The organization was founded as “Northwest Black Pioneers” by Carole Davis, an educator from Seattle, and Oregon State Senator Jackie Winters in 1993.
The group drew inspiration from the Northwest Black Pioneers in Seattle.
[1] The organization’s early projects mainly focused on Black history education and presentations to Salem-area schools.
In 2020, Executive Director Zachary Stocks became the organization's first paid staff member.
[3] In February 2025, Oregon Black Pioneers put on a full schedule of events in towns in Oregon for Black History Month including film screenings, discussions, interactive exhibits and a panel of as yet untold stories.