Juneteenth is an American day celebrating independence, though it’s not the 4th of July. Following in the footsteps of Juneteenth pioneers, The Father’s Group of Bend [click to read more about one of their programs, Ujima Youth Program] unites the community for what is now recognized as America’s “Second Independence Day.”
This year’s celebration, “Jubilee,” takes place at Drake Park on June 15-16. The festival is free to attend and features an immersive experience of African, Caribbean and African American culture. Attendees follow rhythmic ancestral drums with inviting music and tour the rich, colorful activities offered by community vendors and educational booths. Tents filled with Afrocentric art capture the heart and imagination.
Learning about Juneteenth
When more than 250,000 African Americans remained enslaved in Texas two years after the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, U.S. General Gordon Granger led more than 2,000 troops into Galveston, Texas, to order and ensure that all enslaved Americans were freed. The last freed African Americans coined the holiday name—Juneteenth—in an amalgam of June and nineteen. While it took decades for the federal government to recognize Juneteenth as a national holiday, Clara Peoples–aka “the Mother of Juneteenth”—started the first celebration in Portland, Oregon in 1972, where it is still an annual event.
It wasn’t until 2021, when President Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law, that Juneteenth became the eleventh holiday recognized by the federal government. The state of Oregon and City of Bend observe Juneteenth annually on June 19.
Bend’s Juneteenth Festival
The Father’s Group, a Bend nonprofit youth development program, has hosted a Juneteenth festival since 2020 to carry on the legacy in Central Oregon.
“It started as a small community cookout to celebrate the holiday, but then we realized people kept asking what Juneteenth was. We also realized this was an opportunity to educate the community,” said Kenny Adams, executive director of The Father’s Group.
Members of the group quickly realized that educational exhibits could familiarize the community with the significance of Juneteenth. “We want to celebrate the legacy of enslaved people by sharing their history and uniting our community,” said Adams. David Merritt, board vice president and a founding member of The Father’s Group, added, “I’m from the Bay Area, and I’ve been doing Juneteenth all my life; I brought what I’ve learned from attending Juneteenth in Santa Cruz and Los Angeles, and wanted to get a similar celebration culture going when I moved to Bend.”
Education and Influence
“While other cities focus only on entertainment, people choose our festival because we focus on everything, especially education. People want to learn their roots, which makes us different from other Juneteenth celebrations,” said Entertainment Manager Tashia James of The Father’s Group. Juneteenth Central Oregon features education classes in African American history, literature, art and inventors, with additional classes designed especially for youth.
David Merritt also mentioned Bend’s need for more African American representation as an influence. “I want Black youth to see a future here, connecting them with diverse businesses local and outside,” he said. “I make it a point to bring in Black-owned vendors from around Central Oregon.”
Since the event moved to Drake Park, it has attracted nearly 100 new businesses and participants, including Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity, Fodé Sylla Drum Dance, John John’s BBQ Sauce, Urban League of Portland and more.
The festival hopes to bring innovation and diversity to the city, while honoring an American legacy. Being educated about the past and participating in the community’s future is an important message woven into Bend’s Juneteenth celebration. When asked—“What would you like those last freed slaves of Galveston to feel, if they could attend the Bend festival?”—all three leaders of The Father’s Group concurred: they hoped they would be proud to have a legacy beyond slavery that unites communities. That’s why it’s important to Bend, they agreed.
See juneteenthcentralor.com for more information.
