Committed to Cultural Diversity www.portlandobserver.tom February 12. 200 5 ÖIljp F o rtia n i» (©baerüer C o ni m u n it y ¿1 1 c n d ¿i r African History and Unification Presentations P o rtlan d S tate U n iv e r s ity ’s I SECTION Black Churches Thrived in Early Portland Religious groups gave African Americans a place to ground their faith now Burnside and Couch. Reverend J.O. Lodge was the first pastor. The church moved in 1883 to a ne wly erected building on thirteenth and Southwest Main. After 33 years the member- ship decided to move to a new location on Northeast A Black History Williams Avenue where it is still located today. Monili k calure Twenty-six years after the founding o f the AME Episcopal Zion Church, an African Methodist Episcopal church was established on thirteenth and Northwest Everett with the Rev. S.S. Freeman as its head pastor. After opening up a successful boarding house for rail­ road workers between Third and Fourth streets on Everett, the congregation, now called the Bethel A.M.E. Church, Black Cultural Affairs Board, the D epartm ent o f Black Studies, the A ssociation o f A frican S tu­ by R on W ebber dents and the W om en’s R e­ T he P ortland O bserver source Center will present a lec­ The first black church in Oregon was established in ture by D arrell M illner and Portland in 1862 and fora short time met in the home of Mrs. Ridwan Nytagodien from 5 p. m. Mary Carr. to 8 p.m. in PSU ’s Smith M em o­ Carr owned a boarding house on First Avenue in down­ rial Student Union room s 228 town. The People’s Church, as it was called at the time, later and 229 on W ednesday, Feb. 12. On T hursday, Feb. 13 there j rotated its location to the different homes of its members. Portland’s second African American church, the African will be a presentation on A fri- American Episcopal Zion Church, was established in Janu­ . can History from noon to 2 p.m. ary of 1869. After its incorporation, a property for the church in room 228. was purchased on northwest Third Street, between what is continued Va-va-voom Valentines Share and savor the sentiments of Valentine’s Day and celebrate [ your creativity and individuality at the St. Johns Community Cen­ ter on Wednesday, Feb. 12 from 11 a.m. to noon during the Port­ land Parks and Recreation spon­ sored craft activity called Va-va- voomValentines.Cometo8424N | Central with $5 and make some­ thing special to show all the | cupids in your life that you care. on page R8 4 church congregation is pictured outside one of Portland’s first African American houses o f worship in this undated photo. Vital Programs Cut Free Tax Assistance The Internal Revenue Service in partnership with the Oregon D e­ partment of Re venue, AAR P Tax- Aide and other members o f the Oregon Tax Credit Coalition will | provide courtesy tax assistance at the Lloyd Center Mall in the j lower level Nordstrom Court Feb. 12 through Feb. 14 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. and on Feb. 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition to basic re­ turn preparation, E-File will be J offered. Bring W-2 and 1099 state­ ments, social security cards and last year’s tax returns. For more information, call 503-326-3769. The Progressions of Black Music In celebration o f Black History | Month, Lewis and Clark College will host a discussion on the Progressions of Black M usic on | T hursday, Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. in room 104ofthe M illerC enterfor the Humanities. M embers o f A l­ pha K appa A lpha, the first h is­ torically black sorority, will talk about the impact hlack music has had on social change in the j U nited States and how social change has affected black m u­ sic. For m ore inform ation, call 503-768-8166. t a / o - t ,., photo by D avid P lechl /T he P ortl and O bserver azry Hasbun s prescription bottles become empty as financial support to refill the medicines dry up. The north Portland man has monthly pharmacy bill of $1,281 - well beyond the $ 756 he receives a month from Social Security. If I don't get my medication I'm going to die. Lecture on Slavery Consequences On T hursday, Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Kaul A uditorium at R e ed C o lle g e , O rla n d o | Patterson, a professor o f soci­ ology at Harvard University, will lead a lecture on ‘The Conse-1 quences o f Slavery for the Afro- A m erican P resent.’ P atterson’s | research into historical and con­ tem porary A m erica, with spe­ cial em phasis on the intersect­ ing problem s o f race, im m igra­ tion and m ulticulturalism , has distinguished him as one o f the n atio n ’s leading authorities on slavery and its legacies. . i - Narzy Hasbun, one of20,000 Oregonians who lost prescription coverage when Measure 28 failed Elderly, disabled clients fend for themselves by D avid P i . echi . T he P ortland O bserver Nazry Hasbun was counting on O regon’s Medically Needy Program. He needs $ 1,281 a month to pay for medicines that treat his diabetes, ar­ thritis and other ailments - well be­ yond the $756 he receives a month from Social Security. But like 20,000other Oregonians, support for prescription drugs van- Organizers securing national talent for August festival LadybugNatureWalks continued on page R7 vices office. Ballot Measure 28, the temporary in­ “If I don’tget my medication,” he come tax increase. said, “I’m going to die." “I don’t know what I’m going to The failureof Measure 28 marked do,” Hasbun told his case manager at the death o f the county's Medically the co unty’s north and northeast continued on page B5 Portland Aging and Disability Ser- Plans for Mt. Hood Jazz Parents can discover the natural world with their pre-schoolers j every Friday morning beginning Friday, Feb. 14. A naturalist will hand out magnifying glasses, bug boxes and other tools to explore the soil, water, bark, flowers and animals in Portland’s parks. Join the group each Friday at IOa.rn.in Hoyt Arboretum. There is a $2 charge for each child, but adults are free. ished Jan. 28 when voters defeated Kulongoski Meets Northeast Seniors Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski meets seniors at the Hollywood Senior Center in northeast Portland to talk about state senior services cuts. Health care advo­ cates are applauding Kulongoski for his desire to work with the governors of Idaho and Washington to bring down the skyrocketing costs o f prescription drugs by buying drugs in bulk and re-selling them at discount prices » The 2003 Mt. Hood Jazz Festival will take place Aug. 2nd and 3rd at the Gresham Main City Park in historic downtown Gresham. The festival moved to the park last year from Mt. Hood Community C ol­ lege during a reorganization that saved the long-tim e comm unity cel­ ebration. The Mt. Hood Jazz Association has purchased the "Mt. Hood Jazz Festi­ val" name and plans another two-day, single stage festival similar to the suc­ cessful 2002 show. Negotiations and contracting are cur­ rently taking place to secure national A talent for this year's event. As a prelude to the music celebra­ tion, the Mt. Hood Jazz Festival w ill present a benefit concert featuring the Dave Holland Quintet, Sunday, May 4, starting at 7 p.m. at northeast Portland’s McMenamins Kennedy School. Tickets are available a, all Safeway Fastixx ticket centers, or by calling |- 800-992-TIXX or 503-224-8499. Returning Mt Hood Jazz Festival sponsors include American Airlines, Borders Books and Music. Digital Realm Designworks. Merchants Bank, Pepsi. Rogue Ales, Smart Choice W ire­ less and Terra Access.