Juneteenth in Oregon

Juneteenth, a celebration of emancipation of slavery, was introduced to Oregon in 1945 by Kaiser Shipyard worker Clara Peoples, was recognized by the city of Portland in 1972, and statewide in 2013.

Timeline

Peoples helped make Junteenth recognized by the City of Portland in 1972. Mayor Sam Adams and Amanda Fritz declared Peoples the "Mother of Juneteenth" in 2011.[1][2] Juneteenth became an observed holiday for the City of Portland and Multnomah County employees in 2020, as part of a resolution to address structural racism.[3]

Peoples and first Black Oregonian Senator Avel Gordly led an effort to make Juneteenth a statewide holiday in 2001. The resolution passed.[4][5]

Multnomah County first recognized Juneteenth in 2018, sponsored by County Commissioner Loretta Smith. That event celebrated and heard from Senator Gordly.[4]

Clara Peoples

Clara Peoples (Née Clara Mae Walker[6]) was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma on 8 September 1926. She moved to Vanport, Oregon in 1945, working for Kaiser Shipyards during the World War 2 shipbuilding efforts, where she started a Juneteenth event in 1945. Her family was flooded and displaced in the 1948 Vanport floods. Moving to 1406 NE Ainsworth with her husband Haley Peoples Sr. in the redlined area of Northeast Portland, she then organized efforts to feed people, which turned into the Community Care Association in 1969. By the following year the association was operating out of 2022 NE Alberta Street, rent-free from the anonymous building owner.[7][8][9][2][10][6] The Alberta Street location was previously the Red and White store, seen in a 1931 photo, and was later the Don Pancho Taqueria and Market from 2000-2016.[11][12]

Later, Peoples and Arlene Grice became the first two Black elevator operators at Joseph Shemanski's Eastern Department Store. She was also the first Black person on the State Board of Agriculture.[8] She was also a hall monitor at Adams High School.[7]

In 2011 and 2013, Oregon politician Lew Frederick introduced bills to recognize Peoples. It was enrolled and signed by the governor on May 1, 2013.[13][9]

Peoples died in October 5, 2015, at age 89. The annual parade was named the "Clara Peoples Freedom Trail Parade" beginning in 2016.[14][15]

By 2020, Peoples' granddaughter, Jenelle Jack, was the director of Juneteenth Oregon.[16]

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References
  1. "Juneteenth Oregon Celebration Goes Livestream". The Skanner News. 18 June 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  2. Amanda Fritz (30 October 2011). "Clara Peoples, Mother of Junteenth in Portland". portlandonline.com. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  3. "City of Portland and Multnomah County Formally Recognize Juneteenth as a Holiday". The Skanner News. 17 June 2020. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  4. "Multnomah County celebrates Juneteenth, honors former Oregon Senator Avel Gordly". Multnomah County. 19 June 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  5. "Multnomah County Resolution 2019-059: Proclaiming June 19th, 2019 as Juneteenth Day". multco.us. 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  6. "A Plan For Giving". Ebony. December 1971. pp. 96–98, 102. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  7. Molly Grothaus (22 February 1971). "Community Care Group Feeds Needy". Oregon Journal. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  8. Darnell Millner; Carl Abott; Cathy Balbraith (August 1995). "Cornerstones of Community: Buildings of Portland's African American History". pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu. pp. 402-. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  9. "HCR42 2011 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System". olis.oregonlegislature.gov. 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  10. "Mother of Juneteenth Honored". portlandobserver.com. 24 November 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  11. Cervante Pope (19 April 2016). "Alberta Loses Latino Market". portlandobserver.com. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  12. "Red & White Store, 1931". Vintage Portland. 24 September 2012. Retrieved 20 June 2020. The fairly serious-looking staff of The Red & White Store pose outside of their shop in this fine 1931 photo. The store was on NE Alberta Street between NE 20th and 21st Avenues. The building still exists although the home reflected in the window is long gone.
  13. "HCR8 2013 Regular Session - Oregon Legislative Information System". olis.oregonlegislature.gov. 2013. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  14. Chan, Shirley (18 June 2016). "Oregon Mother Of Juneteenth Leaves Lasting Legacy". opb.org. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  15. "Juneteenth Weekend Celebrations". portlandobserver.com. 14 June 2016. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
  16. Katherine Cook (19 June 2020). "Honoring the 'Mother of Juneteenth' in Portland, Clara Peoples". kgw.com. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
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