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O bserver » M a w h 77 1996
(Elje tJn rtian b (Ohs enter
A Family Thing Is An American Thing
seen in along time. With an incredible believable plot
combined with wonderful acting "A Family Thing" is
a must see.
I he plot is simple. Earl Pilcher (Robert Duvall), a
bOyearold white man from rural Arkansas, discovers
that his mother was a Black woman. In a letter from
beyond the grave the woman Earl thought was his
mother tells him that his father forced himself on their
Black housekeeper and she died giving birth to him.
From this point everything that Earl ever thought
about life and himself is shaken as he goes on a
journey of self discovery and truth in Urban Chicago.
In Chicago Earl meets his half-brother, Ray
Murdoch (James Earl Jones), a policeman who al
ready knows his story. Into this mix is Aunt T. (Irma
P. Hall) who has the wisdom and the humor to heal
this family thing.
As he stumbles in the city, his truck is car-jacked
and he is forced to depend on Ray. His bewilderment
at now being kalf-black is h m h sad
r ____ u .
w a iiss a ro u n u in a daze and starts to drink in a black
night club. He invites himself over to a table where a
Black couple is celebrating the wife’s birthday. As
Earl explains his new predicament it is clear that he
had no Black Iriends and grew up referring to Blacks
as niggers.
In the meantime Ray has to deal with the unpleas
ant memories that Earl brings back. With the help and
power of Aunt T, who raised him after his mother
dies, Ray accepts Earl. And it is this acceptance
which makes this movie great.
A Family Thing” is about race, sex and class. And
those things are as American as apple pie.
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(Next week: An interview with James Earl
Jones).\ Editor's note: Lanita Duke is the producer
of Grassroot News. a Video Production C,
The Black Romance With The
Rails: Prize Offered To A Middle School Student
What’s New for 1996 ;
Kaiser Permanente?
B y P rof . M c K inley B urt
tion Retrieval is the key.”
times in records kept by a family, or
When I first researched the role of
As the noted comedian Bill Cosby
in a publication of some industry or
black inventors in the development
said in a tape that was used for years
scientific journal, or in the records of
ol America’s technology, I was sim
by those seeking to comb at racial
a historical society, or an old news
ply overcome by the scope of their
discrimination and to substantiate the
paper. Then, too, the main library in
seminal contributions. This was es
vital role of blacks on the world
some cities has a “Patent Section"
pecially the case with the many rail
stage; “Black history: lost, strayed or
where copies of patents are filed by
road patents which pushed the vital
stolen! It is a difficult task, some
“date" - and sometimes cross-in
. transportation sector to a global first
times, when so much has often been
dexed by “name”.
ranking; so many unsung heroes,
deliberately hidden or obscured but
Recently the media has described
heroines.
it must be accomplished if African
serious railroad accidents that oc
One may well understand, then,
Americans are to have their proper
curred because the engineer could
that the table of contents of my re
place on the world stage. Our eco
not see a warning signal (semaphore)
lated book would reflect such an
nomic and cultural future depends on
because of stormy weather. But years
evocative theme (Black Inventors of
the attainment of a deserved parity.
ago my research led to an invention
America). The general reader and
Now, in the past I have researched
by a black man in Buxton, Iowa, in
student alike are drawn into the
and presented to the world such black
the early 1920’s. A semaphore right
scheme and scope of their ebony
inventions germane to the railroad
inside the cab of the locomotive that
genius: “The Romance Of The Rails'
industry (and others) as the Air Brake,
did not require the crew to peep
and then, next, a series of inventions
The Coupler, The Semaphore, The
outside in inclement weather. I have
of significanteconomic impact, “Cre
Railway Telegraph, The Third Rail
misplaced this information but will
ators Of Industry And Jobs”.
(for subways), A Railroad Switch,
pay $25 to the student who can find
Now, the railroad industry, first
Electric Railway Trolley, Refriger
it. And I will come to their school and
steam-driven, then electric, then die
ated Box Car, and many, many more.
make a presentation on black inven
sel (and a possible magnetic future)
Now in retrieving this informa
tors. You will need this skill all your
has drawn the documented attention
tion for my book, I sometimes found
life. Be the first to contact me at the
and talent of the African American
the record in a special library, some
Observer newspaper.
from its beginning early in the 19th
century, up until the present day.
And their inventions and critical ad
vancements of the art have covered a
wide spectrum - the areas of speed,
safety, comfort and economic devel
opment.
If you:
Y ou will note here that I am touch
•
Have been denied credit
ing on many aspects of the vital force
•
Have bad credit
and drive which enabled the African
•
Need to re-establish credit
American to play a key role in the
development of the ‘Industrial Revo
•
Experienced bankruptcy
lution’. And it is true that over the
•
Experienced tax liens
years I probably have fondly de
•
Experienced judgements
scribed each and every contribution
- book, lecture, radio, T. V. - but the
•
Charge offs
task at hand is to set the stage for a
•
Late Payments
request I am going to make of some
young person in Middle School.
As the title of this article implies,
Many Items you thought would follow you for the rest o f y<
there will be a reward for a certain
life can be legally removed from your credit record!
task to be completed by such student
INTRODUCING
- and as you might well guess, it will
relate to black inventors and the rail
N a tio n a l C re d it A u th o r s , In c
roads. And as you might also sup
Bonded in Washington and Oregon
pose, I will be offering a prize for a
For more information,
well-executed bit of research. After
all, that is what I emphasize in my
call your local representative today!
(503) 762-2546 or 1-800-683-0728
writings here, just as I did when
teaching at the university: “Informa
Bess K aiser M edical C enter
-
■
Hospital remains open throughout the year
providing: • Emergency services • Urgent care • Hospital
care tor adult medical conditions and low-risk obstetrics
• Outpatient surgery • Pharmacy • Laboratory • X-ray.
Pediatric hospitalizations move to Oregon Health Sciences
University’s Doernbecher Children's Hospital.
. 1 1 .iM iH i.w n
K aiser Sunnyside M edical C enter
■
Continues to provide the current full rar
care loi medical and surgical conditions
services and ureent care t h r m i o h n n t
BAD CREDIT?
WE CAN HELP
mlf^û
Starting March 31,1996
■
■
■
Kaiser Permanente physicians begin caring for members
with a full range of adult hospital services.
Routine and high-risk obstetrical care.
Emergency services available.
OHSU’s Doernbecher Children’s Hospital
Starting March 31,1996
■
Kaiser Permanente pediatricians begin caring for their
patients who require hospitalization at this regional
pediatric center of excellence.
Questions? Stop at Membership
Services or talk to your doctor.
M M