DESCRIPTION:
GRANTMAKERS of Oregon and Southwest Washington is pleased to join in partnership with The Oregon Community Foundation to offer a unique learning experience for our members. As a part of our commitment to embed equity in philanthropy, GOSW and OCF will co-host the Fair Housing Council of Oregon’s “Hidden History Tour” on Thursday, May 31st from 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
While most of us call Oregon home, we may not be aware of the ways in which Oregon’s laws and social practices affected members of our communities. Also known as the “Discrimination Bus Tour”, the Fair Housing Council of Oregon’s day-long learning experience is designed to explore Oregon’s hidden history of discrimination, displacement and segregation and help us have a better understanding of the impact of these practices on people throughout our state.
Here is a sample of some of the things that you will learn about on our tour:
- Oregon once had the largest Ku Klux Klan membership, per capita, in the nation
- Until 1926, Oregon’s Constitution prohibited African Americans from living in our state
- As late as the 1960s, cities and towns throughout our state had “sundown laws” that prevented African Americans and Asians from staying overnight
- The city of Vanport, a largely African American community, was lost and never recovered in the floods of 1948
- Japanese internment camps were once set up at the Portland Expo Center
These facts about Oregon continue to have a ripple effect today, and they have likely had a role in creating some of the challenges that the philanthropic community is working to address. Through this shared learning experience, we have an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of our history and to be in dialogue with one another about how we can make Oregon a more equitable state.
The tour will include lunch and then we will reconvene at the Oregon Historical Society for a facilitated debrief and exclusive access to Racing to Change: Oregon’s Civil Rights Years.
Produced in Partnership with The Oregon Community Foundation and the Fair Housing Council of Oregon
REGISTRATION:
This event is now FULL. To be placed on the waiting list, please email register@gosw.org.