Page 2 Portland Observer AUGUST 24,1989
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KANSAS CITY RACISM
Marcus Moriah Garvey
by Ron Daniels
“ Up you m ighty race you can accomplish what you w i ll ” . These were
the pow erful words spoken by a charismatic leader to a downtrodden and
dispairing people in the first part o f the 20th century. The leader Marcus
M oriah Garvey. The people, the sons and daughters o f A fric a in Am erica,
the Carribean, Central and South America and throughout the A frica
disaspora. Marcus Garvey b u ilt the largest and most pow erful mass
movement and organization among Africans in the disaspora in our history.
Yet most African-Am ericans know virtu a lly nothing about Garvey.
Born in Jamaica in 1889, Garvey was convinced that the key to Black
lib criio n fo r the masses o f colonized and oppressed Africans in A frica and
the disaspora was the promotion o f racial pride, self-help and freedom and
self-determination fo r the A frica n motherland as the basis for respect and
self-determination fo r A frican people throughout the world. Marcus
Garvey was a nationalist, and he aspired to restore A frican people o f the
w orld - Africa.
To m obilize Africans to give flesh to his vision, Garvey organized the
Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League
in 1914 in his native Jamaica. By 1916 Garvey had made a decision to move
his principal base o f operations to the United States, This proved to be a
excellent move, as Garvey soon found fertile soil to propogate his ideas
among the masses o f Black im m igrants from the south who were taking up
residence in urban centers throughout the nation. The continuing stress and
strain o f race prejudice, discrimination, segregation and economic exploitation
gave Garvey a ready audience for his appeal to racer pride and A frican
redemption among the A frican masses in the United States.
The U .N .I.A . and A .C .L. rapidly grew to become the largest mass
movement and organization that Africans in the disapora have ever built. A t
its height there were chapters in England, the Carribean, Central and South
Am erica as w ell as the United States and Canada. According to some
estimates the U .N .I.A .’ s membership numbered in excess o f 10 m illio n .
The range o f adherents and sympathizers to G arvey’ s philosophy and
opinions was certainly even larger.
Consistent w ith his goal o f transforming a nationless people into a
position o f nationhood and self-government the U .N .I.A . was structured
like a nation and government in becoming. Garvey provided a flag w ith the
colors red, black and green as a symbol o f our suffering, historic achievements
and promise for self-determination in the future. As a means o f spreading
the message and program o f the U .N .I.A . Garvey created the Negro W orld
which had the largest circulation o f any A frican newspaper in the disapora
in that time or thereafter, the U .N .I.A . had its own system o f schools to
ensure an A frican oriented education fo r its followers. Declaring that “ God
is a Negro” Garvey dedicated the Universal A frican Orthodox Church to
o ffe r a Christian theology and religious experience rooted in our own history
and traditions as an A frican people.
The U .N .I.A .’ s economic program was grounded in the ph8phoilosophy
o f self-help. Its ambitious projects included farms, factories, food markets
and laundries. Its most hig hly celebrated venture was the Black Star
Steamship Line which sought to bring G arvey’s dream o f economic inter­
dependence between A frica , The Carribean and Africans in Am erica to
Fruition. To advance the aims o f the U .N .I.A . in terms o f the liberation and
restoration o f A frica as w e ll as the defense o f the U .N .I.A .’ s structure and
programs in the disapora, Garvey created a m ilita ry w ing which included:
The Universal A frican Legion; The A frican M otor Corps; The Black Eagle
Flying Corp; and the Black Cross Nurses.
The U .N .I.A . was a p ow erful concept and a powerful movement. The
conventions o f the Negro People o f the W orld which Garvey convened at
U .N .I.A . headquarters in Harlem w ould draw upwards o f 25,000 delegates
from Am erica and around the w orld. The U .N .I.A . was com pletely financed
by money from A frica n people, and Black people were generous in their
support o f an idea and movement which they believed genuinely represented
the interests and aspiration o f the masses. According to G arvey’ s w ife the
U .N .I.A . received contributions o f 10 m illio n from 1919 - 1921 alone.
