Eugene officials seek public records on Black family history

The city of Eugene, Oregon, is accepting public submissions of stories, photographs, and documents related to Black life in the area until December 15, 2026. These materials will be used to finalize a Black History context statement currently in development by municipal staff.

Eugene and the wider state of Oregon have historically presented challenges for Black residents, yet distinct communities flourished. One such group was located on the north side of the Willamette River, an area now occupied by Alton Baker Park. This neighborhood was commonly referred to as the 'across the bridge community.'

In the initial phase of the project, city officials worked with the organization Oregon Black Pioneers to gather oral histories from families who have remained in the area for generations. Fabio Andrade, manager of the office of Equity and Community Engagement, noted that these elders described both the hardships they faced and the joy found in community support.

"They also described a lot of what day-to-day life was like, and the resiliency of the community and the joy that they found having each other to support whatever they needed to survive here," Andrade said.

Lorna Flormoe, the city's equity and access planner, stated that much of the local history has been passed down from grandparents to grandchildren, but the record is incomplete. "It may never be complete, so we're getting as much as we can," Flormoe said.

The city is now expanding its outreach to the general public to capture perspectives from people who have moved away. Andrade explained that the team hopes to better understand the experiences of residents during the 1940s and 1950s. He specifically noted a desire to learn why certain families are no longer present in Eugene today.

The collected data will inform the final version of the context statement. The project aims to document the specific conditions of Black life in Eugene over the last century, including the 100 years preceding the current date.