Celebrating Juneteenth in Oregon
Juneteenth commemorates the end of chattel slavery in the United States, as word of the Emancipation Proclamation reached enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865. Learn more.
This year, the Oregon Legislature passed legislation to make Juneteenth an official state holiday, which was signed into law by Governor Kate Brown. And this week, President Biden signed legislation to create a federal holiday, Juneteenth National Independence Day.
Listen: Senator Lew Frederick talks to OPB’s Tiffany Camhi about Juneteenth in Oregon.
At Basic Rights Oregon, we believe our collective liberation is forever linked. We strive to center racial justice and anti-racist work vigorously in all the LGBTQ advocacy work we do and to amplify the voices of Black LGBTQ people and lift up their experiences.
On Juneteenth, we encourage you to attend an event in your community, support Black-owned businesses, or celebrate with friends or family. We gathered links to local news stories about Juneteenth events across the state to help you find an event near you:
Statewide
Juneteenth Oregon Live Stream
Portland
10 Ways to Observe Juneteenth in Portland – Oregonian
Central Oregon
Celebrate Juneteenth in Central Oregon – Bend Source
Eugene/Springfield
Freedom for All – Eugene Weekly
Medford
Juneteenth celebration to be held in downtown Medford for first time Saturday – KOBI
Hermiston
Juneteenth Celebration features family fun – East Oregonian
Coos Bay
“We Have A Responsibility To The History That Has Created Our Present” – KXL
Do you know of an event that we missed? Spread the word by letting folks know on social media.