A j ’ kie 21, 1993 ♦ Tin P ortland O bserver
P age A2
p e
s p c c t
t
i
v e s
Traveling Around The Education Circuit: Local And National
W h ile we w ait for the curtain to
du rin g a ‘ casual conversation w ith
rise on the fin a l version o f a new
scenario for Portland Public Schools,
let us take a look at some o f the
other board members, has been circu ­
lated at Jefferson H igh School, and
made available to key people in the
peripheral issues that are engaging
black com m unity
our attention This
is probably in the
m a n n e r o f the
condemned com ­
p la in in g about the
lig h t in g in h is
by
Professor
McKinley
Burt
cell.
F ro m
Mr
Rieke, we have
tw o key. albeit re­
v e a lin g , s ta te ­
ments. “ N othing
lik e that w ould be
said for public'
c o n s u m p t io n '
There w ould
and " I t is embar­
seem to be come
rassing to have
consternation and
that sort o f th in g published W ell, w e
surprise over the remarks o f school
board member Forrest Rieke
And are accustomed to having lawyers beg
exactly how many kids are not in ja il the question *, but we are not quite
because they’ re on the Jefferson bas­ prepared to have this particular one
ketball team about 3 5 o f them, about either rev eal or exercise a racist con­
h a lf Bloods, h a lf Crips T h a t’ s Jeff.” tempt fo r facts or fo r the teachers,
coach and student body P rincipal
A transcript o f his remarks, made
A lcena B o o /c r expressed concern
about the attitudes that underlie much
observations A student observ ed, he
looks at us as worthless adults." The
community and parents have observed
again, "vig ila n ce is the price we pay
for surv iv a l.”
M any o f those parents and com ­
munity organizations arc w e ll aware
that a considerable and lucrative seg­
ment o f the practice at M r Rieke slaw
firm is that o f h igh school students
accused ofbeingassociated w ith Bloods
o r C rips in c rim in a l activities. Further
uncase is prov oked by the realization
that he is president o f a national orga­
nization w hich has considerable in ­
fluence on m inority affairs at the fed­
eral level; “ C ouncil o f Great City
Schools” , a strong lobby fo r urban
schools and disadvantaged students
(may be translated as a ‘ grant ma-
where
most
famous,
i f not
...
.
.
___ « . „ I
M o n c u re s in order where
the the
most
famous,
i f not
the the first,
chtne ) W hat's going on here’’ What general, v oted for Measure 5 in order lawsuit was filed w hich questioned the
has’ been going on? Money. Honey'* to reduce their burdens The th in kin g constitutionality o f such inequities.
A d d in g more confusion to the o f educators appears to be that under Here the state’ s ten highest spending
the pressure o f dire threats o f further
educational mess around the state,
districts spend more than two-and-a-
many poverty-stricken schools dis­ deterioration o f schools, a y ounger e l­ h a lf times as much per pupil than on its
tricts are tu rn in g to "bond levies" as a ement o f frightened parents w ill surely ten lowest-spending districts (equip­
source o f funds to shore up financial vote in favor o f such "O peration Res­ ment. curriculum , tutors, teacher l it ­
structu res vv hose proble ms are ascribed cues” . Once again, we arc left without eracy /experience/education, b u ild in g
to Measure 5 -w h ic h voters passed to a permanent and structured resolution
o f the crisis in the state's educational maintenance.)
