February i2. 2003
She fflortlanò OPfagenier
celebrates Black History Month
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John Arthur (Jack) Johnson,
born in Galveston, Texas, was
the first black to win the world
heavyweight title and was one
o f boxing's greatest and most
controversial champions.
Black History Month
Distinguished Solider was an American Hero
African American
succeeded in life despite
racism and false charges
by S ean P. N elson ,
T he P ortland O bserver
Bom a slave in 1856 in Thomasville. Ga., Lt. Henry
Ossian Flipper distinguished him self as a Buffalo
Soldier for the IOth U.S. Cavalry only to be falsely
accused of embezzlement and dismissed from the
Army in disgrace.
Despite the stigma visited upon him by what was
later determined to be a racist white Army officer
corps, he led a successful live as a civil engineer,
assistant to the Secretary o f (he Interior, special
agent lor the U.S. Justice Department, cartographer,
author and newspaper editor. Flipper was also promi
nent in the nation’s oil industry.
North Portland resident Carl Flipper is a descen
dant o f this African American hero.
“Henry was the oldest son o f five Flipper broth
ers, two of whom were bom into slavery. Henry was
the first and oldest brother, my great grandfather.
Bishop Joseph S. Flipper, was the second brother,”
Flipper said.
Flipper said his great granduncle retired to A t
lanta. Ga. after travels in the American Southwest,
M exico and Venezuela. He lived with his brother,
Joseph until his death in 1940.
"Henry had no children, never married and conse
quently we were his closest relatives. His three
younger brothers were much younger than he in age
and lived in the Southern part of Georgia,” Flipper
said.
He counts among one of his most prized posses
sions a letter his great granduncle wrote i n 1939 to his
grandfather. Rev. Carl F. Flipper Sr. o f Kansas City.
The letter tells what Lt. Flipper knew o f his fam ily’s
history on Carl Flipper’s father’s side.
“It’s among my most valued possessions o f per
sonal family history and certainly my most valued
possession of H enry’s,” Flipper said.
Lt. Flipper spent his childhood as a slave in
Thomasville and lived in Macon and Atlanta during
the Civil War. In 1864 another slave taught him to
read. By late 1865, he attended several schools
established by the American Missionary Associa
tion.
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In 1873, Flipper was
appointed to the U.S. M ili
tary A cadem y at W est
Point by Rep. James C.
Freeman of Georgia Her
graduated 50th in a class
of 76— the first black man
ever to do so.
On his first assignment
as an Army soldier in 1878,
Lt. Flipper and his troop
were sent to Fort Sill, Okla.
to construct a drainage
ditch to keep water away
from the encampment in a
battle against mosquitoes
carrying malaria. Today,
“Flipper's Ditch" is listed
on the National Register
of Historic Places.
In 1880. Ripper received
military honors for build
ing a ferry to bring soldiers
across a river at Fort Davis,
Texas. During the same
period, his troop won
praise for a surprise attack
against a band of maraud
ing Indians.
Lt. Flipper would later
return to Fort Davis and to
a job that would lead to his
co u rt m artial. At F ort
Davis, he encountered of
ficers who showed an open
dislike of him and set traps
for him. On June 20,1882,
he was accused of em bez
zling government funds
and of conduct unbecom
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ing an officer.
A general court martial
followed, finding him in
Lt. H enry 0 . Flipper, a form er slave, B uffalo Soldier a n d hero, w as
nocent of the theft charge
p a rd o n ed b y P resident Bill Clinton in 1 9 9 9 a fter b ein g falsely a c c u se d
but guilty o f misconduct.
o f e m b e z z le m e n t a n d d is m is s e d from th e Army in 1 8 8 2 .
He was dismissed from the
Army in disgrace.
therewereraeial motivations and trumped npcharges
Today, Lt. Flipper’s great grandnephew says
behind the court martial.
everybody in connection with the case, and every
“We always knew the charges were racially moti
body who had ever reviewed the case, agrees that
vated. Ultimately President Clinton was made aware
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Î Everybody in
connection with the case,
everybody who had ever
reviewed the case agreed
that there were racial
motivations and trumped
up charges behind his
court martial.
