The Stumptown Stories series, geared to everyone who loves this city we live in, takes place most Tuesdays at Jack London bar (basement of the Rialto, SW 4th and Alder). Free to get in, but must be 21 or over – there’s a full bar!
This week reporter Peter Sleeth presents Tom Burns: the Most Arrested Man in Portland.
The watch shop and bookery on SW Fourth and Ankeny, just off Burnside in downtown Portland, was a popular gathering place for the city’s more radical residents during the early 20th century. Its proprietor, Tom Burns, held meetings in the basement for his friends and fellow Socialists, reacting against the economic inequalities that plagued the country. Tom Burns walked his talk: he wrote pamphlets, letters, and newspaper articles; held speeches, strikes, and rallies; and was regularly arrested for his efforts, leading to his title: the Most Arrested Man in Portland. Reporter Peter Sleeth, whose family knew Burns, brings insight to this dynamic and largely unremembered Portland radical.
Doors open at 5pm for this free event (21 and over only). Presentation begins at 7:30pm.
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