A Black leader and movement who could inspire a ll this was too
pow erful for com fort in Am erica. A ccordingly the new ly organized Federal
Bureau o f Investigation (the F .B .I.) and J. Edgar H oover w ould target
Garvey and the U .N .I.A . at the top o f its h it list o f “ dangerous” and
“ subversive” individuals and organizations. The flame o f hope which
G arvey’ s oratory and organization was fueling had to be snuffed out. In
1923 the F.B.I. struck. Garvey was found guilty on a trumped up charge o f
using the mail to defraud.
Garvey was sent to prison, and though he was pardoned and deported in
1927, the damage had been done. Thereafter the flame and fire o f Garvey
and the U .N .I.A . was o n ly a fa int g lim m er o f what it had once been.
Eventually Marcus M oriah Garvey, the greatest mass leader in our history
would also fade from our collective national memory as a A frica n people in
America.
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T he re is an o ld axiom th a t the way o f the m idw est sheds lig h t fo r the
rest o f the U nited States. Kansas C ity, M issouri is a thriving city and is
often referred to as a barometer o f how w ell the pluralism o f this society is
w orking, I l is therefore noteworthy on a national level when there is a
substantive allegation o f systematic racial discrim ination in Kansas C ity.
A law suit has now been filed in the Federal D istrict C ourt in Kansas C ity
that alleges institutionalized racism and racial exclusion in the c ity ’s school
desegregation plan. A particular focus o f controversy is the denial o f access
o f A frica n Am erican school children to the c ity ’s academically enriched
magnet schools.
There are approxim ately 35,000 students in the schools and seventy-five
percent o f them are A frican American or Hispanic. A ttorney Steven R.
M ille r who represents the parents who have filed the suit stated, “ These
black students can’t get into magnet schools this year, fo r children, a year
is a long tim e in their educational life that puts a kind o f urgency to it.”
Back in 1984, federal Judge Russell G. C lark found that the State o f
M issouri and Kansas C ity had ille g a lly segregated the local schools. Judge
C lark ordered a desegregation plan that called fo r improvem ent in the
q uality o f education fo r all students and for capital improvements o f schools
that had historically served A frica n Am erican neighborhoods.
A lthough, the magnet schools have many vacancies and low student-to-
teacher ratios, A frican Am erican student applicants to these magnet schools
have been assigned to non-magnet schools w hile their names have remained
on w aiting lists fo r many months. Ms. Threquinta Thompson who is a
p la in tiff in the suit said she believes the issue is both challenging racism and
seeking quality education. Ms. Thompson in referring to her daughter, who
is in high school, stated, “ I ’ m trying to get her into a school that w ill better
educate her fo r her life as an adult.”
Kansas C ity ’ s magnet schools are being transformed into specialized
schools that stress mathematics, computer development and foreign lan­
guages. Judge C lark had ordered that each magnet school have an e n ro ll­
ment o f at least sixty percent racial and ethnic and fo rty percent white. Yet,
today many o f these magnet schools are increasing their enrollments o f
whites w hile excluding A frica n American students.
FORGOTTEN CIVIL RIGHTS
LEADER REMEMBERED IN
MISSISSIPPI
M e d g a r E vers the N A A C P organizer who rose to fame in the late 50’ s
and early 60’ s was honored w ith a statue in the c ity where he was murdered
over 26 years ago.
On June 4, 1988 at the annual Medgar Evers Homecoming Banquet, a
very special lady named M in es Gregory suggested that Evers be remem­
bered w ith a statue in Jackson. A n d in October o f that year the Medgar Evers
Statue Fund became a reality. Gregory explains, “ W e fe lt that Medgar
Evers was a forgotten soul, in the history o f the C iv il rig h t movement. A
statue was the least we could do to remember this m artyr and innovator.”