severely reduce the General Fund mon­
Though a recent chart shows O r­
ies available for school districts and process L e ft to th e ir ow n devices by a
egon not to be the shabbiest in demon­
others to reach into for their “needs” , sorry state legislature and inept p o liti­ strating a pattern o f fairly equitable
cians. school districts and comm itted
real or im aginary. T h is latter proce­
modes o f support (16th in a list o f best­
dure fo r obtaining funds does not. o f educators are not in an enviable posi­ perform ing states), there are some sig­
course, generally require a payback’ , tion Concerned parents and a threat­
nificant "sore spots” ; especially in ru ­
so it is the preferred method fo r b a il­ ened industry sector are no better o ff ral comm unities and areas dependent
On the national scene we see a
ing out a ship in distress
upon logging Given our already pre­
On the other hand, school bond resurgence o f interest in an old contro­ carious financial situation, what hap­
lev ies, like sewer and s im ila r obliga­ versy that concerns disparity in fin a n ­ pens i f a court finds Oregon to be
tions. become debts w hich must be cial resources between school districts
engaging in an "unconstitutional prac­
paid by tax assessments against the w ith in ihe same state 1 am sure Texas
tice?
property o f the same taxpayers who, in im m ediately occurs to most, the place
Oregon Historical Society Recipients
Sited For Jeffersonian Approach To
Statewide Issues
Oregon Liquor Control Commission
Requests Dates Of Proms, Graduations
Anyone w ith info rm a tio n about
The Oregon L iq u o r C ontrol Com­ agencies and major hotels.
party plans inv olv ing m inors and a l­
School
o
fficials
arc
also
encour­
mission (O L C C ) is asking state high
cohol is encouraged to ca ll the O LC C
school o fficia ls for dates o f proms, aged to contact the L iq u o r C om m is­
to ll free. 1-800-452-6522.
graduations, and u n o fficia l skip days sion when they learn o f plans for
The L iq u o r Commission has also
and celebrations conung up this spring. parties that w ill involve m inors and
enlisted
the cooperation o f Oregon
“ These special occasions that oc­ alcohol. "W e ’ ll try to stop the party
beer
w
holcsalcrs
to help prevent sales
cu r in every h igh school in the state before it starts by contacting the spon­
o
f
kegs
o
f
beer
to
minors. The com ­
can prom pt alcohol-related parties and sor o r property owner to explain the
mission
asked
vv
holcsalcrs
to tell cus­
alcohol-related accidents." said R ich­ law ,” Evans said. " I f a party occurs
tomers
about
penalties
fo
r
furnishing
ard Evans, O LC C Field Services d i­ where alcohol is prov ided for minors,
alcohol to m inors, w hich means a
rector Evans explained that the dates local police authorities w ill be n o ti-
m in im u m $350 fine.
o c a i i law
a w c enforcement
iu u iv c iu v ii* u
vu.
are snarea
shared wun
w ith l local
fied
In Memory Of Gladys McCoy
M o m before it was comm on place, she cmployces at M ultnom ah County re­
had seven children and was O regon’ s flect and celebrate the cultural d iffe r­
mother o f the Year in 1980. A ll the ences o f our com m unity.
Gladys has received many awards
w h ilc she was w o rkin g to translate her
over
the years-too many to mention
com m itm ent fo r those less fortunate
here,
unfortunately. Suffice it to say,
into tangible public policy.
her
achievements
are varied and in ­
Glady
s
was
a
social
w
orker
and
and friends.
clude
every
th
in
g
from
being honored
got
her
M
aster’
s
degree
at
Portland
Because Glady s has been involved
as
a
w
oman
o
f
achievement
to the first
State
Univ
ersity
in
1970.
She
ran
suc­
in public service fo r over a quarter o f
A
frica
n
A
m
erican
at
almost
every­
cessfully
for
the
Portland
School
Board
a century 1 want to take a little tim e —
and space, to ta lk about the co n trib u ­ and was the firs t A fric a n A m erican to th in g she did
We forget that women have not
serve on the Portland School Board.
tions she has made over the years
I met Glady s in 1975 when she always enjoyed many o f the freedoms
A n d , quite a co ntribution it was
Most women raised in the 1930’ s was ombudsman fo r Governor Bob we now have. Gladys M cC oy was a
and ‘ 4 0 ’ s had lim ite d opportunities Straub We a ll know that she went on path breaker that opened doors for the
outside the home. These lim ite d to become the firs t A fric a n Am erican rest o f us to go through.
