Join Cheri Arthur, an Ambassador for American Wild Horse Conservation. Learn about Velma Johnstone, the first woman advocate for wild horses and burros, and the history of Oregon's wilds horses. You'll hear about the challenges of land management and access, and learn ways to get involved if you are interested.
Todd McGrain’s original bust of York, the enslaved man who was the only African American member of the Lewis and Clark expedition, was secretly installed on Mount Tabor Park in 2021. It was placed on the vacant pedestal where a statue of Oregonian editor Harvey Scott (1830-1910), a known racist, once stood. The surprising appearance of York, with no artist name attached to the work, is a local example of the protest art being created in the wake of political and social unrest. The unsanctioned installation of the original bust made a significant contribution to the spirited dialogues on American history, systemic inequality, and public monuments happening across the nation.
Made of mere plaster and paint, the original bust sustained damage from several acts of vandalism, inspiring McGrain to come forward and offer a bronze version of the bust to the city. This Spring, the Portland Art Museum debuted the bronze bust of York, temporarily, as a part of the 2026 Oregon Contemporary Artists’ Biennial: The Price of the Ticket. In collaboration with Oregon Contemporary and the City of Portland’s Office of Arts & Culture, Portland State University, a community survey was offered to give Portlanders the opportunity to share their thoughts on where the monument should be placed for the long term.
Join us for a thoughtful discussion around McGrain’s act of protest and York as a historical figure significant to the history of Portland and the wider nation. Led by biennial curator and historian TK Smith, the panelists will include: Todd McGrain, artist of the York portrait; Intisar Abioto, artist and curator who recently curated Black Artists of Oregon at the Portland Art Museum; Eric Fredericksen, the public art administrator of the City of Portland; and Zachary Stocks, historian and executive director of Oregon Black Pioneers.
About the panelists Photo credit: Jonathan EchevarriaTK Smith is an award-winning writer, curator, and cultural historian. He has over ten years of experience as an independent curator. Most recently, he served as Curator, Arts of Africa and the African Diaspora, Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University. Previously, Smith served as Assistant Curator: Art of the African Diaspora at the Barnes Foundation. Smith’s writing has been published in exhibition catalogues, academic journals, and periodicals, including Art Papers where he is a contributing editor. He has been a visiting lecturer at numerous academic and cultural institutions, including Cornell University. Smith is a doctoral candidate in the History of American Civilization program at the University of Delaware, where he is completing his dissertation entitled, “Granite, Power, and Piss: The Transformation of a Confederate Symbol.”
Photo credit: Jason HillIntisar Abioto, born in Memphis, TN, is an explorer-artist working in dance, writing, photography, and curation. In long-form projects encompassing the visual, folkloric, documentary, and performing arts, her works consider the breath/ breadth of people of African descent against the expanse of their storied, imaginative, and geographic landscapes. She has produced The People Could Fly Project and The Black Portlanders, among others. In 2017 she began original research on the history and presence of Black artists in Oregon which led to the curation of the 2023 Black Artists of Oregon exhibition at the Portland Art Museum. Black Artists of Oregon: Continuum, an accompanying exhibition catalogue is forthcoming in 2026.
Photo credit: Nic LatulippeEric Fredericksen is the public art administrator of the City of Portland, where he oversees the management of the City’s 1,700-piece collection and guides the Percent for Art program. From 2017 to 2025 he led the public art program at the City of Vancouver, BC, with a focus on artist-led approaches to public art: extending open invitations for artists to propose ideas outside the limits of a predetermined site, theme, or medium. He also worked with public and private partners to dramatically increase the visibility and voice of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations on their unceded territories through art commissions in traditional and contemporary forms. He was previously the Waterfront Art Program Manager for the City of Seattle, where he commissioned significant public artworks by Ann Hamilton, Qwalsius – Shaun Peterson, Norie Sato, Buster Simpson, Oscar Tuazon, and Stephen Vitiello. As the founding director of Western Bridge, Seattle, he organized exhibitions and commissions from 2004 to 2012, and he began his career as a writer and editor at Architecture magazine and The Stranger. As an independent curator, he has curated exhibitions at the Contemporary Art Gallery, Or Gallery, and Artspeak, all in Vancouver; the Noorderzon Festival, Groningen, the Netherlands; and Open Satellite, Bellevue, Washington.
Photo credit: Scott AngerBorn in 1961, artist Todd McGrain’s early career as a sculptor involved apprenticing in bronze casting facilities, where he gained hands-on experience assisting prominent sculptors of the previous generation. In 1996, McGrain received a Guggenheim Fellowship, enabling him to study major art collections across the United States and Europe, with a focus on Italian Renaissance art. In 2000, his focus shifted to creating public memorials for bird species that have become extinct in the modern era, permanently installed at sites of historical significance to each species. This ongoing project has been widely exhibited at art centers, galleries, and public gardens, including the Smithsonian Institution, Cornell University, and Stanford University.
