r y - lf - r • ■» • « » * * V ■» Ü ffW W ' Page 2 Portland Observer April 13,1989 EDITORIAL REMEMBERING J IM DUNN by B e njam in F. C havis, Jr. R ights Journal is the im portance o f taking the tim e to a p p ropriately pay trib u te to the fa lle n heroes and heroines o f the o n -g o in g freedom struggle in this nation and throughout the w o rld . James N orm an D unn, P h.D ., C o­ founder and D ire c to r o f the Peoples In stitu te fo r S u rv iv a l and Beyond, died at the age o f 53 o f cancer at his home in N ew Orleans on February 17,1989. D r. D unn spent his life in the struggle fo r human ju stice . A s a poet, teacher and singer, Jim D unn was alw ays in the fro n t lines o f c iv il rights marches, c o m m u n ity em pow erm ent e ffo rts and student sitins o f the 1960’ s, 1970’ s and the 1980’ s. Jim D unn was a native o f U rbana, O h io . B ro th e r Jim , as he was affe ctio n a te ly called by thousands o f persons throughout the southern region o f the U n ite d States, was co m m itte d to b u ild in g a m u ltira c ia l society. H e was an a c tiv is t as w e ll as a scholar w ho learned the im p o rta n t lessons o f e ffe ctive grassroots co m m u n ity organizing. A fte r re ce ivin g his M a ste r's degree in Social W o rk fro m C o lu m b ia U n iv e rs ity in 1970 and his doctoral degree fro m U n io n Graduate School in 1978, D r. D unn taught so cio lo g y and B la ck Studies fo r 11 years at A n tio c h C ollege in Y e llo w S prings, O hio. F rom 1981 u n til he died, D r. D unn conducted Peoples In stitu te w orkshops on "u n d o in g ra cism .” M a n y academic in s titu tio n s and c o m m u n ity organizations honored h im fo r his distinguished leadership. Jim D unn was also a g ifte d m usician and songw riter. W e kn o w the im p o rta n t role that m usic has played and w ill continue to play in in s p irin g a new generation o f c o m m itte d a ctivists and leaders. D unn published several articles, essays and songs fo r the m ovem ent, in c lu d in g N ew W in e and N ew W in e skin s, a bo o k o f o rig in a l p o e try , and " I t ’ s T im e to S ing Some N ew Songs,” a taped c o lle c tio n o f his m usic. F o r fo u r long years. B ro th e r Jim battled courageously w ith cancer. Y e t, at every m om ent Jim kept his focus on challenging the increasing dangers o f racism . A t a recent m eeting and tra in in g session in M ississip p i sponsored b y the Peoples In stitu te fo r S u rv iv a l and B eyond, m any o f J im ’ s friends gathered to celebrate his life and liv in g legacy. I t is o u r hope that not o n ly som ething o f the m em ory o f the significance o f the life o f Jim D unn w ill be m aintained fo r many years to come, but also that the m odel o f courage and leadership o f his life w ill be liv e d throughout o u r com m unities. O ne concrete w ay to rem em ber Jim D unn is to support the Jim D unn Educational S cholarship Fund c/o Peoples In stitu te , 1444 N. Johnson S t , N ew Orleans L A 70116. O u r struggle has been blessed by J im ’ s c o n trib u tio n , m ay his s p irit continue to liv e in the e ffe c tiv e w ay we stand up against the forces o f racism . TOBE EQUAL Head Start, fo r exam ple, saves about $6 T h e re ’ s an em erging consensus in fa v o r o f greater federal investm ents in A m e ric a ’ s ch ild re n . I t ’ s pow ered by j ; in p u b lic expenditures and social costs later on. President Bush has talked about ch ild centered federal initiatives such as better m edical coverage fo r lo w incom e fa m ilie s , tax credits to cover c h ild care costs, and expanded c h ild n u tritio n several factors: F irst, too m any k id s are g ro w in g up po o r, w ith the greater lik e lih o o d o f -I -. . -. r * ù chance; they have had to o m any already. These are not id le threats...The choice is theirs...Those o f us s till co m m itte d to a p o litic a l so lu tio n may then cross the R ubicon and fo rm a th ird p o litic a l m ove