Portland Observer-May 12, 1939

Authors

Files

Publication Date

5-12-1939

Description

Publisher

William H. McClendon

Editor

William H. McClendon

Address

1504 N. Williams Ave

Note

While in college at Morehouse College, William H. McClendon was mentored by W.E.B. Du Bois. This mentorship influenced McClendon’s lifelong dedication to the advancement of social justice for African Americans. McClendon married Ida Alice Edwards and returned to Ida’s family home in Portland, Oregon. In 1938, William McClendon launched The Portland Observer, the first of three newspapers he would publish and edit. The Portland Observer ceased publication a year later amidst The Great Depression. During this time, McClendon also played jazz piano in many prominent jazz groups and owned McClendon’s Rhythm Room and Supper Club. In 1943, McClendon restored his newspaper as The People’s Observer at the request of the Shipyard Negro Organization for Victory (SNOV). He agreed to take control of the newspaper as long as members of SNOV subscribed to it. The paper lasted two years, when in 1945, McClendon changed the name to The Observer. After ceasing publications of The Observer, McClendon was a social worker for Multnomah County during the 1950s and 1960s and began teaching courses at Reed College. He also lectured at Portland State University, Whitman College (WA) and Washington State University.

Motto

“An insight on the news”

Dates of Publication

1938-1939

Frequency

Weekly

Publisher

William H. McClendon

Editor

William H. McClendon

Address

1504 N. Williams Ave

Notes of Interest

Numerous articles on lynchings, Jim Crow, KKK

Publication Location

Portland, Oregon

Original Format

print newspaper, 16" x 22"

Persistent Identifier

http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/20973

Rights

This digital access copy is made available for personal, educational, and non-commercial use only. It cannot be reproduced in any form or distributed for commercial purposes. It is made accessible because of one or more of the following situations: Portland State University has permission to make it accessible; it is made accessible for education and research purposes under fair use; or there are no known restrictions on use. In the event that previously unknown information is shared that may change the status of this item, it will be immediately removed from public view until pertinent rights issues are clarified.

Recommended Citation

"Portland Observer-May 12, 1939" (1939). Portland Observer. 3.
http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/20973