Page 2--T h e Portland Observer- February 20, 1991
1
IV E S
P E R S P E C T
Will there be
more black
Inventors?
L a s t w eek I prom ised more no­
ta b le exam ples o f A fric a n A m ericans
w h o made s ig n ific a n t c o n trib u tio n s to
the transportation industry o f A m erica,
and the w o rld . Y o u w ill keep in m in d
| f l y Professor Ale K/n/«y Sort
te rs o f te ch n o lo g y .” E specially in co n ­
sideration o f the fa c t that never before
in the h isto ry o f this nation has its
future depended so h e a vily upon the
escalation o f technological expertise
and w ife w orked in the woods to finance
his education at the fin e st engineering
school in Scotland. M c C o y returned to
w o rk as an engineer fo r steamships and
ra ilro a d s.1 He patented the firs t at age 28
among ‘ a ll’ o f i t ’ s citizens.
W e shal 1 cite E lija h M c C o y (1844-
and the last at 76, 57 in a ll.
N ext, let us cite G a rre tt A . M organ,
and again we have before us the account
o f an A fric a n A m erican in v e n to r whose
c o n trib u tio n to the transportation in fra ­
1928) as o u r nest great co n trib u to r to
the transportation industry. A s is the
case w ith o u r other b lack geniuses, his
in n o va tive talents were not lim ite d to
one invention o r one industry. He is
m ost fam ous fo r his in ve n tion o f the
th a t th e ir in spired inventions, a ll pat­
ented and th o ro u g h ly docum ented, not
o n ly b ro u g h t new in sig h t,, safety and
com passion to the transport o f both
fre ig h t and passengers, but contributed
m ig h tily to the o ve ra ll g ro w th o f the
n a tio n and the v ia b ility o f i t ’ s in fra ­
A u to m a tic L u b ric a to r, the firs t in the
w o rld and the firs t o f his patented de­
signs o f such devices, beginning w ith
N O . 129,876, M ay 12, 1874 and the
L a w n S prinkler, N o. 631,549, Sept.
structure.
I w ill introduce this w e e k’ s heroes
existed before M c C o y devised a sys­
tem for O IL IN G M A C H IN E R Y W H IL E
s h o rtly , but, firs t, le t me advise you
IT W A S R U N N IN G ? trains had to be
stopped every hour o r so to have lu b ri­
ca tio n applied; the same fo r a ll pow er
equipm ent and m achinery in industry
- m ills, logging, m ining, factories, even
the new steamships. So it is not d i f f i ­
c u lt to see that the developm ent o f the
In d u stria l R e vo lu tio n , and a ll the added
that, lik e m any o f us, I have great co n ­
cerns about the present opportunities
a va ila b le to our youth fo r a repeat and
co n tin u a tio n o f th is unparalleled mas­
te ry o f technology. It w ill be em pha­
sized tow ard the end o f th is a rticle , that
the ve ry earliest o f these b lack in ve n ­
tors persevered to emerge in te lle c tu ­
a lly triu m p h a nt fro m the c ru d e s t and
greediest traum a ever in flic te d upon
hum an beings, ie „ S L A V E R Y !
26,1899.
Can you imagine the situation which
value o f trillio n s o f d ollars w o u ld have
been im possible w ith o u t the in ve n tion
o f this b lack man ( A n d can you im a g ­
ine, too, the developm ent o f the A IR ­
structure is encountered every day. In
1923 he sold his patent fo r a T R A F F IC
S A F E T Y L IG H T to the G eneral E le c­
tric C o ., and now this device is found on
p ra c tic a lly every co m e r o f the w o rld .
Here, also, we fin d that c o m ittm e n t and
compassion dedicated to im p ro ve m e n t
o f the loves o f us all.
