Meeting
Michelle Obama
Local book club
makes it personal
See story, page 7
‘City
of
Roses’
Volume XLVIII • Number 12
McCoy
Building
Opens
Public health site
named after late
black leader
See Local News, page 3
www.portlandobserver.com
Wednesday • March 27, 2019
Established in 1970
Committed to Cultural Diversity
McGee,
Dickson
Not Guilty
Black leaders
cleared after trial
M iChael l eighton
p ortlanD o bserver
The founder and former chief executive
officer of Portland’s Black Parent Initia-
tive expressed his gratitude Friday after a
judge found him and his co-defendant not
guilty of sexual assault after a two week
trial at the Multnomah County Court-
house.
McGee, 33, and Aubre Dickson, 44,
a former bank executive and former
chairman of the Oregon Housing Sta-
bility Council, prominent members of
by
photo by D anny p eterson /t he p ortlanD o bserver
The Vancouver Avenue First Baptist Church under the direction of Pastor Rev. J.W. Matt Hennessee celebrates 75 years this
month. A mainstay in the African American faith community, the historically black and diverse church continues to be counted
on for tackling social justice issues of the day, such as setting up job fairs, promoting education for black youth and feeding the
homeless.
of
A Legacy Action
Vancouver Avenue First Baptist celebrates 75 years
by D anny p eterson
t he p ortlanD o bserver
The Vancouver Avenue First Baptist
Church is celebrating 75 years this month,
honoring its faith-based legacy for being
an important epicenter for African-Amer-
ican life in Portland, where its members
find a welcoming space to make an impact
on social justice issues of the day.
Under the current guidance of Pastor
Rev. J.W. Matt Hennessee, Vancouver Av-
enue has continued its historic missions of
addressing social justice issues, including
the promotion of education to black youth;
the sponsorship of job fairs; feeding people
who are hungry; and other social causes.
This year the church will undergo renova-
tions to bolster public service efforts even
more, including the creation of a black mu-
seum and dedicated educational space for
underrepresented youth.
“We have been able, on the one hand, to
really focus on the spiritual development
of our church, but also be very involved in
social justice, just as the church had been
for many years during the time of Pastor
Williams,” Hennessee, who has been pas-
tor since 2005, told the Portland Observer.
That legacy was set in place by the for-
mer pastor of the church, for 48 years, Rev.
Oliver Booker “O.B.” Williams, and his
wife Willa Ida Jackson-Williams. Williams
started as a Sunday School Teacher at the
church before taking over in 1945—when
its membership was just 75--and oversaw
its substantial growth during the civil rights
movement from the 1940s to the 1960s.
C ontinueD on p age 5
Aubre Dickson and Charles McGee
Portland’s African American community,
were charged with sexually assaulting a
woman after a night partying nearly seven
years ago.
Both men lost their jobs after the accu-
sations were first levied against them by
the alleged victim, Erica Naito-Campbell,
38, the granddaughter of prominent Port-
land real estate developer Bill Naito, in a
story published in the Willamette Week.
Judge David Rees reached the not
guilty verdicts Friday, finding the state
failed to prove their case in a trial with no
jury.
“I cannot conclude with moral certainty
that the defendants are guilty,” Rees said.
The men were charged with touching
Naito-Campbell sexually without her con-
sent.
C ontinueD on p age 4