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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 9, 1989)
Page 8 • Portland Observer • February 9, 1989 B lac k H is t o r y M onth Black History Comes Alive For Children Through New Product On Underground Railroad The Role Of African-Americans In Shaping U.S. Constitution To Air More Than 200 Radio Stations To Present Series Of Eight, Half Hour Broadcasts NEW Y O R K -ln com m em oration of Black History Month, more than 200 radio stations nationwide will broadcast eight half-hour programs entitled, “ Afro-Am ericans And The Evolution Of A Living C onstitution,” during the month of February. These broadcasts will feature some of the nation’s foremost Constitutional analysts and policy experts. They will also exam ine the role of Afro-Am eri cans in shaping the Constitution through their struggle for racial equal ity and full citizenship. Dr. John Hope Franklin, Professor of Legal History, Duke University School of Law, makes the point in one broadcast that the rights proclaim ed by the Constitution were not originally m eant for Blacks. He said the framers of the Constitution brought “ a century and a half experience with slavery and a sim ilar period of discrim ination against Blacks who were not slaves." In another broadcast, Judge A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., of the U.S. Court of Appeals, Philadelphia, Pa., “ reported" on a fictional conversation in heaven in which Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr gives Thomas Jefferson a Black perspective on the Constitution. Eddie N. Williams, President, Joint Center for Political Studies, is the m oderator of the special broadcasts. Other analysts include: Dr. Mary Frances Berry, Member of the U.S. Com m ission on Civil Rights; U.S. Representative George Crockett (D- M l); A. E. Dick Howard, Professor of Law, University of Virginia Law School; Frank R. Parker, President, Law yers’ Committee on Civil Rights Under Law; the late W iley Branton, form er Dean of the Howard University Law School and David J. Garrow, Professor, Political Science Department, City College of New York and w inner of a Pulitzer prize for the book, “ Bearing the Cross: Martin Luther King, Jr., Too often Black history and the period of slavery is thought of in the most stereotypical terms at the exclu sion of accounts of immense human courage and resourcefulness, accord ing to publisher Janus Adams of BackPax International. This problem is the motivation behind The Under ground Railroad: Escape to Freedom, an innovative book/cassette product that brings the experience of the runaway slaves to a tangible level for young people aged nine and above. “ The Underground Railroad is an exciting and instructional topic on many levels,” stated Ms. Adams, who has seen the impact of the subject on children of all backgrounds at schools across the country. “ It is an opportu nity to celebrate the depth of human resourcefulness and accomplishment against tremendous odds. At the same time, it also gives insight into a type of injustice and inhumanity that unfortu nately still exists to this present day.’’ Through its non-traditional use of the book/cassette format, BackPax titles have been lauded by educators and parents across the country for its ability to translate history, learning skills and multi-cultural understand ing into an entertaining and challeng ing medium. For "the Underground Railroad," BackPax traveled the ac tual route taken in the years leading up to the Civil War, BackPax record ing its audio portion on locations such as Harper’s Ferry, Colonial W il liamsburg, Jam estown (site of the first docum ented landing of Blacks), and Canada, among many others. The voices, music, personal accounts and environmental sounds help trans port the child through their im agina tion to that place in history. Teamed with a colorful and richly detailed non- read-a-long book, BackPax tells a story of courage, daring, hope and d e term inatio n-a powerful portrait of people in a precarious time. and the Southern Christian Leader ship Conference (1987)." “ We at Philip Morris were pleased to support the symposium as a seri ous and important assessment of the Constitution and also to underwrite the radio broadcasts,” said George L. Knox, III, Staff Vice President, Public Affairs, Philip Morris Companies Inc. Knox said: “ The radio series will make the essential points of this important symposium available to many more people. W e feel that for this to be a living constitution requires the understanding and interest of all Am ericans if it is to provide for the com m on good.” The radio broadcasts were pro duced by Radio America in coopera tion with the Joint Center and the Smithsonian Institution and were underwritten by Philip Morris C om pa nies Inc. This radio series was edited from last year’s historic two-day seminar sponsored by the Joint Center and the Smithsonian on "Afro-Am eri cans And The Evolution Of A Living Constitution.” Johnson Products Co., Inc. Launches An Annual Program Entitled "Give To The Dream" CHICAGO-Johnson Products Co., Inc., one of Am erica’s largest Black- owned manufacturing companies, made an unprecedented commitment to the Black com m unity by recently launching an annual program, entitled Give to the Dream. This unique philanthropic program will help Black c o n s u m e rs s u p p o rt B la c k organizations and take an active role in controlling the destiny of these institutions. The Give to the Dream program was announced at the annual assem bly “ State of the Dream ” address on Sunday, January 15, at Ebenezer Baptist Church, 407 Auburn Ave., Atlanta. The Chicago-based m anu facturer of personal hair care prod ucts created the program to honor the contributions black organizations have made to society. The program also provides them