Page 8 Portland Observer May 25,1989
Perspectives,
M cK inley B u rt
Your Daddy’s
Rich And Your
Mania’s Good
Looking, Part II
We conclude this series with a ci­
tation o f two Blacks who, respec­
tively, had considerable influence
upon the developm ent o f a great city,
and a reaw akening continent.
W illiam A lex an d er L eid so rff
(1810- 1848»: Once again we find
W est Indies island the birthplace of
an African son o f a wealthy father-
St. Croix in the Virgin Islands. This
progeny o f a Danish cotton broker
and an African mother inherited the
New O rleans branch of the Family
business after the death of two older
brothers. In 1841 he sailed for C ali­
fornia, then M exican te rrito ry . The
ship was the “ Julia Ann , named for
his mother.
A fter being granted two lots from
the existing governm ent, Leidsorff
prom ptly became a Mexican citizen
and in 1844 was awarded an addi­
tional grant for 35,000 acres on the
A m erican R iver. A very astute and
ambitious operator, he let it be known
that he favored United States sover­
eignty over that of Mexico. W hen
California came under American rule
in 1846, that early attitude greatly
enhanced his lapid rise in the arenas
o f politics, business, and civic af­
fairs.
W ithin five short years, Leidsorff
becam e a m em b er of th e San F r a n ­
cisco city council, the A m erican
C onsu l in C alifo rn ia, a n d C ity
T re a s u r e r . M oving at breakneck
speed (as though he knew his life
span was to be short), he established
the first American school in C alifor­
nia. And as an entrepreneur he brought
in his ow n craft, the Sitka, as the first
ste a m sh ip to e n te r San F ran cisco
Bay (N ovem ber 15, 1847). His m e­
teoric and well docum ented career
included the in tro d u ctio n of horse
ra c in g to C alifo rn ia.
Dead at the early age o f 38,
Leidsorff left an estate valued in the
many millions o f dollars. Much of
this wealth came from the American
River land grant, one o f the sites of
the great gold strike o f 1849. The city
o f San Francisco gave him a public
funeral and named a street after him,
still a busy thoroughfare at the foot of
a principal hill. Interestingly, Los
Angeles also had pioneer Black set­
tlers before statehood and they are
honored in huge murals in both pub­
lic and private buildings.
Paul Belloni D uChaillu(1837-
1901): This African explorer and d is­
cover o f the g o rilla was bom on the
island of Reunion off the east coast
o f Africa. The scion of a French
father and an African mother, he was
educated in Paris and early on de­
clared an am bition to be a writer in
the tra v e l g en re. To support these
aspirations he became an African
trader in the tradition of his father
w ho dealt in ebony and ivory (1860)
Fascinated by the A frican’s sto­
ries o f go rillas, and animal never
seen by w hite men, DuChaillu felt
that the capture of one o f the beasts
w ould provide him a reputation of
international stature. Initially, he suc­
ceeded only in killing several whose
hides he brought to A merica for ex­
hibition. At first, he becam e “ the
m ost widely talked o f man in A m er­
ica and Europe’’, learned societies
honored him and scientific journals
published his articles. But, soon he
was faced with skepticism from other
scientists who claim ed that his skins
and skulls were really those o f a
g ia n t N egro.
The Royal Society of England was
kinder to him, publishers bought his
m anuscripts and the British Museum
bought his skins and skulls.DuChaillu
returned to Africa in 1864 and was
able to capture a female gorilla and
her young, with an international repu­
tation firmly in hand he proceeded to
write a series of books that fasci­
nated the entire English-speaking
world, Tw o of the m ost popular titles
were “ W ildlife Under The Equa­
to r’’, and “ Country of the D w arfs” .
J.A. Rogers, the noted African-
A m erican historian makes the fol­
lowing observation: “ ...DuChaillu not
only preceded L ivingstone into the
deep interior of Africa, but his books
publicized Africa as it never had
been before. His work paved the way
for S ir H en ry M. Stanley and cre­
ated a receptive public for the lat­
ter” .
I would make the additional o b ­
servation that this work also paved
the way for the next century o f ex-
ploitation-bcside slavery, Tarzan and
safaris. How m any have read, "H o w
Europe Underdeveloped A frica” , a
process still in full gear.
NORTHWEST
AFRICAN
AMERICAN
WRITERS
WORKSHOP
JOBS & CLASSIFIED
PROPOSAL
SUB- BIDS REQUESTED
Trans Industries will be submitting a proposal in response to M etropoli­
tan Service D istricts’ request for proposal on the Metro East Station.
