Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 18, 1995)
•J u. X ä * '• ♦ ’* -«*•«► * «• W O »■> B^i<i « Martin Lu Holiday Declared: W ith resolution and eloquence, D r M artin Luther King Jr. stirred people around the globe to action. He dedicated his life to ending the oppression o f racism, and his vision o f a nation dnven by love instead o f hate changed our world forever. W e are all the beneficiaries o f his legacy, and we are aU grateful. Dr. King taught that the goals ofci vilnghts are not merely the goals o f any specific group - they are the goals o f our Nation. To give people opportunity, to Beat them with fairness, and to distinguish them only by their potential - we will continue to work toward these goals as long as people in this Nation are in need o f housing, medical care, and subsistence We will continue to work as long as neighborhoods are ravaged by drugs and violence We will continue to work as long as any person, because o f circumstance o f birth, is granted anything less than the full measure o f his or her dignity Three decades have passed since D r King stood in front o f the Lincoln Memorial and told the world o f his dream fo ra future in which children are judged “not by the color o f their skin, but by the content o f their character.” Today, with an entire generation o f voting Americans w hodid not witness firsthand the great ci vilnghts victories o f the 1960s, it is more important than ever to remind the Nation about Dr. King and his inestimable gifts to this country, so that all o f us continue to grow in our commitment to justice and equality. This year, the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday is celebrated with a national day o f service, a call tojoin together in purpose and care for one another. On thisoccasion. I urge thecitizensofthis great country toreflect upon Dr. King’steachings, and to take positive and life-affirming action in his memory. Give back to your community, help the homeless, feed the hungry, attend to the sick, give to the needy. In whatever way you choose to serve the public good, do something to m ake life better for the people around you. A s Dr. King said on many occasions, “L ife’s most Music and guests speakers highlight the Martin Luther King Elementary commemoration assembly in honor of the school’s namesake. Performing the Scottish bagpipes is Dean Forbes, a retired school district employee. Assembled students at Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration at King school hear former Trail Blazer Kermit Washington discuss his recent humanitarian mission to Rwanda. (Photos by Donn Thomas) These young men of Portland House of Umaja, have written a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. hkkuk persistent and urgent question is, 'W h a t are you doing for others?’ I William J. Clinton, President o f the United States o f America, do hereby proclaim Jan. 16,1995 a s the Martin Luther King Jr Federal Holiday. « ix w n oM fob « ommxment of colored f k f u NAACP P O R T L A N D. OREGON BRANCH Celebrating his 66th birthday... The Portland Branch NAACP salutes Dr. King and his dream. ShaRee Rhone, Branch President What Martin Luther King Meant To Me W h en M artin L u th e r K in g sto o d on th e m o u n tain to p he h ad a v isio n th at o n e day b la c k m en an d w h ite m en c o u ld jo in in u n ity . H e h ad a d re a m th at w e c o u ld live to g e th e r in p eace. B u t b ack th e n a lo t o f p e o p le d id n ’t b e lie v e th a t M a rtin L u th e r K in g co u ld fu lfill h is d ream , b u t PO *! RTIA M M . O I 4 house ci f I I I th ro u g h it all M artin sh o w ed ev e ry o n e th a t h e w as a s o ld ie r, b ec a u se ev en th o u g h th e y p u t h im in ja il o r h u rt him h e still sto o d u p fo r w h at h e b e lie v e d in, as a m an , an d a so ld ie r. T h e re a so n I feel h e w a s a so ld ie r is b ec a u se w h en he w as k n o c k e d d o w n he g o t b a c k up a n d k e p t fig h tin g a s a m an , n o t as a g a n g ste r o r h