Portland Observer facts for kids
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| Type | Weekly newspaper |
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| Founder(s) | Mark Washington Sr. |
| Publisher | Mark Washington |
| Headquarters | 4747 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd Portland, OR 97211 |
| City | Portland, Oregon |
| Country | United States |
The Portland Observer is a newspaper that has been important to the African-American community in Oregon for many years. It started in 1970 and comes out every Wednesday in Portland, Oregon. Rev. Alfred L. Henderson began the paper in the 1970s. He wanted to continue the idea of an older newspaper called the People's Observer, which stopped being published in 1950. That older paper was also once called the "Portland Observer."
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About the Portland Observer Newspaper
The Portland Observer is one of the oldest newspapers in Oregon that focuses on the African-American community. It shares news and stories that are important to its readers.
Early Days of the Newspaper
Before the current Portland Observer, there was another newspaper with the same name. It was started by William H. McClendonn in 1938. However, this paper closed in 1939 because of the Great Depression. The Great Depression was a time when many people lost their jobs and money, making it hard for businesses to stay open.
There was also a different newspaper called the Portland Observer in Portland, Michigan. That paper was published from 1876 into the 1900s.
The Washington Family Takes Over
Over the years, the Portland Observer newspaper had a few different owners. In the 1980s, the Washington family bought the paper. Joyce Washington was in charge of the newspaper for a while.
After Joyce Washington passed away, her son, Charles "Chuck" Washington, took over. Charles was from Portland, Oregon and went to Jefferson High School. He was the publisher for a short time until he passed away in December 2012.
Who Helps Run the Paper Today?
After Charles's death, the newspaper was passed to Mark Washington. Mark Washington is now in charge of the paper.
Other important people have also helped run the Portland Observer. Bruce Broussard, who is a politician, radio host, and restaurant owner in Portland, has held a leadership role at the paper. Albert Williams is currently the general manager. He helps with many parts of the newspaper, like hiring people, editing stories, writing articles, and managing advertisements.
The Portland Observer's website says that their main goal is to bring readers stories about "education, health, politics, and law and justice." They want to keep their community informed about these important topics.
