The Lone Fir Memorial Project is Now Fully Funded!
Background
Block 14 at Lone Fir Cemetery holds deep cultural and spiritual significance for Portland's Chinese American community. Hundreds of Chinese American graves were desecrated, and over 3,000 ancestors were erased from public memory by the County's actions. Honoring ancestors is a core cultural practice, making these harms especially painful.
The community efforts to create a memorial at Lone Fir Block 14 began in 2005. Since then, much more has come to light about the individuals buried at Block 14 and the injustices they endured. Starting in 2023, the C.A.C.A. Portland Lodge has been working to secure an official apology from Multnomah County for the historic harm inflicted on the Chinese American community regarding the Chinese Section, Block 14, and funding for a community memorial.
The memorial will restore dignity, preserve heritage, and reclaim the untold stories of early Chinese immigrants. It will serve as a place of healing, remembrance, and education, ensuring visibility and inclusion for communities long excluded from our shared history. This memorial will be completed with the care, accuracy, and dignity that honor both their lives and their enduring legacy.
On June 5, 2026, thanks to the advocacy and collective efforts of fellow Chinese Americans, we were able to secure the funding needed to complete the memorial as designed.
Timeline of Events
February 4, 2025
An informational briefing was held focusing on the historic harm and the hope for repair at the Chinese Section of Lone Fir Cemetery. It marked an important next step in our nearly two-year effort to seek an official apology from the County on behalf of the Chinese American community. (view more here)
April 24, 2025
Chair Vega Pederson released her executive budget, which includes $1 million for the Block 14 Memorial. However, that is less than half of the $2.5 million initially requested to build the community-supported design.
May 21 , 2025
Commissioners Brim-Edwards and Moyer co-sponsored an amendment adding $500,000 to support the memorial at Lone Fir Cemetery in Southeast Portland. (view more here)
May 28, 2025
Commissioner Moyer proposed an additional amendment adding another $1 million and called for funding for perpetual care. (view more here)
June 3, 2025
Commissioner Jones-Dixon proposed an amendment to close the remaining funding gap.
June 11, 2025
C.A.C.A were asked to submit a letter of support for this commitment. (view more here)
June 12, 2025
The County adopted its budget, allocating $1 million in FY 2026 toward the memorial and expressing intent to fund an additional $1.5 million in FY 2027. (view more here)
June 26, 2025
The Multnomah County Commission formally adopted an apology resolution acknowledging historical injustices and allocated $1 million in FY26, with the intention to commit $1.5 million in FY27 toward the Chinese Memorial at Lone Fir Cemetery. (view more here)
April 4, 2026
Multnomah County’s chair and commissioners read their apology on site, at Lone Fir Cemetery, for the first time after initially delivering it at a board meeting last June during the 5th Annual Qing Ming Gathering. This day was significant as it marked the start of memorial construction as well.
April 29, 2026
Commissioner Brim-Edwards introduced an amendment to add $1.5 million in capital for the Lone Fir Memorial, co-sponsored by Commissioner Moyer. (view more here)
June 5, 2026
“The Board unanimously approved an amendment from Commissioners Brim-Edwards and Moyer that provides an additional $1.5 million for a memorial by Metro that honors the unrecognized stories of Chinese Americans originally buried at Lone Fir Cemetery.” (view more here)