L ik e the other b lack inventors,
M organ had mote than one c o n trib u tio n
to make, and in m ore than one fie ld . H is
in ve n tion o f the G A S M A S K re v o lu ­
tio n ize d fire fig h tin g and saved live s o f
thousands o f soldiers in the F irs W o rld
W a r (Persian G u lf). He made a dram atic
rescue after an e xplosion at the C le ve ­
land W ater W o rks on July 25, 1916.
M organ descended in to a sm o ke -fille d ,
gassy tunnel and rescued tw o dozen
w orkers. W hen w ill the m edia sing the
praises o f these great a frica n A m e ri­
cans?
Indeed it is a question, “ W ill There
be M o re B la ck Inventors?” . W ill o u r
T h is c o n trib u tio n was so im p o r­
tant to the w o rld that by the turn o f the
youth be able to persevere against the
onslaught? N o t o n ly are there n a tio n ­
w ide problem s such as I cited at the be­
ginning, but there are recurring ‘regional’
shocks to the bla ck infrastructure. I cite
a disabled education system - to ac­
com panying fa m ily disin te gra tio n and
century a ll industry specified that any
fo r instance the situation here in Oregon
p o w e r m achinery m ust be equipped
where a system o f h ig h er education,
the p ro life ra tio n o f gangs, and, cer­
ta in ly , we cite the current fu ro r o ve r the
w ith a “ R E A L M c C O Y L U B R IC A ­
T O R ’ ’ .T h is is how a bla ck m an’ s name
already in d iffic u lty , m ust now cope
w ith “ B a llo t Measure 5 ” . H o w p re ­
disproportionate num ber o f A fric a n
became part o f ‘ C o llo q u ia l E n g lis h ’ .
pared are we to deal w ith the affects o f
A m ericans in the m ilita ry . The ques­
R elative to an e a rlie r com m ent, E lija h
tio n being asked, then, is “ W ill we
once again be able to produce such a
M c C o y was the son o f slaves, the fa m ­
the massive curtailm ents in classes and
e n ro llm e n t - and the large increases in
ily escaping th e ir te rrib le degradation
tu itio n ? Y o u kn o w ‘ w h o ’ is go in g to re­
corp o f ingenious and co m m itte d mas-
by fle e in g to Canada. There b oth man
a lly suffer. W e had better get busy.
The question, today, is can our
youth emerge unscathed and uncrippled
b y an e q ually traum atic situation? W e
refer, o f course, to the im pact o f eco­
n om ic factors engendered by racism nd
P L A N E - Can you picture someone
w a lk in g out on the w ings w ith an o il
can to lubricate the engines?).
Lloyd Building Renamed
I
ln conjunction w ith the P ort o f
“ N a m in g this b u ild in g a fte r the
P ort o f P ortland is a fittin g trib u te to a
Portland’s 100th anniversary and
a 1988 co-ow nership agreement w ith
v ita l regional resource,” M a c N ic h o l
P acific D evelopm ent, Inc., the L lo y d
said, “ I t is especially appropriate now
B u ild in g at 700 N .E. M u ltn o m a h Street
as the P ort begins a year-long celebra­
in Portland w ill be o ffic ia lly renamed
tion m a rkin g a century o f service to the
the P ort o f Portland B u ild in g on W e d ­
nesday, February 20. New building iden­
tific a tio n signs signaling the name
change w ill be p u t in place above the
north and south entry w ay doors at 10
a.m. on that day.
C arter M a cN ich o l, the P o rt’ s d i­
A s A fric a n A m ericans have be­
come in cre a sin g ly vocal and active in
o p p o sitio n to the w ar in the Persian
G u lf, there have been vocies w h ich
have questioned our patriotism as “ c iti­
zens’ ' in this country. There has even
been the suggestion that black o p p o si­
tio n to the w ar w ill provoke a w hite
backlash that w ill fu rth e r stym ie B la ck
progress in the U.S. A s i f to g ive cre­
dence to this n o tio n , a p o ll on racial
attitudes in A m e rica published before
tim e a L lo y d p roperty has ever been
P a cifiC o rp , is also headquartered in the
renamed.
