Œlir Iportlauò
February 21. 2007
(Observer B la c k H ístO iy M o n th
Page A5
B lack H istory M onth
Sisters of Selma - Bearing Witness to Change
Church owes
record of social
•
•
activism to its
avowed women
The C atholic Church ow es much o f
its record o f social activism to its avowed
w om en, for whom service is the high
est calling.
M ost orders o f nuns were founded
for social service - teaching children,
nursing the sick and perform ing all
tasks “o f which woman is capable.” It
is not surprising that in 1965 and there
after the sisters cam e to the city of
Selm a, Ala., to help the oppressed - the
A frican-A m erican citizens o f the South
fighting for their civil rights.
A new generation o f A frican-A m eri
cans challenged the status quo o f the
D eep South o f the 1960s. These nuns
o f the C atholic Church (w hich had long
been perceived as a "w hite” institution)
join ed the civil rights stru g g le...an d in
doing so, the church and the sisters
were them selves transformed.
T h e first-h a n d acco u n ts o f how
they served as unforeseen heroines
and heroes during the Selm a-to-M ont-
g o m e r y m a rc h a n d m o v e m e n ts
th ro u g h o u t th e U .S. w as re c e n tly
p ro filed in the d o cu m en tary “S isters
o f S e lm a : B e a r in g W itn e s s fo r
On an o v e rc a st m orning on M arch 7, 1 9 6 5 , h u n d re d s o f A la b a m a
r e s id e n ts walk a c ro ss a bridge in S e lm a , Ala., h e a d in g for th e s ta te
Capitol to d e m o n s tr a te for voting rights. (AP p h o to )
S is te r M ary A n to n a
C h an g e" w hich aired this m onth on
PBS stations across the country.
For decades, local laws had all but
prevented blacks from voting. And those
w ho did venture to protest often faced
h a ra s s m e n t - e v e n d e a th . B lack
Selm ians, supported by Rev. Martin
Luther King Jr., decided to m arch to the
state capital o f M ontgom ery to draw
attention to their plight. On a Sunday in
early spring, dozens o f peaceful pro
testers on their way out o f the city were
brutally beaten back by state troopers
and the sheriff's posse on horseback.
Once you have marched in
Selma, Sister, you can never
Sister Mary Peters, Secretary,
stay home again. - 1965
National Catholic Council
for Interracial Justice
T he v iolence o f "Bloody Sunday"
stunned Americans, focusing nation
wide attention on civil rights.
A group o f American nuns from St.
Louis were am ong the first to protest
Entrance to the show will be
$14 regular price, $6 dollars for
ladies in the first hour. VIP cards
fashion and live music shows, cul will be given to booth holders.
minating with a dance party. All
Participants and sponsors will
three parts should include the wid have the opportunity to network
est array of talent from Portland's with some of Port land's most avant-
emerging music, hip hop, and fash garde fashion and music enthusi
ion circles.
asts.
The primary purpose of the event
For more information, call M.
is to promote local black entrepre M akano at A u d acity D esign
neurship, especially in these two H ouse,503-975-5013: lllaj at 503-
industries, and culture.
957-5975; or AD at 503-327-1755.
Fashion, Music Ball Slated
The first annual Black History
M onth Fashion and Music Ball
presented by Ideation Studios,
Sam eunderneath and Audacity
Design House takes off on Satur
day, Feb. 24 at 9:30 p.m. at the
New Born Tribe on northeast Fre
mont and M artin Luther King Jr.
Blvd.
The event will consist of a trade.
The F ranciscan S is te r s o f Mary
arrived in S t. L ouis in 1 8 7 2 d e te r
m in e d to live a c o n s e c r a te d life,
b e c o m e se lf-su p p o rtin g a n d h e lp
th o s e in n e e d .
the violence. At a time when many
church leaders were reluctant to ad
dress the treatm ent o f blacks in the
South, these courageous women de
fied authority - and a long history of
simply praying for causes - to take
their message to the streets o f Selma.
