Black Education Elders Honored For Their Legacies Supporting Students (Photo) -07/07/25
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Colin Fogarty, Director of Communications
Oregon Community Foundation, cfogarty@oregoncf.org
DON’T LET ANYONE DIM THEIR LIGHT
Black Education Elders Honored for Their Legacies Supporting Students
PORTLAND, Ore. — Believe in Black children. Draw inspiration and strength from your ancestors, elders and community. Build the school system students deserve. And don’t let anyone dim their light.
These were the messages from visionary Black educators honored this summer by Oregon Community Foundation. Some honorees led sweeping institutional change. Others built community organizations from the ground up. And many worked within the system to inspire and educate generations of Oregon students.
Honoring a Legacy of Service
The event “Honoring Our Legacy, Investing in the Future” marked Juneteenth and recognized 13 educators for contributions spanning more than 50 years. It was hosted by OCF’s Black Student Success Initiative.
“My grandmother’s mother was born into slavery. So this is not a theory for me,” said Ron Herndon, honored for his advocacy for Portland children and nationally recognized early childhood education leadership. “We have to build upon the strength that has been given to us through our ancestors.”
Herndon recommended that anyone working with Black students familiarize themselves with the works of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois, Booker T. Washington and Dr. Carter G. Woodson.
With those educators and authors in mind, Herndon co‑founded the Black Education Center and led the Portland chapter of the Black United Front, which helped end harmful student‑busing practices in Portland Public Schools in 1979 and influenced the selection of the district’s first Black superintendent, Dr. Matthew Prophet, in 1982. He later became director of Albina Head Start and president of the National Head Start Association.
“Honoring these leaders shows where we’ve been, how far we’ve come and how far we still have to go,” said Marcy Bradley, chief community engagement and equity officer for OCF. “Their work improved education for Black children and for all Oregon students.”
Stories of Courage and Commitment
The evening featured tributes from leaders inspired by those honored, including Joe McFerrin, president and CEO of Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center and Kali Thorne‑Ladd, CEO of Children’s Institute and co‑founder of KairosPDX. Marsha Williams, also a co‑founder of KairosPDX, served as emcee.
During a panel moderated by OCF President and CEO Lisa Mensah, Herndon and fellow honoree Dr. Harriet Adair shared personal reflections.
Adair recalled that her own mother was barred from teaching in Portland Public Schools. While her family and community believed in her, the system often did not.
When Adair was a high school senior her counselor expressed surprise that she intended to attend college after she’d been offered a scholarship to Bryn Mawr College, adding that Adair lacked the math classes to attend. Adair said she vowed never be the adult who kills a child’s dream.
Adair became a middle school teacher then principal of King Elementary School in a historically Black Northeast Portland neighborhood. She later earned a doctorate and served as assistant superintendent of PPS. Her former high school, once named for slave‑owning President James Madison, is now named for Leodis V. McDaniel, a Black principal who once led it.
Innovators Who Opened Doors
Another honoree reflected on how her grandfather inspired her.
“If my grandfather could get an education when it was against the law then I could learn to do anything,” said Renee Anderson, who battled racism to become a mathematics teacher in the 1960s and founded and led Oregon MESA for 40 years. The organization offers science, technology, engineering and math education and mentoring to students of color, girls and non‑binary students, low‑income students and those who are the first in their families to attend college.
“Now we call it STEM education but Renee Anderson did this long before it had a name,” Bradley said.
Advancing Equity in Education
Honorees included Dr. Darrell Millner, professor emeritus and former chair of Portland State University’s Black Studies Department, and Lolenzo Poe, who launched Multnomah County’s Schools Uniting Neighborhood program and co‑chaired the Portland School Board.
As chief equity and diversity officer for PPS, Poe developed the district’s Racial Educational Equity Plan. The initiative helped raise Black student graduation rates.
“Lolenzo has been a giant force for equity in Portland and Multnomah County,” Thorne‑Ladd said, calling Poe “the Black godfather of Portland’s electoral and political scene.”
