NAACP of Portland, Oregon records, 1942-1989

Overview of the Collection

Creator
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Portland Branch (Portland, Or.)
Title
NAACP of Portland, Oregon records
Dates
1942-1989 (inclusive)
1959-1989 (bulk)
Quantity
6.21 cubic feet, (10 legal document cases, 1 legal slim document case, 1 oversize flat box (18 x 20))
Collection Number
Mss 2004
Summary
Founded in 1914, the Portland, Oregon, branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) works to empower and engage people of color in the Portland area. The collection demonstrates organizational activities related to important topics in the Portland area, such as housing, education and labor. A majority of the collection consists of publications from 1959 through 1989, with a smaller quantity of topical administrative materials, correspondence, meeting minutes, and documents related to general civil rights activities in Portland.
Repository
Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Languages
English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The Portland Branch (#1120B) of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was established in 1914, in order to uphold civil rights for the African American community and people of color in Portland, Oregon. Dr. J. N. Merriman served as its first president, and Beatrice Morrow Cannady as its secretary. It is one of the oldest chartered branches west of the Mississippi River.

Early in the organization's history, members worked to directly confront the exclusion laws in the Oregon State Constitution, some of which were repealed in 1926 and 1927. Throughout its existence, the Portland branch has continuously worked with labor unions and companies to establish a framework for equal treatment in hiring and pay compensation. Of particular note, when World War II brought thousands of African Americans to work in Oregon's shipyards, the Portland branch of the NAACP helped to abolish the practice of denying promotions to these workers. NAACP members were deeply involved in Oregon's 1953 Public Accommodations Act, a civil rights bill that made discrimination in public places illegal. The branch was also active in working to repeal real estate codes and civic housing policies that restricted African Americans to living in the Albina community.

Bolstered by the 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education, African American communities throughout the United States began to directly challenge school segregation. In Portland, the NAACP was vocal in calling on Public Portland Schools to end this practice. Dueling reports between the national NAACP and Portland Public Schools found persistent racial discrimination and inequality in Portland, yet offered different approaches to solving the problem. Mayfield Webb, president of the Portland branch from 1963-1964, was a vocal critic of Portland Public Schools' failure to desegregate schools in the 1960s. The branch continued to actively fight segregation in Portland schools into the 1980s and beyond.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Series 1, Administrative, includes materials that document the daily functions of the Portland branch staff, primarily in the 1960s and 1980s. It includes correspondence, articles, pamphlets and ephemera, related to specific NAACP individuals and topics. A small number of materials document membership and financial activities. Lorna Marple, president of the Portland branch (1955-1956) and long-time chairman of the Political Action Committee, is a frequent figure in this series as the collection donar. A majority of the records in the series are organized by topic, and were collected by NAACP individuals in the course of their work for the organization.

There are substantial gaps in the records, with a majority of the branch records being donated to the University of Oregon in 1978 by Lorna Marple.

Series 2, Committees, includes materials related to specific Portland branch committees. Making up a small portion of the collection, the series contains meeting minutes, correspondence, and other working documents related to committee activities primarily from 1964-1967. As the chairman of the Political Action Committee and collection donor, Lorna Marple is again strongly represented in this series.

Series 3, Meetings and conventions, documents NAACP and non-NAACP events. It includes meeting minutes and event materials for the Portland branch, as well as items gathered at national and regional NAACP conventions during the 1960s and in 1985. A significant portion of the series is made up of materials from non-NAACP events, such as schedules, minutes and other ephemera from conventions and formal meetings. These are often from civil rights related organizations.

Series 4, Publications and publicity, includes both NAACP and non-NAACP articles, ephemera, books, and newspaper. Making up a majority of the collection, it includes published materials created by the local and national NAACP, as well as other organizations from the 1960s to 1980s. NAACP materials include Portland branch resolutions, membership brochures, and administrative guides in regard to specific civil rights activities. Non-NAACP materials comprise articles, journals, magazines, books, and newsletters from a wide variety of civil-rights-related organizations. Also included are newspaper clippings from a range of publications. While a majority of the clippings are from local Portland newspapers, some are from national publications.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.

Preferred Citation

NAACP of Portland, Oregon records, Mss 2004, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into 4 series: Series 1. Administrative, 1942-1989 (bulk 1963-1989). The series is divided into three subseries: Individuals (1.1); Membership and fundraising (1.2); and Subjects (1.3). All subseries are arranged alphabetically.

Series 2. Committees, 1961-1984 (bulk 1964-1967), is arranged alphabetically by committee name.

