Ethnology Collection, 1789-2009

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Oregon Historical SocietyResearch Library
Title
Ethnology Collection
Dates
1789-2009 (inclusive)
1880-1950 (bulk)
Quantity
3 cubic feet, (6 document cases, 2 custom boxes)
Collection Number
Mss 1521
Summary
Collection created by the Oregon Historical Society containing printed ephemera related to ethnic groups of all origins, primarily in Oregon and Portland. Includes brochures, cabinet cards, correspondence, financial records, flyers, newspaper clippings, pamphlets, photographs, registration records, relocation records, reports, scrapbook, and transcriptions. Includes materials related to Japanese American relocation in World War II, and the Russian "Old Believer" community in Oregon.
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

The collection is open to the public.

Languages
Chinese, , English, , French, , German, , Japanese, , Polish, , Russian, , Swedish, , Welsh.
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Since its founding in 1898, the Oregon Historical Society has collected ephemera of all kinds, most of it documenting the history of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. Around the mid-20th century, librarians at the Society began organizing these materials into what became known as "Topical Collections" formed around particular subjects, such as business and education. One such collection, "Ethnology," served as a catch-all for items related to population groups that share common ties of ancestry and culture. Often materials from other collections were separated from the original sources and added to the Ethnology Collection. Although this practice has since been discontinued, some materials are still filed in Ethnology if they come from accessions composed primarily of unrelated ephemera items. "Ethnic groups" are defined as people who are bound together by common ties of ancestry and culture.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Collection created by the Oregon Historical Society containing ephemera related to ethnic groups, primarily in Oregon and Portland. Includes brochures, cabinet cards, correspondence, financial records, flyers, newspaper clippings, pamphlets, photographs, registration records, relocation records, reports, scrapbook, and transcriptions. Includes materials related to Japanese American relocation in World War II, and the Russian "Old Believer" community in Oregon.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

The Oregon Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library prior to any use of reproductions. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use of reproductions may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright holders.

Preferred Citation

Ethnology collection, Mss 1521, Oregon Historical Society Research Library

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in the following series:

  • Series A: African-American, 1887-2007
  • Series B: British, 1876-1987
  • Series C: Chinese, 1882-1987
  • Series D: German, 1789-1983
  • Series E: Hawaiian (Kanaka), 1972
  • Series F: Irish, 1899-1997
  • Series G: Italian, 1930-1971
  • Series H: Japanese, 1920-2007
  • Series I: Jewish, 1869-2007
  • Series J: Mexican-American, 1972-1998
  • Series K: Native American, 1926-1992
  • Series L: Polish, 1922-1976
  • Series M: Russian, 1759-1983
  • Series N: Scandinavian, 1921-1987
  • Series O: Scottish, 1910-2000
  • Series P: Welsh, circa 1908-1963
  • Series Q: Various ethnic groups, 1866-2001

Acquisition Information

The collection was assembled from a wide variety of sources by the Oregon Historical Society. Provenance can be traced from accession numbers on individual items.

Future Additions

Additional materials are added to the collection from time to time.

Processing Note

The collection was completely reprocessed and reboxed in 2009.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Please note that Danish and Swedish are included in the Scandinavian series.

Series A:  African-American, 1887-2007Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/1
General
1935-2007
1/2
Atkins, Charles M. 1887-1888
"Dat's my Dog; Dat's my Cat" paintings on cabinet cards.
1/3
First annual African-American Athlete Commemorative Banquet
1990 July 6
1/4
Gates, J. M. (Mrs. Osley J. Gates)
"Resource Reader" containing information on Osley James "Jim" Gates, former Executive Director of the City Council Commission on Aging in Portland, Oregon, and past Vice-President of the National Council on the Aging. Also includes information on other Gates and McPherson family members.
1949-1989
1/5
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity
circa 1953-1988
1/6
Les Femmes
circa 1962-1988
1/7
Links, Inc.
circa 1959-1988
1/8
Oregon Association of Colored Women's Clubs
circa 1953-1954

Series B:  British, 1876-1987Return to Top

See also St. Andrews Society, Coll 123. See also individual listings for Irish, Scottish, and Welsh.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/9
General
Photostat of The Freeman's Oath from City of Gloucester.
1876
1/10
Associated British Societies
Includes British Societies of Portland and British Residents of Oregon.
circa 1881-1915
1/11
British Benevolent Society of Oregon
Includes English Speaking Union and British in Oregon.
1877-1987
1/12
Bundles for Britain
1941

Series C:  Chinese, 1882-1987Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
1/13
General
Includes 1898 telegram from W.Q. Gresham to Governor Sylvester Pennoyer regarding the Chinese Exclusion Act; letter (ALs) from Chinese ambassador Cheng Tsao Ju to President U.S. Grant regarding appointment of a Chinese consul in Portland, April 17, 1883. Some materials in Chinese language.
circa 1882-1992
1/14
Account books
In Chinese.
1954 and undated
2/1
Account book of Da Tong Guan Company
In Chinese.
1947
2/2
Books (2)
In Chinese.
undated
2/3
Chinese Society
Chinese Review and Pageant, Portland.
1941
2/4
Chinese in Portland
circa 1979-1987
2/5
Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (Portland, Or.)
Leah Hing materials formerly occupying folder 2/5 were removed from this collection and added to Coll 393.
1927-1986
2/6
Leong family
Currency exchange receipts.
1931-1935
2/7
Portland Chinatown renovation
circa 1985
2/8-2/10
Registration records, membership application (CACA), and life insurance membership cards
In Chinese.
circa 1921-1926
2/11
Roosevelt, Theodore letter re: Chinese Relief
1938
2/12
"Things Chinese," Fifth Edition
Booklet containing cultural and medicinal essays about the Chinese, with testimonials to the Dr. C. Gee Wo Chinese Medicine Company in Portland, Oregon.
undated
3/1
Lottery tickets
In Chinese.
circa 1900

