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Oral history interview with Bernie Foster [Sound Recording 02]

Session 2. This oral history interview with Bernie Foster was conducted by Jan Dilg at The Skanner Newsgroup offices in Portland, Oregon, from August 30 to October 12, 2017. Bernie Foster was nominated by Oregonians to be interviewed as part of a program by the Oregon Historical Society Research Library to enhance and expand the range of voices in the library's collections. Interviewees are selected from the pool of nominees by a staff committee appointed by the historical society's executive director. The interview was recorded over three sessions; however, the first part of the first session was not recorded. In the second interview session, conducted on September 17, 2017, Foster discusses the Skanner Foundation, which grants awards and scholarships to members of Oregon’s black community. He talks about starting the foundation in the early 1990s; the foundation’s annual fundraiser, the Martin Luther King Jr. Annual Breakfast; and some of the community members who have received awards and scholarships. He also briefly talks about his experience surviving cancer. He discusses the Portland Police Bureau, and shares his thoughts about police brutality against black people. He talks about his involvement in the renaming of Union Avenue to Martin King Luther, Jr. Boulevard. He then talks about his motivation for starting The Skanner newspaper, some of the stories the paper has published, and building a brand. He discusses preservation issues associated with running a website and how he handled those issues with The Skanner’s site.

Foster, Bernie (Bernard), 1940-

Oral history interview with Bernie Foster [Sound Recording 03]

Session 3. This oral history interview with Bernie Foster was conducted by Jan Dilg at The Skanner Newsgroup offices in Portland, Oregon, from August 30 to October 12, 2017. Bernie Foster was nominated by Oregonians to be interviewed as part of a program by the Oregon Historical Society Research Library to enhance and expand the range of voices in the library's collections. Interviewees are selected from the pool of nominees by a staff committee appointed by the historical society's executive director. The interview was recorded over three sessions; however, the first part of the first session was not recorded. In the third and final interview session, conducted on October 12, 2017, Foster revisits topics that were discussed in the unrecorded part of the first interview session. He talks about founding The Skanner with his wife, Bobbie Doré Foster, in 1975, including getting advertisers, practicing journalism in the 1970s, and distributing the paper and finding an audience. He talks about some of the stories he published, about handling dishonest sources, and about covering local politics. He discusses some of his interactions with the community, the changes in the Portland black community since the 1970s, and some examples of his activism. He talks about his relationship with the Oregon Historical Society, including receiving the History Makers award in 2013 and donating The Skanner’s photograph archive. He shares his hopes for the future of the newspaper, talks about the importance of journalism in a democracy, and revisits the topic of his motivation in starting The Skanner. He closes the interview by discussing his involvement in the Hood to Coast Relay.

Foster, Bernie (Bernard), 1940-

Oral history interview with Bobbie Doré Foster [Sound Recording 02]

Session 2. This oral history interview with Bobbie Doré Foster was conducted by Jan Dilg in the office of The Skanner Newsgroup from August 29 to September 26, 2017. Bobbie Dore Foster was nominated by Oregonians to be interviewed as part of a program by the Oregon Historical Society Research Library to enhance and expand the range of voices in the library's collections. Interviewees are selected from the pool of nominees by a staff committee appointed by the historical society's executive director. The interview was conducted in three sessions. In the second interview session, conducted on September 12, 2017, Foster discusses the Skanner Foundation, including the scholarship and awards program, and fundraising events. She talks about her and Bernie Foster’s involvement in the renaming of Union Avenue to Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. She also talks about a fire at a building owned by The Skanner that occurred during that time. She then discusses her involvement with several community organizations, including the Rotary Club, De La Salle North Catholic High School, and the NAACP. She also talks about her involvement with the Saint Andrew Catholic Church.

Foster, Bobbie Doré, 1938-

Oral history interview with Bobbie Doré Foster [Sound Recording 03]

Session 3. This oral history interview with Bobbie Doré Foster was conducted by Jan Dilg in the office of The Skanner Newsgroup from August 29 to September 26, 2017. Bobbie Dore Foster was nominated by Oregonians to be interviewed as part of a program by the Oregon Historical Society Research Library to enhance and expand the range of voices in the library's collections. Interviewees are selected from the pool of nominees by a staff committee appointed by the historical society's executive director. The interview was conducted in three sessions. In the third and final interview session, conducted on September 26, 2017, Foster discusses awards she received, and also revisits the topic of studying journalism at Portland State University. She then talks about the many awards The Skanner received. She also discusses the donation of The Skanner photograph archive to the Oregon Historical Society. She talks about the challenges of running a newspaper, where The Skanner has been most successful, and how the paper has changed over the decades. She closes the interview by discussing the importance of role models for black children.

