A Brief History of Black History Month
This month CLP joins municipalities, counties, and the State of Oregon in celebrating Black History Month. Oregon’s history includes rich diversity, troubling legislation, and courageous action; highlighting various peoples’ experiences in the story of Oregon allows us a fuller, truer understanding of where we’ve been and where we may go.
Black History Month itself is an evolution of Black History Week, first launched in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson and The Association for the Study of African American Life and History. Over the following decades, celebrations grew more numerous and popular, so in 1969 Kent State University proposed establishing the full month of February as Black History Month. In 1976, President Gerald Ford officially recognized February as Black History Month, as has every sitting American President since.
In this edition of CLP Current Events, we have highlighted events, activities, voices, and collections specific to the historical and contemporary Black experience in Oregon. Though we made efforts to include many areas of the state in this Current Events offering, our curation should not be considered exhaustive, and we encourage every reader to contact local City Council and Chamber of Commerce offices for more information about what might be going on in their specific region.
Both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas had birthdays in February, making it a logical month to carry the weight and honor of paying special attention to Black history. However, CLP joins many voices in promoting the inclusion and highlighting of Black experience throughout the year.
Essential Questions:
- In what ways was Black historical experience in Oregon similar to and different from Black experience in other U.S. states?
- How does art, literature, and music by Black creators represent and contest predominant narratives of Black experience?
- Does Oregon’s landscape, geography, and historical architecture reflect and hold Black experience?
- In what ways is contemporary Black experience in Oregon a continuation of historical experience?
- How have historical archives, laws, and demographics changed to better reflect, understand, and support a continuing narrative of Black experience in Oregon?
Vocabulary:
Exclusion Laws: Oregon implemented several “Black exclusion laws” between 1844 and 1857 to prevent African Americans from settling in the territory and, later, the state. These laws, including the 1844 “Lash Law” and the 1857 constitution, prohibited Black people from entering, residing in, or owning property in Oregon, with punishments ranging from forced labor to whipping.
Redlining: Discriminatory banking/housing practices that restricted Black residents to specific areas, limiting generational wealth and inclusion.
Sundown Towns: Communities that deliberately excluded Black people, often enforced by threats, ensuring they left by sunset.
Albina: A neighborhood in Portland that became the center of Black life, business and culture.
Urban Renewal: 1960s-70s city projects that dismantled established Black neighborhoods like Albina, causing displacement.
Videos:
Background Resources:
“Black in Oregon: National and Oregon Chronology of Events” Oregon Secretary of State, Accessed February 15, 2026
“Black People in Oregon” Oregon Encyclopedia, Accessed February 16, 2026
“Oregon’s Enigmatic Black History” Oregon Historical Society, Accessed February 16, 2021
“From Trails to Timber: Uncovering Black History in Oregon” National Trust for Historic Preservation, January 22, 2021
Recent Articles:
“Six Must-Visit Black History Spots in Oregon” Travel Oregon, November 22, 2022
“100 Years: Black History Month, Oregon History Keepers” Oregon Black Pioneers and OPB, February 03, 2026
“Black History Month, 2026: Portland Events Celebrate Black Legacy” Oregon Live, February 02, 2026
“Black History Month at the Portland Art Museum” Portland Art Museum, February 2026
“2026 Black History Month Keynote Speaker: Erika Hart” University of Oregon Event scheduled for Monday, February 23, 2026 5:30pm to 7:30pm PST
“Black History Month Events and Activities” Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation, February 2026
“Black History Month Events” Central Oregon Community College, February 2026
“New BASE Series Highlights Black Cultural Legacy in Southern Oregon” Jefferson Public Radio, January 09, 2026
Recent Editorials:
“Letter from the Editor: Portland’s Path Forward Runs Through Its Past” The Oregonian, January 28, 2026 17
“2026 Black History Month Message from City African American Network (CAAN)” Portland.gov, January 28, 2026
“Mayor of Medford Black History Month Proclamation” City of Medford, February 04, 2026
Lesson Plans:
“Early Black Oregonians DBQ” Oregon Historical Society, Accessed February 17, 2026
“Oregon’s Black History Lesson Plans” Oregon Pioneers, September 06, 2023
Resources for Younger Students:
”Kindergarten: Learning About Other People Through Images and Objects” Oregon Historical Society Accessed February 18, 2026