The Portland Black Panthers: Empowering Albina and Remaking a City

by Lucas N. N. Burke, Judson L. Jeffries

Portland, Oregon, though widely regarded as a liberal bastion, also has struggled historically with ethnic diversity; indeed, the 2010 census found it to be "America's whitest major city." In early recognition of such disparate realities, a group of African American activists in the 1960s formed a local branch of the Black Panther Party in the city's Albina District to rally their community and be heard by city leaders. And as Lucas Burke and Judson Jeffries reveal, the Portland branch was quite different from the more famous--and infamous--Oakland headquarters. Instead of parading through the streets wearing black berets and ammunition belts, Portland's Panthers were more concerned with opening a health clinic and starting free breakfast programs for neighborhood kids. Though the group had been squeezed out of local politics by the early 1980s, its legacy lives on through the various activist groups in Portland that are still fighting many of the same battles.

Combining histories of the city and its African American community with interviews with former Portland Panthers and other key players, this long-overdue account adds complexity to our understanding of the protracted civil rights movement throughout the Pacific Northwest.

A V Ethel Willis White Book

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Social Justice, American History, Race

312 pages, Hardcover

First published April 4, 2016

Reviews

[Tunde · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Black man living in PDX I thought this book is necessary for anyone who wants to learn about the history of Black people in this city and state and why current race relations are the way they are. I had no idea such a prevalent chapter of the Black Panther party existed here. Great read.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little dry at times but I learned a lot and it was clear they were making a big effort to provide all the facts and the least amount of bias possible.

[Gabrielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the whole, this is a fantastic book. It sheds light on Black history and activism in one of the whitest big cities in the US, weaving an illuminating narrative about the roles of Black institutions and individuals in shaping the city today. Although the history ostensibly ends in the 80s, almost all of the issues being addressed by the Panthers and other Black activists throughout the 20th century continue to impact Portlanders of color. The writing is thoroughly engaging, informative, and well-paced. At no point did the book feel like an academic slog.

HOWEVER. The fawning narrative of Neil Goldschmidt's tenure as Portland City Councillor and then Mayor is inexcusable given his 2004 confession (12 years prior to this book's publishing) that he spent years raping a minor. The authors have no qualms about discussing Huey Newton's descent into patriarchy and violence, but give no mention of Goldschmidt's revelations, not even in the afterword. The book leaves readers with the impression that Goldschmidt was a flawed hero (due to his policies, not his personal actions) but nonetheless the hero that Portland's Black community needed to institutionalize the work that the Portland Panthers had started. He may have had a lasting positive impact in the city but he was not a hero.

As a history of Black Portland and a window into the conditions impacting Black Portlanders today, this should be required reading throughout the city. But every copy should be handed out with a copy of Goldschmidt's confession tucked into the fifth chapter.

[Jake · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a lifelong Portlander (well...born in Seattle but moved here as a baby), so I was quite excited to see this book; fortunately it does not disappoint! Burke and Jeffries have provided Oregonians an immense service with this superbly researched and enjoyable work. Although there are piles of books about the Panthers’ most famous chapters and personalities, the core of the Party’s history actually played out on a more local, less spectacular scale in cities around the country. Through oral interviews and good use of social theory, the authors place the Portland Panthers within the context of the state’s unique history, without losing sight of the Black Panther Party’s role on a national scale. Facing immense obstacles given the relatively small size of Portland’s black population and the state’s racist history, the Portland Panthers were an impressive force, whose example highlighted by this book can serve as inspiration for the continuing liberation struggle today :)

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

The subject matter of this book is fascinating and enlightening. It really should be referenced more regularly in conversations about the justice movement in Portland. My criticism of this book is not related to content but is about its construction and editing. It reads like a dissertation that was fully and impeccably researched but didn't have the time or care needed to polish it up. It feels like each chapter was written independently and not revised once collected into a whole book. I would love to see a second edition of this book cleaned up and made more readable, especially in light of the renewed focus in Portland by community activists pushing for many of the changes that the Panthers were advocating for. It would be wonderful to include new interviews by former Portland Panthers gaining their perspective on the 2020 protests and the continued gentrification of N & NE Portland.

[Becky Hillary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an interesting look at the development of Portland, as a city and those that suffered at the expense of its development. I live in Portland and my first house was in the Albina neighborhood, I found the book informative and eye opening. I am not sure it would appeal to me the same way if I did not have a personal understanding of the neighborhoods described.

[PhattandyPDX · Rating 5 out of 5]

An informative book about racism, gentrification, and the systematic oppression of African-Americans in Portland, Oregon.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read for any resident of Portland.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating research, including interviews with members of Portland's Black Panthers.

[Valerie Huffman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of interesting information...
I like learning about the connections to what is happening now in the city and the past...