Photo credit: Jason HillZachary Stocks is a public historian, interpreter, and the Executive Director of Oregon Black Pioneers. Zachary previously served as Program Director of Historical Seaport and Visitor Services Manager of Northwest African American Museum. He is a former intern of Colonial Williamsburg and Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, and a former seasonal Park Ranger at Lewis & Clark National Historical Park. He holds a BA in History from the College of William & Mary with a certificate in Public History from the National Institute for American History and Democracy, and an MA in Museology from the University of Washington. Zachary is a 2025 graduate of the prestigious History Leadership Institute, sponsored by the American Association of State and Local History. Zachary lives in Astoria.
Related eventsMar 31, 2026 – Jan 31, 2027
1219 SW Park Ave
Join acclaimed historian Lord Andrew Roberts for a fascinating look at the men who helped build — and ultimately unravel — Napoleon Bonaparte’s empire. In his new book, Napoleon and His Marshals, Roberts brings to life the extraordinary generals who served at Napoleon’s side, from the courageous Ney and flamboyant Murat to the tenacious Masséna, iron-willed Davout, and meticulous Berthier.
In 1804, Napoleon created the Marshalate, the highest military honor of the French Empire, and over the next decade elevated 26 of his most accomplished generals to the rank. Roberts explores their personalities, ambitions, rivalries, and complex relationships with their emperor, revealing how Napoleon’s leadership both inspired fierce loyalty and fueled destructive competition among his marshals. Ultimately, only two of the 26 would ride beside him at Waterloo.
Drawing on years of scholarship on Napoleon and his era, Roberts offers a dramatic and richly detailed portrait of the men whose military brilliance helped create Napoleon’s extraordinary empire — and whose rivalries helped bring it down.
This event is a co-production with The Chartwell Society of Oregon, a chapter of the International Churchill Society.
Join Professor Dr. Schreiber and the Skeleton Key Odditorium for an historical magic experience unlike any other. Beyond Belief: Magic & Mysteries with The Historical Conjurer
Since the earliest days of the ancient ancestors, conjurers have illuminated the strange, the mysterious and the unexplained for all to see. Now, Professor Dr. Schreiber, the Historical Conjurer, will lead you on a journey through the past centuries of magic. You'll see parlor magic from a bygone era just as it was enjoyed by the elite audiences of antiquity. You will enjoy the tales of old times and smile and laugh together and experience this history of magic.
Guests are encouraged to dress in their best old-fashioned attire or whatever makes you feel comfortable. Very limited tickets are available for this exclusive event.
This performance will be followed by a brief question-and-answer time to discuss magic and history.
Tour entrance is at the Box Office on SW 14th and entry may not be guaranteed after 10am.
Join us as we explore the rich history of the Crystal Ballroom, including police raids, visits by silent screen idols and Beat poets, psychedelic light shows, R&B and rock legends, dancing throughout the decades and narrow escapes from ruin.
This tour may require standing for long periods of time and is mostly accessible via elevator. One stop on the tour, the balcony, can be seen but not accessed, except by stairs.
Passport holders: This tour is eligible for the Crystal Ballroom and Lola’s Room location stamps and the Attend a History Sponsored Event experience stamp.
For private group tours, contact [email protected]
Experience Portland's paranormal heritage and investigate several historic ghost lore gathered from elders, books, medical journals, alienists, spiritualists, and 100s of newspaper accounts of hauntings in NW Portland. Ghost tours stop at three locations where the spirits are known to be less than peaceful and locations where the spirits have moved on. Seek out the ghost of Agnes Reid's son, little Ernest Harp's poltergeist playmate, and the Lady Over the Bar. These ghost tours are not for the faint of heart or those under the age of 12.
Complementing the mansion's upcoming exhibit will be the 2026 Home for the Holidays — Holidays from Around the World annual celebration. Eighteen rooms throughout the mansion and Gate Lodge will be transformed into festive displays inspired by holiday traditions from Europe, the Middle East, China, India, South America, Mexico, and beyond.
Since March, dedicated volunteer decorators have been thoughtfully developing their design concepts and bringing their creative visions to life. For the first time, nine community organizations are joining the efforts. Through these new collaborations, Pittock Mansion introduces new members of the Portland community to the mansion while welcoming back familiar faces and longtime supporters to experience the warmth, beauty, and joy of the holidays at Portland’s beloved home — The Pittock Mansion.
Make this season the most memorable yet. Pittock Mansion‘s Home for the Holidays, Holidays Around the World. The Portland Then and Now: The Changing Demographics exhibit will also be open throughout the Home for the Holidays celebration. During the holiday season, visitors can enjoy both experiences with a single admission ticket.
