In a fascinating history column today, the Mill turns up tantalizing fragments of a counter-narrative to the Black Exclusion Laws in early Salem and Oregon history.
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| Today's history column |
They found "documentation for celebrations of five Emancipation Jubilees held January 1st in Salem between 1868 and 1879." These are reports in white media, and don't much give voice to Black organizers and participants. There are interesting tensions between Salem papers and the Albany States Rights Democrat, which was a pro-South paper. There are probably also interesting tensions among the Salem papers themselves. It's all so fragmentary and partial.
Nevertheless, this is a great start to retrieving a part of history we have lost.
There are so many starting points!
One of them is a new name, the Bayless family.
The 1872 celebration was held at the Reed Opera House and the 1879 event at the Bayless family home in Piety Hill on the corner of Marion and Winter streets.
That house site is maybe not at the center of Piety Hill, but that's also not shoved off to the side, and suggests some real prosperity and status. The Bayless family appears to trace out a real arc in fortune, however.
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| June 28th, 1871 |
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| September 9th, 1892 |
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| May 3rd, 1898 |
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| November 13th, 1900 |
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| April 19th, 1907 |
Albert and Mary Ann died within days of each other in 1907.
There is so much more to discover and say.
The column does not yet appear to be online, and alone might be a reason to get a paper edition today.
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(Added obituary and links to grave records.)
Together the Oregon Black Pioneers and the Mill announced more:
"Save the date for Black History Quest, Oregon Black Pioneers' new virtual program series!
With guest Kylie Pine, Willamette Heritage Center
January 27, 7:00 PM (PT), streaming live on Facebook and Youtube
Hiding in Plain Sight: Tracing the footsteps of the Bayless family through Salem, Oregon
Albert and Mary Ann Bayless were pioneering citizens of Salem, Oregon. In this presentation, Kylie Pine, curator at the Willamette Heritage Center, goes back to the historical record to tease out, trace and locate the Bayless Family’s experiences in the Capital city."
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