Before Washington, D.C., had Marion Barry, Oregon had the marionberry
Marion Barry, who died on Sunday, is probably remembered most outside of Washington, D.C., for his videotaped 1990 bust for smoking crack cocaine. The former four-term mayor of America's capital leaves behind a much more complicated legacy in Washington, though, including helping build the city's black middle class and, in the 1960s, fighting for civil rights and Washington home rule. In Washington, the larger-than-life Barry was known widely as "Mayor for Life," even though he left the mayor's office for a City Council seat in 1999.
Across the country in Oregon, though, Marion Barry was never as famous as the marionberry, a delicious blackberry offshoot developed at Oregon State University and unveiled in 1956 — nine years before Marion Barry arrived in Washington from Memphis. The marionberry is named after Marion County, the home of state capital Salem and the testing ground for the berry.
The marionberry isn't officially the Oregon State berry — a popular bill to make it so has been held up since 2009 by, among other things, a grower of the rival kotataberry, Larry Duyck. But "to say that marionberries are dear to the hearts of Oregonians is like saying that kids like pizza and ice cream," says Rebekah Hubbard at the blog PDXfoodlove: "A total understatement." Oregonians had mixed feelings about their berry's walking homonym 3,000 miles away.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Outside of Oregon, the marionberry is probably best known for its starring role in the Season 2 finale of Portlandia. Here, celebrity chef Bobby Flay talks with Portlandia director Jonathan Krisel in a behind-the-scenes clip from the extended version of the "Brunch Village" episode, arguing about whether the marionberry is just an Oregon word for "blackberry," and mispronouncing the word "Oregon." --Peter Weber
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
What is cloud seeding and did it cause Dubai's severe rainfall?
The Explainer The future is flooded
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
American Airlines pilots are warning of a 'significant spike' in safety issues
In the Spotlight The pilot's union listed 'problematic trends' they say are affecting the airline's fleet
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
6 star-spangled presidential libraries to visit
The Week Recommends These institutions provide insight into American leaders
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
Puffed rice and yoga: inside the collapsed tunnel where Indian workers await rescue
Speed Read Workers trapped in collapsed tunnel are suffering from dysentery and anxiety over their rescue
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
More than 2,000 dead following massive earthquake in Morocco
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mexico's next president will almost certainly be its 1st female president
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
North Korea's Kim to visit Putin in eastern Russia to discuss arms sales for Ukraine war, U.S. says
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Gabon's military leader sworn in following coup in latest African uprising
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published