Several proposals by the Oregon Geographic Names Board, the U.S. Forest Service, and Oregon Black Pioneers, and multiple years later, two geographic places in Oregon with a history of racially insensitive names have been renamed.
On Wednesday, Sept. 18, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names approved proposals to change the name of Negro Jack Creek in Tillamook County to Jack Creek, and the name of Negro Creek in Douglas County to Triple Nickles Creek.
“One of the most gratifying parts of our work at Oregon Black Pioneers is to participate in renaming projects. Removing antiquated racial terms allows us to right past wrongs, and honor historic Black men and women in the process,” OBP Executive Director Zachary Stocks said in a press release. “We are so grateful for the effort and leadership of the Oregon Geographic Names Board and its members in advancing these two proposals, particularly our Emeritus Board member Gwen Carr and our friend Dr. Bob Zybach.”
In 1964, the United States Board on Geographic Names replaced the slur with the then more acceptable “Negro” in placenames nationwide.