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if,
"Exonerating him and restoring him to full military
honors 37 years after his death helped to resolve
some of the guilt that society had to feel about this
great injustice done to a loyal servant of America, but
Henry during his lifetime was denied justice. There’s
no softening of that blow.”
On Feb. 11,1978, Lt. Flipper returned to his home
town ol Thomasville, Ga. His body was disinterred and
then reinterred with full military honors. About 500
people came to pay their respects at the First Mission
ary Baptist Church as Lt. Flipper’s remains lay draped
in a steel gray coffin draped with the U.S. flag.
At high noon, six military pallbearers snapped to
attention and carried Lt. Flipper’s coffin from the
church to the waiting cortege, a military ammunition
wagon. Honor guards were from the 586th Engineer
ing C ompany and the 36th Engineering Group.
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— North Portland resident Carl Flipper, descen
dant of 10th U.S. Cavalry Lt. Henry O. Flipper, i
The Thomasville High School Band played The
Star Spangled Banner. Afterwards the military detail
lifted and held the flag above the coffin as a 21 gun
salute was fired.
Lt. Henry Ossian Flipper was home to stay, his
name cleared at last. On Feb. 19,1999 President Bill
C linton pardoned Lt. Henry Ossian Flipper posthu
mously erasing the stigma on an extraordinary mili
tary and professional career.
Today, the African American solider iscommemo-
rated by the Henry Ossian Flipper Memorial Award,
established in 1981 by the Association o f Graduates,
United States M ilitary Academy, West Point. The
award is given to the cadet who demonstrates the
highest qualities o f leadership, self discipline and
perseverance in the face of unusual difficulties.
that they were racially motivated,” Flipper said.
Still, Flipper calls it a case of “Justice delayed is
justice denied.
“I believe Henry was denied justice,” Flipper said.
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Racial & Ethnic Approaches to Community Health
A program of the African American Health Coalition. Inc.
Sponsored by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
We recognize that the varied perspectives people bring to their work
at C-TRAN helps generate more ideas and better solutions.
Add your strengths to our team. Call (360)906-7491 or visit our Web site
at WWW.C-tran.COm to learn about job openings at C-TRAN.
Wellness Within REACH: Mind, Body, and Soul
Activity Calendar
Mon
C-TRAN is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to a diverse
workforce and guided by an Affirmative Action Program.
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Mall Dishman
77 NE Knott
Fri
Sat
Old School
African Dance
Dance
10:00-11:00am
6.00-700pm
Addo
Kendrick
Salvation Arny
5325 N WH ubs .
Water Aerobics
Water Aerobics
2:00
2 0 0 - 3:00pm
3:00pm
Hampton
Natnre'i
3535 NE 15A.
Pcnsola Park
7<W N P «tW
•
Hampton
yap
Body I Andit»« ng
7:30-830 pm
9:30-1030«.
O'Koorke
Nickerson
Walking tiroep
Aerobics
Aerobics
6:00-7.00 pm
7:30-6:30«
9:00-10:00am
Niikerson
Keller
Keller
(Meet inside the
IJoyd Center ■
Waking Groo»
front of Sears)
The Portland Police Bureau
supports
Black History Month
City of Portland Police Bureau
llll S W. 2nd. Portland OR 97204
1230 gm
Nickerson
la io n Avene
Aerobics
Aerobics
Aerobics
(Wan CW
6:30-7:30pm
630-730»»
630-730»«
Nickerson
Nicker sai
Nickerson
(Cm )
126NEAkrta
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OllUWIliy Up IU III« 111S
503-413-1850 Please receive approval from your doctor before beginning exercise class.
All classes are free of charge!
African American Health Coalition, Inc.
2800 N. Vancouver A v e , Suite 100 •
Portland, OR 97227 •
Phone 503-413-1850
E-mail kdempsey@aahc-portland org • Web www.aahc-portland org
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