# Portland Observer

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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_Observer
> Source revision: 1346976550
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{{Short description|Black newspaper published in Portland, Oregon}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox newspaper
| name               = Portland Observer
| logo               = Portland Observer logo.png
| logo_size          =
| logo_alt           = 
| image              = Portland Observer.jpg
| image_size         = 
| image_alt          = 
| caption            = 
| motto              = "Committed to Cultural Diversity"
| type               = [Weekly newspaper](/source/Weekly_newspaper)
| format             = 
| owner              = <!-- or |owners= -->
| founder            = Rev. Alfred L. Henderson
| publisher          = Mark Washington
| president          = 
| editor             = 
| chief_editor       = 
| deputy_editor      = 
| associate_editor   = 
| managing_editor    = 
| general_manager    = Lucinda Baldwin
| staff_writers      = 
| founded            = 1970
| political_position = 
| language           = English
| ceased_publication = 
| relaunched         = 
| headquarters       = 4747 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd<br/> [Portland, OR](/source/Portland%2C_OR) 97211
| publishing_city    = 
| publishing_country = United States
| circulation        = 
| circulation_date   = 
| circulation_ref    = 
| readership         = 
| sister_newspapers  = 
| ISSN               = 2997-3910
| oclc               = 9286929
| RNI                = 
| website            = {{URL|http://portlandobserver.com/}}
| free               = [https://oregonnews.uoregon.edu/lccn/sn83025151/issues/first_pages/ University of Oregon Libraries] 
}}
The '''''Portland Observer''''' is one of the oldest [African-American](/source/African_Americans) newspapers in [Oregon](/source/Oregon).<ref name="oreg-2012dec12">{{Cite web|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2012/12/charles_washington_longtime_po.html|first=Dana | last=Tims | work=[The Oregonian](/source/The_Oregonian) | date=December 10, 2012 | title=Charles Washington, longtime Portland Observer publisher, dies at age 60|access-date=August 6, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.theskanner.com/community/obituaries/16873-portland-observer-publisher-charles-washington-19522012-2012-12-11 | title=Portland Observer Publisher Charles Washington, 1951-2012 | work=[The Skanner](/source/The_Skanner) | date=December 11, 2012 | access-date=August 5, 2016}}</ref><ref name="OPBobit">{{cite news | url=http://www.opb.org/news/article/charles-washington-publisher-of-portland-observer-is-dead/ | title=Charles Washington, Publisher Of Portland Observer, Is Dead | website=[Oregon Public Broadcasting](/source/Oregon_Public_Broadcasting) | date=December 10, 2012 | access-date=August 5, 2016 | first=Sammy|last=Brenner}}</ref> Established in 1970, it is published weekly<ref name="OPB-Washington2">{{cite web|last=Sabatier|first=Julie|title=Remembering Charles Washington|url=http://www.opb.org/radio/programs/thinkoutloud/segment/remembering-charles-washington/|work=Think Out Loud|publisher=[Oregon Public Broadcasting](/source/Oregon_Public_Broadcasting)|date=December 10, 2012|access-date=August 6, 2016}}</ref> (on Wednesdays), in [Portland, Oregon](/source/Portland%2C_Oregon). Rev. Alfred L. Henderson founded the paper in 1970, in the tradition of the ''People's Observer'', a 1940s publication that had ceased publication in 1950.<ref name="OE-mclendon">{{Oregon Encyclopedia|mcclendon_william|William McClendon (1915–1996)|first=Stan |last=Fonseca| accessdate=August 6, 2016}} Retrieved August 6, 2016.</ref> Another paper had the same title in [Portland, Michigan](/source/Portland%2C_Michigan), from 1876 into the 20th century.<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 15, 1921 |title=New P. M. Paper for Lansing |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_editor-publisher_1921-01-15_53_33 |access-date=2021-02-22 |work=[Editor and Publisher](/source/Editor_and_Publisher) |page=38 |language=English}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last= |first= |title=About Portland observer. (Portland, Mich.) 1887-1939 |url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn96077485/ |access-date=2025-02-10 |publisher=[National Endowment for the Humanities](/source/National_Endowment_for_the_Humanities)}}</ref>

