Page 2, Portland Observer, November 10, 1988
OPINION
EDITORIAL
CIVIL RIGHTS JOURNAL
Institutionalized
Racism
by Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr,
acism can be defined as eco
succeed.” The report further
found “ or society’s acceptance of
nomically-empowered racial
two unequal educational systems
prejudice and discrimination. Al
is putting us at risk of creating a
though there have been some re
permanent underclass in New
cent scholarly attempts to deny
York and the nation.”
the persistence of racism as a
Racial and ethnic communities
major social problem confronting
across the nation in particular
the social order in the United
should become aware of this
States, the evidence of blatant
shocking report. It appears that
societal racism continues to be
there are deliberate decisions be
exposed.
ing made by school administra
Recently in the state of New
tors to structure racial and ethnic
York, a report issued by the state
students to failure. The report ex-
appointed Task Force on the Ed
plicitedly revealed "racism is ex
ucation of Children and Youth At
pressed in a variety of ways: in
Risk concluded that racism is an
adequate resources to those
institutional reality in the public
most in need; perpetuating
school system. The findings of
segregated schools; and in some
this report have far-reaching im
schools, the tracking of minority
plications for the entire nation.
students into less rigorous aca
The report revealed that New
demic programs without regard
York has two unequal public
for individual abilities, interests
school systems: one in the areas
and potential.
where the rich live and the other
This in stitu tio n a liza tio n of
in the areas where the poor live.
racism must be challenged by all
The Task Force conclued that rac
who believe in justice and equali
ism was the underlying causitive
ty. The last eight years of the
factor that created this inequality.
Reagan Administration has set
Students in the affluent and rich
the stage for the gradual return to
areas were predominately white
the days of Jim Crow. While there
and students from the poor areas
has been progress toward elimin
were predom inately African-
ating some of the vestiges of
American and Latino American.
overt racism, the pervasive nature
The Task Force stated that the
of racism today demands vigi
first-tier or rich schools held
lance, determination and cons
“ high expectations for their
tant social action to prevent a
students but at the second-tier or
march back into history. The
poor schools low expectations
future
will be determined by the
and aspirations are communi
strength of our continued strug
cated to these students, who are
gle for racial justice.
not given a full opportunity to
R
The Other Side
Ethnic Pride
by Harold C. Williams
understand the historical sacri
very race of people should be
fices
that have been made for
proud of their ethnic back
them
to go into restaurants, to
ground. For their background dic
work in a grocery store, to attend
tates the foundation in which they
the best schools and to dream the
build their future as a people.
impossible dream. Many people
Every race should embrace itself
suffered
and died for us to have
and that embracing should not be
ethnic pride. No child of African
perceived as anti-anyone. It ap
descent should ever be allowed
pears in our society that most
to doubt or be ashamed of their
cultures overlap. Everybody is
ethnic heritage. For none is
part Italian, part French, part In
greater than those of African des
dian, but no one wants to be part
cent. For many have gone before
African descent. But everyone
and made the statement. In their
wants to copy our natural artistic
lives that Black people can han
skills, our refinement to fashion,
dle the difficulties of life with
our sensitivity to the human race.
ease, but the impossible takes a
All things which are positive, even
little bit longer. And the impossi
our philosophy “ Don’t worry, be
ble is the baton that has been
happy,” but no one wants to be
passed to the next generation.
us. So it is important that we
Ethnic pride is our trophy, respect
teach our children the importance
of
African descent is our will. Our
of their African heritage and the
will
is our tomorrow. Our tomor
pride of being Black. Teach them
row is our demand for respect as
to understand the sacrifices that
a people. We must state to our
have been made in the past in
youth that when someone says
order that they have basic
they are part Italian, part French,
freedom today. The basic needs
part Indian, stand up and say I am
that they receive are taken for
all
African descent and be proud.
granted. For it appears that this
For
we are somebody.