Foster, Bobbie Doré, 1938-

Oral history interview with Ida Mae Shepherd [Session 02]

In the second interview session, conducted on September 11, 2020, Shepherd speaks further about her family background, focusing on her paternal family. She revisits the topic of her early life in the Eliot neighborhood, and talks about her Catholic upbringing and involvement with the Immaculate Heart Catholic Church. She discusses how the Black community changed after World War II, as well as changes in the way white people treated them. She then continues to discuss living in Vanport as a teenager during World War II, including her social life, recreational activities, and segregation. She also talks about her early education and about jobs she worked after dropping out. She shares her experiences during the 1948 flood, including living in Guild's Lake for a short time afterward.

Shepherd, Ida Mae, 1929-2022

Oral history interview with Isaka Shamsud-Din [Session 02]

In the second interview session, conducted on January 18, 2019, Shamsud-Din discusses studying art at Portland State University and painting his first murals. He speaks at length about his involvement with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in Arkansas during the civil rights movement. He talks about living in San Francisco from 1966 to 1967 and about his involvement with the Black arts community there; about living in Anchorage, Alaska; and about returning to Portland to teach at PSU. He discusses serving as artist-in-residence at several educational institutions during the 1970s, including Reed College; talks about his work with the Albina Mural Project; and shares his experiences of not being paid adequately for his work. He talks about the status of the Black community in Portland.

Shamsud-Din, Isaka, 1940-

Oral history interview with Isaka Shamsud-Din [Session 03]

In the third and final interview session, conducted on January 25, 2019, Shamsud-Din discusses his role in starting Black studies courses at San Francisco State University and at PSU, and shares his thoughts on the value of such programs. He talks about his involvement with the Nation of Islam, about his reasons for leaving the organization in 1976, and about his identity as a Black Muslim. He also speaks further about his reasons for changing his name. He discusses his painting process and his work as an editorial cartoonist, and talks about vandalism of some of his murals in Portland. He closes the interview by talking about the lives of his siblings, about the patronage of Arlene Schnitzer and Harold Schnitzer for his art, and about the many jobs he worked over his life.

Shamsud-Din, Isaka, 1940-

Oral history interview with LeRoy Haynes, Jr. [Sound Recording 01]

Session 1. This oral history interview with the Rev. Dr. LeRoy Haynes, Jr., was conducted by Jan Dilg at Haynes’ office in Portland, Oregon, from October 8 to December 5, 2018. Haynes was nominated by Oregonians to be interviewed as part of a program by the Oregon Historical Society Research Library to enhance and expand the range of voices in the library's collections. Interviewees are selected from the pool of nominees by a staff committee appointed by the historical society's executive director. The interview was conducted in three sessions. In the first interview session, conducted on October 8, 2018, Haynes discusses his family background and early life in Beaumont, Texas, including his experiences with racism and segregation as a black person. He talks about the black community in Beaumont, his early education, and his early involvement with the Methodist Episcopal Church. He discusses his involvement in the civil rights movement, including his training for and participation in non-violent protests. He then talks about his involvement in the Black Power Movement and the Black Consciousness Movement. He discusses his role in the development of the Black Panther Party; talks about the history of the struggle for freedom for black people; and discusses his experience in college while organizing for civil rights. He talks about his journey in becoming a Methodist Episcopal pastor and briefly talks about his experience at the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

Haynes, LeRoy, Jr., 1949-

Oral history interview with LeRoy Haynes, Jr. [Sound Recording 03]

