Racial Issues in Grants Pass White City & Medford (Portland: relocate, travel)

[LucasMetaphor]

I had the pleasure of visiting these 3 picturesque communities recently. The Rouge River Valley was absolutely beautiful!

However, I informed that there was a KKK office in White City and in Grants Pass and Medford I was told that they still have Sundowner Laws on the books. These laws stated if you are a person of Color you could be stopped and detained after Sundown.

Has anyone ever heard of this before regarding this area of Oregon?

[pirate_lafitte]

Originally Posted by LucasMetaphor

I had the pleasure of visiting these 3 picturesque communities recently. The Rouge River Valley was absolutely beautiful!

However, I informed that there was a KKK office in White City and in Grants Pass and Medford I was told that they still have Sundowner Laws on the books. These laws stated if you are a person of Color you could be stopped and detained after Sundown.

Has anyone ever heard of this before regarding this area of Oregon?

I don't know if those laws are in the books today, but they were certain in the books years ago(I am speaking specifically the 1950's). In fact, blacks were not allowed to live in most places in Oregon outside of a specific part of Portland,OR at the beginning of the 20th century. Oregon actually had a law in the books prohibiting blacks from settling there until 1926. It was ignored to a certain degree but there have been many issues in Oregon.

[bigwhite]

Let me tell ya. Inglewood CA had a Sun Downer law in the 1950's. Inglewood is one of the most afluent Black Cites in California now. So i really don't think any city in the U.S. would still recognize such a thing. Not even in the South.

[victorianpunk]

Just because there is a klan "office" in a city does not mean anything about the city as a whole. There are several White Supremacist groups in New York City, and there is an Aryan Nations chapter in Newark New Jersey...GRANTED, I suppose they have to keep a loooooowwwwww profile, but they are still there.

Just look at the Southern Poverty Law Center's map of racist organizations, SPLCenter.org: Hate Groups Map they're everywhere...so what? They sure as hell don't scare me. Don't let that alone keep you from moving somewhere.

[Silverfall]

We have lots of laws "on the books" that are no longer legal. You will occasionally see on a deed of trust for a home that no "negro" can own the home. Still on the deed, and of course not legal.

Hate crimes get recorded so if you are looking to relocate to that area, I would just call the FBI and see what types of hate crimes have occured there.

[LucasMetaphor]

Originally Posted by victorianpunk

Just because there is a klan "office" in a city does not mean anything about the city as a whole. There are several White Supremacist groups in New York City, and there is an Aryan Nations chapter in Newark New Jersey...GRANTED, I suppose they have to keep a loooooowwwwww profile, but they are still there.

Just look at the Southern Poverty Law Center's map of racist organizations, SPLCenter.org: Hate Groups Map they're everywhere...so what? They sure as hell don't scare me. Don't let that alone keep you from moving somewhere.

I have met a lot of people of color from Oakland CA where there is a big push for many Black Families to move to the Grants Pass area because of two ministers who want to move their churches. I hope the Grants Pass Community will welcome these wonderful people.

[steffan]

actualy there are so few blacks in oregon that there somewhat of a novelty, and like it or not racism is fairly rare among whites that I have met most anywhere, and thats one whole lot of folks in my travels

[LucasMetaphor]

Originally Posted by steffan

actualy there are so few blacks in oregon that there somewhat of a novelty, and like it or not racism is fairly rare among whites that I have met most anywhere, and thats one whole lot of folks in my travels

That is encouraging to hear Steffan! We are planning a bus trip up there with our church. So Grants Pass here we come! We are estimating and hoping no less than a 100 families will want to relocate in Grants Pass.

[steffan]

nows the time, property is at a serious low, kinda shaky on jobs though, but i'm thinking that will improve in time

[bluebird39]

I lived in Southern Oregon for many years, and had never heard of those laws. I worked in Grants Pass for a few years and really liked it.

There are very few African American people in Oregon in general, but the Rogue Valley is becoming more and more like California, and more and more diverse. When I left many months ago I was really noticing how "urban" it had become.

I think there's just as much or as little racism there as there is anywhere. I grew up in Louisiana, and always thought it was strange that people pegged me as being a racist as soon as they knew where I grew up, then they'd throw out some derogatory racial slur about Hispanics . I think it'd be an excellent idea to move as a congregation so that you wouldn't feel as isolated. Southern Oregon is a beautiful place.