Portland City Archives and Don’t Shoot PDX launch 2026 “Portland in Black” community archiving workshops
A monthly series focused on preserving personal and community histories
A new public workshop series titled “Portland in Black: Documenting Our Lives in the City of Roses” is scheduled to run throughout 2026, bringing residents together to build practical archiving skills and preserve community history. The program is a collaboration between the Portland City Archives and Don’t Shoot PDX, an arts and education organization that operates the Black Memory & Preservation Lab.
The series is designed as hands-on community archiving sessions where participants can work on personal preservation projects, connect with others, and receive guidance from staff described as “memory workers.” All events are free and open to people of all ages, with registration requested for each session.
Where and when the workshops take place
Workshops are planned primarily on the fourth Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. to noon at the Black Memory & Preservation Lab, located at 510 SW Third Ave., Suite 400, in Portland. The March session is scheduled on a Friday as part of spring break programming. Each date is designed to stand alone, meaning residents can attend one session or return multiple times during the year.
- Jan. 24, 2026
- Feb. 28, 2026
- Mar. 27, 2026 (Friday)
- Apr. 25, 2026
- May 23, 2026
- Jun. 27, 2026
- Jul. 25, 2026
- Aug. 22, 2026
- Sep. 26, 2026
- Oct. 24, 2026
- Nov. 28, 2026
What participants will do in the sessions
The opening event, scheduled for Jan. 24, is titled “Coffee and Collections” and is set to focus on conducting oral history interviews using tools people may already have at home. Organizers have also encouraged attendees to bring personal materials for preservation advice.
“We invite folks to bring their personal materials down for preservation advice and to build our collective memory as Portlanders.”
How the workshops fit into public records and civic history
The Portland City Archives, part of the City Auditor’s Archives & Records Management Division, preserves historic city records and makes them available to the public for research and inspection under Oregon public records law. The 2026 workshop series extends that public-facing role into community education, aiming to help residents document and preserve lived experiences as part of Portland’s broader historical record.
Organizers have described the yearlong schedule as a foundation-building effort intended to ensure community stories remain accessible for future generations.