Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Oregon Black History Project records, 1844-1981
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- McLagan, Elizabeth, 1947-
- Title
- Oregon Black History Project records
- Dates
- 1844-1981 (inclusive)18441981
- Quantity
- 2.66 cubic feet, (5 legal document cases; 1 slim legal document case; 1 slim letter document case)
- Collection Number
- Mss 2854
- Summary
- Administrative records, research files, and photographs gathered or created by the Oregon Black History Project, a grant-funded project that culminated in the publication of the book "A Peculiar Paradise: A History of Blacks in Oregon, 1788-1940."
- Repository
-
Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open for research.
- Additional Reference Guides
-
Detailed inventory of photographs in the collection is located in Box 7.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
The Oregon Black History Project was a grant-funded project that conducted research on the history of African-Americans in Oregon up to the beginning of World War II. The project was directed by Elizabeth McLagan and culminated in her book "A Peculiar Paradise: A History of Blacks in Oregon, 1788-1940," which was published by the Georgian Press of Portland, Oregon, in 1980.
Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top
Photographs in the collection were previously designated as Org. Lot 482, "A Peculiar Paradise" photographic collection; and Org. Lot 679, Oregon Black History Project photographs collection.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection consists of administrative records, research files, and photographs gathered or created by the Oregon Black History Project. Most of the research files consist of notes and quotes, photocopies, or excerpts from primary and secondary resources concerning the history of African-Americans in Oregon from the late 18th century to the mid-20th century. Most of these source excerpts were assembled between 1976 and 1979. Topics include early African-American emigrants to Oregon; the slavery debate in Oregon; exclusion laws and other forms of discrimination or violence against African-Americans; African-American business, social, and activist organizations; and early 20th-century African-American newspapers such as The Advocate, the New Age, and the Portland Times.
Photographs include portraits of African-American Oregonians; African-American social groups and activities; residences; and businesses operated by African-Americans in Portland, Oregon. Some of the photographs are copies of images originally published in newspapers such as Portland Times and The Advocate.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
Oregon Black History Project records, Mss 2854, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Restrictions on Use
The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.
Alternative Forms Available
Selected photographs from the collection are viewable online in OHS Digital Collections.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Collection is arranged in five series: Series 1. Administrative records; Series 2. Biographical materials and sketches; Series 3. Oral history materials; Series 4. Topical research; Series 5. Photographs.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Christine W. Poole and Helen Warbington, December 1989 (Lib. Acc. 19746).
Separated Materials
Oral histories conducted for the project were separated to Oral History Collections, Oregon Historical Society Research Library. A microfilm copy of records of the NAACP of Portland, Oregon, was separated and cataloged as Microfilm 195.
Related Materials
Copies of "A Peculiar Paradise," the book produced from the Oregon Black History Project research, are held in the book collections of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series 1: Administrative records, 1974-1979Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 1 | Copy of bibliography of works on African-American history in Oregon, compiled by Lenwood G. Davis |
1974 |
| 1 | 2-3 | Correspondence |
1975-1979 |
| 1 | 4 | Correspondence, including rough drafts of Elizabeth McLagan's letters |
1978 February-July |
| 1 | 5 | Project correspondence |
