Oregon Students Receive Equality In History And Latino American History Awards At National History Day® Contest (Photo) - 07/22/26

Portland, OR — Last month, 38 Oregon students traveled to the University of Maryland to compete in the National History Day® (NHD®) contest. Representing 21 projects, these students joined nearly 3,000 students from across the nation to share their documentaries, exhibits, papers, performances, and websites inspired by the annual theme, Revolution, Reaction, Reform in History. 

During the trip, Oregon participants had the opportunity to explore museums and historic sites around Washington, D.C., and take a special tour of George Washington’s Mount Vernon. They also met with Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley and toured the U.S. Capitol building with Senator Ron Wyden’s staff.

These students previously competed at Oregon History Day, the statewide affiliate of NHD. This year-long academic program for grades 6–12 challenges students to conduct original historical research, analyze primary and secondary sources, and present their findings to a panel of volunteer judges.

Two Oregon teams also earned special prizes at the National Contest:

Equality in History Award (Senior Division)

Westview High School students Naail Ahmad, Nathan Chandra, Byron Lau, and Ryan Lee received national recognition for their documentary, Measure 9: Oregon’s Hate and Oregon’s Pride. Their project examined Oregon’s 1992 Measure 9 and how the response to the proposed anti-LGBTQ+ measure helped strengthen the movement for queer rights in Oregon.

Latino American History Award (Senior Division)

Portland students and siblings Nia Vasquez and Zanna Vasquez earned the award for Low and Slow: How Lowriders Shaped America’s Chicano Culture, a website exploring how lowrider culture challenged discrimination while celebrating Mexican American identity and community. 

Two projects were also recognized as Outstanding Affiliate Entries from Oregon.

Outstanding Affiliate Award (Junior Division)

Edward Jenner: How He Revolutionized, Reformed, and Caused a Reaction in Medicine, a group performance by Meadow Park Middle School students Rachel Hessel, Aishah Mushir, Sansita Premchander, Haya Shahid, and Surya Terrall.

Outstanding Affiliate Award (Senior Division)

The John Harris Story: One Man’s Reaction and a Nation’s Reform, a website by Ridgeview High School student Finn Stancliff.

Beyond the competition, History Day leaves a lasting impression on students, equipping them with skills in critical thinking, research, and communication that endure far beyond the contest.

“It has all been such a blast,” said Oregon History Day volunteer judge Siddharth S. “I am so reinvigorated by the passion that some students put into their historical exhibits, and I believe they will represent Oregon well.”

Students can begin working on projects for the 2027 contest now based on the annual theme Innovation in History: Impact, Influence, Change.

About the Oregon Historical Society

For more than 125 years, the Oregon Historical Society has served as the state’s collective memory, preserving a vast collection of objects, photographs, maps, manuscript materials, books, films, and oral histories. Our research library, museum, digital platforms, educational programming, and historical journal make Oregon’s history open and accessible to all. We exist because history is powerful, and because a history as deep and complex as Oregon’s cannot be contained within a single story or point of view.

Seven Cultural Attractions Offer Free Admission And Special Events To Oregon And Washington Educators August 1–16 - 07/15/26

Portland, OR — From August 1–16, Oregon and Washington educators receive free admission to the Japanese American Museum of Oregon, Lan Su Chinese Garden, Maryhill Museum of Art, Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education, Oregon Historical Society, Portland Art Museum, and Portland Chinatown Museum, plus access to educator-focused events and tours.

Educators are invited to explore each institution’s unique offerings and take advantage of special programs created just for educators. Discover classroom-ready resources, including state standards-aligned lesson plans, digital materials, and professional development opportunities, all designed to support teaching at no cost.

Educators can let staff at each institution’s admissions desk know that they are an educator to access free admission (no school identification required).

Special Educator Tours:

Please note that while some institutions request reservations to attend these programs, any educator who would like to attend will be welcomed.

Japanese American Museum of Oregon

411 NW Flanders St., Portland, OR 97209

Note: Use the entrance around the corner on 4th

Hours: Wed–Sat, 10am–4pm; Sun, 11am–4pm

jamo.org

Educator Tour

Friday, August 14, 1:30pm–3pm

Email info@jamo.org with your first and last name to RSVP.

Lan Su Chinese Garden

239 NW Everett St., Portland, OR 97209

Hours: Mon–Sun, 10am–5:30pm

lansugarden.org

Educator Tour

Friday, August 7, 1pm–2:30pm

Register here

Resource sharing and tea to follow.

Maryhill Museum of Art

35 Maryhill Museum Dr., Goldendale, WA 98620

Hours: Mon–Sun, 10am–5pm (from March 15–November 15)

maryhillmuseum.org

Educator Tour

Saturday, August 1, 11am–12pm

Register here

Oregon Jewish Museum & Center for Holocaust Education

724 NW Davis St., Portland, OR 97209

Hours: Tue–Sun, 11am–4pm

ojmche.org

Educator Tours

Friday, August 7, 1:30pm–2:30pm

Saturday, August 15, 1:30pm–2:30pm

Register here

Educators get 10% off in the museum store!

