Robert Donnelly

Robert Donnelly is an associate professor of U.S. history at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. He earned a Ph.D. at Marquette University, an  M.A. at Portland State University, and a B.S. at Western Oregon University. He grew up in Winston, Oregon.

Author's Entries

  • Coin Machine Men

    The Coin Machine Men of Oregon was a statewide trade association of pinball and other coin-machine operators and distributors created in the 1930s with its headquarters in Portland. In March 1955, the Coin Machine Men signed an agreement to join the International Brotherhood of Teamsters to unionize the coin-machine …

    Oregon Encyclopedia

  • Fred Peterson (1896-1985)

    Fred L. Peterson, a Portland city commissioner for twelve years, was elected mayor in 1953, serving one term. In city council and city hall, Peterson’s conservative political agenda promoted business-friendly programs and legislation and grand building projects. He rejected progressive municipal reforms, including public housing projects and anti-vice legislation. Peterson …

    Oregon Encyclopedia

  • McClellan Committee

    Portland's notorious history of racketeering played a role in the creation of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Improper Activities in the Labor or Management Field, commonly called "The McClellan Committee." Initiated by the U.S. Senate on January 30, 1957, the committee's work helped to explain the dynamic of …

    Oregon Encyclopedia