6/18 Oregon Black Pioneer’s Leticia Carson, Oregon’s First Black Pioneer Woman

Presentation Summary The "Letitia Carson: Life & Legacy of Oregon's Earliest Known Black Homesteader" presentation highlights the challenges and contributions of Letitia Carson, a 19th-century pioneer, rancher, and midwife. We'll share her remarkable journey to homesteading in Oregon and the ongoing efforts of the Letitia Carson Legacy Project (LCLP) to carry Letitia's enduring spirit into our collective future. The LCLP is a collaborative effort between OSU's Center for Resilient Agriculture, Oregon Black Pioneers, Mudbone Grown, Black Oregon Land Trust, and the Linn-Benton chapter of the NAACP. Meet Your Instructor Charlotte Epps is a place-based facilitator and storyteller, plant lover, and the Letitia Carson Legacy Project Coordinator with Oregon Black Pioneers. She graduated from Oregon State University with a BS in BioResource Research, specializing in Plant Growth & Development and Sustainable Ecosystems, in addition to a BS in Sustainability. Charlotte is passionate about building bridges between cultures and disciplines to move towards a more just and equitable future. While nomadic in spirit, she considers Oregon and the Pacific Northwest her home. She is drawn to work that contributes to more Black, Brown and Indigenous people experiencing the benefits of being connected to this land, as well as the histories and ecosystems held here.