Session 3. This oral history interview with the Rev. Dr. LeRoy Haynes, Jr., was conducted by Jan Dilg at Haynes’ office in Portland, Oregon, from October 8 to December 5, 2018. Haynes was nominated by Oregonians to be interviewed as part of a program by the Oregon Historical Society Research Library to enhance and expand the range of voices in the library's collections. Interviewees are selected from the pool of nominees by a staff committee appointed by the historical society's executive director. The interview was conducted in three sessions. In the third interview session, conducted on December 5, 2018, Haynes discusses serving as president of the North Portland Bible College. He talks about his involvement with the Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon and his continued activism. He reflects on the challenges he faced as a civil rights activist, and how he applied the lessons he learned during that time to his community activism in Portland. He also talks about the different forms that racism takes, particularly describing the difference between his experiences in Texas and Oregon. He discusses his book, “God's Prophet in Non-Violence: The Theology and Philosophy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,” and talks about what he hopes readers take from it. He closes the interview by talking about his work with the Allen Temple Christian Methodist Episcopal Church at the time of the interview, awards he’s received, and his hopes for the future.

Haynes, LeRoy, Jr., 1949-

Oral history interview with Bill Curtin [Sound Recording 04]

Session 2. This oral history interview with Bill Curtin was conducted by Greta K. Smith at Curtin’s home in Portland, Oregon, from September 24 to November 16, 2018. Bill Curtin was nominated by Oregonians to be interviewed as part of a program by the Oregon Historical Society Research Library to enhance and expand the range of voices in the library's collections. Interviewees are selected from the pool of nominees by a staff committee appointed by the historical society's executive director. The interview was conducted in four sessions. In the second interview session, conducted on October 12, 2018, Curtin revisits the topic of his father’s career as a police officer in the Portland Police Bureau. He talks about his reasons for joining the Catholic priesthood; briefly discusses his involvement in Vietnam War protests; and speaks about his experiences as a priest at St. Charles Church in Portland, including his involvement with Adams High School and going on ride-alongs with the Portland Police Bureau. He then discusses his service as a priest at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in the Albina neighborhood of Portland, including his involvement with Portland’s black community, his role with the school at Immaculate Heart, and providing pastoral care to patients at Legacy Emanuel Hospital. He also talks about funding the church’s programs, as well as the arrest of priest Tom Laughlin for child molestation.

Curtin, Bill (William Craib), 1942-

Oral history interview with Bill Curtin [Sound Recording 05]

Session 3. This oral history interview with Bill Curtin was conducted by Greta K. Smith at Curtin’s home in Portland, Oregon, from September 24 to November 16, 2018. Bill Curtin was nominated by Oregonians to be interviewed as part of a program by the Oregon Historical Society Research Library to enhance and expand the range of voices in the library's collections. Interviewees are selected from the pool of nominees by a staff committee appointed by the historical society's executive director. The interview was conducted in four sessions. In the third interview session, conducted on October 29, 2018, Curtin continues discussing his service as a priest at Immaculate Heart, including his involvement with Portland’s black community, his role with the school at Immaculate Heart, and the church’s relationship with the Portland Police Bureau. He talks about the effect the Legacy Emanuel Hospital expansion project had on the Albina neighborhood and community; discusses his involvement with the Model Cities program; and talks about his work with the Albina Fair Share program. He also speaks about his father’s involvement with addiction recovery programs. He then discusses his decision to leave the priesthood in 1981.

Curtin, Bill (William Craib), 1942-

Oral history interview with Bill Curtin [Sound Recording 06]

Session 4, Part 1. This oral history interview with Bill Curtin was conducted by Greta K. Smith at Curtin’s home in Portland, Oregon, from September 24 to November 16, 2018. Bill Curtin was nominated by Oregonians to be interviewed as part of a program by the Oregon Historical Society Research Library to enhance and expand the range of voices in the library's collections. Interviewees are selected from the pool of nominees by a staff committee appointed by the historical society's executive director. The interview was conducted in four sessions. In the fourth and final interview session, conducted on November 16, 2018, Curtin revisits the topic of his work with Albina Fair Share. He also talks about his work towards utility rate reform with Oregon Fair Share. He discusses the relationship between the Portland Police Bureau and the Portland black community; talks about his friendship with Penny Harrington, the first woman police chief in Portland; and speaks about his involvement with Central City Concern and talks about its roots in detoxification programs. He talks about taking his parishioners camping and on other nature excursions. He then revisits the topic of leaving the priesthood in 1981, describing his transition to secular life. He talks about working in security at Reed College and then Lewis and Clark College; discusses his marriage to Liddy Krier, and talks about her children, their families, and their careers; and talks about his activities since retiring in 2006. He reflects on his relationship with Portland’s black community and on racism he observed, and shares his thoughts on prison and police reform. He closes the interview by discussing current politics and talking about his own role in politics with both Albina Fair Share and Oregon Fair Share.

