About the Project

The OSU Special Collections and Archives Research Center was awarded a $5000 grant from the Oregon Cultural Trust for its "Oregon African American Railroad Porters Oral History Preservation Project." The funds were used to digitize thirty oral history interviews from their original open reel audio format to digital form and to have the interviews professionally transcribed. This project preserves oral histories that recount the work of Portland's African American railroad porters in the early and mid-20 century, at a time when job opportunities for African American males were largely limited to service related jobs. The subjects featured in these interviews include prominent figures both within and beyond the African American community and these stories will add to their rich historical legacy. The stories of other interviewees, who may not be as well known, will become a much needed addition to Oregon's historical record. Interviewees include Otto Rutherford, Woodrow E. Wilson, Lonnie Wilson, Jimmy Sullivan, Cleophas Smith, Vernon Gaskin, Willie Rice, James Brooks, Congressman Augustus Hawkins, E. Shelton Hill, Daniel Allen, Eddie Butler, Hazel Murray, Lawrence Alberti, Cliff Jackson, Walter Reynolds, George Canada, and Alfred Richerdson.

Although the African American community in Oregon is relatively small (about 2% based on the 2010 Census), their social and economic impact on the state has been substantial and this collection will add to the community’s history. The interviews feature the experiences of Oregonians and in addition to expanding the state’s historical record, the interviews will also add valuable information to the history of African Americans in the Pacific Northwest, as well as the historical experiences of black railroad porters across the nation. To highlight the significance of these interview subjects, the following is a brief overview of the work of a selection of interviewees: Otto Rutherford was involved in the Portland chapter of the NAACP and played an important role in the successful passage of the Public Accommodations Bill, also known as the Oregon Civil Rights Bill, in the state legislature in 1953; E. Shelton Hill arrived in Portland in 1941 as a railroad employee, served as president of the Urban League of Portland from 1959 to 1973, and successfully advocated for the rights of Oregon’s African Americans; and James Brooks who served as director of the Urban League of Portland from 1974-1978, after heading several of the League's programs.

The Oregon African American Railroad Porters Oral History Collection is a part of the Oregon Multicultural Archives (OMA) which was established in 2005 by the Oregon State University Libraries and Press (OSULP), and is a program of OSULP's Special Collections and Archives Research Center. The mission of the OMA is to assist in preserving the histories and sharing the stories that document Oregon's African American, Asian American, Latino/a, and Native American communities. The OMA serves the entire state of Oregon and anyone interested in Oregon’s multicultural history by providing access to historical materials that reflect how Oregonians of color have impacted the state and helped shaped its identity. By preserving these oral history interviews and making them accessible online, the stories of these individuals can be used by researchers, students, teachers, and the general public. The information gained through the interviews can be used to deepen the level of understanding of how African Americans played a significant role in the social and economic changes to the Portland area and the state as a whole during the 20th century. Through the preservation of the Oregon African American Railroad Porters Oral Histories collection, this project has the potential to deepen public knowledge, understanding of, and appreciation of the African American experience and perspective in Oregon. The information will benefit a variety of researchers who may be conducting investigations on topics such as race relations, black studies, especially pertaining to employment opportunities, and social justice. The content made accessible will give more details and share more stories to then be added to the burgeoning scholarship of a significant community within our state's history.

Special Thanks

This project would not have been possible without the work of all involved: Michael Grice, collection donor; Bob Zybach, Oregon historian; Larry Landis, director of the OSU Special Collections and Archives Research Center; Tom Fine, audio materials digitization professional; Hope Glenn, interview transcriber; Chris Petersen and Ryan Wick, project website support; Kylie Thalhofer, graphic designer; and Natalia Fernández, project coordinator. A final word of thanks to the Oregon Cultural Trust, which provided the grant funds required to digitize and transcribe the audio materials presented on this website.

Contact

For more information on the project, please contact Natalia Fernández, Curator and Archivist of the Oregon Multicultural Archives natalia.fernandez@oregonstate.edu

Preferred Citation

"African American Railroad Porters Oral History Collection (OH 29), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon."

This website is a product of the Oral History Program at the Oregon State University Libraries Special Collections and Archives Reseach Center. Release Date: October 12, 2016.