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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 6, 2017)
Page 10 The Skanner December 6, 2017 News Black Press mourns a New York Beacon Rags to Riches Story Made Publisher Walter “Ball” Smith Jr. a Light for Many From Crusader Staff Report (Crusader Newspaper Group/NNPA Member) T he Black Press lost one of its most de- voted freedom war- riors, last week. Walter “Ball” Smith, the publisher of “New York’s Beacon” and the “Phila- delphia Observer” died on Friday, November 10. He was 83. “The Black Press has lost a true giant in Black America,” said Dorothy R. Leavell, Chairman of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) and publisher of the Chicago and Gary Crusader newspapers. “Walter Smith made a difference in so many lives of Black readers and Black publishers in the Northeast, and Amer- ica, in general.” As CEO of the Smith Haj Group, Smith pub- lished New York’s pre- mier weekly, New York’s Beacon and the Phila- delphia Observer. Like Black newspapers across the country, both publi- cations catered to a loy- al Black readership that made Smith a prominent figure in the Black com- munity. For 26 years, he led the Beacon, an edgy publication that shared America’s largest Black media market with sever- Walter “Ball” Smith al Black newspapers that included the venerable “New York Amsterdam News.” NNPA members, col- leagues, friends and fam- ily are mourning the loss of a publisher who never forgot his humble begin- nings. Walter Smith, Jr. was the seventh of 10 children born to Walter Smith Sr. and his wife Belle. He was raised in Badlin, N.C. where his father, a prominent civic lead- er, worked for ALCOA, an aluminum company. When he was 18, Smith was drafted into the U.S. Army where he served in Korea. Upon his return, Smith completed a degree in business from the Uni- versity of North Caro- lina. He landed a job in New York as a founding employee with ADP (Au- tomatic Data Processing), a newly created company known for processing employee payrolls for companies across the country. Today, the ADP has $10 billion in reve- nue and serves 570,000 clients. During a 2013 inter- view with the “Stanly News & Press” in Albe- marle, N.C., Smith said he had been working for ADP for less than a year, making $75 per week, sometimes $100 with overtime, when he sud- denly noticed something about his pay. “I looked at my pay- check one week, and $15 a week was coming out for stock options. I said, ‘I can’t afford this,’’ Smith told the newspaper. His boss replied, “It’s stock. I’m giving you an option to buy stock,” Smith remembered. “He said, ‘You keep that and pretty soon it will be worth some money.’” Smith’s boss was right. On paper Smith learned he was $2 million richer, later, when he was trying to buy a house on New York’s Long Island in 1964. “I’m struggling to get to work and back and was a millionaire and didn’t know it,” Smith said. “It was just a real Cinderella story.” It was the beginning of an auspicious career that took Smith from being an ordinary American to a successful businessman, who purchased a small Black newspaper and built a powerful Black media empire, becoming a beloved community in- stitution in Black neigh- borhoods in two of Amer- ica’s largest cities, New York and Philadelphia. In 1980, Smith met Bill Underwood, who was operating the “Big Red,” a numerology tip selling sheet that sold 100,000 copies per day. He lat- er renamed it “Big Red News” and the advertis- ers started coming. “Big Red News” became one of the largest ABC audit- ed Black weeklies in the country. Read more at TheSkanner.com Obituary: Basil Chadwick “Chad” Debnam May 10, 1950 – Nov. 26, 2017 Local Portland businessman Ba- sil “Chad” Deb- nam passed away Sunday, Nov. 26, 2017 Sunday at Emanuel hospi- tal. Basil Chadwick Debnam was born May 10, Basil Chadwick “Chad” 1950 in Clayton, Debnam North Carolina to Clarence and Madie Debnam. He was the fourth of 12 children. The family lived in Baltimore, Maryland and Palo Alto, California before eventually set- tling in Portland, Oregon. Chad attended Cleveland high school in Portland, Oregon where he became a popular student and mem- ber of the football team. Chad went on to graduate from Pacific University, earning degrees in political science and economics. Chad married Mau- ria Fletcher and together they raised daughter Andrea and son Basil. A devoted husband, father and grand- father, Chad was happiest spending time with his family -- whether it was coaching Basil in sports, attending games with his children, counseling Andrea in her career path, teaching Ace his ABC’s or traveling to the Ore- gon coast blasting Bootsie Collins mu- sic, Chad was passionate about life. Ever the conversationalist, Chad nev- er shied away from a healthy debate or discussion about subjects ranging from music to religion, politics to the state of our community. Chad’s varied interests and careers included managing the hit recording group Pleasure in the ‘70s, concert promotions and real estate develop- ment. He was the Founder and CEO of B. Chadwick Group, LLC. Chad was ac- tive in politics and business develop- ment on a local and national level. A true pioneer and tireless advocate for small business ownership and Black economic development, Chad’s ded- ication to the uplifting of his fellow man was clearly what mattered most to him. Chad was past President of the Portland chapter NAACP, member of the National Black Business League, past chairman of the Oregon Civil Service Board and most recently in- volved with the National Black Cham- ber of Commerce. Chad is preceded in death by his par- ents Clarence and Madie Debnam and brother Clarence Jr. He is survived by wife Mauria, daughter Andrea Debnam,son Basil Debnam, grand- son Ace Debnam.,brothers Earl Deb- nam, Michael Debnam, sisters Joan Sheppherd, Jacqueline Debnam, Myra Bradley (Nate), Darlene Debnam, Rho- dean Debnam, Donna Sey (Momo- dou), Debbie Debnam,Theresa Frison (Tony) and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. The homegoing service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2017, at Vancouver Ave First Baptist church. A private family viewing will be held prior to the service. For more infor- mation visit TerryFamilyfuneral- home.com.