1978 July |
| 1 | 6 | Correspondence and records relating to funding; articles about copyright law |
1977-1978 |
| 1 | 7 | Correspondence with museums and historical societies in Oregon, Library of Congress, and NAACP |
1978 June-September |
| 1 | 8 | Notes, source excerpts, and correspondence relating to lectures |
circa 1844-1978 |
| 1 | 9 | Mailing lists and addresses for project contacts, repositories, and outreach or publicity efforts |
circa 1979; undated |
| 1 | 10 | Notes, mailing lists, and correspondence concerning acknowledgements and citations |
1976-1978; undated |
| 1 | 11 | Notes and source excerpts relating to planned revisions and additions to book |
undated |
| 1 | 12 | Notes and revisions for Chapter 1 of "A Peculiar Paradise" |
undated |
| 1 | 13 | Notes and revisions for Chapters 3-4 of "A Peculiar Paradise" |
undated |
| 1 | 14-15 | Project notebooks |
undated |
| 1 | 16 | Blank copies of research questionnaire |
undated |
| 1 | 17 | Unsorted notes, papers, and correspondence |
1978; undated |
| 2 | 1 | Unsorted materials including notes, project minutes, NAACP booklets, and business cards |
1974-1978 |
| 2 | 2 | Unsorted newspaper clippings, newsletters, and brochures |
1978; undated |
Series 2: Biographical materials and sketches, 1915-1978Return to Top
Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top
The term "source excerpts" in folder titles refers to photocopies, quotes, and transcripts (both handwritten and typed) of primary and secondary sources consulted during the research project.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 2 | 3 | Biographical sketches and related correspondence |
1899-1977; undated |
| 2 | 4 | Biographical sketches |
1919; undated |
| 2 | 5 | Biographical notes on 19th-century figures |
undated |
| 2 | 6 | Notes and source excerpts concerning Waldo and Bogle families |
undated |
| 2 | 7 | Biographical information concerning Peter Hardeman Burnett |
undated |
| 2 | 8 | Notes and source quotes and excerpts concerning James Douglas |
|
| 2 | 9 | Notes and source excerpts concerning Mary Jane Shipley Drake and Reuben Shipley |
1861-1978 |
| 2 | 10 | Notes and copied source material concerning Flowers family |
|
| 2 | 11 | Correspondence, clippings, and photograph relating to Bert Harber |
1960-1978 |
| 2 | 12 | Source excerpts concerning Amanda Gardiner Johnson and Benjamin Johnson |
1922-1970 |
| 2 | 13 | Notes, source excerpts, and correspondence concerning William and John Livingston |
1912-1978 |
| 2 | 14 | Notes, primary source documents, and correspondence concerning Alvin McCleary and Louis Southworth |
1915-1947; 1976-1978; undated |
| 2 | 15 | Newspaper clipping about Benjamin Seals |
1922 February 12 |
| 2 | 16 | Newspaper articles and excerpt from a book concerning George Washington, founder of Centralia, Washington |
1976; undated |
| 2 | 17 | Notes and source excerpts concerning York, an enslaved man on Lewis & Clark Expedition |
1962; undated |
Series 3: Oral history materials, 1938-1978Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 2 | 18 | Guidelines and instructions from other projects and institutions; notes; completed interviewer questionnaire forms |
circa 1978; undated |
| 2 | 19 | List of tapes; instructions and forms for interviewers |
circa 1976; undated |
| 2 | 20 | Correspondence with interviewees |
1978 July |
| 2 | 21 | Requests for interviews and information |
1978 January-February; undated |
| 2 | 22 | Questionnaire forms and correspondence concerning interview requests |
1978 January-July; undated |
| 2 | 23 | Quotes, excerpts, and outlines |
undated |
| 2 | 24 | Quotes, excerpts, and notes from interviews |
undated |
| 2 | 25 | Partial transcripts of interviews with Mary Morton and Marie Smith |
1978 May-November |
| 2 | 26 | Excerpts of 20th-century oral histories and reminiscences |
undated |
| 2 | 27 | Excerpts from WPA interviews of Albina neighborhood residents |
1938-1939 |
Series 4: Topical research, 1844-1981Return to Top
Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top
The term "source excerpts" in folder titles refers to photocopies, quotes, and transcripts (both handwritten and typed) of primary and secondary sources consulted during the research project.
