Cotton Club (Portland, Oregon)

Not to be confused with Cotton Club.

Cotton Club
AddressPortland, Oregon
United States
Coordinates45°32′19″N 122°40′05″W / 45.538621°N 122.668024°W / 45.538621; -122.668024

The Cotton Club was a nightclub located in North Portland, Oregon, United States. Located at 2125 N. Vancouver Avenue (and N. Tillamook Street), the club gained attention during the 1960s as the "only nightclub on the West Coast with wall-to-wall soul."[1] Celebrities such as Cab Calloway, Sammy Davis Jr., Cass Elliot, The Kingston Trio, Joe Louis, and Archie Moore would visit the nightclub when they were in town.[2]

Background

The Cotton Club, located within the Albina area of North Portland, was a jazz nightclub that rose to fame in the 1960s. [3] Paul Knauls moved to Portland, Oregon in 1963 in order to purchase the club.[4]

The jazz club was one of many black owned businesses that occupied the area at the time. It was located in a neighborhood where African-Americans settled after Vanport was destroyed by flooding in 1948 and Interstate 5 and the Memorial Coliseum uprooted a number of black-owned business. By the 1960s, it was part of a thriving area that included the Blue Ribbon Barbecue, Lew's Men's Shop, and the House of Fortune Cafe.[3]

Paul Knauls

Paul Knauls was born in Huntington, Arkansas in 1931. He joined the Air Force in 1949 just 17 days after graduating from high school. Knauls worked up to three jobs at a time in order to save up enough money to fulfill his goal of owning a business. In addition to working as a typewriter repairman, he also worked as a dishwasher in a hotel and ski instructor on weekends.[5] Knauls decided to pursue his dream of owning a nightclub in the Portland area due to the city's proximity to the skiing areas at Mt. Hood.[6] [4] A photo mosaic[7] of Paul Knauls was created for his 90th birthday honoring his life by community people who love, admire and appreciate him [8]

History

The Cotton Club was named after a famous nightclub located in Harlem, New York. The Cotton Club was initially a community watering hole, converted from an old auto garage by Ralph Flowers, and operated by Lee Thompson. After Flowers' death in 1961, ownership of the club was left to his heirs, Lenora Gaskin, Evelyn Purdue, Eddie Smith, Roy Vassar Miller, Harry Hardy, and Peterson Cooper. After taking over management of the club, Roy Vassar Miller found that the club's de facto manager, Knauls, was stealing from the owners in order to bolster the businesses he opened with salary earned from his role at the Cotton Club. Miller offered Knauls an ultimatum, which led to the club's closure in 1970.

The Cotton Club was part of the Chitlin' Circuit, which was a network of venues on the West Coast that were safe for African American performers to play their music.[9] Many of the celebrities that came to the Portland area to perform would finish their evening at the Cotton Club.[4] In addition to being a popular spot for celebrities on the Chitlin's Circuit, the club gained traction among white community after being featured in the column “Baker’s Dozen” written by Doug Baker of the Oregon Journal[4]. The club was successful for about seven years until its doors closed in 1970.

Fraud Implications

In 2024, the Albina Music Trust (AMT), a Portland, Oregon-based non-profit dedicated to preserving the musical and cultural heritage of the historically Black Albina neighborhood, faced significant scrutiny when information surfaced that challenged a central narrative relating to its mission and vision. The controversy centered on accusations against the organization's executive director, Bobby Smith, a white man, regarding his conduct toward a descendant of a pioneering Black family in the Portland metropolitan area.

The core of the contested narrative focused on the Cotton Club, specifically claims regarding its provenance, its eventual dissolution, and its asserted position as "ground zero" for soul music in Portland. The descendant of the pioneering Black family reportedly challenged the historical accuracy of these claims, which were central to the Albina Music Trust's efforts to secure grant funding. In response, Bobby Smith was accused of disparaging this individual and their family, leading to a public questioning of his leadership and the organization's approach to community engagement, preservation efforts, and historical representation.

This incident placed Smith under considerable scrutiny, particularly given his racial identity in an organization focused on Black heritage. The controversy not only cast doubt on the integrity of certain historical accounts used by AMT for funding and public outreach but also raised concerns about the organization's relationship with the very community it aimed to serve.

Further complicating the situation, the 1803 Fund, a significant funder of the Albina Music Trust backed by Nike co-founder Phil Knight, was also implicated in accusations of fraud related to the broader context of the controversy. This association added another layer of complexity, drawing attention to the due diligence of major philanthropic organizations in supporting cultural heritage projects. Reports also indicated that Smith's alleged indiscretion had placed several other organizations in legal liability, suggesting a broader pattern of problematic conduct or misrepresentation that extended beyond the immediate dispute with the descendant.

The events of 2024 highlighted ongoing discussions within Portland regarding who has the authority to tell the stories of marginalized communities, the importance of historical accuracy in cultural preservation efforts, and the ethical responsibilities of leadership in non-profit organizations, especially those operating in racially and historically sensitive contexts like the Albina neighborhood. The controversy prompted calls for greater accountability, transparency, and authentic community engagement within the Albina Music Trust and similar cultural institutions.

[4] Notable performers included:

See also

References

  1. ^ "Boise Voices". boisevoices.com. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  2. ^ "Angler Draws Strength from the Willamette River". April 4, 2005. Archived from the original on April 4, 2005. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  3. ^ a b "PortlandTribune.com". May 23, 2005. Archived from the original on May 23, 2005. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Gies, Martha. "Paul and Geneva Knauls". Archived from the original on August 21, 2016.
  5. ^ "Paul Knauls". January 19, 2001. Archived from the original on January 19, 2001. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  6. ^ Eggers, Kerry (July 6, 2017). "IN CITY OF CHANGE, KNAULS REMAINS CONSTANT". Archived from the original on March 27, 2018. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  7. ^ "PAUL KNAULS". mosaically.com. January 23, 2021. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  8. ^ "NE Portland Mayor Paul Knauls". www.youtube.com. January 24, 2021. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  9. ^ "Night School #200: Paul Knauls, Sr". July 20, 2018. Archived from the original on March 2, 2020.
  10. ^ "Paul Knauls". opb. August 24, 2016. Archived from the original on March 14, 2017.
  11. ^ Singer, Matthew (June 2, 2018). "WATCH: A Short Documentary On North Portland's Lost Jazz Scene". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on March 1, 2020. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  12. ^ Silvis, Helen (February 23, 2012). "From the Archives: NE Portland's 'Mayor' Ran Hot Night Spot". The Skanner. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015.
  13. ^ Singer, Matthew (June 2, 2015). "WATCH: A Short Documentary On North Portland's Lost Jazz Scene". Willamette Weekly. Archived from the original on March 1, 2020.
  14. ^ "Night School #200: Paul Knauls, Sr. - Night School /// XRAY.fm". xray.fm. Archived from the original on March 1, 2020. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
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