* ‘ W e w elcom e the name change at
this tim e , e specially in lig h t o f the
same b u ild in g as the P ort, the develop­
m ent co m p a n y’ s management is very
received less pay than their white counter­
parts. A fte r the w a r, A fric a n A m e ri­
cans were “ fre e d ” into a hostile and
segregated society.
In W o rld W a r I, 370,000 A fric a n
A m ericans w ere drafted in to the arm ed
A m e ric a ’ s wars o n ly to return “ ho m e ”
to m ob te rro rism , lyn ch in g s and an
son to die in the Boston Massacre in the
h o s tilitie s w hich lead to the outbreak o f
in support o f the w a r e ffo rt. T hat same
the funds to eradicate B la ck un e m p lo y­
the A m e rica n re vo lu tio n . In the A m e ri­
year 58 A frican Americans were lynched
m ent rates 3 lim es that o f w h ite A m e ri­
can R e vo lu tio n its e lf some 5,000 A fr i-
cansd jo in e d the battle to w in inde­
pendence fro m B rita in . B lacks fo u g h t
cans. A n d despite o u r b lo o d, su ffe rin g
in the A m e rica n R e vo lu tio n despite
George W ashington’s in itia l refusal
to accept A frica n s in to the C o n tinental
A rm y . It was o n ly a fte r the B ritis h
prom ised to emancipate any B la ck w ho
fo u g h t on the B ritis h side that W ash­
in g to n rushed to e n lis t Blacks.
in the U n ite d States.
In 1919 as bla ck troops returned
home fro m a v ic to rio u s w a r e ffo rt, 26
race rio ts erupted across the nation. In
some instances B la ck soldiers were
assaulted and k ille d in th e ir u n ifo rm s
by w h ite m obs. So fe ro cio u s were the
attacks on B la cks th ro u g h o u t the co u n ­
try that historians have dubbed 1919
the year o f the b lo o d y ‘ ‘ Red S um m er’ ’ .
In the C iv il W a r A fric a n A m e ri­
M o re than 1900 A fric a n A m ericans
cans were anxious to fig h t against the
Confderacy as a means o f striking blows
fo r th e ir ow n freedom . Once again the
services o f A fric a n A m ericans was in i­
tia lly shunned. O n ly after num erous
union defeats at the hands o f the C o n ­
federate A rm y and afte r a n ti-d ra ft rio ts
w ere k ille d in citie s lik e W ashington,
D .C ., K n o x v ille and Om aha, Nebraska.
A n d on the legacy o f patience,
p a trio tism , heroism and denial goes.
N e a rly 900,000 A fric a n A m e rica n men
and w om en served in the arm ed forces
d u rin g W o rld W a r II. B la ck troops also
o p p o rtu n ity and hum an rig h ts here in
A m e rica . O ve r and ove r again we have
and denial in this co u n try, P resident
Bush can veto a m uch needed C iv il
R ights b ill.
B lacks are A m e ric a ’ s m o st patient
patriots. B u t now o u r p a trio tism m ust
be inspired by a h ig h er c a llin g . A fric a n
A m ericans m ust oppose the w a r in the
Persian G u lf. I f we m ust fig h t, le t us
fig h t fo r a ju s t and humane society rig h t
here in the U n ite d States. I f w e m ust
fight, then we must fig h t to force America
to cease its senseless in te rve n tio n ist
p o licie s abroad and beat its sw ords in to
plough shares. I f we m ust fig h t let us
fig h t to b u ild a society that w ill study
w ar no more.
Local poets Celebrate Black History Month
The poems o f nine lo ca l w r it­
ers, in c lu d in g some o f P o rtla n d ’ s best
kn o w n A frica n -A m e rica n s, w ill be
showcased beginning next week in major
lo ca l newspapers and w e e kly p u b lic a ­
tions. The Poems, w h ich were su b m it­
ted to U.S. Bank in celebration o f B la ck
H is to ry M o n th , represent a va rie ty o f
vie w p o in ts and perceptions concerning
A fric a n -A m e ric a n issues.
