Eugene Archives: City Seeks Black Family Histories from 1940s and 1950s

The city of Eugene is collecting personal narratives, photographs, and documents to complete a historical record of Black life in the area. The initiative aims to capture details from the mid-20th century that have not been formally documented.

Eugene and the state of Oregon historically presented challenges to Black residents. A community on the north side of the Willamette River, now the site of Alton Baker Park, was known as the “across the bridge community.” Families from this group have contributed memories to the project. The city has not specified the total number of records collected thus far.

Lorna Flormoe, an equity and access planner for the city, explained that oral history has often been passed from grandparents to grandchildren. She noted that this transmission is incomplete. “It may never be complete, so we’re getting as much as we can,” Flormoe said.

Fabio Andrade, manager of the office of Equity and Community Engagement, led the first phase of the project with Oregon Black Pioneers. Elders described their arrival in Eugene and the hardships they faced. They also detailed daily life and the support networks within the community.

Andrade said the elders described the resiliency of the community and the joy found in mutual support. “So it was really interesting to get to hear those stories as well,” he said. The city is now expanding the effort to the general public.

The public call for materials seeks to understand the experiences of people living in the 1940s and 1950s. Andrade said the project hopes to learn more about why some families are no longer in Eugene. The city is accepting submissions through December 15, 2026.

The collected materials will be used to finalize a Black History context statement currently in progress. The statement will serve as a reference for the city’s historical record.