Angel has opened doors for so many. She was the president for the NAACP , Linn Benton chapter. As the president the Juneteenth celebration in the area became an annual celebration. She is well respected and serves on many board and advisory committees. Her work in equity is well known.

Bernie and Bobbie Foster founded The Skanner, the pioneering Black-owned newspaper, in 1975. Their impact in Black communities in Portland, state-wide, and throughout the Pacific Northwest cannot be overstated. The Skanner shuttered in 2026, making Portland’s media landscape dimmer and less diverse.

In 2002, the wild west town of Shaniko (pop. 35) elected Booker T. Pannell its mayor, making him only the second Black person ever elected mayor of an Oregon town. Pannell ended up in Shaniko in 1985 when he got lost on a fishing trip. He decided to stay, and lived there for the rest of his life.

Charlene McGee has shaped Oregon public health through unwavering leadership, service, and mentorship. She has created pathways for Black professionals, strengthened communities, and continues to lead with courage and compassion, even through difficult budget challenges.

Charles grew up in Portland and graduated from Washington High School. He served as a fighter pilot with the Tuskegee Airmen, then became the first Black Portland police officer appointed in 42 years (the second since 1870). He re-joined the Air Force in 1951, achieving the rank of Captain.

Charlie and Bertha Johnson and their children were one of the first black families to settle in Eugene Oregon in the early 1940's in the "across the bridge" or "Tent City" village in what is now know as Alton Baker Park. The homes were destroyed by the city in 1949, causing displacement.

First Black City Commissioner in Portland Oregon.

Djimet Dogo has made & is making history in Oregon by expanding opportunities for African immigrant and refugee communities through visionary leadership, community organizing, and mentorship. His work has opened doors for future generations and helped shape a more equitable and welcoming Oregon.

Hurtis and Dorothy both survived the 1948 Vanport Flood as children, and moved to NE Portland, where they met, married and raised a family. They opened the Milwaukie Pastry Kitchen in 1977, Hurtis baking, Dorothy running the shop: “I made the dough in the back, she made the dough up front!”

Geraldine Hammond became Salem, Oregon’s first Black school principal in 1976. 25 years later, her decades of service were recognized when a new Salem school was named in her honor.

Oregon's first African American licensed Hairdresser/Salon owner.

LGBTQIA+ and women's rights activist, trusted community leader, beloved mentor, and policy maker who helped organize Portland's first gay rights march in 1976. She has worked extensively in public service and is currently the City of Portland’s Diversity Development/Affirmative Action Manager.

Lampkin trained at Portland’s Knott Street Gym (now Dishman CC), and won five Golden Glove Tournaments before turning pro in 1968. He won his first 21 fights, the NABF lightweight title in ‘74, and went 14 rounds with lightweight champion Roberto Duran in ‘75. His legacy lives on in Albina.

Journalist, hip-hop icon, editor-in-chief, BLM activist. "We came out here dressed in T shirts and and and doing hula hoops and stuff and they started shooting us. So we came back with vests. They started aiming for the head. So we started wearing helmets. And now they call us terrorists."

In 1984, State Senator Margaret Carter was the first Black woman to be elected to the Oregon Legislature. She served in the House and later in the Senate. Carter supported legislation creating an MLK holiday; divesting the state's assets from apartheid South Africa; creating enterprise zones; and much more.

Mason made history in the sport of Track & Field in the Special Olympics Summer State Games. He competed in the men's 100m and got a perfect tie score of 12:22 with Devon Holcomb. This has never been done in the history of the sport of Track & Field.

Mengistu Yemane-Berhane is an early Ethiopian Oregonian. He came to Oregon in the 1970s as a high school exchange student, later returned for college, and was honored as Citizen of the Year by Gov. Vic Atiyeh, preserving an important chapter of Black immigrant history.

Chappie was a dedicated and courageous educator in Oregon with special success in creating opportunities to pursue careers through HBCU’s, study of aviation, and personal mentorship and support. He also researched and shared stories about African Americans who worked in professional railroad roles.

Nathaniel "Nate" Hartley (1939–2026) was a pioneering self-made American industrialist who built the only Black-owned residential, industrial, and commercial oil company on the West Coast. His mantra inspired many: “You can’t take out of life what you don’t put in it.”

Nicole Sandoval created Nikki Brown Clown in 2011 - Oregon's first Black clown. A beloved leader at Portland's Juneteenth celebrations and her own events, she helps Black and Brown children see themselves reflected in her, championing cultural pride, literacy, and inclusivity.

Ron Herndon was a founder of the Black Education Center and the Black United Front in Portland. He led the struggle to improve Portland Public Schools for Black students and all students, saving neighborhood schools like Harriet Tubman Middle School. He is an inspiration.

In 2022, Dr. Ramycia McGhee became Albany’s first Black woman and first woman of color elected to the City Council. Her leadership, work in education, and commitment to preserving Oregon’s Black history continue opening doors for future generations and giving voice to stories too long overlooked.

Founder of Toolbox Gallery in Milwaukie which “dissolves barriers between artist and builder” and highlights the fine artistry that tradespeople bring to their craft. She studied art history at Lewis & Clark College, and started Zana Construction, a union-signatory finish carpentry company.

Taylor Stewart founded the Oregon Remembrance Project (ORP) in 2018 to memorialize Alonzo Tucker. Stewart's dedication to racial justice has continued to drive vital truth and reconciliation work forward in communities across Oregon. Including programs like the Sunrise Project in Grants Pass.

Willie, a now-retired Portland Public Schools principal, made a marvelous attitude adjustment toward Black people in the city of Lake Oswego. She founded Respond to Racism. She is honored by the city with a mural featuring her on the outside of the City Hall building.

Served righteously on behalf of her community and her state in the origin and development of Oregon Black Pioneers. Truly a force for love and action.

Wiley Griffon's story highlights the resilience and impact of Black Americans in shaping Oregon's history, particularly in the realm of public transportation. Griffon was the first Black transit operator and lived in OR during exclusionary laws! He is the spirit of perseverance!