The P o rtla n d O bserver, W illa m e tte
W eek, and The D o w n to w n e r.
“ C e le b ra tin g the heritage o f
A fric a n A m e rica n people enriches the
liv e s o f a ll A m e ric a n s ,” said A m b e r
S ch m itt, m anager o f special events fo r
U.S. B ank. “ W e are proud to be spon­
soring this second annual event as part
o f B la ck H is to ry M o n th .”
M a rio n P anis-M adison, one o f
“ There Was a T im e ” , was in sp ire d by
a N ig e ria n re la tive w ho showed am az­
ing pride and s ta b ility in spite o f very
d iffic u lt tim es in his co u n try. A poem
by M s. Parris was also selected fo r pub­
lic a tio n last year when U.S. B ank in it i­
ated the program .
M o re than 70 poems were
subm itted to a panel o f ju d g es w ho
selected the nine representative entries
fo r p u b lica tio n . The poems w ere cho­
the w rite rs whose poem was selected
fo r p u b lic a tio n , describes the program
by U.S. B ank as a very e x c itin g o p p o r­
tu n ity to receive re co g n itio n fo r m any
sen based on fo rm , o rig in a lity , theme
and c la rity o f thought. T w enty-seven
o f the poems received were from m iddle
lo ca l w rite rs. She has been w ritin g
since c h ild h o o d and her poem, e n title d
and high school students; the rest were
fro m adults.
PORTLflWtyÓBSíRVER
R aabok
pleased w ith the b u ild in g ’ s new name.
“ I t is m ore than appropriate that
P o rt’ s anniversary ce le b ra ito n ,” Scott
said, “ W ith three L lo y d b u ild in g s so
the P ort, being a m a jo r tenant and co ­
this name change goes beyond the Port’s
28 percent interest in the 16-story north­
close together and w ith v e ry s im ila r
names, it was som etim es confusing fo r
people. N o w , the lo cation o f the P ort o f
ow ner, have its named a ffix e d to this
b u ild in g ,” Scott added. “ W e are proud
to honor the P o rt in th is w ay and con-
gratualte it fo r p la y in g such an im p o r­
Are • The • Proud • Sponsors • Of
Reinvestments
tant ro le in O re g o n ’ s developm ent fo r
In O ctober 1988, the P ort entered
in to a creative real estate transaction
that w o u ld e ve n tu a lly g ive it o w n e r­
ship o f its L lo y d G u ild in g o ffice s. The
agreem ent, between the P ort, P acific
D evelopm ent, and The K o li Com pany,
also helped launch develpm ent o f the
P o rt’ s 458-acre P ortland International
C enter, adjacent to Portland Interna­
(USPS 959-680)
OREGON'S OLDEST AFRICAN AMERICAN PUBLICATION
Established in 1970
tio n a l A ir p o r t
D u rin g the term o f the agreement,
the P o rt saves between $150,000 and
$250,000 a year an o ffic e space rent,
w ith actual savings increasing annu­
a lly . A t contract m a tu rity , the Port w ill
gain condominium ownership o f its North­
east P ortland o ffice s, lo w e rin g its an­
nual o ffic e expenses to ju s t the cost o f
The PORTLAND OBSERVER is
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FAX#: (503) 288-0015
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Another part o f the agreement stipu­
lated that the L lo y d B u ild in g w o u ld be
named fo r the P ort o f P ortland when the
P ort became ow ner o f its occupied space
in 1991. However, Pacific Development’s
m anagement opted to renam e the b u ild ­
ing no w in re co g n itio n o f the P o rt’ s
100th anniversary. The P o rt has been a
L lo y d B u ild in g tenant since 1971.
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in g .”