generation of Black youths don't
E
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Perspectives
Along the Color Line
Dr. Manning Marable
The Black Church
A Real History
Developing Black Leaders
he 1988 presidential cam
paign elevated two can
didates who failed miserably
display any leadership capacity or
ability to articulate the material
and social interests of millions of
working Americans. Similarly,
within Black America, there ex
ists a type of leadership crisis. To
be sure, Jesse Jackson and the
late Harold Washington exhibited
a capacity to mobilize the masses
with a progressive public policy
agenda, and inspired thousands
to care deeply about getting in
volved in politics. But one cannot
say the same for the bulk of the
Black elected officials, civil rights
spokespersons and others who
are projected in the media as
token representatives of the
Black community. More seriously,
we are not approaching the prob
lem of leadership as a challenge
of development. Leaders are not
born, they are made; Martin
Luther King did not become a
leader solely due to his individual
and innate abilities, but rather
because of institutional and
group factors which created the
proper environment which could
produce a person with such
leadership qualities.
If we are truly serious about
challenge of building Black
political power in the 1990s, we
must be equally serious about
cultivating new leaders who have
the capacity to initiate new org
anizations which advance our
economic, political, cultural and
social objectives. As the results
of the recent election make clear,
Blacks cannot look to the Dem
ocratic Party to show the way for
our own interests.
What is a leader? A leader is
basically an individual who has
very strong views or opinions,
who seeks to realize these views
in modifying the behavior or ac
tivity of others within society.
History shows repeatedly that
leaders are not born, they are
made by social conditions. Lea
dership isn’t absolute, but a rela
tive quality. In other words, no
person is, or is not, a leader. All of
us have the capacity to develop
our abilities to become leaders.
Leadership is therefore a capaci
ty, which can be learned, culti
vated, and expanded upon.
From the perspective of Black
history, there have been many
leaders, women and men of talent
and ability who displayed the
capacity to motivate millions of
our people to struggle for social
justice, economic and political
rights. But if we study the careers
of individuals such as W.E.B.
DuBois, Marcus Garvey, Martin
Luther King, Ida B. Wells, Mal
colm X, and others, one finds a
number of common traits.
Black leaders have usually
been individuals who know the
value of long term political rela
tionships over one shot deals.
Anyone can make a political
agreement which gives one a
temporary advantage over some
one else. You can also see this in
the corporate world today, in
which businesses foul the air and
poison the waters with wastes,
because in the short run, it is pro
fitable to do so. But effective
leadership means taking the long
view. The one shot approach
creates superficial advantages for
the minority, but can produce dis
aster for the majority. The long
T
view implies a mature political
perspective which takes into ac
count
the totality of society. This
to
may mean short-term sacrifices
have to be made in order to
achieve long term gains.
A real leader learns that you
should never burn a bridge,
because you might have to cross
back over it one day. One com
mon characteristic of those who
occupy in flu e n tia l p o sitio n s
within the Black movement is a
tendency toward pettiness, at
tacking one’s opponents without
presenting constructive and real
istic alternatives. Real leadership
means an approach towards neg
otiations with one’s opponents
which transcends immediate con
cerns. This also implies the
development of an agenda which
advances one’s group interests,
which informs negotiations. It’s
crucial to express disagreements
yet to retain a degree of mutual
respect and com m unications
with all types of constituencies.
Successful Black p o litica l
leaders have always understood
that you can’t hit a target you
never set. If you aim for objectives
which do not challenge you,
which are not difficult to obtain,
then a person doesn’t learn the
capacity for leadership. Setting
ambitious targets and objectives
which are practical yet visionary,
which are set just beyond our cur
rent c a p a c ity , c u ltiv a te s a
determ ination and spirit for
- achievement.
Great Black leaders realize that
in solidarity there is strength. A
leader is not powerful because he
or she is articulate, or passionate
in rhetoric. A leader’s vital
strength comes directly from
close ties and extensive contacts
within his or her constituency.
Leaders are powerful because of
the active struggle for empower
ment based within their group.
Marcus Garvey, the great Black
nationalist of the early 1900s, was
not a successful leader solely
because he was articulate. Gar
vey’s leadership was based in the
solidarity of Black people within
his organization, the Universal
Negro Improvement Association.
King’s leadership was reinforced
and magnified by the activism of
the Southern Christian Leader
ship Conference.
Black leaders who have achiev
ed greatness comprehended that
power is exercised by groups, not
by individuals. To wield decisive
influence, you must build a strong
organization. And finally Black
leaders understand that freedom
is indivisible. You cannot be free
by yourself, in isolation. Freedom
is collective, not individual. No
single Black woman or man can
be free unless all of us achieve
political respect and economic
equality.
