Juneteenth in Central Oregon

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — Today is a federal holiday, Juneteenth. It was made into an official holiday in 2021, which is why some people are unfamiliar with it.

However, the holiday's been celebrated in some parts of America for close to 150 years. Back in 1865 in Confederate slaveholders were holding out in Texas. On June 19th, the Union Army arrived in Galveston and announced the emancipation of the remaining slaves. For that reason, it's seen as the date that slavery ended in the United States.

Tomorrow there's a Juneteenth celebration in Bend. The event is at Open Space Event Studios. From 3 p.m. until 10 there will be live music performances, and celebration. The event's free for everyone who wants to celebrate black heritage.

Event organiser Kasia moon said, “Black people are important. Black heritage is important. Black history is important. And in a place where we don't take up a whole lot of the population, I think it's even more so important to celebrate.”

The event was traditionally run by the Fathers group in Ben's Drake Park. However, they stepped back from the event, saying it was due to a volatile political climate. This new group, Central Oregon Earth Seeds, has stepped in to take the reins. The Earth seeds are focused on social justice and mutual aid efforts.

Full event details are available via the facebook group for the event.