Page 8 " I he Portland Observer—March 20, 1991
P E R S P E C T IV E S
by Professor McKinley Burt
Black Military
Genius:5000
Years Of It
Y ou’ve seen the headlines, “ A l
lies Employ by Military Tactics Dating
To H annibal” (Chicago Tribune News
Service). Further detail, “ U.S. - led
forces are crushing Iraq’s front-line
troops, using military m aneurers that
date to H annibal’s strategy against the
Rom an’s around 218 B .C .”
So who was Hannibal? W e tum to
J.A. Rogers, the noted African A m eri
can historian to whom all subsequent
black historians have acknowledged their
debt for pioneering research which
preserved a critical path (Few whites
were willing to concede H annibal’s
Ethnicity despite the firm testimony of
ancient writers).
“ 54.On N ovem ber 15, 218 B.C.,
Hannibal, a full-blooded Negro, march
ing through conquered territory in Spain
and France, perform ed the astounding
feat o f crossing the Alps. W ith only
26,000 of his original force of 82,000
men rem aining, he defeated Rom e, the
m ightiest m ilitary pow er o f that age,
who had a million men, in very battle
for the next fifteen years.
H annibal is the father o f military
strategy. His tactics are still taught in
the leading m ilitary academ ies o f the
United States, England, France, G er
many, and other lands.
Rulers
54. Hannibal is usually depicted as
a white man, but his coins in the British
Museum and the M usco Kercheriano,
Rom e, show him to have been an A fri
can o f purest type with rings in his ears.
Col. Hennebert, perhaps the leading
authority on Hannibal, declares that
none o f the several differing portraits
now exhibited as Hannibal is he, “ We
do not possess any authentic portrait of
H annibal,” he says. (Histoire d ’Anni-
bal, Vol. I, p. 495, Paris, 1870.) These
coins were struck by Hannibal while he
was in Italy. In the absence o f other
inform ation the most logical argument
is that they bore his own effigy, the
more so, as the several kinds o f them
bear the same likeness. Above all, let
us rem em ber that he was an African.
HANNIBAL - MILITARY, PP.9,31:
Rogers, J.A., 100 Amazing Facts About
The Negro.
It is to Professor Edward L. Jones
of the University of W ashington (Pro
files In African Heritage, 1972) that we
are so indebted for much detailed infor
mation on Hannibal and his African
background; PHONECIA, North Af
rica, now LIBYA. And to this Alrican
American scholar we also owe the clear
est expositions o f the matter ol Hanni-
bals face appearing on a coin he struck
after winning the battle of Trasimene;
“ Coins show a Negro on one side and
an elephant on the other” (the ancient
historian Polybius, Book II, 79,82).
You w ouldn’t believe how many
racist arguments put forward by estab
lishment historians to the effect that the
ELEPHANT’S EARS APPEAR TO BE
O F T H E ‘IN D IA N ’ V A R IE T Y
RATHER THAN AFRICAN. But, i am
able to savor such relevant quotes as
“ ...how different things might have
been could Hannibal have invaded It
aly by sea.” (Alfred Thayer Mahan,
The Influence o f Sea Pow er upon His
tory, cire 1885). For now, though, let us
leap forward a few centuries and exam
ine those black generals without whom,
NAPOLEON would have no place in
history.
Let us first draw upon the famed
DUMAS FAMILY o f France, so noted
for its contributions to the world’s; Arts
and Lettcrs-but lesser known, thanks to
the racists, for furnishing N apoleon’s
greatest general, Thomas Alexander
Dumas. This founder of an illustrious
dynasty was bom to a Black W est In
dian woman of Santo Domingo, 1762.
Now known as the “ Dominican R e
public.” this island is the source of
many of A m erica’s ‘illustrious’ base
ball players. Dumas, raised in France,
first enlisted in the “ Queen’s Dragoons”
at age 16, but, distinguishing him self in
the French Revolution of 1789, soon
advanced to the RANK OF GENERAL.
He was made a com m ander o f the
Army in 1793 and campaigned with
Napoleon Bonaparte in Italy, in the
Tyrol and in Egypt. Not only honored
for his amazing feats as a m aster of
calvary, he was also admired by his
troops for his humanity and devotion to
his troops. An audibly envious and
jealous Napoleon was also angry at his
top general because he opposed N apo
leons’ intention o f creating an em pire
instead of maintaining a republican form
o f government. Dumas was harassed
and finally forced to retire on a small
pension. W atch out Mr. Colin Powell;
there are lean, hungry men around you.