The most important challenge
for Black american politics in the
1990s is the cultivation and
development of a new generation
of leaders, in business, politics,
the church, labor unions, and in
all vocations. We cannot gain
power, much less full equality,
unless we nurture leaders whose
values and philosophy advances
our interests._________________
Dr. Manning Marabla is Chairperson of the
Department of Black Studies of The Ohio
State University. "Along the Color Line”
appears in over 140 newspapers interna
tionally.
1990 CENSUS: Cnr
Rotter Tomorrow!
Tfimftrmi
For A A Better
e all benefit from a com Community Room, 5001 N.E.
T h u rs to n W ay, V a n co u ve r,
plete and accurate census-
Washington.
the distribution of funds to State
Val Thomas, Media Specialist
and local governments, education,
from our Regional Census Center,
transportation,- and housing
will join us to give an up-to-date,
depend on the p o p u la tio n
exciting and informative overview
characteristics.
To reach our 1990 goal of a com presentation of the 1990 Census.
After 5 years with King Broad
plete and accurate count, the Cen
casting Company, Miss Thomas is
sus Bureau will work with a variety
now with the Census Bureau,
of local organizations such as The
sharing the impact census data on
Vancouver National Association
communities. Too often com
for the Advancement of Colored
munities miss out on vital informa
People to increase the awareness
tion because it is not translated in
of the usefulness of Census data
to easy to understand language
products and services.
So join us for an informative after
Please join us in the first of a
noon with the Vancouver NAACF
three part series: Why Census In
formation Is Important To You! Sun and the Census Bureau. For more
details please contact the NAACP
day, Nov. 20, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00
Vancouver, Washington Branch.
p.m. at the Vancouver Mall
W
Part 2
by Professor McKinley Burt
ontinuing from last week,
I present more documenta
tion of the African presence in
formation of our religions. For ex
ample in the Old Testament (I
Kings vii.23, and 2 Chronicles iv.2)
we find the following verse:
“ Also, he made a molten sea of
ten cubits from brim to brim,
round in compass, and five cubits
the height thereof, and a line of
thirty cubits did compass it round
about.”
Here we have a description of
the Tabernacle at Jerusalem in
terms of an important ancient
African measurement, the cubit.
The Book of Kings was edited by
the Jews as a religious work
about 500 B.C., but the importa
tion of African mensuration and
culture began a thousand years
earlier with Moses and the Exodus.
It is the same with the Ark of the
Covenant, where Smith (A dic
tionary of the Bible, 1865) gives a
description, “ 2-1/2 cubits long by
1-1/2 cubits broad and deep
(Ex.xxx). Illustrations from W ilkin
son (Ancient Egypt) show the
‘Jewish’ Ark to be an exact replica
of the Egyptian Arks found in the
tombs of African Pharoahs of
Egypt and Nubia, buried thou
sands of years earlier. The Ark oc
cupied a prominent place in
Solomon’s Temple (lk.viii.8).
Is it any wonder then that Isaac
Newton (Universal Gravitation)
centered his research upon
a n c ie n t A fric a n m e a s u re
m ents— And that his major ser
mons delivered at Trinity, dwelled
upon the Book of Kings and the
Book of Numbers (Manuel, Isaac
Newton: Historian). And so it is
even le ss a w o n d e r th a t
Napoleon’s 1803 expedition to
Africa included an entire shipload
of h is to ria n s , a stro n o m e rs,
mathematicians, and artists who
ta p p e d th e sam e A fric a n
C
motherlode and brought it back to
Europe. The final standards for the
metric system (meter) were based
upon the cubit and The Great
the
Pyramid.
->.*
It matters not whether we ex-:
amine the Bible (and Jewish so
journs) from the stand point of'
events that occurred to the East of,
Israel/Judah, in Africa, or in the;
Holy Land itself — The African
presence is pervasive. In the East
(what is now Iran and Iraq) the.
land mass lay astride the ‘Ethior
pian Sea’, now called the Persian
Gulf. The ethnic composition of;
the people dictated the name just,
as the Atlantic Ocean appears or,
ancient maps as the Ethiopic
Ocean.
