Music is instrumental in shaping a place. It’s one of the most explicitly human things we can experience. COVID-19 has further revealed how key it is in our lives, with every major music festival closing or moving online. In the conversation, we will look at the history of Black musicians in shaping the story of Oregon through the lens of a short documentary and music from a Portland hip hop artist.

This conversation will take place in the Anderson rooms on the lower level of the library. The event is part of Salem Reads 2023.

Donovan Scribes is a writer, artist, producer, and speaker native to Portland. His work has appeared in The Skanner, Street Roots, the Oregonian, and other publications. His platform Gentrification is WEIRD! is dedicated to elevating and capturing Black Oregon history and shaping its future. He also has a clothing line, Ignorant/Reflections.