m e n t.” B u t despite those w ords, the convention u ltim a te ly rejected the op tio n o f b u ild in g an independent p a rty; instead the delegates opted fo r the strategy o f increasing the num ber o f B la ck elected o ffic ia ls , fo cu sin g th e ir e ffo rts on the D em ocratic Party. Jesse Jackson’ s run fo r the Presidency in 1984, and again in 1988, renewed a passionate debate on whether and how our struggle fo r empowerment co u ld be successful solely w ith in the fra m e w o rk o f the D e m o cra tic P arty. The insistence on the part o f the w h ite pro-corporate hierarchy o f the students w h o received doctorates in A m e rica n u n ive rsitie s increased by about 500 to 32,278 students. In 1977, the num ber o f A fric a n -A m e ric a n s re ce ivin g doctorates was 1,116. B y 1980, the year Reagan was elected, the num ber o f B la c k doctorates had fa lle n s lig h tly , to 1,032 students. The Reagan administration initiated budget cuts in education, replacing government grants fo r loans, and d e lib e ra te ly hiked une m p lo ym e n t fo r lo w incom e people, m a kin g i t d iffic u lt to a ffo rd tu itio n at professional schools. B y 1983, the num ber o f B la c k doctorates dropped to 921; fo u r years later, o n ly 765 B la c k doctorates were awarded. M e a n w h ile , b y contrast, the num ber o f w h ite w om en re ce ivin g doctorates du rin g the same ten year pe rio d rose 36 percenL . A s im ila r story exists fo r the o v e ra ll e n ro llm e n t o f A fric a n -A m e ric a n s in in s titu tio n s o f h ig h e r education. In 1 9 80,1.107,000 B la ck w om en and men w ere e n ro lle d in a co llege o r post-secondary in s titu tio n . S ix years later, that fig u re had declined s lig h tly , d o w n to 1,081,000 students. H ow ever, since the p o p u la tio n base fo r B lacks o f co llege age (18 to 26 years) had increased s ig n ific a n tly d u rin g these years, the decline was a ctu a lly fa r greater than it appeared, when considered as a percentage o f that p o p u la tio n group. B y contrast, w h ite co lle g e e n ro llm e n t between 1976 to 1986 increased by nearly one m illio n students - alm ost the to ta l num ber o f a ll A fric a n - D em ocratic Party that Jesse repudiate M in is te r L o u is Farrakhan d u rin g the A m e rica n s c u rre n tly enrolled. In the elem entary and secondary schools, w e ’ re also lo sin g the battle fo r 1984 cam paign heightened the fe e lin g in o u r co m m u n itie s that being in the educational e q u a lity. A c c o rd in g to the C a lifo rn ia Postsecondary E ducation D em ocratic Party meant a llo w in g w h ite A m e rica to dictate to us w h o o u r leaders co u ld be. A n d 1988, w hen Jackson was denied a place on the C o m m issio n D ire c to r’ s R eport o f D ecem ber, 1985, fo r exam ple, B la c k ch ild re n in the C a lifo rn ia p u b lic schools have te rrib le prospects fo r D em ocratic tic k e t even though he fin ish e d the p rim a ry season in a strong second place, fu rth e r underscored the extent to w h ic h the D em ocratic Party was in te n t upon de n ying us a share o f p o litic a l p o w e r com m ensurate w ith advancem ent. The 1988 B la ck kindergarten e n ro llm e n t in C a lifo rn ia was o u r numbers and o u r lo ya lty. The week o f the D em ocratic N ational C o n ve n tio n , at w h ic h Jackson was uncerem oniously dum ped by M ich a e l D u ka kis in fa vo r o f the p ro-contra Texas land grabber L lo y d B e n ts ty , was a fla sh p o in t o f n a tional debate w ith in the A fric a n A m e rica n co m rriu n ity. M in is te r Farrakhan held a fo ru m students fro m th is 1988 kindergarten class, ro u g h ly 50 percent, w ill graduate from high schools. A bout 6,800 w ill enter com m unity colleges, approximately on the B la c k Agenda at the W heat Street B a p tist C hurch in A tla n ta attended by 4,0 0 0 people. He urged Jackson to be a “ cham p” and not a “ ch u m p ” 363 B la ck