I was raised in Portland in the 50’s and 60’s. There was 1 black family in our exclusive neighborhood. When they moved in, our many neighbors brought a petition to our door and asked my father to sign it. It was to pressure the property owner NOT to sell his property to the black family. My father instead, did not sign it and purchased the property on the other side of the parcel in question. My family invited the new family to dinner. Contrary to what that letter suggested, they had the best kept lawn and house, their children were honor roll students and they were perfect neighbors and community members.
My father never minded that the rest of our neighbors ostracized him for not signing that petition. He was well accepted in other circles. He was a Veterinarian and loved people as much as he loved animals.
Reportedly, the Portland neighborhood I grew up in once had a racial covenant prevent the sale of houses to anyone who was black, Chinese or Irish. Not sure it's true - but I'm not sure it isn't, either.
I am 79. That was the norm for most neighborhoods in the days of my childhood. There were just a couple of neighborhoods where racial diversity was tolerated. The very large high school that I attended had one black student and 2 asian students. That was Woodrow Wilson High School. I suppose, it has changed a lot, by now. The neighborhood we lived in is adjacent to Lewis and Clark College. I hope it has integrated, by now, as well.
I'm a couple decades younger - by my time, redlining was no longer so strict, but I suppose it didn't matter. When the Columbus Day Flood washed away the shipbuilding town of Vanport in the river, the mostly black survivors settled in Albina and North Portland because those were the only places they legally could move. As everywhere, redlining depressed wealth accumulation and made it difficult to move again later.
Here's what I think most people today interact with minorities all the time and they don't think about it. But the Republicans and especially Trump have convinced them minorites are bad so they rationalize it by thinking that the ones they know and interact with are the "good ones" while this amorphous group of minorities "out there" where people are definitely not the same as the people they interact with everyday are bad and criminals. So they hear "we are going after the worst of the worst and rationalize it. Of course there's out and out racist like my ex boss that collects ssdi while running his own Marina that yells all the time I would get more benefits if it weren't for all these illegals ripping off the government. Which blows my mind he's literally waste fraud, and abuse but he's obsessed with illegals getting benefits!
It's quiet, but its there. I remember in high school going to a panel discussion by some of my black classmates and having the scales fall from my eyes.
Soon after that, then again, it wasn't so quiet. By the time I was leaving high school was the era when all the neo-Nazis were flocking to Idaho, and there were plenty in Portland, too.
There is a book titled "The Green Book" of which there is a contemporary version which list businesses and "sundown" townships that still unofficially discourage Black and other non-White races from visitation...You might be surprised to learn of such places in just about every state...It makes me not want to remain in this country with my mixed-race family...White supremesists are such losers!!!
I was raised in Portland in the 50’s and 60’s. There was 1 black family in our exclusive neighborhood. When they moved in, our many neighbors brought a petition to our door and asked my father to sign it. It was to pressure the property owner NOT to sell his property to the black family. My father instead, did not sign it and purchased the property on the other side of the parcel in question. My family invited the new family to dinner. Contrary to what that letter suggested, they had the best kept lawn and house, their children were honor roll students and they were perfect neighbors and community members.
My father never minded that the rest of our neighbors ostracized him for not signing that petition. He was well accepted in other circles. He was a Veterinarian and loved people as much as he loved animals.
Reportedly, the Portland neighborhood I grew up in once had a racial covenant prevent the sale of houses to anyone who was black, Chinese or Irish. Not sure it's true - but I'm not sure it isn't, either.
I am 79. That was the norm for most neighborhoods in the days of my childhood. There were just a couple of neighborhoods where racial diversity was tolerated. The very large high school that I attended had one black student and 2 asian students. That was Woodrow Wilson High School. I suppose, it has changed a lot, by now. The neighborhood we lived in is adjacent to Lewis and Clark College. I hope it has integrated, by now, as well.
I'm a couple decades younger - by my time, redlining was no longer so strict, but I suppose it didn't matter. When the Columbus Day Flood washed away the shipbuilding town of Vanport in the river, the mostly black survivors settled in Albina and North Portland because those were the only places they legally could move. As everywhere, redlining depressed wealth accumulation and made it difficult to move again later.
Here's what I think most people today interact with minorities all the time and they don't think about it. But the Republicans and especially Trump have convinced them minorites are bad so they rationalize it by thinking that the ones they know and interact with are the "good ones" while this amorphous group of minorities "out there" where people are definitely not the same as the people they interact with everyday are bad and criminals. So they hear "we are going after the worst of the worst and rationalize it. Of course there's out and out racist like my ex boss that collects ssdi while running his own Marina that yells all the time I would get more benefits if it weren't for all these illegals ripping off the government. Which blows my mind he's literally waste fraud, and abuse but he's obsessed with illegals getting benefits!
Wow! I never thought about racism in the PAC NW - I always associated it with the areas east of the Mississippi. Great information.
It's quiet, but its there. I remember in high school going to a panel discussion by some of my black classmates and having the scales fall from my eyes.
Soon after that, then again, it wasn't so quiet. By the time I was leaving high school was the era when all the neo-Nazis were flocking to Idaho, and there were plenty in Portland, too.
Very interesting! Out of a very bad lot, Miller and Vaught may be the worst of the bunch.
I'd say they are. What I'd love to know whether the two get along or hate each other.
Birds of a feather, you know.
I'd bet they haaaaate each other.
It would be interesting to know.
There is a book titled "The Green Book" of which there is a contemporary version which list businesses and "sundown" townships that still unofficially discourage Black and other non-White races from visitation...You might be surprised to learn of such places in just about every state...It makes me not want to remain in this country with my mixed-race family...White supremesists are such losers!!!
Still! Crikey, I had no idea.