Why aren’t there more Black people in Oregon? That’s the provocative question Imarisha poses – and then proceeds to answer. Start with the state’s original constitution, which banned blacks from living here. The law was repealed in the 1920s, but the language remained in the constitution until voters finally excised it in 2002. Oregon’s continued difficulty with welcoming communities of color stems from this history and has become ingrained in the state’s economic and social structures, says Imarisha, who teaches Black Studies at PSU.https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/pdxtalks/1004/thumbnail.jp
