number 41
Angelique Witherspoon
ERVER
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25C
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$ 4
NEWSMAKER OF THE WEEK
Percussion Group
Seeks Donations
Brian Dance as
B ria n w ill s ta r in th e
¡ S to r e fr o n t T h e a tre ’ s NW i
¡Premiere of “ Zooman and the
¡Sign.” The play is scheduled to
¡run Oct. 29 to Nov. 20 at the
| Dolores Winningstad Theatre in
¡The Portland Center for thej
] Performing Arts.
_
Ms. Wanda Irving
C o m m unications Services
¡Director for Portland's Bureau of
¡Environmental Services. The
¡Portland Observer will spotlight
¡Ms. Irving in its upcoming
¡ ‘‘Minority Business Issue.”
ANNOUNCEMENT
The Black United Fund’s
Saturday School still needs
Volunteers. For more infor­
mation please call Avel or
Karen at 230-9427.
5
■
Sé
SS-L?
ft-
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1
b
Rev. Ssm Johnson, Founder
M M t Yaun CNM Cere Center
r
member w ill show them how to play it, or they’ll
work it out themselves. Then they’ll figure it wasn’t
that hard after all and come back In. We try to keep
it open and let them know they can come back.”
Playing with the ensemble also teaches its
members that they can achieve something they
want by working for it. And that working for it can
be fun. The need to help each other succeed is
dlso stressed.
The kids are learning, too, about love and trust
from the counselors, staff members and
volunteers at the center and from the teachers with
the ensemble. But Crews said the facility is ex­
periencing a funding crunch, and some of its ac­
tivities, including the ensemble, are in jeopardy.
“What on paper seem like large dollar amounts
coming to Yaun from CSD,” Crews said, "are in
reality dike-plugging funds. Without the dedication
of under paid counselors, a concerned board of
directors and volunteers, the few success stories
told would not be."
Private funding is needed to supplement the
state funds, Crews said.
“ These kids," Crews continued, “ just got to
where they know we’re not going to leave them.
That’s one reason we’re a little antsy about funding
this year. These kids are used to people letting
them down, and we don’t want to do that.”
Yaun’s current funding runs out on Oct. 25, and
the Percussion Project needs money to keep it
thriving past that date, according to Crews.
“ The pay-off," she said, “ may not be seen now,
but exercising our ability to guide our young males
Into the role of decent human beings w ill even­
tually benefit us all.
"And you’ll get a great musician out of it."
Please send your contribution to Alfred E. Yaun's
percussion Ensemble. 5128 N.E. Rodney, Portland,
Oregon 97211.
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