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T he P ortland O bserver • F ebruary 5, 1993
13
BLACK HISTORY
Black Wings
Ttffufw
ANOTHER YOUNG BLACK M AN
Another young Black Man
That's laid in the sand.
Cut down by the hand,
of another young Black Man.
Photo by Black Wings and Harold Hurd
BY 2ND LIEUTENATNT
BRAIN A. HILL
came after Charles Lindbergh’s his the Chicago club was the formation
of the first nationwide organization
toric transatlantic flight in 1927.
*
The United States of America,
In 1929, the Bessie Coleman for black aviators, the National
for the 68th year, has chosen the
Aero Club was established in Los Airmen’s Association.
month of February to recognize and
Angeles, California. Aviation en
Early inroads for black
celebrate the contributions
of Afri-
thusiasts in the Los ‘Angeles com America’s participation in aviation
I
can-Americans to its rich and storied
munity founded the club to promote were made primarily through perfor
history. Each of us, regardless of skin
and foster an aviation consciousness mances in air shows. Black stunt
color, realizes that our present his
among black Americans. The club pilots and parachutists gained wide
tory and future are shaped by the past.
was named after Bessie Coleman, spread notoriety while performing
Though many of us are unaware of
the first licensed black pilot in the daredevil aerial feats for predomi
this fact, an overwhelming number
United States. Coleman trained in nantly black audiences across the
of career fields in today’s society
France and then returned to America Midwest. This spawning fame even
have a history and tradition that spans
to pursue a career in stunt flying. Her tually gained the attention and peaked
decades and generations. The cel
life tragically came to an untimely the interest of the United States mili
ebration of Black History Month pre
end in a 1926 aircraft accident. Her tary through its fledgling Army Air
sents a great opportunity to share
name became a symbol of inspira Corps.
some of the tradition and history that
(2nd Lieutenant Brian A. Hill is
tion to other young black Americans
continues to shape not only black
a 1991 graduate of the United States
seeking to enter aviation careers.
America, but our entire American
The legacy of Bessie Coleman Air Force Academy. He received his
cultural society.
was carried on in Chicago, Illinois pilot wings from United States Air
As a young pilot in the United
when the Challenger Air Pilot’s As Force Undergraduate Pilot Training
State Air force, it is clear to me that
sociation was formed in 1931. The in November 1992. Lt. Hill is cur
I have joined a long line of coura
mission of promoting an aviation rently the Chief, Advertising and Pro
geous Americans dedicated to supe
consciousness was the same as that motion Branch for the 361st United
rior service to their country through
of the 1929 Bessie Coleman Aero States Air Force recruiting Squadron
military aviation. As a young black
Club, but one distinguishing trait of in Seattle, Washington.
pilot in the United States Air Force,
it has become apparent to me that 1
2nd G LOU fid
M AM M OTH
am a descendant and beneficiary of
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courageous black Americans who
OllOW
struggled and at times suffered in s eConj Annual Coloreó ,
S U N D A Y , A U G . 2 8 , 12:30 P.M
their sustained efforts to serve Air and Ground Show
SPECIAL FEATURE
America in the field of military avia
W ILLIE
tion There outstanding citizens are
greatly responsible for the increased
a t 2 p. m
JO N E S
1 6 7 th and
Ffatur:t.g
opportunities and successes black
So Western A»e
aviators have experienced in the lat
M iss D o ro th y D a rb y o f C le ve la n d
BRING WORLD S
A i * AL ACROBATICS
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TURNS
SPINS
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ter half of the 20th century. This, the A
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first installment of a four part series,
ADDED
will herald the enduring contribu-
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MOTORCYCLE
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u c 'jv c d p a ra c h u te leap fre m a G ia n t Plane
A TTRACTIONS
Uons made by America s black avia- w
, u„ Airplanc Rlde & Stunt Flying
KEN H UN TER
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tion pioneers.
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American interest and enthusi- M r'V le threu^h .1 ilair.i-ii * eien »all of fire
t»»a*t<cd to P o» H-s Ship
»or WU» |ones
asm of aviation was ignited in 1903
A D M IS S IO N . F IF T Y C E N T S
with the historic flights of the Wright
lo cation
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resen’ i l »es of Pic A c’ CrseatiCS Ad«” a^d N A A
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Brothers at Kitty Hawk, North Caro-1
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lina. A racially discriminating soci-
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Come E arly
R e fre s h m e n ts
ety in the early 1900’s forbade black ifl
Muna By
Americans the opportunity to realize
Cap< C U B Â T » CO N C ER T B A N D M 0 G I S A
Hete I» cas« •' 1“ * l»eal will be bel4 See Octabe» I«
their dreams of soaring among the
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clouds. The breakthrough for black A nMIQQinjU A d u lts
America’s entrance into aviation nUmlOulUli C h ild r e n lO c
A IR S H O W
SUNDAY SEPT. 24
“Showtime Salutes Black History
Month” With Profiles Of African-
American Directors
Blair Underwood And Leslie Harris are among
those featured when
Showtime commemorates Black
History Month with a scries of inter
views with the nation’s rising Afri
can-Am erican directors entitled
“Showtime Salutes Black History
M onth.” Throughout the month of
February, profiles of up-and-coming
directors will air on Showtime to
highlight the contributions of African
Americans in the film industry.
“Showtime Salutes Black His
tory M onth” will feature director
profiles designed to educate and in
form Showtime viewers about the
current market for productions by
black filmmakers and the issues which
face African Americans today. The
popularity of movies from a black
perspective as w\ n the problems
that continue to face minority film
makers will be addressed in the pro
files.
