Page 4 • Portland Observer • January 5, 1989
"Confessions Of A Former Racist"
North Portland Bible College
Prepares For Winter Term
some good whites and some bad
stand why. I braced myself to be
whites. By the same token, there are
called “ nigger" and white students
by Mattie A nn Callier-Soears
some good blacks and some bad
When I graduated from Roosevelt shocked me by inviting me home for
blacks There is good and bad in all
All past, present and interested
High School in 1975 and enrolled at dinner, fishing, to the "T-R oom ” , sail­
races. I had been labeling all whites
ing,
skiing,
and
to
my
disbelief,
on
students, faculty, staff and board
Southeast Community College, Fair­
as being bad simply because they
members are invited to attend an
bury, Nebraska, I had no idea that dates. My world view or perspective
belonged
to the race! I realized that I
informal gathering of FUN, GAMES,
there were so many white people in about white people was crumbling
had to learn to accept people for who
SHARING, and REFRESHMENTS.
the world. I did not like white people before my eyes. To further com pli­
they were instead of labeling them as
Some call it “ Epiphany,” others
because they were to blame for all cate matters, I fractured my foot in a
bad because of their race. I realized
say “ Twelfth Night” or “ Three Kings
that was wrong in my Washington, pick-up basketball game and I never
that stereotyping clouded my judge­
Day"; but, at NPBC, w e’re calling it
D.C. community. The drugs, poverty, regained my junior college form that
ment and destroyed potential com ­
year.
I
withdrew
socially,
regressed
unem ploym ent, and ill-equipped
W inter Term Tip-Off Party.
munications situations. I changed my
If by chance, you fall into one of
schools. He was the “blue-eyed devil" academically, and did good finishing
entire outlook and view of the world in
the
semester.
My
GPA
dropped
to
the above categories-you’re cordially
the Black Muslims preached about
fifteen days!
invited to come out on January 6th,
on our street corners, the race that barely a 2.0 compared to the 3.1
Once back on cam pus for the
graduated
with
in
Nebraska.
I
was
a
around 7:30 p.m. in the evening in
killed off or paid off our black leader­
second semester, I was more com ­
M aranatha’s Fellowship Hall located
ship, and the man who enslaved our lost soul.
fortable with my environment, open
Virtually broke and unable to af­
at 4222 N.E. 12th Avenue (13th
people. Yes, I threw bricks at white
with my feelings, secure in the com ­
Avenue entrance, downstairs).
National Guardsmen as a teenager ford the 3,000 mile trip home, I bummed
munications process, friendlier, and
during the 1968 riots, painted anti­ a ride to Sacramento, CA. where I
creative. My GPA skyrocketed to 3.79
white slogans on the side of build­ took refuge with my best friend from
and I received several opportunities
high
school
who
had
just
accepted
a
ings, looted stores, and loved every
to
work in the media industry that
job
with
a
com
puter
company.
Un­
moment of it. I hated white people
were
there all the time. I guess you
sure
of
my
academic-athletic
future,
I
and my neighborhood, family, and
can’t see what you are not looking for
spent
the
entire
Christmas
holiday
friends reinforced this attitude.
I was glad that I opened my eyes.
reflecting and trying to get my life in
Fairbury, Nebraska is a small farm
Ultimately, I received by B.A. & M.A.
com m unity located about 70 miles order.
and worked at KPTV, as well as other
The trip to California turned out to
southeast of Lincoln, the state capi-
media outlets around Portland, be­
be
the
best
thing
for
me.
There,
I
had
tol, and ten miles from the Kansas
fore taking my enlightened attitude to
one
of
the
greatest
revelations
of
my
border. During the early to middle
the
south.
seventies, there was a large influx of young life. I realized that there were
inner-city athletes lured to junior col­
leges to play basketball and other
sports throughout the Midwest. We
Dr. T.L. Lewis
would play basketball games and all
Come meet the two new teachers:
of the players on the other team would
Dr.
T.L. Lewis, pastor of the Morning
be from the same city. New York City,
wise have access to. It can be a
CAMBRIDGE, MASS.--ln a sense,
Star
Missionary Baptist Church and
Chicago, Cleveland, and Philadelphia
Gregory C. Chisholm has a double
useful way of evangelizing.”
