Education as Liberation: Celebrating Juneteenth

The simple definition of Juneteenth is an annual holiday to celebrate the day that Union troops enforced the abolition of slavery of African Americans who remained in bondage in Texas until June 19, 1865 — two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued.

A more expansive way of thinking about Juneteenth is a celebration of liberation and an opportunity to reflect on what liberation means to the Black community. This year, as we bear witness to efforts to erase or recast parts of our American history, celebrating Juneteenth feels particularly important.

Perhaps the most important motivation I have for working in higher education is that I firmly believe in its liberatory power. In 1865, it was illegal for Black people to read and write in our country. Juneteenth may have opened the door to freedom, but Jim Crow laws and racial discrimination led to decades of substandard education for Black Americans.

Portland State exists to ensure that everyone who wants a college degree can get one. We treasure our students and their diversity of backgrounds, identities and worldviews. We are working hard to close any equity gaps that exist for our students, especially those that are historically underserved. We are committed to education as a form of liberation.

There are many ways to celebrate Juneteenth in Portland including supporting Black-owned businesses — which, incidentally, you can do all year long. PDX Black Excellence is a wonderful resource to explore and discover businesses, events and more.

In addition, PSU is a sponsor of the Clara Peoples Freedom Trail Parade and Juneteenth Celebration, which starts  at 11 a.m. at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School and works its way down Martin Luther King Boulevard, followed by a public festival at Lillis-Albina Park at North Flint Avenue and Russell Street.