u stler. H e w as a m an o f d ig n ity a n d p rid e a n d he w as a n o n -v io le n t lead e r, ev en th o u g h he n ev er liv ed lo n g en o u g h to see th e d iffe re n c e h e m ad e in th is w o rld , I feel he w o u ld h av e b een ÜHOIS p ro u d . E v en th o u g h th e y k ille d him th e y n e v e r to o k w h at h e b e lie v e d in aw ay fro m him . —Dimitaius Price D r. M a rtin L u th er K in g Jr. w as b o m o n Jan u a ry 15, 1929 an d d ied o n A u g u st 2 8 , 1963. M a rtin L u th er K ing had a d ream o f racial ju s tic e a n d h u m an b ro th e rh o o d in th e U n ite d S tates, a n d o f p e a c e th ro u g h o u t the w o rld . H e h ad a d re a m o f h o w n o n v io le n c e , lo v e an d c o u ra g e co u ld triu m p h o v e r hate an d b ru ta l force. I am w ritin g a b o u t a d re a m e r an d h is d re a m , an d o f th e life he d e d ic a te d an d u ltim ately sa c rific e d to try to m ak e the d re a m a liv in g re ality fo r us all. M artin L u th er K in g ta u g h t m e to re sp e c t o th e rs ev en i f th ey d o n ’t resp ect you. —Rashell Holloway Free At Last, Free At Last U m o ja m ean s un ity an d M a rtin L u th e r K in g , Jr. w an ted b la c k s an d w h ites to c o m e to g e th e r fo r unity. M artin L u th er K in g w as a b la c k le a d e r an d b la c k p e o p le w ere d o n e w ro n g b ack th en . E v en th o u g h M r. K in g w as b lack , w h ite p e o p le also lo v ed h im for a lead e r an d fo r w h o he w as a n d n o t o v e r co lo r. M r. K in g w as also g o o d fo r talk in g an d sp eech es. W h en M r. K in g m ad e th e sp e e c h 1 H av e A D ream , th at m a d e a d iffe re n c e all over. H e a lso w as g o o d fo r th e m o u n tain to p an d to m ak e a d iffe re n c e . M r. K in g w as a stro n g m an, he w as stro n g in ta lk in g n o t by fig h tin g a n d sh o o tin g . M r. K in g had g o o d th o u g h ts fo r th e b la c k s a n d w h ites he w as a m an th at stay ed to h is w o rd b u t h is w o rd s w as to o stro n g . M r. K in g w as to o k o u t b y a b u lle t M r. K ing had a fam ily , h e w as ta k e n aw ay fro m his fam ily on A u g u st 2 8 th , 1963. H e w as p u t o n th is w o rld for a reason to m ak e a c h a n g e an d h e m a d e h is p o in t an d th e lo rd m u st h av e th o u g h t his w o rk w as d o n e a n d k n ew that he had m a d e a ch an g e. M r. K in g w ill be m issed an d th o u g h t o f by m any p e o p le an d his h a rd w o rk w ill be rem em b ered . O p e n ey es Ja n u a ry 15th, 1939 C lo se d ey e s A u g u st 2 8 th , 1963 --Allen J. Collins M artin L u th er K ing, Jr., o n e o f th e m o st in flu en tial lead e rs in th e civ il rig h ts m o v em en t, w as b o m in A tlan ta, “The straitjacket of race prejudice and discrimination do not wear only Southern labels. The subtle, psychological technique o f the North has approached in its ugliness and victimization o f the Negro the outright terror and open brutality o f the South. ” - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. G eo rg ia, on Jan u a ry 15, 1929. H is fath er, g ra n d fa th e r an d g re a t g ra n d fa th e r w ere all p reach ers. A t ag e 15 K in g e n te re d M o re h o u se C o lle g e in A tlanta, h e re c e iv e d a d o c to r o f p h ilo so p h y d e g re e from B o sto n U n iv ersity . A t ag e 25 , K in g b ecam e p a sto r o f th e D e x te r A v en u e B ap tist ch u rch in M o n tg o m ery , A lab am a. K ing beg an g ettin g in v o lv ed w ith th e fight fo r civ il rig h ts b ecau se he w as d e e p ly c o n c e rn e d w ith th e c o n d itio n s o f th e black p eo p le. D r K in g tau g h t m e h o w to be to le ra n t o fo th e r p eo p le. H e really p ra c tic e d w h at he p re ach ed --Ahmad Stevens “Happy Birthday Dr. King” ) » -Marcus Branch, Outreach Coordinator Specializing In Perms & Hairweaving 6626 NE 23rd (bewteen Liberty & Dekum) Portland, OR 97211-5363 (503)281-9052 OPEN: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday )