WILL BENNETT | Special Interests

We Need a ‘Portland Black History Museum’

willbe1960 — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 02:11:55 +0000

Our community needs to set up the ’Portland Black History Museum’

Some have suggested that it be in the ‘Golden West Hotel’

Golden West Project also needs for headquarters within the Boise Eliot neighborhood preferably within/around Broadway/Russell/Vancouver/Williams (nearby the Rose Quarter Portland.OR) , for it was this area, once upon a time, allotted us the African-American Community to live (need resources to make this so…like a real good donation) I will live there, care for, and pay rent. Who can help me in this effort?

contact: Will Bennett Creative Director

Our Facebook Page<<=>>Our Facebook Group

The spirit and intent:
PRESERVES, PERPETUATES, PROMOTES AND INTEGRATES AFRICAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE AND CULTURE IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

Our Facebook Page<<=>>Our Facebook Group

www.african-american-historical-district.com

Pacific Northwest Black Pioneers Exhibit

willbe1960 — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 17:27:59 +0000

Pacific Northwest Black Pioneers Exhibit

By Cary Clarke

Mon, February 14, 2011 1:06pm

http://www.portlandonline.com/mayor/?c=49518&a=337703

Last Friday, February 11, we received a very special delivery at Portland City Hall. A team of professional art movers brought in several cryptically marked white crates and, for the next several hours, set about installing a variety of panels and banners in the building’s North atrium. While we had to wait with anticipation to see the remarkable contents of the boxes put on display, you can skip right to the good stuff.

As part of the City of Portland’s celebration of Black History Month, we are proud to be hosting, from February 11 through March 11, a fascinating exhibit on Pacific Northwest Black Pioneers. The traveling exhibit is free and open to the public weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. It spans the history of black pioneers in Oregon, Washington and Alaska from the 1870s through 1990, and was brought to Portland by the local chapter of the wonderful professional women’s service organization The Links, Incorporated, with whom we have been delighted to partner on this project. Pacific Northwest Black Pioneers is also made possible by the Regional Arts & Culture Council and The World Arts Foundation Inc.

The official opening reception for the exhibit will feature the reading of an official proclamation and a performance by the De La Salle High School Choir. As you can see above, it is coming up this Thursday:

Pacific Northwest Black Pioneers Opening Reception
Thursday, February 17
Portland City Hall (1221 SW 4th Ave.)
4-7 pm / Free

We look forward to seeing you at City Hall over the next month for this exhibit, the opening reception, and at another special free event we will be hosting on the early evening of Wednesday, February 23 that is called “History, Hope & Harmony” and will celebrate Portland’s rich jazz heritage and elders with music, film, photos and speakers, including Portland-raised, Grammy-nominated, jazz innovator, Esperanza Spalding.

The World Arts Foundation Inc. is now on Facebook

2010 in review

willbe1960 — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 17:44:02 +0000

The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads This blog is doing awesome!.

Crunchy numbers

A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 2,100 times in 2010. That’s about 5 full 747s.

In 2010, there were 15 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 60 posts. There were 15 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 3mb. That’s about a picture per month.

The busiest day of the year was December 1st with 48 views. The most popular post that day was Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia at Ferris State University.

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were alphainventions.com, facebook.com, blogsurfer.us, mariaozawa2u.blogspot.com, and goldenwest.wordpress.com.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for healing roots center portland, healing roots center portland oregon, local color portland, healing roots center, and local color.

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia at Ferris State University February 2009

Healing Roots Center & Interconnections Project: UPDATED POST April 2009

Black History Film “Local Color” Rereleased July 2008
1 comment

preserves, perpetuates, promotes and integrates african-american heritage & culture in the pacific northwest May 2010

Black History Film “Local Color” Rereleased March 2009
2 comments

2011 Tribute to: Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

willbe1960 — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 17:37:01 +0000

NOW ON FACEBOOK

To: Bluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services From: Will Bennett (part I)

willbe1960 — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 21:26:37 +0000

To: Bluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services=From: Will Bennett

email me: willbe1960@gmail.com

update {Bluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services gave me notice yesterday to move out by the 19th of this month}

From: WILL BENNETT [mailto:golden-west-project@african-american-historical-district.com] Sent: Sunday, August 15, 2010 6:46 PM To:’mbanker@bluestonehockley.com’; ‘chockley@bluestonehockley.com’; ‘jhockley@bluestonehockley.com’; ‘ewells@bluestonehockley.com’; ‘tsjostrom@bluestonehockley.com’; ‘mkau@bluestonehockley.com’; ‘chodges@bluestonehockley.com’ Cc: ‘dhess@FHCO.org’; ‘rward@fhco.org’; ‘lgriffin@FHCO.org’; ‘jgainer@FHCO.org’; ‘jfernandez@FHCO.org’; ‘nedner@fhco.org’; ‘acudmore@fhco.org’; ‘jbecker@fhco.org’; ‘mkgood@fhco.org’; ‘muna.mohamud@PortlandOregon.gov’; ‘ronault.catalani@PortlandOregon.gov’; ‘koffi.dessou@PortlandOregon.gov’; ‘marialisa.johnson@PortlandOregon.gov’; Celeste Carey; Sam Adams, Mayor; Judith Mowry

Subject: Will Bennett, 2416 SE Taylor (Bluestone & Hockley Real Estate)

Cliff Hockley President, Principal Broker, CCIM, CPM
Julie Hockley Vice President
Elena Tangman-Wells Executive VP, Interim Community Association Dept. Manager
Tom Sjostrom Vice President, Commercial Property Department Manager
Marvin Kau Vice President, Real Estate Brokerage Manager, Principal Broker
Donna Carver Controller
Maggie Banker Residential Property Department Manager
Chuck Hodges Maintenance Department Manager

Bluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services =

Amateur Historian Pushes Behind the Scenes History

http://goldenwest.wordpress.com/2009/03/13/amateur-historian-pushes-behind-the-scenes-history/

My name is Will Bennett I’m an African-American male 50 years of age. I’ve been staying with Pinkney Saxton for about two weeks now he lives on one of your properties at 2416 SE Taylor —he’s live here for around 30 years. I was currently live in Gresham in a crack-cocaine infested apartment complex (Village Court Apts). For the past 3 years it’s gotten worst and worst—I had to get out so I could focus more on my project and not on the drug problem at hand.

We received notice about two weeks ago stating that all who live here (2416 SE Taylor) and any guest staying longer than two weeks must fill-out a background check application. With my past history it looks like I’ll be having to find another place to stay sooner than I’d thought. From my observation these types of matters aren’t written in stone thus, being left to the decimation of the resident manager.

It’s also quite obvious that there’s a few other guest of sorts living in other units who have been staying far longer than two weeks. They’ve not received such a notice as far as I can tell.

Furthermore, I have lived here in the past for 5yrs, and my name was on a lease at one time. This was when Bluestone & Hockley started managing this Properties a few years back. I was a good neighbor. I paid rent. I’m love the neighborhood.

I only planned to stay here till I find a better location for me and my project to dwell…I’m actively doing so at this time, but as you know this may be easier said than done.

I ask you to allow me to be an exception to the rule. Below you’ll find a sort of bio about me and my project (see below) Here’s the most recent comment for Portland City Hall From Mayor Sam Adams http://tinyurl.com/276skbu look for Mr. Will Bennett.

peace

will b.

update {Bluestone & Hockley Real Estate Services gave me notice yesterday to move out by the 19th of this month}

My name is Will Bennett (50yrs), African-American male, I’m a peace loving person and believe in community/sustainability. I’m looking a comfortable situation where I can live and focus on my project…see below

I’m Creative Director of Golden West Project I established this project in 2006 for the preservation of Portland’s African-American history. I’ve been interviewed, wrote about etc… and received an award at Portland City Hall. And I feel’n real good about myself.

Due to my past criminal history It’s difficult for me to find a place to rent in the open market apartment. This history was due to a homeless/addiction problem which is now many years ago. I’ve found some redemption in Golden West Project. I’ve become a community leader…I was currently live in Gresham in a crack-cocaine infested apartment complex (Village Court Apts). For the past 3 years it’s gotten worst and worst-I had to get out.

So an old friend of mine just became a double amputee and has just been released from rehab. I thought moving in with him was a wise thing for me to do at this time. I moved in August 1st, but the apartment management (Taylor Place Apartments) will not allow me to live here much longer due to my past history I mentioned above.

Please help me find a decent place to dwell…E-mail me for more details…let’s have coffee

WILL BENNETT, Community Practitioner, Futurist/Historian

At Large

Creative Director @ Golden West Project

GOLDEN WEST PROJECT

http://goldenwest.wordpress.com/

BUILDING A NETWORK FOR PRESERVATION OF

PORTLAND’S AFRICAN-AMERICAN EXPERIENCE

AND MORE!!!…

Big Year for Golden West Historic Hotel Display

http://www.theskanner.com/article/view/section/35/id/11465

Golden West Exhibit is online!!!

http://www.centralcityconcern.org/golden-west-intro.html

http://african-american-historical-district.com/

Ugly fried history

http://www.blackinformant.com/remember/ugly-fried-history

The New Golden West Historical Display

http://goldenwest.wordpress.com/2009/11/07/the-new-golden-west-historical-display/

Group Dedicates New Golden West Historical Display

http://www.theskanner.com/article/view/id/10695

“Unveiling” Golden West Historic Event

http://tinyurl.com/ylln3n8

Golden West Historic Display Preview-Panels.PDF

http://tinyurl.com/yzqfw7

“Blacks have a 375-year history on this continent:

245 involving slavery,

100 involving legalized discrimination,

And only 30 involving anything else….”

As historian roger wilkins has pointed out (wilkins, 1995)

– But Such Is The Irresistible Nature Of Truth, That All It Asks, And All It Wants, Is The Liberty Of Appearing –

Through continuing research

Most Racist City

http://www.african-american-historical-district.com/GOLDEN_WEST_PROJECT.html

A little more light on little-known history

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2008/08/a_little_more_light_on_littlek.html

Black History Film “Local Color” Re-released

http://goldenwest.wordpress.com/2008/07/19/black-history-film-%E2%80%9Clocal-color%E2%80%9D-rereleased/

The Asian Reporter – Film Section – “LOCAL COLOR”

http://www.asianreporter.com/film/2009/06-localcolor.htm

PPS Curriculum Adoption: Oregon’s Racist Acts

http://goldenwest.wordpress.com/2009/11/28/pps-curriculum-adoption-oregons-racist-acts/

“Racism is a by-product of Capitalism” — Fred Hampton —

email me: willbe1960@gmail.com

peace

Will b.

Race and Racism in Portland

willbe1960 — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 18:06:34 +0000

Intercultural Conversation Group Flyer And Applacaton http://tinyurl.com/2dsvgfn -Group dialogue project forming right now-seeking change makers and peace builders for a group that will address Race and Racism in Portland. Zan Gibbs 503-756-0649 zantarzan@hotmail.com (I don’t check email everyday)

Dialogues Focused on “Race and Racism” in Portland

willbe1960 — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 17:24:00 +0000

Participant volunteers currently are being recruited to take part in a series of dialogues focused on race and racism in Portland. The group will meet during one mid-week evening for three hours at a time, for a total of eight weeks. The dialogue series is set to begin during the first week of May, 2010.

Seeking Peace-builders And Change Makers

The Portland Human Rights Commission is seeking participants for Inter-Group Dialogue

Inspired by the work of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Committee on Inter-Group

Understanding honors the need for healing around the historic and current harms of injustice and oppression. We intend to use dialogue to create spaces throughout Portland where people can share and listen to the personal and collective stories of how racism has furthered harm in our community. We hope to empower individuals and groups to recognize the humanity in others and the commonality of our experiences, and inspire a determination to work toward peace, justice, and reconciliation in all our communities.

Intergroup Dialogue : Intergroup dialogue is a co-facilitated learning experience that brings people together from different groups who have a history of conflict or potential for conflict over a sustained period of time to understand their commonalities and differences, examine the way these group identities affect their behavior and access to opportunities and resources in society, and explore ways to work together toward greater social equity.

Project Goals:

This project offers individuals interested in peace building and reconciliation the unique opportunity to use dialogue as a tool to address issues of injustice, discrimination, and other sources of community conflict to bring about peace, reconciliation, and healing.

The hope is that participants leave the dialogue process committed to continuing their learning, and committed to taking small and large actions towards greater social equity.

Join us in this innovative initiative: dialogue group forming now!

For more information and to apply to participate in an Inter-Group Dialogue, contact:
Co-Facilitators Wendy Lear and Allan Lazo at: pdxdialogues2@gmail.com
Or contact the Portland Office of Human Relations:
Muna Mohamud, Program Coordinator at: 503-823-4427

“We” Celebrate “Our” “Dick Bogle”

willbe1960 — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 00:20:15 +0000

Friends, Families Celebrate Dick Bogle’s Life

Note: His Grandfather owned a Barbershop in the Golden West Hotel, and his mother was the director of the first Golden West Historic Display (A Friend Of the Golden West Project)-Bogle, Kathryn (1906-2003) | The Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed

Friends and relatives of the late Dick Bogle gathered this weekend to celebrate his life and achievements. Attendees included a variety of those people Dick worked with in many of his assorted careers – police officer, television news reporter, city commissioner and jazz writer. The entertainment at the celebration included many local jazz greats, including Thara Memory, Norman Sylvester and Friends, the Mel Brown Septet, Linda Hornbuckle, Janice Scroggins, King Louie and Baby James… To read the rest of this story click here

Changes Ahead for Portland’s High Schools: Part 3
The scene was a public meeting at Portland Community College’s Cascade campus, organized by the Oregon Association of Black School Educators. The topic was Portland Public Schools’ proposal to change the high school system from the ground up … To read the rest of this story click here

Changes Ahead for Portland’s High Schools: Part 4
Two of the seven Portland Public Schools board members voted against continuing with the proposed high school redesign March 9 – educator and former Latino Network President, Martin Gonzalez, told The Skanner that while he agrees that Portland’s high schools are segregated and vastly unequal, he disagrees with the idea that students of color will be better off in large comprehensives … To read the rest of this story click here

Go to The Skanner YouTube Playlist to find the best selection of news videos … click here

For all your advertising needs call The Skanner News 503-285-5555 extension 506 or mailto:advertising@theskanner.com

Order your books, CDs, DVDs, etc., by clicking the Amazon-com ads on The Skanner News website

http://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/entry/view/bogle_kathryn_hall_1906_2003_/

http://goldenwest.wordpress.com/2010/01/27/golden-west-hotel-exhibit-tells-a-racist-history/

The Roots of Racial Profiling: How did we get where we are?

willbe1960 — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 00:16:36 +0000

April 29th–SAVE THE DATE! And please spread the word about this event.

The Roots of Racial Profiling: How did we get where we are?

April 29th 3:30 to 5:30 in the Smith Browsing Lounge (SMSU Room 238)

Please join us for a historical and analytical panel discussion of the roots of racial profiling and why it persists in our society.

This issue has always been recognized in non-white communities, yet is seldom the focus of wider discourse until a very public profiling or tragic event occurs.

Please join us for this timely discussion.

The panel will consist of a historian, a sociologist, a former police chief, members of the PSU NAACP chapter, and a moderator from the PSU Office of Diversity and Equity

For more information, please contact the Office of Diversity and Equity at 503-725-5919 or diversity@pdx.edu.

discussing matters of race in portland (part II)

willbe1960 — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 15:55:45 +0000

Portland Black-history

Danny A Bell says>> Few if any decisions made in America when in the course are made without considering race as a factor. One the problems is that all good peolpe wish to be percieved as non-racist. By virtue of our time and place this is not usually the case. I drwa your attention to applying the term black to our president. Technicall,y he is a “mulatto” neither wholey nor white. But a hybrid of the two….Read more here discussing-matters-of-race-in-portland part I

(~_~)

discussing matters of race in portland « WILL BENNETT | Special Interests

I challenge Ron Haybittle’s assertion that “the majority of citizens of this country are not racists,” and his “doubt the police officer was concerned about the man’s color when he shot him in the back.” (“Discussing matters of race in Portland,” Feb. 17)

Danny A Bell Well excuse me, is Chicanco offensive as well? What gets me is that every few years the black middle class elite wants to change the definition of what it means to be black in America. I have to come the conclusion that malatto is no no offensive than mutt which the words tat came out of Presidents mouth. home but”Whoda”t is acceptable thenmulatto should be too. Furthermore I would like an opinion of an academic .Are you an academic because this this first time I have heard that mulatto is is a derogatory term.. EXCUSE THE HELL OUT OF ME!!!. Are you really saying that its not okay to mixed?

Christy Eller Wood @ Estelle, I did not realize that term was offensive…I have used it maybe two or three times in my life, but have never said it to anyone. Thank you for making me aware of this! I will not use it to describe someone again!

Danny A Bell I don’t know who Estelle Love is. But here is the academic take on the word “mulatto” 1) My mentor and professor Emeritus in English at the University of Oregon discussed the matter if indeed the word “mulatto” was derogatory and/ or offensive. Not neccesarily… It depends on the intent of the speaker. 2) Therefore it may also be acceptable as a description of a person such as myself who has white ancestry; The Funk and Wagnals definition. and 3)The second authority I went to is a Doctoral candidate in Public Policy at Portland State University He was born and raised in Atlanta Georgia. He said the same thing as Dr. Taylor had: the connotation of mulatto depends on the intent of speaker. Ms Love I suggest that you may be projecting your values on the topic. The word is no more offensive than the intent of the speaker using it.

Christy Eller Wood I never intended for the word to be bad, I never thought it was bad…it just came to mind when describing people. But, if it offends people then I see it as offensive…no matter what, no matter who.

Portland Black-history I find “People of Color” somewhat offensive i.e. Colored People, Colored drinking fountains etc…

I CAN FIX IT

Download guidebook I CAN FIX IT

I CAN FIX IT

(~_~)

Danny A Bell Is this one of those beauty is in the eye of the beholder type analogies, with this conversation around meaning of a word? If you perceive something in a given manner then that is your reality. “Mutual reality” on the other hand is where we all must agree, is something else of a different nature. For me I try to be clear on which is which.

Danny A Bell This is becoming an argument of psychological warffare. So let’s do this. There is various literature written around just past the Civil War. “My Nig” “Caine” “The Octoroon” not mention “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” And “Tom Sawyer”. The sad fact remains as better articulated by Dr. Joy De Gruy in her seminole book “Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome”. Both Blacks and Whites contributed to this unique experience of racial identification. Blacks out o neccessity to survve in part, less one get killed as chattel and in part do the legacy of slavery on the continent was an acceptable practice. But, I learned something the other day from some one I suspect to be transgender. Who if true, has probably suffered much more verbal abuse than the average person can imnagine. She said, she coud chose whether or not she felt insulted. The word as scholars see it cuts both ways. being a mulatto myself and on the side of my great grand mother 9 generations, back we like the Hemsley’s had members of our family passing for white. This gave our family a chance to keep itself as one unit togeter rather than selling off our relatives. Another positive was that we owned property in Mississippi untill my mother and her siblings sold the family stead in the 1970′s. As with recovering addicts we can stay mired in the past and sit on the pity pot or turn a negative into a positive which is from what I understand is the American way. Yes reality is often harsh. But, like Christianty demands and speaks to : Faith withour acts is for naught. The rhetoric becomes hollow and academic. Thanks for all your comments but don’t you think its time to move on from this lesson?

Maxine Jackson I will do better than that. I will move on off the website. I had hoped to contribute and learn something from this facebook, but all these negative comments and attitudes coming forth just because a person wants to ask a question is becoming a battle of matching wits and others flaunting themselves as though they were W.E.B Dubois is trivial, and I have better things to do with my time. Try not to be so angry and combative all the time. We’re in this together. Please listen to the Barack Obama song I sent you, and good luck with your Portland Black History Facebook page. Peace Out

Danny A Bell Do these people even what an analytical discussion or intellectual critique looks or sounds like. There appears to be a lot of sentive3 souls out there who find an in depth discussion somewhat daunting. If this form of dialog is hostile to them, just imagine what our bi-racial president has to endure on a daily basis. And just because one say something such as accusing one of bully and angry does not make it so. The statement was can we let this go at this juncture. That is street game of the pettiness nature to call someone something then rely on ones social network to justify their accusations. Thanks for sharing AND listening as we say in AA.