Juneteenth Celebrations
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To celebrate Juneteenth’ first year as a federal holiday, as well as the joyous occasion of black emancipation, Beyond Black is coming together with Play Grow Learn to host a Juneteenth Celebration on 6/19/22 at Vance Park. Wallace is honored to help to sponsor this event.
The Juneteenth celebrations will be held at Vance Park from 1:00 – 6:00 p.m. where there will be music, food, vendors, and activities. The festivities and food will then continue at Downtown Rockwood’s new Market Hall. Beyond Black and Play Grow Learn will encourage neighbors to get to know each other with a “passport” system. Guests can stop at the booths and tents to chat with vendors to receive a stamp. When full the passports can be turned in for the hourly prize drawing!
The first Juneteenth celebration took place in Texas on July 19th, 1866. This date marked a year from when Union Army Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, TX and informed the last enslaved African Americans that they were free—two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation made slavery unconstitutional. In 1980, Texas was the first state to declare Juneteenth a legal state holiday, and a number of other states followed suit. Following this trend, as of June 17, 2021, the Senate unanimously voted to give Juneteenth legal holiday status, making Juneteenth the twelfth federal legal holiday. Juneteenth is the first holiday to be approved since Martin Luther King Jr. Day – which was established as a federal holiday in 1983.
Juneteenth has often been left out of the narrative of American history and overlooked by many non-Black Americans, which makes the decision to declare it a federal holiday a significant milestone. This moment is a win for all who work tirelessly to call attention to, and reduce, the systematic challenges that Black people face. While it is a positive step, we remind ourselves that there is so much more work to do when it comes to addressing the racial wealth gaps, disproportionate incarceration rates, and persistent health disparities that still exist.
One way we can all help create systematic change is by supporting non-profit organizations like Beyond Black. Beyond Black serves Black Oregonians throughout Multnomah County with critical services such as cultural education, rent and utility assistance, mental health services, nutrition and wellness resources, and professional development opportunities for individuals and small businesses. Community is key in creating change! Please join us in lifting up organizations like this one.
We thank Beyond Black for all of the work that they do and their leadership in bringing our community together for this important and meaningful event. Please join us in supporting—and enjoying—this Juneteenth celebration.
One way we can all help create systematic change is by supporting non-profit organizations like Beyond Black. Beyond Black serves Black Oregonians throughout Multnomah County with critical services such as cultural education, rent and utility assistance, mental health services, nutrition and wellness resources, and professional development opportunities for individuals and small businesses. Community is key in creating change! Please join us in lifting up organizations like this one.
We thank Beyond Black for all of the work that they do and their leadership in bringing our community together for this important and meaningful event. Please join us in supporting—and enjoying—this Juneteenth celebration.