Solutions Rooted in Community
Many of those honored were instrumental in advocating for the Oregon Legislature's landmark investments in Black student success. They pushed for policies requiring community voice in how funds are spent and urged OCF to get involved.
Since 2019 OCF has invested more than $6 million in the Black Student Success Initiative and a network of 25 Black‑led, Black‑serving organizations that provide direction to funders on best practices from early childhood through post‑secondary.
“When you let the community that knows the challenge create the solutions what you get are practices that work for all children. Best practices spread out from one group of children to the next,” Bradley said.
Looking Forward, Looking Back
For Bradley, the event was as much about looking forward as looking back. Black student achievement continues to lag other groups in Oregon.
“Improving student achievement it’s a tough nut to crack,” she said. “There’s not just one place for educators to learn how to do it. The people we honored are bold and brilliant educators. We can all learn from them and draw courage for the challenging work that lies ahead.”
See a full list of the honorees and their biographies below.
Honoree Biographies
Ms. Barbara Ward
Believer. Cultivator. Guide.
“Belief doesn’t just happen. It comes from understanding who you are and that you have unlimited potential to change this world, just by being your unique self.”
Ms. Barbara Ward understands the power of belief. Serving as De La Salle North Catholic School’s counselor for 16 years, she believed in the future of thousands of young people who walked through her door. Guiding them on a journey into the rest of their lives, Ms. Ward is known by countless students as someone who not only knew they were destined for great things, but helped them discover it for themselves.
Born in 1952, Ms. Ward learned how to cultivate her own belief in herself at an early age, and in a time when every door to success was firmly shut. Facing the daily realities of oppressive systems that had no place for her, Ms. Ward would not be dissuaded, and she created her own. Her love of education not only flourished, but later became infectious, and she would spend the next decades of her career pouring into generations of students, illuminating their path to college and beyond. Thousands of North and Northeast Portland students credit Ms. Ward for opening up their futures and showing them that the world was waiting for the unique contribution only they could bring.
- Retired College Counselor, De La Salle North Catholic School
Ms. Cynthia Richardson
Champion. Path-maker. Mobilizer.
“No matter where you are, you go in, know who you are, and stand for what's right.”
The first African American high school principal of Salem-Keizer school district, Cynthia Richardson spent the last 44 years opening and walking through doors that had been closed for too long. And she taught her students that they could do the same.
Serving as a teacher, assistant principal and principal, district Director of Student Equity, Access, and Advancement, Vice Chair of the state Board of Education, and currently, the Chair of the Salem-Keizer School Board, Ms. Richardson has inspired thousands of young people to discover and live in their unique identities. Building deep and lasting relationships with students and families over the years, and nurturing their personal and academic success, Cynthia’s impact on her community and beyond will continue for generations to come.
- Principal, Salem-Keizer School District
- School Board Chair, Salem-Keizer Public Schools
- Director of Student Equity, Access, and Advancement, Salem-Keizer Public Schools
Dr. Darrell Millner
Truth-teller. Activist. Future-builder.
“We can’t change what happened in history ... the only thing we can change is what happens now."
As Professor Emeritus and former Department Chair of Black Studies of Portland State University, Dr. Darrell Millner is a widely recognized expert and preeminent scholar of the early 19th-century western movement of African-Americans, specializing in the Oregon and California trail experiences.
With a doctorate in education, Dr. Millner spent the last 50 years awakening students to the complex and largely unrecognized truth of the racist exclusionary laws of early Oregon, the richness of Afro-American Literature and Black cinema, and much more. Uplifting diverse histories in his scholarly work, Dr. Millner's equally profound contributions as Director of Multicultural Education for the Portland Public Schools have impacted thousands of young Oregonians. Dr. Millner's legacy points us all to the deep truths of history, and that when we acknowledge them, we have the power to revolutionize our future.
- Professor Emeritus, Former Department Chair of Black Studies, Portland State University
- Director of Multicultural Education of Portland Public Schools
Dr. Ernest Hartzog
Activist. Pioneer. Transformer.
“Learn the value of forgiveness, of love, and of brotherhood, as we work in the trenches to bring about equality in our nation.”
