African Americans in Oregon

The family of America Waldo Bogle, one of the first African Americans to settle in Oregon.
Total population
91,000
Languages
English
Related ethnic groups
African Americans

In 2017, there were an estimated 91,000 African Americans in Oregon.^[1]

History

Politicians from Portland meet with the Ku Klux Klan.

African-Americans, like Blacks in other states, were historically discriminated against, but much more strongly contrasted to the rest of the US. When Oregon became a state in 1859, it was the only US state restricting people of certain ethnic backgrounds from owning land. From 1844 to 1936 the Government of Oregon set up restrictions prohibiting people of African descent from residing in the state, which has caused socio economic issues that still exist today.^[2]

In the early 20th century, the African American population became heavily represented in the timber industry, helping to transform it into one of Oregon's most diverse trades.^[3][4]

Notable African-American Oregonians

• Tanya Barfield, playwright
• Dick Bogle, first Black television reporter in the Pacific Northwest
• Beatrice Morrow Cannady, civil rights activist and co-founder of the Portland branch of the NAACP
• Brandon Gonzáles, boxer of both Black and Mexican descent
• A. C. Green, professional basketball player
• Charles Jordan, first Black city commissioner for Portland
• Gladys McCoy, politician
• Harriet Redmond, suffragette
• McCants Stewart, first African-American lawyer in Oregon