with a vehicle for finan cial support that will allow them to continue their service to the com m u nity. Beginning January, 1989, all Johnson Products hair care kits will include the give to the Dream seal and contribution form. Johnson Prod ucts will donate $1 to a designated Black organization in the name of every consum er who returns a contri bution form and Give to the Dream seai. As a pioneer in the Black hair care industry, Johnson Products realizes that financial support from corporations and the Black com m u nity is essential for Black organiza tions to thrive. For the first year, Johnson Prod ucts will honorthe Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change, Inc. The King Center is com m itted to improving the quality of life for all people and nationalities. Under the direction of Mrs. Coretta Scott King, the King Center develops training program s that w ork in all aspects of Black life. The programs teach youngsters, teenagers and adults to develop a positive self-im age, improve their status in life and resolve conflicts nonviolently. For to resolve prison conflicts peacefully. “ The King Center, founded on the beliefs and principles of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is an appropriate honoree for the first year of the Give to the Dream program. Saluting or ganizations, like the King Center, helps future generations to appreci ate the strengths and character of the Black com m unity,” said Eric G. Johnson, Johnson Products’ presi dent and chief operating officer. Headquartered in Atlanta, the King C enter has become a monument to Dr. King’s w ork and serves as a place of reflection and stimulation for people all over the world. The King Center is the centerpiece of the 44-acre Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site and Preservation District. The site includes the home where Dr. King was born and Ebenezer Baptist Church, where three generations of his family preached. The King Center and the historic site each year attract more than a million people-including international diplomats, scholars, parents and their children-who come to study Dr. King's message of love and nonviolence. “ Recognizing the contributions of Black Am ericans instills confidence and dignity in our youth. Unless cor porations support organizations, like the King Center, the dream s of past leaders, ou r own dreams and those of our children will not be realized," Mrs. King said. Johnson Products Co., Inc. m anu factures and markets more than 100 different personal care products. The Give to the Dream program will have brand participation of all the Johnson Products hair care kits which include Gentle-Treatment conditioning no-lye kits, Ultra Sheen relaxer kits, Precise conditioning no-lye relaxer kits, Ultra Star texturizer kits and Classy Curl permanent curl kits. I--------------------------------------------------------------------- - ! Through education we seek to change I attitudes ! Through legislation we seek to regulate ! behavior Through education we seek to change j internal feelings o f hate ! and prejudice j Through legislation we seek to control the | effects o f those feelings ! Through education we seek to break down ! the spiritual barriers ! Through legislation we seek to break down ! the physical barriers ! — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ! j j ! ! j i ! j j j i ! [ Powell's Books 10th and West Burnside Street j j open 9am to 11 pm, Monday through Saturday — 9am to 9pm Sunday i ________________________________________________________ I * • > * * - '.* Through its non-traditional use of the book/cassette format, BackPax titles have been lauded by educators and parents across the country for its ability to translate history, learning skills and multi-cultural understand ing into an entertaining and challeng ing medium. For “ the Underground Railroad” , BackPax traveled the ac tual route taken in the years leading up to the Civil War, BackPax record ing its audio portion on locations such as Harper’s Ferry, Colonial W il liamsburg, Jam estown (site of (fytirst documented landing of Blacks), and Canada, among many others. The voices, music, personal accounts and environmental sounds help transport the child through their imagination to that place in history. Teamed with a colortul and richly detailed non-read- a-long book, BackPax tells a story of courage, daring, hope and determ i n a tio n -a powerful portrait of people in a precarious time. BackPax was created by Adams as a response to an outcry by educa tors for increased multi-cultural mate rials. In addition to its use in schools across the country, “ Underground" and five other BackPax titles includ ing “ Traveling Mark Twain's Am er ica” , "Journey To the Moon and Beyond” and “ Trailblazing Yellow stone” can be found in bookstores and museum gift shops nationally. For more information, contact Back Pax International, Box 603, Wilton, CT 06897. "It is important to us that we depart from the stereotype of the Afro- American slave as the downtrodden object of pity and em barrassm ent," Adams concludes. “ It took immense courage to achieve freedom over seemingly insurmountable odds.” PORTLAND OBSERVER "The Eyes and Ears of the Community” 288-0033 Public Invited To Free Black Music Performance February 23rd Sponsored By Oregon Historical Society Portland State University The public is invited to a free performance focusing on the history o f Black music 8 to 10 p.m. Thursday. February 23. in Lincoln Hall on the Portland State University campus. The event, in recognition of February—Black History Month, is presented by the Oregon His torical Society in collaboration with the Black Studies Departm ent of Portland State University. Karen Patterson, a Black musician, will be the featured perform er with selections o f spirituals, ragtime, and jazz music.