In Oregon apporoxim ately 500,000
children attend public and private schools
Community
Richardson Receives
Nomination for Jefferson Award
the past c e n tu ry .”
r~
<
N o one dare challenge the p a trio t­
ism o f A fric a n A m ericans. O ve r and
o ver again we have been eager to fig h t
in A m e ric a ’ s W ars even w hen “ o u r
c o u n try ” d id not w ant o u r services.
O ve r and o ve r again we have fo u g h t in
L lo y d C e n te r T o w e r, 825 N .E .
M u ltn o m a h Street, and the L lo y d Five
P a cific
D evelopm ent’ s parent com pany,
Leon Harris
Editorial Manager
o f the fro n tlin e casuslties.
A m e rica n fo u g h t in the C iv il W a r in
w h ite led segretated units where they
fo u g h t in A m e ric a ’ s wars on the hope/
w ish o r naive assum ption that i f we
fought fo r the U n ite d States the U nited
State, w ould fig h t fo r us.
O ve r and o ver again o u r p a trio tism
has gone unrew arded o r has been be­
trayed even d o w n to this day when
A m e rica can in ve st b illio n s d o lla rs fo r
w ar in the Persian G u lf, bu t cannot fin d
p a trio tic ” .
The fa ct is that A fric a n A m ericans
have been and continue to be the m ost
p atient patriots in the U nited States.
W e have fo u g h t and shed o u r b lo o d in
v irtu a lly every w ar in w h ich the U nited
States has been engaged. C rip u s A t-
tucks, a fo rm e r slave was the firs t per­
run in The O regonian, The Skanner,
B ill Scott, president o f P a cific D e­
velopm ent, In c., said th is is the firs t
Gary Ann Garnett
Business Manager
o f the w ar. M o re than 75,000 A fric a n
battles against K aiser W ilh e lm . Three
A fric a n A m e rica n regim ents and sev­
eral in d iv id u a ls received the C ro ix de
G uerre fro m France fo r th e ir va lo r in
battle. B ack on the home fro n t, B la ck
citize n s were being subjected to a co n ­
tin u a l w ave o f lyn ch in g s. In 1918 A f r i ­
can A m e rica n s purchased 250 m illio n
d o lla rs w o rth o f w ar bonds and stamps
feel that A fric a n A m ericans are “ less
Pacific Development also owns the
H u n d re d B u ild in g , at 500 N .E .
M u ltn o m a h Street. Scott said that w h ile
Joyce Washington
Operations Manager
distinguished them selves in battle d u r­
ing the Korean war. In V ie t N am , A f r i­
can A m ericans suffered fro m 30 - 35%
absence o f frecdoom , democracy, equal
P o rtla n d ’ s o ffic e s can be re a d ily iden­
tifie d by a b u ild in g in the P o rt’ s name.”
Portland .M e tro p o lita n area.’ ’
Alfred L. Henderson
Publisher
in new Y o rk and other northern cities
d id A braham L in c o ln agree to re cru it
A fric a n A m e rica n s to help tu rn the tide
forces. F ig h tih n g under French co m ­
mand, 100,000 A frican Americans faced
the Germ ans soldiers in the b lo o d y
the U.S. led attac on Irag revealed that
m ore than 50% o f w h ite A m ericans
N in e poems w ill be featured in
fiv e p u b lica tio n under the title , " A f r i ­
can A m e rica n R e fle ctio n s” . T h e y were
selected fro m o ver 70 subm issions re­
quested b y U.S. B ank. The poems w ill
rector o f real estate management and
developm ent, said the significance o f
east Portland structure.
