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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.
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Historical Note

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.

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Content Description

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.

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Use of the Collection

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

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Administrative Information

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.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

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, 1887-2007

  • Series B: British, 1876-1987

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

    • Description: General

      Photostat of The Freeman's Oath from City of Gloucester.

      Dates: 1876
      Container: Box/Folder 1/9
      Location: Series B: British, 1876-1987
    • Description: Associated British Societies

      Includes British Societies of Portland and British Residents of Oregon.

      Dates: circa 1881-1915
      Container: Box/Folder 1/10
      Location: Series B: British, 1876-1987
    • Description: British Benevolent Society of Oregon

      Includes English Speaking Union and British in Oregon.

      Dates: 1877-1987
      Container: Box/Folder 1/11
      Location: Series B: British, 1876-1987
    • Description: Bundles for Britain
      Dates: 1941
      Container: Box/Folder 1/12
      Location: Series B: British, 1876-1987

  • Series C: Chinese, 1882-1987

    • Description: 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.

      Dates: circa 1882-1992
      Container: Box/Folder 1/13
      Location: Series C: Chinese, 1882-1987
    • Description: Account books

      In Chinese.

      Dates: 1954 and undated
      Container: Box/Folder 1/14
      Location: Series C: Chinese, 1882-1987
    • Description: Account book of Da Tong Guan Company

      In Chinese.

      Dates: 1947
      Container: Box/Folder 2/1
      Location: Series C: Chinese, 1882-1987
    • Description: Books (2)

      In Chinese.

      Dates: undated
      Container: Box/Folder 2/2
      Location: Series C: Chinese, 1882-1987
    • Description: Chinese Society

      Chinese Review and Pageant, Portland.

      Dates: 1941
      Container: Box/Folder 2/3
      Location: Series C: Chinese, 1882-1987
    • Description: Chinese in Portland
      Dates: circa 1979-1987
      Container: Box/Folder 2/4
      Location: Series C: Chinese, 1882-1987
    • Description: Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (Portland, Or.)

      Leah Hing materials formerly occupying folder 2/5 were removed from this collection and added to Coll 393.

      Dates: 1927-1986
      Container: Box/Folder 2/5
      Location: Series C: Chinese, 1882-1987
    • Description: Leong family

      Currency exchange receipts.

      Dates: 1931-1935
      Container: Box/Folder 2/6
      Location: Series C: Chinese, 1882-1987
    • Description: Portland Chinatown renovation
      Dates: circa 1985
      Container: Box/Folder 2/7
      Location: Series C: Chinese, 1882-1987
    • Description: Registration records, membership application (CACA), and life insurance membership cards

      In Chinese.

      Dates: circa 1921-1926
      Container: Box/Folder 2/8-2/10
      Location: Series C: Chinese, 1882-1987
    • Description: Roosevelt, Theodore letter re: Chinese Relief
      Dates: 1938
      Container: Box/Folder 2/11
      Location: Series C: Chinese, 1882-1987
    • Description: "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.

      Dates: undated
      Container: Box/Folder 2/12
      Location: Series C: Chinese, 1882-1987
    • Description: Lottery tickets

      In Chinese.

      Dates: circa 1900
      Container: Box/Folder 3/1
      Location: Series C: Chinese, 1882-1987

  • Series D: German, 1789-1983

    • Description: General

      Includes 1870 Saints Day book in German. Additional materials in German.

      Dates: 1870-1983
      Container: Box/Folder 3/2
      Location: Series D: German, 1789-1983
    • Description: Germans from Russia
      Dates: 1980
      Container: Box/Folder 3/3
      Location: Series D: German, 1789-1983
    • Description: Journal of Merck, Carl Heinrich

      Includes photocopy of 1789 journal and 1970 correspondence. In German.

      Dates: circa 1970
      Container: Box/Folder 3/4
      Location: Series D: German, 1789-1983

  • Series E: Hawaiian (Kanaka), 1972

    • Description: Duncan, Janice K.

      Portland State University masters thesis "Minority Without a Champion: The Kanaka Contribution to the Western United States, 1750-1900."

      Dates: 1972
      Container: Box/Folder 3/5
      Location: Series E: Hawaiian (Kanaka), 1972

  • Series F: Irish, 1899-1997

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

  • 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

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

    • Description: General

      Includes program for the National Conference on Tribal Archives, Portland, 2009

      Dates: 1926-1992; 2009
      Container: Box/Folder 5/3
      Location: 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

    • Description: General

      Some items in Welsh. See also Cambrian Social Society, Coll 124.

      Dates: circa 1908-1963
      Container: Box/Folder 6/8
      Location: Series P: Welsh, circa 1908-1963

  • Series Q: Various ethnic groups, 1866-2001

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

Finding aid prepared by Diane Couture
2009

CC0

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