Mulugeta Seraw facts for kids

Mulugeta Seraw (Amharic: ሙሉጌታ ስራው; October 21, 1960 – November 13, 1988) was a student from Ethiopia. He came to the United States to go to college. In November 1988, when he was 28 years old, he was killed in Portland, Oregon. Three people who believed in white supremacy were found responsible for his death.

Mulugeta's father and his young son, who was six years old, later took the killers and a related group to court. They won their case. This meant the killers and the group were held responsible for Mulugeta's murder.

The Attack and Its Aftermath

On the night of November 12, 1988, three men named Kenneth Mieske, Kyle Brewster, and Steve Strasser were driving in Portland. They were part of groups called East Side White Pride and White Aryan Resistance (WAR). These groups believed that white people were better than others.

A Tragic Encounter

The three men saw Mulugeta and another Black man near Mulugeta's apartment. They attacked Mulugeta. He was badly beaten and died the next day. Mieske later said they killed Mulugeta because of his race.

Community Response

Many people in Portland were very upset by this event. Hundreds of people gathered for rallies to speak out against racism. However, Tom Metzger, who led the WAR group, said that the attackers had done a "civic duty" by killing Mulugeta.

Arrests and Court Cases

Police quickly investigated the attack. Within a week, Mieske, Brewster, and Strasser were arrested. Brewster and Strasser were found responsible for causing Mulugeta's death and for assault. Brewster was released from prison in 2002. He later broke his parole rules and was sent back to prison.

In 1990, Mieske was found responsible for the murder. He was given a life sentence in prison. Mieske died in 2011 when he was 45 years old.

Taking Legal Action

In October 1990, Mulugeta's father and son decided to take legal action. They were helped by two groups, the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League. These groups helped them for free.

Winning the Civil Lawsuit

Mulugeta's family sued White Aryan Resistance and its leaders, Tom Metzger and his son John Metzger. The family won the case and were awarded $12.5 million. This meant the Metzgers and WAR had to pay a large amount of money.

Consequences for WAR Leaders

Because Tom Metzger could not pay the money, his house and other things he owned were taken. His house was given to Mulugeta's family. Metzger was allowed to keep a small amount of money. He was warned not to damage the house, but he left it in a bad condition.

The Metzgers later declared bankruptcy. This meant they could not pay their debts. However, the WAR group kept operating. Tom Metzger had to move into an apartment and receive government help. As of 2007, he was still making payments to Mulugeta's family.

Community Stands Together

About 18 months after Mulugeta's death, 1,500 people gathered for a rally. This event took place in the South Park Blocks in Portland. Many important people from the city attended, including police and city leaders.

Safety at the Rally

Police were ready for the rally. They expected some people who supported white supremacy to try and cause trouble. There were 150 police officers, bomb squads, and even a police helicopter. This was a very large police presence for an event in Portland at that time. Luckily, the rally happened without any major problems.

Creating a Youth Camp

In 1990, because of Mulugeta's death, a special youth camp was started in Oregon. It was called Camp Odyssey. This camp helped teenagers learn about fairness and how to get along with people from different backgrounds. It ran from 1990 to 2002. Later, in 2010, some former campers helped bring Camp Odyssey back. It ran again from 2011 to 2015.

See also

• List of homicides in Oregon