Remembering the Power of Words: The Life of an Oregon Activist, Legislator, and Community Leader (Women and Politics in the Pacific Northwest) - Softcover

Avel Louise Gordly; Patricia A. Schechter; Melody Rose

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0870716042 ISBN 13: 9780870716041

Publisher: Oregon State University Press, 2011

Synopsis

"Remembering the Power of Words" recounts the personal and professional journey of Avel Gordly, the first African-American woman elected to the Oregon State Senate.

The book is a brave and honest telling of Gordly's life. She shares the challenges and struggles she faced growing up black in Portland in the 1950s and 1960s, as well as her determination to attend college, the dedication to activism that took her from Portland to Africa, and her eventual decision to run for a seat in the state legislature.

That words have power is a constant undercurrent in Gordly's account and a truth she learned early in life. "Growing up, finding my own voice," she writes, "was tied up with denying my voice or having it forcefully rejected and in all of that the memory of my father is very strong. To this day--and I am today a very experienced public speaker--preparation to speak takes a great deal of energy." That this memoir has its origins as an oral history is fitting since Gordly has used her voice, out loud, to teach and inspire others for so many years.

Important as a biographical account of one significant Oregonian's story, the book also contributes "broader narratives touching on Black history (and Oregon's place within it), and most particularly the politics associated with being an African American woman," according to series editor Melody Rose.

The inaugural volume in the Women and Politics in the Pacific Northwest Series (series editor, Melody Rose)

About this title

About the Author

Avel Louise Gordly has received numerous awards and honors for her work as a legislator and comunity organizer on behalf of many organiziations, including the Black United Front, Portlanders Organized for Southern African Freedom, the American Friends Service Committee, the Urban League of Portland, and the House of Umoja. She is Assoicate Professor in the Black Studies Department at Portland State University.

Review

"If you ever wondered how a principled woman lives a public life, read Remembering the Power of Words! Here Avel Gordly reveals the challenges, victories, and fears of her life of public service--in the Oregon legislature and senate, especially. Writing as a black female pioneer, she combines the personal with the political in a fascinating way that speaks to all of us."--Nell Irvin Painter, Edwards Professor of American History, Emerita, Princeton University and author of The History of White People and Sojourner Truth, A Life, A Symbol

Edition details

• Publisher: Oregon State University Press
• Publication date: 2011
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0870716042
• ISBN 13: 9780870716041
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 176