Much more of ‘chicken’ N apo
leon’s vaunted m ilitary reputation was
underwritten by the stellar perform
ance of his large corp o f AFRICAN
GENERALS from the colony of Haiti
in the W est Indies. Such veterans o f the
European cam paigns as Rigaud, Besse,
Pelage, Barthelme...(12 in all) are listed
in ‘ ‘Napoleon ’ s Correspondence ” . Vol
IV, p 252,1801. Also see descriptions
o f his “ Royal A fricans” , his favorite
elite troops who were kept close around
him in battle (See Carter O. W oodson,
Negro History Bulletin, May, 1938).
More Black Military next week.
Totally Dependent on Jesus
BY MATTIE ANN CALLIER-SPEARS
Year before last, I experienced a
group called “ STAY CLEAN, IN C .” .
To me, they appeared to be a rag-tag
crew, o f individuals ju st out to hood
wink people out of a dollar. I passed
Several, what I later found out to be
adult black males flagging down cars
on Northeast A lberta Street. I said to
myself, ‘ ‘As small as Portland is, som e
thing is always happening here. W hat
is going on now ?” There were these
over-zealous car washers, running out
the evening and drugs at supper
tim e...m ade Kevin very dull, non-pro
ductive and “ not worth a hill o f beans’ ’
as he described it. They agreed to get a
divorce. They did. But-about six months
later, they remarried. They renewed
their vows, one to the other and with
God, as the keeper. Joyce, Kevin’s wife,
said that there had to be a death, of the
old way o f life, in order for there to be
a new birth. Since then-God has blessed
their marriage hand over fist. Proverbs
31:10-12 says, “ ...If you can find a
truly good wife, she is worth more than
it
‘I f you can find a truly good wife, she is
worth more than precious gems!....“
into the street and who were literally
flagging down passing vehicles. Some,
who had the gift of gab, were shouting
“ Come and get your car w ashed!”
And-they quickly rushed-up to a paus
ing c a r’s opened window to tell the
occupant o f their quest which was to
cam money to have a celebration and
picnic at Peninsula Park. This celebra
tion would herald the good news through
out the com m unity th a t, not only was
there an organization o f this kind, in the
city o f Portland; but, that the partici
pants o f this program were having
positive results and were re-entering,
m ain-stream ing if you will, the com
m unity’s flow, of things, and are now
making positive contributions.
Kevin Howard was one of those
“ dow n-and-outs” . He was part o f that
“ rag-tag ” crew. Kevin, even in his
stupor, realized the error o f his ways.
He also realized that he had a good wife
who needed him and he needed her.
She was as strong Christian woman
who had tried over and over again to
appeal to her husband that “ Y ou’re
going dow n the wrong road. You can ’t
continue to go on this way. If you want
our lives to continue, together, you
m ust come out from am ong this desire
for drugs; w hich as a grip on you!”
Kevin stayed in the Stay Clean
Program , a Christian based drug and
alcohol rehabilitation program, because
he knew that he had a good wife and if
: this was the only way that he was going
to get her back-then, so-bc-it. The life
that he was leading w asn’t all that good
: anyway. Drugs in the morning, drugs in
ensure the adherence to their treatment
plan, to identify problems of their ad
justm ent to the program guidelines,
their fitting into a residential environ
ment , and/or problems pertaining to
the overall well-being of the client. If
problems are identified or relapse oc
curs, a determ ination is made to allow
the client to continue in the program or
to be discharged. This determination is
based on extensive counseling with the
client.
The majority of the clients, in the
Stay Clean Program, arc referrals from
the M ultnomah County Justice Center.
These clients have a widc-r;inge of
problems associated with alcohol ant.
drug abuse. Joyce is, primarily, involved
with the W om en’s Group every Tues
day night at seven o ’clock. She pro
vides counseling and demonstrates the
effects o f supportive role management
to assist them in addressing some of
these problem s, such as: making the
transition from incarceration to return
ing to a family situation, providing a
means for them to express their feel
ings, and to offer alternatives to de
structive behavior and attitudes. Joyce
is not only involved in group counsel
ing but she also holds weekly Bible
Study on W ednesdays at seven o ’clock.
The Bible Study began on July 13,
1990 and has proved m ost successful.
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Eugene Rashad joins 620 KGW Radio as talk host on Saturdays from 5-8pm
The members of Les Femmes along
with the Debutantes and Cavaliers will
sponsor an Easter Egg Hunt on Satur
day, March 30, 1991 at 11:00 a.m . in
the Rose Garden of Peninsula Park.
Children between the ages o f 1 and 8
are invited to com e and join in the fun.
This is an annual event which attracts a
large number o f neighborhood chil
dren. Children will only com pete with
those in their age group so that all will
be able to find the hidden eggs.
