What was life like for Black families in Eugene 100 years ago? Fifty? A project is seeking stories, photos and documents that illustrate the city’s Black history.
Eugene, and the state of Oregon, historically were not friendly or welcoming to Black people. But, communities existed and thrived in Eugene. One was dubbed the “across the bridge community” on the north side of the Willamette River where Alton Baker Park now sits.
Some of those families remain and they’ve shared their memories for the project.
“And what we do know about history that's just been passed, from, you know, grandparents to grandchildren and things like that, and also families that may have moved on, is that it's not complete now,” said Lorna Flormoe, equity and access planner with the City of Eugene. “It may never be complete, so we're getting as much as we can.”
In its first phase, with involvement from the organization Oregon Black Pioneers, the city gathered stories from families that have stayed in the city and shared their memories.
Fabio Andrade is manager of the office of equity and inclusion. He said they heard from elders about how they came to Eugene, and the hardships they encountered.
“But they also described a lot of what day-to-day life was like, and the resiliency of the community and the joy that they found having each other to support whatever they needed to survive here,” he said. “So it was really interesting to get to hear those stories as well.”
Andrade said now they’re putting out a call to the public for more stories, photos, and documents to fill in the larger history of Black life in Eugene.
“So, we are really hopeful that we’ll get a better understanding of the people who were living in the 1940s and 50s and what their experiences were and, perhaps, why their families are no longer in Eugene,” he said.
Input is being accepted through Dec. 15, 2026.
All the materials will be used to finalize a Black History context statement that’s in progress.