A t the present time $50,000 is needed to meet the proposed deadline o f
1990,when the statue w ill be dedicated. A lso a scholarship fund w ill be
started after the com pletion o f the project, “ Medgar Evers was an avid
student,” states Gregory, “ and attended A lc o m College in 1946 to study
business adm inistration. He was listed in the W h o ’ s W ho Am ong Students
and became a successful business man after graduation. He soon joined the
N A A C P and in 1954 became the first N A A C P fie ld secretary in M ississippi.
A dd to these accomplishments his outstanding service during W orld W ar II,
and you can see the importance o f remembering him as an example fo r black
students.
Several celebrities have added their names to the e ffort, most notably
B .B .K in g and K ris Kristofferson. Gregory said,” We have had an amazing
amount o f interest in this statue, be we need the help o f the press to educate
the nation about the life o f Medgar Evers and the funds to make this dream
Spotlight. Bevel drew an analogy
between Regardie’ s comments and
the behavior o f whites after lynching
a black man in the days o f segrega­
tion: “ A fte r they were caught, they
w ould stand in front o f the judge and
say ‘ We were only playing.we did n ’t
The black press in the nation’ s capi­ mean to k ill the nigger.’ That has
to
do
w ith
being
tal has led a frontal attack on other n o th in g
members o f the media for what they sorry’ ’ .Regardie only apologized for
“ offending those who support him
claim is “ racism in the media.”
Dorothy G illia m , a black w riter for and not for the blatant racism .” It
the Washington Post, started the ball seems that Regardie’s motivation “ has
rollin g in what is now known as ‘ the more to do w ith fear o f losing valu­
Regardie’s campaign.” Gilliam called able advertising clients, rather than
the prom inent business magazine any genuine concern about offend­
writes
“ Racist and Repugnant” fo r its ing African-Am ericans,”
“ overtly racist, stereotypical, con­ C alvin Rolark o f The Washington
descending and arrogant” contents Inform er and Dean o f the black press.
in the M ay issue. Since then, a wave Blatant black leadership bashing is
o f outrage has been continually ex­ further evidenced in the July issue o f
pressed in the 70% black city through Regardie’s in which M r. Regardie
its media w hile the general media (or continues “ to lynch ’ blacks while
* ‘ Massas o fth e m e d ia ,” a s B ill Reed apologizing (to his readers) in the
o f The Capital Spotlight newspaper same breath, referring to Rev. Bevel
puts it) have continued w ith business as a “ Moonie front man.” Rev. Bevel
as usual. Through the broad based has noted in his weekly talks at the
campaign, African-Am ericans have Howard Inn that this is the same tac­
tic used by the racists during the
shown that they are not content w ith
C
iv il rights Movement, labeling
"business as usual” and are “ wak­
M
artin Luther K ing as a “ commu­
ing up,” says Elizabeth Thomas o f
n
ist”
and any white who joined the
The Positive Energy newsletter. They
movement
as a “ nigger-lover.”
formed a new coalition declaring
On
July
14.
the C ity Paper showed its
W.A.R.R.R. (Washingtonians Against
true colors by jo in in g the Regardie’s
Regardie’ s Repugnant Racism) on
Regardie’ s and are demanding that lynching coalition, referring to Rev.
he personally retract demeaning state­ Bevel as an “ opportunist” who is
“ shrewdly fusing the issues o f ra­
ments and caricatures and reverse
racist policies, or he should be shut cism and Moon-bashing into one
protest.” Jack Shafer then expresses
down.
In what the Black Press labels as an­ his condescending conviction that
the poor ignorant black fo lk w ill one
other example o f “ racism in the me­
day become enlightened (by Shafer
dia” and The Old Boy Network, on
June 27th, the Washington Post’ s no less) about this.
