Join the library for a special lecture from Mariah Rocker of the Oregon Black Pioneers about the history of blacks in Oregon:

People of African descent have lived and worked in Oregon since before the founding of the earliest English-speaking settlements in the Americas. Despite this, the popular narrative of our state's history excludes the experiences of African Americans before the mid-20th century. This erasure is the result of historic legal and social marginalization that contributes to the ignorance of Oregon's Black heritage, as well as influences contemporary disparities in housing access, community investment, and policing. For this presentation, Oregon Black Pioneers will attempt to correct the record by highlighting key individuals and events that characterize Oregon's unique and centuries-old Black history.

Oregon Black Pioneers is Oregon’s only historical society dedicated to preserving and presenting the experiences of African Americans statewide. For more than 30 years, they have illuminated the seldom-told stories of people of African descent in Oregon through engaging exhibits, public programs, publications, and historical research.

Mariah Rocker is the Public Programs and Exhibits Manager at Oregon Black Pioneers. With a bachelor's in Public Relations and a bachelor's in Sociology, Mariah’s passion for uncovering and sharing the stories of marginalized communities is evident in both her professional and personal pursuits. In her free time, Mariah channels the strength and resilience of historical icons by dressing up as them, and also enjoys crafting handmade miniatures.

This event is generously sponsored by the Reed Heritage Committee and the Office for Institutional Diversity. There will be a reception to follow the lecture.