June 19th, or Juneteenth, marks the anniversary of the day in 1865 when enslaved communities in Galveston, Texas learned that the Civil War had ended and that they were free from slavery—nearly two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Juneteenth is considered the longest-running African American holiday. In recent years, there has been increased interest in the holiday due to mass public protests against police brutality and racism. The day serves to honor and celebrate Black history, community and freedom, as well as look towards a more just future.

2022 marks the 50th anniversary of Juneteenth celebrations in Portland. In 1972, community leader Clara Peoples helped to initiate Portland’s annual citywide Juneteenth celebration. Peoples originally introduced the tradition to her coworkers in 1945 at the Kaiser Shipyard in Portland after moving from Muskogee, Oklahoma. She was surprised to learn that the Juneteenth holiday was unknown in this part of the country. Today, Juneteenth Oregon’s celebration includes a parade, live music and entertainment, art, food, educational and cultural booths, community resources and a children’s play area.

2022 is also the first year that Oregon will recognize Juneteenth as an official state holiday, after the Oregon Senate passed House Bill 2168 last year. Their declaration stated that “this holiday will serve to honor the freedom of enslaved people in the United States, acknowledge Oregon’s racist roots, and celebrate the contributions of Black Americans in the face of inequity and systemic oppression.”

Check out these resources for ways to celebrate Juneteenth and honor the holiday’s history:

·       Check out Juneteenth Oregon’s website and social media to stay in the loop with in-person festivities held in Portland on June 18th and 19th.

·       Learn more about the history of Juneteenth

·       Visit the Oregon Black Pioneers website, a historical society that preserves the stories of Black Oregonians and shares them with the public.

·       Read about Oregon’s history of Black Exclusion Laws

About Cascade AIDS Project

CAP is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1985 as a grassroots response to the AIDS crisis. As the oldest and largest community-based HIV services provider in Oregon and southwest Washington, we seek to support and empower all people with or affected by HIV, reduce stigma, and provide the LGBTQ+ community with compassionate healthcare. We do so by helping to ensure the health and well-being of our program participants each year through health, housing, and other social services. When the need for affordable, accessible, and culturally affirming primary care services was identified as a community need, we responded by opening Prism Health in 2017.  More information can be found at www.capnw.org.