Thus, as B ill Reed responds in The
Tom Sherwood interviewed B ill
Capital Spotlight, Shafer has joined
Regardie under the caption “ Pub­
Regardie in the “ height o f a superior
lisher Turns New LeafiRegardie
Apologizes for Racial Slurs.” “ Upon > attitude” to imply that” ...local blacks
reading Regardie’ s so called apol­
have no reason, or right, to respond
ogy, however, one readily recognizes , to racism unless they have been
the insincerity and disinform ation as prompted by some other force for
Regardie states that he is eating crow some other purpose that is not our
he doesn’ t believe he deserves. By ow n.”
this statement, M r. Regardie him self According to publishers and editors
has fanned the flames o f indignation o f local Black Press outlets.the cam­
and it does not seem lik e ly that this paign is being expanded to include
issue w ill bum itself out now ,” said black publications in urban areas
Rev. Bruce W illia m s o f the coali­ across the country. A ls o , the weekly
comm unity meetings consistently at­
tion.
Rev. James Bevel, the former chief tracting 100-plus people are held at
strategist to M artin Luther King and the Howard Inn. They feature a talk
the organizer o f W .A.R.R.R., was by Rev. Bevel and a m ulti-m edia
quick to respond in an interview in presentation that highlights Regar-
the June 29th issue o f The Capital dies’ racism.
BLACK MEDIA
LEADS CAMPAIGN
AGAINST
REGARDIES’S
a re a lity .”
Employee Rights
Win Protection
Oregon Gov. Neil Goldschmidt
has signed into law a measure passed
recently by the state legislature that
protects employee privacy and rights
in and out of the workplace. The law
prohibits employers from subjecting
employees or job applicants to lie-
detector tests, genetic screening, psy­
chological stress tests or unwarranted
breathalyzer testing.
The law also makes it illegal to dis­
criminate in the hiring of people be­
cause they smoke. Employers are
prohibited from requiring workers or
job applicants to abstain from smok­
ing or using tobacco products off the
ADL
REMEMBERS
CONG. MICKEY
LELAND
A b ra h a m H. F oxm an, national
director o f the Anti-D efam ation
League, issued the fo llo w in g state­
ment on the reported death o f M ickey
Leland:
“ There is a special Jewish word
which describes M ickey Leland,
‘ mensch’ --it means ‘a real human
being.’The Anti-Defam ation League
has been privileged to know and work
w ith him on black- Jewish relations,
on the separate concerns o f the black-
Jewish com m unities and those con­
cerns affecting all people a like .”
“ He went on his first trip to Israel
w ith me and several A D L leaders
where he met w ith then- Prime M in ­
ister Mcnachem Begin and other gov­
ernment o ffic ia ls , he was tremen­
dously helpful in rescuing Ethiopian
Jews and getting them to Israel. His
addresses in various sections o f this
country dealt candidly, as w ell as
factually, w ith black and Jewish is­
sues.
“ He was a warm and dose friend,
a beautiful and unique person who
shall be remembered w ith affection
and respect - and be sorely missed.”
PERSPECTIVES
By McKinley Burt
One would gather from this co l­
umn that Economic Development and
M in o rity Business have had a rather
h airj' pathology. That is correct but
the same is true fo r a Black just
trying to make it through the day! A ll
things in perspective, then, le t’ s take
a look at the possible and workable.
A t the university I made it a ritual
fo r m y students to buy o ut o f tow n
newspapers and report on progres­
sive economic activities in other c it­
ies. ( “ you w ill discover your selves
to be in sort o f a p rison in Portland-
some o f the wardens are B la ck” ). In
1977 I read in the Los Angeles Sen­
tin e l ( a Black-owned newspaper) o f
a “ W ork/Study Program in H ealth
A dm in istra tio n for m inorities.” This
was a federally funded program that
provided scores o f Black college stu­
dents w ith related employm ent and
career development. The major study
areas were biology, chem istry, pre­
med, sociology, business ad, and
accounting.
I called the newspaper and was
placed in touch w ith the local spon­
sor, a Black female physician and a
member o f the nation’ s most active
and com m itted medical fa m ily (Dr.
