The Strides for Justice app offers self-guided tours highlighting the people, places and events that shaped the BIPOC history of Eugene! There are several tour options around Eugene with detailed directions to the locations and thoughtful reflections. Some of the Eugene tours you can choose from include:
- The Westmoreland Park Tour: Visit the Dr. Edwin Coleman Jr. Community Center. Coleman was a dedicated community member, teacher, advisor, and advocate. colorful murals adorning the south and west walls of the center depict the interests, passions, and impact of Dr. Edwin Coleman Jr. To learn more about Dr. Edwin Coleman Jr. visit Westmoreland Park and find the dedication plaque.
- The South Eugene Tour: learn about Wiley Griffon. Along Willamette St. between 20th and 22nd you will find a mural, painted on an old trolly station. This painting honors the memory of Wiley Griffon, who in the1890s was the driver of Eugene’s first streetcar service. learn more about Wiley Griffon at the Eugene Masonic cemetery by reading the full Memorial.
- The Downtown Tour: Explore several key locations including Alton Baker Park, which was once Lane County’s first African- American community, and the Mims Houses which served as a home and lodging for people of color staying in or traveling through Eugene and is now home to the Eugene/Springfield chapter of the NAACP.
The tours create a free, accessible, and self-guided way to learn about BIPOC history in Eugene. You can access the locations on the tours by bike, bike share, foot, bus, or car at your own pace and time.
Try the Strides for Social Justice app and take a look back so we can move forward. This is history in motion. Download the app for free and explore on your own.