Author Kristian Williams will discuss his new book, “Policing the Progressive City: Portland, Oregon, From Settlement to Uprising,” during the next Conversations on Race and Policing program at noon on Wednesday, Sept. 16.
The program, free and open to the public, will take place on Zoom.
Published by AK Press in 2026, the book traces Portland’s history from an outpost of the Hudson’s Bay Company through nearly 200 years shaped by organized crime, labor unrest and waves of migration.
Williams examines how business interests, political climbers and social campaigners influenced the city’s pursuit of law and order, according to the publisher. The book also explores the history and conduct of the Portland Police Bureau.
The book argues that Portland’s progressive reputation has allowed its policing system to withstand scandals, co-opt critics and periodically renew its legitimacy through limited reforms.
Williams has written numerous books and articles chronicling police abuse of power since the mid-1990s. Alex S. Vitale, author of “The End of Policing,” called the book an essential case study of the history and politics of policing.
The Conversations on Race and Policing program began following the May 25, 2020, murder of George Floyd and its aftermath. Floyd, a Black man, was killed by a white Minneapolis police officer, triggering widespread protests, demands for systemic policing reforms and profound discussions about race and racism. The events also led to the creation of Cal State San Bernardino’s Conversations on Race and Policing, abbreviated as CoRP.
In subsequent court cases, three other former Minneapolis police officers implicated in Floyd’s death received prison sentences.
The series has featured scholars, journalists, law enforcement officers, lawyers, activists, artists, educators, administrators and others from throughout the nation who have shared their experience and expertise on issues related to race and policing.
Since June 2020, more than 140 forums have taken place, and video recordings of the sessions have been posted in the Conversations on Race and Policing Lecture Series Archive.
Programs take place every Wednesday beginning at noon unless otherwise noted. Upcoming speakers include:
- Sept. 23 — Julian Go, author of “Policing Empires: Militarization, Race, and the Imperial Boomerang in Britain and the U.S.”
- Sept. 30 — Arun Kundnani, author of “What Is Antiracism?”
- Friday, Oct. 9 — Scott Kurashige, author of “American Peril: The Violent History of Anti-Asian Racism”
- Oct. 14 — Gunner Johnson and Brett May, who will discuss “What Does True Justice Look Like?”
The organizing team for Conversations on Race and Policing includes Michael German, Stan Futch, Amber Broaden, Robie Madrigal, Jeremy Murray, Matt Patino and Mary Texeira, representing CSUSB and collaborating community and educational organizations.
For more information, contact Madrigal at rmadriga@csusb.edu or Murray at jmurray@csusb.edu.
Also visit the Conversations on Race and Policing webpage.