Journalist and Senator

A “forgotten figure” is how author Stephen Forrester describes Richard Neuberger, the Oregon journalist and senator who confidently brought his democratic views to this then-conservative state.

Forrester made trips to the University of Oregon to search through Neuberger’s archives, he studied Neuberger’s archives in the Jewish Museum and much more. Forrester says he stayed motivated and inspired to work on this book because he kept “hitting the jackpot” with his research.

Neuberger created monumental impact on the political landscape of Oregon, pushing for democratic policy and change during a time when the state was overwhelmingly conservative, from the 1930s to the ’50s. He was only 28 when he became the first elected Democrat for the Oregon Senate in 40 years. Richard Neuberger: Oregon Politics and the Making of a U.S. Senator takes a deep dive into Neuberger’s life: the ups, the downs, the remarkable achievements and the moments where no one believed him.

An extremely successful journalist and senator, Neuberger had his fair share of struggles getting to that point. When he started at the UO, Neuberger already had over a hundred bylines in The Oregonian, which helped him become editor at the Daily Emerald as just a sophomore. However, his time at UO was not as you’d expect — he did not graduate, but rather dropped out. Neuberger was also of Jewish and German descent and experienced antisemitism on campus.

People described Neuberger as a fantastic writer, putting together pieces at speeds people had never seen before. As he decided to get into politics, he fought for women in politics, conservation and other topics that — as shown through Forrester’s research — shook Oregon politics as they knew it.

Forrester interviewed Neuberger’s wife, Maurine Neuberger, a pioneer woman in politics who became the fifth woman in the U.S. to be elected to the Senate. He discovered that their work together, as a couple in politics, was highly effective.

Neuberger died young at age 47, concluding his only term in the U.S. Senate. Without Neuberger’s influence and rhetoric, Forrester believes Oregon would have seen a democratic shift much later.

Forrester worked as the editor and publisher for The Daily Astorian and was with the EO Media Group for the bulk of his career, and once retiring in 2016, he got to writing this book after years of research.

Richard Neuberger, Oregon State University Press, $29.95

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!