Join Cheri Arthur, an Ambassador for American Wild Horse Conservation. Learn about Velma Johnstone, the first woman advocate for wild horses and burros, and the history of Oregon's wilds horses. You'll hear about the challenges of land management and access, and learn ways to get involved if you are interested.
How We Show Up Closing Panel November 15, 2026 Admission: $10 general admission, $5 for members with code on back of membership card Location: Auditorium, OJMCHE Share × " class="share-btn"> Share on Facebook &text=How We Show Up Closing Panel" class="share-btn"> Share on Twitter Email Sunday, November 15 | 2-3:30pm What does civic participation look like? How has the Jewish community shaped Oregon throughout its history? Panelists will discuss these questions and more in a lively discussion exploring Jewish civic engagement in Oregon, from building towns and holding office to advocating for civil rights, immigrant communities, and social justice. Speakers include Ellen Eisenberg, lead advisor to the exhibition and preeminent Western Jewish scholar; Ellen Rosenblum, Oregon’s former attorney general and first woman elected to the role; Paul Solomon, criminal justice advocate and grandson of federal judge Gus J. Solomon; and Portland City Councilor Elana Pirtle-Guiney. This program is presented as part of How We Show Up: Oregon Jews in Civil Society, An America 250 Exhibition . About the Panelists Ellen Eisenberg holds the Dwight and Margaret Lear Professorship in American History at Willamette University. Her published work includes five books on American Jewish history and, particularly, the history of Jews in the American West, including National Jewish Book Award finalist The First to Cry Down Injustice? Western Jews and Japanese Removal during WWII and a two-volume history of Jews in Oregon, Embracing a Western Identity: Jewish Oregonians, 1849–1950 and The Jewish Oregon Story, 1950–2015. A former federal prosecutor and state trial and appellate judge, Ellen Rosenblum was first elected as Oregon’s 17th Attorney General in November 2012, and was reelected in November 2016. She is the first woman to serve as Oregon’s Attorney General. As Attorney General, Rosenblum has focused on standing up for the most vulnerable Oregonians. Her priorities included consumer protection and civil rights, as well as advocating for and protecting Oregon’s children, seniors, immigrants and crime victims, and those saddled with education-related debt. She currently leads Freshfields’ State Attorneys General (State AG) practice. Ellen and her husband have two children and live in Portland, Oregon. Elana Pirtle-Guiney was elected as a District 2 City Councilor in November 2024. She has spent her career standing up for working families – as a union organizer, a policy expert, an
Join us for a talk with Dr. Nazanin Hedayat Munroe, Mary Ausplund Tooze Endowed Visiting Professor of Islamic + Ancient Art!
From luxury silks to patched wool, dress across the early modern Islamic world communicated the inner and outer states of its wearers through a shared language of regional and religious codes. In this lecture, Dr. Munroe examines how clothing and textiles expressed social status, political allegiance, spiritual devotion, and personal taste.
Nazanin Hedayat Munroe is Director of Textiles and Associate Professor of Fashion at City University of New York. An artist and art historian, she is author of several books and articles, including Sufi Lovers, Safavid Silks and Early Modern Identity (Amsterdam University Press, 2023/Routledge, 2025), winner of the R.L. Shep Award from Textile Society of America.
This talk is made possible by the generous support of the Mary Ausplund Tooze Endowed Visiting Professor of Islamic & Ancient Art fund.
Image: Man's Robe (Jama) with Poppies, 17th Century (Metropolitan Museum of Art, 29.135)
'Who can be a Japanese Emperor?: Japan's Insistence on Male-Line Succession'
A Presentation by Prof. Thomas Naruse, Kokushikan University
Hosted by the Center for Japanese Studies
The Japanese imperial system has been facing a declining number of imperial family members. Under the current system, only male members of imperial family are eligible for succession. However, at present, there is only one male member under the age of 50. While there are 5 female members under 50 years old, since current legislation stipulates that female members leave the imperial family upon their marriage, there are concerns about the shrinking number of imperial family members.
Regarding this situation, the Japanese Diet and government are considering countermeasures. While there is strong public support for allowing a female emperor, the Diet and government continue to insist on succession through the male-line. As of June 2026, the government is drafting amendments for Imperial House Law to deal with the situation, but the policy of maintaining male-line succession remains unchanged.
In this lecture, Prof. Naruse will examine why the Japanese Diet and government continue to adhere to male-line succession and what lies behind this policy. Beginning with the history of the emperor system and the rules governing imperial succession, he will discuss the current challenges facing the imperial system and the measures proposed to address them, how and why the Japanese Diet and government insist on male-line so strongly.
12:45 PM, Thursday, November 12, 2026
Fariborz Maseeh Hall Room 333
Free and Open to the Public
Please use the Broadway Entrance
For more information on the Center for Japanese Studies and our upcoming events, please visit: https://www.pdx.edu/japanese-studies
This workshop has reached capacity. Please email [email protected] if you would like to be added to the waitlist.
