Black History Context Statement - Phase II

The City of Eugene’s Office of Equity & Community Engagement, Planning Division, and Cultural Services Division are partnering to engage Black and African American community members—and the broader Eugene community—in expanding and deepening what we know about local Black history. This work is part of the second phase of the Preliminary Historic Context Statement: Black/African American History in Eugene (BHCS).*

The first phase, funded by the State Historic Preservation Office and completed by the University of Oregon’s Museum of Natural and Cultural History, gathered existing research and identified historically significant places connected to Black and African American life in Eugene. This created a draft foundation for future work.

This second phase, launched in June 2026, focuses on community engagement to verify the initial research and fill in gaps. Working with a small advisory group from Eugene’s Black community, staff from the Office of Equity & Community Engagement will connect—first with Black families known to have lived in Eugene before 1960, then with Black-led organizations, and finally with the broader community—to help verify and expand the historic research. This sequence is intentional, ensuring that individuals mentioned in the document have the opportunity to review and verify the historic research before the draft is shared for public input.

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* A Historic Context Statement is a research-based document that outlines the history, themes, and significance of a particular cultural group or community, often used to guide preservation efforts. For African American and Black communities, these statements help identify and protect places, buildings, and sites that tell the story of their heritage.