PORTLAND, Ore. — Juneteenth, the holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans, is coming up on Sunday. Though it's been celebrated since the late 1800s it was just federally recognized as a holiday last year.
Portland has several events planned for this weekend. One of them is Portland's first Black literary festival, dedicated to celebrating both freedom and reading. The organizer, Nanea Woods, says that the festival is for anyone who wants to come out and celebrate Juneteenth and the love of books.
Woods was first drawn to books at a young age.
"I learned to walk really by my mom throwing out books and magazines to kind of like bate me," she explained.
Her love for reading continued from her first steps to the hallways of her high school, where she turned her locker into a library so friends could check books out.
Then, four years ago, Woods created her own book club.
"It's a woman of color book club called 'Prose Before Bros,' and books are the way for me to build community," said Woods.
She's now combining books and community for her latest effort, called the Freadom Festival.
"It's the first and only Black book festival in Portland, Oregon," said Woods, "to highlight and center literature that centers and focuses on our BIPOC community."
She made sure the festival fell on the weekend of Juneteenth, an annual celebration of emancipation from slavery.
"Black leaders in history used books as a tool and a means to gain empowerment and freedom," said Woods.
Anti-literacy laws in the 1800s made it illegal for Black people to read or write and prohibited white people from teaching it to them.
"In a way, picking up a book and reading a book is very revolutionary — a form of resistance and rebellion," Woods said.
That's how Woods chose the festival's slogan: "Read by any means necessary." It's a reference to the words of civil rights activist Malcolm X.
"Just an ode to what they've sacrificed," Woods said, "and they've fought for our rights and abilities — so read by any means necessary."
When the festival sets up in Peninsula Park on Saturday, visitors will find literary vendors, nonprofits, food, music and, of course, books — many donated by local businesses. That includes Third Eye Books in Southeast Portland.
"We have a history of wonderful Black authors that a lot of people haven't been exposed to," said Michelle Lewis, co-owner of Third Eye Books, "so this gives us an opportunity to make sure that at this event we can expose people to authors that are local."
It's all part of a new chapter in Portland history. The Freadom Festival is free to attend, and will take place Saturday from 12 to 6 p.m. at Peninsula Park.