Rev.
Raoul Robles, pastor of the
to name a few. It was much easier for
Mr. Chisholm has four years of
major at the Massachusetts Institute
First
Baptist
Church of St. Johns.
these institutions to recruit the mar­
studying remaining at Heythrop Col­
of Technology.
The
returning
teachers are: Rev.
ginal student-athlete than those in
He’s a PhD candidate in mechani­
lege, a Jesuit school that is part of the
Phillip
Nelson,
pastor
of Allen Temple
the upper percentile of their high school
cal engineering, where he also ob­
University of London, before he is
C.M.E.
Church;
Nathan
Barnett,
graduating class because all we
tained his SB (1973) and SM (1975)
ordained. He currently is living at the
pastor
of
Berean
Baptist
Church;
Lee
wanted to do was play sports and
degrees. And, since 1980, he has
Loyola House, a Jesuit residence, in
Arthur Madison, pastor of New Jerusa­
chase the pro dream.
been preparing for the priesthood in
Boston. He said he may well serve as
lem Baptist Church and the director
In admitting these marginal stu­
the Society of Jesus, a Roman Catho­
a priest in a parish setting some day,
of
the Center for Community Mental
dent athletes, an institution could
perhaps even while teaching.
lic teaching order.
Health;
Dr. James E. Martin, senior
qualify for Federal Educational Funds
In fact, he already has combined
“ I have always enjoyed the oppor
pastor
of
the Mt. Olivet Baptist Church
because they had minorities attend­
his vocations by teaching mechani­
tunity to preach, and I imagine I'll find
ing class on their campuses and more
cal engineering at the University of
ways to do that,” he said.
importantly, they could generate reve­
Detroit, a Jesuit school.
Those he preaches to should have
nue from sports on a local level. It
Mr. Chisholm, 37, an African-
no trouble seeing him. He is six feet,
would be safe to say that many of the
American raised in New York City,
four inches tall.
coaches could care less if any athlete
worked five years as an engineer for
W hile his com bination of interests
graduated or not. It was the same old
Bell Laboratories and the U.S. De­
may be unusual, it is not unprecen-
story regardless of who we played.
partment of Transportation after
dented, he explained. “ There have
Guys would play sports for a few
receiving his master's degree.
been Jesuits as well as other priests
semesters and head back to the urban
What made him decide to become
and nuns at MIT before," he said.
jungle, only to be replaced by fresh
Nevertheless, he will be featured
a priest?
blood as soon as the opportunity
“ It’s a desire to be of service to
in a documentary film now being
presented itself.
people in a way that I think people are
made for the Society of Jesus to
Needless to say, Fairbury rein­
crying out for,” he replied. “ Not that
stimulate vocations to the priesthood.
forced my racist “ D.C. attitude." People
I’m the answer to anyone’s prayers,
The film crew was at MIT recently
would call me “ nigger” in the daytime
but most people I meet are searching
recording his role as graduate stu­
and cheer for me at night when I
for some kind of god, something
dent in his busy life as student, teacher
played basketball. There were never
and priest-in-training.
beyond them selves.”
more than three of us on the court at
“ I happen to believe that God is
one time and five blacks should have
transcendent,” he continued. "Our
started. W e had six on the team. I physical world with its people and
started four gam es out of 71 in two
materials is something God has given
years and earned All-Conference
us to help us find God."
honors and was a Honorable Mention
Mr. Chisholm, now completing his
on the All-Region team. W e did all the
PhD thesis, said he returned to MIT
hard work and the “ local white boys"
in order to be able to teach m echani­
held the trophies high. Off the basket­ cal engineering at the university level,
ball court, the adjustment was even
most likely at a Jesuit school.
tougher both academically and so­
"Mechanical engineering is a useful
cially because of our limited interac­ tool,” he explained. “ It will give me
tion with whites. I had never sat in a access to people I might not other-
classroom with a white until I was a
freshman and I had only one white
teacher up to that point. It was total
culture shock for the six of us. There
Jesus Loves You!
were some whites who went out of
their way to help us but the bad out­
weighed the good.
