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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 18, 2020)
Page 2 50 TH A NNIVERSARY E DITION November 18, 2020 Portland Observer’s 50 Years Anniversary renews focus on Black, diverse communities b everly C orbell T he P orTland o bserver For 50 years, the Portland Observer has endeavored to inform and uplift the Afri- can American and other communities of color. With informed local reporting, pho- tography, columns and articles dedicated to diversity and the Black experience, the by publication is celebrating the past with a pledge to continue delivering solid news to our readers and viewers in the future. As the state’s oldest Black-owned newspaper, the Portland Observer plans to carry on that proud tradition for many years to come. Like other Black-owned businesses, 2020 has been a rough year. Because of the restric- The Portland Observer, born in 1970, traces its beginnings to a need to cover issues from the African American community’s perspective when previous Black publica- tions ceased to exist. The photo above is an example of the turmoil the community was facing at the time, as two young African American men get arrested by white police officers while surrounded by a crowd. (Oregon Historical Society photo) tions imposed by the coronavirus, a stay-at-home order, and managing a fall from revenues, Portland Ob- server Publisher Mark Washington needed to take steps to reduce costs. He moved the publication to every other week and cut staff hours, but now says support is picking up and he expects to survive this crisis. The Portland Observer as a current, on-going publication was started in 1970 by Rev. Alfred L. Henderson of Portland’s Bethel AME Church, and was taken over by Washington’s mother, the late Joyce Washington in the 1980s. Joyce worked for Henderson in those early years as a successful saleswoman, but when he couldn’t afford to pay her commission, she came up with a novel scheme to take over the paper herself and Portland had its own civil rights movement when keep it going. the Portland Observer came into publication 50 “She was a salesperson but he years ago. Portland’s Black Panther Party, for couldn’t afford to pay her and fell example, started as a group of young African behind on his taxes,” Washington Americans who read Malcolm X and Mao Tse- said. “So she made a deal to pay off tung. A photo from Feb. 14, 1970 shows Sandra the taxes and take over ownership.” Ford picketing in support of repressed peoples Before coming to the Portland at the U.S. Courthouse, downtown. (Oregon Observer, Joyce had been deeply Historical Society photo) involved in social services, hold- ing a high level position with Adult Fam- the community since she had been doing ily Services, Washington said, and she so much with social services and welfare,” brought that philosophy of helping others he said. to her leadership of the paper. C onTinued on P age 19 “She had a vision of wanting to help