(University of Oregon, 2009-09) Beckner, Chrisanne
In the 1940s, Eugene, Oregon's first African-American neighborhood took root
on a riverbank north of the city. In 1949, county officials demolished the homes and
church of the ad hoc community and relocated the residents. In the 21st century, no
physical evidence of the former neighborhood remains, but the history continues to
circulate among Eugene's contemporary African-American community. This thesis
documents the history of Eugene's first black neighborhood, examines the roles that race
and class played in its demolition, and develops recommendations for public
commemoration. To do so, it critically examines methods of historic preservation and
their relationship to sites of intangible history. Through an analysis of various models of
commemoration, a multi-disciplinary approach emerges that may apply to similar sites.
