M artin L uther K ing J r .
Page 24
January 11, 2017
2017 special edition
Drum Major Service
c onTinued froM P age 3
Portland, Lewis and Clark Law
student Gregory McElvey from
Portland’s Resistance, Kim Dix-
on from Enough is Enough, and
Multnomah County judges Nan G.
Waller and Adrienne Nelson.
This year’s Drum Major re-
cipients are Wajdi Said and the
Muslim Educational Trust, JoAnn
Hardesty and the NAACP Port-
land Branch 1120, Julianne John-
son-Weiss and Ecumenical Min-
istries of Oregon, Lou Radja and
EduCongo.
Vancouver Avenue First Bap-
Harris Photography
503-730-1156
Family Portraits $65
Senior High Photos $65
4545 N.E. MLK 97211
tist Church has a rich history of
its active role in the Civil Rights
Movement, including hosting his-
toric leaders like Dr. King, Ralph
Wilkins and Congressman John
Lewis. Pastor Hennessee was a
godson to the late Coretta Scott
King. The term “drum major”
is found in a sermon Dr. King
delivered on Feb. 4, 1968 at the
Ebenezer Baptist Church in At-
lanta, Ga: “Yes, if you want to
say that I was a drum major, say
that I was a drum major for jus-
tice. Say that I was a drum ma-
jor for peace. Yes, I was a drum
major for righteousness. And all
of the other shallow things will
not matter. Yes, I won’t have
any money to leave behind. I
won’t have the fine and luxuri-
ous things of life to leave behind.
But, I just want to leave a com-
mitted life behind. “
Vancouver Avenue First Bap-
tist’s MLK celebrations are free
and open to the public. A seat
reservation, however, is recom-
mended by calling the church at
503-282-9496.
Advertise with diversity
in
The Portland Observer
antonioharris@mac.com
Call 503-288-0033 or email
ads@portlandobserver.com
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PhoTo by
Z achary S enn /T he P orTland o bServer
Raymond Burell brings the history of Rev Martin Luther King Jr. visit to Portland’s Vancouver
Avenue First Baptist Church to life as church historian. Burrell was recently responsible for
having the church listed in the National Register of Historic places.
Martin Luther King Visited Here
Church steeped
in Civil Rights
history
Z achary S enn
T he P orTland o bServer
by
A Portland sanctuary with
great social, educational, and
historical significance to Port-
land’s black community was
honored this past year with na-
tional recognition. Vancouver
Avenue First Baptist Church
is known as one of the histor-
ical centers of Portland’s black
community, and has hosted
civil rights icons such as Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. and
Ralph Wilkins throughout its
rich history. Raymond Burell,
c onTinued on P age 26