Series D:  German, 1789-1983Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
3/2
General
Includes 1870 Saints Day book in German. Additional materials in German.
1870-1983
3/3
Germans from Russia
1980
3/4
Journal of Merck, Carl Heinrich
Includes photocopy of 1789 journal and 1970 correspondence. In German.
circa 1970

Series E:  Hawaiian (Kanaka), 1972Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
3/5
Duncan, Janice K.
Portland State University masters thesis "Minority Without a Champion: The Kanaka Contribution to the Western United States, 1750-1900."
1972

Series F:  Irish, 1899-1997Return to Top

Includes materials relating to the All-Ireland Social Club, Portland

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
3/6
General
1899-1997

Series G:  Italian, 1930-1971Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
3/7
Columbus Day celebrations
1930-1971
4/1
Italian Day picnics
1931-1960

Series H:  Japanese, 1920-2007Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
4/2
General
Includes photocopies of materials relating to Saburo Ikeda and relocation of Japanese-Americans during World War II, 1942-1946.
circa 1933-1969
4/3
General
Some materials in Japanese.
circa 1970-2007
Relocation
Box/Folder
4/4
General
Includes government and university reports.
1920-1990
4/5
Manzanar Relocation Center, California
undated
4/6
Minidoka, Idaho
1943
4/7
Tepedino, Therese
Includes documentary script and notes.
undated
8/1
Scroll with family genealogy
undated
Box/Folder
4/8
Yamashita Shipping Company
1942
4/9
Yasui, Homer
Letter from Robert Takaki.
1973
4/10
Yasui, Ray T.
Oral history transcription recorded by Barbara Yasui.
1971

Series I:  Jewish, 1869-2007Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
4/11
General
circa 1869-1979
5/1
General
circa 1980-2007

Series J:  Mexican-American, 1972-1998Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
5/2
General
1972-1978

Series K:  Native American, 1926-1992Return to Top

For materials relating to American Indians, see Mss 1531, Indians of North America.

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
5/3
General
Includes program for the National Conference on Tribal Archives, Portland, 2009
1926-1992; 2009

Series L:  Polish, 1922-1976Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
5/4
General
Some items in Polish.
1922-1976

Series M:  Russian, 1759-1983Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
5/5
General
Includes 1759 "Ukaz of Her Imperial Majesty, Autocratic Ruler of All the Russias . . ." in Russian, with English translation.
1759-1975
Old Believers
Box/Folder
5/6
Bibliography and art exhibit program
undated
5/7
Correspondence and notes
circa 1969-1979
5/8
History of the Old Believers
1978 and undated
5/9
Manual for Educators
1976
5/10
Partial articles
undated
5/11
Reports, general
1973 and undated
5/12
Report: "Radical Acculturation Patterns"
1970
5/13
Sabey, John
Ph.D. dissertation titled "Starovery and School."
undated
5/14
Smithson, Michael
"of Icons and Motorcycles."
undated
5/15
Znamenny chants
Some items in Russian.
undated
5/16
News clippings
circa 1977-1983

Series N:  Scandinavian, 1921-1987Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
6/1
General
circa 1944-1987
6/2
Danish
1921
6/3
Martin, Kent
Includes paper titled "Ethnic Identity and the Fishermen of Skamokawa."
1975
6/4
Swedish Societies of Portland
Some items in Swedish.
circa 1890-1929 and undated

Series O:  Scottish, 1910-2000Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
6/5
General
circa 1974-2000
6/6
Brotherhood of St. Andrew
circa 1910-1983
6/7
Highland Games
1959-1983

Series P:  Welsh, circa 1908-1963Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
6/8
General
Some items in Welsh. See also Cambrian Social Society, Coll 124.
circa 1908-1963

Series Q:  Various ethnic groups, 1866-2001Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box/Folder
6/9
Other ethnicities
Includes single items for Basque, Canadian, Czech, French, Greek, Swiss, Turkish, and Vietnamese groups. Some items in French.
1866-2001
7/1
Citizens for Interracial Understanding
Scrapbook donated by Mrs. Osley James Gates.
1967-1970
6/10
Naturalization and citizenship
circa 1942-1944
6/11
Oregon Pioneer Register questionnaire
undated
6/12
Pacific Northwest Immigration Convention
1912

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • African Americans--Oregon
  • British Americans--Oregon
  • Chinese--Oregon
  • Germans--Oregon
  • Hawaiians--Oregon
  • Irish--Oregon
  • Italians--Oregon
  • Japanese Americans--Evacuation and relocation, 1942-1945.
  • Japanese Americans--Oregon.
  • Japanese--Oregon
  • Jews--Oregon
  • Mexican Americans--Oregon
  • Native Americans--Oregon
  • Old Believers--Oregon
  • Polish--Oregon
  • Russians--Oregon
  • Scandinavians--Oregon
  • Scottish--Oregon
  • Welsh--Oregon

Geographical Names

  • Portland (Or.)

Form or Genre Terms

  • Brochures
  • Cabinet cards
  • Clippings
  • Financial records
  • Letters (correspondence)
  • Photographs
  • Printed ephemera
  • Programs
  • Scrapbooks
  • Transcripts