Oregon Black Pioneers is excited to introduce Black History Quest, our new virtual program series! Join us live every other month as a different History Investigator reveals the hidden stories behind select artifacts from the OBP research files.
From complicated family trees to important church chronicles to an unsolved murder, take a peek behind the curtain as experts take on questions that have perplexed researchers of Oregon’s African American history. In each episode we’ll learn about the challenges and surprises of doing historical research, and try to answer the question: how can one source change history?
Black History Quest will be streamed live and archived on the Oregon Black Pioneers YouTube and Facebook pages. Stay tuned to OBP’s Instagram and Facebook page for reminders!
Our 2023 roster of BHQ History Investigators includes:
• Kylie Pine, Willamette Heritage Center, (1/27/23) Black History Quest: Hiding in Plain Sight: The Bayless family in Salem, Oregon Watch here
• Pamela Filbert, Independent genealogist and researcher, (3/24/23) Black History Quest: Mystery in Marshfield, the murder of Timothy S. “Frank” Pettis Watch here
• Mauren Battistella, Southern Oregon University, (5/26/23) Black History Quest: Three Families, Three Fortunes: John Mathews, Michael Wooley, Woodson Tucker Watch here
• Zachary Stocks, Oregon Black Pioneers, (9/29/23) Black History Quest: The Shoreys in Hammond Watch here
Music for 5/26 and 9/29 episodes: Black Pioneers by Luvjonez Music © 2023, used with permission
Photo: Unidentified sailor, Portland harbor, 1919, courtesy Alex Blendl Historic Photographs