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At Five Star Bank community
is at the heart of what we do.
Every day we strive to have
thoughtful solutions for our
customers and help our
communities prosper.
Honest dialogue about the issues
affecting the region is vitally
important to that prosperity.
We are proud to be part
of the conversation and
hope you'll join in.
♪
Since 1962
The Sacramento Observer
has been the
publisher of record for the
African American community
in Sacramento.
Each week for the past 50
years the Observer has been
a reassuring and constant
presence in the life of
black Sacramento.
The Observer has been the
chronicler of births,
achievements, unions,
events and the mourning's for
the black community and beyond.
This unique institution has
served many roles;
conveaner, critic,
arbiter of disputes and the
catalyst of many of the
events that have shaped and
defined Sacramento.
Its publishers,
Dr. William and Catherine Lee
have been as constant in the
community as entrepreneurs and
as activist as the paper itself.
As the Observer celebrates
its golden anniversary,
Dr. Lee and his son and
successor, Larry Lee,
join us to remember the past
50 years and share what's
next for America's most
decorated black newspaper.
Welcome Larry,
welcome Dr. Lee.
>>Thank you.
>>Glad to be here.
>>So, Dr. Lee, Larry,
what does this milestone
mean to you?
>>Well it means a great deal
because it gives us an
opportunity actually to say
thank you for all the years
of support that we've had
from our local readers and
those who've supported us
throughout the years.
It also gives us a chance
frankly to look back
on some of the
history that has occurred here
and hopefully preserve that
history in some form or another.
>>This, to me, I uh, I'm really
appreciative of this time.
To be able to have my Dad
around and to celebrate our
50th anniversary where he's
the longest active African
American publisher in the
state's history.
>>Wow, really?
>>Yeah, no one has
ever published
a black newspaper as long as my
Dad has and the family has.
>>And continuously.
>>Absolutely.
And it's a tremendous
opportunity to be able to
have him here,
to be able to sit at his
footsteps and listen to the
stories and the history and
see the impact that the
Observer has had and
continues to have.
>>Now I know that the full year
is going to be a celebration but
November is the special month.
What are we going to
see in November?
>>Well we're going to see an
outstanding gala for sure,
we have had over the years
and various decades we've
had the 20th the 30th the 40th
and now the 50th, we've had some
outstanding events and our gala
this time, in November is
going to be we think,
the epitome of what really an
outstanding event, kind of a red
carpet event, would be like
here in Sacramento.
So we're planning to have
an array of entertainers,
an array of historians to tell
the story about some of the
things the events have occurred
in Sacramento over the years
and things of that sort.
>>Let's actually talk about
history for just a second.
One of the things that I
know that you've been
wanting to do for years,
and Larry I know you've been
really working *** this,
is a preservation project.
What's that all about?
>>It's an exciting project that
we're working on very closely.
It's a regional project with
the Sacramento History
Foundation and UC Davis
partnering up with us.
What we're trying to do is make
sure that we uh preserve our
archives and the archives of
Sacramento's contemporary
African American history.
>>Give the folks that are
joining us right now a sense of
how many pictures you all have.
>>Millions.
>>Millions?
Millions.
>>And this is before digital
photography where you can
just take forever pictures.
These are really photographs.
>> Yes, these are actual
photographs.
>>Photographs, memorabilia,
obviously publications
as well too.
You know, so many,
so often people come to us
and they say they need to
find our African American
history and we have to take
time to find those things.
Well what we want to do is make
sure we have that so the region
can find their own history.
>>And UC Davis has reached out
and is going to partner with
you on this project.
>>Absolutely, yes.
>>That that is really,
really outstanding.
>>It's very exciting.
>>So let's go back in history.
Let's go back 50 years and
when you and John Cole and
Gino Gladden and Mrs. Lee
all got together and founded
this institution,
what were you thinking?
What were you trying
to accomplish?
>>Well it's amazing,
we never would have thought
that, from a kitchen table
in which we worked the
first edition on,
>>Really?
>> From that beginning,
that initiation,
that we'd end up here 50
years later to talk talking
about an outstanding paper
that has been this nation's
number one African American
newspaper a number of times.
So we had no idea.
The key there is that we wanted
to serve though, Scott.
That was our main intent.
There was very little
information we feel now, there
was no marketplace of where a
person could go and find out
events in the African American
community and so our intent was
really to provide that
kind of information.