Curtin, Bill (William Craib), 1942-

Oral history interview with Bill Curtin [Sound Recording 07]

Session 4, Part 2. This oral history interview with Bill Curtin was conducted by Greta K. Smith at Curtin’s home in Portland, Oregon, from September 24 to November 16, 2018. Bill Curtin was nominated by Oregonians to be interviewed as part of a program by the Oregon Historical Society Research Library to enhance and expand the range of voices in the library's collections. Interviewees are selected from the pool of nominees by a staff committee appointed by the historical society's executive director. The interview was conducted in four sessions. In the fourth and final interview session, conducted on November 16, 2018, Curtin revisits the topic of his work with Albina Fair Share. He also talks about his work towards utility rate reform with Oregon Fair Share. He discusses the relationship between the Portland Police Bureau and the Portland black community; talks about his friendship with Penny Harrington, the first woman police chief in Portland; and speaks about his involvement with Central City Concern and talks about its roots in detoxification programs. He talks about taking his parishioners camping and on other nature excursions. He then revisits the topic of leaving the priesthood in 1981, describing his transition to secular life. He talks about working in security at Reed College and then Lewis and Clark College; discusses his marriage to Liddy Krier, and talks about her children, their families, and their careers; and talks about his activities since retiring in 2006. He reflects on his relationship with Portland’s black community and on racism he observed, and shares his thoughts on prison and police reform. He closes the interview by discussing current politics and talking about his own role in politics with both Albina Fair Share and Oregon Fair Share.

Curtin, Bill (William Craib), 1942-

Oral history interview with Bobbie Doré Foster [Sound Recording 01]

Session 1. This oral history interview with Bobbie Doré Foster was conducted by Jan Dilg in the office of The Skanner Newsgroup from August 29 to September 26, 2017. Bobbie Dore Foster was nominated by Oregonians to be interviewed as part of a program by the Oregon Historical Society Research Library to enhance and expand the range of voices in the library's collections. Interviewees are selected from the pool of nominees by a staff committee appointed by the historical society's executive director. The interview was conducted in three sessions. In the first interview session, conducted on August 29, 2017, Foster discusses her early life in Abbeville, Louisiana. She talks about the importance of education, and briefly describes her education in Louisiana. She then talks about moving to Astoria, Oregon, in 1965, and attending Clatsop Community College. She discusses spending some years in Seattle, Washington, and settling in Portland, Oregon, and studying journalism at Portland State University. She speaks about her involvement in the founding of The Skanner Newsgroup with her husband, Bernie Foster, in 1975; describes the process of printing a newspaper; and talks about the mission of the paper. She talks about the paper’s readership, gentrification in the neighborhood of the Skanner building, and expanding the paper to Seattle. She talks about issues affecting the black community; talks about her experience as a woman in the media, and about as other women journalists; and discusses other black newspapers around the United States.

Foster, Bobbie Doré, 1938-

Oral history interview with Ida Mae Shepherd [Session 03]

In the third interview session, conducted on September 25, 2020, Shepherd discusses her marriage to Theodore Cassidy Powell. She then talks about living in the Albina neighborhood in the early 1950s. She also revisits the topic of how the Black community changed after World War II, as well as how the way white people treated them changed. She talks about working as a janitor at KGW, and about her brief marriage to Curley Massey. She speaks about her marriage to Emmett Edwin Shepherd, about buying a house in the Eliot neighborhood, and about the changes in the neighborhood since the 1960s. She talks about raising a family, about her career in housekeeping and janitorial services, and about her experiences during the civil rights movement, including meeting Coretta Scott King. She shares her thoughts about police treatment of Black residents, talks about the mass displacement of Black residents during the construction of I-5 in the 1960s, and discusses the Black community in the Albina area of Portland.

