Page 2
May 22, 2019
Billionaire technology investor Robert F. Smith (left) with David Thomas and actress Angela Bassett
at Morehouse College graduation ceremonies in Atlanta on Sunday. Smith announced he will provide
grants to wipe out the student debt of the entire graduating class - an estimated $40 million. (AP photo)
Philanthropist Stuns Graduates
(AP) -- A billionaire technology
investor stunned the entire gradu-
ating class at Morehouse College
when he announced at their com-
mencement Sunday that he would
pay off their student loans, esti-
mated at up to $40 million.
Robert F. Smith, this year’s
commencement speaker, made
the announcement while address-
ing nearly 400 graduating seniors
Student Success Tax Adopted
Established 1970
USPS 959 680
4747 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Portland, OR 97211
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New York, NY, and The West Coast Black Publishers Association
CALL 503-288-0033
FAX 503-288-0015
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 :
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Lucinda Baldwin
Gov.
Kate
Brown signed
the
Student
Success
Act
into law Thurs-
day, days after
the House and
Senate passed
the legislation
which raises an
additional
$1
billion per year for Oregon schools
through a half a percent tax on the
state’s wealthiest businesses.
Jury Acquits Protestor
A Multnomah County jury Monday
acquitted Danialle Inez James, a
33-year-old black woman of charges
that she assaulted a TV news cam-
of the all-male historically black
college in Atlanta. Smith, who is
black, is the Founder and CEO of
Vista Equity Partners, a private
equity firm that invests in soft-
ware, data, and technology-driven
companies.
“On behalf of the eight gen-
erations of my family that have
been in this country, we’re gon-
na put a little fuel in your bus,”
the investor and philanthropist
told graduates in his morning
address.
The announcement immediate-
ly drew stunned looks from fac-
ulty and students alike. Then the
graduates broke into the biggest
cheers of the morning and stood
up, applauding. Morehouse said
it is the single largest gift to the
college.
Week
in
Review
trial east side. Officers responding
encountered a chaotic scene early
Sunday morning with people leav-
ing on foot and in vehicles. Inves-
tigators learned that there was an
argument before the shooting and
want witnesses to come forward.
The
eraman during a protest last sum-
mer outside the U.S. Immigration
and Customs Enforcement office in
southwest Portland. James denied
that she did anything wrong or was
motivated by hostility toward the
media.
Democrats in the House approved
sweeping anti-discrimination legis-
lation Friday that would extend civil
rights protections to LGBT people
by prohibiting discrimination based
on sexual orientation or gender iden-
tity. The protections would extend to
Five Shot at Warehouse Party
employment, housing, loan applica-
Portland Police say at least five peo-
tions, education, public accommo-
ple were injured by gunfire during a
dations and other areas.
party in a warehouse-type building
on Southeast Madison in the indus- Goldberg Illness was Serious
Two of the doctors for Whoopi
Goldberg, the Oscar-winning co-
host of “The View,” revealed Mon-
day that the star had a 1 in 3 chance
of dying during her bout with a se-
vere case of pneumonia earlier this
year. They Joined Goldberg on the
show Monday to share the story of
how close Goldberg was to death’s
door.
Oregon Sues OxyContin Makers
Paul Neufeldt
Danny Peterson
P ubliC r elAtions : Mark
Washington Jr.
o ffiCe A ssistAnt /s Ales : Shawntell
Washington
House Votes for LGBT Equity
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Oregon Attorney General Ellen
Rosenblum filed a new lawsuit last
week against Purdue Pharma, the
maker of OxyContin, and the com-
pany’s owners. The complaint al-
leges that both the company and its
family-related owners engaged in
unlawful marketing and promotion
of OxyContin, a dangerous and ad-
dictive prescription opioid.