The State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation (SACHP) meets three times a year to review nominations to the National Register of Historic Places. Normally, this is a low-key, yet public event. Unfortunately, an anonymous, cowardly racist joined SACHP’s October virtual meeting to harass the all-volunteer committee with vile slurs -- a committee which includes members who are Black, Native American, Latino and Asian. This was both heartbreaking and infuriating, especially given that the committee was doing the important work of helping to establish a more diverse and equitable representation of the historic places that tell the full story of Oregon’s heritage. (The meeting agenda included reviewing nominations for three properties associated with Portland’s African American community, along with a broader discussion about diversity.)
The State of Oregon needs to protect the safety and emotional well-being of all volunteers, employees, and community members participating in public meetings. We must support the victims of this harassment and their needs. While Oregon State Police is treating this as a criminal investigation, we must demand action and prosecution of the perpetrator of this heinous act.
While the field of historic preservation has evolved in recent years to recognize many forms of heritage -- built, natural, cultural, tangible and intangible -- such advances have been insufficient. Moving beyond out-of-date thinking and the constraints of traditional preservation practices has been an ongoing challenge for the preservation field and Restore Oregon has not been immune to this challenge. However, we are committed to listening, learning, and doing better.
Restore Oregon recognizes the need to acknowledge past failures and actively address patterns of injustice, systemic racism, and inequity throughout Oregon’s history and in our own work. We ask that all of you in the preservation community join with us in support of SACHP Committee volunteers, State Historic Preservation Office employees, and community members who are working diligently to expand the diversity of Oregon’s recognized historical and cultural resources.