Lost City, Living Memories | 10th Vanport Mosaic Festival

Full Program: bit.ly/VanportFestival10 

Lost City, Living Memories: Vanport Through The Voices of Its Residents

Join us for a screening of short oral history documentaries, part of the Vanport Mosaic living archive, with special guests from the Vanport Community, and songs by the Northwest Freedom Singers

WHEN:
Thursday, May 24th at 6-8 pm

WHERE:
Historic Alberta House 5131 NE 23rd Ave, Portland, OR 97211
TICKETS:
$5 students/seniors, $15 general

A “miracle city.” A “sociological experiment.” A “municipal monstrosity.” A “nasty ghetto.”

During its short life span (1942-1948) Vanport--Oregon’s second largest city and the nation’s largest public housing project--drew national attention and conflicting opinions. For the over 40,000 people who lived there, Vanport was simply their home.

When the Columbia River flooded in 1948, on Memorial Day, the entire city was erased from the map and much of Portland’s memory in a single day.

Through nearly a decade of collaboration with the Vanport community, Vanport Mosaic has established the largest collection of oral histories related to Vanport, ensuring the preservation and honor of one of Oregon's most pivotal historical communities.

Through archival footage, historic photographs, and compelling first-person narratives, Lost City, Living Memories creates a rich and elaborate “mosaic” of the vibrant community that made up the city of Vanport, and commemorates the tragedy that displaced it.

NW Freedom Singers are going to take us through Vanport and WWII to Albina and Dawson Park and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and on to Church and the heartbeat of Portland’s Black Community.

Performing tonight, along with Ron are Vanport descendant, Eldon "T” Jones on Saxophone and vocals, Tim Ribner on keyboard, and Antoinette Saunders, Rosie Lovings, Jeanine Wiggins, Letha McCleod, and Amber Cobb.

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CONTRIBUTE TO OUR VANPORT DIGITAL HUB/LIVING ARCHIVE! Would you like to share your memories with us? Do you have material related to Vanport to add to the archive?

Have you written articles, dissertations, books, or curricula you would like to share on the digital hub?

Please get in touch with us!
Contact Greta Smith Wisnewski at Z3JldGEgfCB2YW5wb3J0bW9zYWljICEgb3Jn

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COME EARLIER TO SEE THE EXHIBITS ON DISPLAY!

The Historic Alberta House will be open 4- 6 pm for gallery hours.

Artwork by Henk Pander: "The Climate Refugees of Vanport"
Originally from the Netherlands, Henk Pander was a child during WWII. Since immigrating to the PNW in 1965, he became one of the most renowned artists. This art giant passed away on April 7th, 2023, but his legacy continues through his artwork.

Vanport: The Surge of Social Change
A historical photo exhibit documenting the life, destruction, and aftermath of the largest WWII shipbuilding community in the U.S., co-curated by Vanport Mosaic and Oregon Black Pioneers.

Beyond Vanport: Remembering Native North Portland – Artwork by Peggy Ball-Morrill Klamath/Modoc artist Peggy Ball-Morrill’s paintings portray a community nearly invisible in popular culture where representations of native people are often limited to Westerns or cartoons. The paintings remember a close-knit native community at a time when federal termination and relocation policies threatened Native survival. Peggy passed away in August of 2015.

Part of the 10th VANPORT MOSAIC FESTIVAL May 17-June 1
 bit.ly/VanportFestival10   |

Join us for two weeks of memory activism to explore the many silenced histories that surround us, and to REmember, REpair, REclaim, and RE-imagine our collective story.

The events will take place in various venues in Portland and are free/sliding scale. Festival headquarters: The Historic Alberta House | 5131 NE 23rd Ave, Portland OR

Also check out other Festivals in Portland, Entertainment events in Portland, Music events in Portland.