Oregon Trail Marker

In December and January all eighth-grade teachers of social studies in Portland, Oregon, were required to participate in professional development sessions on Beyond the Oregon Trail, a curriculum developed initially as a result of work by Oregon Uniting, a Hope in the Cities/Initiatives of Change affiliate. The curriculum is designed to encourage honest and positive conversation about Oregon’s multiracial history.

Carolyn Leonard, a member of the IofC board, is the compliance officer for Portland Public Schools and also served as director of multicultural and multiethnic education for the schools. She tells how IofC built the foundation that made the new curriculum possible:

It is great to see that what started as a conference on race in 1997 at Portland State University, sponsored by Hope in the Cities/Initiatives of Change, led to a small dedicated group trying to determine what they could do to make Oregon a better place. This led to the creation of Oregon Uniting, which later merged with another organization to become Uniting to Understand Racism.

Many people have been involved in making Beyond the Oregon Trail a reality. This story begins with Michael and Erica Henderson (both lifetime IofC workers) who lived in Portland for more than 20 years, supporting racial reconciliation by hosting numerous events and dialogues in their home.

The Henderson’s work created a foundation on which the 1999 Day of Acknowledgment—when state leaders formally recognized Oregon’s racial history—and the Beyond the Oregon Trail curriculum could be built.* They were supported by other IofC workers from Richmond, VA, and Washington, D.C.

Nikki Toussaint Worthington, who lives in Portland, did much of the research for the Day of Acknowledgment, and as executive director of Oregon Uniting, she gave impetus to the work on multicultural curriculum development. Richard C. Baldwin, the lawyer who conceived the idea for the Day of Acknowledgment, is now a judge in Portland. He continues to work with Uniting to Understand Racism.

Karen Ettinger, the director of the Multicultural Center at the World Affairs Council, began her work as a concerned Lake Oswego parent who wanted her children to understand and respect the diversity of people all around the world. She came to my multicultural/multiethnic education office in 1985 and we talked about how one parent could bring about change in one Lake Oswego school. As a result, Karen created a multicultural center that soon outgrew her school. We went to the President of PSU, who gave space for a center in downtown Portland. The center circulates culture kits to schools and organizations throughout Oregon. Karen collaborated with others and supported the development of the Beyond the Oregon Trail curriculum.

Other vital members of the team were Norrine Smokey-Smith, Floy C. Pepper, Janet Kakshitka, Shauna Adams, who worked either as employees or consultants for Portland Public Schools and were tireless supporters of this curriculum. Susan Alperin, chair of the Oregon Uniting Education Committee for many years, kept hope alive by continuing to host our meetings in her home and by finding others to assist with moving the project forward. Sheila Griffie, Maceo Pettis, David Stout, Donna Kelly, Sam and Judy Bryant, Judi Smith, Marie Langenes, Etema Banks, Keisha Edwards and countless others gave of their time and energy to see this program through. Senator Avel Gordly played a major role in the legislative support for this work.

More than a decade has gone by since 1997. It is important to know that many people of all races and stations in life worked to make this information accessible. Without the initial national support of IofC for Oregon Uniting, the added help of grants from Spirit Mountain, and many people donating their time because they believe that Oregon deserves to have a more complete history, Beyond the Oregon Trail would not exist. Without Lane 4J (Eugene School District), and Hillsboro Schools, as well as teachers around the state coming to workshops, I am sure our efforts would have died.

A huge thank you to all who participated in refining the curriculum!

*For an account of The Day of Acknowledgment see Forgiveness: Breaking the Chain of Hate by Michael Henderson

More on Beyond the Oregon Trail 

During the professional development sessions, teachers learn:

• About the background and structure of the Beyond the Oregon Trail curriculum

• About oppression, racism, privilege, and power

• How to help students from various cultural backgrounds to engage in meaningful, respectful classroom conversations about the challenging subjects of race and racism

• How to help students build self-awareness, communication skills, and understanding about diverse perspectives

• How to teach the first three lessons of Beyond the Oregon Trail, which connect to the standards through the concept of Manifest Destiny, through the history of westward expansion, including the Donation Land Act of 1850, and through the Oregon State Constitution of 1859

• How to bring this sometimes avoided conversation about Oregon history into a context that is both realistic and positive

Background story The Oregonian