Influential figures who have impacted Black history in Oregon, part 4
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Despite the Black exclusion laws that hindered and discouraged many African Americans from settling in Oregon, there’s still a rich history of Black individuals who have made indelible marks on the state.
In honor of the start of Black History Month, here’s a short list of influential Black figures in Oregon who shouldn’t be forgotten.
Former Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider owner vies for spot on Portland City Council
Bobby Robinson and Charles Williams
Bobby Robinson and Charles Williams, alumni from Portland’s Jefferson and Washington high schools, made history as the University of Oregon’s first Black football players and student-athletes. They arrived in Eugene in 1926, when they were told to live off-campus due to concerns about “trouble from the townspeople.”
According to UO, Robinson and Williams’ teammates petitioned for them to move on campus with the other athletes. The two were moved to a dormitory in 1927, but they lived in an apartment instead of a room in the main part of the building.
That same year, Robinson was tapped as UO football’s quarterback. He and Robinson both started for the season opener, when the team defeated Linfield University 7-0.
Agreement to save Pacific Northwest salmon population signed
William Hilliard
With a journalism degree from Pacific University, William Hilliard first joined the Oregonian/OregonLive staff when he was 25 years old in 1952. In the following decades, he was promoted to sports reporter, assistant city editor, city editor and executive editor.
He officially became the newspaper editor in 1987, and was the first Black person to do so. Hilliard worked to expand the newspaper’s reach in the suburbs and push for diversity in the newsroom, the Oregon Historical Society said.
Margaret Carter
Louisiana native Margaret Carter moved to Portland with her five daughters in 1968. She went on to attend Portland State University and Oregon State University, where she obtained both a bachelor’s and master’s in education by 1974.
It wasn’t until 1983 that a community of Portlanders asked her to run for a seat in the Oregon House. She ultimately won, becoming the District 18 representative and the state’s first Black female representative.
According to OHS, Carter was an essential part of Oregon’s decision to mark Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday as a state holiday.
Oregon Zoo’s endangered rhino baby gets a ‘sweet’ name
Bertony Faustin
Oregon holds more than 900 wineries, but in 2008, Bertony Faustin opened Abbey Creek Vineyard and became the first recorded Black winemaker in the state.
Later in 2015, he created the “Red, White & Black” documentary to highlight other Black people in the wine industry. The documentary was selected for the 2018 MegaFest International Film Festival 2018 Capital City Black Film Festival.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
