Juneteenth at the Letitia Carson DLC

7220 Northeast Arnold Avenue,Adair Village OR 97330

18 June, 2022

Description

Letitia Carson was one of the first Black women settlers in Oregon. Tour her land and learn more about her extraordinary life! Juneteenth at Letitia Carson’s Land Hosted by: Letitia Carson Legacy Project (LCLP), a partnership of Oregon Black Pioneers (OBP), Linn-Benton Counties NAACP, Black Oregon Land Trust (BOLT), and Oregon State University (OSU) Date: Saturday, June 18 Location: A free shuttle will be provided from the Santiam Christian Schools' parking lot at 7220 NE Arnold Ave, Adair Village. Driving directly to the site is possible, but there is limited parking; request directions by June 15 from [email protected]. The event will be held on Letitia Carson’s land approximately 8 miles north of Corvallis and approximately 2.5 miles west of Santiam Christian School. Time: 3:00 pm – 5:30 pm Attendance Capacity: 50 Setting: This portion of the Letitia Carson property is open pasture. There will be a shade tent. Water and light snacks provided. Wear/Bring: We recommend sturdy, closed toe shoes, long pants, long sleeves, a sun hat, a water bottle and any needed medical devices (EpiPens, for example). Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made by June 10 to: Lauren Gwin, [email protected]. 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm Hosts will provide informal tours of the land and archaeological site. Archaeologist, Cayla Hill, will be on site to discuss any findings from the property. 4:00 pm Speakers: Zachary Stocks, Executive Director of Oregon Black Pioneers, and other project partners. History Letitia Carson, a formerly enslaved woman, came to Oregon in 1845 and was one of the first Black woman settlers in Oregon. She and her husband, David Carson, who was white, settled on land that is now part of the Soap Creek beef ranch. Because of Oregon’s exclusion laws and the whites only provision of the 1850 Oregon Donation Land Claim Act, Letitia Carson was forced off her land. She filed two lawsuits in the mid-1850s against the administrator of her late partner’s estate. Despite the Oregon Territory’s exclusionary laws, Letitia Carson won both suits. Although there are no visible remnants of the Carson homestead, the open prairie land and tree lined Soap Creek are a powerful reminder of the hard work and success achieved by many of Oregon’s early Black residents, despite the many obstacles that they had to endure. Letitia Carson Legacy Project The Letitia Carson Legacy Project is a partnership of four organizations – Black Oregon Land Trust, Oregon Black Pioneers, the Linn-Benton Counties NAACP Branch, and Oregon State University – committed to honoring Letitia Carson’s legacy. The Project focuses on the Black experience in Oregon while connecting to the Indigenous people of this region. We envision creating, on Letitia Carson’s land, a 21st century version of her Soap Creek homestead to inspire, educate, and nurture Oregon’s future generations of Black and Indigenous growers, gatherers, foragers, entrepreneurs, and leaders. We imagine experiential learning and applied research opportunities for OSU students and faculty. We imagine welcoming kids, families, and community members to the land to learn and share Letitia’s inspiring story.