How Oregon became American (Pt. 2)

In this episode of The Oregon Tale, host Joe Vithayathil and Oregon Historical Society director Kerry Tymchuk explain how Oregon went from a massive U.S. territory to official statehood in 1859. From the 'Land Donation Act’s push to attract white settlers, to the political pressure of the slavery debate, Joe and Kerry confront Oregon’s “good, bad, and ugly” history - like how politicians of the early territory agreed to ban slavery — while simultaneously passing exclusion laws to keep black people out of Oregon for decades.  In this episode you'll hear a few surprising historical letters from Oregon’s first senators, and a look ahead to Oregon’s first presidential election in 1860 amid a nation on the brink of Civil War.