Staff Report / Bendlocal.org

**Celebrating Black History Month: Honoring Louisa and Columbus Sewell**

In honor of Black History Month, Bend-La Pine Schools in Bend, Oregon, are sharing important stories of Black pioneers who have shaped Central Oregon’s history. Among these trailblazers are Louisa and Columbus Sewell, the first Black settlers in Canyon City, located just east of what was then called Farewell Bend.

Columbus Sewell arrived in Oregon in 1862 as a miner and entrepreneur. He and his wife, Louisa, later made history in 1892 by filing a Homestead Act claim, marking a significant moment in the history of Black settlement in the region.

Their inspiring story is part of a larger educational effort by Bend-La Pine Schools to spotlight the contributions of influential Black communities past and present. As part of this initiative, students will learn more about the Sewell family through the short film *Meeting the Sewells*. This film is a collaboration between the High Desert Museum, Oregon Black Pioneers, and North East Production.

To learn more, the public can access this resource at [bls.fyi/BHMSewells](http://bls.fyi/BHMSewells).

Source: Bend-La Pine Schools

Source Type: School

Source Location: Bend

Bend, OR

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