The Rothkowitz family before leaving Latvia, circa 1910. Markus Rothkowitz (Mark Rothko) is bottom left, holding the dog.
Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education
Each week Oregon Experience shares a photo highlighting the state’s diverse, exciting history.
The immigrant community of South Portland was home to a number of famous Jewish Americans, one being renowned 20th century abstract painter Mark Rothko. As a child Rothko sold newspapers on the streets of rough South Portland to help support his family after his father died. At 17-years-old, Yale awarded Mark a scholarship. But he found the school too conforming and exclusionary. He quickly dropped out, changed his name to Rothko and headed to New York to join a new generation of abstract painters.
Watch the Oregon Experience documentary “The Jewish Frontier” to learn about prominent Jews in the state's history.
This series is in partnership with The Oregon Historical Society