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
Subseries 1: General history |
1854-1981 | ||
| Box | Folder | ||
| 3 | 1 | Book or article excerpts and notes relating to history up to 1900 |
1950-1969; undated |
| 3 | 2 | Notes and source excerpts on African-American history |
undated |
| 3 | 3 | Source excerpts concerning 1788 murder of Marcus Lopez |
1886-1941 |
| 3 | 4 | Notes and publication excerpts concerning African-American fur traders and mountain men |
1951; undated |
| 3 | 5 | Notes and source excerpts concerning African-Americans serving on whalers |
1846; undated |
| 3 | 6-7 | Notes and photocopied primary and secondary source material concerning territorial and early statehood periods |
1854-1865; undated |
| 3 | 7 | Notes and source excerpts considering settlement and demographics of 19th-century Oregon |
1879-1890; undated |
| 3 | 8 | Notes and source excerpts concerning African-American emigrants to Oregon |
1846-1920; undated |
| 3 | 9 | Notes, source excerpts, and correspondence concerning African-Americans in Oregon during the 19th century |
undated; 1978 June-August |
| 3 | 10 | Notes on Oregon African-Americans in 19th-century Census records |
undated |
| 3 | 11 | Source excerpts and correspondence relating to African-Americans in 19th century Grant County |
1884-1978 |
| 3 | 12 | Source excerpts, oral history transcript, and correspondence concerning African-Americans in Jackson County |
1976-1978; undated |
| 3 | 13 | Notes and source excerpts concerning African-Americans in Portland during the 19th century |
1869-1871; undated |
| 3 | 14 | Notes and source excerpts concerning African-American population in Oregon; maps showing where African-Americans lived in Portland from the 1860s to the 1880s |
1908-1926; undated |
| 3 | 15 | Notes concerning African-Americans listed in Portland city directories |
undated |
| 3 | 16 | Reminiscence, correspondence, and newspaper clippings about African-Americans in Vernonia |
1925-1926; 1978 |
| 3 | 17 | Thesis of James William Pitton, "Negro Settlement in British Columbia, 1858-1871" |
1951 |
| 3 | 18 | Notes concerning Daniel G. Hill's thesis, "The Negro as a Political and Social Issue in Oregon" |
undated |
| 3 | 19 | Notes and source excerpts concerning African-Americans in Oregon after the Civil War, including chapter of Daniel G. Hill thesis |
1864-1868; undated |
| 3 | 20 | Notes and copies of primary and secondary source material concerning Sam Oakley, Harrison Wright, and 1860s smallpox epidemic |
1971-1973; undated |
| 3 | 21 | Data on African-Americans arrested in Portland between 1868 and 1885 |
undated |
| 3 | 22 | Notes and source excerpts relating to African-Americans serving in the military during the 19th century |
circa 1886-1922; undated |
| 3 | 23 | Population and occupational statistics |
1910 |
| 3 | 24 | Notes and source material relating to late 19th and early 20th centuries |
circa 1885-1974 |
| 4 | 1 | Newspaper articles and excerpts concerning African-American businesses and civil rights |
1899-1923 |
| 4 | 2 | Notes and newspaper clippings concerning African-American businesses in 20th-century Portland |
1919-1932; undated |
| 4 | 3 | Source excerpts concerning African-American entertainers, musicians, and speakers who visited Portland |
1927-1932 |
| 4 | 4 | Newspaper clippings about African-Americans in sports |
1912-1924; undated |
| 4 | 5 | Notes and newspaper articles relating to wrongful murder conviction of Theodore Jordan |
1932-1951 |
| 4 | 6 | Notes and transcript of petition relating to wrongful murder conviction of Theodore Jordan |
1932; undated |
| 4 | 7 | Notes, newspaper clippings, and publications concerning African-Americans in Oregon during and after World War II |
1942-1978 |
| 4 | 8 | Clippings from Capital Journal about civil rights and affirmative action |
1973-1978 |
| 4 | 9 | Unsorted notes and newspaper editorial excerpts |
1897-1978 |