students w ill u ltim a te ly receive co lle g e d ip lo m a s fro m C a lifo rn ia State U n iv e rs ity o r the U n iv e rs ity o f C a lifo rn ia , 1 percent o f the o rig in a l by standing up to the racism o f the Dem ocrats. M in is te r Farrakhan in v ite d me to address the cro w d ; they cheered w hen group. Is education a hum an rig h t, o r sim p ly a co m m o d ity w h ic h is bo u g h t and I said that Jesse was a b rillia n t leader b u t had led us to the w ro n g place. M in is te r Farrakhan gave his support to m y independent candidacy, sparking a heated debate w ith in the M u s lim n co m m u n ity o ver w hether o r not it sold? F in a n cia l aid grants at m ost u n ive rsitie s have been reduced fro m one th ird to tw o th ird s since 1975. M o s tB la c k yo u th w h o manage to g e to u th ig h a p p ro xim a te ly 35,290 students. O f th is num ber, the D ire c to r’ s R eport estim ates that b y the firs t years o f the tw e n ty firs t century, o n ly 17,645 B la ck 20 percent; 1,235 are projected to enter campuses o f the C a lifo rn ia State U niversity system; and another 706 w ill enroll in the U niversity o f C a lifornia, o n ly 2 percent o f that kindergarten class. H o w m any w il l graduate? O n ly c o m m u n ity than the R epublicans, M in is te r Farrakhan said, “ Y o u have no rig h t to support som ething that you have g ive n so m uch to and get so little fro m . Y o u have no rig h t to co ntinue to support it s im p ly because you feel m edicine, la w , and o th e r professions, we m ust u rg e n tly develop a lo n g -te rm you suffered under M r. Bush and maybe you m ig h t do better under M r. D u k a k i. W h o said so? T h a t’ s lik e v o tin g fo r L u c ife r o r Satan, you catch h e ll students w il l tra ve l to the state legislature in Sacramento to denounce racism life . F in a lly , i t ’ s beginning to daw n on m any people that investing a d o lla r in c h ild re n ’ s program s today saves m ore d o lla rs do w n the road. E ve ry d o lla r spent on a q u a lity day care program lik e choices fo r th e ir kids. T o d a y, the m a jo rity o f c h ild re n fro m fa m ilie s w ith h ig h er incom es attend preschool program s, B u t o n ly about a th ird o f k id s fro m p o o r fa m ilie s are e n ro lle d in such programs. T h a t means the ch ild re n w h o need such tra in in g m ost are s h u to u t, la rg e ly because th e ir parents can’ t a ffo rd to pay the b ills , w h ile the k id s w h o already /-A .V - * z’ Í >'• r i .• * ■* •' > < ’ • í- l BLACK GENIUS, WHITE COVER by McKinley Burt ï&S'tz head start as w e ll . . So m any child-centered agenda has to ensure access to preschool learning experiences and to vastly im p ro ve d schools serving disadvantaged and m in o rity kids. H ealth program s targeted to p o o r fa m ilie s are also needed. A b o u t a th ird w ith in p o litic a l, re lig io u s, c iv ic and grassroots circle s o ve r w h ich route we m ust take to o u r em pow erm ent and the re a liza tio n o f the B la ck Agenda. m o w in g changes b u t the nam e o f the the T .V . netw orks and m o vie studios gam e. B u t, firs t, le t us take a fascinating and hum orous lo o k in to o u r m usic, a b it o f c o n tin u ity in the A fric a n genre w ith their tremendous financial resources w ere able to co n ve rt B la c k R y th m a n d Blues into white R ock and R o ll. Before tong R u th B ro w n was w a itin g on tables (m ode)... A . T h e B lues A s W r itte n 4000 Y e a rs o f the 36 m illio n people n o t covered by Ago (Love poem translated by S. Schott fo r a liv in g . Those who have further interest should read B la ck author, G eorge N elson, T h e p u b lic o r p riva te health insurance are c h ild re n , and one o f every fo u r A fric a n A m erican ch ild re n is to ta lly w ith o u t fro m the P apyri H arris, Beatty and Death o f R yth m and Blues. M r. Nelson T u rin ) I have not seen m y beloved fo r seven is e d ito r o