PORTLAND, Ore. — After almost a decade in the making, the Albina Music Trust officially launched their Albina Community Archive on Thursday.
The archive features over 150 collections of photographs, audio recordings, videos and printed material from Northeast Portland's Albina neighborhood, a place which once had a thriving funk and jazz scene.
"It's the story of this community, and this phenomenal work that was done by people who are anonymous to most," co-founder Calvin Walker said. "But by one click on that archive, you can spend hours there, literally."
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Four out of five Black Portlanders once lived in Albina, a collection of neighborhoods including Elliot, Boise, King, Humboldt, Overlook, Irvington and Piedmont. Many of those residents were displaced by the construction of Interstate 5, during which Black-owned homes and business were destroyed through eminent domain and urban renewal policies.
Walker said the creation of the archive is a step towards preserving the rich history of the community's music and culture.
"It was a rich community," Walker said. "When people are left to their own devices, it's amazing what they can achieve. So, all of this stuff was happening within the confines of that community — all these bands and the churches and the businesses, all kind of surviving with each other."
Walker remembered performing at the Cotton Club, a popular jazz venue that used to be in North Portland. It held some very famous names, including Sammy Davis Junior and locals such as Walker.
"We all aspired to play there," Walker said. "Jimmy Sanders and I were able to play there when we were 13 years old. So, if you can imagine being a teenager in the seventh grade and then playing a gig at the Cotton Club and then going back to the seventh grade the next day, it's pretty crazy."
The initiative has been supported by the World Arts Foundation, an organization which has served Oregonians at the intersection of arts and education since 1976.
According to Ken Berry, who works for the foundation, more than 10,000 pieces are within the archive. He said it's crucial for future generations to see the incredible history.
"It needs to be passed on," Berry said. "One of the goals of the World Arts is to preserve African American contributions and American culture — but all culture, all people can benefit from because so many people are hungry for what the truth is."
On Saturday, Feb. 3, the Albina Music Trust will be hosting an evening of storytelling to commemorate the release of the archive. It will be at the Oregon Historical Society starting at 6 p.m. The event will feature a panel discussion with the co-founders, as they speak about Albina neighborhood's legacy.