Harlem
on the Hill
A Night at the Cotton Club
The Evening
February 27, 2027
The Venue
Portland Art Museum
One evening. Three acts.
A community remembered,
a future commissioned.
Harlem on the Hill is more than a gala. It is a love letter to the Williams & Russell legacy. A night where jazz, joy, and shared purpose gather in candlelight to honor the past and fund the work ahead.
ACT I
Arrival
A sunken ballroom awakens.
Step into a candlelit community gathering. Live jazz curls through the room as cocktails are poured and stories begin. A casino-style activation, silent auction, and unhurried mingling set the tone.
Live Jazz - Cocktails - Casino Lounge - Photo Moments
ACT II
Processional
The drumline calls us together.
Dancers spill forward while a drum cadence rises. Our host uplifts the room and leads a luminous procession into a tableau full of culture, motion, and momentum.
Live Performance - Captivation - Vitality - Cultural Tribute
ACT III
Celebration
The ballroom transforms.
Chandeliers shimmer over a plated dinner. A live band takes the stage. Remarks, storytelling, and the DJ's final set carry the night into a celebration of legacy, joy, and the future Williams & Russell CDC is building.
Plated Dinner - Live Band - Remarks - Dancing
THE VENUE
A landmark, transformed.
The Portland Art Museum opens its halls for a night of cinematic staging: Drapery, candlelight, and Art Deco grandeur will be drawn from a century of Harlem inspiration.
OUR MISSION
Williams & Russell CDC
A community development corporation rooted in the historic legacy of the Williams & Russell families — investing in cultural preservation, economic opportunity, and the next generation of Portland's Black community.
$4.2 M
COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT
50 yr
LEGACY HONORED
FAMILIES SERVED
200+
Join us
under the candlelight
Seats for Harlem on the Hill are limited. Reserve your place at the table, or let us know you'd like to be the first to hear when tickets open.