February 5, 1997
Committed to cultural diversity.
Volume X X V II. Number 6
February is
Bridging Heaven
and Earth
Black History
M onth
"Eire on the Mountain”
plays at Winningstad Theatre
at the Portland Center fo r the
performing arts
See inside, page B4.
<L lie | J n r t (¿tu b
See Metro, page li I.
M rs
r
Jurors
Legislature’s has dramatic
break for
lack History Month
70 dead in Israeli crash
Israel Radio says at least 70 people
were killed in the mid-air crash of two
Israeli army helicopters during a storm in
northern Israel Tuesday. The casualty
figure came from a com m ander quoted by
the radio. W itnesses said rescue workers
evacuated dozens of bodies on stretchers
after the crash.
Army mired in sex scandal
As the U.S. Army was hit by fresh
charges of sexual abuse, a Senate panel
heard testimony concerning the extent of
the allegations. Army C hief of Staff Gen.
Dennis Reimer says the Army is investi
gating 1,074 allegations of sexual harass
ment including rape, prompting several
senators to challenge the training of fe
male recruits with men under male ser
geants. They said the practice amounts to
holding a match near a powder keg. As
senators heard testimony on the abuse
allegations, the Army was hit by fresh
charges. Aberdeen Proving Ground offi
cials announced charges against a sev
enth soldier, these involving rape and
sodomy.
Clinton polishes
State of Union
President Clinton is putting the finish
ing touches on the State o f the Union
address he'll deliver tonight. The presi
dent is expected to outline plans to main
tain peace and prosperity. A spokesman
says education is likely to be a centerpiece
and that Clinton also will propose new
initiatives to expand health care coverage
for millions o f children, fight juvenile
crime and rid U.S. schools of illicit drugs.
Clinton also plans to use the speech to
talk about carrying out the new welfare
law that ends a 61-year guarantee of
federal aid to the poor. Oklahoma Rep.
J.C. Watts is scheduled to deliver the
Republican response to C linton’s address.
US Mulls Strike on Iraq
The United States said Tuesday there
was no reason for heightened concern
about military action in the Persian G ulf
after a German newspaper reported that
America might launch a cruise missile
strike on Iraq. The newspaper Frank
furter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) reported
U N. inspectors had found that Iraq has
continued to develop missiles despite U N .
resolutions and that the United States was
studying a possible missile strike against
Iraq.
Skater Escapes
Prosecution
A Connecticut judge is permitting
Olympic skating champion Oksana Baiul
to enroll in an alcohol education pro
gram, effectively granting her request to
avoid p rosecution on drunk driving
charges. Baiul, 19, was also fined $90
plus costs on a separate charge of driving
too fast for conditions. In addition, her
lawyer says she will perform 25 hours of
public service as part of the program.
EDITORIAL..................... A2
VANCOUVER..................A3
FAMILY............................A5
HOUSING....................... A6
EDUCATION................... A7
METRO............................B I
ARTS & ENT...................B2
BLACK HISTORY...........B4
CLASSIFIEDS................ B5
by Neil Heilpern
Black History Month at the slate capitol
will include an array of African art, student
achievement recognitions and visits from
African-American ministers.
Staff members of Rep Margaret Carter
(D-Portland) were busy this week gathering
striking wooden sculptures and other A fri
can art forms from various legislators, lob
byists and interested citizens.
The art display will be exhibited in front
of both House and Senate chambers through
out February.
Various ministers from the community
have been invited to give the invocation at
the beginning of a House floor session, fol
lowed by a talk, "a moment in black history
to increase awareness,” according to one
staff member.
Rev. Alice Faye W arren, cnapiain at
Legacy Emmanuel Hospital, kicked off the
ministerial schedule Monday. Other minis
ters scheduled to appear in the House are
Allen Bethel (February 6), Reverend Jointer
(February 10), Bishop A. A. Wells (February
12), Reverend Greenidge (February 19),
Reverend McCullough (February 2 1), Bishop
Grace (February 24) and Reverend Bailey
(February 26),
On February 21 members of the Portland
legislative delegation will recognize 50 out
standing African American students from
the Portland public schools. The youngsters
will be seated in the upper galleries and
introduced at the beginning of that day’s
session.
The students will actually receive their
awards February 27 at the Black History
Month Youth Celebration to be held at Doris'
Cafe, 352 NE Russell, Portland. They will be
honored for both academic achievement and
community involvement.
