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J a n u a ry 12, 2 00 S
A Change for Progress
Martin Luther King
Jr. Boulevard means
viability for business
by J aymee
R. C uti
T he P ortland O bserver
"Y ou th P o te n tia l R e alized "
SEI salutes the life and legacy of
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.!
"The failures o f the p a st m ust n ot be an excuse for the
inaction o f the present a n d the future "
~Martin Luther King , Jr., 1967
When a few citizens rallied together to change
the name of Union Avenue to Martin Luther
King Jr. Boulevard 14 years ago, the Renaming
Committee was met with opposition.
Though some entrepreneurs strenuously ob­
jected to the change, and even appealed to the
Land Use Board of Appeals, others saw the
renaming as a chance for new hope along the
strip vilified for its boarded up storefronts and
rundown appearance.
here because of the name change.
Larry Matthews, owner of Yam Yams on
Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, said the name
change was a step for progress. He had marched
for civil rights in the 1960s.
“Once the name changed, they started fixing
up the avenue and businesses started to move
in," Knauls said. “It really helped the city and the
community having a street named after Dr.
King.”
Knauls made the former Cotton Club a
premier hotspot for jazz. He established the
former G eneva’s nightclub that also attracted
prominent local and national jazz and contem ­
porary musicians. Knauls and his wife cur­
rently own G eneva's Shear Perfection, a sa­
lon proudly on Martin Luther King Jr. Boule­
Traditionally they
would take the worst
street in most cities— not
a place that you would
actually visit—and call it
Martin Luther King Jr
•Over 50% of African American Children in Oregon
do not graduate from high school
•Over 90% of students in the SEI program graduate
from high school
Paul Knauls Sr.
The businesses against renaming the main
thoroughfare through northeast Portland after
King were Union Avenue Glass, City Antiques.
City Liquidators, Roth BMW, Bums Bros. Inc.
and Anderson Bros. Inc.
Those business owners where shot down
when the city attorney ruled that a renaming
committee didn’t need popular approval to
change the street name. The boulevard we
know today as Martin Luther King Jr. was
voted in by a 5-0 City Council vote in April of
that year.
The Future is NOW!!
Seif Enhancement, Inc.
3920 N. Kerby Ave.
Portland, Oregon 97227
Mt. Hood
Community
College
salutes the
contributions
African-Americans
have made to
our community
and looks
forward to the
achievements
of tomorrow.
“Now more than ever, it’s
important to understand
our past struggles and
achievements in order to re­
inforce the strength of our
wills. We must focus on the
similarities that we share
in history, rather than our
differences, which can act
as barriers to our progress
in society. If knowledge is
truly power, then knowl­
edge of self and our history
of oppression will only bring
African Americans closer to
the true American value of
equality and freedom.”
Marcia L. Graves
S upport A n alyst C oo rdinato r
M t . H ood C o m m u n it y C ollege
Paul Knauls Sr., a longtime African-Ameri­
can entrepreneur, said he moved his business
“It’s made ourcommunity really proud to have
a street like this in the community,” Knauls said.
According to Knauls, Portland’s Martin Luther
King Jr. Boulevard is one of the best in the
country, and the only one that has a statue of King
along the stretch.
“Traditionally they would take the worst street
in most cities— not a place that you would
actually visit— and call it Martin Luther King
Jr.,” he said. “In Portland, we took the street
named for Dr. King and made it one of the most
viable ones.”
Although Matthews says his business, at its
current locaiton for five years, was not affected
by the name change, he believes it was deserved.
“I think we needed something to commemo­
rate Dr. King. It was a good change for progress,”
he said.
Worship
for King
Registration for
spring term
begins March 7.
Visit www.mhcc.edu
for more
information!
Violence is immoral because it thrives
on hatred rather than love. It destroys
community and makes brotherhood
impossible. It leaves society in a
monologue rather than a dialogue.
-D r. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
M t H o o d
C O M M U N IT Y CO LLEG E
---- «----
K N O W L E D G E /or S U C C E S S
26000 SI Si ARE
I
Portland’s former Mayor Vera Katz was
given credit for much revitalization that hap­
pened along the boulevard since the name change,
making it a safer and more attractive place for
businesses to be.
vard for 13 years.
S i R H I • <.HI S H A M , O R I (.O N
K
A rea residents are in­
vited to honor Rev. M ar­
tin L uther K ing's legacy
by atten d in g the annual
c ity w id e se rv ic e p re ­
sented by the Albina Min­
isterial A llian ce,ag ro u p
o f A fric a n -A m e ric a n
clergy.
T he w orship c e le b ra ­
tion is scheduled to begin
at 6 p.m . S unday, Jan.
16 at the new ly c o n ­
s t r u c te d E m m a n u e l
T e m p le F u ll G o s p e l
C hurch o f G od, 1033 N.
S um ner St. Im m anuel
P asto r C. T. W ells will
host the service and Dr.
M ark S tro n g o f L ife
Change Christian Church
is the featured speaker.
For more inform ation,
co n tact Dr. Rev. Leroy
H aynes Jr., M LK w o r­
ship celebration c o o rd i­
nator, at A llen T em ple
A M E C hurch.
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