Join OHS Reference Librarian James Scott for a workshop on doing a formal house history. When was your home built? Who constructed and/or designed it? How, if at all, has it changed over time? Who’s lived there? These are just a few of the many questions to be explored during this free class. From Sanborn maps to newspapers to photographs (both ground and aerial), Scott will speak to the many tools that OHS and the web can provide in building a full dossier of your home.
Workshop capacity is 25 so make sure to RSVP to [email protected]. The event will be held in the Reading Room in OHS’s research library; please check in with a visitor experience associate at the admissions desk to be directed to the library, located on the fourth floor. The workshop will begin promptly at 1pm, so please arrive early to ensure a good seat and the benefit of a full workshop.
Carmen Ripollés, art historian, author and professor of art history at Portland State University, discusses her recent book, Josefa de Óbidos, which explores the life and work of one of the most influential artists of the Portuguese Baroque. Drawing on years of research, Ripollés reexamines Josefa de Óbidos' remarkable career, revealing how she achieved extraordinary artistic and professional success in the 17th century while challenging traditional assumptions about women artists. The talk will offer new perspectives on Baroque art, women's history, and the enduring legacy of an artist whose work continues to reshape the understanding of the early modern Iberian world.
Todd McGrain’s original bust of York, the enslaved man who was the only African American member of the Lewis and Clark expedition, was secretly installed on Mount Tabor Park in 2021. It was placed on the vacant pedestal where a statue of Oregonian editor Harvey Scott (1830-1910), a known racist, once stood. The surprising appearance of York, with no artist name attached to the work, is a local example of the protest art being created in the wake of political and social unrest. The unsanctioned installation of the original bust made a significant contribution to the spirited dialogues on American history, systemic inequality, and public monuments happening across the nation.
Made of mere plaster and paint, the original bust sustained damage from several acts of vandalism, prompting McGrain to come forward and offer the city a bronze version of the bust. This Spring, the Portland Art Museum debuted the bronze bust of York, temporarily, as a part of the 2026 Oregon Contemporary Artists’ Biennial: The Price of the Ticket. In collaboration with Oregon Contemporary and the City of Portland’s Office of Arts and Culture, Portland State University conducted a community survey to give Portlanders the opportunity to share their thoughts on where the monument should be placed for the long term.
Join a thoughtful discussion about McGrain’s act of protest and York as a historical figure significant to Portland's history and the wider nation. Led by biennial curator and historian TK Smith, the panelists will include: Todd McGrain, artist of the York portrait; Intisar Abioto, artist and curator who recently curated Black Artists of Oregon at the Portland Art Museum; Eric Fredericksen, the public art administrator of the City of Portland; and Zachary Stocks, historian and executive director of Oregon Black Pioneers.
Portland State University is honored to host the Oregon Tribal Language Speaker Series. Our tribal partners will present their language program’s history, revitalization efforts, and future projects.
Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde
Justine Flynn is a dedicated citizen of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and currently serves as the School Administrator for the Shawash-iliʔi Skul. Justine has been an active member of the community of Grand Ronde her entire life and grew up participating in tribal activities and program since preschool. As a strong advocate for place-based learning and immersive language education, Justine is passionate about supporting and advocating for tribal students. She works hard to support the staff within her program to create an education environment that responds to families and students while also centering language and culture as the first priority. Justine holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Oregon in Race and Ethnic Studies, a Master’s Degree in Elementary Teaching, and a graduate certificate in Indigenous Educational Leadership from Kansas State University.
Portland State University is honored to host the Oregon Tribal Language Speaker Series. Our tribal partners will present their language program’s history, revitalization efforts, and future projects.
Cowlitz Indian Tribe
Maiya Osife is the Language Program Manager for the Cowlitz Indian Tribe and an enrolled member of the Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians. She attended Portland State University from 2014 to 2018, where she studied Social Science with a minor in Indigenous Nations Studies. With over a decade of experience supporting Indigenous communities and more than six years leading Tribal language revitalization initiatives, her work today focuses on community-centered language planning, curriculum development, digital accessibility, youth and family engagement, and sustainable approaches to Indigenous language transmission. Maiya has led language revitalization programs in both Southern Paiute and Cowlitz Coast Salish communities, emphasizing practical strategies that strengthen language use in everyday life.
Esther Smithlin is the Language Technician with the Cowlitz Language Program and is an enrolled member of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe. She has been working for the Cowlitz Indian Tribe’s language program for one year and previously served the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe as a carver and graphic designer. Combining her background in graphic design, Salish carving, and Indigenous language learning, she supports language revitalization through educational resource development, language documentation, community instruction, and cultural engagement. Esther contributes to archival restoration projects, curriculum development, and the creation of language-learning materials that help increase community access to Cowlitz language and culture.