Four years ago, Vancouver’s NAACP Branch #1139 agreed to sponsor a grass-roots proposal from local citizens to produce a work of history entitled “First Families of Vancouver’s African American Community: From World War Two to the Twenty-First Century.”

A volunteer steering committee has identified many of the families that came to work at the Kaiser shipyard and other wartime industries in Vancouver. Project writer Jane Elder Wulff interviewed family members who settled here during and after the war, weaving their voices together into the story of Vancouver’s African American community.

NAACP Branch #1139 was part of that story. “The Branch was launched in 1945, just as the war was ending,” Wulff said. “It played an important role in shaping the character of Vancouver by helping African American families stay here and put down roots.”

A series of events is scheduled to celebrate the book’s publication:

• 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2: the opening presentation of the 2012 “First Thursday” series at the Clark County Historical Museum;
• 2-4 p.m. Saturday, March 31: an informational program at the Battle Ground Library; and
• 4-6 p.m. Saturday, April 14: a community-wide celebration of the First Families project’s successful completion, with food and live music, at Gaiser Student Center, Clark College.

The First Families project has received major funding from Humanities Washington, the Clark County Historical Promotion Program, and Black United Fund of Oregon, and donations from many local individuals and groups. Clark County Historical Museum, Clark College, Washington State University, Clark County YWCA, USDA Coalition of Minority Employees, and several local churches provided strong collaborative support.

“We hope this book will encourage others, especially young people, to preserve their cultural heritage for the benefit of future generations,” said Cornetta Smith, First Families project director. Books will be available for sale at release events, with all proceeds to benefit Vancouver NAACP.