Thanks to the individuals behind the Anti-Racist Daily newsletter, we learned a little over a month ago that National Trust for Historic Preservation committed 3 million dollars in grants to help preserve, maintain, and build programming for Black American historical sites. In addition, the news this week that the Virginia Supreme Court affirmed the power of Governor Ralph Northam to have the statue of Robert E. Lee removed from Monument Avenue in Richmond reminded us of the influence public markers of history have in our communities and our country.
The people whose stories are documented and taught and the places preserved and heralded as important historical places inform our understanding of who we are as a people and a nation. With debates raging in school board meetings about critical race theory, it is important that we carefully consider the criteria used to decide what's valued, what is worthy of protection, and thus what is remembered.
The next time you see a name on a placard in a park or a designated historic site, take a moment to consider not only the story being told but why it's being told– who and what was included, and who and what was left out. In the meantime, if you want to learn more about Oregon's Black History, the Oregon Historical Society has information to share.