Albina Music Trust preserves the legacy of Black music rooted in the historic Albina community in Portland, Oregon.Documenting Culture. Representing Our History.
Before There Was a Trust, There Was a Neighborhood
Long before Albina Music Trust existed, Portland’s Albina neighborhood was the cultural heartbeat of Black Portland. From gospel echoing out of churches to jazz, soul, funk, and R&B spilling from clubs, basements, ballrooms, and living rooms, the community was alive with sound. Musicians learned from elders. Teenagers sat in at jam sessions. Bands played six nights a week. Style, rhythm, faith, and experimentation all existed side by side.
What Was Built Was Also Taken Away
Over time, Albina’s vibrant musical culture was pushed to the margins. Redlining, urban renewal, racist housing policy, and systemic disinvestment fractured the neighborhood. Clubs closed. Families were displaced. Musicians faced discrimination in Portland’s broader music industry, limiting access to capital, recording opportunities, and recognition beyond Albina.
Though the music never stopped, much of it went undocumented. Few albums were pressed. Few photographs were preserved. Stories survived through memory—vulnerable to being lost.
This wasn’t accidental. Physical displacement threatened to erase Albina’s musician culture.
Preservation Is an Act of Care
As years passed, it became clear: if Albina’s musical legacy isn’t intentionally preserved, it will disappear.
Musicians have carried the sound. Elders have carried the stories. Families have photos, tapes, fliers, and memories tucked away in boxes and closets. But without a home for those materials, that history remains fragmented.
For Albina Music Trust, preserving Albina’s music became more than an archival effort. It became an act of resistance against forgetting.
Building a Living Archive
Albina Music Trust was created to ensure that Albina’s music—and the people who made it—would never be erased.
Rather than locking history away, the Trust was built as a living archive: one that preserves, shares, and activates culture through community engagement. Our community archive now holds more than 13,000 items, making it the largest archive dedicated to Black Oregonians’ cultural legacy in the state.
But the work doesn’t stop at preservation. It extends into public programs, live events, education, walking tours, records, and exhibitions—bringing history into the present.
The Story Is Still Being Written
Albina Music Trust exists for the musicians who came before—and for the generations still to come. Kids encounter this history through education. Music fans experience it through concerts and records. Residents reconnect through walking tours and exhibitions. Elders see their contributions honored and shared.
Albina’s music is not frozen in the past. It is a lineage—passed hand to hand, note by note. By preserving the legacy of Black music in Albina, we help ensure it continues to evolve and inspire.
Reach out to us
Albina Music Trust is rooted in community, and connection is at the heart of everything we do. Whether you have a question, want to share a story or archival materials, explore a partnership, or simply learn more about our work, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out and be part of preserving and amplifying Albina’s musical legacy—together.