As the academic year draws to a close, it’s an opportune time for celebration and reflection. And it is in this month that we celebrate our newest national holiday, Juneteenth. Also known as Freedom Day, Juneteenth was made an official national holiday in 2021, but it has been recognized and celebrated in Texas and many other states for generations.
Juneteenth commemorates the date when the last enslaved African Americans in the United States were declared free. On June 19, 1865, Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, where they began to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation that President Abraham Lincoln issued on Jan. 1, 1862. Texas was the last Confederate state forced to free enslaved people of color.
This year, the RCC Diversity Programming Board is proud to highlight two community groups who are hosting Juneteenth celebrations in Medford and Grants Pass. BASE Southern Oregon and Grants Pass Remembrance are doing invaluable work in the Rogue Valley, providing educational opportunities, events, youth programs and fostering human connection. We encourage you to learn more about the amazing work they are doing in our community, and consider attending their Juneteenth celebrations!
See below for event details as well as educational resources where you can learn more. All are welcome!
For more information, contact Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Coordinator Lucia Bartscher at 541-956-7124 or by Teams.
Grants Pass Event Hosted by Grants Pass Remembrance
Date: Thursday, June 19, 2025
Time: 4:30-6:30 p.m.
Location: Trevillian Pavilion at Riverside Park in Grants Pass
Medford Event Hosted by B.A.S.E.
Date: Saturday, June 21, 2025
Time: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Location: Pear Blossom Park, 312 E. 4th St., Medford