Oregon’s Black history takes center stage at Wasco County Courthouse Museum

Sep 1

Written By Columbia Community Connection

From Wasco County Courthouse Museum, with edits from Joshuah Albert:

The Dalles, Ore., Sept. 1, 2026 — More than four centuries of Black history in Oregon will be compressed into a 45-minute presentation later this month at the Original Wasco County Courthouse Museum in The Dalles.

Mariah Rocker, public programs and exhibits manager for Oregon Black Pioneers, will present “Oregon’s Black History: 450 Years in 45 Minutes” at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, at the museum, 410 W. Second Place, directly behind The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce.

The presentation will explore the experiences of people of African descent who have lived and worked in Oregon since before the establishment of the earliest English-speaking settlements in the Americas.

Organizers say those stories have often been left out of the popular narrative of Oregon history, particularly the experiences of Black Oregonians before the mid-20th century.

That historical erasure, according to Oregon Black Pioneers, stems in part from legal and social marginalization and continues to influence disparities in housing access, community investment and policing. The presentation will highlight people and events that help tell a broader story of Oregon's centuries-old Black history.

Admission is free, although donations are welcome. The presentation will be followed by refreshments and the Original Wasco County Courthouse Museum's annual membership meeting and election of officers.

The program is funded by the Wasco Cultural Trust Coalition and presented in partnership with the Oregon Historical Society.