A s I ’ve know n and worked w ith
o p p o rtu n itie s had even g re a te r County Commissioner and, in 1986,
Gladys
over the last 18 years we have
she
was
elected
as
C
h
a
ir
o
f
the
M
u
lt­
barriers fo r women o f color. Yet,
not
always
agreed; and our styles were
nomah
County
Commission
G la d ys a ch ie ved p ro m in e n c e in
H er p u b lic service represents certainly different No matter. Her
the tough w o rld o f p o litic a l public
s e rv ic e th a t was b e st d i f f i c u l t countless hours put in over the years com m itm ent was never doubted, her
fo r women and in that tim e, almost and equals a big com m itm ent towards advocacy was always apparent and
d e v o id o f A fr ic a n A m e ric a n s . m aking our w orld a better place to her energy fo r serv ice, unflagging. A ll
w ho have know n and worked w ith
She exem plified the A m erican possi­ live.
Gladys has left a legacy to our Gladys over the years w ill forever
b ility .
Gladys was reared in the segre­ “ C om m unity, we are more c u ltu ra lly remember her com m itm ent and care
gated South and instead o f those expe­ div erse because she lived and worked fo r children, fam ilies and the less
By C om m issioner Tanya C o llie r
The death o f Glady s M cCoy on
Easter Sunday left the board o f County’
Commissioners w ith more than ju s t
an empty seat Glady s w ill be missed
by her colleagues as w ell as her fa m ily
rience m aking her hard, they in stille d
a level o f care and compassion fo r
others that became the driv ing force o f
her p ublic service career.
Glady s pioneered "super” woman
before most o f us even had a name for
such a person She was a w o rkin g
here. Before it was vogue (or the law)
Glady s advocated fo r fu ll integration
o f our schools. She carried that com ­
m itm ent to the state where she adv ised
G overnor Straub on a ffirm a tive ac­
tio n issues. A nd, since 1978 she has
w orked towards m aking the 3000+
wished
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i I (Elff ^ o r tla n ö (©bserUcr
¡
Joyce Washington
Publisher
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The Portland Observer-Oregon’s Oldest African-American Publication-
¡8 a me
r of the National Newspaper Association-Founded in 1885,
and The National Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers,
Inc., New York, NY. and The West Coast Black Publishers Association •
Serving Portland and Vancouver
jc /^ S /a /e
I
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zip-code
T hank Y ou F or R eading
T he P ortland O bserver
. « « , ' ? À I« ? * < - z z
the N ational Urban League.
B orn on the Choctequ Indian
Reservation o f O klahom a, and a
graduate o f Western U n ive rsity in
Kansas (earning degrees in phy sics
and chemistry), H ill did graduate work
Jefferson’ s birthday.
T h e 1993 T hom as Jefferson
Awards recipients are: D oris Sway ze
Bounds, Boardman; the late D r. Eldon
C h u in a rd , P o rtla n d ; J.W . " B u d ”
Forrester, Astoria; Stafford Hansell,
Herm iston; the late E. Shelton H ill,
Portland: E lizabeth H ill Johnson,
fortunate.
In accordance w ith the Home Rule
C harter there w ill be an election on
June 29th to f ill Gladys’ unexpired
term I am very sorry that Gladys w ill
not be able to fin ish her term as she
(USPS 959-680)
OREGON’S OLDEST AFRICAN AMERICAN PUBLICATION
Established In 1970 by Alfred L. Henderson
From 1947 u n til his retirem ent
in 1973 Shelly H ill w orked w ith the
Urban League o f Portland, an org a n i­
zation that he headed as executive
director fo r seventeen years. For his
pioneering labors. H ill received in
1991 the W hitney M . Y oung, Jr.
m edallion fo r outstanding service to
Oregon H isto rica l Society E x­
ecutive D ire cto r Chet O rlo ff has an­
nounced the Society’ s establishment
o f an annual award, and the selection
o f six recipients fo r 1993. Called the
Thomas Jefferson A w ard, recipients
have personified, through th e ir life ’ s
w ork in Oregon, the attributes and
values o f Jeffersonian citizenship. The
1993 awards were presented in an
in fo rm a l ceremony at the Oregon
History CenteronTuesday. A p ril 13th.
