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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 13, 1997)
H m o tm ? *v‘ •J’- Aug n iq 97 » T he P ortland O bslrm k P age A4 That Good Summer Reading, III B y P rof .M ckinley B i rt This week I’d like you to treat yourself to the following eye opener on a fascinating phase of neglected Black History; "Black Jacks Afri can American Seamen in the Age of Sail” , W. Jeffrey Bolster, Harvard A r J I ndustry am.' MH Oregon banking executives ’search’ lands new career University Press, 1997. Few Americans, black or white, recognize the degree to which early African American history is a mari time history W Jeffrey Bolster, professor o f history at the Univer sity of New Hampshire Shatters the myth that black seafaring in the age o f sail was limited to the Middle Passage They sailed tall ships (see Cuttysark Scotch label). Seafaring was one o f the most significant occupations among both enslaved and free black men between 1740 and 1865. Tens o f thousands of black seamen sailed on lofty clip pers and m odest coasters. I hey sailed in whalers, warships and pri vateers. By 1800 most were free men, seeking liberty and economic opportunity aboard ship. Keep in mind that professor Bolster was uniquely prepared to conduct this Jim B arri uring their long careers re se a rc h . He h o ld s a M aster at theBank of America, M ariner’s license and spent ten former Vice Chairman/ years aboard ships as a professional President. Jim Barri and Senior seaman. He provides a more than Vice President of Oregon's Retail adequate documentation in exten Operations, Burdett Johnston knew sive notes and appendices. We con firsthand how difficult it was to tinue the saga. Bolster brings an intimate under locate and hire talented individu standing o f the sea to this extraordi als to grow their business. Then when a corporate restruc- nary chapter in the formation ot black America. Because o f their unusual mobility, sailors were the eyes and ears to worlds beyond the limited horizons o f black com m u nities a shore (Reminds me ot ear lier days in Portland, Oregon, when the black dining car waiters and pullman porters brought back news o f African American accomplish turing occurred at the bank, the two executives elected to seek new ca reer opportunities in the Northwest. Together they saw an opportunity to take advantage ol their over sixty years of combined f inancial knowl edge, executive networking and ex tensive boardroom experience to help com panies locate and place jo b sk ills and the right p e rso n ality is the g re a te st in v e stm e n t a com pany can m a k e ,” B arri said. “ M ost c o m p a n ie s are w illin g to search the e n tire w orld to find the rig h t p erso n , but they don I know where to begin. T hat’s where we come in,” he explained. The tw o executives discussed starting a local company to find em- establishment media). But for all its opportunities, life at sea was difficult - Blacks actively contributed to the Atlantic maritime culture shared by all seamen, but were often outsiders within it. Cap turing that tension, examines not only how common experiences drew black and white sailors together - ,en as as deeply deeply mterna.izea preju- even internalized preju Buying Guide. The consumer guide is part ot cost ally. a * reduction system which encourages local networking as a taster way lo| wealth. Richardson says the advertis ing is affordable tor small business anil I buyers earn shared savings through dis count buying.. Dr. W illia m R ich a rd so n Mediation program ices drove them apart Bolster races ,owever she city is commit- ,e story to the end o fth e Civil War, tedt0 continuing free neighbor to neigh- .h e n emane,paled blacks began to u,e wave of e system atically excluded from the future. It teaches people life skills.^ jaritim e work.” I add a further per- Todothis,shesays,shehasa“vision’ pective for the reader. of a "collaboration” between the city. This stirring account reveals the Multnomah County’s Youth and lamily ritical role these sailors played in mediation program and the private con- ’jrg in g new identities for black su|ting group. Resolutions Northwest. . . . com ----- .