Each year, June 19th, or Juneteenth, is commemorated as 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.

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.

Here are some ways to celebrate Juneteenth locally:

White House Juneteenth Concert (6/13)

Juneteenth Oregon (6/17 and 6/18)

Juneteenth Vancouver, WA (6/17)

Unity of Portland Juneteenth Service (6/18)

Zenger Farm Juneteenth Celebration (6/10)

8 Seconds Juneteenth Rodeo (6/17)

Don’t Shoot Portland/PNCA Youth Art and Activism Workshop (6/16)

Juneteenth Cookout (6/16)

Black & Beyond the Binary Collective @ Juneteenth Oregon Parade (6/17)

Washington County Juneteenth (6/17)

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.