Series 3. Meetings and conventions, 1963-1989. The series is subdivided into three subseries: Local NAACP meetings and events (3.1); National and regional NAACP conventions (3.2); and Non-NAACP events (3.3). All subseries are arranged chronologically by date.

Series 4, Publications and publicity, 1949-1988 (bulk 1959-1988). The series is subdivided into three subseries: NAACP publications (4.1) organized alphabetically by title; Non-NAACP publications (4.2) arranged alphabetically by author or organization; and newsprint articles (4.3) organized chronologically by year. For subseries 4.2, Non-NAACP publications, author can be an organization or an individual, depending on the publication.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Lorna Marple, 1973 (accession 12586) and circa 1990 (accession 20090).

Related Materials

Other collections at this repository related to the Portland branch NAACP include: Lorna Marple photographic collection, Org. Lot 721; Lorna Marple collection on the Democratic Party of Oregon, Mss 6042; Tom Vickers NAACP of Portland, Oregon records, Coll 815; NAACP Scrapbooks, Coll 816; NAACP of Portland, Oregon records (copy of materials held at Library of Congress), Microfilm 195.

Collections at other repositories related to the Portland branch NAACP include: National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Portland Branch records, 1950-1970, Coll 295, University of Oregon Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives; Lorna Marple Papers, 1942-1961, Coll 0411 (Accession No. 0411-001), University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections; Marple family papers, 1783-2002, Coll 5174, University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections; National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Region I, records, 1942-1986 (bulk 1945-1977), BANC MSS 78/180 c, University of California, Berkeley, Bancroft Library.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Series 1:  Administrative, 1942-1989,   (bulk 1963-1989) Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Subseries 1.1: Individuals
Box Folder
1 1
Clyde White, memorial resolution
circa 1985
1 2
Grady Brown, correspondence
1965
1 3
Grady Brown, speech
1965
1 4
Harry Ward, correspondence
1966
1 5
Hazel Hayes, correspondence
1982-1983
1 6
Lorna Marple, general and personal materials
1961, 1982
1 7
Lorna Marple, correspondence
1963-1989
1 8
Lorna Marple, Oregon State Grange
1967
1 9
Lorna Marple, speech to Portland Public School Board
1965
1 10
Mayfield Webb, correspondence
1963
1 11
Ora Nunley, correspondence
1985-1986
1 12
Phil Reynolds, name card
circa 1988
1 13
Ruth Haefner, correspondence
1964-1970
1 14
Miscellaneous correspondence
1963-1964
1 15
Miscellaneous notes
circa 1965-1988
Subseries 1.2: Membership and fundraising
Box Folder
1 16
Finances, general
1942-1965
1 17
Membership campaign
1964
1 18
Membership, general
circa 1964, 1982-1983
1 19
Membership roster
1983-1984
1 20
Prospective members, organizations
1965-1966
1 21
Seal sale
1983-1984
Subseries 1.3: Subjects
Box Folder
1 22
Afro-Academic Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics
1982-1986
1 23
Boilermakers Union
1975
1 24
Candidates for office, Oregon
1966
1 25
Child Welfare
1966
1 26
Churches
1968, 1983-1986
1 27
Civil Rights Bill
1964
1 28
Civil rights, general
circa 1965
1 29
Civil rights, legislation in Congress
1963-1964
1 30
Civil rights, national
1963-1965
1 31
Civil rights, Portland
circa 1963
1 32
Clackamas County planning commission, hearing
1967
1 33
Colorado Fair Housing Act
1959
2 1
Education, general
1965-1968
12 1
Education, Portland
1961-1962
2 2
Elections, California
1966
2 3
Elections, Democratic Convention
1964
2 4
Elections, Portland
1964-1966
2 5
Employment, general
circa 1966
2 6
Energy issues
1980
2 7
Goldwater
1964
2 8
Goldwater, civil rights
1964
2 9
Homeowners Real Estate Property Tax Relief Bill
1968
2 10
House Bill 1167, Oregon
1967
2 11
House Bill 1481, Oregon
1967
2 12
House Bill 1508, Oregon
1967
2 13
House Bill 1549, Oregon
1967
2 14
House of Representatives, Bill 13712
1966
2 15
Housing
1959-1968
2 16
Hurtful publicity for NAACP
1963-1964
2 17
Labor, Oregon State Apprenticeship Council
circa 1965
2 18
Labor, policies
circa 1965
2 19
Legal redress, Justine Justus Okot
1983 February 11
2 20
Legal redress, membership in region I
1978
2 21
Legal redress, Oregon issues
1978, 1985
2 22
L.I.F.E. (Low Income Family Economics), Sacramento branch NAACP
1964
2 23
Multnomah County, voting candidates
1962
2 24
Office, general
circa 1965
2 25
Office, letterhead
1955, circa 1965
2 26
Office, mailing labels of members and community contacts
circa 1985
2 27
Policy positions
circa 1965
2 28
Portland branch, presidents
1949-1988
2 29
Portland Branch School
1965
2 30
Portland "model school" program
1964-1965
2 31
Portland Police
1981, 1986
2 32
Portland School Board
1964
2 33
Portland State College, sociology course
1968
2 34
Poverty law
1964
3 1
Racism, general
1970
3 2
Religion
circa 1968
3 3
Segregation and desegregation
1963
3 4
School desegregation
circa 1964-1965
3 5
Senate Bill 420, Oregon
1967
3 6
Senate Fair Housing Bill
1968
3 7
Special survey of unemployed youth
circa 1964
3 8
TV Spectacular, ballot party
1964 May 14
3 9
TV Spectacular, correspondence
1964
TV Spectacular, Portland Civic Auditorium
1964 May 4
3 11
TV Spectacular, Portland finances
1964
3 12
TV Spectacular, publicity in Northwest
1964
3 13
TV Spectacular, talent
1964
3 14
TV Spectacular, tickets
1964
3 15
Urban Development Act
1966
3 16
Volunteers
1983
Voter registration
1964, 1966
3 18
Watts and allied matters
1965 August
3 19
Welfare
1968