Oregon Historical Society

1200 SW Park Ave., Portland, OR 97205
Hours: Mon–Sat, 10am–5pm; Sun, 12pm–5pm

ohs.org

Educator Tours

Tuesday, August 4, 11am–12:30pm

Monday, August 10, 1pm–2:30pm

Register here

Portland Art Museum

1219 SW Park Ave., Portland, OR 97205

Hours: Tue–Sun, 10am–5pm

portlandartmuseum.org

Educator Welcome & Tour

Wednesday, August 12, 1pm–2:30pm

Register here

Free First Thursday

Thursday, August 6, 10am–7pm

Miller Family Free Day

Saturday, August 8, 10am–5pm

Portland Chinatown Museum

127 NW Third Ave., Portland, OR 97209

Hours: Thu–Sun, 11am–3pm

portlandchinatownmuseum.org

Educator Tour

Friday, August 7, 11am–12:30pm

Email info@portlandchinatown.org with your first and last name to RSVP.

About the Oregon Historical Society

For more than 125 years, the Oregon Historical Society has served as the state’s collective memory, preserving a vast collection of objects, photographs, maps, manuscript materials, books, films, and oral histories. Our research library, museum, digital platforms, educational programming, and historical journal make Oregon’s history open and accessible to all. We exist because history is powerful, and because a history as deep and complex as Oregon’s cannot be contained within a single story or point of view.

America 250 Oregon Commission To Participate In “Sharing The Spirit Of America,” A Simultaneous Reading Of The Declaration Of Independence On July 8 - 07/01/26

Portland, OR — On July 8, 2026, communities across the nation will unite in a simultaneous reading of the Declaration of Independence, commemorating its first public reading 250 years ago on July 8, 1776. Organized by the Hawai’i America250 Commission, “Sharing the Spirit of America” invites Americans to come together — despite spanning 9,500 miles and nine time zones — to read the Declaration at the same time, beginning at 3pm PT.

The America 250 Oregon Commission will participate in the event with a public reading in the Oregon Historical Society’s research library. Among those participating in the reading are:

• Ken Boddie, KOIN News
• Olivia Clark, Portland City Councilor
• Julia Brim Edwards, Multnomah County Commissioner
• Meagan Flynn, Chief Justice, Oregon Supreme Court
• Ted Kulongoski, Oregon Governor, 2003–2011
• Judy Matarazzo, Presiding Judge, Multnomah County Circuit Court
• David Molko, KGW News
• Adrienne Nelson, United States District Judge for the District of Oregon
• Tobias Read, Oregon Secretary of State
• Ellen Rosenblum, Oregon Attorney General, 2012–2024
• Mike Simon, United States District Court Judge for the District of Oregon
• Joe Vithayathil, KPTV News

Four days before this first reading of the Declaration, the Second Continental Congress was concluding its debate on the statement that would present the colonies’ case for independence to the world. A committee of five men were appointed to write the statement: John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Robert Livingston of New York, and Thomas Jefferson of Virginia. The committee selected Jefferson to write the first draft, which was edited by Franklin and Adams, and then by Congress. The Declaration was signed by 56 men who knew their signatures could cost them their lives — yet willingly signed this monumental document. 

This simple yet powerful act honors our shared history and reaffirms the principles of freedom and unity that continue to guide the nation 250 years later. View a list of readings happening state and nationwide on the Hawai’i America250 Commission website.

As part of Sharing the Spirit of America, visitors will have the opportunity to view First Edition Oregon, a special exhibition in the Oregon Historical Society’s research library showcasing highlights from the recently donated Petros G. Pelos Collection of Books and Maps. This remarkable collection featuring first editions and original bindings tells the story of American continental expansion with an emphasis on the Pacific Northwest — from eighteenth-century voyages in search of the hypothesized Northwest Passage to the final political integration of Oregon into the United States during the mid-nineteenth century. Together, these rare materials offer a unique opportunity to explore how history was recorded, published, and preserved, while illuminating the people, events, and ideas that shaped both the nation and Oregon’s place within it.

About the America 250 Oregon Commission

The mission of the America 250 Oregon Commission is to coordinate, provide guidance, and ensure that Oregon’s official observance of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States is inclusive and shares the histories of Oregon’s diverse populations, including the histories of the Indigenous peoples who have resided here since time immemorial.

If you or your organization is interested in getting involved with the America 250 Oregon commemoration, please contact oregon.250@ohs.org or sign up for the official America 250 Oregon email list. Learn more at oregon250.org.