PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Despite the Black exclusion laws that hindered and discouraged many African Americans from settling in Oregon, there’s still a rich history of Black individuals who have made indelible marks on the state.
In honor of the start of Black History Month, here’s (another) short list of influential Black figures in Oregon who shouldn’t be forgotten.
One of the first Black women to settle in Oregon was Letitia Carson, who moved to the state with David Carson in 1845. The Secretary of State’s archives show that the pair raised children together, but historians aren’t sure whether she was enslaved or formerly enslaved by him.
When David died in 1852, Letitia wasn’t immediately granted ownership of their property because state laws prohibited Black immigrants from owning land. In the ensuing years, she filed two suits that led to her being reimbursed for her labor on the farm.
By 1869, she had become the only Black woman in Oregon to have her land claim certified by President Ulysses Grant. She owned a 160-acre property in Douglas County.
Kent Ford co-founded the Portland chapter of the Black Panther Party, a political and social organization focused on Black empowerment, in the late 1960s.
According to the Oregon Historical Society, the local BPP started a children’s breakfast program and offered free medical and dental care to community members.
Dubbed the “mayor of Northeast Portland,” Paul Knauls has become a fixture of the city’s historically Black neighborhood.
The 93-year-old man also led the fundraising effort for “The Dream,” a $175,000 statue at the Oregon Convention Center that depicts Dr. Martin Luther King among other figures.
“Godfather of Jazz” Mel Brown has defined Portland’s jazz community since the 1970s. His talents landed him a contract with legendary record label Motown, which featured his drumming in many songs.
Notably, he’s worked alongside legendary musicians including Diana Ross, The Temptations and Stevie Wonder.
KOIN 6 News will be publishing a series of stories throughout Black History Month. If you’d like to see a figure featured, email the author at jashayla.pettigrew@koin.com.