Series 2:  Committees, 1961-1989,   (bulk 1964-1967) Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
3 20
Committees, general
1980-1989
3 21
AIC Advisory Committee
1968
3 22
Civil Rights Committee
1964-1965
3 23
Executive Committee
1963-1965, 1968
3 24
Finance Committee
1983
3 25
Labor Committee
1961-1966, 1983-1984
3 26
Legislation Committee
1965
3 27
National Youth Work Committee
1978
4 1
Political Action Committee
1965-1967, 1984
4 2
Race Relations Committee
1963 October 14
4 3
Social Action Committee
circa 1967
4 4
Voter Registration Committee
1964

Series 3:  Meetings and conventions, 1963-1989Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Subseries 3.1: Local NAACP meetings and events
Box Folder
4 5
Seattle branch meeting
1964-1965
4 6
Portland branch meetings
1964-1966, 1978, 1982-1987
4 7
Portland branch, anniversary celebrations
1964-1989
4 8
Northwest area conference, Bremerton
1965
4 9
Political action meeting
1965 December 4
4 10
Summer picnic
1965
4 11
Northwest area NAACP conference, Portland
1966 January
4 12
Spring tea
1967 April 17
4 13
Northwest area conference, Corvallis
1978
4 14
Reunion
1985
Subseries 3.2: National and regional NAACP conventions
Box Folder
4 15
West Coast regional biennial conference
1963
4 16
National convention, Washington, D.C.
1964 June
4 17
Administrative workshop, NAACP Washington
circa 1964
National convention, Denver, Colorado
1965 June-July
4 20
West Coast region biennial conference, Asilomar
1965 September
4 21
West Coast region conference, San Francisco
1966, February
4 22
National convention, Los Angeles
1966 July
4 23
National convention, Dallas
1985 June
Subseries 3.3: Non-NAACP events
Box Folder
4 24
Human Events Political Action Conference
1962 December 2
4 25
Conference of Business Men and Clergy, Cleveland
1965 January 7
4 26
American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) national convention
1965
4 27
Key Women Incorporated, luncheon for Rosa L. Parks
1965 November 7
4 28
Oregon Council for New Politics, annual convention
circa 1965
4 29
Child Welfare League of America, convention
1966
4 30
Lane Bryant
1966
4 31
Portland State College, History of the American Negro, course
1966
4 32
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Southern Regional Conference
1966
4 33
Friends of Race Relations, national conference, North Carolina
1967 July
4 34
Multnomah monthly meeting
1968 June
4 35
Dynamics of Diversity, Unitarian Universalist Association, general assembly, Seattle
1970
4 36
Leadership Conference on Civil Rights
1983
4 37
John Lewis Speech
1989