| 4 | 10 | Unsorted notes and source excerpts |
1903-1977 |
| 4 | 11 | Unsorted source materials and notes on source materials |
1981; undated |
Subseries 2: Slavery and exclusion laws |
1844-1978 | ||
| Box | Folder | ||
| 4 | 12 | Notes concerning slavery and race in the 18th century |
undated |
| 4 | 13 | Notes on books and primary sources cited relating to church attitudes on slavery |
undated |
| 4 | 14 | Notes and source excerpts relating to slavery in Oregon |
undated |
| 4 | 15 | Notes on and trial transcript of 1853 case, Holmes v. Ford |
1853; undated |
| 4 | 18 | Notes and source excerpts concerning Holmes v. Ford case and slavery in Oregon |
1924-1931; undated |
| 4 | 17-18 | Notes and source excerpts concerning slavery debate in Oregon Territory |
1844-1857; undated |
| 4 | 19 | Source excerpts concerning slavery debate in Oregon |
1856-1857 |
| 4 | 20 | Source excerpts concerning anti-slavery Free Soil Convention of 1855 |
1855-1857; undated |
| 4 | 21 | Excerpts from correspondence of Jesse Applegate and Matthew Deady concerning slavery; notes on Applegate's stance towards slavery |
1851-1857; undated |
| 4 | 22 | Notes, primary source excerpts, and brief essay about the Homestead Act and slavery protection acts |
undated |
| 4 | 23 | Primary and secondary source excerpts concerning pro-Confederate secret society, Knights of the Golden Circle, and its members |
1857-1862; undated |
| 4 | 24 | Source excerpts concerning birthplaces and sectional loyalties of Oregon Constitutional Convention members |
1952; undated |
| 4 | 25 | Notes and primary source excerpts concerning 1840s-1860s legislation concerning slavery and African-American exclusion |
1857-1862; undated |
| 5 | 1 | Excerpts from books and primary sources regarding 19th century legislation concerning slavery and African-American exclusion |
1857-1859; undated |
| 5 | 2 | Notes and source excerpts concerning exclusion laws |
1857; undated |
| 5 | 3 | Notes, reading materials, and statistical tables concerning exclusion laws and African-American population in Oregon from 1850-1910 |
1859-1978 |
| 5 | 4 | Notes and photocopies of secondary source material relating to "Black Laws" in Washington and California |
undated |
| 5 | 5 | Notes and source excerpts concerning repeal of the exclusion clause from the Oregon state constitution |
1895-1926; undated |
Subseries 3: Emancipation and suffrage |
1865-1949 | ||
| Box | Folder | ||
| 5 | 6 | Source excerpts concerning 13th Amendment |
1865-1866 |
| 5 | 7 | Notes and source excerpt concerning Oregon's withdrawal of support for the 14th Amendment and move to remove Senators Williams and Corbett from office |
1868; undated |
| 5 | 8 | Source excerpts concerning the 15th Amendment and African-American suffrage |
1865-1866; undated |
| 5 | 9 | Notes and source excerpts concerning African-American suffrage |
1865-1871 |
| 5 | 10 | Notes and source excerpts on opposition by women's suffrage movement to African-American voting rights |
undated |
| 5 | 11 | Notes about Oregon Supreme Court case Wood v. Fitzgerald, concerning disenfranchisement |
1870 |
| 5 | 12 | Source excerpts concerning African-American suffrage and laws discriminating against African-Americans in the South, California, and Oregon |
1902-1949; undated |
Subseries 4: Discrimination and violence against African-Americans |
1872-1968 | ||
| Box | Folder | ||
| 5 | 13 | Notes and source excerpts concerning discrimination and segregation |
1902-1927 |
| 5 | 14 | Notes and source excerpts concerning difficulties of African-Americans seeking employment |
1925-1947 |
| 5 | 15 | Notes and source excerpts concerning housing discrimination against African-Americans in Eugene and Corvallis |
1946-1981; undated |
| 5 | 16 | Notes and source excerpts concerning the Ku Klux Klan and racial violence in Oregon |
1872-1926; undated |
| 5 | 17 | Correspondence of L. B. Sandblast, Portland attorney and Ku Klux Klan member |
1965-1968 |