Trans Industries is actively soliciting Bids/proposals for the following:
The Urban League o f Portland’s
fuel and oil supplies, m aintenance activities, landscaping and yard m ainte­
Northwest African American W rit­
nance, janitorial services, equipm ent parts suppliers, and safety equipm ent
ers W orkshop will host a book recep­
tion in honor of one of its members, suppliers.
Contact Mike C asetta with questions.
Joseph Franklin, whose non-fiction
9363 N Colum bia Blvd.
work, All Through The Night. The
Portland, Oregon 97203
History O f Spokane Black A m eri­
(503) 286-6145
cans. has recently been released. The
reception will be held at the Y.W.C.A.,
5630 NE Martin Luther King A ve­
CONTRACTORS ATTENTION
nue, on Saturday, June 10,1989 from
2:00 TO 5:00 pm.
The Housing Authority o f Yamhill County is adm inistering rehabilita­
Mr. Franklin spent over nine years
researching material for this unique tion program in the city o f Newberg to assist investor-owners in rehabilitat­
book which is highly suitable for the ing rental properties. Contractors are encouraged to contact the Housing
public schools and contains over ninety Authority indicating interest.
photographs.
H O U SIN G A U T H O R IT Y O F Y A M H IL L CO U N TY
Mr. Franklin is a teacher and his­
414 N E vans
torian who works for Portland public
M cM innville, O R 97128
Schools.
434-6571
The Northwest African American
E .O .E
W riters W orkshop was founded by
E q u a l H ousing O p p o rtu n ity
Useni Eugene Perkins, president of
the Urban League. The group was re­
cently awarded a S 1,200 grant from
COUNTY OF CLARK
the M etropolitan Arts Commission
to publish an anthology o f its m em ­
INVITATION TO BID
bers.
BID N O . 1675
D A LE RAM SA Y C O N ST R U C T IO N
PO BOX 1082
Corvallis, OR 97339
(503) 753-2012
Oregon State University
F o rest R esearch L a b o ra to ry
Bid D ate: M ay 3 1 ,1 9 8 9 by 3:00 pm
Oregon State University
Shepard Hall Reroof
Bid Date: June 1,1989 by 2:00 pm
Oregon State University
Seed Laboratory
Bid Date: June 5,1989 by 2:00 pm
W e are an equal opportunity em ployer and request sub bids from small
business and small disadvantaged business sub-contractors and women &
minority business enterprises.
SUB-BID REQUESTED
MENTOR GRAPHICS
Wilsonville, Oregon
Bid J u n e 2, 1989 Bid D ate 12:00 PM
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT SEALED BIDS will be received
by the Board o f County Com m issioners in the office ol Purchasing/Central
Support Services, 1013 Franklin Street, Vancouver, W ashington, U N TIL
9:50 am , on the 31st day of M ay, 1989 for the purpose of securing:
#1675 - P e te r S. O gden P a rk Site Im p ro v em en ts
BIDS will be opened by the Board at approxim ately, 10:00 am , M ay 31,
1989 subject to the agenda of the Board o f County Com m issioners. Bid
Invitations and specifications may be seen and copies may be obtained in
the O ffice o f Purchasing Central Support Services (206) 699-2323 at the
above address. The County reserves the right to reject any and all bids
DONALD DRAKE CONSTRUCTION
1740 NW Flanders
Portland, O regon 97209
(503) 226-3991
FA X 288-3019
W e are an equal opportunity em ployer and request sub-bids from small
business and small disadvantaged business subcontractors and women
and minority business enterprises.
PORTLAND OBSERVER
“ The Eyes and Ears of the Community”
288-0033
and waive informalities
t
o
tlierl)illeienu’
-Á
Safeway is in your Neighborhood to Stay
SAFEWAY
Deli Fresh
Pizza
12-lnch Thin Dough
(Single Topping Only!) Your choice of
Cheese, Italian Sausage, Pepperoni or
Canadian Bacon.
$
For
10
98
Extra
Toppings,
50* Ea.
Available In
Safeway Stores.
12-Piece Golden
Fried Chicken
Perfect For Your Picnic or
Golden fried, plump, juicy
chicken, fried in cholesterol
free oil. Always a favorite
with kids and adults. Perfect
for special parties such as
birthdays, anniversaries, or
any other special occasion.
Great for lunches or dinners
any day of the week!
a>
#0» Fresh Potato Salad
M ) Tasty Light Ham
$1.29
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Available At Stores With In-Store Deli’s Only!
” • •