The Missouri sisters were welcomed
by the black residents. This was due in
large pail to the decades o f bridge
building by sisters from R ochester.
NY., who had met the education and
health care needs o f the poor blacks of
Selma. The A rchbishop o f Mobile-
Birmingham had prohibited them from
joining the m arches, so they fed, housed
and cared for w aves o f civil rights
activists from elsewhere.
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B lack H istory M onth 2007
THE FOLLOWING PUBLIC AGENCIES IN THE PORTLAND METROPOLITAN ARIA SAI IIT li
The Achievements o f Black American Scientists & Inventors
Many skills and talents are needed to build a great country. I hroughout American history, often under adverse conditions, African American scientists
have advanced our nation through their research, inventions, patents, and innovations in technology. I lere are a few examples:
DR. CHARLES HENRY TURNER, PhD.
(¡867- ¡923) was one o f the very first African-American
researchers in animal behavior. He published over 50
papers in the areas o f physiology, invertebrate ecology
and morphology. Or. Turner is best known fo r his
pioneering work demonstrating hearing in insects.
DR. DANIEL HALE WILLIAMS
( 1856-1931) Daniel Hale
Williams is credited with
having performed open heart
surgery on July 9, 1893
before such surgeries were
established. In 1913, Daniel
Hale Williams Williams was
the only African American
member o f the American
Callege o f Surgeons.
MAE JEMISON
MADAME C. J. WALKER
{born 1956) Dr. Jemison earned her
medical degree from Cornell University,
and practiced international medicine before
answering NASA's call. She became the first
African American woman to enter space as
a mission specialist with the Space Shuttle
Endeavor in 1992. She now heads the Jem i
son group, with projects that include im
proving health care in Africa and advancing
technology in developing countries. She is
fluent in four languages.
Inventor and Entrepreneur ( 1867- 1919)
created hair care products and a
DR. PERCY JULIAN, PhD.
national product distribution model that
{1899- 1975) Dr. Julian
revolutionized the hair care and cosmetic
was a chemist who
industry fo r African women in
synthesized physostigmine
the 20th centurv.
fo r treatment o f glaucoma
and cortisone for the
treatment o f rheumatoid
arthritis. Among his many
DR. NEIL DECRASSE TYSON, PhD.
research achievements.
{born 1958) Dr. Tyson, an astrophysicist, is the Director o f the Hayden
Dr. Julian developed and
Planetarium at the American Museum o f Natural History, and Visit
held a patent fo r a fire-
ing Research Scientist and Lecturer at Princeton University. His re
retardant foam used to
search interests include star formation, exploding stars, dwarf galax
extinguish gasoline and
ies, and the structure o f our Milky IVczy. Dr. Tyson hosts the PBS Nova
oil fires.
television series. Nova Science Now.
Please contact the following agencies about contracting and consulting opportunities:
Multnomah County - Robert Fields • 503-988 5111 ext. 22796 • robert.heldsrico.multnomah oc.us • www.multcopurch.org
Metro - Cinna'Mon Williams • 503-797-1816 • williamsci metro.dst.or.us • www.metro-region org
Housing Authority of Portland - Jerry Walker • 503-802-8509 • jerryw2a hapdx.org • www.hapdx.org
City of Vancouver
Angela Watkins • 360-619-1028 • angela.watkins i ci.Vancouver wa.us. • www.ci.vancouver.wa us
CITY OF PORTLAND:
Bureau of Purchases - Greg Wolley • 503-823-6860 • gwolley(<i’c i portland.or.us • wwwportlandonline.com/omf.purchases
MULTNOMAH COUNTY ORIGON
Portland Water Bureau - Annette Dabashinsky • 503-823-7521 • adabashinsky«i water < i Portland or us • www.portlandonlme.com/water
Office of Transportation - Richard Gray • 50 3-823-5250 • richard.grav ' pdxtrans.org • www.portlandonline com/transportation