By the time I reached the campus
4236 N.E. Eighth Avenue
of the University of Portland, I was a
(comer of 8th & Skidmore)
bitter, confused, paranoid, and skep­
Portland. Oregon 97211
tical individual when it came to inter­
acting with white people. I selected
Oregon because it was the farthest I
could get away from the Midwest and
my past in W ashington, D.C. I had
several scholarship offers at midwest-
YOU ARE WELCOME TO WORSHIP AT
ern universities and at home but I
84 N.E. Klllingsworth • 281-0499
decided that coming as a “ walk-on”
7 30pm
B it* Band
“A warm spirit of fellowship always"
to UP was the best thing for me. I
7 00pm
Char Reh6irs.il
considered home a “ hell hole" and
“To the Glory o f G o d ’’
Sulky
the Midwest racist. I had a tough time
9 15am
Sunday School
11 15a m
Morning Worship
growing up as a kid. I lost both par­
630pm
YPW W
ents before the age of 14, endured
Evangelistic
custody fights for the seven children
8 00pm
Worship
POONOER the Holiness Preacher EJjShop U V Phtersori D.D. Builder Pastor
in my family, and grew up a violent
Noon Day Prayer
the Bible says ...
individual with a penchant for criminal
acts. I brought a "coast to coast" chip
7 30 p r
F ollow peace with "The Pastor Speaks
Safcrtiy
on my shoulders to Oregon I was
all men & holiness Morning Payer
9 00 a (
very uptight.
w ithout which no
Campus life at UP was different to
man
shall see the
say the least. I became more con­
fused because the white students
■n,_
-
HEBREWS 1M4
were very friendly I could not under­
by Lilly sses T u c k e r J l
Phd C a n d id a te A t MIT A ls o
S tu d y in g F or P rie s th o o d
m ember or booster. Registration for
each term is $10.00. Tuition for each
course is $20.00. All persons want­
ing to attend and are unable to pay
their tuition in one lum p sum can
make arrangements for monthly
payments.
Rev. Raoul Robles
and the head of the Coalition of Black
Men; Rev. James Coleman, pastor
of Fellowship Church of God and the
chaplain at Emanuel Hospital; Sis.
Ida Simpson Daniels, wife of Bishop
H.B. Daniels and coordinator of
w om en’s m inistries at Greater Mt.
Calvary COGIC; Sis. Elizabeth Nance,
NPBC librarian/Office Manager and
Christian Education Coordinator at
Maranatha Church; Rev. Michael
Lindsey, Academ ic Dean of NPBC
and the Chairm an of the Christian
Education com m ittee at Berean
Baptist Church.
REGISTER NOW! Call (503) 288-
2919 or use a registration form,
available from any NPBC staff
New Year's
Revival
Celebration Tabem acle w ill hold a
New Year’s Revival on January 9th
through January 15th. Services will
begin at 7:00 p.m. nightly.
There will be guest speakers fea­
tured at each service. Local pastors
and their choirs.
Cornel Be involved in a full-gospel
revival. Come! Expecting a spiritual
renewal and a tim e to rededicate
your life to Christ Jesus.
W HERE:
C e le b ra tio n T a b e rn a c le
LO CATED A T :
1854 N. Lombard
For more information, Call - 285-
9635, Rev. Elbert M ondaine’, pastor.
People Are Talking
Closed Churches
Many Are Closed And Dark
M t . S inai T emple
"Is Open”
The People's Church
Two Service Worships Each Sunday
Mid-Day 12:00 Noon
And In The Evening - 8:00 P.M.
January 1st Until January 29,1989
Revival Nightly Service In Progress
8:00 P.M.
Bishop W.G. Hardy
(Little King)
Pastorette - A. Hardy in Charge
Apostle Guy of Atlanta, GA.
Alien Temple CME Church
The Ark of Safety
Church of God in Christ
People's church where we expect
miracles in every service worship.
The best o f Kingdoms ' goods,
musicians fo r your entertainment.
9Toly f host fo r your Salvation!
People ... People fo r you r fellowship.
M t . S inai T emple
936 N.E. Beech (10th & Beech)
284-0854
Lord
i r
.i
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