It marked the 250th anniversary o f
at O hio State Univ ersity. H ill went on
to teach science and was a school
p rin cip a l in Texas before he moved to
Portland (as race relations advisor on
the Portland Arm y A ir Base du rin g
W orld W ar 11—for w hich he receiv ed
the highest m ilita ry honor given to a
civ ilia n employ ee). A t that time. Port­
land was a city where nearly ninety-
nine percent o f employed A frica n -
A m ericans were lim ite d to w o rkin g
Redmond.
E. Shelton H ill
Rare is the person w ho can be
c re d ite d d ir e c tly fo r im p o rta n t
changes in the face o f a comm unity .
É. Shelton H ill, better know n to all
who worked w ith him and were in flu ­
enced by h im as "S h e lly ,” was one o f
w ith the railroads.
U sing his skills, his life -lo n g
com m itm ent to fairness in housing
and employment, and to tm e equal­
ity. solidly based on additional tra in -
those persons.
ing in social w ork from both O hio
State and the University o f Oregon,
H ill began to emerge as a leader o f
Portland’ s B lack comm unity in the
1940s.
T a kin g on the task to slowly,
quietly educate the fu ll com m unity o f
this city. Shelly H ill over tim e worked
to integrate public housing and was
able to introduce A frican-A m ericans
in to numerous fields o f employment
that had been o ff lim its u n til his ar­
riv a l A man o f gentle persuasion.
H ill found places o f employ ment for
Blacks in banks, schools (as teachers
and principals), and labor unions,
among many other fields.
H i l l w o rk e d a lso w it h the
N A A C P . P o rtla n d C o u n c il o f
Churches, the N ational Association
o f S o c ia l W o rk e rs , the U n ite d
W ay,O regon Cancer Society, The
Early C hildhood Education C o m m it­
tee, the Portland M etropolitan Steer­
ing Committee, along w ith numerous
other citizen-oriented groups. The
N ike Company has established in
H ill’ s name tw o scholarships for Black
Portland students to attend Oregon
colleges.
1 7ANTAGEKO
by Ron Daniels
3L
It’s Nation ‘Time Again: Towards’ A
National State Of The Race Conference
BY RON DANIELS
A t c ritic a l moments in the life
and tim es o f A fric a n in the U S . great
gatherings have been convened to dis­
cuss the status and future o f the race in
th is hostile land The realities o f rac­
ism, cultural aggression and economic
exploitation in th is society have al­
ways compelled the sons and daugh­
ters o f A fric a to meet periodically to
plo t and plan fo r the survival and
development o f the race A t the height
o f the c iv il rig h t revolt and the rise o f
B lack N ationalism in the 6 0 ’ s and
7 0 ’ s, the Black N ation was called into
session on several occasions. W ith the
fires o f rebellion s till sm oldering, the
B lack N ation convened in Newark in
1967 fo r the first B lack Power C onfcr-
cnccw ashcldinP hiladelphia. In 1970,
the Congress o f A frica n People was
convened in A tlanta, pav ing the way
fo r the historic N ational Black P o liti­
cal C onvention held in Gary . Indiana
in 1972.
In every instance the impetus for
the these great gatherings o f the 60's
and 7()’ s came from grassroots activ­
ist, nationals it. local, regional, and
national levels A nd so it must be now
as we strive to meet the challenge o f
b u ild in g a new movement for Black
pendent presidential campaign, I am
pressing the call anew. It is my hope
that one year form non. M ay 19-22,
1994 a N ational State o f the Race
across the country.