| 5 | 18 | Chapter from unidentified book about the Ku Klux Klan in Oregon, "Portland: Headquarters of the Realm" |
undated |
| 5 | 19 | Charts comparing segregation and anti-discrimination laws in Oregon, California, and Washington |
1949 |
Subseries 5: Newspapers |
1870-1974 | ||
| Box | Folder | ||
| 5 | 20 | Handwritten quotes and excerpts from newspaper sources |
1893-1907; undated |
| 5 | 21 | Notes on and excerpts of newspaper editorials |
1922-1923; undated. |
| 5 | 22 | Notes about and excerpts from newspapers |
1895-1926; undated |
| 5 | 23 | Quotes and excerpts from The Advocate |
1913-1919 |
| 6 | 1 | Materials concerning the New Age, The Advocate, and Portland Times |
1913-1949; undated |
| 6 | 2 | Excerpts of New Age editorials concerning discrimination against African-Americans |
1903-1907 |
| 6 | 3-4 | Notes and source excerpts concerning the New Age; notes about and quotes from Oznathylee Aluerdo Hopkins thesis, "Black Life in Oregon, 1899-1907: A Study of the Portland 'New Age'" |
1899-1907; 1974 |
| 6 | 5 | Excerpts of editorials from New Age, The Herald, and the Oregonian |
1870-1899 |
Subseries 6: Organizations |
1912-1978 | ||
| Box | Folder | ||
| 6 | 6 | Newspaper clippings and typescript concerning African-American churches in Portland |
1912-1942 |
| 6 | 7 | Notes concerning African-American churches in the 18th and 19th centuries; program for 116th anniversary of First African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in Portland, Oregon |
undated; 1978 |
| 6 | 8 | Notes about Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters union |
undated |
| 6 | 9 | Notes concerning African-American lodges in the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows |
undated |
| 6 | 10 | Notes and source excerpts concerning NAACP Portland Branch |
1914-1977 |
| 6 | 11 | Notes and excerpts relating to NAACP Portland Branch meetings |
1923-1932 |
| 6 | 12 | Notes about Portland Negro Progressive Association, Inc.; photocopy of Portland Negro Progressive Association, Inc. articles of incorporation |
undated; 1934 |
Series 5: Photographs, 1862-1972Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
Subseries 1: People |
1862-1972 | ||
| Box | Folder | ||
| 7 | 1 | Portraits of Portland-area African-Americans, surnames A-H |
1913-1919; undated |
| 7 | 2 | Portraits of Portland-area African-Americans, surnames J-R |
1850-1919; undated |
| 7 | 3 | Portraits of Portland-area African-Americans, surnames S-Y |
1919-1972; undated |
| 7 | 4 | Portraits of African-Americans outside the Portland area |
1862-1900; undated |
| 7 | 5 | Vanport Flood refugees |
1948 |
Subseries 2: Residences |
1919; undated | ||
| Box | Folder | ||
| 7 | 6 | Residences in Portland area |
1919; undated |
| 7 | 7 | Residences outside of Portland area |
undated |
Subseries 3: Social groups |
1913-1980 | ||
| Box | Folder | ||
| 7 | 8 | Social groups and activities |
1913-1919; undated |
| 7 | 9 | LINKS, Inc. |
1968-1980 |
| 7 | 10 | Masonic Lodge |
1961; undated |
| 7 | 11 | Elks |
undated |
| 7 | 12 | YWCA |
1927; undated |
| 7 | 13 | Musicians |
undated |
| 7 | 14 | Church groups |
1913-1916; undated |
Subseries 4: Business community |
circa 1875-1919; undated | ||
| Box | Folder | ||
| 7 | 15 | Businesses |
1912-1919; undated |
| 7 | 16 | 21st U.S. Infantry at railroad completion ceremony; "Harper's Weekly" illustration of African-American porters in railroad dining car |
undated; circa 1875 |
| 7 | 17 | Professionals at work |
1913; undated |
Subseries 5: Other topics |
circa 1978; undated | ||
| Box | Folder | ||
| 7 | 18 | Unsorted photographs |
undated |
| 7 | 19 | Contact sheets |
circa 1978 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- African American business enterprises--Oregon--Portland
- African Americans--Oregon--History
- Discrimination against African Americans--Oregon
Form or Genre Terms
- research (documents)
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