Series 4:  Publications and publicity, 1949-1988,   (bulk 1959-1988) Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Subseries 4.1: NAACP publications
Box Folder
5 1
An American Organization
1965
5 2
Civil Rights Act, equal employment action guide
1965 June
5 3
The Crisis
1963-1964, 1973
5 4
Fair Housing Bill
1968
5 5
Freedom fighters, Death in the Night
1966 May
5 6
Freedom fighter protection law
1962
5 7
General NAACP pamphlets
circa 1966-1970
5 8
Hints for Better Branch Administration
1985 January
5 9
Integrated School Books
1966
5 10
Integration in the Portland School System
1965
5 11
Labor apprentices in Portland
1966 February 12
5 12
March on Washington
1963
5 13
Mississippi State, volunteers
1964
5 14
Model School Program, Portland
1966 January 20
5 15
NAACP pilgrimage to Arlington National Cemetery
1964
5 16
No Harvest for the Reaper
circa 1965
5 17
Portland branch, calendar
1984
5 18
Portland branch, newsletters
1946, 1966-1968, 1988
5 19
Portland branch, press releases
1983-1986
5 20
Portland branch, resolutions
1965, 1981-1985
5 21
Portland branch, urgent action announcements
1963, 1987
5 22
Presidential election
1964
5 23
Senate Fair Housing Bill
1968
5 24
Special Contribution Fund
1968
5 25
The Street Where You Live, comic
1960
5 26
Washington Bureau, monthly report
1963 December 6
5 27
West coast regional office, news
1966 July 22
Subseries 4.2: Non-NAACP publications
Box Folder
5 28
Albina Art Center
1966
5 29
American Council of the Blind
1965
5 30
American Federationist
1965 June
5 31
American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations
1966 March
5 32
American Friends Service Committee
1959
5 33
American Jewish Committee, Commentary
1962 December
5 34
Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith
1968-1969
5 35
A. Philip Randolph Educational Fund
circa 1968
5 36
Baynard Rustin, "A Word to Black Students"
circa 1968
5 37
Black Affairs Council
circa 1968
5 38
Business Week
1968
5 39
The Carolina Israelite
1964
5 40
Center for Urban Education
1980
5 41
Central Methodist Church
1968
5 42
Charles Zinn, "How Our Laws Are Made"
1963
6 1
The Christian Century
1968, 1973
6 2
Clergymen's Emergency Committee
1965
6 3
Combined Federal Campaign of the Portland-Vancouver Area
1986-1987
6 4
Commentary
1959-1968
6 5
Committee of Clergy and Laymen Concerned about Vietnam
1968
6 6
Committee on Political Education
1968 April 29
6 7
Common Sense
1965 April 1
6 8
Community Church, New York
1963
6 9
Community Relations Conference of Southern California
1966 April
6 10
Congressional Record
1963
6 11
Congress of the United States of America, Our American Government
1963
6 12
Denver Public Schools, Emily Griffith Opportunity School
circa 1966
6 13
Don L. Lee, "For Black People (And Negroes too)"
1968
6 14
East Central Church Community Action Program
circa 1966
6 15
East Shore Unitarian Church
1964 May 26
6 16
Economic Opportunity Act of 1964
1964
6 17
Edith Green, Congress of the United States
1968
6 18
Education Development Center, "Black and White, Six Stories for a Troubled Time"
1968
6 19
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
1964
6 20
Erick S. Hansh, candidacy
1966
6 21
The Fellowship of Reconciliation
1983
6 22
The Fifth Estate
1968 May
6 23
First Unitarian Church, Portland
1968
6 24
First Unitarian-Universalist Church
1968
12 5
For My People
1973 May
6 25
Friendship House, community
1970
6 26
Governor's Commission on the Los Angeles Riots
1965 December 2
6 27
The Guardian
1970, 1973
6 28
Hard Times
1970 February-March
6 29
Harvard University, The University and the City
circa 1969
6 30
Herbert Hill and Jack Greenberg, "Citizen's Guide to De-Segregation"
1955
6 31
Highlander Reports
1972
6 32
House of Representatives, Congressional Record
1964 June 8
7 1
Institute for American Democracy, Homefront
1973 May
7 2
International Affairs Coordinating Council for Greater Portland
1983
7 3
James H. Robertson, "Love of This Land"
1956
7 4
James Reichley, "The Art of Government"
1959
7 5
Job Corps
circa 1968
7 6
Joint Strategy and Action Committee
1973 February
7 7
Judge Harlow F. Lennon, campaign
circa 1965
7 8
Leadership Conference on Civil Rights
1967, 1985-1986
7 9
League for Industrial Democracy
1965
7 10
League of Women Voters of the United States
1966 February
7 11
Legislative Counsel Committee, Weekly Cumulative Index to Legislative Measures
1967
12 6
The Liberian Age
1964 November 23
