% 2010
M artin L u th er K ing J r .
Page 26
January 13, 2010
s p e c ia l e d /lio n
Oregon Leader
Fought for
Civil Rights
Like King, Mark Hatfield
envisioned a more equitable society
by J ake T homas
T he P ortland O bserver
Oregon was one of
the states that put the
nation's first black presi­
dent over the top in the
2008 Presidential Elec­
tion, but the state w asn't
always so progressive
when it came to race
relations.
When the state was
founded in 1859, its con­
stitution barred blacks
from moving to the state. . Mark
Shortly after the Civil War,
white southerners harboring rac­
ist views flocked to Oregon,
electing politicians who cemented
the status of black Oregonians
as second-class citizens.
Up until the 1950s, racist pub­
lic accommodation laws were
common in the state, and ex-
Black U nited Fund Grantees Have Talent!"
Black United Fund of Oregon’s
in a n n u a l: can
'^J-ebtuaty
'I I I
I if
f“% l i Ï i » l i ] I l J i * v B I «?
Z O IC
Proceeds go towards scholarships for African-American High School Seniors
and non-profit organizations serving Oregon's low-income communities.
Wednesday, February 17,2010
6:00pm Reception & Silent A uction - 7:00pm Dinner
The Governor Hotel, Heritage Ballroom
614 SW 11th and Aider, Portland, OR 97205
$85.00 per person / $850.00 per table of ten
Attire - Semi-Formal or Professional
Come ready to experience performances from
Black United Fund Grant Recipients and Partners!
RSVP by Friday, February 12,2010.
Visit us online to purchase your tickets or sponsor the banquet at www.bufor.org
or RSVP to Xochilth Franklin at xfranklin&bufor.org,or (503) 282-7973
Thank you fo r y o u r support and contributions.
2010 Presenting Sponsor
SB t
_
— .....
Hatfield
J
eluded blacks from restaurants,
hotels, parks, and other places.
It took the work of one of
Oregon’s most revered and most
liberal Republican politicians to
help get the law repealed, moving
the state one step closer to the
continued
on page 30
Drum Miyor
Service Sunday
continued
from page 18
The event is a “dream” real­
ized fo r R ev. J.W . M att
H ennessee, senior pastor of
Vancouver First Baptist Church.
“As a person who was hon­
ored to be close to Mrs. King
and her family for many years, I
had the privilege of attending the
Ecumenical Service with them
in Atlanta, Georgia. It has al­
ways been a vision of mine to
duplicate that service here lo­
cally,” he said.
Highlights for the afternoon
include a keynote speech by
Oregon’s Attorney General John
Kroger with his impressive back­
ground as a law professor, au­
thor and an award winning fed­
eral prosecutor.
Other high points of the pro­
gram will include musical per­
form ances by Mrs. Julianne
Johnson-W eiss, the Jefferson
High School Demo Sounds, and
The Vancouver Avenue First
B aptist R eunion C hoir; and
heartening messages from faith,
community and civic leaders.
C o m m u n ity D rum M ajor
awards will be presented in honor
o f the late Lou Boston for the
Martin Luther King Jr. Award;
former Gov. Barbara Roberts
fo r the C o retta S cott King
Award; Noell Webb and Brenda
Braxton for the Rosa Parks
Award; Steven Gonzales for the
Yolanda Denise King Award
and the Portland Community
College System for the Legacy
Award.
A free will offering will raise
money forthe Drum Major Schol­
arship Fund to support students
seeking to secure a higher edu­
cation or develop a trade, and in
turn honor the dreams of Dr.
King and all people who stand
for a peace and unity.