OCH Publications
OCH publications provide Oregonians with good, thoughtful and informative writing on a broad range of humanities topics as well as presenting information about OCH activities to our constituency and the greater public. Individuals, schools, and communities in Oregon and beyond use the following publications.
Recurring Publications
Oregon Humanities
Oregon Humanities magazine examines topics of broad public interest from a variety of perspectives and approaches. Recent issues of this publication have focused on marriage and popular culture. Through good and thoughtful writing, Oregon Humanities means to enrich our understanding of important subjects, and to stimulate conversation and reflection among readers, their friends, families, colleagues, and neighbors. Read our writers' guidelines, view the table of contents of the current issue, or request a free subscription of three issues per year (available only in the U.S.).
OCH E-Newsletter
The OCH e-newsletter is a monthly publication distributed by e-mail that provides information about OCH programs, events, activities, and opportunities. E-newsletter subscribers are the first to hear about grant and program deadlines, upcoming themes for Oregon Humanities, and special events around the state. Please visit our Contact page to sign up to receive the publication.
Commonplace Lectures
Commonplace Lectures chapbooks are published three times a year in conjunction with OCH's Commonplace Series, which connects ideas and communities. Past lecturers include journalist Mark Trahant, architecture critic Randy Gragg, University of Puget Sound professor Mott Greene, Whitman University professor Don Snow, and novelist and editor Matthew Stadler.
Other Publications
OCH Newsletter
The OCH newsletter informs readers of new developments in OCH programs, special projects and events that OCH is sponsoring, and addresses topics in humanities teaching and learning. OCH ceased publication of the OCH Newsletter in 2007. You can receive information about OCH through the OCH E-Newsletter and Oregon Humanities magazine.
The First Oregonians: Second Edition
Edited by Laura Berg
Published by the Oregon Council for the Humanities, 2007
Originally published in 1991, The First Oregonians has been revised and expanded for a new generation of Oregonians. It provides a comprehensive view of Oregon's native peoples from the past to the present. In this remarkable volume, Oregon Indians tell their own stories, with more than half of the book's chapters written by members of Oregon's nine federally recognized tribes. Using oral histories and personal reflections, these chapters vividly depict not only a history of decimation and decline, but also a contemporary view of cultural revitalization, renewal, and continuity. The First Oregonians also includes essays exploring geography, federal-Indian relations, language, and art written by prominent Northwest scholars.
The First Oregonians is available for purchase from OCH. Visit our online bookstore or call OCH at (503) 241-0543 or (800) 735-0543. You can also pay by check. Please download and complete an order form and send it to OCH with your payment.
Nosotros: The Hispanic People of Oregon Essays and Recollections
Edited by Erasmo Gamboa and Carolyn Buan
Published by the Oregon Council for the Humanities, 1995.
Nosotros reflects the Oregon Council for the Humanities' commitment to increasing the public's understanding of Oregon's diverse ethnic character. Our goal in this book has been to produce a visually engaging, historically accurate, and reasonably comprehensive picture of the Hispanic people of Oregon.
Essay topics range from tales of the Spanish explorers and vaqueros to analyses of modern government policy, from explanations of traditional celebrations to examinations of works by exciting new artists, from accounts of migrant life to successful Hispanic entrepreneurs. The book also includes several oral histories that were gathered during a two-year, statewide project. From this rich blend of essay and story emerges a picture of a community with deep roots and bright future in Oregon.
If you would like to order a copy of Nostros, please download an order form, print it out, and send it to us with payment. The cost of the publication is $10 plus shipping and handling.
Publication Praises
"As Oregon grows more ethnically diverse, we need thoughtfully researched and beautifully illustrated books like Nosotros to help all Oregonians understand the rich heritage of this great state. I congratulate the Council on such a valuable educational tool for our citizenry."
—Former Senator Mark O. Hatfield
"Thank you very much for producing high quality and enlightening issues of Oregon Humanities twice a year. I have used numerous articles from the publication in my classroom. The articles are informative and a great teaching resource to broaden the perspectives of my students. Thank you for all of the hard work of your contributors and of the staff."
—Justin Chin, English teacher at Dallas High School
"Originally, I supported OCH because my 'roots' are in Eastern Oregon and I appreciated having the Chautauqua programs available to smaller communities. Later came an appreciation for your school programs, and now I would hate to miss an issue of Oregon Humanities."
—Cecelia Goodnight from Mosier, Oregon
"[The First Oregonians, Second Edition] goes even further than the previous edition toward rectifying decades of racially biased history and media commentary, which tended to portray Indians either as a vanished race of savages or a helpless minority stripped of their lands, cultures, and identities. Individually and collectively, these essays enable Native Americans to take the lead in telling their own stories of survival, adaptation, resistance, and recovery."
—Andrew Fisher, professor of history at the College of William & Mary