In 1969, following a massive ten-day student walkout, Dr. Ernest Hartzog was named San Diego’s first African-American high school Principal. Rooted deeply in the civil rights movement and with over 40 years in public and private education, ranging from Michigan and Pennsylvania to Washington D.C. and Oregon, Dr. Ernest Hartzog left an indelible mark across our nation’s educational landscape.
As he trailblazed the journey for equal rights in Oregon, including the desegregation of our state’s schools, Dr. Hartzog’s vision to widen avenues for those coming after him led to him founding the Oregon Alliance of Black School Educators and served as President of the National Alliance of Black School Educators. Today, as part owner of MJOD Consulting, a leadership and organizational development organization, Dr. Hartzog continues to invest his wisdom and leadership in his community.
- Adjunct professor at California Western University, San Diego and Portland State University
- Founder, Building Blocks to Success, Oregon Alliance of Black School Educators
- President of the National Alliance of Black School Educators
- Consultant at the Center for Studies of The Person, in La Jolla, Calif.
- Consultant for the National Training Laboratory for Applied Behavioral Sciences (NTL), in Washington D.C.
- Member of the Advisory board of the “I Have a Dream” Foundation and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
Mr. George Russell
Advocate. Powerhouse. Wayfinder.
“With the right mindset, the right belief system, and the willpower, we can find a way to do what’s best for our kids.”
Named Oregon’s Superintendent of the Year in 2005, George Russell served the Eugene 4J School District for over a decade, but his presence and influence in the educational system extend far and wide. Contributing to the Danforth Foundation’s Forum for the American School Superintendent and Harvard University’s Superintendent Leadership program, Mr. Russell has been recognized for his ability to mobilize great minds and action on behalf of this country’s young people.
His belief in the innate possibilities of all children has always driven his vision for and definition of success. As former President of the NAACP’s Education Committee and Executive Board Member with Blacks in Government, Mr. Russell’s influence in education and civic service has created multiple pathways for, and uplifted the dreams of, thousands of children and families and entire communities across Oregon.
- Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2023 First Citizen Award Winner
- Member of Oregon State Board of Education, Children’s Institute Board, Looking Glass Community Services Board and United Way of Lane County’s Advisory Board
- 2017 United Way Alton F. Baker Award winner
- NAACP board member and Chair of its Education Committee
- Executive board member of Blacks in Government
- 2005 Oregon’s Superintendent of the Year
Dr. Harriet Adair
Firebrand. Activator. Trailblazer.
“With the right kind of energy and level of support to students, they’ll do all sorts of phenomenal things.”
The self-proclaimed daughter of a “door-opener,” Dr. Harriet Adair confidently strode into Portland Public Schools in 1970 as a middle school teacher. Serving a district that at one point barred her own mother from teaching because of her race, Dr. Adair never doubted that she belonged in every room she entered. She spent the next 47 years making sure every child she met knew they belonged too. Moving to the rank of Principal and finally to Assistant Superintendent of the district’s Office of Early Learners, Schools and Student Supports, Dr. Adair’s imprint on the lives of children, from preschool to high-school graduation is unmistakable.
As her family’s sixth generation with a master’s degree, Dr. Adair earned her doctorate from Brigham Young University, and in turn, wove this legacy into mentoring the next generations of teachers and leaders of color. Awarded the President’s Award from the Confederation of Oregon School Administrators, Dr. Adair will go down in history as someone who changed the landscape of education — and the future of thousands of Oregon youth.
- Principal and Assistant Superintendent, Portland Public Schools
- 2014 President’s Award from the Confederation of Oregon School Administrators
- Member of Oregon Governor’s Early Learning Council
Mrs. Joyce Braden Harris
Groundbreaker. Revolutionary. Leader.
“Culturally responsive education means using history and culture as bridges to children’s learning — making sure that you enter into their world.”
In 1969, Joyce Braden Harris came to Reed College on a full academic ride as one of only 17 African American students — and she never looked back. Recognized for her groundbreaking work in the national civil rights movement and education, Harris co-founded the Black Education Center, which provided free summer education to African American children in Portland. In 1974, the center became a full-time private school.
