It Did Happen Here Poster

Today Portland, Oregon is often thought of as a haven for progressive thinking and antiracist and antifascist activism, but that activism didn't just come out of nowhere. It came from a very specific need to fight back against the racist and Neo-Nazi skinhead crews that roamed the city in the 1980s. In 1988, Ethiopian immigrant Mulugeta Seraw was brutally murdered by one of these crews, and that murder became the impetus for the SHARPs (Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice), Antiracist Action, and the Coalition for Human Dignity to band together to fight back. Made up of militant antiracist youth, queer organizers, civil rights activists, and more, the resistance to these racist skinheads took many forms, from out-and-out street brawls, to intelligence gathering, to exposing white nationalist organizing to public attention. While these activists successfully drove out many of the most egregious manifestations of Neo-Nazi and white supremacist organizing from Portland, the fight is still not over today. Some of the racist skinheads put on suits and ties, some put on police uniforms, and others still became the Proud Boys, Oathkeepers, Patriot Prayer, and other right-wing militia groups that are still hell-bent on visiting fascist violence upon the Rose City. Celebrate the successes of previous generations of antiracist and antifascist activists with this poster, even as you recognize the need for continued vigilance and militancy. Part of the Celebrate People's History series, this poster was created in collaboration with the It Did Happen Here podcast. Check it out on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.