M artin L u t h e r K in g J r .*™1 R o s a P a r k s
January II. 2006
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A Decade of Change on Alberta
continued
from Front
less, many of these hearty black
pioneers were forced into segre
gated neighborhoods that were less
expensive.
Political power to mostly black
communities rose with Dr. Martin
Luther King and the modern Civil
Rights movement. But the task
went far beyond simply telling
the white world that black people
were equal. King had to convince
his own people that they were
equal. In areas of the country
that had been embroiled in centu
ries of racism, it was a difficult
message.
Cal Henry is president of the
Oregon Assembly of Black Af
fairs, a group committed to im
proving the status of African
Americans in Oregon.
“Blacks have to recognize they
are citizens and demand that their
citizens rights are recognized,”
said Henry. “When black people
don’t see other black people get
up and address these issues (lack
of education, racism and poverty),
they are reluctant to step up and
address these concerns them
selves.”
The dawn of the 1990s added
another factor to the mix as a
generation of bold, suburbanite
Americans began to infiltrate ar
eas of north and northeast Port
land despite the violence and
gangs. As one of few places close
to the city that remained afford
able, the influx of people included
many formerCalifornia residents.
Although racism contributed
to and still clouds issues of eco
nomic-justice. the attitude of most
non-black people buying homes
in the northeast seemed to be
sim ply about m oney and
affordability. Few said they
wanted to live in multicultural
neighborhoods.
O nce o u tsid ers decided
Alberta was a hip place to live,
property values began to climb
and the crime rate went down. At
the same time, a black population
that had accumulated little or no
generational wealth saw the ris
ing property values and decided
to sell out for what they believed
was a substantial amount of
money. Others were forced out
when landlords sold properties
or rents exploded.
Reggie Brown, 40, was born
and raised in northeast Portland.
He owns property and a small
business, and while the area has
definitely improved while he's
been here, he’s sorry it’s coming
at the expense of his brothers and
sisters who have not achieved
prosperity in the ways of the fi
nancial world.
“The community is definitely
getting better, rebuilding, new
lights and roads and bicycle paths
all through here," said Brown.
“But the only reason that is, is
b ecau se
pro p erty
values
dropped down so far that many of
the blacks sold out for a chunk of
change, only to realize later they
were sitting on a gold mine.”
It seems that many people in
the black community, in the 90’s
as well as today, are being left
behind, unable to keep up in a
changing economic climate and
unable to make the changes that
would allow the community as a
whole to thrive.
Robert Williams, 60, moved
from Beaverton to the northeast
in 1973; he is a last man standing
of sorts. He guessed that when
he moved here the area was 95
percent black and that now there
are only five black people left
within two city blocks of where
he lives, which he doesn't mind
at all.
The neighborhood kids call
him Uncle Ed, he and his neigh
bors take care of each other when
need be, sharing meaningful
things like eggs, milk, sugar and
gardening tips. As a lone black
man surrounded by a largely white
community, he has found his
home amidst friendship and car
ing, something that has not al
ways been there for him.
“Please understand what I’m
saying.” said Williams, “I feel
safer with a bunch of white people
living around me than a bunch of
black people living around me for
OUR DESTIN
photo by
B obby B i rk /F or T he P ortland O bserver
/s there a future for the black community in Portland? A billboard by the Urban League o f Portland promotes progress with education, employment and equality.
photo by M
photo by
B obby B lrk /F’ or T he P ortland O bserver
Alberta Street venues like the Pub Commons promote the
neighborhood's urban flavor.
the simple fact that black people
would say “it’s none of my damn
business.” So if someone's kick
ing in my front door, and they can
see it happening, they’re saying
“well I don’t give a damn. Hell, it
ain't me. It ain't mine.””
It’s a mindset produced of the
roots of racism and isolation from
community.
Brown, 40, born and raised in
the northeast, echoes Williams in
what he sees is a failure, from one
generation of black Americans to
the next, to take an interest in the
lives of the people around them.
He said the youth in the com
munity today are struggling and
looking for guidance, for some
one to take notice.
“We need some of the older
folks to reach down and help some
of these young black folks to
come up,” said Brown. "Folks
who know how to buy their homes
need to show kids how to get
started. Kids that are having
children at an early age need to
get together with a grandparent
to figure out how to raise their
kid. It used to be yes ma’m, no
ma’m, you know? But that was
the old days. The respect just
isn’t there like it used to be and
we’re cu,-throating our ow n, like
crabs in bucket.”
Cal Henry andtheOABA see a
serious falling short of education
standards at schools with heavy
minority concentrations in the
northeast compared to schools
that are less diversified. Poor
education in turn leads to not
having jobs, which results in lack
of money and a need to survive
instead of thrive.
Fortunately, there are groups
stepping in to make a difference.
Self Enhancement. Inc. is a bright
light in the northeast. SF.I is dedi
cated to changing the future of
the youth of north and northeast
Portland by providing educa
tional mentoring for ages 8-25, a
charter school, after school ac
tivities and tutoring.
SEI targets schools and neigh
borhoods that are underserved
ark
W ashington /T he P ortiani » O bserver
Joe 's Place, an African American hangout for 34 years on
Northeast Alberta Street, closed with the New Year. It was the
last African American owned bar in the neighborhood.
and provides kids with options
for the future. 95 percent of kids
in the program graduate from high
school and 83 percent go on to
college.
When Beka Amblin bought her
house in the early 90s, she did it
as a poor person and believes
that despite race, anyone who
had the vision could have done
the same at that time.
Rosalyn Hill, who could not
be contacted for this article, is
a black woman and a fixture in
the Alberta and northeast com
munity who owns several prop
erties, a successful woman by
any means who began with a
coffee shop and a vision of what
the “bullet zone" would one day
become.
Today, nobody denies that
changes in the northeast commu
nity have brought an exodus of
black residents. Future economic-
prosperity and economic justice
issues will determine if that trend
continues and if the northeast
can go on calling itself the “Soul
of the City.”
It’s Not Too Late to Get a
Flu Shot and Not the Flu.
** *
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for People with Medicare Part B.
For Information, call 1-800-MEDICARE
or visit www.medicare.gov
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Medicare Paga por las Vacunas de Grifte.
Para información, Llame al
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