Oregon's Black History: 450 Years in 45 Minutes (History Talk)

February 28, 2026 | 5-6pm | Gresham Historical Society
Check out the February history talk, courtesy of Oregon Black Pioneers!
People of African descent have lived and worked in Oregon since before the founding of the earliest English-speaking settlements in the Americas. Despite this, the popular narrative of our state's history excludes the experiences of African Americans before the mid-20th century. This erasure is the result of historic legal and social marginalization that contributes to the ignorance of Oregon's Black heritage, as well as influences contemporary disparities in housing access, community investment, and policing. For this presentation, Oregon Black Pioneers will attempt to correct the record by highlighting key individuals and events that characterize Oregon's unique and centuries-old Black history.
Oregon Black Pioneers is Oregon’s only historical society dedicated to preserving and presenting the experiences of African Americans statewide. For more than 30 years, they have illuminated the seldom-told stories of people of African descent in Oregon through engaging exhibits, public programs, publications, and historical research.
Presented by Mariah Rocker, Public Programs and Exhibits Manager at Oregon Black Pioneers.

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• Next Saturday, 29th November, 10:00 am, Christmas at the Museum - First Weekend! in Gresham
• Next Saturday, 29th November, 05:00 pm, Bellows & Squawk Present: Jewish Music, Jazz, and the American Popular Song in Gresham
• Next month, 4th December, 10:00 am, Christmas at the Museum - Second Weekend! in Gresham