Description

This “open textbook” is a social and cultural history of the people of Oregon representing powerful figures from the dominant Euro-American culture/ the marginalized and oppressed/ and social and political reformers who shaped the historical legacy of the state. It is a story of the diverse array of immigrants who helped build the state and strengthen it. The title is a recollection of the racial fantasies that European-American settlers created in their expansionist vision of the West and the state of Oregon. Initially the Oregon Territory was built on intolerance and racial exclusivity/ but eventually Oregon embraces its diversity/ but not without struggle and heartache. Our journey through the past starts with an essential question/ “Who are the people of Oregon?”