Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current, May 05, 1999, Page 34, Image 34

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Photo courtesy of the NAACP Legal Defense Team and Educational Fund, Inc
GENERAL MOTORS
SPONSORS EXHIBIT
HONORING
THURGOOD
MARSHALL
Thurgood Marshall, the first black
Supreme Court Justice, was honored with
an exhibit documenting the trials and tri­
umphs of African Americans. President Bill
Clinton and Rosa Parks, the mother of the
Civil Rights Movement, were among others
on hand as Marshall's widow. Cecilia
Marshall, cut the ribbon to unveil the his­
toric exhibit. The exhibit was designed to
provide information on the fundamental
importance of the lath Amendment and
Declaration of Independence as it relates to the struggle of African
Americans.
The exhibit, sponsored in part by General Motors, will be on display
in the Thurgood Marshall Federal Judiciary Building's Atrium, the first
and only federal building in the nation's capitol named for an African
American. "Marching Towards Justice " was created by the Damon J.
Keith Law Collection of African American Legal History at Wayne State
Iniversity. Historian Robert Smith, who is also African Am ericans On
U'/ r W. v ' web maintenance and support manager, was a key contributor
to the exhibit.
FOUNTAIN CHAIRS
ANNUAL
RECOGNITION EVENT
W. Prank Fountain
The Executive Leadership Council and
Foundation recendy held their 10th Annual
Recognition Dinner. W. Frank Fountain, Daimler-
Chrysler's senior vice president of government
affairs and president of the council, served as the
1998 dinner chairman. The
foundation has developed a
pilot program, Technology
Transfer, with a mission to help
historically black colleges
update their computer systems.
Currently benefiting from the
program are Lincoln University,
Morehouse, Bethune Cookman
College and Hampton Uni­
versity.
1998 winners o f Excellence
in Business Commentary
National Essay Competition
6
AFRICAN AMERICANS ON WHEELS
THE NUMBER
OF NEW
DEALERSHIPS FELL
IN 1998
Consolidation among major
automakers and the increasing
number of dealership chains con­
tributed to a decline in the num­
ber of franchised new car dealer­
ships last year, according to the
National Automobile Dealers
Association. U.S. dealerships
dropped by 200 to an estimated
22,400 in 1998, the steepest
decline in five years. Sheila
Vaden-Williams, executive direc­
tor of the National Association of
Minority Automobile Dealers,
notes that minority dealer
franchises have been
insignificantly affected.