f B la ck M u sic fo r B illb o a rd such health insurance. In the 1980’s, government disinvested in its ch ild re n and therefore, in the n a tio n ’ s fu tu re . In the 1990's, it w ill have to increase its investments in human resources and n ow is the tim e to lay the foundations fo r that e ff o r t c u ltu ra l c o n trib u tio n s in the areas o f m usic and lite ra tu re . In p a rtic u la r, the fa irly recent rip o ff in the fie ld o f popular m usic p rovides a m odel that th is Take away what is African in America (o r the w o rld ) and w h a t do we have left? g e n e ra tio n can use in an e xa m ination N o t m uch, as we have seen here. A n to exclude Blacks. W e w ill take a lo o k at the "Cross Over” and "W h ite C over” enthusiastic reader response to this semes o f how ancient h is to ry has been warped on documented A fric a n o rig in s and in n o vatio n s suggests that I have p re tty w e ll dem onstrated that c iv iliz a tio n d id techniques used by Am erican’ s recording n o t begin w ith the Greeks, Rom ans, o r dete rm in in g that a " w h ite c o v e r” - the any oth e r Europeans. Just as s ig n ific a n t as technology has G re e ks - also has been used to obscure the c o n trib u tio n o f the ancient A fric a n ; •-.. t eith e r w ay you g o .” I lo o k fo rw a rd to presenting the independent o p tio n at the A F R IC A N A M E R IC A N S U M M IT ’ 89. I lo o k fo rw a rd to in te n s ify in g the discussions strategy to reverse these trends. In C a lifo rn ia th is m onth, thousands o f B la c k , H ispanic and A sia n in the state’ s school systems. A c tiv is ts are c a llin g fo r an increased fu n d in g fo r student loans and services, e th n ic studies as a graduation requirem ent in colleges, and e xpanding budgets fo r elem entary and secondary schools. Such a ctivism m ust be in itia te d at every state ca p ita l across the c o u n try . The o rg a n izin g them e should be “ E ducation is a H um an R ig h t.” start o u t w ith advantages get an extra erspectives k “z •# 5 party chooses, so shall we then choose the party. " W e say to the tw o A m ericans p o litic a l parties: T h is is th e ir last clear are losing the ba ttle fo r educational o p p o rtu n ity and eq u a lity. O ne in d ica to r is the fa llin g num ber o f B la c k d octoral degrees w h ich are being granted. B etw een 1977 and 1987, fo r exam ple, the total num ber o f em pow er parents to make the rig h t v ita l c h ild care, n u tritio n and health program s, the p u b lic is dem anding that go ve rn m en t p la y a m ore creative role than ju s t saying no to progressive solutions. P olls show consistent p u b lic support fo r day care and o ther program s th a t g ive p o o r kid s a better chance in r handed do w n a passionate in d ictm e n t o f both the m a jo r parties. “ N o p o litic a l party w h ich represents the interests o f A m e ric a ’ s gia n t corporations, rather than the urgent needs o f the people, m ay e n list B la ck p o litic a l p o w e r in its support...H ereafter, every p o litic a l p a rty m ust m ake up its m in d . I t cannot represent both the co rporations and the people. A s the W ith o u t a co llege degree o r advanced tra in in g in a technical pro g ra m , i t is extremely d iffic u lt to advance economically. Increasingly, A frican-Am ericans 50 percent in m any c itie s and states. I f we are serious about the developm ent o f the n e xt generation o f B la ck leadership in governm ent, labor, p o litic s , liv in g standards are g o in g to fa ll. T h ird , after years o f heavy cuts in ' • ' nearly a generation now. In 1972 the N a tio n al B la ck P o litic a l C o n ve ntio n m et in G a ry, Indiana. In his e xp lo sive keynote address M a y o r H atcher, the convention co -ch a ir, d e v e lo p m e n t W ith o u t education, one cannot acquire concrete s k ills o r a mastery o f in fo rm a tio n necessary to accom plish even the m ost sim ple tasks. should in clu d e independent candidates. In answ ering the argum ent that the D em ocrats w ere better fo r the B la ck that prepare them fo r a p ro d u ctive place in this changing econom y, e ve ryb o d y’ s .