Unthank Park, May 1971 Courtesy of Our Story / City of Portland Archives
The Multnomah County Library just launched a new digital collection of photos and documents chronicling Portland's African American community over the years. Called "Our Story: Portland Through an African American Lens," the collection melds archives from Oregon Historical Society Research Library, Oregon State University, and City of Portland Archives.
It's fantastic. To celebrate the new collection, the library's holding a celebration this weekend (A party for online archives! And also for the untold memories and narratives of a historically disenfranchised community! These are things I am passionate about) at the North Portland Library.
Here are some of our favorite photos from the collection.
The Junior Neighborhood Committee, Albina Neighborhood, 1967 Courtesy of Our Story / City of Portland Archives
1963 Courtesy of Our Story / City of Portland Archives
July, 1963 Courtesy of Our Story / City of Portland Archives
William Saunders & Wess Brewer, participating in the Albina Neighborhood Improvement Project, 1962 Courtesy of Our Story / City of Portland Archives
Lillian Campbell with the family dog, 1959 Courtesy of Our Story / City of Portland Archives
Izeal Campbell, 1959 Courtesy of Our Story / City of Portland Archives
Miss NAACP and her court, year unknown Courtesy of Our Story / Oregon Historical Society Research Library
Irving Park, 1972 Courtesy of Our Story / City of Portland Archives
Black Velvet performance, year unknown Courtesy of Our Story / Oregon Historical Society Research Library
The Urban League of Portland's beauty clinic, 1964 Courtesy of Our Story / Oregon State University - Oregon Multicultural Archives
Block clean up, September 1963 Courtesy of Our Story / City of Portland Archives
Unthank Park, 1971 Courtesy of Our Story / City of Portland Archives
Portland Rose Festival, 1913 Courtesy of Our Story / Oregon Historical Society Research Library
Unthank Park, 1971 Courtesy of Our Story / City of Portland Archives
Mad Hatter's Ball, year unknown Courtesy of Our Story / Oregon Historical Society Research Library
Urban League of Portland's Mad Hatters Ball, 1963 Courtesy of Our Story / Oregon State University - Oregon Multicultural Archives
"Model Cities rally," 1971 Courtesy of Our Story / City of Portland Archives
From left to right, Lemuel Robinson, Billy Washington, Manfred Robinson, Ed Washington, and an unidentified man at McElroy's Ballroom. Date unknown. Courtesy of Our Story / Herb Perkins
1963 Courtesy of Our Story / City of Portland Archives
Unthank Park, 1971 Courtesy of Our Story / City of Portland Archives
1971 Courtesy of Our Story / City of Portland Archives
1966 Courtesy of Our Story / City of Portland Archives
Unthank Park, 1971 Courtesy of Our Story / City of Portland Archives
The Portland Air Base Bombers, segregated baseball team, 1944 Courtesy of Our Story / Oregon Historical Society Research Library
