Records of the Portland Chapter of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt
Scope and Contents
Records of the Portland Chapter of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, an AIDS activist organization in Oregon that participated in displays of the AIDS Memorial Quilt. These records include materials relating to displays of the quilt in Portland and in Washington, D.C.; materials relating to other events, including conferences; handbooks; informational signs; materials relating to the chapter's history; photographs; and video recordings. Most of the photographs are part of an album that also includes ephemera and clippings. The videos include television spots and footage of the AIDS Memorial Quilt being displayed in Portland in 1993. Also part of this collection is the education kit that the chapter used to teach schoolchildren about AIDS and the AIDS Memorial Quilt. The kit includes published materials such as books, as well as videos.
Dates
- Creation: 1985-2003
Creator
- NAMES Project. Portland Chapter (Or.) (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.
Administrative History
The Portland Chapter of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt was founded in October 1988, after the quilt completed a national tour with Portland, Oregon, as its last stop. The quilt is a display consisting of thousands of panels, each representing someone who has died of AIDS. James Bryson (1962-1997) was the Portland chapter's first chair. The chapter displayed quilt panels in Portland in 1990 and 1993, and participated in displays of the full AIDS Memorial Quilt in Washington, D.C., in 1988, 1992, and 1996. In 1994, the chapter also developed education kits for schoolchildren from kindergarten to twelfth grade. The chapter officially closed in June 2003.
Sources: Collection materials; article in the Oregonian, "The Fabric of Hope," December 2, 1993, page 1; article in Just Out, "Hats off!" June 6, 2003, page 10.
Extent
3.15 Cubic Feet (1 record carton; 4 letter document cases; 1 flat box (11x14); 4 folders (11x14) in shared flat box; 3 folders (14x18) in shared flat box; 2 oversize folders (30x42) )
Language of Materials
English
Spanish; Castilian
Chinese
Korean
Tagalog
Abstract
Records of the Portland, Oregon, chapter of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, including administrative and event records, videos, and educational materials. The Portland chapter of the NAMES Project, an AIDS activism organization based in San Francisco, California, was founded in 1988 and participated in showings of the AIDS Memorial Quilt in Portland and in Washington, D.C. The chapter closed in 2003.
Arrangement
Collection is arranged in two series:
- Series 1: Administrative and event records, memorabilia, and videos
- Series 2: Education kit
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Researcher access to video recordings on VHS cassettes in the collection is limited for preservation purposes; contact library staff to inquire about access. Fees may apply.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gifts of Dawna Bell, August and October 2024 (RL2024-061; RL2024-075).
Separated Materials
Bomber jacket and buttons were separated to Museum Collections, Oregon Historical Society, and are viewable online in the OHS Museum Collections portal, https://museumcollection.ohs.org/, under object ID number 2024-33.
Processing Information
Processed by Jeffrey A. Hayes in 2025. During processing, some original file folders were retained, while materials in binders were rehoused. A plaque awarded to the organization was photographed (see Box 1, Folder 26), but the plaque itself was not retained.
Subject
- NAMES Project. Portland Chapter (Or.) -- Records and correspondence (Organization)
- NAMES Project Foundation -- Records and correspondence (Organization)
- Title
- Records of the Portland Chapter of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Jeffrey A. Hayes
- Date
- 2025
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library Repository
1200 SW Park Ave.
Portland OR 97205 United States
5033065204
5033065240
libreference@ohs.org