Black Pioneers to Honor Oregon’s Black Elected Officials on March 14

Oregon Black Pioneers will honor Oregon’s Black elected officials at a dinner on March 14 at the World Museum of Speed in Wilsonville. Twenty-six Black Oregonians are currently serving in elected positions across the state, and nearly 40 others have served in elected positions in the past. Many of these officials are expected to attend the March 14 dinner, which is a fundraising event for Oregon Black Pioneers. Dr. Miles Davis, president of Linfield College, will be the keynote speaker. 

Oregon Black Pioneers (OBP), founded in 1993 in Salem, researches, recognizes, and commemorates the culture and heritage of African Americans in Oregon. An all-volunteer 501(c)(3) organization, OBP is a resource for information about Oregon’s African American history throughout the state. The organization has curated four major exhibits at the Oregon Historical Society. OBP’s current major exhibit, Racing to Change: Oregon’s Civil Rights Years—The Eugene Story, is at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History in Eugene through September 2020. A ten-foot pop-up version of the original Racing to Change: Oregon’s Civil Rights Years exhibit is available for display in smaller venues.  

For more information about Oregon Black Pioneers and to buy tickets to the March 14 dinner honoring Oregon’s Black elected officials, please visit www.oregonblackpioneers.org.