Shepherd, Ida Mae, 1929-2022

Oral history interview with Ida Mae Shepherd [Session 04]

In the fourth interview session, conducted on October 9, 2020, Shepherd discusses her experiences picking hops in the 1930s. She shares a childhood drawing she created of a tavern on Union Avenue, as well as a photograph. She talks about the people who lived in the Eliot neighborhood, and discusses her children, their families, and their careers. She revisits the topic of her experiences during the civil rights movement, and the topic of the mass displacement of Black people during the construction of I-5 in the 1960s, as well as during the expansion of Emanuel Hospital in the 1970s. She speaks at length about her involvement with Albina Fair Share and about working to reduce the amount of abandoned houses in the neighborhood. She talks about her involvement with Immaculate Heart Catholic Church.

Shepherd, Ida Mae, 1929-2022

Oral history interview with LeRoy Haynes, Jr. [Sound Recording 02]

Session 2. This oral history interview with the Rev. Dr. LeRoy Haynes, Jr., was conducted by Jan Dilg at Haynes’ office in Portland, Oregon, from October 8 to December 5, 2018. Haynes was nominated by Oregonians to be interviewed as part of a program by the Oregon Historical Society Research Library to enhance and expand the range of voices in the library's collections. Interviewees are selected from the pool of nominees by a staff committee appointed by the historical society's executive director. The interview was conducted in three sessions. In the second interview session, conducted on October 29, 2018, Haynes continues discussing his journey in becoming a Methodist Episcopal pastor and his experience at the Perkins School of Theology. He also talks about the history of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He discusses his career as a pastor in Texas; talks about navigating the conservative attitudes in Dallas to accomplish his goals; and describes his accomplishments. He goes on to speak about his involvement with the Albina Ministerial Alliance in Portland, Oregon. He discusses his work, in both Oregon and Texas, for programs regarding AIDS and HIV, as well as addiction. He then briefly talks about serving as president of the North Portland Bible College. He discusses his love of education and talks about earning his doctorate of ministry from Brite Theological Seminary and doing post-doctoral work at Boston University. He describes being recruited to serve as pastor of Allen Temple Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in Portland, and presiding elder of the Alaska & Oregon/Washington Districts and in the Alaska-Pacific Region of the 9th Episcopal District. He shares his first impression of Portland and describes his congregation and the church building. He revisits the topic of his involvement in the Albina Ministerial Alliance and talks about his work toward police reform.

Haynes, LeRoy, Jr., 1949-

Oral history interview with Joyce Braden Harris [Sound Recording 01]

Session 1. This oral history interview with Joyce Braden Harris was conducted by Jan Dilg at Education Northwest in Portland, Oregon, from November 19 to December 12, 2018. Joyce Braden Harris was nominated by Oregonians as part of a program by the Oregon Historical Society Research Library to enhance and expand the range of voices in the library's collections. Interviewees are selected from the pool of nominees by a staff committee appointed by the historical society's executive director. The interview was conducted in three sessions. In the first interview session, conducted on November 19, 2018, Harris discusses her family background and early life with her grandmother in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, and then with her parents and siblings in Madrid, Spain. She discusses her experiences as the only member of her family to speak Spanish and as the only black person in her class. She also describes growing up in Harlem and its community. She discusses her education in New York, including a teacher strike in 1968; starting a black literature class; racism that she, her teachers, and other students faced; and her early activism and leadership roles. She also talks about the Vietnam War, particularly its effect on two of her brothers, who served in the Air Force during that time. She discusses her experiences at Reed College in Portland, Oregon, including how she chose that school. She also speaks about her and her brothers’ experiences with police. She talks about events that shaped her political outlook, including the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.; her love of mystery novels by black women authors; and people who have influenced her. She discusses some of the awards she has received, her involvement in annual Kwanzaa celebrations, and her work as an educator.

Harris, Joyce Braden, 1951-

Oral history interview with Bill Curtin [Sound Recording 02]

Session 1, Part 2. This oral history interview with Bill Curtin was conducted by Greta K. Smith at Curtin’s home in Portland, Oregon, from September 24 to November 16, 2018. Bill Curtin was nominated by Oregonians to be interviewed as part of a program by the Oregon Historical Society Research Library to enhance and expand the range of voices in the library's collections. Interviewees are selected from the pool of nominees by a staff committee appointed by the historical society's executive director. The interview was conducted in four sessions. In the first interview session, conducted on September 24, 2018, Curtin discusses his family history and early life in the Laurelhurst neighborhood of Portland, including his Irish-Catholic heritage and discrimination his family faced as a result. He speaks at length about his father, Victor Aloysius Curtin, and his father’s career as a police officer in the Portland Police Bureau and involvement with Portland’s black community. He discusses his early interest in joining the Catholic priesthood. He then talks about his education at St. Edward Seminary in Kenmore, Washington, including the changes in the Catholic Church after World War II, some of his professors and fellow students, and his interest in social justice issues. He also talks about community service he did during seminary; shares his memories of Vietnam War protests; and discusses how the issue of birth control affected the church.

