Portland City Archives celebrates American Archives Month

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 24, 2025

PORTLAND, Ore. - Portland City Auditor's Archives & Records Management Division is celebrating American Archives Month by hosting a series of events in October. All events are free and open to members of the public of all ages at the Portland Archives & Records Center, 1800 SW 6th Avenue, Suite 550.

Archives Tours: Join staff behind the scenes to learn more about City records and where they are kept. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with City maps and plans, landmark City Council records, historic photographs, and other archival material that shaped Portland into the city it is today.

• Saturday, October 4, from 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.
• Tuesday, October 21, from 5 - 6 p.m.
• Sunday, October 26, from 2 - 3 p.m.

Archiving After Hours: The Divisionwill hold a community archiving night with special guests from the Albina Music Trust, a community archive dedicated to the restoration of a Black community's historic musical culture. This is an opportunity for community members to work on personal archiving projects and receive guidance from City Archivesstaff. Light refreshments will be provided.

• Wednesday, October 8, from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Register to attend the events. Space is limited. Email [email protected] for any accessibility accommodations.

"American Archives Monthis a time to raise awareness about the importance of historical records and the organizations that hold them," said City Archivist Madeline Moya. "We are excited to welcome members of the public to the Portland City Archives so they can engage with our collections and discover how the Archives can be a resource to learn about their history."

American Archives Month is a collaborative effort by professional organizations and collecting organizations around the nation to highlight the importance of historical records. Archivists are professionals who assess, collect, organize, preserve, maintain control of, and provide access to information that has lasting value, and they help people find and understand the information they need in those records.

The Archives & Records Management Division operates the Portland Archives & Records Center, making City administrative and historical records accessible to the public and City employees for research and inspection in accordance with Oregon public records law.