Monday, Jan. 23, 7pm: Breaking Chains: Slavery on Trial in the Oregon Territory (Book) Independence Civic Center, 555 S Main Street, Independence, Oregon. In Breaking Chains, R. Gregory Nokes tells the story of the only slavery case adjudicated in Oregon’s pre-Civil War courts—Holmes v. Ford. Through the lens of this landmark case, Nokes explores the historical context of racism in Oregon and the West, reminding readers that there actually were slaves in Oregon, though relatively few in number.