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Chef Fatou Ouattara serves her acclaimed West African cuisine at Akadi, her bright yellow eatery in Northeast Portland.
Credit: Stuart Mullenberg

African American Community

Portland’s African American community reaches beyond its historic roots to create world-class connections and relationships.

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Chef Fatou Ouattara serves her acclaimed West African cuisine at Akadi, her bright yellow eatery in Northeast Portland.
Credit: Stuart Mullenberg

With a diverse range of organizations and businesses, Portland’s African American community provides visitors with resources and a friendly welcome.

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African American Community

Learn more about Portland's African American community and local history.

Local artists and visitors collaborating on making art on the spot at My People\'s Market in 2018.

African American Culture

Connect with the African American community at these businesses, cultural centers, clubs, restaurants and more.

\"The Dream\" statue at the Oregon Convention Center commemorates Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

African American History

Despite daunting barriers and discrimination, African Americans have made many important contributions to Oregon.

Local rapper Fountaine (originally from Northeast Portland) performing at My People\'s Market.

African American Events

Portland's African American community celebrates a variety of events throughout the year.

Seven Great African Restaurants in Portland

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

Dig In

Annual Events

Supports and celebrate Portland's African American community at these annual festivities.

Support Black-Owned Restaurants Week

African-American-owned restaurants are featured during Portland's Support Black-Owned Restaurant Week, but they shine all year long.

Cascade Festival of African Films is the nation\'s longest-running nonprofit African film festival.

Black History Month in Portland

Every February, Americans of all races and backgrounds celebrate Black History Month. Celebrate with these Portland events.

Catch live performances all week long during Portland\'s annual Jazz Festival, which draws musicians from around the city and the world together.

Portland Jazz Festival

The Portland Jazz Festival returns every February with a stellar series of concerts and events celebrating Black History Month.

Meet a Local

These Portlanders are innovating the city's food, drink and maker scene.

Mondainé chats with a Po\'shines customer. Photo by Ashley Anderson.

Po’Shines Café De La Soul Specializes in Catfish and Community

At Po’Shines Café de la Soul in North Portland’s Kenton neighborhood, community and comfort food go hand in hand.

Chef Salimatu Ababebe frequently hosts pop-ups in Southeast Portland.

Chef Salimatu Amabebe Showcases Nigerian Recipes and Black Artists

A Portland chef hosts scrumptious pop-up dinners, brunches and Black Feast events.

Bertony Faustin is Oregon\'s first recorded Black winemaker.

Meet Bertony Faustin, Oregon’s First Black Winemaker

Oregon’s first Black winemaker, Bertony Faustin has been building community since 2007, when he launched his small-batch winery, Abbey Creek

Kiauna Floyd represents the third generation to run family-owned Amalfi\'s.

Meet Kiauna Floyd, Owner of Amalfi’s Italian Restaurant

Northeast Portland trattoria Amalfi’s has offered the same old-school recipes and community support for three generations.

Tiara Darnell works on her podcast, \"High, Good People.\"

Budtender Tiara Darnell Is Shaking up Portland’s Cannabis Industry

The national cannabis scene is predominantly white and male; Portland’s Tiara Darnell, named Oregon’s best budtender for 2017, is working to change that.

Black brewer Lee Hedgmon crafts beer and spirits at Portland’s Ground Breaker Brewing and McMenamins Edgefield, defying stereotypes about race and the beer industry.

Portland Brewer Lee Hedgmon Defies Stereotypes About Beer and Race

Sample Hedgmon’s one-of-a-kind stouts and spirits at Edgefield and Ground Breaker.

Kiauna \"Kee\" Nelson founded the Kee\'s Loaded Kitchen food cart in 2016.

Two Women to Watch in Portland’s Southern Food Scene

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

Portland’s Best Soul Food Spots

Eat your way through North or Northeast Portland to find Southern food dishes that taste like they were flown in from the Mississippi Delta.

Dig in

African American-Owned Businesses

Visit these local favorites for delicious food, wine, coffee, sneakers and more.

  • Caribbean Spice

    Adorned in bright red, yellow and green, this colorful market offers a wide array of Afro-Caribbean ingredients, along with authentic jerk, adobo spice blends and even flour for making fufu.

  • Akadi

    Low-key eatery serving traditional African grub such as samusas, attiéké, fried fish & plantains.

  • Deadstock Coffee & Gallery

    Inspired by “sneaker culture,” Deadstock Coffee & Gallery offers premium coffee alongside an eclectic mix of gift items, including t-shirts, hats, mugs, drawing journals and espresso tampers.

  • Enat Kitchen

    This authentic Ethiopian restaurant offers a variety of meat and vegetarian dishes using herbs and spices imported from Ethiopia. In traditional Ethiopian manner, dining is communal and no utensils are used.

  • Abbey Creek Winery

    This small-batch winery is owned by Bertony Faustin, Oregon’s first recorded Black winemaker. Stop by the tasting room to sample their chardonnay, pinot gris, pinot noir and more, or pick up a few bottles for home.

Jazz in Portland

In Portland, it's pretty easy to find small venues hosting intimate combos of world-class talent, or bigger, more boffo live shows.

Listen up

Hip-Hop and R&B Scene

Check out the city's growing community of hip-hop artists, performers and innovators.

Portland hip-hop artist Dodgr performs.

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.

Retro-futurist R&B group Chanti Darling was once declared Portland\'s best new band.

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.

DJ Dirty Red performs at a YGB event at Dig a Pony in 2018.

Young, Gifted and Brown Fosters Community Through Dance in Portland

Y.G.B. aims to create healing spaces for Black and Brown Portlanders.

Green Hop: The World’s First Historical Hip-Hop Dispensary

Northeast Portland dispensary Green Hop pairs recreational cannabis with local music and community-building.

Go To Green Hop