Blacks Are America’s Most Patient Patriots
nia. In 1972, James F. Richardson, a
mental health worker, at that time, wanted
to begin a d r ill team that w ould promote
positive behavior, poise, academic ex­
cellence and an a b ility to fo llo w direc­
tions.
by M a ttie A n n C allier-S p ears
In the m idst o f the hustle and
bustle, the crim e and violence, the chaos
and cam age-thcre is s till hope fo r the
human race through people like James
F. Richardson.
The Jefferson award is a pres­
tigious national honor that recognizes
individuals, throughout the country, who
perform great public service, but largely
w ith o u t recognition. The Am erican
Institute for Public Service, W ashing­
ton, D.C., sponsors the national com pe­
tition. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and
Senator Robert T aft are national co­
founders; Samuel S. Beard, a form er
associate o f the late Senator Robert
Kennedy, is President
Persons nominated fo r this
covetous award can be paid employees
or volunteers, o f any age. They can not
be and elected o ffica l or a w e ll-kn ow n
individual. The nominee must also be
w illin g to have his/her activities vide­
otape'' , r broadcast. I f the nominee
shoulu refuse, they arc not eligible.
James F. Richardson was nom i­
nated by Mrs. Arlcen W ilson, m other o f
Shannon W ilson, a student at C atlin
Gabel High School. N ow--thc question
arises, “ How did she cotnc to nominate
him and w hy?”
W ell, James F.
Richardson or Reverend Richardson, is
a d rill master, in his own right. This
soft-spoken, gentle man has a way w ith
young people. He first began w orking
w ith the d rill teams in Tulare, C a lifo r­
F o llo w in g seven months o f
discipline and hard w ork, the 42 m em ­
ber d rill team was ready to perform in
one o f the biggest parades in the nation,
the Christm as Parade in W atts, C a lifo r­
nia. The parade was televised in Los
Angeles w ith the Jackson Five singing
group serving as judges. Television
personality. Redd F oxx, was the grand
marshall. James Richardson was asked,
“ W hy an all-girl drill team?” Richardson
responded, “ A young lady has to have
herself together at all times. The girls
learn poise and proper behavior through
the d r ill exercises. I f you can get the
girls together to function as young la ­
dies, then they w ill get the guys to shape
up.”
Richardson was a professional
drum m er and has also served in the
Arm ed Forces. Through his in volve­
ment in these areas and after seeing
other d r ill teams, in the general area, he
noticed that the young people were greatly
interested in becoming involved. In his
mind, he began developing routines. Prog­
ress was slow , at first, but, " W e got
started ju s t like the A rm y ,“ Richardson
said. “ The girls had to learn how to
place one foot in front o f the other. Boy!
Was that a hassle!”
When Richardson organized the
firs t d r ill team, in Portland, there were
approxim ately 45 continuous members.
He now has approxim ately 60 girls, ages
ranging from 12-18 years. The d r ill
team is a no n-p rofit organization. Mrs.
W ilso n w ro tc -” ln m y opinion. Rev.
Richardson is deserving o f the Jefferson
A w ard because o f the time, energy, cf-
forL support and finance he dedicates to
the success o f the d rill team. The d r ill
team, under his direction, has won firs t
place in the Junior Rose Festival Parade
fo r the past three years. Besides being a
m inister, he w orks a fu ll time jo b m ostly
10-12 hours every day—Monday through
F rida y.”
The group not only perform s in
parades but they also perform in nursing
homes, to bring a little sunshine to the
elderly. They have also form ed a choir
so that when they arc not d r ill they can
sing songs o f praise, participate on p ro­
grams throughout the com m unity. The
young ladies arc in great demand. Just
this weekend, they were seen strutting
their s tu ff in the A frican Am erican Fes­
tiv a l parade.
“ M y goal continues to be that
I should have a group o f 200 girls. A ll
marching fo r the L o rd .” Richardson
beams as he shares. " Y o u know , the
d r ill team is an excellent avenue fo r
witnessing. We w ill begin conducting
Youth W itnessing W orkshops.”
RiclianLson is a man with avision
on a mission, not fo r him self, but fo r the
Lord. •
and certified day-care centers. This year
a p p ro x im a tlc y 2.9% o f these c h ild re n /
parents received exclusion notices, about
the same tim e last year.
<♦
/ \
RI
"Reinvestments in the Community" is a weekly column appearing
in API publications throughout the USA.
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