May 31, 2016

Last week, City Council proclaimed May 30^th to be “Vanport Day of Remembrance” in Portland.

On Monday, Nick was honored to commemorate the 68^th Anniversary of the Vanport flood as part of the Inaugural Vanport Mosaic Festival. He spoke at an event held at Irvington Covenant Church.

The Vanport Mosaic Festival, sponsored by the Oregon Historical Society and other community partners, is dedicated to capturing, celebrating, and preserving the experiences of those who lived in Vanport city.

Vanport was Oregon’s second largest city – with a substantial African-American population. On Memorial Day in 1948, the Columbia River levee surrounding Vanport broke, flooding and wiping out the city in less than an hour.

Nick was proud to join with the community in honoring the survivors of Vanport, and celebrating the rich history of this of often-forgotten chapter in Portland’s past.

For more information, check out Vanport Mosaic’s website.