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Doja Cat dances with students at the Black Arts Festival at Reed College.

Credit: Tojo Andrianariva

Black Culture

Visit these destinations to connect with Portland's Black community.

Updated July 8, 2021 4 min read

This section was produced in collaboration with Flossin Media, a Black-owned media, marketing and event company that specializes in inspirational, motivational and educational messaging.

Portland is home to a small but thriving Black community. Here are some of the organizations, arts, history, media, sports and clubs, restaurants and nightlife that serve this vibrant group.

The Soul District: The Heart of the Black Community

The historic heart of Portland’s Black community is the “Soul District” of inner North and Northeast Portland, deemed the “Soul of Portland” in the 1990s as much because of its courage to sustain as for its cultural vibrancy. In this creative center, Portland’s black residents have fostered business development, artistic expression, multicultural preservation and community advocacy.

This is where you will find civic institutions such as the Urban League of Portland, Self Enhancement Inc., the Black United Fund, Imagine Black, the Coalition of Black Men Portland and the Prince Hall Masons, as well as barbershops, salons, Black-owned food cart pods, African groceries, music, arts and culture. We invite you to get your soul on!

Heading Out

Take a stroll through Portland, guided by tales of freed Black slaves, on a Portland Pioneers of Color Walking Tour, and attend a lecture by Oregon Black Pioneers, a nonprofit group that gives interactive presentations on the state’s rich Black heritage at schools, libraries and historical sites throughout Oregon. Visitors and locals alike can also check out the Black Resource Collection at the North Portland Library to learn about some of the Black residents who have made a lasting impact on the city. For those who would like to purchase books or gifts to take home, Third Eye Books Accessories & Gifts is a Black-owned-and-operated shop that offers African-centered items for everyone to enjoy.

Take a tour of our “Albina Murals,” a collection of murals and public art in North and Northeast Portland created by local painters and sculptors, then view multicultural art exhibits, dance and performance at the Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center.

Visit the Alberta Arts District to explore local music, food and art. Alberta Street is home to a popular gallery walk and street fair called Last Thursday, which is held the last Thursday of every month (and is particularly popular during the summer months).

Update your do and visit Pearl Hall at Dean’s Beauty Salon. Check out Champions in the heart of the historic Black neighborhood, or visit former NBA star Terrell Brandon’s Barber Shop.

Sports & Adventure Clubs

Want to become a runner but aren’t sure how? Meet up with Black Girls Run, a local running group that connects women and girls of all levels of experience looking to be more active and lead healthier lifestyles.

Leisure Hour Golf, a multicultural organization with a focus on involving the Black community, hosts events for golfers of all backgrounds and skill levels at Portland’s many excellent golf courses.

Fishing, hunting, skiing, hiking — no trip to Portland is complete unless you experience some of the outdoor adventures the city has to offer. Connect with these great Black-run organizations for guided opportunities to bask in the beautiful outdoors. Hike a peak with the African American Outdoor Association or bag a buck with the African American Hunting Association. Then hit the slopes with the Ebony Rose Ski Club , founded in 1984.

Food and Drink

Located atop a hill in northeast Portland’s Hollywood district, Clyde’s Prime Rib Restaurant & Bar features an elegant dining room –think red velvet booths and a roaring fireplace – and live jazz, R&B and blues in the bar. Date night dining is perfect at Olive or Twist, a martini lounge in Portland’s trendy Pearl District.

Established in the 1990s by Ethiopian immigrant Alem Gebrehiwot, Queen of Sheba is one of the oldest African restaurants in the city. Check out their amazing platters of food that delight vegan and non-vegan diners alike, including homemade ginger juice, thyme tea or spicy chai.

Amalfi’s Restaurant and Mercato, headed by its third-generation owner, serves up Italian trattoria cuisine including pizza, cocktails, beers and wine.

Experience the taste of the Soul District by visiting food cart pods featuring a variety of authentic ethnic food. Find the famously huge and spicy Southern-style wings and salty jojos at Alberta Street Market.

Meet the first known Black winemaker in Oregon at Abbey Creek Vineyards, where Bertony Faustin brings “the soil to the glass” at his North Plains winery.

Diversity in Dining

Discover what makes Portland one of the country's top culinary destination at these eateries.

Go To Food

Support Black-Owned Restaurants in Portland

Eateries owned by Black Portlanders are featured during August's Support Black-Owned Restaurant Week, but they shine all year long.

Five Great African Restaurants in Portland

Enjoy flavorful dishes from Ethiopia, Morocco, Cote d’Ivoire and beyond at these local eateries.

Two Women to Watch in Portland’s Southern Food Scene

Satisfy those comfort food cravings at these women-led restaurants and food carts.

Nightlife

Since 1921, Billy Webb Elks Lodge has served the Black community as a YWCA, a USO club and a safe haven for those fleeing the Vanport floods in the 1940s.

Hip-hop, reggae and African dance hall: Portland’s young-adult dance scene is a kaleidoscope of trendy modern venues such as Trio Club and small “juke-joints” scattered throughout the city. Check out the Local Lounge (on the first Saturday of each month) or Sengatera (every Friday) for the hottest in African Dancehall, reggae, zouk and hip-hop tunes spun by DJs from Africa.

Hip-Hop and R&B in Portland

Explore the city's thriving hip-hop, R&B and dance scenes.

The Portland Hip-Hop Scene

Take a deep dive into the past, present and future of Portland's hip-hop scene with our expert guide to the best performers, showcases, stores and more.

The New Class of the Portland R&B Scene

A new generation of artists is attracting more light to the Portland R&B scene than ever before.

Young, Gifted and Brown Fosters Community Through Dance in Portland

Y.G.B. aims to create healing spaces for Black and Brown Portlanders through music, dance and collaborative experiences.

Radio Stations

• KBOO 90.7 – An eclectic mix of hip-hop, politics, Afrobeat and more
• JAM’N 107.5 – Party hits and throwback jams
• KMHD 89.1 – Jazz
• KOPB 91.5 – Oregon Public Broadcasting
• LIVE 95.5 – Hip-hop and top 40