Sign up to be the first to hear about what we’re doing around the state.
News related to this program.
Apr 05
Through May 31, 2012, Oregon nonprofits may apply to host Conversation Project programs taking place between July 1, 2012 and October 31,... More
Jul 15
Race and change in Oregon. Life after war. Censorship in literature. Rethinking downtown. These are just a few of topics available during... More
The Conversation Project offers Oregon nonprofits free programs that engage community members in thoughtful, challenging conversations about ideas critical to our daily lives and our state's future. Conversations are facilitated by some of Oregon's most respected humanities scholars.
Have you ever wondered why the Black population in Oregon is so small? Oregon has a history not only of Black exclusion and discrimination, but also of a vibrant Black culture that helped sustain many communities throughout the state—a history that is not taught in schools. Portland State University adjunct professor Walidah Imarisha will lead participants through an interactive timeline of Black history in Oregon and will also discuss how history, politics, and culture have shaped—and will continue to shape—the landscape for Black Oregonians.
Comment on this program. (0 so far)
Equipment required: a digital projector and enough wall space to hang 20-30 sheets of 8.5 x 11 inch sheets of paper
Program available through October 2013
Walidah Imarisha has taught in Portland State University’s Black studies department, where she has created classes about topics as diverse as the history of the Black Panther Party, race and the history of prisons, Hurricane Katrina, and hip hop as literature. She has facilitated writing workshops, for students in third grade to twelfth, in community centers, youth detention facilities, and women’s prisons. Imarisha was a founding editor of AWOL, a national political hip hop magazine. She has toured nationally and internationally as part of the poetry duo Good Sista/Bad Sista. Imarisha has been featured on several hip hop CDs, and her work was anthologized in Total Chaos: The Art and Aesthetics of Hip Hop. Imarisha also filmed and codirected Finding Common Ground in New Orleans, a documentary about Hurricane Katrina’s aftermath.
Links for this page
Add a comment
Oregon Humanities welcomes your commentary. We encourage lively public discourse and civil debate, but please be respectful in expressing your views.