Local History
As you’ve seen in some of our previous days in the challenge, Whatcom County is no stranger to issues of race, power, and privilege. Today, we are focusing on resources highlighting discrimination and racism at the local level, revealing some of the darker history in our corner of the world.
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The current population of Whatcom County is only just over 1% Black or African American. This is not by chance and can be traced to laws in the Oregon Territory, which included what is now Washington State.

TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO EXPLORE
Read:
  • Learn about the Treaty of Point Elliott, which established reservations on small portions of land that were previously part of Native American heritage in the Puget Sound region.

  • Read this article from WhatcomTalk recounting Whatcom County’s history with the KKK.

  • The “Chinese Curse,” as recounted by local tour company BellingHistory, sheds light on our Chinese exclusion past.
Watch:

  • From ehistory.org watch “The Invasion of America” to see the startling changing landscape of Indigenous lands in the U.S., beginning on the Eastern Seaboard and reaching across the country to the Pacific Northwest. (1:27 mins)
Explore:


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