Information from events that
were occurring.
Information about groups that
might be forming.
Some of the deaths and births if
you will of our community.
That type of thing.
>>Well give us a sense of
the time Dr. Lee, ok,
because this happened
as part of an era.
>>Yes.
>>Tell us about what was going
on at that moment.
What was meaningful and
relevant to you?
>>Well you know the culture
of the times,
is that we really had
very few African Americans in
key positions and any positions
and so forth, there were no
black judges as an example.
No blacks on television.
No blacks if you will on our
city council, or board of
supervisors, very few in
the capitol.
In fact, we were looking at
it the other day and we felt in
when we formed the Observer in
'62, that there actually was
only three African Americans
staffers working in
the state capitol.
>>You're kidding.
>>Can you imagine that?
You know, so, so, from that very
first beginning we were able to
serve really kinda as a
catalyst for form, for many
of these job opportunities,
for many of the
announcements that were
occurring for many actually
the appointments that were
being made.
And we were consulted
frequently, by those who are
in positions to make some of
those appointments.
>>Incidentally,
and being a catalyst in
breaking down doors,
you didn't just do that in
the African American community.
There's a story that I recently
heard about how publications
like Time and Newsweek couldn't
participate in the coverage of
the Capitol and the Observer
broke down the door that allowed
them, to be able to be a
part of the bureau.
Tell us, tell us that story.
>>Actually, we could not be, we
could not be credentialed, if
you will, because we were not
essentially, we met the rules
committee requirement at that
time was that you had to be a
daily newspaper as an example in
order to have a credential, so
you couldn't get up, so
magazines like Time magazine who
was not obviously
a daily publication,
nor were the Observer,
could not be credentialed.
So we in a sense we challenged
that credentialing
rule and was able to change
the rules committee
requirements at the time and
we were able then to open up the
doors for many of the
publications who were weeklies
and other publications as well.
So we pioneered many of those
kinds of efforts and actually
assisted the rules committee in
rewriting the rules as it
applied to credentialed
publications.
>>So back in that era, you, you
have encountered over your time,
and you have as well Larry,
just a plethora
of historical figures.
>>Yes.
>>Who among them really stands
out in your mind
that were folks
that you to this day you
remember and you say wow,
that was really a
person worth remembering?
>>Well you know it's,
it's so interesting Cruz we had
opportunities obviously to meet
during that time
everyone from the political
leaders actually the
celebrities that were traveling
with them at that -
>>Political leaders like who?
>>Political leaders like you
know of course all of our
governors essentially
beginning at that time
from Pat Brown,
my wife even went to work for
Pat Brown for a short time
as an example.
Through Governor Reagan,
through, Deukmejian,
through young Brown, the
current governor of our state.
>>Incidentally, Governor Reagan,
President Reagan, used to come
by the office in Oak Park?
>>Yes, well we established a
real personal relationship
at that time when he was
governor of our state
with him because not only
were our kids going to the same
school, Brookfield School
together, we were able to go to,
establish a working
relationship with him and
as a result, when he got ready
to name several appointments,
he would come by and
we would chat about some
African Americans that were
worthy of being named.
>>President Reagan in Oak Park?
>>Yeah, can you believe this and
of course at that time
he was governor.
>>Right.
>>But he later went on to be
president of ours and we
really were influential we
think and helpful,
to him when he got ready to
name as an example the
Federal day for
Dr. Martin Luther King
when he became president,
as an example.
Yeah, so he was
uh able, he visited our area and
he was able to come by Oak Park,
as were other governors as well.
>>Right.
And in terms of celebrities, ok,
who stands out in your mind?
>>Well I think, you know,
you have to have Muhammad Ali
as one of the outstanding
visitors and then he,
we established a relationship
with him as an example.
An outstanding, we had a lot
of fun together.
We were able to,
Louis Armstrong-
>>Louis Armstrong?
>>Absolutely,
he also was one of the
celebrities that visited.
>>What kind of guy was he?
>>Very jovial, very light,
very outstanding in terms of
his opinions about music and
and all but,
but we had a lot of fun with
celebrities like those and
of course political people
like Kennedy, young Kennedy,
of course-
>>Bobby.
>>Bobby Kennedy.
As well as,
Ted Kennedy as well.
>>Now you have a special
fondness for the recently
departed Mervyn Dymally.
>>Yes.