Curtin, Bill (William Craib), 1942-

Oral history interview with Bill Curtin [Sound Recording 03]

Session 1, Part 3. This oral history interview with Bill Curtin was conducted by Greta K. Smith at Curtin’s home in Portland, Oregon, from September 24 to November 16, 2018. Bill Curtin was nominated by Oregonians to be interviewed as part of a program by the Oregon Historical Society Research Library to enhance and expand the range of voices in the library's collections. Interviewees are selected from the pool of nominees by a staff committee appointed by the historical society's executive director. The interview was conducted in four sessions. In the first interview session, conducted on September 24, 2018, Curtin discusses his family history and early life in the Laurelhurst neighborhood of Portland, including his Irish-Catholic heritage and discrimination his family faced as a result. He speaks at length about his father, Victor Aloysius Curtin, and his father’s career as a police officer in the Portland Police Bureau and involvement with Portland’s black community. He discusses his early interest in joining the Catholic priesthood. He then talks about his education at St. Edward Seminary in Kenmore, Washington, including the changes in the Catholic Church after World War II, some of his professors and fellow students, and his interest in social justice issues. He also talks about community service he did during seminary; shares his memories of Vietnam War protests; and discusses how the issue of birth control affected the church.

Curtin, Bill (William Craib), 1942-

Oral history interview with Bernie Foster [Sound Recording 01]

Session 1. This oral history interview with Bernie Foster was conducted by Jan Dilg at The Skanner Newsgroup offices in Portland, Oregon, from August 30 to October 12, 2017. Bernie Foster was nominated by Oregonians to be interviewed as part of a program by the Oregon Historical Society Research Library to enhance and expand the range of voices in the library's collections. Interviewees are selected from the pool of nominees by a staff committee appointed by the historical society's executive director. The interview was recorded over three sessions; however, the first part of the first session was not recorded. In the first interview session, conducted on August 30, 2017, Foster discusses the history and daily operation of The Skanner, the Portland-based newspaper he co-founded. He talks about hiring journalists, attempting to expand into radio, and running an online news site. He talks about his involvement with the National Black Publishers Association and some of the stories he published, including on the topic of policing in Portland.

Foster, Bernie (Bernard), 1940-

Oral history interview with Ida Mae Shepherd [Session 01]

In the first interview session, conducted on August 14, 2020, Shepherd speaks at length about her family background, particularly focusing on the life of her maternal grandmother, Edith Goodell Lee. She discusses her early life in the Eliot neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, and talks about businesses in the area. She then briefly talks about living in Vanport during World War II. She discusses her research into her family history.

Shepherd, Ida Mae, 1929-2022

Oral history interview with Joyce Braden Harris [Sound Recording 03]

Session 3. This oral history interview with Joyce Braden Harris was conducted by Jan Dilg at Education Northwest in Portland, Oregon, from November 19 to December 12, 2018. Joyce Braden Harris was nominated by Oregonians as part of a program by the Oregon Historical Society Research Library to enhance and expand the range of voices in the library's collections. Interviewees are selected from the pool of nominees by a staff committee appointed by the historical society's executive director. The interview was conducted in three sessions. In the third session, conducted on December 12, 2018, Harris discusses the work of the Black United Front towards providing quality, non-racist education. She also talks about her involvement with the BUF. She talks about the presence of police in schools, the rise of charter schools, and organizing black college fairs. She discusses her involvement with the Albina Ministerial Alliance Coalition for Justice and Police Reform, including the coalition’s efforts toward a federal investigation of police violence in Portland. She also outlines a brief history of police killings of black people in Portland and describes some of the memorials she attended. She then describes organizing a welcoming committee and other volunteer efforts for New Orleans evacuees in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. She also shares the story of arranging a funeral for a baby, who was found in a dumpster, and whom she named Baby Precious. She closes the interview by talking about some of the awards and other recognition she has received, and her plans for the future.

