In the months leading up to the 2020 presidential election, Portland made national news with nightly social justice protests, often met with violent response by counter protestors and law enforcement. Though frequently regarded as a progressive hub, Portland has a long history of racial inequality and oppression, and the city’s entrenched divisions gained new attention during the Trump years. The photos in Protest City present a visceral visual record of this significant moment in Portland’s history. The majority of the 121 photos included in the book were taken between May and October 2020, but the end of the collection is supplemented with photos from protests in late 2020 and early 2021 around various related issues, including the Red House on Mississippi and demonstrations on January 6 and 21. Dundon’s striking photos recreate the immediacy and impact of the protests. The text includes a chronology and statement from the author; a foreword by Donnell Alexander; and a historical introduction by Carmen Thompson.
The publisher and author would like to thank Magnum Foundation, Documentary Arts, and the Economic Hardship Reporting Project for their generous support of this publication. Additional funding has been provided by Furthermore: a program of the J. M. Kaplan Fund.
