On May 30, 1948, the Vanport Flood killed 15 people, left over 18,000 homeless, and displaced a large African American community in what is now North Portland. There is much we can learn from what happened at Vanport as we work to build a more disaster-resilient and equitable community.
On Thursday, May 23 the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management (PBEM) is hosting an event at Portland City Hall to commemorate the flood's 71st anniversary and to kick off the annual Vanport Mosaic Festival (May 21-June 5). The festival offers several opportunities to learn about Vanport's history, including the Spirit of Vanport Lives On - a full day of tours, exhibits, and screenings at the Portland Expo Center on May 27. Full program details are available at www.vanportmosaic.org.
Local media are invited to attend Thursday's event from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. featuring remarks from Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty, PBEM Interim Director Kristine Artman, Vanport flood survivors, Vanport Mosaic "memory activists," and free food from Kashrootz Catering.
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