In recognition of Black History Month, Oregon State University – Cascades will host a virtual forum titled “Oregon’s Black Exclusion Laws: How does this history impact diversity in Oregon today?”
The free event, which takes place from 6-8 p.m. on Feb. 24, is hosted in partnership with Love Your Neighbor, a grassroots organization that encourages Central Oregonians to get to know people of color in their community.
Erika McCalpine, director of the OSU-Cascades Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Laboratory and a business faculty member, will moderate the forum. Presenters will analyze Oregon’s Black exclusion laws and discuss the impact the legislation had on African Americans moving to Oregon, as well as how the laws shaped the lack of diversity in Oregon today.
Panelists include:
- Stacey Smith, an associate professor of history in OSU’s College of Liberal Arts whose research focuses on the history of the North American West and particularly on race relations, labor and politics. She is the author of “Freedom's Frontier: California and the Struggle over Unfree Labor, Emancipation, and Reconstruction,” which won the 2014 David Montgomery Award from the Organization of American Historians. Smith has written for The New York Times and BlackPast.org.
- Robert Thompson, an associate professor of ethnic studies in OSU’s College of Liberal Arts. Trained as a sociologist, Thompson specializes in African American history including early 20th century political and social thought, racial patterns of urbanization, and popular culture. He is the author of a chapter titled “Population” in “Atlas of the Pacific Northwest.”
- Dwaine Plaza, a professor of sociology in the OSU School of Public Policy and a former assistant dean in the College of Liberal Arts. His research and writings have focused migration and settlement practices of Caribbeans and immigration policy in Canada.
Love Your Neighbor was founded by McCalpine and Nicole Vulcan, editor of The Source Weekly.
The event is open to the public, but registration is required. To register visit osucascades-lyn-2-24-21.eventbrite.com. For information contact events@osucascades.edu.
Event sponsors include East Cascades Works, G5, Mosaic Medical and MountainStar Family Relief Nursery.
About OSU-Cascades: Oregon State University’s campus in Bend, Ore. features outstanding faculty in degree programs that reflect Central Oregon’s vibrant economy and abundant natural resources. Nearly 20 undergraduate majors, 35 minors and options, and three graduate programs include computer science, energy systems engineering, kinesiology, hospitality management, and tourism, recreation and adventure leadership. OSU-Cascades expanded to a four-year university in 2015; its new campus opened in 2016.