A Giant Among Us: The Legacy of Michael “Chappie” Grice
- Alicia Thompson
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
Visionary Leader Inspires Generations through Education and Community Leadership
Portland mourns the loss of Michael “Chappie” Grice, a visionary leader, educator, founder, advocate, champion for arts in education, as well as a mentor, beloved husband, dedicated father, grandfather, and friend.
Grice, who passed away peacefully in his home on September 13th, dedicated his life to expanding opportunities for youth and preserving Portland's history of Black excellence and achievement. As a mentor, he worked tirelessly to create pathways for future leaders and changemakers to continue building thriving communities rich in culture and grounded in opportunity.
Grice was a dedicated and gifted educator for 50 years, serving with distinction in the Portland Public Schools and San Francisco Unified School Districts. Pioneering the critical importance of working at the intersection of arts and education, Ken Berry and he co-founded World Arts Foundation Inc. Through community events and educational programs, the organization served to amplify regional contributions to arts and culture. Mr. Grice also created the annual Martin Luther King Jr. tribute Program, which has become a cornerstone event honoring Dr. King’s legacy in Portland. In addition, he launched the Alberta Street Project, a visionary initiative aimed at revitalizing and preserving the cultural heritage of one of Portland’s most historic neighborhoods. Drawing inspiration from the Tuskegee Airmen, Mr. Grice founded Urban Wings and Aerospace Leadership Club, a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching leadership skills and entrepreneurship to middle and high school students through aviation, history, and business. Their mission and their mantra, “We fly planes, but we study leadership,” attracted the support of the Port of Portland and local commercial pilots.
In 1989, under the leadership of Kathryn Hall Bogle, a renowned community activist, social worker, journalist, and author of the influential 1937 Oregonian article, “An American Negro Speaks of Color”, Grice, along with Dr. Bob Zybach, and representatives of Central City Concern, Oregon Historical Society, and Portland Public Schools, Co-Founded Friends of the Golden West. The Golden West Hotel was built and operated by William Duncan, an African American entrepreneur, in the early 1900s. It was one of the few places that welcomed Black guests in Portland and quickly became a gathering place for African Americans, including railroad workers and entertainers. Grice and Friends of the Golden West collaborated to preserve the building’s history, which ultimately led to its listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Today Will Bennett continues this work at Friends of the Golden West, ensuring that the history and legacy of the Golden West Hotel remain a living part of Portland’s cultural memory.
Born in Portland, Oregon, on March 3rd, 1948, at Emanuel Hospital, just three blocks from his parents' home on Rodney and Sacramento, Michael grew up with a close group of friends who promised to stay connected and dedicated to building community. Years later, he and his wife, Gwen, welcomed their twin daughters, Joy and Toi, at Emanuel Hospital, and their grandsons would be born there several decades later. Michael was raised in what he describes as a working-class family and dreamed of playing professional baseball until his little league coaches, who favored their own sons over him, taught him about favoritism and injustice at a young age. In an interview with a local oral history project, he recalled his family moving several times according to and limited by invisible boundaries. Only later did he come to understand it as redlining. These early experiences of exclusion and systemic racism planted the seeds for a life of advocacy, leadership, and unwavering commitment to equity.
Michael Grice’s passing has left many in the Portland Black community wondering who will pick up the torch. James Posey, president of Portland's NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), expressed in a moving Facebook post, asks the questions:
“Who will teach us to show relentless passion for putting our children first?”
“Who will remind us, over and over, of our proud history and the price our elders paid for our freedom?
“Who in these troubled times will help us find a positive path forward, keep us focused, and keep our eyes on the prize?”
And also,
“Who will set the example-the gold standard-of perseverance, persistence and advocacy?”
At a recent gathering, two of his mentees stepped forward and vowed to commit to and carry forth the lessons they had learned from their mentor. Gwen Thompson, also a former mentee, is now President of World Arts Foundation, Inc. She is guided by Michael’s passion and her internalization of will to do 'nothing but quality' in service of others and not for the glory of self.
Michael understood and exemplified Shirley Chisholm’s quote that “‘Service is the rent you pay for room on this earth.” In addition to his family, He leaves a multitude of intergenerational wealth in young men and women, the mothers, fathers, grands and great-grands who benefitted and will benefit from his knowledge, wisdom, and lasting legacy of love for his many communities.
If you greeted Michael with “How are you?” He would respond, “Never better!” We are better for having been able to know him and thank his family for so graciously sharing him with us. In the visage of a small package, this giant of a man, whose story will always be told, will be forever missed and revered.
A public celebration of Michael Grice’s life and legacy will be held Saturday, September 27th at Grant High School Auditorium. Learn more by clicking here.