Oregon Coast Celebrates Black History Month
Did you know the City of Waldport named its newest city park for Louis Southworth, one of the most well-known Black persons in Oregon in the 19th century? Or that an old mining town near Coos Bay was once the most diverse town in Oregon?
People of African descent have been walking Oregon’s beaches for over 400 years, and their stories are part of the fabric of what makes this place so special. This February, we’re celebrating Black History Month on the Oregon Coast through storytelling!
In the words of Zachary Stocks, Executive Director of Oregon Black Pioneers, “Oregon’s well-documented whiteness is more apparent on the coast than just about anywhere else in the state. But you may be surprised to learn that people of African descent have walked Oregon’s beaches for over 400 years, and have made important contributions to many of Oregon’s favorite coastal communities.”
Black History Month Story Guide
Over the years, we have worked with Oregon Black Pioneers to compile stories about Black History along the Oregon Coast. In our Black History Month Story Guide, you can find stories the specific to your region. We invite you to explore this document for a series of stories that you can share on your own consumer channels, in social media, newsletters, and more. There is power in storytelling, and celebrating Black history along the coast is an important step towards creating equitable opportunities and welcoming spaces for historically marginalized peoples.
And don’t forget to follow along on OCVA’s Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok throughout the month of February where we will be highlighting historic Black businesses!
Oregon Black Pioneers Merch
Also in collaboration with Oregon Black Pioneers, we recently launched a new collection in our online shop! This curation of stickers, patches, and clothes celebrates the remarkable legacy of Black-owned businesses on the Oregon Coast between the 1880s and 1960s.
Check out this merch, and tons of other stickers, patches, clothes, and more coastal keepsakes.
Additional Resources
If you’d like to learn more about Black History on the Oregon Coast, and share information and resources in your consumer channels, OCVA has a roundup of resources to help:
- Explore the Oregon Coast Black History Toolkit, which includes stories and photos of Black History along the coast. If you have stories to share of Black pioneers in your community, please let us know!
- Share these articles, Black History on the North Coast, by Kay Kingsman, and 5 Stops on Your Oregon Coast Black History Road Trip, by Zachary Stocks of Oregon Black Pioneers.
- Follow Oregon Black Pioneers on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube for more stories, events, and ways to share the history of Black Oregonians.
- Watch the unveiling of Waldport’s Louis Southworth sculpture, and read more about the life of Alsea Bay homesteader Louis Southworth. You can see the sculpture in person at the Alsea Bay Bridge Visitor Center.
- Read A Peculiar Paradise: A History of Blacks in Oregon, 1788–1940 by Elizabeth McLagan and published in cooperation with Oregon Black Pioneers.
- Check out OCVA’s Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok throughout the month of February for more ideas and inspiration.