>>Why did Mervyn Dymally have
such an impact on you?
>>Well, mainly because Mervyn
was the first he actually,
we like to think of him
as the Godfather
of African American
politics in California.
He was absolutely, he
was the first actually,
to be elected from Southern
California at the time.
And he came in about '64 and he
not only was an Assemblyman,
but he also went on to
become State Senator the first
African American State Senator.
>>Lt. Governor.
>>Lt. Governor as well and then
later obviously went on to
Congress as well.
>>But what did he do that was
so inspiring?
>> Well, I think a number of
things, he was a mentor for
many of the politicians
that followed him.
Bill Green who followed him
as an example,
Leon Ralph who followed him
from those districts in
Southern California.
Additionally,
he authored many major
important bills actually one
major bill that I think that
sticks in my mind that he
authored is that he wanted to
make sure that history was
told right in the history
books that were being at
that time used by many of
our students and our youngsters.
So Merv insisted upon
accuracy in terms of those
kinds of dialogues and
stories that were in the
history books.
But Merv was really very
instrumental in so many
other things as well.
In all of those different
political seats that he had
as an example,
he made sure that African
Americans were included.
He made sure that in some
way the State of California
reached out really...
>>In things like business.
And, I want to cover that for
a second because Larry you
are running the paper
and taking it into
this new century.
And I want to find out your
reaction to something
I've noticed.
Which is you all carry a lot
of national advertisers GM,
you know, big national
Fortune 500 companies.
But you know the phenomenon
is that I know that
over the years lots of folks
in minority media say they
can't get local people to
purchase advertising.
And the way they look at it
is this: The nationals,
like big national
corporations see the market
that you serve as a strategic
market for opportunity.
But local based businesses
tend to send you to the
charitable side, and say,
Oh you know this is a grant
or something like that,
and they don't see the viability
of the business sector.
Explain that to me,
'cause I don't get it?
>>Well, I think a lot of it
has a lot to do with education,
lack of education.
I think when you speak of it
at the national level,
at the large corporate level.
Obviously, they get it.
If you're in charge of a
large corporation you know
and understand,
reaching out to communities,
under served communities,
and communities of color,
particularly in
California that's
important to make sure that they
have the messages...
>> But, they always try to
put it from a
social perspective.
You're saying that it's
important from a business
development and penetration.
>>Absolutely, I mean if
you ignore the communities of
color in California,
you're not going to be in
business very long.
>>OK, so let me just
give you one anecdote.
Organization that I'm aware
of wanted to do a lot of
business with State employees.
OK, refused to go any investment
in minority media at all,
basically said they could
reach it by the mainstream
publications and that
sort of thing.
And what they said was well,
our ad agency tells
us what to do.
So I went to the head of the
ad agency and asked him the
question and he said,
no we do what the client
tells us to do.
But the fact of the matter is,
is that they saw exploiting
that sector, whether Hispanic,
African American, Latino,
whatever, as a throw-away
that this is a
charitable thing to get
people off my back
or to say
that we've checked a box.
As a businessman,
as chief executives,
how does that change?
How do you get people to
take the business that's on
the table there waiting for?
>>Sure.
Well, it's very frustrating.
In this post Prop 209 era
particularly in California,
you have to be careful
about you know
mentioning race and color.
But I know that there's
constant effort to try and
change legislation.
To try and get people
to be more,
companies to be more, aware,
more inclusive of
minority owned media,
and not just minority
focused media,
but minority owned media.
Because we're businesses in
California.
There's so many different
voices throughout the State
that they need to reach.
And I don't know how to
change that overnight other
than the constant striving
for excellence in the
publications that we serve
and serving our communities
and making sure that they
understand and recognize...
>>And how are you keeping
The Observer relevant in a
digital era?
What are you doing?
>>Well, I feel,
I feel excited about where
we are headed in
the digital space.
You know, the legacy
that we stand on is
a quality print publication.
>>Sure.
And it is been second to none.
>>So print is not dead then?
>>Not dead at all by any means.
You know,
I think that they'll always
be a need to have that on
record in a printed product.
When people see themselves
in a print newspaper,
it's amazing the type of
reaction that they get.
I still get warm and goose
bumps even to this day.
>>And people save 'em.
>>Yes,
they keep them forever.
But in the digital space we
have to meet people
where they are.
I think that's an important
thing that we have to make
sure that we do.
>>So, what are you doing?
