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. Black History Month Salute to:,
February 13, 2008
Black History Month
B lack H istory M onth
Oregon Senator Avel Gordly
C ourageous A frican A mericans
and the Avel Gordley Center for Healing
Opening February 28, 2008
C anada’s black heroes
621 S.W. Alder, 5th floor
J une A costa P otter
O scar Peterson, the brilliant, world-
renow ned jazz pianist, died recently
at his hom e in M ississauga, O ntario,
a suburb o f Toronto.
Peterson w as black, the son o f a
Pullman porter and bom in Montreal
on Aug. 15,1925. (M y first encoun­
ter, as a little girl, with a black person was a Pullman
porter: kind, patient and im peccably dressed.)
Though he was a veteran o f many world tours,
perform ing in many great cities, Peterson always
returned to Canada, and in recent years, his hom e in
M ississauga.
Canada, o f course, was the Prom ised Land, a
destination o f the U nderground Railroad during
slavery times, a blessed haven and refuge, a "W el­
com e Home, Travelers” land.
Canadian citizens were know n for treating black
people (w hether from A frica directly, or the U.S. A.)
as valued m em bers o f he hum an family, worthy o f
respect and courtesy.
A naturalized citizen, born in C anada a long tim e
ago, 1 custom arily seek to reconnect to by m other
by
Portland, Oregon
The Avel Gordly Center for Healing is a
new mental health center that is cultur­
ally responsive to the needs of African
Americans. The Center was developed
by the African American Mental Health
Commission in partnership with Oregon
Health and Science University. It is named
for Avel Gordly who will retire from the
Oregon Senate in 2008. The list of her
accomplishments is extensive:
• First African American woman
elected to the state Senate
• 16 years of public service
• Former Director of Youth Services, Urban League of Portland
• Lifelong advocate for racial and ethnic justice
country to re-establish associations from the past.
D uring a recent phone conversation with a lifelong
friend, I learned that the new priest at St. A nne’s
Catholic Church in Iroquois Falls, O ntario, was black -
Father A ugustine Katuka, from Nigeria.
My friend reported that: "They all love him !”
W hen Jackie Robinson was chosen by Brooklyn
D odgers General M anager Branch Rickey to be the first
player to integrate M ajor League Baseball in 1947, he
played with the M ontreal Royals, a D odger farm team.
Robinson reported in his autobiography "I N ever
Had It M ade” that during tours in the U.S., he was
regularly harassed and verbally abused, while his team ­
mates suffered along with him. But they were welcomed
hom e joyously by M ontreal citizens who sought to
com fort them.
T oday, Canada has opened her doors and arm s to
H ispanics, deem ed illegals south o f the border and to
H aitians, dispersing them throughout the country, and
extending aid and m onetary assistance.
D uring the forthcom ing O lym pic w inter gam es in
V ancouver, B.C., all A m ericans will have a chance to
observe and enjoy C anadian hospitality.
By the way, many black C anadians call them selves
African Am ericans. A fter all, the nam e should apply to
all w ho dwell in both North and South America!
• Recognized champion for the support of mental health
• Currently serving as Associate Professor, Dept. of Black
Studies, Portland State University
“ Senator Ave! Gordly's unwavering, heartfelt, and
informed leadership and advocacy on behalf o f
Oregonians living with mental illness has resulted in
improved services, greater understanding and better
communication a n d education regarding their daily
lives as well as issues they face. 1'he way she lives
her life inspires us to live our best lives while
considering others. II? are a ll better citizens because
o f her example o f service. ”
Judge Adrienne Nelson
M ultnomah County C ircu it Court
Invesling rrt Portland's h uture
Struggle for African American Business
Roscoe Dixon was bom in V ir­
ginia in 1843 and becam e fam ous
forow ning and operating R oscoe's
O yster House in Astoria.
During the later part o f the 19th
century, Dixon m igrated to O regon
and settled in A storia w here he
m a rrie d T h e r e s a A n to in e tte
Tow nes. M any A frican A m ericans
in Oregon encountered discrim ina­
tion in the jo b m arket and were
em ployed as servants or laborers,
so D ixon’s position as a proprietor
was extrem ely unusual.
The A frican-A m erican popula­
tion o f the state was relatively small
at the end o f the nineteenth cen ­
tury. In 1860, less than one percent
o f the population in the territories
o f Oregon and W ashington were
African American. African A m eri­
cans held a variety o f occupations
in Oregon. M any were farm ers and
farm laborers, artisans, m erchants,
servants, skilled laborers, sailors,
railroad workers, porters, waiters,
cooks and barbers. H ousehold ser­
vants, a position typically held by
Roscoe Lee
Dixon owned
Roscoe’s
Oyster House
in Astoria in
the 1800s.
PHOTO COURTESY
of the O regon
H istorical
S ociety
A frican A m erican s th ro u g h o u t
much of the nation, were overwhelm­
ingly Euro A m erican in Oregon.
In Loving Memory
John W. Harris
Services for John W. Harris, 52, who was born Oct. 24, 1955 and was
called hom e on Feb. 9 ,2 0 0 8 , will be held Friday, Feb. 15 at 11 a.m. For
more information, call Cox & Cox Funeral Home 5 0 3 -2 8 1 -4819.
We honor the life and works of
Martin Luther King Jr.
It is our primary goal as a labor union to better the lives of all
people working in the building trades through advocacy, civil
demonstration, and the long-held belief that workers deserve a
“family wage” - fair pay for an honest day’s work.
A family wage and the benefits that go with it, not only
strengthens families, but also allows our communities to
become stronger, more cohesive, and more responsive to their
citizens’ needs.
Is raising a child with
ADHD stressing you out?
Mothers:
Parents a n d C h ild re n T o g e th e r (PACT) is a research study
comparing two approaches to helping families with children
with ADHD. Eligible families receive either an ADHD family
advocate or education materials.
You m a y be e lig ib le if you have a child with ADHD and live in
Our family wage agenda reflects our commitment to people
working in the building trades, as well as to workers every­
where. In this small way, we are doing our part to make
Dr. King’s concept of the “beloved community” a reality.
Pacific Northwest
Regional Council of
CARPENTERS
Affiliated with the
the Portland area.
United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
There is no cost to participate in this study. You w ill receive a gift
card o f a t least $50 every six months.
Representing more than 5,000 carpenters and other construction workers
in Oregon state.
For more information:
Do you want to know more about becoming a union carpenter?
Whether you've worked in the non-union sector for years or are looking
for a career with potential, we want to hear from you. Call Kathy Swan
toll free at 1.877.285.4810 or email: kswan(«’nwcarpenters.org
call 503 418-3603
or email pact@ohsu.edu
OREGON
Change can't happen if we see things ¡ust one way That's why diversity is
im portant to who we are Wc are proud to be an equal opportunity institution.
IRB# 2071
I
HEALTH
&SCIENCE
UNIVERSITY
Our offices are located at: 1636 East Burnside • Portland, OR 97214
503.261.1862 • toll free 1.800.974.9052
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