A member of the Oregon Trail Blazer
basketball team, not yet selected, is expected
to be featured speaker at the event.
readings
urors in the O.J. Simpson civil
case broke off deliberations
Tuesday to listen to read
ings of testimony about Simpson's
alibi, a bruising fight with his ex-wife
and a limousine driver's oft-repeated
time line.
It was the third day of deliberations for
the six man, six-w om an jury, which
started deliberations anew after a juror
was dismissed Friday.
The group asked to hear testimony
about opportunity and motive in the June
12, 1994. slayings o f N icole Brown
Simpson and Ronald Goldman.
Simpson, in four days on the stand,
maintained he was in bed, showering,
chipping golf balls and taking his dog for
a walk around the lime ol the slayings.
Plaintiffs contend the killings took place
between 10:35 p.m. and 10:45 p in
Simpson told jurors he took responsi
bility for the bruises Ms. Simpson re
ceived during a Jan. 1, 1989, fight be
tween the two, but he swore he didn’t hit,
strike, slap, kick or beat her. He sug
gested she might have fallen down out
side after he put her out of his room.
They asked for only the plaintiffs' ques
tioning of Simpson, limousine driver
Allan Park and Simpson pal Al "A .C ."
Cowlings.
Cowlings testified reluctantly that he
took Ms. Simpson to the hospital because
he was afraid she had a concussion.
When the judge asked if the jury would
like to hear cross-examination as well,
the foreman, a white-haired graphic art
ist, conferred with two women jurors and
said: "Just the direct."
Rep. Margaret Carter sings National Anthem to open 1997 Oregon Legislature in
Salem, January 13, 1997.
▼
Continued to page A3
"When We Were Kings” album released
O
n F eb ru a ry 1 1 t h M e rc u ry
Records will release one of the
most important and intriguing
albums of 1 9 9 7 .
The film When We Were Kings has been
in the works for over 20 years, and its
soundtrack reflects the intensity and passion
of the original "Rumble In The Jungle," and
displays the influence it had on the genera
tion that followed. Producer David Sonenberg
has unearthed live concert recordings from
the 1974 concert in Zaire; an event that
chronicled the "Rumble In the Jungle," when
a 32-year-old Muhammad Ali took on Heavy
weight Champion George Foreman These
vintage cuts from B B King, the Jazz C ru
saders, James Brown, Bill Withers and The
Spinners are accompanied by new tracks
from The Fugees (in a legendary collabora
tion with A Tribe Called Quest, Busta
Rhymes and Forte), as well as the title track
from the film, sung by Brian McKnight and
Diana King. When We Were Kings opens in
theatres February 14 and has already won
New York and Los Angeles Critics Awards
for Best Documentary, a Grand Jury Prize at
Sundance, and has been named in the 10
Best films of the year by Rolling Stone and
USA Today.
Lauryn Hill of The Fugees on "When We
Were Kings: “I was inspired when Ali went
to Africa. The things he was saying and the
places he was going made me feel proud to
be African. It encouraged me and made me
want to go over and bring something back
Left: Muhammad Ah after a rigorous workout preparing him for the ‘ 74 Rumble in the Jungle' match against George
Foreman in the Leon Gast film When We Were Kings, a Gramercy Pictures release.
Right: Muhammad Ah greets a local baby as he drives past throngs of admirers in Zaire in the Leon Gast film When We
for the youth "
Were Kings, a Gramercy Pictures release.
Photos by: Howard L. Bingham
When We Were Kings....
It was a wild time alright. The Belgian
Congo was now called The Republic Of
Zaire and 22 million citizens of this African
nation were anxiously awaiting the arrival
of Muhammad All. All was scheduled to
fight the heavyweight Champ. George Fore
man Mobutu SeSe Seko, the President of
Zaire, had come up with $ 10 million to bring
»
the fighters to the new Kinshasa Stadium
which had seating for over 12(),(X)() people.
O f course Don King was there, this probably
being his finest hour Not only had he suc
ceeded in hustling up the money for the fight
but he was also staging a musical extrava
ganza billed as the African Woodstock. James
Brown, The Pointer Sisters, Sister Sledge,
BB King. The Spinners. Bill Withers, Ceilia
Cruz. Miriam Makeba and 20 African art
ists were on hand and the pulse rate of this
African nation was racing You could liter
ally feel the beat when you lay yout head
down at night
Amidst all the excitement, the superstars
and the hype one couldn't help but notice the
special grace of Muhammad Ali, Although
he was an overwhelming underdog and com
mon sense would not permit a bet on the
former champion, there was still a twinkle in
his eye and a spirit in his step that pul hope
in the hearts of those who believed in
miracles This is the story of When We Were
Kings.