>>We, for instance,
we send news to people on
their cell phones
via text messaging.
We are the only African
American newspaper in the
country that does
anything like that.
>>I get mine every day.
[Laughter].
>>There we go.
Then we also have website.
We're one of the first
African American newspapers
really in the country to
launch a website over
ten years ago.
And are preparing to launch
a tablet version as well to
in the next few weeks.
>>Now, the New York Times,
even the Sacramento Bee
as of recent.
Has gone and taken the
plunge and doing the pay wall.
So that they can start to
harvest some of those
dollars that folks like the
Huffington Post rip off
for free, right?
OK, is the Observer gonna
go in that direction?
>>We have to monetize it.
I think there's definitely
has to be a monetization of it.
Which has been the challenge.
I think papers have been
reluctant to put up pay
walls because they feel like
the traffic is gonna leave.
I think that if you have
quality content,
relevant content that is
important to people's lives
people will find a way to
pay for it.
And if you make a price
point that makes sense.
>>Dr. Lee oh...
>> One thing just to add on
what Larry is saying as
well you know,
Sacramento is such
a diverse community.
The market is made up
of different,
I'd say colors in the rainbow,
and I'd like to say we're
just one of the colors.
And in order to impact
150,000 African Americans who
reside in this region
as an example.
>>Representing about how much
in dollar value?
>>Roughly about 10 billion
dollars go through their
hands each year.
10 billion a year.
>>So let me just take this
point of personal privileges.
So, major advertisers what
you all need to know is this:
If you're not harvesting part
of your...your part of that
10 billion dollars
you're missing out.
>>You're missing a big market,
a huge market as an example.
So it makes some sense really.
And the smart ones are doing
that, exactly that.
And you know Sacramento's
diversity didn't just happen.
It really was,
I think the beginning of
many of the early founders
who were really,
who set forth a precedent in
terms of how to in fact
do business in our
community as well.
And a number of local
establishment are in fact
doing that.
>>Let's go back to founders. OK?
>>Yes.
>>Tell us about the
contribution of Mrs. Lee?
>>It's been a major
contribution, you know.
She's been really the
passion of this area you know.
Communications is really a
profession of passion.
And she really loves
this...to communicate,
she loves people.
She's unfortunately been
very sick as you may know
over the last few years.
>>Right.
>>But, she's being felt
in many ways.
Not a day that goes by that
people are not inquiring
about her and her health
and that type.
So our contribution has been
really in the form of
providing the kind
of motivation,
giving us the courage to
continue moving forward.
And I look in her eyes
each morning, each day
as an example,
and it's a re-motivation
of the efforts that
we want to make.
>>And your other sons,
Roddie and Larry
also have been involved
over the years as well.
>>Absolutely.
It's been really a family,
you know...and we build the
paper not only around our
family but we also like to
build it around a community
of families as well.
>>Well, I've got
my own story on that.
So, when we moved to town.
My family moved to town in '73.
The first place that my
father came in town is that
he found the black newspaper.
He came down to The Observer.
As usual, you all were working
late at night.
>>Yes.
>>It was probably a
Thursday night in '73.
And I fell asleep on your couch.
You offered me a can of soda
and Mrs. Lee gave me
a piece of candy.
And it's that sort of being
sort of the center of
the community that
The Observer has always been
over the past 50 years.
>>Yes.
And we continue to have that
kind of personal
relationship with each of
readers and all of our
clients as well.
>>I'm wearing the cufflinks
today that my father wore
the night that he came to
your office back in 1973.
>>Yes you are.
>>And, you know,
that sort of warm embrace
and welcoming that the
paper's always provided.
How has that role changed
today in this more sort of
impersonal digital age?
>>Not very much.
You know it's interesting
that many...one quick story,
is that one top executive
who's with a major firm,
major Fortune 500 company as
an example, recently told us,
the story as an example,
when he got his appointment
to head this fortune 500
company that he was telling
the story to his Mom.
And said,
Mom my story's in today's
Wall Street Journal you
outta get a copy of it.
And she said,
Oh, that's great,
that's absolutely great,
But, honey,
when is it gonna be in
the black press?
And that's where mom was
you know, so it hasn't
changed that much Scott.
It really is a family
publication and it will
continue to be that I hope.
>>As a businessman and
as entrepreneurs,
I want to ask you,
what advice;
very quickly because we're
in our last few minutes,
would you give young
entrepreneurs today?