Awarded the Woman of Excellence in Education Award, among many others, Harris’s Baseline Essay on African-American Traditions in Language Arts has been recognized and adopted by hundreds of school districts across the country. Her years of teaching, activism and consultancy within the Portland Public Schools district and beyond have revolutionized curricula and ensured generations of children receive the equitable education they deserve.
- Co-founder, Black Education Center
- Member of Albina Ministerial Alliance Coalition for Justice and Police Reform
- Woman of Excellence in Education Award winner
Ms. Linda Jean Harris
Visionary. Dedicated Principal. Coach.
Linda Jean Harris is a retired educator who served for 33 years with Portland Public Schools, including as Assistant Superintendent. She holds degrees in Language Arts, Psychology, and School Administration, and earned her Superintendent’s Certification from Lewis & Clark College.
Following her PPS career, Linda spent 13 years at Self-Enhancement, Inc. (SEI) Academy as principal and administrative coach. Under her leadership, Woodlawn School earned state and national recognition, including the Title I Program of Merit for Math and a five-year national grant for High Performing Learning Communities. At SEI Academy, she helped the school receive the National Center for Urban School Transformation Award and the National Title I Distinguished School Award.
A firm believer in instructional leadership, Linda champions the belief that all students can learn at high levels.
Mr. Lolenzo Poe
Culture-shifter. Organizer. Justice-seeker.
“In our focus on educational equity, you cannot waver. If you commit resources, we can ultimately close the gap.”
Born and raised in North Portland, Mr. Poe’s pursuit of justice and equal access to education has marked a decades-long service in communities across the state. Earning his Bachelor’s degree and then Master’s of Public Administration at Oregon State University, Poe spent the next 32 years at Multnomah County, first directing the Department of Community & Family Services, and later as director of the Department of School & Community Partnerships. A founder of the acclaimed Schools Uniting Neighborhoods program, Mr. Poe’s influence and impact extend across communities throughout the state.
As the Director of Strategic Partnerships and Chief Equity and Diversity Officer and Director of Partnership Development for Portland Public Schools, Mr. Poe was instrumental in developing and driving the district's Racial Equity Plan, which resulted in astonishing achievements. In his own words, a “product of a community that took care of and loved its own,” Mr. Poe’s life and service have left a lasting and unwavering reflection of this love in action.
- Chief Equity and Diversity Officer and Director of Partnership Development, Portland Public Schools
- Director of Strategic Partnerships, Portland Public Schools
- Director, Department of Community & Family Services
- Director, Multnomah County Department of Community & Family Services
- Director of the Department of School & Community Partnerships, Multnomah County
- Co-chair, Urban League of Portland Board of Directors
- Founder, Oregon Schools Uniting Neighborhoods program
Mr. Ray Leary
Overcomer. Empowerer. Legacy-maker.
“By embracing the unknown, seeking relationships and building connections, you can create a momentum so great, you cannot be denied.”
Mr. Leary’s multifaceted leadership in the city of Portland has had a sprawling and sustained impact on its educational landscape as well as economic and civic development. A graduate of Jefferson High School in the 1970’s, and co-captain of one of the first ever all-Black Oregon State Championship winning teams, Mr. Leary blazed an early path of pioneering places, initiatives and accomplishments most had only dreamed of. As Director of Development of the Urban League of Portland, and the first African American commissioner on Metro’s Metropolitan Exposition Recreation Commission, Leary’s advocacy has always been rooted in his unwavering belief in the power of resilience, mentorship and empowering youth.
Co-Director of Self Enhancement, Inc., a nationally acclaimed youth empowerment program with a decades-long presence and impact in Portland public schools, Mr. Leary has brought forth his own deeply personal experience of persevering against all odds to create a future for all Portland children where dreams have the power to turn into legacies of change.
- Co-director of Self Enhancement, Inc.
- Director of Development of the Urban League of Portland
- Commissioner, Metro Metropolitan Exposition Recreation Commission
Mrs. Renee Anderson
Creator. Advocate. Firebrand.
