Title: African Americans in Oregon
Objectives:
Students will:
• Identify the historical experience of African Americans in Portland and Oregon.
• Identify the legal and governmental actions that affected African American life.
• Analyze short and long term effects of laws on the African American community.
• Use primary and secondary source documents to analyze the African American experience.
Standards Met:
History:
• Identify and understand significant events, developments, groups and people in the history of Oregon after 1900.
Civics & Government:
• Understand how government policies and decisions have been influenced and changed by individuals and groups.
Social Science Analysis:
• Analyze an event, issue, problem or phenomenon; identifying characteristics, influences, causes and both short and long-term effects.
Materials/Resources Needed:
• Vanport City, 1943
• Luncheonette Sign, “We Cater to White Trade Only,” 1943
• Bill Berry with Rose Festival Princess, 1946
• Albina Riot, 1967
• African American Community Protests School Board, 1982
Teacher Resources: Oregon Historical Quarterly Articles
• “Slaves and Free Men: Blacks in the Oregon Country 1840-1860” by Quintard Taylor. OHQ 83 (1982): 153-170
• “Sources for History of Blacks in Oregon” by Lenwood G. Davis. OHQ 73 (1972): 196-211
• Kathryn Hall Bogle’s “An American Negro Speaks of Color.” OHQ 89 (1988): 70-91.
Anticipatory Set:
Studies of African American history are often focused on southern states. This lesson provides a brief introduction to the events, laws and attitudes that affected African Americans in Oregon.
• Begin lesson with this information on the board or overhead: “1844 – Slavery declared illegal in Oregon Country”
• Discuss the following questions:
1. What was the status of African Americans in Southern states at this time?
2. What does this law suggest about Oregon settlers?
3. What do you think white settlers’ attitudes were toward African Americans?
4. What reasons could they have had for outlawing slavery?
5. Compare life for African Americans living in the South at this time and in the Oregon Country?
Lesson Description: Day One
• Introduce students to the early legislation in Oregon regarding African Americans. Arrange class in small groups.
• Have the students read: The Great Divide: Resettlement and the New Economy: Slavery and Race and discuss the following questions:
1. How did the balloting on the proposed State Constitution in 1857 reflect the views on the slavery-race issues of the white male voters?
2. Why do you think that the men voting in 1857 emphatically rejected slavery for Oregon but also voted overwhelmingly not to have “free Negroes” in Oregon? Does this appear to be a contradiction? Why or why not?
3. How long did it take Oregonians to rescind the wording of the 1857 Constitution?
4. Who was eligible to own land according to the Oregon Donation Land Law of 1850? How did the provisions of this law reflect attitudes toward African Americans?
Allow each group to select a spokesperson and report out to the class the results of their group’s discussion.
Lesson Description: Day 2
• Divide class into 5 small groups. Distribute the following readings and questions:
Group 1 – Vanport City – 1943
1. Why was Vanport called “The Miracle City?”
2. How was industrialist Henry J. Kaiser involved in the development of Vanport?
3. What was the history of “The Miracle City?”
4. How, in your view, did the building of Vanport during WWII effect race relations in Portland?
Group 2 – Luncheonette Sign: We Cater to White Trade Only
1. Why did Portland’s African American population expand from 2,565 in
1940 to 25,000 in 1944?
2. The article states that “…blacks were hired freely for common labor and in all shipyards except Albina Shipyard.” Why was this the case?
3. How did the wartime (WWII) Fair Employment Practices Commission “buffer” to some extent the racism that permeated Portland’s private industry and local unions?
4. Is there a difference between the following messages:
“We cater to white trade only.” And “No shirt, no shoes, no service.”
Why or why not?
Group 3 – Bill Berry with Rose Festival Princess – 1946
1. The reading tells us that “despite wartime Fair Employment Laws, Portland
and Oregon retained their reputation for hostile race relations…..”
2. How did this situation contribute to the establishment of the Portland Urban League in 1945?
3. What were some of the challenges facing Bill Berry, the Portland chapter of the Urban League’s first director?
4. Consider how each of the following areas were /remain problematic for Oregon’s black community:
Jobs
Housing
Education
Media
Which of the areas listed above do you consider to be most important to decreasing the disparity between predominately white and black neighborhoods?
Group 4: Albina Riot, 1967
1. How did the Albina Riot begin?
2. What effects do you think the groups from Seattle and San Francisco
had on the situation? Why?
3. React to the statement: “(Governor Tom) McCall placed some of the
blame for the incident on Portland’s lack of inclination to finance
educational programs that would get to the root of the sociological
dilemma that caused poverty.”
4. Do you agree with Gov. McCall? Why or why not?
Group 5: African American Community Protests School Board 1982
1. How did the following affect the school board protests?
a. low test scores for African-American students
b. un-addressed needs of minority and low-income students
c. racist busing practices
2. Why was the African American community upset about the closing of Harriet Tubman Middle School?
3. What role did a Reed College graduate play in the protest?
4. As a group, brainstorm ways to meet the needs of minority and low-income students in your Oregon city. Allow time for each group to choose a spokesperson(s) to describe the events in their reading and how the situation they read about affected the African American community.
Assessment:
• Have students respond to the following statement in 2-3 paragraphs or a short essay: “Discrimination against African Americans was not an issue only for Southern states.”
• Imagine you re an African-American born in Oregon in 1900. You have just celebrated your 100th birthday. Describe the changes you have seen in your life in Oregon.
Additional Resources:
• Contact The Portland Oregon Visitors Association (POVA) for their brochure, “A Guide to African American Heritage and Culture.” The brochure provides information about the African American community and history in the Portland area, including a self-guided tour.
• POVA is located at 1000 SW Broadway, Suite 2300, Portland, Oregon 97205.
503-275-9750. 503-275-9751.