The Oregon Trail is a well-known vestige of American history, but have you heard of its first Black voyager? On November 6, 1845, 31 Americans settled in the Tumwater area of modern-day Washington, and among its entourage of White families was the successful Clayton County, Missouri cattle farmer George Washington Bush, who, with his family had made the year-long journey towards the western frontier in the hopes of escaping discrimination in the South as a free man of colour.
By 1860, there were only 30 free Blacks in Oregon and around 120 in Washington. But through the whole Northwest, including both Americans and the British, there are incredible stories of Black History to be uncovered, including several who made an impact on the Evergreen and Beaver States in addition to British Columbia in Canada; all of which were connected in an international struggle for their control amidst the looming question of Slavery in the United States up until the climax of the American Civil War.
Hosted and narrated by:
Andrej Galinac - Glenforest SS (2172) (Brunhart)
Started 01/14/22.
Scenes played: 0
License: Host License