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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 20, 2002)
®l|e 'Portiani* ffibecruer February 20, 2002 spedai edition Black History 2002 A N A M E R IC A N S T O R Y Page A7 NEXT PUBLICATION DATE: February 27 To advertise, contact a sales representative , by calling (503)288-0033 or email us at ads @ portlandobserver.com. IXiskegee Airmen Fought the Enemy in Nazi Held Europe by sudden death in the air, we con fronted a two front war and defeated both enemies to the human spirit. Tenacity of the Tuskegee Airmen in combat en sured that no American bomber fell to enemy fighters while en trusted to their escort. The Tuskegee Airmen taught our society that change is not only possible, but inevitable. We triggered a series of events that led to the desegregation of the United States military, that in turn set the stage for the seis mic civil rights struggles of the 1960s. The battles waged by the Tuskegee Airmen in the air war against Nazi fighters are long over. Black History month teaches us that our nation’s struggle to be a true equal op portunity society was made possible, in part, through the “air cover” provided by the Tuskegee Airmen. C olonel L ee A rcher February is Black History month and the lessons that were carved out of the carnage of World War II remain very much relevant to the African-Ameri can of the 21s' Century. In the segregated society of the 1940s, the vast majority of patriotic African-Americans were relegated to non-combat tasks that ranged from graves registration to stevedores. It lit erally took a Presidential order to mandate that African-Ameri can combat units, albeit, segre gated ones, be allowed to take the fight to the enemy. The most dramatic example of their success was found among the Tuskegee Airmen, fighter pilots who trained in the heart of segregated America, Tuskegee, Alabama. Given tired, obsolete fighters, often shack led to indifferent, even hostile white superior officers, we were sent to confront the battle hardened pilots o f Nazi Germany’s dreaded Luftwaffe. Yet despite the obstacles, in cluding segregation at home and Colonel Lee Archer is seated in a replica o f the original P-51 Mustang that was used to down five enemy aircraft during World War II. A insworth D rug eighborhood Pharmacy Salutes In C e le b r a tio n o f B la c k H is to r y M o n t h Black History Month 3002 NE Ainsworth St. Portland, OR 97211 503.282.0787 ♦ 866.333.0787 Purchase any Basket Meal and recieve a FREE Chocolate Hazel Shake www.ainsworthdrug.com when you present this ad at your Convention Center Burgerville A vailable only at C onvention C enter B urgerville T hrough FEB 2002 1135 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Where you go when you know. w ? * w w w .burgerville.com “If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all. And so today I still have a dream.’’ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., The Trumpet o f Conscience A fter enduring years of being ( ailed "G eorge " WE WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM BY THEIR REAL, NAMES. • The City of Portland, Multnomah County and the Port of Portland proudly honor the accomplishments of Black Americans and their contributions to our economic and social equity. join The Portland Observer in saluting... Black History Month American fam ily Insurance is a proud sponsor of the Pullman Porters National Historic Reqistry which is the historic reqistry of African-American Railroad employees from 186) to 1969 We salute those men of the Brotherhood of the Sleepinq (a r Porters labor union. If you, a family member, or a friend were formerly a Pullman Porter or Oininq (ar Waiter, we ask that you reqister online at www.aphiliprandolphmuseum.tom or rail 1-8 8 8 -WeO-811) to help us acknowledqe these couraqeous men of history. For Information on contracting and program* for Minority-owned firms, call or contact ui online: CITY OF PORTLAND MULTNOMAH COUNTY Bureau of Purchases Buyllne: (503) 823-6855 www.dportland.or.us/purchaseZpurchasehtm Herman Brame: (5 03 ) 988 5111 E x t 24266 www.co.multtmmah.or.us/contracts PORT OF PORTLAND FaxBack Une: (5 0 3 )9 4 4 -7 5 9 2 Rhonnda Edmtston: (5 0 3 )9 4 4 -7 5 8 7 www.portofportland.com i Tune into SHOWTIME lor “10,000 BLACK MEN NAMED GEORGE” Premiering Sunday, February 24, at 8 PM ETPT n .1 22® I
