As the photos and article show, this was a moving experience as Eugene progresses forward from our racist   past,   a time when blacks were forbidden to live here.  And as the marker, historic displays,  and various speakers noted, the basis  of this   segregation goes back to Oregon's 1857 vote which, following  earlier racist laws, placed the   hideous   Exclusion clause  officially   in our constitution of 1859.

This is significant, for as recently as a May 7th RG article,   esteemed emeritus  UO law school Professor James Mooney and other notables ridiculed  UO's Professor Charise Cheney's claim that the Exclusion law was the reason Oregon  and the UO had such a low percentage of African Americans.  To them, this whole debate over Mathew Deady is  evidently just "political correctness."  They should have been there Saturday to apologize for their  witless comments, and to witness the real joy felt as our community continues to break down old barriers and old hatreds.