== History ==
The ''Portland Observer'' was launched by [William H. McClendonn](/source/William_McClendon) in 1938, but due to the [Great Depression](/source/Great_Depression_in_the_United_States), folded in 1939.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Portland Observer {{!}} Historic Black Newspapers of Portland {{!}} Portland State University |url=https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/portlandobserver/ |access-date=2022-02-25 |website=PDXScholar}}</ref> In June 1943, McClendon revived his newspaper as the ''People's Observer,'' which ceased again in July 1950.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |last=Fonseca |first=Stan |date=June 9, 2022 |title=William McClendon (1915-1996) |url=https://oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/mcclendon_william/ |access-date=2020-02-26 |website=Oregon Encyclopedia}}</ref>

Decades later Rev. Alfred L. Henderson re-established the ''Portland'' ''Observer'' in November 1970. At the time he was pastor of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 5, 1977 |title=Honors due editor, pastor |work=[The Oregonian](/source/The_Oregonian) |pages=24}}</ref> Six years later Henderson moved to [Berkeley, California](/source/Berkeley%2C_California), but planned to commute back to Portland every two weeks to manage the paper.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 4, 1976 |title=Berkley Calls Observer Boss |work=Oregon Journal |pages=2}}</ref>

In October 1987, Henderson named Leon L. Harris, who owned the ''[Seattle Observer](/source/Seattle_Observer)'' in 1962–63, was named general manager. In 1988, the ''Observer'' moved into its own building, owned by Harris. At that time the paper had about 5,000 paying subscribers and a circulation of 12,000.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Richards |first=Suzanne |date=August 5, 1988 |title=Portland Observer to open new building |work=The Oregonian}}</ref>

After several changes in ownership, Joyce Washington purchased the ''Portland Observer'' in 1989. Her son Corey Washington, who was involved in the paper, was shot to death after a basketball game dispute at [Peninsula Park](/source/Peninsula_Park) in 1991. He was 27. The company's corporation was named Corey Publishing in his memory.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Spicer |first=Osker |date=December 7, 1995 |title=The Portland Observer: A survivor turns 24 |work=The Oregonian |pages=5}}</ref>

Upon her death in 1996,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Spicer |first=Osker |date=March 19, 1996 |title=Publisher of The Portland Observer Dies |work=The Oregonian |pages=14}}</ref> Washington's son Charles "Chuck" Washington, a [Portland](/source/Portland%2C_Oregon) native and a graduate of [Jefferson High School](/source/Jefferson_High_School_(Portland%2C_Oregon)), took over as publisher until his death in December 2012.<ref name="oreg-2012dec12" /> The paper was then passed on to Mark Washington. Portland politician, radio host, restaurateur, and veteran [Bruce Broussard](/source/Bruce_Broussard_(Oregon)) has held a leadership position at the paper.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.oregonlive.com/today/index.ssf/2016/08/oregon_libertarian_party_seeks.html | title=Oregon Libertarian Party seeks to raise profile with long-time Republican's endorsement | work=The Oregonian | date=August 4, 2016 | access-date=August 5, 2016 | author=Perry, Douglas}}</ref> Additionally, Albert Williams has also contributed to the paper as general manager.<ref>{{Cite news |last=White |first=Brian |date=September 14, 1987 |title=Black newspapers add to media |work=Portland Business Journal |pages=4}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* [http://portlandobserver.com/ Portland Observer]

{{African American press}}

{{coord | display=title | 45.557 | -122.662 }}

Category:1970 establishments in Oregon
Category:African-American history in Portland, Oregon
Category:African-American newspapers of Oregon
Category:Newspapers published in Portland, Oregon
Category:Newspapers established in 1970
Category:Weekly newspapers published in the United States

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Portland Observer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_Observer) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_Observer?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.