Harris, Joyce Braden, 1951-

Oral history interview with Bill Curtin [Sound Recording 01]

Session 1, Part 1. This oral history interview with Bill Curtin was conducted by Greta K. Smith at Curtin’s home in Portland, Oregon, from September 24 to November 16, 2018. Bill Curtin was nominated by Oregonians to be interviewed as part of a program by the Oregon Historical Society Research Library to enhance and expand the range of voices in the library's collections. Interviewees are selected from the pool of nominees by a staff committee appointed by the historical society's executive director. The interview was conducted in four sessions. In the first interview session, conducted on September 24, 2018, Curtin discusses his family history and early life in the Laurelhurst neighborhood of Portland, including his Irish-Catholic heritage and discrimination his family faced as a result. He speaks at length about his father, Victor Aloysius Curtin, and his father’s career as a police officer in the Portland Police Bureau and involvement with Portland’s black community. He discusses his early interest in joining the Catholic priesthood. He then talks about his education at St. Edward Seminary in Kenmore, Washington, including the changes in the Catholic Church after World War II, some of his professors and fellow students, and his interest in social justice issues. He also talks about community service he did during seminary; shares his memories of Vietnam War protests; and discusses how the issue of birth control affected the church.

Curtin, Bill (William Craib), 1942-

Oral history interview with Ida Mae Shepherd [Session 05]

In the fifth and final interview session, conducted on October 26, 2020, Shepherd speaks at length about how the Albina area of Portland, particularly the Eliot neighborhood, changed over her life. She also shares her reasons for living nearly her entire life in the area. She discusses how the ways that white and Black Portlanders interact have changed over her life. She talks about the death of her husband, Emmett E. Shepherd, about her volunteer work since her retirement in the late 1980s, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected her activities. She discusses the political situation at the time of the interview in 2020, including protests in Portland and the presidential election. She closes the interview by talking about her recent stroke and recovery.

Shepherd, Ida Mae, 1929-2022

Oral history interview with Isaka Shamsud-Din [Session 01]

In the first interview session, conducted on December 7, 2018, Shamsud-Din discusses his family background and early life on a farm in Atlanta, Texas. He talks about his life in Vanport, Oregon, from 1947 until the 1948 flood that destroyed Vanport. He shares his experiences studying art at the University of Kansas and at the Museum Art School in Portland, Oregon, while a teenager; and talks about the reasons he considered dropping out of high school, including racism he experienced and the focus of public school curriculum on white culture and history. He also shares his reasons for changing his name to Isaka Shamsud-Din. He talks about hitchhiking to San Francisco, California, after high school.

Shamsud-Din, Isaka, 1940-

Oral history interview with Joyce Braden Harris [Sound Recording 02]

Session 2. This oral history interview with Joyce Braden Harris was conducted by Jan Dilg at Education Northwest in Portland, Oregon, from November 19 to December 12, 2018. Joyce Braden Harris was nominated by Oregonians as part of a program by the Oregon Historical Society Research Library to enhance and expand the range of voices in the library's collections. Interviewees are selected from the pool of nominees by a staff committee appointed by the historical society's executive director. The interview was conducted in three sessions. In the second interview session, conducted on December 3, 2018, Harris discusses her experiences at Reed College in Portland, including her efforts to make the curriculum less Eurocentric. She talks about her involvement with Ron Herndon and the black community in Portland; racism she experienced and witnessed; and her involvement with the Black Student Union. She describes the origins of the Black Educational Center, which provided free summer education to black youth and became a full-time private school in 1974. She also talks about continuing her studies at Portland State University. She speaks at length about her work as an educator, including designing lessons for her students, working with parents, and taking her students on field trips to meet public figures. She then discusses working at the Talking Drum bookstore and her involvement in Portland Kwanzaa celebrations. She speaks at length about working with Portland Public Schools to improve the educational environment, particularly for black students. She talks about working with the Northwest Regional Education Laboratory beginning in 1992. She closes the session by discussing her family life.

Harris, Joyce Braden, 1951-