-jTiiS was not my original idea, but we jeople in America. ~ But that Tient on the later “systematic exclu thought it would make sense to do what sion” indicates an invidious process we were doing better for less money ” She adds that the change was not that paralleled the experiences of brought on by any “perceived problem black craftsmen in land-based skilled trades as well. The violent drive to m the current program. Betsy Codd.ngton o f Resolutions oust blacks from the seas, the crafts and better jobs in general escalated Northwest ....... says, “ non-profits, be- under the m ounting pressure o f hordes o f new European immigrants nd the fright o f greedy, newly-rich Cause they're not wedded to gov- ernment-scale benefits and salaries, can provide the same services lor less money.” N egotiations for the ndustrialists who feared a strong proposed contract have been put on ntegrated labor force. A revealing light is cast upon this hold while Linn recruits someone «age by the noted h istorian, Henry Stee le to put the p ro p o sa ls to g e th e r, Commager in his, “ Documents ot Coddington says. The mediation program started un American History” (Downtown Li der the Metropolitan I luman Relations brary) The entrenched money-grubbers Commission in 1978, and was trans and ex-slavers must have become des ferred to the Office of Neighborhood perate given the democratic ferment Associations in 1983. It employs three among the united black and white work ers; . Document 298, Jan. 1,1878. Knights oft abor. ’Demand 8-hour-day andequal pay for sexes, graduated Income I ax document 325, July 4, 1892, Populist Party Platform; “Fair and liberal pen sions for ex-union sailors’ and sol diers .” Did you tliink worker’s demands for decent conditions were new9 For further documentation of the black man as sailor and shipbuilder and whaler see, “Eyewitness: fhe Negro in American History”, William L. Katz. Pitman 1967 and later editions. For earlier nautical Excursions see books and articles by explorer Thor Hyerdahl who actually duplicated the ancient trips by blacks from the West Coast of Africa to this hemisphere in reed boats (Kon- Tiki, etc ). And of course you saw the televised sailing of the 200 year-old “Old Ironsides." I wonder if the black naval officer narrating this episode was told his fore fathers manned these tall ships, includingthis“U.S. Constitution ■■ . ■___ __„ J L o in n specialists, iillists < full-time mediation a 1 i direc tor and clerical worker, and makes use of six trained volunteers. Last year it handled 860 cases out of 1,700 requests fw WO(k with ^ ¡ e s to a of one or both, in . J ’ dj J ^ , ns that both parties --- e„„a, r pilYUlV ™ » agree will be confidential. agree The aim is not to detennine who is “right,” legally or morally, but what the dispute is about and what will satisfy both sides. The goal is to draft a non binding written agreement for future behavior that both sides can live with. Even the p rogram ’s director, Emmanuel Paris, concedes that media tion is “not a panacea ” It depends on both parties being willing to go through the process, committed to finding a l l 1V L71 U W o J , ~ v / i ■ m„tuallv acceptable solution, and will > P behavior to mg to moony achieve it. Agreements are not legally enforce able if violated. Nonetheless, according to a survey of mediation participants conducted by the program in 1996,94 percent said they were satisfied with the mediation program’s services, and 86 percent said the situation that provoked the mediation had improved. The city has used the program to try to resolve disputes between commu nity groups, including neighborhood associations. Cox Funeral Home Inc. (503) 281-4891 A.A. COX, SR. Mortician & Funeral Director CHARLENE COX TANNER Manager JEROME G. TANNER A. Funeral Director The Loss of a loved one is always a traumatic experience. Hut it can he made easier if you contact a facility that has your interest at heart. 2736 NE Rodney, Portland, OR 97212 ALL FABRIC ployees for northwest companies, but realized they needed the re sources of a larger firm to really do I the job right. Recently Barn and Johnston opened the first Oregon „ffice of DHR International. Inc an executive search firm with a net work of over 32 offices domesti-l cally and 14 offices internation-1 • tively little notice. Linn now says "We envision that the current center center will will close ooo,s. current close its its doors. 4n%oFF [1 1 B u rd e tt J o h n so n Shop at our advertisers and receive a discount, says Dr. William Richardson, who has just completed publishing the July-September issue ol the Discount C ontinued from M etro 0 2 DAYS ONLY - AUGUST 15 & 16 Portland's Richardson publishes buying guide . *IY l ments in other parts o f the country - - accounts carefully censored by the MAILER lO, Everything in_thestore^ SPECIAL SALE qualified employees. They discovered the same sales, service and relationship m anage ment that was required to be effec tive in banking was also fundamental in performing professional and ex ecutive searches. "F inding people w ith the right ' SBSSSSS» . . . ho u r* ........... . h •luted S .im rd.nopen til I ‘)nm Opin Limited to stock on hand! 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