Geraldine Woods). This lady pro­
vided details o f the program struc­
ture, and promptly placed me in touch
w ith the Washington, D.C. adminis-
trators-along w ith a favorable rec­
ommendation for $100,000 o f fund­
ing through Portland State U nive r­
sity. approval was sw ift, cutting
through tim e and budget restrictions.
W e may say that the program was
successful-to a p o in t
But, pay attention. I intended for
the program to be controlled through
the university where there would be
adequate m onitoring and control. In ­
stead, m y department heads, w ithout
inform ing me (Black Studies), b ro k­
ered out the operation to a com m u­
nity poverty program (PMSC) which
was already plagued w ith problems.
As a result many o f my designs and
expectations were not implemented.
There was a constant negative feed­
back from participating students, and
from Washington; Increasing com­
plaints from students, and evidence
o f the usual favoritism and deficien­
cies in accounting and fund manage­
ment threatened the program. I had
relinquished control before I should
have, part o f m y early learning curve
in the public sector. And yours, I
hope.
However, it is true that the com­
munity valued the program (few were
told that I engineered it), and that the
students received needed financial
aid and career insights. Let us exam­
ine the secondary benefit and lever­
age that was lost. These operational
disabilities caused the program to be
divorced from another area o f finan­
cial support I had developed through
m y knowledge o f how in d u stry in ­
tersects w ith the p u b lic sector.
I had persuaded several top phar­
maceutical and hospital supply
companies to provide several hundred
thousand additional dollars o f financ­
ing to extend the student slots for a
fu ll year instead o f the federal 90-
day parameter. But the firm s backed
down when the Department o f Health
Education and Welfare furnished
adverse reports on the poverty pro­
gram management style. I have con­
tacted them again.
A regeneration o f this much-needed
program is among m y project devel­
opments I mentioned several weeks
ago. Some readers may be fam iliar
w ith one element already im ple­
mented. The Portland Observer on
August 26,1987 featured on the front
page the technical employment pro­
gram for high school seniors that I
developed at the Providence M e d i­
cal C en te r (computerized adm ini­
stration as w ell as computerized test­
ing and instrumentation). Also, after
research and conversations with
hospital administrators I project an
in ita lly small scale economic devel­
opment in the area o f manufacturing
certain simple medical devices and
supplics-having met rather favorable
comment from staff.
Turning to another aspect o f
comm unity economic development,
one that can be ju s t as productive
today, I submit another experience-
based model. In the 1970’ s, while
teaching a course I developed (“ Black
Urban Economic Experience” ), I was
informed by those students employed
by the social agencies that “ it is im ­
possible to get grants fo r c a p ita l ex­
penditures i.e. buildings o r larger
items ofequipment-these items have
to be leased” . A t the tim e 1 was an
advisor to the Black Education Cen­
ter, a non-profit com m unity organi­
zation founded by Ron Herndon and
several others who had a ll been stu­
dents together at Reed College.
Before the very eyes o f the stu­
dents I developed a semester-long
process which demonstrated that the
“ no capital grant” syndrome was
nothing more than a m ental blo ck­
like many other barriers to economic
development. Using the Black Edu­
cation Center as a model, I got out
twenty 1 1/2 page letters to founda­
tions, requesting funds to “ purchase
buildings” . Ten favorable replies
quickly follow ed-a fo llo w up request
for funds to buy an adjacent income
property to support center activities
was quickly honored. The difference
in my approach was that I had done
my hom ew ork, researched the foun­
dation boards o f directors, their per­
ceived attitudes, and their past com­
plaints.
* ‘Let us introduce ourselves...We
have accomplished this, that and the
other, and have done it w e ll...If you
were to grant us these facilities we
could achieve much more...And we
think it w ould be a great plus for your
foundation ifte n or fifteen years from
now you w ill be able to point with
pride to this valuable community asset
and say. Hey, we made th is pos­
sible’ ’ .
It worked like a charm and the
center is s till there! T w o students in
the class used this model to gain pro­
gram ownership o f the large building
which housed their social agency on
N.E. M artin Luther K ing Boulevard,
a mental health clinic.
9