*A « hundreds o f thousands more who support a Black-led, multi-racial independent party in A m e rica , w ill be represented in th is n e xt national d ia logue on the B la c k Agenda, a dialogue that has been ta kin g place in o u r co m m u n ity fo r and professional schools - is the fundam ental basis fo r in d iv id u a l arid g roup care program s, establish m in im u m standards fo r such program s, and force that’ s drawn from today’ s m inority ' C o m m u n ity ” the panel on w h ich I w ill be a speaker. M y p a rticip a tio n guarantees that the 220,000 A m e ric a n s -m a in ly A fric a n A m e ric a n s -w h o voted fo r me as an independent P residential candidate last year, and the P E ducation - at the elem entary and secondary school levels, in colleges school are tracked in to c o m m u n ity colleges, and never receive fo u r year degrees. A n d h ig h school drop o u t rates fo r A fric a n -A m e ric a n youth exceed and disadvantaged groups. T h e y understand that unless those kid s are equipped w ith o p p o rtu n itie s ( • and w alks o f lif e .” I am very pleased to be ta kin g part in the S u m m it and in p a rticu la r to have the o p p o rtu n ity to address the issue o f " O p tio n s fo r the A fric a n A m e rica n P resident’ s rh e to ric on education has little co rre la tio n w ith his budget should be in v o lv e d in electoral p o litic s and w hether o r n o t that in vo lve m e n t co lle g e ...” Second, business leaders are concerned that dem ographic changes mean the econom y w ill be dependent on a greater p ro p o rtio n o f the w o rk * A m e rica n c ity -e x p la in e d that “ an A fric a n A m e rica n Agenda fo r the next fo u r years and on out to the year 2000, w h ich transcends party and partisan considerations, w ill be developed at this m e e tin g .” T he S u m m it, he co n tin u e d , " w i l l be open to a ll A fric a n A m ericans o f every p o litic a l persuasion, re lig io u s organization a ll econom ic levels ages, philosophies D u rin g last year’ s presidential cam paign, R epublican candidate George Bush vow ed to become the "E d u c a tio n President.” Federal expenditures and in itia tiv e s to help resolve the c ris is in o u r schools w o u ld be ‘ «creased- O f course, since Bush m oved in to the W h ite H ouse, we ve learned that the care, expand the a v a ila b ility o f c h ild them selves as teenagers, and n o t go to ■ / í establish a ffo rd a b le day care program s o f the A F R IC A N A M E R IC A N S U M M IT ’ 89. fo rm e r G a ry, Indiana m ayor R ich a rd H a tc h e r-th e firs t A fric a n A m e rica n to be elected m a yo r o f a m a jo r “ Is Education a Human Right? 99 C h ild re n ’ s Defense F und, w rites in the N a tio n al U rban League’ s State o f B la c k unem ployed parent, be unem ployed X .< M program s. A n d congressional e ffo rts to A lo n g w ith o ther concerned A fric a n A m ericans, I have been in v ite d to take part in the A fric a n A m e rica n S u m m it that is being held in N ew Orleans on the weekend o f A p ril 21. In his le tte r o f in v ita tio n the general chairm an Dr. Manning Marable Along The Color Line underachieving at school and w in d in g up w ithout skills o r education. A s Marion W rig h t E delm an, president o f the in to p o ve rty, lack e a rly parental care, have a s in g le m o th e r, have an V THE BLACK AGENDA AND INDEPENDENT POLITICS have had bipartisan backing. O ne such b ill, the A c t fo r B etter C h ild Care (A B C ) w o u ld help lo w and moderate incom e fa m ilie s pay fo r c h ild A m e rica report: “ T o d a y, com pared to 1980, b la c k ch ild re n are now m ore lik e ly to be born ‘ v ? -. O P IN IO N Dr. Leaora Fulaal One o f the things that we have