Juneteenth Oregon: Recognition of freedom, work left to do toward liberation

As the Clara Peoples Freedom Trail Parade came to an end at North Portland’s Lillis-Albina Park, the 51st annual Juneteenth Oregon celebration was just getting started.

By noon, thousands of people were streaming into the park for food, live music, kids activities and to visit the dozens of vendors who had set up shop. A “passport” program encouraged people to collect stamps from different booths and be entered for a raffle prize.

Heather Coleman-Cox, an organizer with Juneteenth Oregon, told the crowd that last year’s parade had about 800 marching participants. This year’s was closer to 1,000.

Festivities kicked off with a prayer from Rev. Dennis Payne with First AME Zion Church:

“God, it’s a little cold out here right now, we need some sun, we need some heat to come through these clouds,” he said. “They’re predicting rain but we’re predicting Jesus to do what he does best.”

And the clouds did part, providing perfect temperatures and sunny weather for the first day of Portland’s two-day Juneteenth celebration.

This was the first time Marley Avritt of Warley Bird Creations had a booth at Juneteenth to sell her whimsical earrings and buttons made from decoupaged photos, tiny plastic toys and other odds and ends.

“I decided a long time ago that other people could make boring jewelry,” she said, “but I wanted to make all of the silly things.”

Avritt is a massage therapist by day, but Warley Bird is a creative outlet and a chance for her to attend local fairs and events. She’ll be at Portland’s Good in the Hood festival next week.

“It’s very important to be a part of the community,” Avritt said. “It’s a really nice thing to see so many Black-owned businesses and people supporting each other.”

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Author and poet Montrell Goss was selling his children’s books featuring “Chillin’ the Courageous Coyote” along with shirts and other merchandise with the coyote’s slogan, “Don’t judge, show love.” (https://chillinscreations.com/)

Goss said he wrote the books after working as a behavioral specialist for Portland Public Schools because he wanted to offer a character children could relate to. He’s been a long-time supporter of Juneteenth Oregon but this was his first time with a booth.

“If you look around, it’s diverse, and I love the diversity,” he said of the crowd. “It’s not just about the African American community, it’s about everybody, and I love that Oregon can come together to do these events.”

Marsha Peoples Jack’s mother Clara Peoples helped organize the first public Juneteenth parade and celebrations in Oregon in 1972.

“She spearheaded it,” Peoples Jack said. “We all just did as mom said.”

Clara Peoples died in 2015, but her family has continued the tradition.

Peoples Jack was unable to attend the last several in-person events because she was traveling for work, so she was moved to see how many people turned out this year. It began as a festival with fewer than 30 vendors and whatever local artists they could find. Now, the two-day festival attracts many more vendors, and the festival attracts traveling headliners.

“It almost brings me to tears,” she said. Her mother, she said, “would just be out of her skin.”

Among the performers on Saturday was Kamari Rivers, 11, who read the poem “I’m Proud to be Black” that he’d written for the event. He started writing poetry in 2020 after a Minneapolis police officer murdered George Floyd.

“I wrote that poem to inspire Black boys like me,” he said, “to show them that they are enough and that they don’t need to change the skin they’re in.”

He’s read his poetry in front of the Oregon Capitol, at protests and other events. This year was his third reading at Portland’s Juneteenth festival. He said he appreciated the crowd’s warm reception.

“It shows that I’m really making an impact,” he said.

Quanna McCloud sat on a grassy berm on the celebration grounds outside of Harriet Tubman Middle School, watching the event. McCloud recently moved to Portland from New York, where there are often so many Juneteenth celebrations it’s hard to get to them all, she said. Saturday’s celebration gave her a chance to get out of the house and see how Portland celebrates the holiday.

“It’s good to see everyone out,” McCloud said.

To McCloud, Juneteenth represents freedom — and reinforces the need for communication.

“(It’s) an opportunity to remember that though everyone may have been free, everyone wasn’t free, because it wasn’t communicated,” she said.

Throughout the afternoon, the audience danced on the lawn to the sounds of Portland bands like the Kirk Green Band and watched performances from dance groups like the 503 Sliders. On a nearby street, a lemonade stand sold five varieties of the drink and dozens stood in line for Texas style barbecue.

Princess Fletcher, a McDaniel High School student crowned Ms. Juneteenth Oregon 2023 recited a poem for the audience about resilience and identity.

“To be Black is our struggle. The identity and power to say: ‘I’ve overcome.’” Fletcher said.

Fletcher, 16, was runner up for Ms. Juneteenth Oregon last year before assuming the crown. She’s proud that the organization saw the responsibility she’s willing to take on in the ambassador role. Riding in the morning parade, she noted the little girls smiling and waving at her as she passed by.

“When I was their age I never really saw anybody in the limelight that looked like me, that was accepted so much and looked up to so much,” she said. “They can look up to me – seeing me and seeing where I can get to – I want them to be able to push themselves.

“They can do it. If they want to be president, go for it.”

A number of festival goers visited The Oregonian/OregonLive’s booth and shared their thoughts about what Juneteenth means to them:

“A celebration of unity and love for the Black community.” – Erika

“A day where all people get together and celebrate Black people.” – Jarius

“It is symbolic of the slow pace of African American empowerment and self determination.” – Adrian Stewart

“Juneteenth means freedom and liberation. It allows me to look at just how far we have come in this country. There ain’t no going back.” – Alex J

“Juneteenth means visibility to everyone’s story and experience in America. It’s a closer step to ‘all’ in ‘liberty and justice for all.’” – Aishiki Nag

“Freedom for my people. We are not there yet. We are moving forward. God save our planet.” – Lena

“America finally recognizing at a federal level the liberation of American Black folks. – Vee Valyria Lewis

“Recognition of freedom and work still to do toward liberation.” – Clayton