PORTLAND, Ore. — Thousands of Portlanders are celebrating Juneteenth this weekend. The holiday commemorates the day hundreds of thousands of slaves learned of their freedom.
Many people took part in festivities at Lillis Albina Park for Juneteenth Oregon Celebration, a two-day festival in North Portland.
"You want to be a part of this," said Terrel Straughter, owner of Terrel’s Texas Bar-B-Que.
On Saturday, Straughter was busy manning his grill outside of Lillis Albina Park, while thousands of people streamed onto the field.
They enjoyed dozens of vendors, food trucks and live music performed from 12-5 p.m. Saturday. The event continued Sunday.
Straughter celebrated the Juneteenth weekend in his own way, by making barbecue for Juneteenth attendees.
Straughter said he is originally from Houston, Texas, just an hour away from Galveston, Texas, where the last slaves were freed by the Union Army on June 19, 1865.
To him, Juneteenth should serve as a celebration.
"This is the time to have fun," Straughter said. "Don’t worry about what's happened in the past or what's going on."
Others commemorated Juneteenth in other ways.
Laryea Quaye organized a Black Liberation bike ride on Saturday morning.
"It’s a complicated holiday," Quaye said.
He said the bike ride has been going on for eight years. It serves as a way to bring Black Portlanders together.
"I think we’re choosing to do a fun and joyous thing," Quaye said.
Fellow bike riders said they decided to join the bike ride as a way to celebrate the holiday.
"Yeah a celebration, it’s heartwarming," Robert Logwood said. "I love to see my people together."
