The 1953 Annual Report of the Urban League of Portland, “8 years of interracial progress.” The report includes descriptions of the organization’s progress toward equal opportunity for black Oregonians.

A photograph of Allen Ervin Flowers and Louisa M. Flowers standing beside rose bushes in the garden at their farm near Mt. Scott in Southeast Portland. A handwritten note on the back of the photograph reads, "Mother and Dad Flowers on farm, north slope Mt. Scott."

A head and shoulders portrait of Allen Ervin Flowers. A handwritten note on the back of the photograph reads, "Father, Allen Ervin Flowers."

A photograph of Allen Ervin Flowers standing on a sidewalk in a residential neighborhood. He is holding the hand of a young child standing beside him who is identified as his grandson. A handwritten note on the back of the photograph reads, "E. A. [sic.] Flowers & grandson."

Unidentified members of the congregation standing in front of the east side of the Bethel AME (African Methodist Episcopal) Church. The Bethel AME Church once stood on the corner of N. Larrabee Ave. and N. McMillen Street. It was torn down in the 1950s when the city built the Memorial Coliseum.

Half-length portrait of Booker T. Washington, seated and facing to the right. He is wearing a suit and bow tie. Written on the negative sleeve is the name “Washington, Booker T.”

Half-length portrait of Booker T. Washington, seated and looking slightly left. He is wearing a suit and bow tie. Written on the negative sleeve is the name “Washington, Booker T.”

Photograph of two boxers in the ring during a bout at Multnomah Civic Stadium in Portland on September 6, 1935. The boxer at left is Barney Ross; the boxer at right is Baby Joe Gans (also known as Gerald Slaughter). Ross won the match by knockout. Image note: The name “Barney Ross” is written on the negative and is visible on the left side of the image.

Photograph of two boxers standing in the ring, facing one another, at Multnomah Civic Stadium in Portland on September 6, 1935. They are surrounded by a small group of unidentified men. The boxer at left is Barney Ross; the boxer at right is Baby Joe Gans (also known as Gerald Slaughter). Ross won the match with Gans by knockout. Image note: The name “Barney Ross” is written on the negative and is faintly visible on the left side of the image.

Portrait of three football players in a row, posing with their hands on their knees.The players, all young men or teenage boys, are wearing sweatshirts, pads, football pants, and cleats. A building is partially visible in the background. On the negative, the name “Cannedy [sic]” is written next to the player on the left; the name “Daniels” is written above the player in the center; and the name “Armintrous [sic]” is written next to the player on the right.

Men in the Chandler & Bessilien Club Cafe, on Flanders Avenue in Portland.

Portrait of a man posing with his fists up. He is wearing a sweater under a sleeveless shirt, and his fists are wrapped. The text “Chas Long” is written on the negative and is visible on the right side of the image.

First Lt. Charles Richard Stanton was the first black bomber pilot in the U.S. Armed Forces—he flew 81 combat missions in Europe during WWII. He was born in Maryland in 1920, but had moved with this family to Portland by the 1930s. He enlisted in 1942 into the Air Corps for the duration of the war, plus six months. He died in 1991, and is buried at the Willamette National Cemetery in Portland.

Members of the Vancouver Avenue Congregational Church attend a meeting of the Christian Interracial Club in 1962.

A group photograph of members of the Church Deacon Board at the Vancouver Avenue First Baptist Church in 1960.

An group photograph of unidentified children taken during the 1953 Vancouver Avenue First Baptist Church Vacation Bible School.

A photograph of Ralph Flowers (center) and two unidentified employees standing in front of a sign for the City of Portland Municipal Garage.

A formal head and shoulders portrait of Clifford Allen Flowers wearing a suit.

Portrait of an unidentified drummer in a suit and tie, seated behind his drums. He is smiling and holding one drumstick in the air. Text that appears to be “A 2655” is written on the negative and is visible on the upper right side of the image.

Portrait, taken from the side, of a man facing to the right and posing with his fists up. He is standing on what may be a rooftop or balcony and is wearing boxing gloves and shorts. The name “Cartright” is written on the negative and is visible on the left side of the image. The boxer’s name may be misspelled on the negative; he may be Eddie Cartwright. Image note: Light leak on negative.

Close-up portrait of man with no shirt. The name “Cartright” is written on the negative and appears on the right side of the image. The boxer’s name may be misspelled on the negative; he may be Eddie Cartwright. Image note: Light leak on negative.

Portrait, taken from the side, of a man facing to the right and posing with his fists up. He is standing on what may be a rooftop or balcony and is wearing boxing gloves, shorts, and shoes. The name “Cartright” is written on the negative and is visible on the right side of the image. The boxer’s name may be misspelled on the negative; he may be Eddie Cartwright. Image note: Light leak on negative.

Portrait of a man posing with his fists up. He is standing on what may be a rooftop or balcony and is wearing boxing gloves, shoes, and shorts. The name “Cartright” is written on the negative and is visible on the right side of the image. The boxer’s name may be misspelled on the negative; he may be Eddie Cartwright. Image note: Light leak on negative.

Head and shoulders portrait of Elmer C. Bartlett facing front and wearing a suit jacket, collared shirt, tie, and glasses. A cropped version of this photograph was published on Page 5, Section 4 of the Oregon Journal's city edition on Sunday, August 16, 1931. The photograph had the following caption: "Elmer C. Bartlett who is here from Los Angeles to organize a large Negro choir that will be heard in concert the last part of September. The program will consist exclusively of Negro music." The photograph accompanied a story about Bartlett and the chorus that had the headline "Portland to Have Large Negro Chorus" and the subheading "Prominent Musician to Be Director." Note: The name “Bartlet” (sic) is written on the negative and is visible at the top of the image.

Portlanders Elnora Deiz and her mother Mollie Foster stand next to a war bonds poster featuring Deiz’s son, 1st Lt. Robert Deiz, known as the “Black Eagle.”

A photograph of Ervin Flowers leading a horse down a path. Allen Flowers stands to the side. A handwritten note on the back of the photograph reads, "Ervin, Dad Flowers, and Maude."

A photograph of Ervin Flowers standing between two horses in front of a barn at the Flowers family farm near Mt. Scott in Southeast Portland. A handwritten note on the back of the photograph reads, "Ervin Flowers on Farm."

An unidentified female employee of a shipyard in Portland during WWII takes a lunch break. Women were recruited into wartime industry jobs when men were sent overseas. Portland’s shipyards attracted thousands of women and African American workers looking for skilled, high-wage jobs.