Louis Southworth
The stories of Black pioneers who built lives in Oregon despite laws designed to exclude them will be explored in a traveling exhibit opening at Newport’s Pacific Maritime Heritage Center on Thursday, Nov. 12.
The opening will include a screening of “Oregon’s Black Pioneers,” a documentary provided courtesy of Oregon Public Broadcasting, along with exhibit viewing, snacks and refreshments.
Between 1840 and 1870, Oregon’s provisional and territorial governments passed laws denying Black people rights afforded to white settlers. Despite those restrictions, a small number of Black Americans settled or remained in Oregon, challenging discriminatory laws and laying the groundwork for future Black communities.
The exhibit highlights some of those pioneers and the risks they took to build better lives for themselves and their families. To accompany the traveling display, the Lincoln County Historical Society has compiled histories of Black pioneers along the Oregon Coast, from Coos Bay to Astoria.
The exhibit will remain on display through February 28.
Thursday’s opening begins at 5 pm, with the documentary screening at 5:45 pm, at the Pacific Maritime Heritage Center, located at 333 SE Bay Blvd. in Newport. Entry to the center is free during the event but donations are suggested. For more information, go to oregoncoasthistory.org or call 541-265-7509.