>>Well, I think really
to study hard.
To make sure they get the
basics of what the economies
are about around the world,
and certainly locally as well.
Understand whatever their
dream might be,
and understand the market
place they may want to go into.
And research it well,
and prepare themselves well.
I think that's the main
thing, is to be prepared.
>> So, what is the state
of black Sacramento
today, gentlemen?
>>Well, I mean,
I think it's exciting.
I will say this much.
I think that there's a lot
of disparities that impact
the African American
community, from education,
to health, wealth,
there's a lot of challenges.
But I think if you step back
and look at the landscape
that we have we have some
tremendous people who are
contributing to Sacramento
in ways we haven't been able
to contribute before.
>>Like, what are some of
the milestones that
you bring up?
>>Well, for instance,
you sit back and look at
people who've come from
Sacramento, gone away
and came back,
people like Mayor Johnson.
You know, to have
an African American mayor,
a two-term African American
mayor here in Sacramento
here in Sacramento who seems
to really be committed to
trying to improve the
condition of the
African American experience.
You've got people like
Margaret Fortune who's launching
African American schools.
>>Who actually named a
Charter School after you,
The William Lee School,
which is a very fine college
prepatory school.
>>Absolutely
>>And I got a trick question
for you?
How many African Americans
are on the city council?
>>Four.
>>Four?
>>Yes.
>>Name them.
>>We have Mayor Johnson,
newly elected Allen Warren,
of course Bonnie Pannell and
Kevin McCarty.
>>Most people don't
realize that Ah ha.
>>That's why they should be
reading The Observer
[laughter].
>>Absolutely.
So, I want to go to where it is
that in the future,
we've talked about
50 years of history,
we've talked about
the state of today,
in our final moments I'm
gonna ask you both to say
what's your vision,
what's your hope for the
African American
community--and the community
in general,
50 years from now?
So, Larry we'll start with you.
>>If you don't mind.
Yeah. I think it's
I'm encouraged.
Again, along the lines of
what I've kinda just mentioned.
I think that Sacramento has
been up until just recently
it's been the largest area
where African Americans have
been relocating here in
California.
We call it kind of a small
mecca of the West.
And I think that there's an
excitement and an energy
that will propel us over the
next generation or two.
So I'm excited about
where we are going,
I think we have to be careful,
we have to be very smart.
But, I think if we learn,
we become more
sophisticated...we've got an
African American experience -
>>And if there's one thing we
should focus on what is it?
>>Education.
>>Education.
Excellence in closing the
education gap?
>>Absolutely, that's critical.
>>Alright, Dr. Lee,
you're gonna take us home.
>>And I would add to that
probably a great spirit and
desire to continue on.
I really feel that sometimes
we're missing in the courage
to move forward on many of
the challenges.
When we face adversity
we run away from it,
instead of being
challenged by it.
And really I think those who
don't understand really the
community we invite those to
really to reach out to those
sectors that don't understand.
I think those limitations
will really only hurt them
in the long run.
Those that don't understand
the diversity that's
happening in our community.
It's a warm community,
as I said,
it's a rainbow of different
colors in our community.
And it's an outstanding
community and it's been very
helpful to us.
>>And if there's one thing we
should focus on what is it?
>>Again, I would echo what
Larry said about education,
it's very important.
But just as well as much as
anything else-talk to those
mentors that they might have
around them so that they can
also get a sense of the
struggle they've been having
to face and move forward
with that.
>>Well, thank you.
And part of what it is what
you guys do is that you
identify the "30-under-30"
who are coming up as future
leaders and we continue to
appreciate that.
Yes.
Gentlemen,
we wish you well on your
Golden Anniversary,
and 50 more years of prosperity
and health to you both.
>>Thank you so much Scott.
Alright, and we look forward
to seeing you all again.
Well, that's our show.
Thanks to our guests and
thanks to you for watching
Studio Sacramento.
I'm Scott Syphax,
see you next time right here
on KVIE
♪
At Five Star Bank community
is at the heart of what we do.
Every day we strive to have
thoughtful solutions for our
customers and help our
communities prosper.
Honest dialogue about the issues
affecting the region is vitally
important to that prosperity.
We are proud to be part
of the conversation and
hope you'll join in.
♪
All epidsodes of
Studio Sacramento
along with other KVIE programs
are available to watch online
at kvie.org/video