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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 6, 2019)
Page 2 February 6, 2019 Black Business Pioneer Harvey Garnett, 82, Portland’s first black theater owner, was the first per- son to take out an advertisement when the Portland Observer began publish- ing in 1970. He was the proprietor of then Alameda Cinema, now known as the Alberta Rose Theatre. Garnett, who is originally from Waco, Texas and moved to Portland photo by D anny p eterson /t he p ortlanD o bserver Harvey “Mr. Alameda” Garnett, the first black movie theater owner in Portland, visits the offices of the Portland Observer. The former owner of Alameda Cinema, now the Alberta Rose, Garnett was also the first business owner to purchase advertising in the Portland Observer in 1970, the black-owned newspaper’s first year of publication. in 1945, ran Portland’s only African American owned theater at the time. In 1965, and co-owned by child- hood friend Ron Leverett, the theater screened second-run films, and later, blaxploitation films like Shaft and Su- perfly. In 1971, Garnett took full own- ership of Alameda and screened the now-classic In the Heat of the Night, starring Sidney Poitier, as its first itera- tion of a theater for new releases. Garnett, who’s also known as “Mr. Alameda,” was raised in a house near present-day Legacy Emanuel Hospi- tal on North Gantenbein Avenue and told the Portland Observer he was also the first African American to work for Pepsi, in 1965. He also took ownership of one of the few black-owned record stores in town, Bop City, formerly lo- cated on North Williams Avenue in 1968. The Week in Review Police Faulted on Death Rescue last week to pause en- forcement of new placard warnings on unreinforced masonry buildings un- til further outreach by her office is completed. Hardesty said she wants to look at ways to better support businesses and nonprof- its in seismically upgrading their buildings. A new report by outside consul- tants faulted Portland Police for placing themselves in a dangerous position with no available cover when they shot and killed Quan- ice Haynes, a 17-year-rold African American burglary suspect two years ago. The analysis said police must strive to use cover, time and Vancouver to Build Army Ships distance to their advantage when Portland shipbuilder Vigor In- responding to potentially violent dustrial announced last week that it will build a new class of encounters. Army landing craft ships in Van- Mayor Targets Hate Groups couver. As many as 36 of the Citing a mor- new vessels would be built over al obligation the next 10 years, eventually to lead on the adding 400 jobs and $1 billion issue, Mayor to the local economy, company Ted Wheeler officials said. has put forth a Employee Claims Retaliation city ordinance A black Multnomah County em- condemning ployee filed a $420,000 lawsuit white suprem- last week claiming the county acy and alt failed to foster a racially sensitive right groups. An hour and a half will be reserved workplace and that colleagues re- for public testimony on Thursday, taliated against her after she com- and then the council will vote on plained about a co-worker who pinned up a “Blue Lives Matter” whether to adopt the resolution. flag in his office in 2017, an action Masonry Placard Pause seen as demeaning to the Black City Commissioner Jo Ann Hard- Lives Movement for social jus- esty directed Portland Fire and tice. Established 1970 P ublisher : e ditor : Mark Washington, Sr. Michael Leighton A dvertising M AnAger : Office Manager/Classifieds: C reAtive d ireCtor : r ePorter /W eb e ditor : Leonard Latin Lucinda Baldwin ---------------------- USPS 959 680 ------------------ 4747 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Portland, OR 97211 The Portland Observer welcomes freelance submissions. Manuscripts and photographs should be clearly labeled and will be returned if accompanied by a self addressed envelope. All created design display ads become the sole property of the newspaper and cannot be used in other publications or personal usage without the written consent of the general manager, unless the client has purchased the composition of such ad. © 2008 THE PORTLAND OBSERVER. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED. The Portland Observer--Oregon’s Oldest Multicultural Publication--is a member of the National News- paper Association--Founded in 1885, and The National Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc, New York, NY, and The West Coast Black Publishers Association Paul Neufeldt CALL 503-288-0033 Danny Peterson s Ales /A dMinistrAtive A ssistAnt : P ubliC r elAtions : Mark news@portlandobserver.com • ads@portlandobserver.com Avanna Lake subscription@portlandobserver.com Washington Jr. o ffiCe A ssistAnt /s Ales : Shawntell Washington FAX 503-288-0015 Postmaster: Send address changes to Portland Observer , PO QR code PO Box 3137 , Portland, OR 97208