From the monuments at Susa
to the skulls found at Elam, Arch
aeologists like Sir Henry Johnson
are able to say that, “ The Elamites
• were a Negroid people with kinky
h a ir... transmitted the racial type
to the Jews and Syrians, and
B abylonians.” (see pp. 278
Snowden, Blacks in Antiquity; pp.
58-61 Rogers, Sex and Race, Vol.
I)
We have this from Diop, the
noted African Historian (p. 72 The
African Origin of Civilization),
“ The Bible states that Mesraim,
son of Ham, brother of Kush and
Canaan, came from Mesopotamia
(Iran/lraq) to settle along with his
children along the banks of the
Nile ... Ham, Canaan and Kush are
Negroes, according to the Bible
Loudin, the eldest among them
personifies the Egyptian proper,
‘The Rotou or Romitou of the
hierglyphic inscriptions. Anamim
represents the great tribe of the
Anu who founded On of the north
(Heliopolis) and On of the south
(Hermonti).” the first On is th£
site of the great African university
attended by Moses and research
ed by Isaac Newton.
■ Continued Next Week
Strength Through
C ultural Diversity
the reader a sense of the work
and commitment that went into
hat was the title of the Pacific
this conference:
Northwest Conference spon
The Pacific Northwest Strength
sored by^Region 6 of the United
Through Cultural Diversity Con
States Fdrest Service. The meet
ference is the result of an Oct. 20,
ing was held Oct. 31 through Nov.
1987 recommendation to the Re
4 at the Rippling River Resort,
gional Forester by the members
Welches, Oregon.
of the Minority Employment Work
Participation was region wide
Group. This Task Force examined
(375), many coming in by char
a variety of issues pertaining to
tered plane. Additionally, there
ethnic employees w ithin the
were presenters and facilitators
Region and felt that a conference
from other parts of the nation; the
of this type would be beneficial.
Washington D.C. headquarters of
The primary objective of the con
the huge federal agency was rep
ference is to increase Region and
resented by Mr. Jetie Wilds, Di
Station-wide awareness of and
rector of the Office of Manage
commitment to the value of a
ment Planning and Analysis and
diverse work force. In line with
by Ms. Betty Culmer of the Civil
this objective, the conference
Rights Office. Mr. Wilds is a
provides a forum for ethnic
former Director of Civil Rights for
employees to discuss and ex
Region 6.
plore the development of net
A keynote speaker, familiar to
works and strategies for advanc
all of us was professor Derrick
ing the talents and skills of a
Bell, former dean of the law
diverse workforce, the enhance
school at the University of Oregon
ment and developmental oppor
and now at Harvard University.
tunities for minority participation
His topic was ‘The Trouble With
in Forest Service management,
Affirmative Action.’ The presenta
and the identification, enhance
tions, structure and organization
ment, and development of the
of this conference topped any I
benefits and contributions that a
have experienced in fifteen years
diverse ethnic workforce pro
of contracturai relationship with
vides. Incorporating management
the Forest Service. Much credit is
participation and attendance at
due Ms. Lynn Roberts, Director of
this conference is vital to meeting
Civil Rights for this region. She
this objective.
and her staff deserve the very
I am sure that we all agree with
best commendation for success
the message from the Chief of the
fully carrying out a task that can
Forest Service, Mr. F. Dale
mean so much for minorities and
Robertson (at one time supervisor
women in the agency's work
of
the Mt. Hood Forest): “ It is vital
force.
that we combine our energies to
My presentation — Minorities In
ward increased understanding
The Northwest — dealt with action
and
better application of our
and with the realities of establish
ideals
with respect to cultural
ing a minority interface between
diversity."
the huge federal agency, the com
munity, and the education esta
I would not close without a
blishment. I cited my successful
mention of the Cultural Presenta
activities of the 1970s and called
tions interspersed throughout the
for both new, innovative con
conference. Included were our
cepts, and for revitalizatic of
very own Jefferson High School
earlier success modes.
Acting Ensemble, The Warm
The follow ing history and
Springs Indian Dancers, and a
'Statement of Mission’ will give
West Indian group.
by Professor McKinley Burt
T