emphasized over the years here at C iv il FOCUS ON KIDS by John E. Jacob / industry. N e ith e r student, teacher o r the p u b lic w ill have any d iffic u lty days I am a prey to listlessness Magazine, the bible o f the entertainment industry. W hat we see to have happened is that the B la c k re c o rd in g co m p a n ie s M y heart has become heavy lo st the cash flo w , contracts and other W hen the physicians com e to me T h e ir remedies do not satisfy me, resources that not o n ly made i t possible T he m agicians are helpless to pay th e ir artists w e ll - b u t also made it possible fo r them to h ire hundreds o f M y sickness cannot be discovered B u t i f they say " lo o k , there she is ” , Blacks in high-technology jobs not open to them in w h ite -o w n e d in d u stry. The Then I am restored to life . B . T h e B lues A c c o rd in g T o Say, fe w to ke n s hired b y the b ig operators under their A ffirm a tiv e A ctio n programs w ere not m uch o f a tra d e o ff. A n d the B .B . K in g : A in ’ t seen m y baby fo r seven long S u p p o rt O u r A dvertisers! Say You Saw It In T he PortlandObserver! PORTLA?®'OBSERVER OREGON’S OLDEST AFRICAN-AMERICAN PUBLICATION Established in 1970 Leon Harrls/General Manager A lfre d L. Hundereon/Pubiisher days. T he do cto r ca n ’ t help me o r m end m y ways. The voodoo man a in ’ t got no spell H e ca n ’ t begin to make me w e ll. om issions o f B la ck H is to ry , ancient o r modern - in the w ords o f B ill C osby, J o y c e W a s h in g to n Business Manager Sales/Marketing Director M a rie D e c u lr L o n n ie W e lls Photographor Circulation Manager un io n barriers are yet to be breached. N ow , we should be able to appreciate h ow it came to be in respect to the Gary Ann Garnett PO R TLA N D O BSERVER is published weekly by Exie Publishing Company, inc. 525 N.E. Killlngsworth S t Portland, Oregon 97211 P.O. Box 3137 kNQa ' Portland, Oregon 97208 L o st, Strayed o r S to le n .” The w h ite establishment has in place a set o f controls N o w back at the ranch w e fin d that P a tti Page and G e o rg ia G ib b s were that dictate how B lacks shall be heard, (503) 288-0033 (Office) seen portrayed, taught o r rem em bered. the “ W h ite C o v e r” fo r popular recordings o rig in a te d by B la c k fem ale In h isto ry o r art, they in sist in the tone o f an E leventh C om m andm ent, “ T hou Deadlines lor all submined materials Articles: Monday, 5 p.m.; Ads: Tuesday, 5 p.m. vo lca lists lik e R uth B ro w n o r Aretha F ra n k lin , Pat Boone and E lv is Presly co v e re d C harles B ro w n , C huck B e rry, L ittle R ichard, C hubby C hecker, Fats D o m in o , and James B ro w n . A n d o n ly the B eetles acknow ledged an A fric a n o rig in . The g ia n t re cording a ffilia te s o f sh a ll be c o v e re d .” N ext week we shall explore the depth and beauty o f A frica n lite ra tu re , anc ient and modern - and we shall u n -co ve r the brothers and sisters. The PORTLANO OBSERVER « • k x ™ freelance submission» Manuscrpts and photographs should ba daart|r labeled and will ba returned it accompanied by a setl-addreesed envelope. All created designed display eda become the sole property at thia r.ewapaper and can not be used in other publications or personal usage, without the written consent of the general manager, unlees the client has purchased the oompoelion ol suoh ad. IM B PORTLAND OBSERVER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE O R IN PART W ITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. Subscriptions: (2 0 .0 0 per year In the Tri-County area The PORTLAND OBSERVER - Oregon's oldest African American Publication-is a member at The National Newspaper Association - Founded In 18(5. The Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association, and The National Advertising Rspreeentative Amalgamated Pubtahers. Ino.. New Yodt been the A frica n and A frican-A m erican 4 * J . \ w • ¿ -1 . ; V . •>’ : > • • .... - ■ 9 t -- • ■1