“If my grandfather could get an education when it was against the law, then I could learn to do anything.”
Mrs. Renee Anderson’s journey to Portland came by way of San Francisco, where, as a young girl in the early 1960s, she was forced to fight through blatant racism and daily obstacles to pursue her dream of teaching mathematics. Not only did she achieve this dream, teaching at Berkeley and later as Director of the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) Program at San Francisco State University, she made it her goal to do the same for thousands of young people coming after her.
In 1985, Anderson was recruited to launch the MESA Program for Portland Public Schools. She built the program from the ground up, and the results of her investment and commitment to equity in STEM over the last 40 years are incalculable. Today, her role on the Board of Oregon Alliance of Black School Educators, and as Co-Chair of the African American/Black Student Success Advisory Group for the Oregon Department of Education, Anderson’s deep belief in the endless possibilities of Oregon’s youth knows no bounds.
- Director, Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) Program at San Francisco State University
- Founder, Portland Public Schools MESA Program
- Board member, Oregon Alliance of Black School Educators
- Outreach Director, Saturday Academy
- Co-Chair, African American/Black Student Success Advisory Group, Oregon Department of Education
- Program Coordinator, Black Student Success Network
Mr. Ron Herndon
Provoker. Uplifter. Reformer.
“Whatever I have been a part of in my life has been because of the influences of adults who pushed us towards excellence in education.”
Mr. Ron Herndon came to Reed College in 1968 on a Rockefeller scholarship and discovered entrenched racist and discriminatory systems as deep as he’d ever encountered. He and his colleagues spent their tenure at Reed involved in constant activism, and it was here that he co-founded the widely acclaimed Black Educational Center. In 1975, Herndon was named director of the Albina Ministerial Alliance Head Start Program, and later, organized the Portland chapter of the Black United Front to reform and eventually abolish harmful busing practices in Portland.
Instrumental in the hiring of the city’s first Black school superintendent, Herndon established himself as a leader in Portland’s educational system, but his advocacy for equality and justice can be seen across sectors of society. A recipient of the Gladys McCoy Award for “outstanding lifetime volunteer service dedicated to improving the [Multnomah] county community,” Mr. Herndon’s dogged determination to uplift community power has made, and continues to make, a lasting difference.
- Co-Founder, Black Educational Center
- Director, Albina Ministerial Alliance Head Start Program
- President, National Head Start Association
- Founder, Portland chapter of Black United Front
- President, National Head Start Association
- Gladys McCoy Award winner
Mr. Tony Hopson Sr.
Agitator. Pursuer. Radical.
“Because our young people were taught to see themselves as leaders, today they are in leadership positions themselves, in Portland and beyond.”
When Tony Hopson Sr. started a summer camp for Black students in Northeast Portland 44 years ago, he could never have imagined the organization it has become, serving approximately 17,000 Portland youth every year, and changing the trajectory of a generation of Portland families’ futures. Today, Self Enhancement, Inc. (SEI) is known for its wide-reaching presence in Portland’s public schools, providing opportunities and mentoring students to succeed in academics, leadership and life through college and beyond. A graduate of Jefferson High School and member of the historic 1972 basketball state championship team that faced insurmountable odds, Hopson’s personal and professional fight for justice began early in life and has never stopped.
Hopson not only fought back the closure of Jefferson High School in 2010 but, through the work of SEI, achieved staggering results by moving the graduation rate from 54% to well over 93%. Though retiring as the organization’s CEO in 2024, Hopson’s commitment to empowering youth and holding Portland’s leaders accountable to unconditional and equal educational opportunities has no end date.
- Founder, Self Enhancement, Inc.
About Oregon Community Foundation
Since 1973, Oregon Community Foundation has worked to improve the lives of all Oregonians through the power of philanthropy. In 2024, OCF distributed more than $211 million in grants and scholarships in every county in Oregon in partnership with donors and volunteers. Individuals, families, businesses and organizations can work with OCF to create charitable funds to support causes important to them. To learn more, visit oregoncf.org.
###