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1. Instead of my usual monthly Burma (Myanmar) topic, this History Thread is a brief backgrounder on Portland, Oregon’s history as it relates to the ongoing Portland Black Lives Matter protest situation, along with an overview of those events.
2. Portland (653k pop. 2018) is on violently stolen land of #Indigenous Mollala, Multnomah, Kathlamet, Chinook, Clackamas, Tualatin Kalapuya & other Nations. White colonizers' timber towns were established along the Willamette River in 19th Century. https://oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/urban_indians/
3. Oregon was founded w. racial exclusions incl. “lash law.” White settlers feared free Black people & #Indigenous people alliance. 1857 state Constitution excluded all Black people. State’s racism history also violence/massacre against Chinese immigrants. http://www.oregonhumanities.org/rll/magazine/skin-summer-2013/dangerous-subjects/
4. Oregon’s anti-Black exclusion law was finally repealed in 1926, but racist language in state Constitution not removed until 2002. Ku Klux Klan was very popular & influential in 1920s Oregon. In 1936 Portland gave a festive welcome to a Nazi naval ship. http://www.portlandmercury.com/feature/2017/11/15/19472650/echoes-of-the-klan
5. Oregon progressive history incl. 1920s-30s labor unions IWW, Longshoremen. Afro-American League in Portland 1900, "Advocate" a Black Portland newspaper founded 1903. Ghadar Party vs. British rule of India began 1903 among Punjabi immigrants in Oregon.
https://oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/east_indians_of_oregon_and_the_ghadar_party//
https://oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/east_indians_of_oregon_and_the_ghadar_party//
6. During WW2 Portland Black population much increased as workers came to #Vanport community for shipyard work. N/NE Portland had thriving Black community with “Jumptown” jazz clubs. But 1948 flood destroyed Vanport effectively evicting Black Portlanders. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/vanport-oregon-how-countrys-largest-housing-project-vanished-day-180954040/
7. 1960s & 70s many Portlanders combined protests with community mutual aid. Portland’s Black Panthers organized free breakfast & dental care. White supremacy persisted with racist skinhead gangs in 1980s (murdered Ethiopian immigrant Mulugeta Seraw 1988.) https://oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/black_panthers_in_portland/
8. 1970 Vortex I rock festival state-sponsored to distract Portland protesters from planned Nixon visit. 90s-00s Portland creative/hardcore protests vs. Gulf War (city nicknamed Little Beirut) & Iraq War. Bloc protesters in Eugene, Portland. Direct action on Oregon forest issues.
9. Decades Portland Police Bureau racist/Nazi incidents. Also 2012 “US Dept Justice found Portland police had a pattern of using excessive force against people w. mental illness” (Willamette Wk) Racist violence in Portland incl. Max Train murders 2017. w http://www.wweek.com/portland/article-23444-sept-17-2006-police-beat-james-chasse-to-death.html
10. 2003 Portland Police Bureau (PPB) officer killed unarmed Kendra James during traffic stop. Black people killed by PPB recent yrs incl. Quanice Hayes (shot surrendering on knees 2017) Patrick Kimmons (shot in back.) Portland St. University police killed Jason Washington 2018.
11. When Minneapolis Police murdered George Floyd, Portland BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) response late May ‘20 included occupy steps of Justice Center PPB HQ (Downtown) & park vigil. Justice Center & some Downtown stores vandalized. Curfew imposed for a few days.
12. Defying curfew massive Black Lives Matter marches crossed Portland bridges. Black-led Eastside marches shut down I-84 (Portland Black neighborhoods had been displaced by I-5 Freeway & other construction) & took to the streets of gentrified historically Black neighborhoods.
13. Downtown Portland Black Lives Matter protests focused on Portland Police Bureau HQ Justice Center every night. PPB put a fence around building. Dispersed crowds w. teargas, munitions, brutal sweeps. Mutual aid programs in parks adjoining an elk statue. https://twitter.com/MrOlmos/status/1269527636172132352
14. Despite COVID-19 pandemic, little demonstrations everywhere across Portland as neighbors marched/stood with signs. Portland’s Mayor Ted Wheeler pushed a "good protester, bad protester" narrative inflicting constant PPB attacks on the Downtown protests. https://twitter.com/ibethsalterego/status/1269825756323917824
15. Along with the nationwide Black Lives Matter movement Portlanders called for major defunding of local police (or abolition & alternatives to policing) with funds redirected to Black communities. Thread by @alex_zee explaining PPB issues & policy: https://twitter.com/alex_zee/status/1271541703749459968
16. Other protest targets included NE & SE Portland law enforcement facilities & office of Police union. Police unions often help prevent accountability for killings by police. These protests, some of which included fires set by participants, attacked by PPB & condemned by Mayor.
17. Hatfield Federal Courthouse next block from PPB Justice Center was never protest focus until military gear personnel seen inside early July: Federal officers sent to "quell" Portland protests based there. Citizen videos of abduction detentions by Feds. http://www.opb.org/news/article/federal-law-enforcement-unmarked-vehicles-portland-protesters/
18. Some protesters threw fireworks, bottles at Federal law enforcement officers who used munitions shot at heads, relentless teargas, beatings, brutal arrests. Oregon politicians condemned Fed. occupation. Thread by @LizaGoitein on questionable legality: https://twitter.com/LizaGoitein/status/1285573814462623745
19. Federal enforcement presence with brutal tactics caused outrage across Portland. Moms, Veterans showed up Downtown to help protect BIPOC protesters. Lawsuits vs. Feds. National attention. Black-led org.s like Don’t Shoot PDX continue work as always. https://twitter.com/MrOlmos/status/1288023620468391937
20. Portland Police sometimes participated as Federal enforcement officers continued to escalate their violence during July. Remarkably, unarmed protesters adapted with protective equipment and were increasingly able to defy highly armed & dangerous Feds. https://twitter.com/EdithMirante/status/1286593638957371392
21. Why Portland? Smallish city but a variety of people are willing/able to sustain protest, confront racist history here. As Portland protest situation continues, local reports: @tuckwoodstock @TheRealCoryElia @MacSmiff @MrOlmos @PDocumentarians @KohzKah https://twitter.com/PDocumentarians/status/1287638564251955201
22/22. This History Thread is dedicated to Portland’s many brave protest medics like @OHSU4BLM & @PDXActionMedics. I recommend http://www.vanportmosaic.org for learning Portland Black History. My other History Threads — which are about Burma (Myanmar) — are at http://www.projectmaje.org
