LOST CITY LIVING MEMORIES: VANPORT THROUGH THE VOICES OF ITS RESIDENTS

Thursday, May 30, 2024
6:00 PM 8:00 PM 18:00 20:00

Historic Alberta House 5131 Northeast 23rd Avenue Portland, OR, 97211 United States (map)

Google Calendar ICS

As part of the 9th Vanport Mosaic Festival
May 18-June 1

Festival Program Here

LOST CITY LIVING MEMORIES: VANPORT THROUGH THE VOICES OF ITS RESIDENTS

A screening of short oral history documentaries from the Vanport Mosaic collection. With special guests from the Vanport Community, and songs by the NW Freedom Singers.

THE NW FREEDOM SINGERS

In April 1960, a group of Black and White college students met at Shaw College in North Carolina to form the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, SNCC, known as “Snick.” Soon after that, the SNCC Freedom Singers were born. They helped spread the work of the Civil Rights Movement through song, traveling all over the United States, performing at demonstrations, churches and Carnegie Hall with Pete Seeger.

Ron Silver formed the NW Freedom Singers in honor of this group. Ron originally formed the group from members of the Northwest Community Gospel Choir to perform at Congregation Beth Israel for its annual Martin Luther King Shabbat Service. Over the years the group has sung for Congressman John Lewis, Mrs. Myrlie Evers and Bryan Stevenson among others at this event. The group also performs at many community events such as ours tonight.

Ron retired in 2015 after 33 years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, during that time he oversaw all the Civil Rights work done by the Portland office since moving here in 1994. It was through his work enforcing the Federal Fair Housing Act that he began to work with the Portland Fair Housing Council, and through them with Vanport Mosaic.

Tonight the NW Freedom Singers are going to take us through Vanport and WWII to Albina and Dawson Park and the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s and on to Church and the heartbeat of Portland’s Black Community.

Performing tonight, along with Ron are Vanport descendant, Eldon “T” Jones on Saxophone and vocals, Tim Ribner on keyboard, and Antoinette Saunders, Rosie Lovings, Jeanine Wiggins, Letha McCleod and Amber Cobb.