Conference
w ill be convened dedi­
In the 6 0 ’ s and 70’ s this k in d o f
cated
to
the
memory and legacy o f
n e tw o rk in g , c o m m u n ity -b u ild in g ,
M
a
lco
lm
X
.
It’ s nation tim e again.
nation-building activity/w ork was cap­
tured by the phrase, the tra d itio n o f the I t ’ s tim e fo r a great gathering o f
Colored People's Conventions w hich grassroots activists, youth and stu­
A fricans in Am erica conv ened in the dents, parents, teachers, preachers,
19th century ; in the tra d itio n o f the a ctivist lawy ers, doctors, social w o rk ­
massive conventions convened by ers. artists, entertainers, rappers, la­
M arcus Garvey and the U N IA in the bor activists, welfare mothers, home­
192O’ s; in the tra d itio n o f the Black less people, workers and a ll those
Power Conferences, the Congress o f w ith in the B lack N ation w ho care
A frica n People and the Gary Conven­ about the p lig h t o f the Black masses
tion o f the 6 0 ’ s and 70 s it s nation and the destiny o f the race.
It's nation tim e again. I t ’ s tim e to
tim e again; tim e to convene the Black
N ation to discuss the state o f the race gather to assess what the last 25 years
and lav the groundw ork for a new o f struggle has meant fo r the B lack
masses, to lay out an analysis o f where
movement for Black liberation
E verything that I have w ritten we went w rong arid w hat we did right.
lately has been d riv in g towards the I t ’ s tim e to move bey ond ju st talk,
rhetoric and the paralysis o f analy­
point/conclusion that it is absolutely
im perative that we forge a grassroots sis to an exam ination o f the concrete
movement to fig h t fo r a fundamental models fo r projects, movements and
change in the conditions o f the Black organization that are doing successful
li nki ng up and connect ing up the range
o f movements and organizations wag­
ing g struggle in local com m unities
w o rk in
B lack com m unities everywhere.
It's nation tim e I t ’ s tim e to network,
connect up. lin k up and b u ild up the
ing up v arious grassroots mov ements institutions that can in fo rm , inspire,
cducatcd/train, and enable us to fig h t
liberation The State o f Emergency and organizations. The response to
for a new future It ’s nation tim e again.
the
suggestion
has
always
been
posi­
w h ich exist for the masses o f Black
I t ’ s tim e to make our memories and
tive.
but
other
projects
always
seemed
poor and w o rkin g people and the fa il­
love for M a lco lm manifest in com m u­
to
intervene
to
interrupt
the
im
p
le
­
ure o f established Black po litica l lead­
nity-building. nat ion-building actsand
mentation
o
f
the
idea.
It
is
said
that
all
ership to forcefully and effectively
deeds I t ’ s nation tim e again. I t ’ s tim e
things
happen
in
season
The
desper­
fig h t w ith and fo r the B lack masses
dictates that it is tim e, past time, fore ate p lig h t o f the Black masses and the fo r a great gathering o f the Black
a message and movement from the gro w in g mood o f defiance, resistance N ation to revitalize the movement for
gra ssro o ts T h e c u rre n t c ro p o f and o u trig h t rebellion at the grass Black liberation May 19, 1994, i t ’ s
nation tim e again!
accomodationist “Black leaders must roots level is a sign that the season for
Persons interested in this project
be replaced by a new v isionary and a N ational State o f the Race C onfer­
should
w rite to : NSORC, P O Box
fig h tin g leadership em erging from ence is upon us I t ’ s nation tim e again
27798. W ashington D C 20038-7798
And
so,
after
a
hiatus
on
this
grassroots movements, and organiza­
tions I f s tim e to get busy netw orking. project occasioned by my 1992 inde­ or call 202-736-1741
> ' ‘ " . -jf " '. f ” ’
’
masses in this country For the last
several years I have been suggesting
the need fo r a N ational State fo r the
Race Conference as a means o f lin k ­
*• * ’-S3