UNIT: The Westward Expansion
TODAY'S ASSIGNMENT
Question: What purposes were served by black-owned businesses like early Portland’s Golden West Hotel?
In preparation for our field trip next class period to the Golden West Hotel historic site in downtown Portland, choose one of these two assignments to finish and bring to the next class.
OPTION 1: Click the link to go to this website: Golden West Hotel and listen to the audio clip of prominent black Portlanders remembering the importance of the Golden West Hotel to the black community in the early decades of the 20th century.
OR…
OPTION 2: Click this link and read this blog post: On the Territory -- a description of the black community in Portland 100 years ago.
NEXT, FOR BOTH OPTIONS:
In the comments section below, write a short paragraph (200 – 300 words) giving your thoughts on this question:
The Golden West Hotel was an African-American business, and its customers were African-American. What were some of the reasons the Golden West Hotel and other exclusively “black” businesses in Portland were blacks-only businesses? Why would they be segregated? Explain your reasoning to support your answer.
