In a significant development for justice, civil rights, and accountability, U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon has ruled that a federal civil rights suit filed by 26 Black descendants can proceed against the city of Portland and Legacy Emanuel Hospital & Health Center. This decision marks a pivotal moment for the families whose homes in Portland’s Albina district were unjustly destroyed during the 1960s and ’70s.
The lawsuit, brought forth by the Black descendants, seeks redress for the harm caused by the destruction of their homes and the subsequent displacement of their families. These actions, which occurred during a period of urban renewal, had a devastating impact on the Albina district, a historically Black neighborhood that was once thriving with a vibrant community.
Several of the descendants were on a local television show hosted by long time media personality in Portland, Opio Sokoni. They laid out in detain what happened to them, their families, and their community. The defendants in the case, including the city of Portland, Prosper Portland, and Legacy Emanuel Hospital & Health Center, had filed motions to dismiss the suit. However, Judge Simon’s ruling denies these motions, allowing the lawsuit to move forward and giving the plaintiffs an opportunity to have their grievances heard in a court of law.
The plaintiffs in the Portland case argued that there was full alleged conspiracy between the hospital and the city resulting from a 2021 report by Portland State University graduate students titled, “Reclamation Towards the Futurity of Central Albina.” The judge wrote, “Plaintiffs have ‘nudged’ their conspiracy claim ‘across the line from conceivable to plausible.”
The Albina district was once a vibrant hub of Black culture, business, and community in Portland. However, during the 1960s and ’70s, the city embarked on an urban renewal program that disproportionately targeted Black neighborhoods. This program resulted in the demolition of numerous homes and businesses, leading to the displacement of many Black families and the erasure of a significant part of Portland’s African American history.