7 12
Library of Urban Affairs
1965
12 7
The Listener Daily
1964 November 18
7 13
The Little Black Book
1977-1978
7 14
Longshore Jobs Defense Committee
circa 1965
7 15
Malcom Boyd, You Can't Kill the Dream
1968
7 16
Martin Luther King, On Assassination, quotes
1964 July
7 17
Massachusetts Political Action for Peace
1965
7 18
McCall for Secretary of State Committee
circa 1965
7 19
Methodist Federation for Social Action
1968 June
7 20
Michigan-Ohio Regional Educational Laboratory, The Rightness of Whiteness
1969
7 21
Mid-Peninsula Community House
1968
7 22
Midstream
1968
7 23
Multnomah County Library
circa 1965
7 24
Mutual Real Estate Investment Trust
1966
7 25
The Nation
1964 February 24
7 26
National Educational Television and Radio Center
1963
7 27
National Scene
1983 March
7 28
Negro History Bulletin
1965, 1969
7 29
Neighborhood Youth Corps
circa 1985
7 30
New Republic
1963-1965, 1968
7 31
Newsweek
1967 November 20
8 1
New World Review
1968
8 2
The New York Review
1970 February 12
12 8
Northwest Defender
1964-1965
8 3
Office of Economic Opportunity
1965, 1969
8 4
Office of Policy Planning and Research, United States Department of Labor
1965
12 9-12
The Oregon Advance Times
1968
8 5
Oregon Democrat
1973 May
8 6
Oregonian newspaper, general
circa 1965
8 7-9
Oregon Legislative Assembly, legislative calendar
1967
8 10
Oregon Social Welfare Association
1966 February 11
8 11
Outsider's Newsletter
1964 April 7
8 12
Peace Corps
1964 January-February
8 13
People Against Racism
1968
9 1
The Petal Paper
1964 May
9 2
Poetry Quarterly
1968 March
9 3
Portland City Club, Bulletin
1964, 1966
9 4
Portland Continuation Center
1964
12 13
Portland Scribe
1973 May 12-18
9 5
Portland State College, calendar
1964 October
9 6
Potomac Institute
1965 March
9 7
The Progressive
1963
9 8
Racial Equality Bulletin
1964-1966
9 9
Readers Digest, Racism in White America
Circa 1969
9 10
Redbook
1969 July
9 11
Reed College, black studies
1969 July
9 12
The Reporter
1965 March 25
9 13
Robert Kendall, White Teacher in a Black School
1964
9 14
San Francisco Examiner
1965 October 31
9 15
Sarah Patton Boyle, Are Rights Demonstrations Right?
circa 1964
9 16
Sunday Review
1966 January 8
9 17
Senator Morse Reports
1964 February 26
9 18
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
1963-1964
9 19
Southern Conference Educational Fund
circa 1964
12 14
Southern School News
1964 July
9 20
State of Oregon, voter's pamphlet
1964 November 3
9 21
Technology Review
1968
9 22
Time Magazine
1967-1968
9 23
Unitarian Universalist Association
circa 1968
9 24
United Automobile, Aircraft, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America
circa 1965
9 25
United States Civil Service Commission
1964 May
9 26-27
United States Commission on Civil Rights
1959, 1966
10 1
United States Commission on Civil Rights, with Liberty and Justice For All
1959
10 2
United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, We The Black People of the United States
1969
10 3
United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare
1965
10 4
United States Office of Economic Opportunity
1965
10 5
Urban League of Portland
1961-1966
10 6
Volunteers in Service to America
circa 1966
10 7
Vote "Yes" November 3 Committee
circa 1964
10 8
Washington Calling, Maurine Neuberger
1963 November-December
10 9
Westminster Presbyterian Church
1964-1966
10 10
West Oakland Christian Parish, seminar with Paul Alinsky
1965, 1968
10 11
WIN Magazine
circa 1965
10 12
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
circa 1968
10 13
Worker's Defense League
1966
10 14
Young Democratic Club of Oregon
1964 November
10 15
Miscellaneous, book brochures
circa 1963-1968
Subseries 4.3: Newsprint articles
Box Folder
11 1-15
Newsprint Articles
1945, 1960-1970, 1985

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • African Americans--Civil rights
  • African Americans--Oregon--Portland
  • Civil rights--Oregon--Portland
  • Civil rights--West (U.S.)
  • Discrimination in education--Oregon--Portland
  • Discrimination in employment--Oregon--Portland
  • Discrimination in housing--Oregon--Portland
  • Political activists--Oregon--Portland
  • Voter registration

Personal Names

  • National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Portland Branch (Portland, Or.)
  • Webb, Mayfield Kelvin, 1927-1996

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Marple, Lorna, 1910-1992 (creator)