PCC Announces
Minority Education
Assistance Deadline
For Portland Teacher
Program
■ceordinu to 620 KGW Program Manager Steve Wexler.
in i-om ana. O regon. R ^ h u d is w e l i ^ n e c t e d .
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.
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KKSN radio announcer
and television host for
Roger’s Cable System’s
“ Jazz Scene,” Rashad
is still wearing many
media “ hats,” includ
ing KBOO news direc
tor, African A merican
Journal staff w riter and
Portland Alliance col
umnist.
“ This is more than
a job to m e,” said
------------------- Rashad, “ it’s a way I
in PorUand and farther m y c o m m in n e n lo f s e n -
‘¡ S 2 Z S P o r t l a n d with his wife Aida and his four children: Lamar.
The Ethnic Minority in Education
Assistance Award program, the Port
land Community College com ponent
o f the Portland Teacher Program , has
scholarship positions available for the
1991 Fall term.
A pplication must be received at
the PCC Cascade Cam pus EM EAA
office by 3 p.m. thursday, March 21,
for students to be eligible for the Fall
1991 term. The Cascade Cam pus is lo
cated at 705 N. Killingsworth.
The program is designed to in
crease the num berof N ative American,
Hispanic, African-American and Asian
-American candidates for the teaching
profession in the Portland Public Schools
district. Special counseling, financial
assistance and seminars are available
to those who qualify. A pplications are
available at the PCC Admission of
fices, at the office o f Integration Coor
dinators, and from counselors at the
Portland-area high schools.
For more information, please con
tact Ruby Pace, 283-2541, ext. 5282.
INVITATION
The Inspirational C hoir of Bethel
A.M.E. Church will celebrate their A n
nual Day in concert on Sunday, April
14, 1991, at 4:00 p.m. The public is
invited to help celebrate 14 years of
singing praises to the Lord. The theme
this year is “ T hey’ll Know W e are
Christians by O ur L ove.”
A reception will be held in the F el
lowship Hall immediately following
the concert. The concert will be held at
the following address:
BETHEL AFRICAN M ETHODIST
EPISCOPAL CHURCH CENTER
5828 NE 8th Avenue
Pordand, OR 97211-3704
288-5429 or 288-5420
O m ar, Eugene III and Dantae.
Correction
1
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On February 27,1991, in our
special feature "African Ameri
can All Stars", we inadvertently
switched photos. On the first
page, Vernee Streeter from
Vernon School was featured
with the wrong photo. The
appropriate photo is at left.
Vernee
Streeter
M
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B
Street Gangs Spreading
To Small Towns and Suburbs;
Biggest Change Is Disregard For Human Life
Street gangs are no longer just an
inner-city problem but have spread to
the suburbs and small towns, and the
greatest change in today’s gangs is their
mobility and disregard for human life,
according to Sgt. John Galea.
“ In the 1959s and ’60s, ‘fighting
gangs’ w eren’t involved in serious
crim e,” asserted Galea, a 20-year vet
eran o f New York C ity’s police gang
unit, when interviewed for a report in
this Sunday’s issue of PARADE maga
zine.
“ Attacks on adults or families were
off-lim its, “ he added. “ If a kid even
snatched a purse, he y/ould be shunned
as ‘crazy.’ Today, crimes for profit like
extortion and robbery give kids enough
money to purchase unlicensed pistols
and shotguns.”
In Los Angeles County, which proba
bly has the most serious youth-gang
problem in America, nearly 900 gangs
with an estim ated 100,000 members
were responsible for a record 690 kill
ings in 1990. Nevertheless, in the county’s
Harbor District, a small group consist
ing o f neighborhood organizers and
form er gang members has led a cam
paign that has reduced gang violence.
Other community groups throughout the
country arc also having some effe c t
“ Police can ’t solve the problem
alone, ’ ’ said Robert Sweet Jr., adm inis
trator o f the federal O ffice o f Juvenile
Justice and D elinquency Prevention.
“ W e need a balance between punish
ment for serious offenders and social,
educational and recreational programs
for those children who can be rescued. ’ ’
St. Andrews Host’s Annual Choir Day
Joyce Howard
“...When the Word goes forth, it never re
turns void’ ’ says Joyce.
precious gems! Her husband can trust
her, and she will richly satisfy his needs.
She will not hinder him, but help him
all her life.”
Joyce has gained added experi
ence with the Stay Clean Program by
becoming a member of the Admittance
and Discharge Committee. On Sep
tember 14,1990, Joyce and Kevin made
a choice to share what they had lound,
with others, by getting personally in
volved. Joyce’s job is to evaluate and
assess all in-coming drug and alcohol
clients. She interviews applicants and
reviews their alcohol and drug history,
based on established criteria. The pur
pose is to determ ine eligibility and to
approve adm ittance into the treatm ent
program. She also evaluates the prog
ress of each client, in the program, to
"...W hen the WORD goes forth, it never
return void” says Joyce.
