Juneteenth is an American holiday celebrating the official freeing of the last U.S. slaves during the year 1865 in Galveston, Texas. President Lincoln issued The Emancipation Proclamation, which abolished slavery, on Jan. 1, 1863.

However, the proclamation only applied to places under Confederate control and not the slaveholding or rebel regions that remained unjust. Nearing the end of the Civil War, Texas was the last slave-holding stronghold. Finally, though only under Union pressure, the last 250,000 enslaved Americans were freed in Galveston.

The following year, on June 19, ”Jubilee Day” was created to commemorate the historic liberation event. Later called “Juneteenth,” the celebration became an official Texas holiday in 1979. In more recent years, President Biden signed it into law making it a federal Holiday on June 17, 2021.

In honor of “Juneteenth,” organizations in Bend are collaborating to host a series of free events this weekend .

The Deschutes Historical Museum, Juneteenth Central Oregon and The Father’s Group will be hosting a free historical photo display at the Historical Museum from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

At Drake Park, the High Desert Museum, Father’s Group and others will host a celebration called Juneteenth Central Oregon: Discovering Our Roots. The free, two-day event will be on from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

Museum’s Free Day display

The Deschutes Historical Museum will present a photo archive honoring the Clarence and Ophelia Phelps family. They were the first American Black family to homestead in Deschutes County in 1917. The family also consisted of their daughter Rozelia, Clarence’s brother Ernest, and Ophelia’s mother Mary Gardner.

“The Phelps story is remarkable as they homesteaded and were able to buy land in Central Oregon while the Black Exclusion Laws were still on the books,” Executive Director Kelly Cannon-Miller said in press release.

Phelps’ granddaughter, Carlene Jackson, reached out to the museum and shared photos. During the years of correspondence, the museum staff researched the family’s history and identified the location of their homestead property in Tumalo.

Discovering Our Roots

The Drake Park event is a two-day, family-friendly festival that is open and free for everyone. The celebration will offer fun games, entertainment, music, food, dancing and face painting for all ages.

There will be many educational exhibits on Black inventors, artists and pioneers in history. History actors from the High Desert Museum will be performing as the first Oregon, Black, pioneers.

“Just come out and see what it’s all about, you’re going to have fun,” said Kenny Adams, executive director of The Fathers Group.

Adams was referring to the misconception some people have that Juneteenth celebrations are only for Americans who are Black. According to Adams, during last year’s Juneteenth event, several people approached him discreetly asking if the event was for every race.

“An elderly white lady walked by the festival last year, quietly calling for my attention and then asking if this event was for people like her. I smiled and said, ‘Just come in and grab a plate we have plenty of food and fun; Juneteenth is for everyone and about lifting the community,’” Adams said.