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 influencing contemporary disparities in housing access, community investment, and policing.

At the March 18 event, Mariah Rocker, Public Programs and Exhibits Manager for Black Pioneers will attempt to correct the record by highlighting key individuals and events that characterize Oregon’s unique and centuries-old Black history. The event is free and open to the public. For more information and to RSVP, please go to our website at: https://ashlandtogether.org/event/uncovering-oregons-black-history/

Ashland Sunrise Project is an Ashland Together initiative in partnership with the Oregon Remembrance Project. We thank the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for venue support of this event.