Stay Clean, Inc. receives referrals
from various institutions or community
programs. Joyce’s referral experience
is challenged when the Slay Clean, Inc.
receives clients who for one reason or
another, are not benefiting from the
designs of the other programs.
There arc numerous barriers in
providing care and counseling for women
with alcohol and drug problems: lack
of esteem, lack o f trust in others, fear o f
succeeding, inability to separate from
old behaviors and old associations,
having to return home to an environ
ment conducive to alcohol and drugs
and sometimes an unwillingness to re
ceive help.
CONTINUED NEXT WEEK
Stroke Expert
To
Speak
.
.
-•
On Latest Research And ■ y,
treatments
“ Strokes: Causes, Treatm ents,
C ures,” a M arquam Hill Lecture by
Dr. Bruce M. Coull, director o f the
: O regon Stroke Center, Oregon Health
Sciences Universily/V cterans Affairs
Medical Center, will be held on April
.4 ,1 9 9 1 at 8 p.m. at the OHSU Library
Auditorium. The lecture series is free
Rashad Joins 620 KGW Radio
Weekend Talk Host
Easter
Eqa or
Hunt
Slated^
Peninsula Park
and open to the public. Plenty o f free
parking is available.
Stroke is the most common neu
rologic disorder in adults and is the
third leading cause of death in the U.S.
As director o f the Oregon Stroke cen
ter, Coull leads a team o f investigators
that has ju st received $4 m illion fed-
oral grant to study stroke prevention,
whether it is possible to identify pa
tients at risk, and brain regeneration
following stroke.
If you have questions about this or
other Marquam Hill lectures, call
Community relations at 494-7686.
2
. s tf
St, Andrews Gospel Choir in Concert
St. Andrews Catholic Church held its Eight Annual G os-
pel Choir concert this past Sunday. There were six area church
Concert
organizers
-------------
° ---------- were Rev. Robert Kriyer, M aggie Gi-
bson, Guye Johnson,and Francisca Gabriel,St. Andrews Choir
participating, and several soloists including our own Mattie
Director.
Ann Collier-Spears.
Oregon Kuwaiti Jobs Hotline Starts
The Oregon Em ploym ent Division,
in cooperation with the Oregon Eco
nomic Developm ent Department, has
set up a hotline for Oregon jobseekers
and em ployers interested in reconstruc
tion jobs and contracting opportunities
in Kuwait.
The hotline will help Oregonians
interested in these opportunities start
their work search. The num ber is 1-8(X)-
772-1669 and will be operated by
Em ploym ent Division staff from 7 a.m.
to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Sa
lem callers can dial 378-8618.
No Kuwaiti jobs arc listed with the
Employment Division at the present umc.
Division officials anticipate job oppor
tunities developing in the Persian G ulf
over the next few months and employers
are being encouraged by federal offi
cials to list these jobs with state Em
ploym ent Services. There is no obliga
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tion for employers to list job openings
with the Em ploym ent Division.
“ The hotline will allow people to
register with the division if they arc
interested in possible work in thcG ulf,’ ’
said Employment Division A dm inistra
tor Pamela Mattson. “ We will then have
a ready pool o f applicants when jobs are
listed with Em ploym ent Services na
tionw ide.”
Jobseekers calling the Oregon
Kuwaiti Jobs H otline will be entered
into the Em ploym ent D ivision’s com
puter. They will be asked to provide
some basic information over the phone
and will be m ailed an application and a
return envelope to be com pleted and
sent back to the Em ploym ent Division.
A pplicants may be contacted by
Employment Division staff or by em
ployers directly as Kuwaiti jobs m ateri
alize. The Employment Division will be
r
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creating a list o f names of those inter
ested.
Employers calling the hotline
num ber who are interested in contract
ing opportunities in Kuwait will be asked
to provide some basic mailing inform a
tion. The Oregon Marketplace Program,
through the Oregon Economic D evel
opm ent D epartment and Oregon M ar
ketplace arc working to arrange for sub
contracting opportunities with large na
tional companies that already have con
tracts with Kuwait.
I he Employment Division and the
Economic Development Department
have been inundated with calls about
reconstruction work in the Persian Gulf.
“ With the am ount of interest there
is about work in the Persian Gulf, it
made sense to offer a simple, direct way
for Oregonians to inquire about these
job opportunities,” said Mattson.
.
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