The Vanport Story Harvest is an on-going participatory oral history project directed by Story Midwife Laura Lo Forti, in collaboration with countless committed individuals and supportive organizations. As a city and as a State we forgot this important chapter of history; as a community we are re-discovering it through the voices of those who witnessed it. Watch here a few of these community-produced short documentaries, part of our growing collection:
Since 2014, historians, artists, educators, media-makers, long-term Portland residents and newcomers have been working together to capture the complexity of the Vanport experience through the voice of those who lived there. The result is a growing collection of community-produced short documentaries, featuring former Vanport residents sharing their memories. Through archival footage, historic photographs, and compelling first-person narratives, each one of these short films is an important piece of a rich and elaborate “mosaic” of the vibrant community that made up the city of Vanport. Join this grassroots effort by attending our workshops, hosting a screening, inviting us to share the stories at your school and event.
A collective of artists, historians, educators and media makers committed to bring to light a little-known chapter of Oregon's past trough the voice of those who witnessed it.
Thank you to the sponsors and of Story Harvest for helping us to make this project a reality.