The One Imperative and the Portland YWCA

In January 1971, following the YWCA's adoption of the One Imperative to Eliminate Racism, the Board of Directors of the Portland, Oregon chapter met to discuss the new prerogative. The board faced the challenge with optimism, epitomized by one member who stated, "the U.S. was successful in getting a man on the moon because for years that was our prominent goal . . . if we keep our Y Imperative before us, we will eliminate Racism!" ¹ The women of the Portland YWCA undertook the issue of racism through the formation of committees, the organization of conferences, and the gathering of resources relating to issues of race. In doing so, they created a response to racism rooted in Social Gospel ideology, which focused on personal transformation and interpersonal relationships. The Portland YWCA response to the One Imperative provides an intriguing example of how one woman-centered institution interacted with, responded to, and conflicted over racism.

In 1970, the national YWCA passed its One Imperative to Eliminate Racism, committing its members "To thrust our collective power toward the elimination of racism wherever it exists and by any means necessary." ² In response, the Portland board formed the "Racial Imperative Committee" in 1971, the "Affirmative Action Committee" in 1974, and the "Racial Task Force" in 1975. ³ The results of these groups included a "Racial Audit Report" in 1972 and an "Audit for Action and Change" in 1974 which together represent the extant documentary evidence of how the Portland YWCA implemented the One Imperative. ⁴ The Racial Imperative Committee reported: "We must look at ourselves first" in order to combat racism ⁵ and the Program Council suggested that ". . . YW members and staff visit schools, check out books about minorities." ⁶ In 1971, the Program Council sent a list entitled "What is being done—What can be done" regarding the One Imperative. The list offered a number of suggestions, including "person to person contacts such as camping with 24 hour a day association, cultural series program of black, red, chicano, and work with many peoples as people, not as part of a project!" ⁷ The Racial Awareness Task Force continued the trend of combating racism through "person to person contacts" by sponsoring "racial consciousness groups" and "rap sessions" in 1974. ⁸ These committees and reports are examples of the method most employed by the Portland YWCA to eradicate racism: "Racial Consciousness Groups" and a belief in the notion that "Racial barriers and stereotyping will be eliminated if we can first think of one another as human beings." ⁹

The approach the Portland YWCA took toward eliminating racism, with its focus on personal transformation and interpersonal relationships, relates directly to Social Gospel ideology. Historian Susan Lynn has argued that "Religious instruction in the YWCA emphasized the themes of social responsibility and love for all humankind." ¹⁰ The women of the Portland YWCA applied a similar "love for all humankind" approach to the issue of racism within their organization, evidenced by policies that centered on dialogue, communication, and interpersonal compassion. This approach to racism may have resulted in personal consciousness raising among white women or in stronger relationships between them. However, the evidence shows an increased tension between white women who had the privilege to approach racism as an internal demon defeated through love and dialogue and women of color who experienced the everyday emotional and physical realities of racism. ¹¹

Tensions around this "racism as a personal problem" approach, where racism is a feeling to be talked about and explored, can be found early in the documents. The Western Region Minority Coalition of the YWCA challenged the Portland YWCA in a report from the Web of Racism Institute in March 1971. The Minority Coalition's resolution stated, "If the YWCA is sincerely committed to its Imperative set for 1970-73, then it must give full support to this Western Region Minority coalition and show its support with ACTION and not words!" ¹² This...