June 17, 2023

Jerry Willey Plaza

943 NE Orenco Station Loop, Hillsboro, OR 97124

12:00 pm – 6:30 pm

Free Admission | Open to the Public

Juneteenth, officially called Juneteenth National Independence Day, is a federal holiday celebrating the emancipation of four million enslaved African Americans. Observed annually on June 19th, the celebration originated in Galveston, Texas, when Union soldiers arrived on June 19, 1865, and Galveston’s residents finally learned that slavery had been abolished. The following year, on June 19, the first official Juneteenth celebration took place in Texas. Festivities throughout the United States typically included prayer and religious services, speeches, educational events, family gatherings and picnics, and festivals with music, food, and dancing.

Black pioneers in Oregon annually celebrated Grand Emancipation Day on January 1st in Oregon as early as 1863. Clara People, a Kaiser shipyard worker, brought the Juneteenth tradition to Oregon in 1945. Building on those legacies, the Black Advisory Business Council, in collaboration with other community groups, will celebrate Juneteenth 2023 on Saturday, June 17th. The Juneteenth celebration will include food, music, speakers, and Black-owned business vendors.

We are excited to announce that vendor booths are SOLD OUT for 2023!

Have Questions?

Contact JJ Jones at [email protected] or 503-726-2145.