I grew up in Oregon and love this place. The shades of green in the Willamette Valley, the way the trees change as you drive over the Cascades, and the distinct pleasures of going to the beach in a parka are all a part of what home means to me. In school I learned about Lewis and Clark and the Native Peoples who loved this land first. I studied the Oregon Trail and logged a lot of hours in the school computer lab playing the game. My peers and I collected bottles and cans as school children across the state raised money to replace the Gold Man at the Capitol Building. We learned that we could do this thanks to Gov. Tom McCall, whose legend grew as we got older.
I’ve lived in Oregon for over 30 of my 42 years. Yet despite all this time and learning, it has only been recently that I have begun to learn about the racist laws and history that shaped this place I love and still benefit me as a white woman to this day.
You see Oregon was in part founded as a White Supremacy haven and that led to all sorts of really disturbing moments in our story as a state.
A brief history from Wikipedia tells us:
In 1857, the Oregon Territory proposed a state constitution banning black people from entering, residing, or acquiring property. In 1859 Oregon became the only state to enter the Union with such an exclusion clause
In the 1920s, Oregon had the largest Ku Klux Klan membership per capita in the United States. KKK member Walter M. Pierce was elected governor in 1922.
Oregon did not ratify the Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which prohibited the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on their color or race, until 1959.
It might come as no surprise given this history that Portland is the whitest city in the US. Exclusion and racism continue to mark our communities. It is vitally important to know our history so we can understand our present and then work to change it.
While this all might seem daunting I have hope. Watching the TV show Oregon Experience about Oregon State University I learned it was founded by a bunch of pro-slavery folks who also were part of the Methodist Church in that community. One of the amazing things about this is that I would say Corvallis UMC is one of the most progressive churches in the state these days. A place that began as exclusive and discounting of people now has a reputation for radical welcome and love.
It is possible to change, to grow, to seek forgiveness and reconciliation. It is possible to shape a new culture and a new world. I love Oregon enough to want this place to be a diverse, welcoming, hope- filled state. As a person of faith I know it is our task to continue shaping the world into God’s vision of love and worth for all people.
This March the Parish is hosting a class led by a local college professor on the history of White Supremacy in Oregon. I’ll be joining with many of our church folks and neighbors in learning so that together we can begin living into a different way. If you are interested in joining us sign up here.
I am so thankful to be part of a community that is engaging who we are and what God hopes for community as we think about racism, reshape our space to be more accessible, and declare that we welcome and celebrate all people.
-Eilidh
The well-worn sticker on my laptop.
Recent Comments