Five directors will be interviewed
including “ L .A .L aw ” star Blair
Underwood, who makes his directo
rial debut and stars as Jesus Christ in
“The Second Coming” Leslie Har
MARKHAM
AIR FIELD
Minority
Students
Interested In
Medical Degree
May Apply
Minority college students and
graduates interested in pursuing a
medical degree may apply for a six-
week summer program held at Baylor
College of Medicine and Rice Univer
sity, both in Houston
The national program, funded in
part by a grant from the Robert Wood
Johnson Foundation, is designed to
increase minority representation in
medicine by enhancing the partici
pants’ competitiveness in the medical
school application process
Admission is based on academic
achievement and interest in medical
careers participants must be African-
American. Mexican-American, main
land Puerto Rican or American In
dian.
ris, whose film “Just Another Girl
On The IRT” will be the first major
commercial feature released nation
ally by an African-American female
director; Uzo, whose first film, “Walls
and Bridges” examines interracial
love and marriage; Melissa Renee
will discuss her short film, “The Fire
This Time” set during the L. A. riots
last year and Larry Carty will look at
blacks who want to be white in his
work, “Oreos Wtih Attitude.”
The series was shot during the
Palm Springs Film Festival and in
New York where many of the films
that will be presented were introduced
to the public. Consulting with The
Black Filmmakers Foundation, the
Palm Springs Film Festival, the
Participants spend mornings in a
Sundance institute and the New York medical setting paired with physi
Film Society,Show time selected five cians and afternoons in science and
new directors whose work promises communications classes at Rice.
to gain national attention in 1993.
College credit, houstng and a sti
“Showtime Salutes Black His
tory Mon th” is produced and directed pend arc provided Application dead
by Show time’s Deborah Goodwin and line is March 5,1993. For more infor
independent producer Ronnie Livia. mation. call (800) 633-6445.
BLACK IS:
The Monday morning news headline,
Pictured the face of man number 9,
Who had to be put on ice,
Cause somebody took his life.
It just doesn't make sense
Destruction of life over a
silly argument.
How many more young Black Men
Will be sent from their earthly home,
Before we learn that by getting along.
We can become strong?
Black is a color
Nota crime
Black is a song
With rhythm and rhyme
Black is a culture
With contents and pride
Black is a feeling
You don't have to hide
Black is the future
My w orld to be
Another young Black Man
That's laid in the sand.
Cut down by the hand
Of another young Black Man.
Black is a character
And black is me.
Riga Brant
OcMey Creen Middle School
Portland, Oregon
Neomici R. Kendrix
Portland, Oregon
P re se n te d b y
BANK
Elje (Oregonian
MvcU M*«*©*« mi M&ntk
Afro-American Scholars:
»
Black History Month Activities
Opening M onth Celebration*
3rd Floor Conf. Rooms A, B, H, & J
Date:
Speaker:
Featuring:
2/2, 9:30 a.m. -12:00 p.m.
Dr. Wyatt T. Walker
M LK Elementary School Choir
Historical Perspective
Date:
Speaker:
Topic:
Location:
2/10. TBA
Phyllis Smith
Buffalo Soldiers
Gifford Pinchot NF
Closing M onth Celebration*
3rd Floor Conf. Rooms A, B, H, & J
Date:
2/25.9:30 aun. - 12:00 p.m.
Featuring:
Sojourner Truth Theatrical Group
Jefferson High School Drama Qub
Ongoing Activities:
Exhibits:
“Black Women Against the Odds"*
Commission of Black Affairs
Work Room 5C
'“Tribute To Historically Black Colleges"
Gifford Pinchot NF
Activists,
Video Presentation»* (Santlam Room)
2/4 - Local Color - 11:45 - 1:00
Narrator Dr. Darrell Millner. PSU
2/11 -Mass. 54th Colored Infantry - 11:00- 1:00
Narrator Pierron Doss. USDA Forest Service
2/18 - The Liberators - 11:00 - 1:00
Narrator Pierron Doss. USDA Forest Service
and Writers
2/23 - Buffalo Soldiers - 11:45 - 1:00
Narrator Dr. Darrell Millner, PSU
Children's Basketball Tournament:
Date:
Location:
Participants:
2/20 - 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Church Community Center - 7th & Alberta
Elementary & Middle Schools
• Bolxrt Duncan F lu « . X U SW rtfrt. Porttontf, O .g o n
• fo r m o r t Into, c o n f e r D f l y n King J 2 d -T 7 IS or U ndo M o r d 32d-2SOd
Sponiond by:
racflc N onhneit RegtoruKeiearch Sutton
Otfford rtnchci NF
Ml Hood N r
Army Corpi o f Engineers
US Army Corps
at Engineer*
R,tk>x) OwtnCl
Percy Ricks: An
African-
American
Hero
------
-■ -
. . . . .
Ricks’assignment and it was marked
February is Black History
Month, during which African Ameri
cans who have made a major contri
bution archonorcd Percy D Ricks
Jr was such a man and his story is an
important part of our American Cul
ture.
Ricks was a master sergeant in
the United Slates Army who was the
focal point of an experiment to test
whether integration was feasible in
the military services. On June 10,
1946, 19 enlisted men. both black
and white, from Fort Monmouth,
New Jersey, were transferred to the
Army Signal Corps Photographic
Center in Long Island City, New
York This was an unprecedented
secret test that put an integrated unit
of soldiers under the direct command
of a Black sergeant for the very first
time, and most of the whites were
from the South. Special Order Num
ber 118 was the order authorizing
1
Restricted Ricks’ success in the com-
mand directly afforded President
Truman the confidence to desegre
gate the Army in 1948.
In 1946, Percy Ricks stood alone,
a top secret guinea pig whose actions
gave proof to the words later immor
talized by Dr Martin Luther King Jr.
“A man should not be judged by the
color of his skin, but by the content of
his character
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