Hi, John.

During World War II, the shipbuilding industry in Portland flourished due, in part, to the intense recruitment of African-Americans from the South to work in the Northwest. Thus, the Kaiser that you are referring to is Kaiser Steel.

One area that was predominantly African-American in Portland was called, I believe, Vansport. That area was basically destroyed due to flooding in the 1940's.

I lived in the Portland metropolitan area from 1993 to 2003 and used to hear stories about the mass migration that occurred.

Anita