EUGENE — Earlier this week, the Eugene Springfield NAACP hosted a press conference to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the forced disbursement of the Ferry Street Village settlement.
The event honored the 75th anniversary of the five African American families forced to relocate in 1949 in preparation for the Ferry Street Bridge Project.
“We must remember the failure, the good, and the bad. We must acknowledge those moments that have caused profound injustice,” said Demond Hawkins, president of the local NAACP.
Eugene deed restrictions in the 1940s systematically marginalized the African American community by preventing them from finding housing. This propelled Black families to establish the Ferry Street Village settlement north of the Willamette River. By 1948, the settlement population grew to over 50 people spread out over 11 tents and three houses.
The following year, Lane County issued notices forcing tenants of the settlement to vacate the property within six months to prepare for the construction of the Ferry Street Bridge.
The displaced African American families relocated throughout Eugene, but many still struggled to find housing due to systematic barriers.
Among the relocated families, C.B. and Annie Mims purchased a property in West Eugene as the first African American family to own a home there.
After the Mims’ property was purchased, the family opened their doors to African American travelers in need of housing. For almost 20 years, the Mims’ house welcomed and sheltered struggling people of color, restoring a dying culture in the community. The Mims’ house is a historical monument, one of the oldest buildings in Eugene, and the Eugene Springfield NAACP headquarters.
Oregon Senator James Manning Jr. made an appearance at the conference to show support for the NAACP in his district.
“We are stronger together,” he said. “That is embraced and recognized in 75 years. What happened to a group of people, the settlements, they came in and tried to create a lifestyle with resilience… and Oregon has become a better place because of it.”
Andiel Brown, managing director of the NAACP, said, “The goal is to fully embrace the history of the families and what the city and county has done to systematically remove their opportunity to have life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
Brown has been a resident of Eugene for 20 years and lived in the dorms at the University of Oregon with the founding families’ great-grandson. That is when he originally heard about the Mims’ family and the relocation of 101 people.
In 2020, Lane County approved a resolution in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and the county’s commitment to strive for racial equality.
“Eugene has had a stronger voice, whereas I think Springfield has been isolated a little bit. There’s a smaller Black community there. It’s kind of growing now, but its smaller, and historically there’s strength in numbers,” Brown said.
Brown has been talking to the mayor of Springfield and chief of police to work toward “finding ways to galvanize that community as well.”
Senator Jeff Merkley wasn’t able to attend the event in person, but he wrote a letter of acknowledgement that was shared at the conference.
“Let us honor the 101 people forced from their homes by learning from our past mistakes and creating a more just future for Oregonians. Let their legacy inspire us to pursue a future where everyone can live with dignity, respect, and opportunity,” Merkley wrote.
On Aug. 24, the NAACP is hosting a March Across the Bridge to garner awareness for the historical injustice that occurred in 1949. They have partnered with The Black Culture Initiative (BCI) to hold a cookout afterward as well.
